Curated OER
Russian Star Ornaments
Students research Russian Orthodox Christmas traditions in pre-soviet Russia and in other parts of the world. Then they create a handcrafted ornament in the style of old Russia. Students also decorate their Russian Star Ornament with...
Trinity University Digital Commons
Romanticism: Past and Present
With its focus on nature, individualism, imagination, and rejection of traditional authority, Romanticism has great appeal to young high schoolers. After examining classic paintings and poems as well as current works, class members...
Art Institute of Chicago
African Myths and Stories
Young historians discover African stories associated with a royal altar tusk from the Kingdom of Benin in Nigeria, read myths illustrated on the tusk, and write a story about the life of an oba using figures depicted on the tusk.
Dick Blick Art Materials
Percussive Pods
Combine the study of art, music, and history with an activity that asks kids to craft rattles out of slabs of clay.
Missouri Department of Elementary
Risk Taking Behaviors
Sophomores can be sometimes wise and sometimes foolish. The same can be said for their behaviors. After watching a presentation about risk taking behaviors, class members discuss the presentation in small groups, and then complete a...
Missouri Department of Elementary
Character Clovers
Build a classroom community with a instructional activity that uses character clovers to examine scholars' roles. Following a whole-class discussion, participants list four roles they play and accompany it with the character traits that...
Missouri Department of Elementary
Caution: Thin Ice!
Sixth graders listen to a story titled "Thin Ice!" then partake in a whole-class discussion asking and answering questions about what was read. Scholars brainstorm risky behaviors in preparation for a game of RISKO—a game similar to...
K20 LEARN
It Wasn't Me: "The Crucible"
Scholars complete their study of the collective fear in Arthur Miller's "The Crucible" by conducting a mock trial to determine how many witches are in the class. Groups then analyze sections of the play for the literary devices used and...
Penguin Books
An Educator's Guide to Jan Brett
Prepare to teach Jan Brett stories by taking a look at this teacher resource, which includes text-based questions, writing assignments, discussion ideas, and vocabulary practice for 18 different stories.
Missouri Department of Elementary
Goldilocks Revisited
After a read-aloud of the story Goldielocks and the Three Bears, scholars gather into small groups to answer a series of questions. Peers examine the idea of smart decisions and identify three feelings of characters alongside three...
Film Foundation
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington: What Is a Movie?
Watching is not the same as seeing. Transform viewers from passive watchers to active students of film with this 34-page packet, filled with lessons and activities that use Mr. Smith Goes to Washington to examine the technology, the...
Curated OER
MTV and Othello
After reading Acts III and IV of Othello, give your class a fun, interactive, music-related activity. Begin by asking students about songs they have heard in movies or plays. Let them look up the lyrics online and ruminate about the...
Curated OER
Song Dynasty Traditional Landscape Paintings
Students study new ideas and art concepts, while reinforcing others, through a Chinese cultural tradition. They determine how cultural differences differences affect painting processes.
Curated OER
International Holidays
Second graders explore the holidays of different cultures. In this culture lesson, 2nd graders knowledge about various holidays. Students play a matching game with the name of the holiday and the description. Students research one of the...
Curated OER
A Visit to Mexico City: An Introduction to World Communities
Third graders complete a variety of activities as they take an imaginary trip to Mexico City, complete with passports, maps, and Spanish dictionaries. They write postcards to send home and create items to sell at the market. The unit...
Curated OER
Rites of Passage
Learners explore coming of age ceremonies. In this rites of passage lesson, students research spiritual, religious, and secular child and adolescent rites of passage rituals. Learners design personal rites of passage.
Curated OER
Freedman's Journal: "We Wish to Plead Our Own Cause"
Students examine selected passages from The Freedman's Journal. In this African American history lesson plan, students read and discuss excerpts from The Freedman's Journal. Students investigate how the African American newspaper served...
Curated OER
Country Cookbook
Students, in groups, create menus for five traditional meals from a country of their choice. They create a cookbook that includes all the recipes and describes when the traditional dish would be served.
Curated OER
Seven Daughters and Seven Sons: the Middle East Through
Sixth graders read "Seven Daughters and Seven Sons" and examine aspects of Middle East culture and geography. They define vocabulary from the book and map locations described in the book.
Curated OER
Music of the People - Native American Music
Third graders complete a unit of lessons on the singing, instruments, and dancing of Native Americans. They identify and play various instruments, complete worksheets, define key vocabulary, sing songs, and perform dances.
Curated OER
Africa: Small Sounds From a Big Country
Students explore the music from Burundi, Zimbabwe, and Pygmy cultures. They listen to and discuss music from the African cultures, analyze the musical elements, write a song, and perform music.
Curated OER
Traditions and Transformations
Ninth graders examine the Jewish culture from a variety of perspectives. In this ethics lesson, 9th graders interview guest speakers on the subject of Jewish culture. Students create group poems and murals around themes of...
Curated OER
National Symbols of Japan: The National Flag and Anthem
Students explore the traditions and cultures of Japan. Classmates identify national symbols in the United States and Japan. They listen to the lyrics of Japan's National Anthem.
Curated OER
Customs
Students explore Chinese New Year. In this Chinese culture lesson, students read associated literature and use worksheets to explore aspects of the Chinese New Year. Students complete this lesson by making and hanging paper lanterns,...