Curated OER
Hands-On! The Invention of Writing
Students are introduced to the way writing was invented in Mesopotamia. In groups, they participate in re-creations of events that occured in a traditional Mesopotamian school. They practice writing in cuneiform script on clay using...
Curated OER
Modern Mosaics
Young scholars create individual mosaics to decorate the classroom. They explore the elements of shape, texture, color, and pattern by identifying how the artist manipulated tesserae to create the mosaic.
Curated OER
Modern Mosaics (Grades 6-8)
Students explore the elements of contrast, emphasis, pattern, and color schemes by identifying how the artist manipulated tesserae in the mosaic. They create original mosaics by manipulating torn paper to depict different textures and...
Curated OER
The Human Form, Egyptian Style
Students analyze traditional ancient Egyptian depictions of the human body.
University of Chicago
Comparing Modern and Ancient Ideas of Ethnicity and Identity
Explore ethnicity and identity with a research and writing assignment. Class members conduct online research, looking in particular at images and carefully noting down their sources on notecards. They read about identity and compose...
Curated OER
ACLU
Is the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) good for America? The informative website is a one-stop shop for ACLU debate resources. Scholars read about the topics surrounding the issue, including free speech, national security, and...
Curated OER
Born Gay
Is a person's sexual orientation determined at birth? With the informative website, scholars prepare for a debate about the topic. They learn the top pro and con arguments and read through a historical timeline of homosexuality. They...
Curated OER
Do College Rankings Matter?
How do you know which college is for you? Upper graders consider multiple factors about the college application process, the college system, and how colleges are ranked. They read a New York Times article on the subject then compose blog...
Art Institute of Chicago
African Myths and Stories
Young historians discover African stories associated with a royal altar tusk from the Kingdom of Benin in Nigeria, read myths illustrated on the tusk, and write a story about the life of an oba using figures depicted on the tusk.
ProCon
Israeli - Palestinian Conflict
Many people think the best solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a two-state solution. After reviewing the available resources, scholars determine whether they agree with that approach. They analyze graphs and charts about...
ProCon
Minimum Wage
The first ever minimum wage in America was set at 25 cents per hour in 1938 and has been steadily, if slowly, increasing ever since. Using the provided website, pupils decide if the United States should further increase the federal...
Curated OER
Ancient Abstraction
Students compare and debate how an ancient Greek sculpture is similar to modern art. Then they orally describe the cultural contributions of early Greek civilization and their relationship to the modern world.
Curated OER
Penny for your thoughts
Students look at a variety of pieces of art and discuss them according to moods or feelings expressed. They pick a piece of art that they like and then write a poem or story to go with it.
Curated OER
Symbolic Patterns
Students identify patterns and what they represent on an ancient Egyptian wall fragment. Artists often repeat shapes, lines, and forms to create patterns. Several examples of repetition and pattern appear in this wall fragment.
Curated OER
Modern Mosaics (Grades 9-12)
Students explore the elements of contrast, emphasis, pattern, and color schemes by identifying how the artist manipulated tesserae in the mosaic. They create original mosaics by manipulating torn paper to depict different textures and...
Curated OER
Cleopatra
Students explore, analyze and study Abstraction through an ancient Greek sculpture and then create a self-portrait utilizing geometric shapes. They actively seek how to connect the past to the present through the medium of sculpture via...
Curated OER
Herculean Heroes
Students identify and compare Herakles's heroic qualities to those depicted in students' portraits of their favorite heroes.
Curated OER
Flowers Galore
Students examine the work of Georgia O'Keefe and observe the shapes and lines that make up a flower. They create a flower drawing or painting.
Curated OER
Vocabulary of Ancient Rome (Grades 4-6)
Students define and presents definitions of words that relate to ancient Roman cultural life.
Curated OER
Clay Animal Sculptures
Young scholars create their own clay sculpture with imaginary or realistic animal features. After drawing at least three sketches, they complete an animal sculpture brainstorming activity. They identify functions of pre-Columbian...
Curated OER
Count Your Pennies
Students analyze and compare imagery and symbolism in ancient Greek and contemporary U.S. coins.
Curated OER
The Museum Idea
Students evaluate and record the various types of museum careers. In this The Museum Idea lesson, students create a bicentennial time capsule, design a Museum of me, and make a classroom mini museum. In addition students visit a local...
Curated OER
Helping the Adolescent Cope with Family Life
Students are introduced to the proper ways to deal with conflict at home. In groups, they define family based on what it means to them and identify factors that lead to a breakdown in communications. They participate in role-playing...
Curated OER
The Fog of War
Students view the film Fog of War and discuss the most striking elements of the film. They focus on chosen lessons from robert McNamara's life such as: empathy, rationality and proportionality.