Curated OER
Folktales Reflect Daoist and Buddhist Traditions
Tenth graders compare three Chinese folktales for their "messages" and literary techniques to see how they reflect Chinese Confucian and Taoist values. They discuss how folktales share certain subjects, characters, plots and themes.
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Lesson Plans for 2nd grade Japan Unit
Second graders explore the music and dance of Japan in this five lessons unit. Aspects of Janpanese and American culture are compared. The food, holidays, clothing, and the school day of the two countries are discussed.
Curated OER
Lesson Three
Learners describe, illustrate, and present main beliefs of Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Animism, Judaism, or Christianity religion. They share with a partner their most significant fact about each leader interviewed. Students...
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Haiku
Students study various forms of poetry and the culture of Japan. They are introduced to a haiku- a traditional form of poetry and an art form in the Japanese culture. They write a haiku and create a student haiku booklet with the classes...
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Jazz: An Expression of Democracy
Learners watch a video segment about the distinguishing characteristics of jazz. They describe those characteristics and the relation between the culture of jazz and democracy. They improvise simple rhythms and melodies.
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Simple Gifts
Students examine the concepts of half notes, quarter notes, whole notes, and musical phrases by performing the Shaker song "Simple Gifts". Emphasis is placed on movement with music and meeting national standards for the arts.
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Baga Drum
Students examine a Baga Drum in order to explore the history of the Baga people of West Africa. In this art history lesson, students recognize figures used in Baga Drum design that represent aspects of Baga culture. They also design and...
Media Smarts
Making Media for Democratic Citizenship
Pupils analyze global issues. In this video podcasting lesson plan, pupils research Internet and print sources regarding selected global development issues. Pupils plan and create video podcasts that feature their research findings.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Charles Baudelaire: Poète Maudit (The Cursed Poet)
After learning the main ideas of the Decadent movement, students work in small groups to read and translate poems by the French poet Charles Baudelaire using basic etymology skills. They then read the accurate English translations to see...
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Lesson Plan for "Oriental Festmarch" from Aladdin
Learners investigate the song of the "Oriental Festmarch" while listening to the march. They conduct research about the genre of the march in music. They answer some key questions in order to create the context for the instructional...
Curated OER
Various Roles of Musicians
Students research and collect information about a musician that they are interested in. They then incorporate their information into a PowerPoint presentation which includes pictures and audio files, and share their slide show with the...
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Haiku
Students explore the Japanese literature, music and art. Pupils discuss the culture of Japan. While listening to Japanese music, they write and illustrate a Haiku. Students are given the opportunity to create origami.
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The Death of Old Woman Kelema
Students read various parts of "The Death of Old Woman Kelema". Next, they listen to the author's description of her writing process. In groups, they compare and contrast funerals in Mali with those in the United States. They also...
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To Be Or Not To Be a State? That Is the Question
Eighth graders research Puerto Rico's culture, religion, language, government, etc. and identify differences and similarities with the United States. They participate in a debate about whether or not Puerto Rico should become a state.
Curated OER
Babar's Travels
Students read the story The Story of Babar and have a class discussion about his travels, discuss their families, design a map, pick music, and more. In this cross curricular musical lesson plan, students create a music map for each of...
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The Aerial Age
Students infer America's attitude towards aviation in the early 1900s. In this The Aerial Age lesson, students analyze early 1900s literature, music, advertisements, and popular culture in reference to aviation. Students represent their...
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This Land is Your Land - Travel Posters
Eleventh graders compile a list of places in the United States where they have either traveled or where their relatives or friends live. They collect travel posters, brochures, postcards, and maps from their region of the United States.
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Nutrition: A Thematic Unit
Young learners explore nutrition and the food groups in these two mini-lesson plan ideas. First, kindergarteners have a discussion about their health and how different foods contribute to it before making their own personal food pyramid....
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Can You Build a Better Mousetrap?
Students use a variety of linked sites to research information about student inventions and contests that are available for them. They research an invention they would like to see become available. They communicate their results to their...
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Telling Our Own Stories
Explore online profiles and social media with your middle and high school classes. Use blogs to inspire your class to craft a well-written, thoughtful response to a prompt you give. A few example prompts are given.
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Woodblock Printing: Early Printing Traditions in China
Students examine important role of woodblock printing in Chinese history, identify message important to them, and create woodblock prints to gain first-hand understanding of how it was used as tool for communication.
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The Star Spangled Banner
Students perform Star Spangled Banner, and analyze purpose and meaning of patriotic songs.
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American Pop Icons
Students analyze art and decide if the images are an attempt to celebrate or criticize American Popular Culture of the fifties and sixties and discuss how successful "Pop Art" mirrored society. Students also discuss the difference...
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Heavy: The Story of Metal (Part 1)
Students examine the history of heavy metal music. They discover how to classify a piece of music as heavy metal. They also discuss the importance of understanding the background of a type of music.