Interactive
Classics for Kids

Composers Timeline

For Students K - 12th
Take a quick tour through the last 350 years of music composition with an interactive timeline tool. As learners scroll through the years, they see which composers were born and working during the Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Modern...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Romantic and 20th Century Period Music

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Upper graders explore the similarities, differences, and depth of pop music from the Romantic era and the 20th century. They listen to selections that exemplify the Baroque, Romantic, and 20th century periods, then create presentations...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mozart vs. Beethoven - Real Classical Composers

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Elementary schoolers are given an overview of the baroque, classical, romantic, and modern periods of music. They focus on the lives of Beethoven and Mozart; two of the greatest composers of all time. After listening to samples their...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Warm Up: When Modern Human Behavior Appeared in Early Hominids

For Students 12th - Higher Ed
Upper graders or entry college level learners use the provided article links to answer three questions regarding early modern human behavior. They compose short essay responses that accommodate each part of the overarching question,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Baroque Composer Presentations

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students create an understanding of contemporary artistic styles and genres through an overview of the connection of the arts throughout modern history. Students discussed visual, written and aural artistic mediums, as well as their...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Goddess Worship in a Modern Perspective

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students consider gender roles and religion. For this gender equality lesson, students compare and contrast the idea of patriarchal and matriarchal religious practices and how they impacted society. Students will pose questions and...
Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

Lu Shih — The Couplets of T’ang

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Writing poetry in ancient China was the modern equivalent of sending a greeting card. Scholars learn about the ancient Chinese poetic form called the lu shih. They read about the context of poetry during the T'ang Dynasty and complete a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Fairy Tale By Any Other Name

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Many classic tales, like "Cinderella," can be found worldwide. Bacis events are similar, but each retelling is molded by the culture in which it exists. Present your class with several version of tale (links provided) and have them...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Pop Culture Icons: Medieval Music

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Kids compare and contrast music from the past to the present. They listen to and review the characteristics of Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, and Pop music. Then, they discuss the differences in each and how musical icons from the past...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Early American Woodworking

For Teachers Higher Ed
Students compare and contrast tools used in colonial America to modern ones. They create a bootjack, coat rack, or candleholder based on actually using the tools. The students also compose a description of a colonial woodworker based...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

200 Greatest Pop Culture Icons

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Young scholars discuss the style and characteristics of the Classical era and the genre of opera. They compare and contrast modern day popular icons to musical icons throughout history. They write original librettos to modern entertainment.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

200 Greatest Pop Culture Icons

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students discuss style and characteristics of musical time periods as well as the definition of "pop culture." They compare and contrast modern-day popular icons to music icons throughout history.  This instructional activity...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

"I Hear America Singing": Controversy and Music in the Mexican War

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders examine the Mexican War and its outcome through music. In this primary source analysis lesson, 8th graders analyze the lyrics of selected songs to consider the 2 perspectives regarding U.S. involvement in the war. Students...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Arts in a Spin Qualities of the Baroque Style

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students examine the qualities of Baroque style by viewing a video about Bach. They listen to music of the era and explore the characteristics of excessive ornamentation, contrast and tension. They complete the included worksheets.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Heartfelt/Handmade Activities: Genre Painting

For Teachers K - 8th
Young scholars examine genre painting. They explore the Illinois State Museum website, identify how genre paintings were composed, analyze the activities of an Illinois farm in the 1850s, and create a genre painting of current everyday...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Past and Present Turkey

For Teachers 8th - 11th
Students compare and contrast modern-day Turkey with historical Ottoman culture. In this world civilization lesson, students create concept maps that allow them to compare the cultures, discuss leadership qualities, and create travel...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Writing a Music Review

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students compose a written music review of one of today's popular bluegrass musicians after they read online essays and journals about the modern bluegrass music scene look over and discuss recent music reviews
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Incident

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers gain insight into human behavior from the study of literature. They read a poem and respond by creating a poem of their own. After a lecture/demo, students utilize a worksheet imbedded in this plan to help them compose an...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Creature Projects

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders explore the French words for parts of the body. They review the parts of the body and the French words for each part. Students use materials gathered from home and create a creature. They compose a paragraph describing...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Bug's Journey

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students research the art of John Baldessari. In this art history lesson, students examine Baldessari's drawing of a beetle and discuss the characteristics of these bugs. They write a story from a bug's perspective and create their own...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Dance Composition

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students investigate the process and components present in a dance composition. They create their own composition for the purpose of recreating all he elements of a dance composition. The dance is written in a journal for the purpose of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Life and Times of Robert Frost

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore the life and times of Robert Frost. Using a fact worksheet imbedded students access websites to gather information about the life and writings of Robert Frost.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Total English Advanced: Vision Vocabulary Quiz!

For Students 6th - 8th
In this key vocabulary review worksheet, learners practice and consolidate unit vocabulary as they respond to 14 multiple choice questions.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Bug's Journey

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students examine the artwork of John Baldessari that was inspired by a 16th century drawing of a beetle. They analyze a drawing of a beetle, discuss the insect's characteristics, and write a story from the perspective of a bug. Also,...