Curated OER
Musical Makeover
Students explore the importance of folk music is various ethnic cultures.
Curated OER
Music and Lyrics
Eighth graders analyze lyrics from songs from a variety of genres. In this musical analysis activity, 8th graders write an essay about their life plans in which they discuss the lyrics of U2's song, "One." They tell how the writings of...
Curated OER
Understanding Past and Present Labor Injustice through Music
Students explore early 19th century labor conditions through the use of period songs. In this tolerance lesson, students listen to period songs and respond. Students write their own song that protests unfair and dangerous working...
Curated OER
Rainbow Joe and Me
Young scholars complete pre reading, writing, during reading, and interdisciplinary activities for the book Rainbow Joe and Me. In this reading lesson plan, students complete journal entries, answer short answer questions, have...
Curated OER
Families and Neighborhoods
Students build their own neighborhood. In this lesson on community, students are introduced to books about families and neighborhoods. As a class, the students create their own neighborhood, elect a leader for their neighborhood and...
Curated OER
Arts Directors
Pupils reflect on a personally meaningful live performance and the circumstances necessary to create art. They study about the current leadership crisis facing the Met, Carnegie Hall, and the Public theater. In groups, students research...
Curated OER
Joseph Mallord William Turner
Students identify the art and style of artist Joseph Mallord William Turner. For this art analysis lesson, students read about the life and art of Turner. Students study his paintings of keel men, his art style, and impasto technique....
Curated OER
Fable for Tomorrow and Today -- Rachel Carson's Silent Spring
Students read Rachel Carson's "Silent Spring". They identify their beliefs about the environment while reading the story. They discuss and write about those beliefs and realize how one person can have an impact on the world.
Hawaiʻi State Department of Education
Comparing Cultural Dances
All cultures express similar thoughts, feelings, and ideas. But, often times those things are expressed differently. Learners compare and contrast traditional dances from two cultures. They watch videos of each performance, stop to...
University of Northern Iowa
Additional Folklife Information
Use a packet packed with ideas for how to celebrate the traditions of your country, state, community, and pupils's families. Suggestions for how to draw on oral and material traditions, customs, beliefs, music, and stories all find...
Novelinks
The Giver: Guided Imagery
Guide your class through the imagery of Lois Lowry's The Giver with a peaceful meditative experience. After you create a serene environment in your class, read through a provided script in which kids sift through their favorite...
Curated OER
Sounds of the Season
During Christmas time, use common carols and Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker music as the basis for writing advertisements. Learners can work in teams or individually as they listen to songs via the links provided. A "Christmas Music Comparison...
Curated OER
Background for The Outsiders: the 1960s
As background for a reading of S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders, groups rotate through four stations (video, music, website, information) to gather information on the 1960s. In addition, they interview family members about the 1960s and...
Curated OER
The Star-Spangled Banner
Get your kids moving as they learn about the history of the United States National Anthem. Scholars examine the War of 1812, Francis Scott Key, and the meaning behind The Star Spangled Banner as they listen to an 18-minute...
Curated OER
Picture Your Future Self
High schoolers research careers using the internet and newspapers. As a group, they create a newsletter about careers of the future.
Curated OER
Candles in the Dark
Young scholars analyze and apply their personal responses through poetry and film to a challenging and disturbing event-the Holocaust. They use a digital video camera to film each student reading their poem.
Curated OER
Harvesting the Crop
What is philanthropy? To find out learners explore the concept through class discussion. They survey, make decisions, implement, and reflect on a service project intended to benefit their community.
Curated OER
Holidays Around the World
Students explore how different holiday traditions are celebrated around the world. Scholars write a paper describing how they celebrate their own favorite holiday. Email partners, from different states and countries, share their...
Novelinks
The Dark Is Rising: Guided Imagery
To launch a reading of The Dark is Rising, the second novel in Susan Cooper's award winning contemporary fantasy novel sequence for young adults, class members engage in a guided imagery exercise that asks them to visualize the...
Curated OER
Gullah Activities
Students study the Gullah culture by watching a video about Gullah, Gullah Island. They discuss the customs and crafts of the people such as basket weaving, food preparation, pottery, and quilt making. While working in centers, they make...
Curated OER
Connotation: "My Papa's Waltz" by Theodore Roethke
What's happening in this poem? Have your high schoolers participate in an activity about connotation and denotation. They apply the concept of connotation to a reading of Theodore Roethke's poem "My Papa's Waltz." Lead a discussion about...
Curated OER
Going Greek
Third graders learn about the life of a young boy in Greece and all about his cultural heritage. Pupils gather information about the history, culture, and the many influences the ancient Greeks had on modern day society. Terrific video...
Curated OER
The Gummywolf
Students read a story about "Gummywolf," stopping periodically to answer questions about the progression of the story. Next, they create a Venn Diagram to compare and contrast "Gummywolf" to "Goldilocks and the Three Bears." Students...
Curated OER
Author! Author!
Beverly Cleary is the fabulous author focused on, in this author study. Students conduct Internet Research in order to find out as much as they can about Ms. Cleary. They then use their findings and the Garageband program to create a...