Curated OER
Chinese Folktales: An Illustrating Activity
In need of a really good lesson that incorporates literature, art, and cultural themes? After hearing a traditional Chinese folktale and discussing cultural themes and symbolism, learners create original illustrations for the story. This...
Lied Center of Kansas
The Ugly Duckling and The Tortoise and the Hare
Both The Ugly Duckling and The Tortoise and the Hare are great additions to an elementary language arts lesson. Young readers focus on the literary elements of each story, including characters and plot development, and apply counting and...
Curated OER
Pumpkin and Ghost Garland
Reading scary stories on Halloween is frightfully good fun! As elementary learners read several stories for the holiday, they choose a favorite and create a decorative garland representing the characters and setting elements found in the...
Curated OER
Creating Plays from Children's Stories
Students explain how individual elements (e.g., plot, theme, character, conflict, etc.) comprise the structure of a play. They write an original one-act play with developed characters, specific setting, conflict, and resolution.
Curated OER
Hats Off to Color
Learners investigate primary and secondary colors. In this art lesson, students mix primary paint colors to develop secondary colors. Learners identify each color they created.
Curated OER
Rotating Table Art
Students use a variety of art media to create a picture. In this mixed media lesson, students choose media as they move from one table to another. At each table they add to their picture from the media at that table. Students have a...
Curated OER
Art of Japan - Textiles - Kimonos
Learners examine and discuss the role of the Kimono in Japanese culture. They create Kimono Paper Weavings, Kimono Scratch Art, and Kimono Clay Sculptures.
Curated OER
Texture With Chemical Reactions
Students explore the use of different textures in watercolor paintings in this late-elementary lesson. Emphasis is placed upon the art element of texture using the science of chemical reaction. The lesson includes one possible extension.
J. Paul Getty Trust
Expressing Emotions through Art Lesson 4—Everybody Celebrates
Young scholars create a celebratory hat after viewing images of artwork depicting people celebrating an event. In this artistic perception lesson plan, students discover why people celebrate their accomplishments and how to express...
Curated OER
Frieze Design in Indigenous Art
Students describe Frieze designs using the work of indigenous people. In this math lesson, students create 7 frieze designs using different patterns. They create one row of repeated art and repeat this 7 times over to show examples of...
Curated OER
Compare and Contrast Photograph Art
Take a trip down Pearblossom Highway with this lesson about comparing and contrasting. Using David Hockney's Pearblossom Hwy and another image of the same highway (photograph or other image), students compare and contrast the two...
Curated OER
Elements of Fiction
Students identify key story elements in a fiction text. In this literacy activity, students are introduced to the various elements of fiction such as the setting, plot, and theme. Students read a short story of their choice and identify...
Curated OER
Compare and Chart the Stories
Elementary schoolers engage in a literature study. They make comparisons of two different versions of a story using a graphic organizer. Using the text and pictures elementary schoolers investigate three elements from the story. Then,...
Curated OER
Symbols and the Choices we Make
Upper elementary and middle schoolers recognize symbols that influence the choices that we make consciously or unconsciously in everyday life. They look at the symbols and choices that others make. They identify and apply knowledge of...
Curated OER
Novel Jeopardy
Play a classroom version of the classic game show Jeopardy, to review and discuss the novel your class has been reading. Questions about plot and other story elements are written on cards and given point values. Divide the class into...
Curated OER
A Fine Feathered Flock
Students role play different situations. In this respect lesson, students read Mr. Lincoln's Way, identify the story elements and answer comprehension questions. Students discuss how they can always treat others with respect and role...
Curated OER
Yellow Bird and Me
Upper elementary artists create works which demonstrate an understanding of the many elements of theater and the visual arts. This four-day plan combines many wonderful aspects of visual, musical, and theatrical arts into one very...
Curated OER
Pen and Ink Drawing
Learners hone their drawing techniques to create a nature-inspired piece of art. They practice hatching, cross hatching, stippling, and shading. They discuss how each method is better suited for creating specific elements in nature such...
Curated OER
Pop-Up Pop Art, Tunnel book
Students study iconic symbols Keith Haring would make in his artwork. They invent a background for the images, and draw the characters. Students create a Tunnel Book and a Pop-Up Book based on their drawings.
Curated OER
Harry Potter: Study Questions
Elementary learners explore fiction storytelling through partcipating in a survey. They identify the characters, themes and plot of the Harry Potter series while discussing their opinions in class. Learners conduct a survey about their...
Curated OER
Summarizing with James and the Giant Peach
Elementary readers in literature groups practice summarizing chapter-by-chapter with Roald Dahl's James and the Giant Peach. Focus on main idea, supporting details, and the 5 Ws. Unfortunately, a clever "peach" graphic organizer to which...
Curated OER
Collage to Writing
Practice expository and creative writing with your class. Pupils use magazines to find pictures, cut them out, and create a collage. This work of art is then used as a writing prompt. They describe the collage in either a creative or...
US Institute of Peace
Observing Conflict
Identifying conflict is important, but how do you handle conflict when it comes? Students use a plot mountain to graph two role-play scenarios about interpersonal conflicts.
Curated OER
Fable Writing - Interdisciplinary Approach to Social Sciences
Before writing their own fables, class members select an animal or insect to use in their story and research its character, habits, movements, etc. After reading a wide variety of fables and identifying the elements of a fable, writers...