Students examine Mexican history in murals. In this visual arts lesson, students research the artistic style of Mexican murals and the artists that create them. Students then present their research findings to their classmates and write...

A biography writing lesson with a tasty twist! Kids create a "visual biography" in which each pizza slice represents a paragraph, and toppings represent supporting details. They learn research techniques, note-taking skills, and how to...

Introduce learners to allegorical art with four bronze sculptures by Francesco Bertos. After modeling how to recognize bias and allegory in Bertos' Africa, class groups examine the other three sculptures in the series before creating...

Third graders increase reading strategies while learning about Abigail Adams and her role in history. In this Abigail Adams lesson, 3rd graders read about the American Revolution and Abigail Adams using all the balanced literacy...

Picture this. Class members follow in the footsteps of W. Eugene Smith, Dorothea Lange, James Nachtwey, and Lewis Hine by creating their own photo essay about a local event or issue.

Students examine art of the California Gold Rush. In this visual arts instructional activity, students analyze the photography and art of Isaac Wallace Baker. Students also conduct further research about the miners of the era in order to...

Do you remember the days when a cup of coffee cost five cents? At A.W. Dennett restaurant in 1894, you could buy a five-cent cup of coffee and as well as a five-cent slice of pie to accompany it. The menu from that year is a primary...

Students explore majolica.  In this art and history lesson, students glaze and decorate pottery using the decorative ceramic technique of Majolica.  Students discuss visual arts and make connections with history.

Students research, write, and draw about Roman versus American slavery. In this slavery lesson plan, students look at the Roman portraits of slaves, its influence on Western European art, and compare Roman slavery to American slavery.

Students research slavery in ancient Rome and compare and contrast it to slavery in the United States.  In this slavery lesson, students investigate the differences of slavery in different parts of the country, write a paper to...

Newspapers are the perfect medium through which to explore different perspectives in informational text. After researching the fur trade and resultant colonization, groups write a newspaper, including an editorial page, selecting one of...

The topic of gun control is vast, controversial, and difficult to introduce to students. This gem of a resource covers both sides of the issue and provides topic background, various multimedia and print resources, analysis questions, and...

Working in groups, middle and high schoolers describe and discuss photographs depicting working conditions experienced by child laborers in the 19th century. They then write a persuasive paragraph supporting an amendment to regulate the...

Students explore entrepreneurs of Nebraska. For this business and social studies lesson, students research Nebraska entrepreneurs to discover the history of their successful company.

Young scholars identify heartwood, sapwood, and a tree's annual rings, infer from a tree's rings what damage or stress might have occurred in its life, and make a time-line of human history that coincides with a tree's rings.

Amazing efforts of African American leaders are celebrated in a lesson on civil participation. The engaging resource focuses on primary and secondary sources to analyze the impact of African American leaders such as Ella Fitzgerald....

Thor, Loki, Iron Man, and Captain America. As part of their study of Greek and Roman gods and heroes, middle schoolers compare the characters in The Avengers to Greek counterparts. Individuals then create their own superhero,...

Students have the opportunity to practice research and essay-writing skills using primary and secondary source materials. They explore aspects of early settlers' lives in the backwoods of Upper Canada.

Students examine art from various cultural backgrounds across Canada. They examine and analyze artworks illustrating various cultural groups. They explore the diverse nature of their community. They construct a visual map of their...

Fifth graders compare and contrast photographs from the 1800s to those of 2003. In groups, they create drawings of how society has changed over time and use maps to locate local streets. Individually, they practice measuring the...

Students investigate the types of footwear worn during ten periods of history.  In this secondary, art/math/social studies instructional activity, students view documentaries and popular films to study the time periods. ...

Students write a descriptive essay about a historical landmark in their area, such as the Curtis Center in Philadelphia, PA. In this historical landmarks lesson, students use their senses to detail information about the chosen landmark,...

Students research the factors and events which lead to the creation of Canada. Using the internet, they participate in a "Confederation Review Conference" to discover how the country can best serve its citizens. They analyze current...

Students search the Images Canada database for images depicting life in Canada in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They analyze photos and share their findings. They use these images to create a photo album.