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Storytelling Traditions
Young scholars demonstrate an evaluation of how the culture of a time period influences storytelling narratives by comparing Adeline's story to the plot summary of Cinderella and Anne Sexton's poem Cinderella. They write a poem which...
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Nature’s Fury—Myths and Drama
Fifth graders explore the elements of theatre. In this dramatic performances lesson, 5th graders discuss the structural elements of theatre and dramatize "The Origins of the Season," an explanation myth.
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Wushu Were Here
Students create a fan-shaped story screen that explains 4 major points surrounding various facts, myths, expressions, or story elements in Chinese history, culture and/or literature.
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Children's Literature Across the Curriculum Ideas-Dancing With the Indians
Students read Dancing With the Indians by Angela Shelf Medearis. They complete a variety of cross-curricular activities surrounding the study of Native American festivals and traditions. Included are reading, art, math, science, writing,...
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Dateline: 442 BC Antigone
Learners create and videotape a newscast about the events that take place in the play, Antigone. They perform scenes describing the main events, the main characters and their conflicts.
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Storytelling: Using the arts to enrich the curriculum
Students examine storytelling in a cross curricular unit. Language arts, social studies, science and math are all incorporated in this project as well as technology through the use of Hyperstudio.
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Looking at Owls in Literature, Art, and Science
Fifth graders investigate the characteristics of owls through various science and art activities. They analyze drawings by J.J. Audubon and complete a Venn diagram comparing the similarities and differences of different kinds of owls,...
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I Went to the Crossroads: The Faust Theme in Music, Film and Literature
Students analyze song lyrics and discuss Faust theme in musical history. In this thematic lesson, students view a film clip and create a song lyric, poem or short story developed around the Faust theme. Students perform or present their...
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Storytelling with the Opaque Projector
Pupils create illustrations for a folktale that are shown with an opaque projector during the story reading. They are assigned a picture description and do not know how their picture fits into the story until all of the illustrations are...
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Star Art
Students study about stars, constellations, and myths that accompany them. Then they create their own constellation using black paper and toothpicks and write a myth about their constellation. Their constellation can be viewed on an...
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Storytelling: Using the Arts to Enrich the Curriculum...
Students explore the art of storytelling and stories from various cultures. Students experience Japanese and Chinese culture as well as Greek mythology. Students create and present their own Greek mythology topic to the class.
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Getting the Best out of Book Buddies
Students explore the best approaches to reading with book buddies (younger students). Students create a student-friendly definition for "mentor" and identify traits of a success that a mentor displays. They examine literature for...
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Military History Of China And Japan
Students examine how the Chinese and Japanese used art and literature to bolster the legitimacy of military regimes. The lesson concludes with small group Powerpoint presentations.
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Sophocles' Antigone: Ancient Greek Theatre, Live from Antiquity
Students analyze Antigone and its universal issues as well as explore ancient Greece. In this Antigone and Ancient Greece lesson, students read and complete activities for Sophocles' Antigone. Students reconstruct the experience of a...
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Fact and Fiction in Little Women
Students read excerpts from the novel "Little Women." Students work in groups to research, analyze, and answer the questions included in the lesson. After research, students write a paper and include a bibliography. The students also...
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Native Americans
Students are introduced to the culture of a variety of Native American tribes through literature and related activities.
The Kennedy Center
Fairy Tale Variations
Here are two great lessons that work together and are inspired by the Stephen Sondheim musical Into the Woods. Young writers and actors will retell the story of "The Frog Prince" through games, improvisational script writing, and song....
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Alice's Adventures in Wonderland: Nonsense Poetry and Whimsy
Primary learners are introduced to Lewis Carroll's whimsical poetry. They read "The Nursery Alice" Carroll's adaptation for younger readers, view story illustrations, listen to poetry and write whimsical verses of their own about food.
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It's All Greek to Me
Introduce your class to the Greek alphabet and language. Examine how the Greek language influenced the English language. Study the history, timeline of achievements, and the role oral history played in Greece.
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Childhood Through the Looking-Glass
Junior high learners discuss Lewis Carroll's classic story, Alice in Wonderland. They observe the image of childhood in his photographs and compare them to present-day images. There is a plethora of ideas and links for discussions...
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Simile Stories
Fourth graders view song lyrics and identify similes in the song text. In this similes lesson, 4th graders define and identify similes on a worksheet. Students write their own similes using various adjectives.
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Imaginative Interpretations
Students explore how works of art can be inspired by stories by creating their own work of art inspired by a narrative text.
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Behind the Cover
Students develop questions they would have liked to ask an author about their written works. They read an article about their forefathers and research a back story to a written work of their choice. They create posters to illustrate the...
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Wolves At Our Door
Learners investigate the wolf. In this animal adaptation activity, students examine the social characteristics of the wolf. They discuss the role of human intervention in reestablishing the wolf population.