Art Institute of Chicago
Lesson Plan: A Writer’s Odyssey
Looking for a fresh approach to an end-of-unit project for The Odyssey? Check out a resource that has class members write their own hero's journey short story and then craft an illustration that depicts their tale. Apollonio di...
American Museum of Natural History
Layer of Time
Dig through the layers for a better understanding of fossils. Scholars learn that fossils form in layers of sedimentary rock. Pupils arrange virtual layers to show the fossil record of different species. Once the layers are correct, they...
Curated OER
Sachets and Nosgays
An impressive lesson plan on the many uses of gardens during the Colonial and Federal periods of history is here for you. In it, learners explore the uses of flowers and herbs grown in gardens at that time; from deodorants, to insect...
Curated OER
Benjamin Franklin: Goods and Services in Colonial America
Fifth graders examine the impact of Benjamin Franklin's ideas on the goods and services available in Colonial America as well as analyze the importance of Franklin to modern society. While listening to "How Ben Franklin Stole the...
New Class Museum
Lesson: Elizabeth Peyton: Portraits: Androgyny in Contemporary Culture
Portraiture, artistic expression, romanticism, and androgyny are discussed in a thought-provoking lesson. Upper graders first discuss and examine the history of portraiture and the elements common to the Romantic style. Then they turn...
New Bedford Whaling Museum
A New Bedford Voyage!
A thorough set of activities, articles, and reference material can enlighten your class about the history of whaling in New England. Kids travel back to a time when whale products were valuable and hunting whales was a way to help the...
Bright Hub Education
Diego Rivera Murals
Explore Mexican culture and art history through active participation in research and painting. The class discusses and researches the life and art of Diego Rivera, then they paint wonderful murals inspired by his representations of...
Asian Art Museum
Create Your Own Samurai (Breastplate) Armor
Your class is going to love this activity. They get out their rulers, cardboard, and paints as they make Samurai breastplates. The simple art lesson lends itself to many different subjects such as, math/measurement, world history, and...
Dick Blick Art Materials
Pop Art Clay Portraits
Create the classic Andy Warhol mass-produced image using clay slabs. Explore the pop art movement using image transfer techniques. This project incorporates art history as well as multiple clay tools. The finished product is an...
Alabama Wildlife Federation
Wildlife Habitat Checklist
Take a walk on the wild side with a project about animal habitats. After kids observe a chosen animal in its home, they describe the animal's food and water sources, shelter, and how it raises its young. They then write a short fictional...
Space Awareness
Make a Star Lantern
Go star-gazing with young learners! They study the history, origins, and patterns of constellations in an activity that explores the starry night sky.
US Holocaust Museum
Life in Shadows: Hidden Children and the Holocaust
Hiding in the filth of a sewer, as a child, to avoid capture by Nazi soldiers—sounds scary! Scholars investigate the youngest victims of the Holocaust, the children. They research video clips and written sources from the Holocaust...
Biology Junction
Evolution – Diversity of Life
Scientists noticed animals with backbones share similar bone structure despite having different forms, such as fins, arms, and wings. Young scientists gain an appreciation for evolution by understanding the history of the theory. They...
Biology Junction
World of Insects: Characteristics, Orders, and Collecting
Every bug is an insect, but not all insects are bugs. A presentation lists the characteristics of insects, describes their body parts, and explains metamorphosis. It also details every order and includes photographs and multiple facts...
Curated OER
Newscapade
Students work in teams to research specific eras of American history focusing on important events, sports, entertainment, music, games, books, famous firsts or quotes, science and technology or trivia. They prepare presentations for the...
Curated OER
What A Woman...The Silver Queen
Fourth graders realize that women have played a strong role in the history of Utah. They explain that the study of individuals can give glimpses of the life and times of the era. They experience their personal histories.
Curated OER
Whitewater Canal State Historic Site: A Journey into the Past
Students examine the history of the Whitewater Canal Historic Site. They read and discuss an informational handout, define key vocabulary terms, and complete various math and science word problems.
Curated OER
Stories of the Wrights' Flights
Students examine primary sources to understand the work of Wright Brothers. In this aviation history instructional activity, students study how primary documents and images are analyzed and write essays about the signifcance of...
Curated OER
You Don't Know What You've Got Until It's Found
Students consider what can be learned through the study of artifacts, focusing on those of ancient Egypt. They research famous ancient Egyptian sites to prepare for the development of proposals for exhibits in a fictional museum.
Curated OER
Cupid’s Ambassador: The Cultural Impact of Chocolate
Students review a trip they made to the Hershey Museum. In this history of chocolate lesson, students determine the impact chocolate has made on cultures and create visual projects that feature their findings.
Curated OER
Out & About: Ancient Rome
Young scholars consider the accomplishments of the Romans. In this ancient Rome lesson, students take a closer look at Roman contributions to modern society as they visit the suggested museums and their websites.
Curated OER
Virtual Visits
Learners rate a variety of kid-friendly museum Web sites for both their educational and entertainment value. They reflect in writing about the overall success of each site to pique their interest in art, science, history or culture.
Curated OER
...But What Does It Mean? Symbolism in Artwork
Young scholars analyze the symbolism in the portrait The Artist in His Museum. In this symbolism lesson plan, students analyze the portrait and then create their own portrait containing symbolism.
Curated OER
Famous Americans
Students create a wax museum of famous Americans. In this research skills instructional activity, students read biographies of selected Americans and conduct additional research. Students dress as the famous Americans they...