Media Smarts
Looking at Newspapers: Introduction
A scavenger hunt introduces class groups to the different sections of newspapers and the different types of articles found in each section.
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The 'Language of Dance'
Students choreograph dances. In this dance choreography instructional activity, students evaluate musical selections, then create a dance that capture the emotion of the music.
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Dear Peter Rabbit
Write dear old Peter Rabbit a letter with this lesson. First, youngsters listen to the story Peter Rabbit and analyze the story elements. Then they complete a story map graphic organizer in order to write a letter to Peter...
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Assignment # 1: Merry-Go-Round Story
Class members use e-mail and the merry-go-round story format to create a science fiction story. Each writer begins by selecting one of three prompts, crafting the introductory paragraph and sending the paragraph to the next person on the...
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Giving Thanks to Mother Earth
Students create an art project to be made into a laminated placemat to use during a classroom Thanksgiving feast. The lesson involves choosing at least three cutouts of elements of nature to glue onto a background page, drawing one...
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Silly Story Starters
Fifth graders brainstorm some ideas for each of the columns. As they call them out, write some on the sticky notes until each sticky note is used for each column They stay in the same groups; have each group draw one sticky note from...
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Learning Landscapes
Fifth graders analyze a landscape depicting Yosemite during the time of the Wild West. They compare their perceptions of the West from film and television to this representation. They observe the use of scale and color to depict size and...
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Personalities of the Renaissance
Have the class interpret historical evidence presented in primary and secondary resources. They examine sources regarding architecture, art, exploration, government, literature, religion, and technology of the era. Then they use their...
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Time Capsule Survey
Here's a fun way to incorporate technology into your curriculum. E-mail each of your class members a picture and 10 questions about the photo. Individuals then imagine the story behind the image and e-mail back their responses. Although...
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Parts of a Story
Students read a short fiction book and demostrate comprehension by identifying the main characters, setting, conflict, theme, and summarizing the main points. They organize the information in Inspiration and create a powerpoint to show...
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The Crucible
Twelfth graders use an Internet scavenger hunt, vocabulary, sample essay questions, and short answer questions suitable for study and review of the play, The Crucible.
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Short Story Inspiration
Tenth graders write an original story using a picture of a scene inspiration. For this short story lesson, 10th graders write short stories using a picture.
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Writing
Students work together in groups to brainstorm ideas on writing topics. After being read stories, they watch a demonstration of webbing and how to connect related ideas. They write their story and are graded based on a rubric.
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Soap Operas
Students examine American culture through research on various soap opera websites. They access a soap opera website, participate in a chat group, evaluate the contents of the website, and write a summary of a character and plot.
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A Melody Activity
Students explore melody. In this music lesson, students define "melody" and identify the melody line present in increasingly complex musical pieces. Students sing or hum the melody line after listening to an excerpt of music.
John F. Kennedy Center
Jazz music, Dance and Poetry
Students view video and become familiar with the type of movement in jazz dance. In this jazz dance activity, students write a cinquain about jazz dance. Students recognize the elements of jazz dance and the type of music...
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Gargoyles, Black Death, and Scary Music
Students research the Dark Ages using books, the Internet, and other media. In this Dark Ages lesson plan, students study poetry, music, art, and the architecture of the Dark Ages.
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Lesson 12: Ho'olaulima: Let's Make a Hawaiian Garden
Second graders grow a classroom garden that acts as a living laboratory for cross-curricular activities. In this classroom garden lesson, 2nd graders follow directions to build and plant a garden that is used to teach math, science, and...
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Dance: Personal Soundtracks
Students create a musical autobiography. For this fine arts lesson, students explore the emotions that music can express by listening to and discussing a variety of music. Students construct a personal timeline and a collection of music...
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Blending Fiction and Nonfiction to Improve Comprehension and Writing Skills
Students explore a content area by reading both fiction and nonfiction texts on the topic. They do more research online about the topic. After comparing the texts, they create their own written original work, using both narrative and...
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Multi-Media Still Life
Students create a multi-media collage still life that reinforces basic skills taught in art class. They use watercolor, markers, gluing and cutting skills.
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Kaleidoscope
Eighth graders create a kaleidoscope drawing. They show the basic art rules (shading, highlighting, coloring, etc.) They increase their design and drawing skills, improve hand eye coordination and develop an understanding of mirror images.
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Asthma and Allergies
Your health class reads two biographical stories: one about a girl who has allergies and the other about a girl who has asthma. They watch a quick cartoon on the KidsHealth website about immunity and take the related online quiz. You...
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On the Scene: Analyzing Scenes in Film and Literature
Students examine how a scene in a movie or in literature is constructed. In this film and literature instructional activity students answer questions based on film clips then create storyboards depicting a scene from their life.