Students study the myths of various African cultures and of the Mayan people. They identify unique characteristics of African myths and Mayan myths. They define and recognize the style and tone of the Mayan myths and create their own...

Students study the importance of the Storyteller in ancient times as well as in modern times. They realize that this is an art essential to the development and evolution of the mind and that today more than ever we need to rely on...

Students do a research project on one of the European countries and develop the points in detail. They determine the sophistication of African tradition and culture that have been degraded by the media and write an essay from the facts...

Students study the stories that go with masks from two cultures. They examine Native American masks used by tribes that lived in the Northeastern United States.. These include these Algonquian-speaking: Micmac, Pequot, Delaware....

Students identify and locate the continent of Africa on a globe or map. They locate on a classroom map of Africa the place of origin of the myths/stories being read in class. They discover that the peoples of Africa and their stories are...

Students examine why fabric was first sewn in layers and how it was used. They identify, compare and make 3 different fabric design types which will become a basis for looking at the quilts created by African Americans. They begin the...

Students discuss the reasons why oil and gas are the United States' main source of energy. In groups, they use the internet to research how the resources are formed and the amount of consumption by the United States. They choose books...

Students examine and describe the six main simple machines. In groups, they work with an inclined plane to calculate the ideal and actual mechanical advantages of the plane. Using their results, they must determine the efficiency of the...

Seventh graders mention any recent racism or discrimination they have seen placed on an ethnic group other than their own. After reading an autobiography, they read and write poems based on past events in the Hispanic culture. They are...

Students examine the history of St. Patrick's Day by creating characters and dialog reflecting Irish culture. A major part of the lesson is the construction of a float for a St. Patrick's Day parade. Also, students research and answer...

Seventh graders read "Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank. In groups, they discuss the reasons why people would write an autobiography and identify their own identity crisis. After reading excerpts of other autobiographies, they...

High schoolers use mystery novels to focus on the history and ethnicity of different regions of the United States. As a class, they are introduced to the elements of a mystery and compare them to the other types of novels they have...

Third graders are introduced to the characteristics of fairy tales. After being read some examples, they write their own fairy tale based on their adventures on a magic carpet ride after making a chart to organize their thoughts. To...

Students discover the roles played by various racial, ethnic and religious groups in the development of American society. They explore the concept of racial and cultural diversity and global community, as these are joined by economic,...

Students examine the importance of oral traditions while reading various fairy and folk tales. Given a piece of clay, they can mold it into any shape they want and pass it to their neighbor which keeps building the object. They use...

Students are introduced to a new method of writing developed by Robert Gay. In groups, they practice retelling or rewriting one of their fellow classmates stories. They are also introduced to the technique of transcribing and write in...

Students read stories by women authors on the characteristics of the African-American family. Using the internet, they research the history of issues that have affected African-American families from the Civil War to the Civil Rights...

Ninth graders brainstorm the economic and social functions of a family. In groups, they research the roles of each member of a family in the past and compare it with their family today. In groups, they develop criteria for what the...

Students review the most recent vocabulary list of French words. Using literature by Victor Hugo and Guy de Maupassant, they discover the history and culture of France. Using a map and the text, they locate the cities and regions of...

High schoolers examine the life and works of various Latin American women. After reading excerpts of each work, they answer comprehension questions and discuss as a class. In groups, they re-write the Equality of Rights in their own...

Students are introduced to the foods and traditions of the Caribbean. In groups, they brainstorm their own definition of culture and review the physical and political geography of the Caribbean. They spend time sampling different foods...

Sixth graders in a special education class discuss excerpts of two stories and read biographical information on the authors. In groups, they read the full text of both stories and try to solve the mystery as they read. They practice...

Students engage in shared verbal and written reflections about ethnic traditions. They study fairy tales of the Caribbean and the repeating patterns or themes used in folktales and fairy tales. They discuss similarities and differences...

Students visit their school library to read a variety of folktales. While they read, they identify the trickster or hero in each and discuss how the character represents the chaos in the real world. In groups, they write their own...