Curated OER
Social Studies: Adinkra Printing
First graders demonstrate a sense of artistic composition by creating shapes and symbols in the pattern of African Adinkra printing. They use glue to create a raised design and then print it on colored paper. Students use symbols from...
Curated OER
King Arthur: Man or Legend
Students research the Legend of King Arthur. In this King Arthur instructional activity, students explore him as he is presented in stories, poems, and art. Students compare and contrast the real life of King Arthur versus the man in...
Curated OER
Suffragettes
Students investigate peer pressure by discussing women's suffrage. For this Women's rights lesson, students explore the history of voting in the United States and when women were finally allowed to do so. Students create a poster in...
National Endowment for the Humanities
History in Quilts
Learners investigate the use of cloth-based art forms intended to pass down traditions and history. They research types of quilts, quilt characteristics and then identify how Freedom Quilts were historically used in the US.
Curated OER
da Vinci: Body Proportion Theories
Middle schoolers investigate the validity of da Vinci's proportion theory by recording human measurements on scatter plots. In groups of three, they record each other's height and wingspan to create a Powerpoint presentation, chart, or...
National Security Agency
Growing Patterns: Practical Pattern Problems
Your learners explore growing patterns by describing, extending, creating, and evaluating practical pattern problems in this three-day collaborative unit. Beginning with concrete patterns and function tables to extend and describe with a...
Dick Blick Art Materials
Insoluble Paintings
Insolubility and density? Yup, it's art class, of course. To create insoluble paintings that continually move and change, kids mix water-based paint with mineral oil and seal the mixture in laminating pouches.
Curated OER
Symbols of Our State: Arkansas
Here are a series of lessons designed to assist early elementary learners to discover the symbols of Arkansas. They learn about the state flag, insect, state seal, state bird, flower, tree, and gem. A booklet (emedded in the plan), is...
Safe Drinking Water Foundation
Make Your Own Water Pollution
Using the polluted water that was made in the prior lesson, your young environmentalists will mix pollutants together in an experiment. Then, they will design a water filter that will clean the polluted water to use in the next lesson....
Dick Blick Art Materials
No-Blender Pulp Painting
Like finger painting, this project is very tactile. Kids tear tissue paper into small pieces, add water, and mix up a pulp that can be pressed onto a canvas to create a colorful, textured painting.
Curated OER
Body Language? The Language of Contemporary Fashion
Students examine the messages given to others based on their clothing. In groups, they compare and contrast the clothes of today with those from the 1980s. While being shown a picture of a piece of clothing, they practice object...
Curated OER
Japan/Kimonos
Second graders identify the kimono as a traditional Japanese clothing. They explain the importance of nature in Japanese traditional crafts. They create and design their own kimono.
Curated OER
Sequence of Events: The Watershed
Class members simulate a watershed with a painters drop cloth, placing objects underneath to create landscape variation, making "rain" with a watering can, and using red drink mix powder to track the path of precipitation. They observe...
Curated OER
Burlap Weaving Gone Wild
Explore art using fabric with this resource. Learners talk about weaving and create art work after discussing this important technique. This is a great way integrate art and history.
Curated OER
Woodlands Ribbonwork
Learners make art based on the ribbon work of the Woodland Indians. Background information on the art form and procedure are laid out in an easy to follow step-by-step format.
Oxfam
Sweatshops - Exploitation Is Never in Fashion
Here's a resource that brings home the idea that we are all part of a global community, that our actions have far reaching consequences. Class members examine the labels in their clothes, create a list of the manufacturers, the countries...
Curated OER
Points on a Line
Get your learners up and moving, all while reviewing numbers on the number line! For this activity, learners are grouped in teams outdoors. The teacher will have already created number lines on the ground (with chalk, tape, etc.), and...
Beyond Benign
Product Test
It's the moment of truth. Previous lessons in the 24-part series had scholars design and develop shampoo formulas using chemical concepts. The 18th lesson asks them to test the function of their shampoos. To do this, they calculate the...
Curated OER
Rooftop Gardens
Second graders investigate how to help a city building remain cooler on the inside. They create a rooftop garden in order to shield the building and lower the internal temperature. The garden is meant to replace the black tar paper that...
Curated OER
Powers of Persuasion
Did you know that clothing and textiles can be recycled, just like glass, paper, aluminum, and plastic? Pupils are introduced to textile recycling and design persuasive posters or letters that raise awareness about this unique type of...
Curated OER
Graffitti
Here is a fun way to encourage a cooperative classroom, drawing skills, and creative expression. Each child draws a design or shape on his paper, then he rotates to the next child's paper where he adds to the previous design. When the...
Curated OER
Objectivity
Help young readers examine historic artifacts to determine if they were designed to help people survive or to create enjoyment. They identify objects that were designed to help people to survive and to enjoy themselves. Then compare and...
National Security Agency
Money Maters: Integers are Integral!
A thoroughly-written lesson plan and a plethora of worksheets about integers comprise this resource. Neophyte number crunchers learn to recognize integers, add and subtract them, and apply the concepts to the designing of a personal...
Virginia Department of Education
Determining Purpose and Audience
Build the writing skills of your junior high wordsmiths with activities that introduce many essential skills of writing. As a class, they develop working definitions of formal vs. informal writing, explore different categories of...