High schoolers engage in this thought-provoking lesson which has them view images from the past that depict the social condition. During the series of four lessons, pupils design a PowerPoint and a photo montage of images they collect...

David Binnington's mural commemorating the 1936 Battle of Cable Street is the focus of a lesson that looks at public art as a form of civic participation. After reading background material about the mural, individuals analyze a segment...

Students view artworks that make a statement about social conditions. They discuss the artworks, write about them and present their ideas to the class. They create socially conscious art pieces of their own.

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn continues to be one of the most frequently banned books. The satire and social commentary present challenges when using the book as a core text. Direct readers' attention to how Twain uses plot,...

Students read poems with social commentaries. In this poetry analysis lesson, students read poems selected by their instructors and complete the provided social commentary chart to determine how the poems speak out against social issues.

Students explore poetry that examines social concerns. In this poetry lesson, students research poems and poets. Students present their findings to their classmates.

Your 11th and 12th graders are ready to critique society! Channel that inclination by studying a novel that offers social criticism of other eras (book recommendations included). This resource presents a well-thought-out overview of such...

Students examine photographs that make social statements. They examine content, symbolism, and their personal reactions to works of art that make expressive statements about social issues.

The work of Langston Hughes opens the door to research into the origin and legacy of the Harlem Renaissance and how the literature of the period can be viewed as a commentary on race relations in America. In addition, groups are assigned...

Young scholars study the principles of design and element of the art of Ellis Wilson. They examine how art can create social commentary.

Students read Pinckney Benedict's "The Sutton Pie Safe" to learn about family symbols and social commentary. In this close reading lesson, students read four journal prompts for the story and answer the listed questions for each section.

High schoolers study the art forms of the Gilded Age. In this integrated arts lesson, students research the art, music, dance, and drama of the historical era and then create their own personal projects that exemplify the time period.

Young scholars analyze art and war and the Futurist movement. In this art analysis lesson, students define manifesto and its role with artistic movement. Young scholars explore art as a response to political and social issues through...

Students examine historical fiction as historical sources. In this historical fiction instructional activity, students analyze excerpts from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice as well as Mary Wollstonecraft's A...

Students explore Japanese-American internment. In this World War II lesson, students view a PowerPoint lecture that features the art of Gaman and determine what the art reveals about the experiences of the interned Japanese-Americans.

Picture this. Class members follow in the footsteps of W. Eugene Smith, Dorothea Lange, James Nachtwey, and Lewis Hine by creating their own photo essay about a local event or issue.

Can beautiful words change the world? Literary scholars discover how to paint their visions of change using poetry in a series of three workshops. Each independent topic gives participants a chance to examine their feelings about...

Students create murals that feature recycled objects. In this West African art lesson, students examine artwork by El Anatsui and his commentary on social issues. Students then create murals in the style of El Anatsui using discarded...

Learners create their own work of art that serves as a social commentary. In this art statement lesson, students research how art conveyed moral and ethical ideals during the Neoclassical period and create a drawing that addresses a...

Mobile phones have become an integral part of many people's lives. Examine the role and impact of technology through a short video and related activities. Pupils share what they use their phones for before viewing the film. Class...

Scary stuff! Whether approached as the first horror story or a "serious imaginative exploration of the human condition," Frankenstein continues to engage readers. Here's a packet of activities that uses Mary Shelley's gothic...

Often, science fiction makes a lot of connections to real life. An educator's guide for the novel Charisma by Jeanne Ryan, has readers discuss many of the real-life issues that come in the text. A brief summary helps garner interest...

Students examine how Neoclassical art conveyed moral and ethical ideas. They create their own works of art that serve as social commentaries.

Young scholars examine the concept of censorship in authoritarian government and how Japanese and Chinese artists used their work as political commentary. This lesson includes possible lesson enrichments.