Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Covering the Issue

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Examine how art and music can be powerful tools for conveying a political or social message. After considering the issues surrounding rapper Paris, young scholars design their own album covers that reflect their political and/or social...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Springfield Digital Storytelling Project #6: Grapes Commercial

For Teachers 6th
Here is a fabulous lesson that should have your class very excited! They utilize the GRAPES formula in order to produce a commercial like ones we see on TV. Working in pairs, they must come up with a script, take video, provide music,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Totally Awesome Answers to Wacky Wonders

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Middle schoolers work with a partner to gather information on a question from two sources using a computer program and the Internet. They also write a report with visuals to air on closed-circuit TV for the school. Use this lesson to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploring the Power of Puns

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Read and analyze a variety of Shakespearean and contemporary puns using Visual Thesaurus computer software. Middle and high schoolers analyze a pun as a class; in small groups they analyze a Shakespearean pun using contextual clues and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Hollywood Magic-The Dream Factory Recreates the Novel

For Teachers 9th - 12th
The Great Gatsby, The Jungle and study HRC's Teaching the American Twenties-The Dream Factory are the focus of this instructional activity, Your students will rewrite a small scene from the novel into a dramatic film scene and then...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Seeing Words in a New Way

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
What's the best resource to use when looking up words? Use Visual Thesaurus to see a word's meaning. The class accesses the interactive website and then compares and contrasts the difference between using a traditional dictionary and the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Salinger and the Vocabulary of the Vernacular

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Writers explore vocabulary and expressions used in the English language. They use visual word maps to become aware of the different uses of words which will allow them to more readily interpret texts. Then they listen to/read excerpts...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Victorian Vocabulary Challenge

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Introduce your high schoolers to some tough vocabulary. No, I'm not talking about the SAT list! Revisit Victorian literature to find tricky words we still use today. Using the Visual Thesaurus, learners will preview vocabulary in a quote...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introducing Synonyms to Early Writers

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Upper elementary schoolers examine the concept of synonyms and how using a variety of vocabulary through synonyms can expand their writing skills. They revise a paragraph using synonyms located on the Visual Thesaurus and participate in...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Name That Tune

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Integrating technology and music can be a snap with lessons like this one! Kids in a junior high band class took to the Internet to download and practice playing their instrument with a computer generated back up band. They practice...
Interactive
Google

Code for Equality

For Students 6th - 12th
It's my belief that all learners should have equal access to computer science projects! Young computer scientists learn about variables, encapsulation, sequences, and objects in block-based coding. They create a collage by first...
Activity
Poetry4kids

How to Write a Concrete or “Shape” Poem

For Students 3rd - 8th Standards
Writers compose an original shape poem. Scholars choose a subject to write about and create a visual representation by forming a corresponding picture using the poem's words.  
Lesson Plan
Media Smarts

Teaching TV: Television Techniques

For Teachers 1st - 6th Standards
As part of a five-lesson plan unit on how television uses technology and film techniques to communicate meaning, elementary students create their own media productions that demonstrate their understanding of these concepts.
Lesson Plan
Google

Create Your Own Google Logo

For Teachers 5th - 9th
You'll have oodles of Google Doodles. Scholars create their own Google logos using the Scratch coding program. After watching videos on how to add blocks of code in Scratch, they use their newfound knowledge to design a logo based on a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Function of Music

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Explore concepts of audience, purpose and symbols in this lesson from Media Smarts that asks high schoolers to consider all the functions of music. Through a series of discussions and activities, your class will brainstorm possible...
Lesson Plan
Safe Routes to School

Pollution & Evolution

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Bring together a study of two major scientific topics with a lesson on the relationship between pollution and evolution. With the help of a PowerPoint presentation, hands-on activity. and class demonstration young scientists learn...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Let's Meet Famours Painters!

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students demonstrate an understanding of art terms and concepts by analyzing and interpreting visual art forms that are paintings from world cultures. They practice art criticism after working on vocabulary.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Art of Egypt Activities

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students understand the visual arts in relation to history and cultures and reflect upon and assess the characteristics and merits of their work, and work of others.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Reflective Decoupage

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students decoupage a wooden item with pictures. In this visual arts activity, students take pictures and use a computer program to print them out. This activity includes all the steps needed to decoupage. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Tell Me About It: What is Design?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers create and present an original design. In this visual arts lesson plan, students watch a video about design and learn the elements of design. Then high schoolers work in groups to construct and present an original design.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Interpreting Language Arts, Health, and Visual Art

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders draw a magic mask with special powers based on one aspect of health. They write 1-2 paragraphs descibing the mask's special powers. Then they scan the images using a computer software program and write a new paragraph on...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Vasarely Was A Colorful Fellow

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders create artwork inspired by the work of Victor Vasarely. In this op art lesson, 8th graders explore color theory and color mixing. Students create ten shapes to use in their artwork and over the course of two weeks,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Famous Photographers

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Student explore, research, and discuss the life & artwork of famous photographers. They analyze & critique the artwork, photographers through a presentation. They recognize and identify technological developments in the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Suspension Bridge Drawing Lesson

For Teachers 4th - 11th
Young scholars study the basic artistic styles of suspension bridges. They follow step-by-step instructions to draw a suspension bridge. Students discover volcabulary related to the architecture of bridges. They examine websites of bridges.