Media Smarts
Movie Heroes and the Heroic Journey
An exciting twist on the study of the classical hero and the heroic quest! Using film to explore modern-day tales of heroes, the resource contains complete, ready-to-use lesson plans for as many as twelve days of instruction. Throughout...
Curated OER
Portraits, Pears, and Perfect Landscapes: Investigating Genre in the Visual Arts
Students define genre in the visual arts, particularly in Western painting and explain the differences between subject and genre. The genre of a variety of works of art is identified.
Teaching Tolerance
Film Festival
Everybody's a critic—even your pupils! Using the included resources as a guide, screen films related to social justice and ask film enthusiasts to critique them. Publish the reviews for your school community or develop a film festival...
The New York Times
The Horror! The Horror!
Gear up for Halloween by studying the horror genre with your class and analyzing films and texts to uncover the genre's traditional conventions.
Curated OER
"Movies That Rock": Moulin Rouge
Upper graders explore musical film and the Bohemian lifestyle common in Europe during the turn of the century through the musical Moulin Rouge. After listening to (or viewing) songs from the movie, they discuss the Bohemian era and how...
Curated OER
Into the Fifties: Understanding the Context of Film Genres in the Fifties
Learners discuss prior knowledge of American culture during the 1950's. They complete KWL charts, participate in class discussions and view the documentary film Atomic Café. They record their observations from the film.
Curated OER
Western-Genre Films
Students watch westerns and analyze them. They identify the plot, characters and the sounds in the film. They research icons of the American west and prepare a presentation. They share their presentation with the class.
Curated OER
My Life 24-7 Video
Students utilize the short film genre to illustrate ethical themes and identify good character. In this ethics and technology instructional activity, students discuss their favorite viral videos and select an ethically themed topic to...
Curated OER
Haiku and Beyond: Exploring Genres of Japanese Literature
Fourth graders compare and contrast the literature of Japan as they study the culture, history and geography of the island nation. They read various genres of literature, describe geographic and landform features of Japan, and find...
Little Kids Rock
The Latin Rhythms of “Despacito”
When you hear the first few beats of "Despacito," the unrivaled Latin pop hit of 2017, you can't keep your feet from moving! A music analysis lesson plan examines the intoxicating hit by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee and introduces the...
Curated OER
The Soundtrack of One's Life
Students gather important information about a historical figure. They write a short biography, including illustrations. Students collect songs from the time period when the person lived. They create a play list in iTunes. Students...
Anti-Defamation League
The Hate U Give
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas became a quick hit in the young adult literature genre before its adaptation in the 2018 film of the same name. Use a thorough instructional activity, discussion guide, and series of activities to discuss...
Curated OER
The South, the North and the Great Migration: Blues and Literature
Here is a complex lesson plan that interweaves the history of the Jim Crow South and the Great Migration with the study of poetry, art, and blues music from the Harlem Renaissance. The plan helps young historians develop a deep...
Curated OER
Hong Kong Symphony: Heaven, Earth, Mankind
Students complete a unit on the reunification of Hong Kong with China in 1997. They watch and discuss a documentary, write an essay about unification, conduct Internet research on three artists from the film, complete a data sheet, and...
Curated OER
Gandhi's Voice: Writing as Nonviolent Resistance
Ninth graders identify how Mahatma Gandhi used writing as a means of nonviolent communication. In this nonviolent resistance lesson, 9th graders watch a film about Gandhi as a writer and identify characteristics of nonviolent activism....
Curated OER
Ancient Egypt: Connecting Literature and Geography
Students brainstorm prior knowledge of Ancient Egypt, locate Egypt on map of Africa and on world map, watch King Tut film, discuss term biography, and map geographical information mentioned in stories and documentaries about Ancient Egypt.
Curated OER
You Can Do It: Creating How-To Videos
Young scholars create instructional videos. in this video lesson, students choose a subject area and topic to make their own how-to video. They research this topic and film their video using a flip-camera.
Curated OER
Duke Ellington and the Rise of Jazz in New York
Students consider how Duke Ellington impacted the rise of jazz music. In this jazz music activity, students listen to a lecture regarding the life and work of Ellington. Students also watch a video regarding Ellington and discuss music...
Curated OER
The Modern Day Minstrel - Lesson 1
Students identify and describe the various roles that musicians fulfill. They recognize various genres of music. They identify and interview musicians in the community and invite them to come in and talk about their roles as musicians.
Curated OER
Look in the Mythic Mirror: I've Got Rhythm!
Learners explore the relationships between music, poetry, and visual art. Using the story of Orpheus and Eurydice, pupils develop an awareness of the compositional elements of the Classical style, and the aesthetic effects of those...
University of Southern California
Coming to America After the War
As part of their exploration of the American dream, class members examine primary source materials to compare immigrant experiences of those arriving early in our country's history to those arriving in the US after World War II. To...
Curated OER
Crime Drama Teaching Units
Investigate the nature of crime dramas on television. What exactly are they trying to portray? Questions and a comparison chart support learners as they watch shows from Canada, Great Britain, and the United States. An oral presentation...
Curated OER
The Soundtrack of One's Life
Students research a historical person and the time in which he/she lived. They write a biography including images and at least four songs from the time period in which the person lived.
Curated OER
"The Merchants of Cool"
Why are so many advertisements geared towards the teenage population? Watch a video with your class (link included), and have them fill out the attached listening guide. Then discuss persuasion, presenting biased information, and where...