Pennsylvania Department of Education
Analyzing Literary Elements in Fiction
Young scholars analyze the characters and events in fictional writing. In this literary elements lesson, students study the meaning of the words characterization and fiction. They listen to the story Pigsty by Mark Teague, or any other...
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Analyzing Logos
Learners analyze common logos they see daily and describe what the logos bring to mind. They redesign a company logo incorporating the company's philosophy into their sketches. Students present their findings and redesign to the class.
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Wire Circus
Second graders examine the life and work of Alexander Calder. They create a wire sculpture on a cirucs theme of their choice. They work on these projects in groups. They utilize telephone wire, or any thin wire cut to manageable lengths.
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Walter Cronkite: Witness to History
Students brainstorm a list of news sources. They interview people about today's media and discuss their results. After watching segments of a film about Walter Cronkite, they role play as reporters and subjects from an historic period...
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Read That Label!
Students explore reading nutritional labels and making good food choices through simulation. They prepare and design a label for a product. In addition, they create packaging and advertising to ensure access to the population.
National First Ladies' Library
We're off to see the Wizard!
Students explore the process of play and movie making from books. They study the basic elements of drama and write and produce a play based on a chosen theme. Students explain the basic elements of a play by looking at "The Wonderful...
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Heading West
Students study the concept of the westward expansion. In this exploration of the western U.S. lesson, students participate in different activities that explain economic hardships, jobs, and land opportunities. Students describe...
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What is Framing?
Students practice framing issues. For this writing skills lesson, students participate in a classroom activity that requires them to look at specific topical issues by framing them. Students then create collages on current issues and...
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Create Your Own Ad
Students examine the elements of advertising. They analyze the format and structure of advertisements. They develop awareness of advertising techniques and explain that media messages and products are composed of a series of separate...
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Edward Lear, Limericks, and Nonsense: There Once Was?
Students explore limericks. In this poetry writing lesson, students listen to and read a variety of poems written by Edward Lear. Students count syllables and identify meter by clapping as they read aloud. Students complete a limerick...
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Edward Lear, Limericks, and Nonsense: There Once Was...
Students recognize poetic devices including rhyme, syllabification, and meter. They identify the characteristics of a nonsense poem and of a limerick. They write their own limericks.
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Beatrix Potter's Naughty Animal Tales
Young scholars gain insight into the unusual, solitary world of Beatrix Potter's Victorian childhood and can compare/contrast it with their own world to explain why Potter wrote such simple stories and why she wrote about animals rather...
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Huguenot Street
Third graders visit Early Huguenot Street and identify architectural structural and design elements that were in use before 1720. They consider how architecture has evolved and complete Venn diagrams with their observations.
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Assignment #5 Sci-Fi Analysis
Class members select a science fiction novel for independent study. To verify they have completed the reading, they write a summary, a critique, and an outline of the plot for a sequel or prequel. They then deliver a five-minute...
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Seeing through Touch
Students explore solid objects using touch. In this art instructional activity, students are blindfolded and given a 3 dimensional object to explore with their hands. After the object is removed, students draw what they think the...
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Japanese Bookbinding Kit
Students are introduced to Japanese bookbinding techniques. In groups, they compare and contrast the western style against the Japanese style. As a class, they make their own book binding to present the material in a more interesting way.
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Cartography
Students follow directions to draw a map of an island. They complete the island map adding their own details using symbols and a legend.
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Adire Eleko Cloth Glue Patterns
First graders are introduced to the art form of African Adire Eleko cloth - painted patterned textiles. They use paper, glue and paint to imitate the technique and create similar patterns on paper.
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Rain Forest Stencils
Fourth graders explore animals of the rain forest. They create a drawing of an animal in the rain forest. Students research the animal and write a paragraph about the animal. They use a stencil to create a picture of a rain forest animal.
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Exploring Our Connections To Jewish Life
Students participate in a lesson about the Jewish culture and explores the connections of family or congregational education. They self-reflect about the times when they feel connected to the religion of Judaism. Students also create art...
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Computer aided Teacher
High schoolers compose an abstract work of art on the computer, enlarge it, and paint (or draw) it. They seek out inspiration from their natural world. Students find and photograph a picture with interesting visual imagery. They load the...
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Designing a Robot and Microsoft PowerPoints
Ninth graders discover the uses and main characteristics of robots then design a robot that performs a task that people do not want to do. Colored drawings of their robot are created including labels of the parts and explanations of...
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How does it feel? Why is the Civil Rights Movement so Important?
Fifth graders study the Civil War. In this US history lesson, 5th graders simulate what life was like during the Civil War by having two groups with one group given more materials than the other group. Students then draw a...
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Ode to the Earth: Magnetic Poetry
Learners explore Earth Day by creating an arts and crafts project. In this nature appreciation lesson, students utilize nature related vocabulary terms on magnets and put them in different orders to create interesting poetry. Learners...