Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
Yankee Doodle: How Has It Changed over Time?
Grab your feathers and your hat! And perhaps some macaroni! It's time to investigate the evolution of "Yankee Doodle Dandy." Groups do a close reading of sheet music covers, lyrics, and even YouTube videos to see how this political song...
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What's on Your Playlist?
Upper graders respond to a series of opinions posted about the music played at last year's Fashion Week in New York City. They describe the music on their personal playlists, why they like it, and what moods they try to evoke through...
California Shakespeare Theater
Hamlet Teacher's Guide
Even those experienced teachers of Hamlet can find much to like in a guide that offers many fresh ideas for activities. Class members may take on the role of FBI profilers that investigate Claudius and Hamlet as murderers, or...
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Radio Free America?
Learners explore the controversy over the recent FCC vote to loosen restrictions on media ownership. After researching the background and position of local radio stations, students evaluate and make recommendations about free speech.
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The 2012 Grammy Awards
Kids answer 11 who, what, when, where, and why questions after reading a New York Times article about the Grammy Awards. Boosting reading comprehension by reading about a topical event keeps pupils informed and interested. A related blog...
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Reality Film
Students propose and create documentary films depicting a slice of "ordinary" life that reveals something unique or surprising about its subject. They, in groups, make films and present them to the school.
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It's in the Cards
Young scholars discover how art auctions have become competitive after reading an article from The New York Times. Students voice their opinions about specific examples of modern art and create trading cards based on their research of...
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Cosmic Mobiles: Recycled Art
If you have a little left over tinsel and aluminum foil, your class can create these fun moon and star mobiles. Poster board or recycled cardboard become your moon and stars; the tinsel gives them sparkle. This would be a great...
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Leaf People
Kids create leaf people out of sticks, glue, and leaves. They use their imagination to construct leaf people and then glue them onto construction paper. Tip: Extend this craft by incorporating writing. Have learners write a short story...
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A Power Point Slide Show for Third Graders
Third graders explore PowerPoint. In this technology lesson, 3rd graders select a topic of interest and follow a guided lesson researching their topic. Students complete storyboards, introductions, table of contents and...
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Gobble, Gobble and Gobble Some More?
Students are taught about stomach capacity and they reflect on how overeating might affect the body. They discuss the biological effects of binge eating by reading and discussing the article "Ate Too Much? Tight Pants May Be the...
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Holidays Seasoned with Meaning
Students consider how the world events of the past year have impacted their perceptions of this holiday season. Each student then explores one general theme related to his or her feelings about the season by creating a news-based collage...
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Proper Perspective
Learners consider what makes a famous painting realistic, then examine a theoretical debate about how Renaissance masters created their true-to-life images. They create their own realistic drawings.
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Great Online Art Sites
Pupils complete an online study of art websites. For this art and technology lesson, students explore the links and try the activities to learn about art online.
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Using History to Teach Tolerance: A Ripple of Hope
Learners investigate the prejudice and racism that has existed in the U.S. for centuries by attending a field trip. In this equality lesson plan, students visit the Tolerance Museum and discuss the history of the U.S....
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Covering the Issue
Examine how art and music can be powerful tools for conveying a political or social message. After considering the issues surrounding rapper Paris, students design their own album covers that reflect their political and/or social...
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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 lesson students answer questions based on film clips then create storyboards depicting a scene from their life.
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Futuristic Flights
Students study the orbital space plane, NASA's proposed spacecraft of the future. They work in groups to plan missions to take place twenty years from now and design orbital space planes in which to carry out the missions.
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All Mixed Up
Learners explore the emergence of bootlegs, also known as 'mash-ups' (the combination of two songs into one), on the Internet. By researching the musical origins of songs and creating and performing their own bootlegs, students gain a...
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You Are What You Eat
Learners evaluate their eating habits, focusing on the ways in which one assesses whether or not his or her diet is nutritious. They work in small groups to design a menu for a healthy lunch and write a paragraph justifying their choices.
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In Memory
Students examine the issues that designers and civic planners face in designing memorials to historic tragedies, wars and other events. They design memorials dedicated to the events of September 11, 2001.
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Art in Crafts
Students examine the concept of craft and, by creating blueprints for various craft objects, explore the advantages and disadvantages of craft in our modern world.
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Stamp Boxes or Jars: Recycled Art
With some canceled stamps, an old box, and some glue, learners create art from scraps. You save up or gather used postage stamps, the kids glue them onto a box or an old clean jar. All the steps needed to complete this project plus two...
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Animal Masks
Learners create wonderfully animate animal masks out of balloons. They use the papier-mache technique to create three dimensional animal masks taking care to consider color, shape, texture, and the animals' features.