Provided by the National Gallery of Art in Washington, this resource for teachers examines Islamic art, including calligraphy, arabesques, and geometric designs.  A recounting of the spread of the faith and the tumultuous political...

Fourth graders research the rock art caves that are found in Texas. In this rock art lesson, 4th graders use assigned web sites to find information about the rock art that is found in caves in Texas. They work in small groups to make a...

Students explore the meanings of the word "treasure," and examine the use of clay in the construction of buildings in San Antonio, Texas. They examine clay artifacts, and watch a video about pottery artist, Harding Black. Students then...

Students explore social studies by completing a U.S. history research project. In this Texas lesson, students utilize almanacs, encyclopedias and the Internet to research the history of Texas and create a presentation based on a specific...

Students interpret historical evidence presented in primary resources. In this World War I lesson, students examine World War I posters. Students investigate the use of propaganda strategies in the posters and discuss the visual metaphors.

Celebrate the traditional Mexican holiday El Dia de los Muertos! Explore the intricate history behind the traditions, compare other cultural rituals honoring the dead, and create sugar skulls. Learners read informational text on Aztec...

Students explore U.S. geography by completing a coloring activity in class. In this Texas history lesson, students utilize the web to locate Texas on a map of the U.S. Students view a PowerPoint presentation which showcases the state...

Students study the history of Matisse as an artist and focus upon his influences upon the style of art that he was famous for. The learners perform research about the life and works. Then they create a work of art that is similar to the...

Students discuss how color construct meaning in art. They will demonstrate a technical knowledge and creative use of formal elements and principals of design. Students then discuss the way their selection of color contributed to their work.

Woody Guthrie will capture the imagination of even your most reluctant learners. Using his work, your class will develop their skills in non-fiction reading comprehension, interpreting primary source material, and use of multiple forms...

Students complete a variety of activities related to the pottery of Harding Black and the uses of clay in San Antonio, Texas. They watch a video about the life of Harding Black, conduct a clay percolation experiment, compare and...

Students explore and analyze the architecture of San Antonio, Texas. They watch a video about tiles created by Harding Black, and discuss pictures of architecture found in San Antonio, Texas. Students then design a clay tile...

Twelfth graders create a museum of Patriotism and Foreign Policy. They participate in discussions and work in committee's to determine which objects shall be displayed in the museum. They present visual and performing arts along with...

Students discover the history of Ancient China, specifically the period beginning with the Qin Dynasty and ending with the fall of the Ming Dynasty. They study the building of the Great Wall and the defeat of the Great Khans.

Second graders experience, through a hands-on approach, Japan's geography, daily life, language, foods, education, customs, art and literature. They discover all the exciting events that take place to make it really seem like they are...

Students act out the Civil War through reader's theater. In this performing arts lesson, students research the Civil War and find costumes, props and scenery appropriate to the time period. They become characters from the Civil War time...

Students read information about the ancient origins of art and archaeology with a focus on the Malian culture. In this art origins lesson plan, students read background information for the topic and compare ancient and contemporary...

A Venn Diagram is used to compare artistic and historical representations of a single event. Young analysts view the provided images, read textbook descriptions, and discuss the validity of each representation in terms of bias and...

Students listen to conjunto music and identify the instrumentation. After discussing the the history of South Texas, they examine lyrics of several songs and interpret them. As extensions, students can learn to partner dance to the...

Students trace their hands onto white paper and cut them out. They create a holiday art piece by adding a "head" and a "body" and then decorating them to resemble an angel. (Their handprints become the wings.)

Fifth graders analyze a landscape depicting Yosemite during the time of the Wild West. They compare their perceptions of the West from film and television to this representation. They observe the use of scale and color to depict size and...

Seventh graders view a painting of the destruction of Mission San Saba in Texas. They discuss the painting and identify information that they can infer from the painting.

Students observe the painting, From That Day On, by Ben Shahn, and reflect on the story of the Lucky Dragon. They research and discuss the physical and emotional side effects on the Japanese people after the atomic bomb was dropped.

Seventh graders compare and contrast the way of life of Native Americans in Texas and around the country. As a class, they brainstorm about the uses of pottery today and use broken pieces of pottery to create an artifact. In groups,...