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Make Me an Offer
First graders examine the significance of the Louisiana Purchase and the journey of Lewis and Clark's Corps of Discovery. They become familiar with the features of the Keelboat Nickel reverse and identify trade goods used by Lewis and...
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Sculpture: Statues, Monuments, and More
Students explore some of the components of sculpture through a variety of artists and their artwork. The six lessons of this unit utilize the sculptures experienced when students were studying American history and the Native Americans.
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The Night Chanter Project
Students sketch a design based on "The Night Chanter." In this art design instructional activity, students listen to the Native American prayer, "The Night Chanter" and illustrate their personal vision of the chant. Students critique the...
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Seminole Beadwork
Students name an animal they identify with, spell the name of an animal in Miccosukee (a Native American language), and make beaded bracelets or necklaces from seed and alphabet beads.
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Myths of the Wild West
Students examine the Wild West as it was depicted in films and books. In groups, they compare this information to what it was really like as they find out in books. They also discover the role of the Native Americans in the Wild West...
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Transforming Anansi Folktales Into Storyboards
Students work in small groups to illustrate a story board of a folktale. They develop the meaning of a trickster as a humor device in folktales by listening to several about Leprechauns and the Coyote of Native American tales. They then...
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Exploring Indiana's Natural Resources
Fourth graders complete a variety of activities as they study the European exploration of the Midwest, focusing on Indiana. They map the path explorers took, comparing the British with the French. They research why the explorers stopped...
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Treaties
Fifth graders investigate Canadian history by examining the alliances made in the past. In this Canadian treaties instructional activity, 5th graders identify the Native Americans of Canada, known as the First Nations people or...
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Traditions and Languages of Three Native Cultures: Tlingit, Lakota, & Cherokee
Students understand the meaning of a tradition and know how it is maintained. They have a general knowledge of the environment, history and culture of the Tlingit, Lakota, and Cherokee
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Reader Response: Keith Gilyard and Mourning Dove
Pupils respond to Mourning Dove's Coyote Stories by discovering Native American storytelling. They create a traditional lodge and write their own stories.
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Defining Culture
Second graders define the term culture and are exposed to a variety of cultures from around the world. They read books, play Native American games, develop a class book that examines their own culture and, after examining currencies from...
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Talking Rocks
Third graders explain the difference between Petroglyphs and Pictographs from Ancient Native American peoples. They create symbols that are representative of a story about their world.
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Rockin' Chalk
Fourth graders access prior knowledge of rocks and minerals. In this petroglyphs lesson, 4th graders become familiar with artwork on rocks. Students create original artworks using rock art.
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Dark Days on the Prairie
Fourth graders research the location and causes of the Dust Bowl in 1935. In support, they interpret photos from that period in Oklahoma history, They also compare/contrast the American Dust Bowl to the dust storms that occurred in...
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Helen Frankenthaler Biography
Students examine the abstract art of Helen Frankenthaler. For this art analysis lesson, students complete a criticism of the aesthetics of the art, analyze the color use in the art, and research the history of abstract art.
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Westward Expansion and the War with Mexico
Students evaluate primary sources to develop their own opinions about Westward Expansion. In this Manifest Destiny activity, students examine and respond to questions about Gast's painting titled American Progress Students research how...
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Creating a Pot: Repetition as a Unifying Design Element
Young scholars use subjects, themes, and symbols that demonstrate knowledge of contexts, values, and aesthetics that communicate intended meaning in artworks.
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Pack your Parfleche!
Imagine you are a Plains Indian, a nomad getting ready to follow a herd of buffalo. Now imagine what you would have to pack for your trip. Little ones examine images of a traditional parfleche (packing box), and then create packing lists...
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Create your own Parfleche!
What is a parfleche? It is a box used by the Plains Indians to carry goods as they traveled. First, the class will discuss the uses of these highly ornate boxes and the nature of the Plains Indians' nomadic lifestyle. Then, the class...
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Coil Vessels with Symbols
Eighth graders explore symbolism in Renaissance art, use ceramics vocabulary, and demonstrate craftsmanship in working with clay.
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I Heard the Owl Call My Name
Eleventh graders write a two to three page paper addressing one of the following topics: Analyze the values and beliefs of the two conflicting cultures. Explain which values seem to dominate within the conflict and why. They brainstorm...
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American Genre Painting in the Nineteenth Century: Teaching Artistic Interpretation as a Tool for Critically Viewing History
Learners view a variety of artwork to determine the history and lifestyle of people from New Haven, Connecticut. In groups, they develop their individual hypothesis about why the paintings were created and share them with their group...
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To Tell the Truth
Students explore art history. They play a game inspired by the old game show "To Tell The Truth".
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Talking Rocks
Third graders consider the differences between pictographs and petroglyphs. They create symbols from a story about their worlds. They make pottery art.