Curated OER
Self-Portrait Unit - Lesson #1
Fourth graders create self-portraits using artistic elements found in Hispanic culture and, specifically, the art of Frida Kahlo. The lesson can be adapted for any culture/country and requires an outside person with cultural knowledge.
Curated OER
Claycrete Calaveras - Dia de los Muertos
Learners create skeletons to celebrate the Day of the Dead. In this visual arts lesson, students explore the importance of the Day of the Dead celebrations in the Mexican culture. They create skeletons and decorate them with paint,...
Curated OER
Clouds
Incorporate art and poetry into an early elementary science lesson about cloud formation. With fun and engaging activities that follow a natural learning progression, youngsters will develop key vocabulary and conceptual understanding...
Arts Midwest
The Joy Luck Club: Culture and History
Explore San Francisco's Chinatown in a instructional activity about the first few chapters of The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan. Kids research Chinatown on the Internet and create a virtual tour of the neighborhood, including the foods,...
Curated OER
Central And South America And Their Ancient Civilizations
Fifth graders listen to lectures on the ancient civilizations of the Aztecs, Incas and Mayans. They construct a mask base and then decorate it in thirds with symbols meaningful to each of the three cultures being studied.
Curated OER
What Death Brings to Life - English Component
Students are introduced to the characteristics of ancient Indian, Chinese and Aztec cultures. They consider what was valued by these cultures and compare the cultures' values to their own. They write an essay on their reflections.
Curated OER
Drama and Dance
Students create a dance that tells a story then they use the dance for inspiration and write their own. In this drama and dance lesson, students discover how the May and Aztec would dance to covey a concept or story. Students work in...
Curated OER
Common Good in Aztec Culture What Is Sacrifice?
Middle schoolers examine contemporary examples of sacrifice while listing the reasons and benefits of these acts. They discuss the idea of when a sacrifice is a violation of human rights. They write a personal goal to make a small...
Curated OER
Comparing the Oneota of Wisconsin to the Aztecs of Mexico
Students study the Oneota Indians of Wisconsin. They compare and contrast them to another group of natives in the Americas around the same time. They conduct intelligent discussion of the Oneotas that gives evidence to support statements.
Curated OER
Did You Know...
Students research about hispanic history. They complete a true-false worksheet together or in groups. They discover achievements by hispanic members of society.
Curated OER
What's Behind that Mask?
Students use a "spider web" graphic organizer to record information about different types of masks they are familiar with. They write a paragraph about masks. Students read about Native American cultures and compare/contrast the...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Mexican Culture and History through Its National Holidays
Young historians have an opportunity to study the complex history and culture of Mexico by learning about several holidays: The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Dia de Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe), The Day of the Dead (El Dia de los...
Curated OER
Pre-Colonial Native American Groups
Students investigate U.S. history by researching the Internet and taking a test. In this American Indian group lesson, students identify the many specific Native American tribes and their geographic locations. Students research the web...
Curated OER
Tie Snakes
Second graders make snakes out of ties. The students sew the bottom of the ties shut and stuff them with shredded plastic bags, the kind from a grocery store. They then sew them shut at the top. The students then sew on button eyes and a...
Curated OER
Halloween
Discover the origins and traditions of Halloween with a crafty lesson plan! Second graders create bats, monsters, witches, and ghosts with masks and puppets. Next, they share their work with their classmates in a fun celebration.
Curated OER
Literature - Overview - May
Third graders study sayings and phrases, poetry and stories in this month's activities.
Curated OER
Country Singers Take Nashville
Students conduct research on a famous country music singer. In small groups, they conduct research, and construct and decorate a paper cutout of their selected country music singer.
Curated OER
Mesoamerican Codex Books
Fifth graders recreate Mesoamerican Codex Books using brown paper bags, paints, glue, an iron, and books on Mesoamerican Glyphs in this 5th grade lesson in the Art classroom. Resource links and book references are provided for lesson...
Curated OER
The Selling of the Taj Mahal or Osaka Castle
Seventh graders work in groups and act as a real estate company who is trying to sell a billionaire a historical landmark to house his art collection and must make a presentation convincing him to buy their historical site.
Curated OER
Sun Relief Sculpture
Sixth graders create a slab project based on sun images throughout history.
Curated OER
Exploring & Creating Mythology
Students read and compare mythological stories from ancient cultures from around the world. In small groups they read a myth and present the storyline and themes to the class, and write an original mythological story of their own...
Curated OER
Inked Geometric Mandalas
Fifth graders gain an appreciation for mandalas in many cultures. Compare and contrast designs from many cultures. They see geometric design in mandalas and become aware of symmetrical balance and radial balance. They create a mandala...
Curated OER
Mythology and Ancient Civilizations
Third graders examine ancient world civilizations and the mythologies they created to explain natural phenomena, as well as the writers and poets who wrote about the mythologies.
Curated OER
Golden Door Book
Students use the Golden Door as a theme to search for historical and aesthetic content. They create a paper collage containing relevant images, text and expressions.