Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Search for the Humpback Whale

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students work in teams to research and explore whale adaptations, behavior, migration, habitat, communication, and interactions with humans and present their findings.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

In the Light of Reverence

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students watch a documentary prior to participating in a Supreme Court simulation in order to study how religious practices are protected by the First Amendment of the Constitution. They interpret conflict from a number of perspectives...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Great River Bend Adventure

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Learners use their imagination. They discuss the 4 C's of teamwork: Concentration, Communications, Coomperation, and Consideration. Students discuss the safety guidelines of the project. They complete a rope maze. The group walks...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Focus on Fathers

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students view excerpts from the video, Hardwood, and discuss the positive and negative attributes of fathers. They write letters to people who have been an important influence in their lives.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Hiding and Seeking Lesson Plan

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students watch a film in order to broaden their view of tolerance after the Holocaust.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Andrew Young

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Learners explore Andrew Young and his role alongside Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., during the Civil Rights Movement.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Clay Tiles: Family Mosaics

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders design and create a clay tile to represent their families. They research and discuss similarities and differences among families of different cultures, create a tile to represent their own and then compile the tiles in a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Researching Hate Crimes: Who and Why?

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students research contemporary information on hate crimes and on legislation designed to curtail and control such activity. They discuss the distinctive nature of hate crimes as opposed to other types of violent crimes. Students work...
Handout
Library of Congress

Loc: Song of America

For Students 9th - 10th
Commemorates the history of the American song featuring reowned baritone Thomas Hampson. See first editions of sheet music, information on the songs and their authors as well as sound recordings.
Lesson Plan
Everything ESL

Everything Esl: Teaching About America

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Provides printouts, fact sheets, suggestions and more on teaching any student to know about songs and symbols of America.
Website
US Government Publishing Office

Ben's Guide to u.s. Government: Songs and Oaths: America

For Students 3rd - 8th
Ben's Guide is a fun way to present US laws to students grades K-12. This site presents a brief history of the song "America" (My Country 'Tis of Thee). Links to related sites are available.
Website
Library of Congress

Loc: America Singing: Nineteenth Century Song Sheets

For Students 9th - 10th
Song sheets, which containedonly lyrics, were a popular form of printed music. The Library of Congress holds over 4,000 of these from the 1800s that can be viewed online.
Activity
Library of Congress

Loc: America's Story: See, Hear and Sing

For Students 3rd - 5th
Lots of history of American music with fun links and audio clips, most from the 20th century. A neat site to learn more about America's past.
Website
PBS

Pbs: Independent Lens: Strange Fruit: Protest Music Past and Present

For Students 9th - 10th
Listen to audio clips of songs of protest from eight eras of U.S. history. Explore the lyrics, learn about the songwriters, and gather background information on the music that served and continues to serve as a catalyst for thought,...
Website
Library of Congress

Loc: Patriotic Melodies

For Students 9th - 10th
The stories behind patriotic songs that have become part of American musical culture, such as "Anchors Away," "Over There," "U.S. Air Force Song," and "When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again." Drill into the site to find lyrics, listen to...
Website
PBS

Pbs: Sweet Old Song (The Music of Howard "Louie Bluie" Armstrong)

For Students 9th - 10th
Learn about and listen to jazz, blues, folk, and country musician Howard "Louie Bluie" Armstrong and his roots in America's musical past. "Sweet Old Song" tells the story of the music and art partnership between Armstrong and his...
Handout
Library of Congress

Loc: America's Story: Connecticut

For Students 3rd - 8th
"One of the original 13 states, Connecticut is known as the 'Constitution State.'" How did Connecticut get its nickname? Who developed the first American hamburger? These answers and more are waiting for you at the Library of Congress...
Website
Canadian Wildlife Federation

Hinterland Who's Who: Evening Grosbeak

For Students 9th - 10th
Get the facts about the Evening Grosbeak. Besides finding a detailed physical description of this member of the finch family, you?ll also learn about some of this bird?s unique facts and characteristics. Also included in this Bird Fact...
Website
Other

Smithsonian Institution: Musica Del Pueblo

For Students 9th - 10th
Musica del Pueblo is a full-featured resource that explores the traditions of Latino music. Using a colorful mural titled "Song of Unity" as a navigation tool, visitors can watch videos of performances, listen to different varieties of...
Primary
Contemplator

Buffalo Gals

For Students 9th - 10th
This website has interesting background information about the song, "Buffalo Gals," as well as song lyrics and a Midi file of the tune.
Website
Contemplator

Casey Jones

For Students 9th - 10th
Provides a brief biography about the engineer Casey Jones and songs written by him.
Handout
OpenStax

Open Stax: Catherine Schmidt Jones: Caribbean Music: Calypso and Found Percussion

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st
Have your students learning about calypso music with this engaging lesson plan. Learn about calypso rhythms and learn a calypso song.
Website
The Washington Post

Robert Hass on Walt Whitman

For Students 9th - 10th
Poet laureate Robert Hass writes about Walt Whitman and the controversies that have often surrounded his writing and life.
Website
Lin and Don Donn

Lin and Don Donn: Holidays: Christmas

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
This site provides links and ideas for lesson plans about Christmas. Also provides basic information about the history of Christmas traditions in America.