Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson: Nimble Symbols

For Teachers K - 5th
Comparative thinking is one way to build critical analysts. Budding artists discuss symbols and how they represent concepts, beliefs, or ideas. They compare the symbols found on an ancient Egyptian mummy case to those found in...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Importance of Place

For Teachers K - 5th
Is art connected to geography? It sure is! Your class will find out how even clay that comes from a certain location can have deep symbolic meaning. The class will analyze the piece, Mud Woman Rolls On and then research how geographic...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

If…Then…Ideas for History

For Teachers K - 5th
Have your class examine a very old piece of art as they consider history, chronology, geography, culture, and tradition. They discuss the concept of ritual as it is associated with religious practices and research the spread of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What a Gift!

For Teachers K - 5th
What is considered a valuable gift? As the class will come to find out, what is considered a gift varies by time and location. After viewing images of a Mayan pot that depicts men giving cacao to the gods, learners research three...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Animal Dance

For Teachers K - 5th
The image Painting of Bear and Sun Dances by Louis Fenno contains an image of a traditional Ute dance. The class will hone their observation skills, as well as their ability to describe in detail, as they take a close look at the piece....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Illusions of Depth

For Teachers K - 5th
Learning to create depth when painting or drawing takes skill and the ability to understand how things should be placed on the canvas. The class will use the Charles Deas painting Long Jakes to learn about composition, sharing...
Lesson Plan
PBS

Alexander Hamilton: Lawyer, Writer, and Founding Father

For Teachers 3rd - 7th Standards
Scholars analyze the impact Alexander Hamilton had on the creation of the United States. Primary documents and video clips give learners a glimpse into the life of one of America's Founding Fathers, arming them with enough information to...
Lesson Plan
PBS

Elizabeth Cady Stanton: Orator, Author, and Activist

For Teachers 3rd - 7th Standards
Have you ever felt like your opinion doesn't count? Scholars research and analyze the impact Elizabeth Cady Stanton had on women's rights. Primary and secondary sources as well as video clips give individuals a clear picture of Stanton's...
Lesson Plan
PBS

Alexander Graham Bell: Scientist, Inventor, and Teacher

For Teachers 3rd - 7th Standards
Hello? Hello? Scholars investigate the impact Alexander Graham Bell's telephone had on the American landscape. Using drawings, video clips, and primary sources, the mind of the inventor comes to light as pupils dream of new inventions to...
Lesson Plan
PBS

Thomas Edison: Inventor and Entrepreneur

For Teachers 3rd - 7th Standards
How many of Thomas Edison's inventions do your scholars use every day? They might be shocked to find out! Young historians watch a video, analyze a photograph, and read one of Edison's letters to learn more about his life and impact....
Lesson Plan
PBS

Walt Whitman: Journalist and Poet

For Teachers 3rd - 7th Standards
Can you love something so much you want to change it? Young patriots investigate Walt Whitman's love of America—and his suggestions to improve it—using primary sources as well as video evidence. Scholars research American issues of the...
Lesson Plan
PBS

Mark Twain: Storyteller, Novelist, and Humorist

For Teachers 3rd - 7th Standards
Scholars investigate the use of satire in Mark Twain's writing. Literary lovers research the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer, political cartoons, and videos to see how Twain uses satire to make the stories more memorable....
Lesson Plan
PBS

Amelia Earhart: Aviator, Record-Breaker, and Activist

For Teachers 3rd - 7th Standards
Fly through the gender barrier! Scholars investigate the impact Amelia Earhart had on American aviation and society. After watching a brief biographical video, learners take a look at primary documents to gain insight into her intriguing...
Lesson Plan
PBS

Eleanor Roosevelt: First Lady, Diplomat, and Activist

For Teachers 3rd - 7th Standards
Scholars analyze the impact Eleanor Roosevelt had on not just the nation, but also on the world. Primary sources and video clips help form a picture of the First Lady and her accomplishments. As a final activity, individuals create...
Lesson Plan
PBS

Cesar Chavez: Labor Leader and Civil Rights Activist

For Teachers 3rd - 7th Standards
Cesar Chavez believed so much in the cause of farmworkers that he put his money where his mouth was. Chavez quit his well-paying job to organize them into labor unions. Using a speech, photograph, and short biographical video, pupils...
Lesson Plan
American Battlefield Trust

Civil War Play

For Teachers 3rd - 6th Standards
Everyone has a role to play. Young scholars step into history by taking on the roles of soldiers—both male and female—during the Civil War using a fictionalized play of what life was like on the battlefield. Pupils also examine the roles...
Lesson Plan
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National Endowment for the Humanities

Hopi Poetry

For Teachers K - 5th Standards
The Hopi refer to corn as their children, demonstrating its importance to the Native American group. Class members consider the role of literal and figurative language by examining poetry from this indigenous group. The resource includes...
Lesson Plan
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National Endowment for the Humanities

Hopi Place Names

For Teachers K - 5th Standards
What's in a name? Historians consider the question as they examine places important to the Hopi people and the meanings of their place names. Included worksheets include maps and charts to help class members examine the geography of Hopi...
Lesson Plan
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National Endowment for the Humanities

Hopi Traditional Dance and Song

For Teachers K - 5th Standards
Very few outsiders get to see the Hopi "Butterfly Dance." However, using approved footage from the tribe, class members consider the importance of symbols in Hopi culture by watching the dance and analyzing lyrics from its songs....
Unit Plan
Core Knowledge Foundation

Third Grade Skills Unit 8: Native American Storiess

For Teachers 3rd Standards
An interdisciplinary unit focuses on third-grade ELA skills and Native American stories. Over two weeks, scholars practice spelling patterns, work with plural possessive nouns and suffixes, and identify between its and it's. Readings...
Unit Plan
Core Knowledge Foundation

Third Grade Skills Unit 6: Gods, Giants, and Dwarves

For Teachers 3rd Standards
The halfway mark of a series offers final skills practice in spelling patterns, suffixes, and building sentences with conjunctions in preparation for assessments that gauge proficiency. Remediation and enrichment follow the test results...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

European Explorers Database

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders watch a demonstration on how to create a new database. In pairs, they enter information about European explorers in an easy to read fashion. They save and print their databases to be used in a review game before their test.
Activity
HISTORY Channel

Westward Expansion of the United States

For Teachers 3rd - 5th Standards
How did early American pioneers decide what to take with them on their journeys, and what was their traveling experience like? Here you'll find a collection of activities to help you explore Westward Expansion with your young learners.
Lesson Plan
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Curated OER

Merry Animal Masks

For Teachers 1st - 6th
Pupils study animals in literature, science, or social studies. They design an animal mask based on the information they collect. Students create a 3-D animal mask and embellish it with details. They read a story or find information...

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