Fifth graders determine how freedom comes with rights and responsibilities through literature and poetry about World War II. In this World War II instructional activity, 5th graders use the letters in the word "infamy" to write an...

Learners collect memorabilia and create shadow boxes in the style of David Stewart. They also compose a poem and explain their identity in an oral presentation. This is a rare lesson that works quite well for a variety of age levels.

Women's voices are becoming more prominent in the world of literature, but for centuries, this wasn't the case. Young historians research a woman whose writings are considered to be lost, out of print, or forgotten. They develop an oral...

Explore printmaking with a discussion and project. Pupils first view and talk about various examples of prints and cover positive and negative space. They then come up with fictional animals and make prints of their creature using...

How authors address issues of their societies is addressed in this very detailed activity. After researching Toni Morrison and her work, groups create a dramatization based on a scene from one of Morrison’s novels and act it out. Class...

Tap into your pupils' imagination by asking them to design futuristic, ideal cities. They must discuss and take scale and size into account, looking at some model pieces of art for inspiration and analysis. The final product for each...

Second graders examine the kinds of rules that different groups have. They work cooperatively in small groups to make rules for different groups and complete a worksheet imbedded in this plan. They have a greater understanding why rules...

Second graders investigate the business community in their own town. They design interview questions before interviewing business people. They look at what type of good and services are offered in their area. They design a multimedia...

Fifth graders explore historical fiction. In this genre study lesson, 5th graders go on a text feature scavenger hunt to identify the parts of a historical fiction text. Additionally, students read the book, My Secret War and discuss...

Cultivate young performers while teaching them about helping one another with this interactive storytelling lesson. Elementary schoolers read or listen to the story The Little Red Hen by Mike Lockett and then act out the story while...

Here is a very nice lesson on the shape of the United States, and the shapes of the individual states for your young geographers. They utilize worksheets embedded in the plan to color in a variety of states and to become familiar with...

Although the work Americans do has changed over time, the plight of the American worker has largely remained the same. Facilitate a class discussion aboutAmerican workers using Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's "The Village Blacksmith" and...

Sixth graders investigate the intention behind artists' works and contemplate the notion that art mirrors life. They respond orally and in writing to a painting and recognize that seeing the whole picture can offer a different ...

Practice expository and creative writing with your class. Pupils use magazines to find pictures, cut them out, and create a collage. This work of art is then used as a writing prompt. They describe the collage in either a creative or...

Students study the four seasons. They determine changes that occur in our environment. They demonstrate an understanding of the basic features of Canada's landscape and climate and identify the basic weather and climate patterns of...

Second graders view examples of active lifestyles in works of Robert Harris, and list and graph their daily activities to see if they lead active lifestyles. Students then name forms of entertainment that require practice,...

Fourth graders explore Japanese customs and history. They create their own works that reflect these traditions. They identify and use primary and secondary sources to learn and communicate about the past.

Learners write sound poems inspired by works of art they have viewed, create paintings with snow as subject, create zines about their perceptions of winter, and update one of Robert Harris' winter sports illustrations. Four lessons on...

Students interpret and comment on works in 1 and 2 point perspective. They locate the focal point of works done in 1 point perspective and create a drawing of a street or landscape in their local area using 1 point perspective.

Fourth graders study the differences in the ways of life of five different Native California Tribes. They assess the use of technology, computers and the Internet as valuable investigation tools.

In the story Suki's Kimono drums are used to show mood. Learners discuss mood in the story after they practice playing a simple 4/4 rhythm on their drums. Each group plays the rhythm using a different tempo. They listen to each...

Fourth graders study the Robert Harris works and modern photographs. They compare fishing in the past and the present. They use their knowledge of equivalent fractions to play a version of the game "Go Fish".

Fourth graders work in partners to complete a series of activities. After reading the introduction, Students select a role of either a "Padre" or "Indigena." As partners, they need time on the computer for research as well as time to...

Here is an interesting plan for introducing your pupils to the workings of the local city council. The teacher must go videotape a city council meeting in it's entirety. Learners watch the tape, and discuss what they observed from the...