Explore the art and cultural significance of henna hand designs. You engage the class by providing background information that describes who, what, where, when, and why henna designs are used. Then, the class uses the included templates...

Use a series of extension activities to enhance your class reading of Chris Van Allsburg's holiday classic, The Polar Express. From a biography of the author to filmed book reviews and research about the railroad, kids can take...

High schoolers explore the concept that one's identity is imposed by others, such as one's family, friends, classmates, society, age, race, gender and socioeconomic status. They assess a poem pertaining to Vietnamese American identity...

Students define and discuss colonialism and self-determination. After reading the European's view on the topic, they analyze a map of imperialism in 1914. They watch excerpts of a video and take notes on various United Nations...

Students research the structure of the Declaration: introduction, main political/philosophical ideas, grievances and assertion of sovereignty. They analyze the ideological/political origins of the ideas in the Declaration. Students...

Students explore William D. Huff's experience during Civil War as portrayed in his drawings, express empathy and demonstrate historical knowledge through creating their own artwork, and craft drawings and captions from perspectives of...

Students study the Bill of Rights. As a class, they create a "School Bill of Rights," with amendments. Students discuss the difference between rights and responsibilities and examine Supreme Court decisions dealing with the first ten...

Fourth graders write about the forced Potawatomi migration. In this primary source lesson students are read journal entries from an emigrating party of Potawatomi Indians. Students reflect on the items the Indians might have taken with...

In this engaging activity involving close analysis of abstract expressionist art, your class members will not only discover more about artist Friz Scholder's Native American art, but they will also have the opportunity to consider...

Learning how to interact and work cooperatively in a team is an essential skill, both in school and the world beyond the classroom. Pupils use a self-check, group skills worksheet to evaluate their behavior in a recent group situation,...

Students analyze the pros and cons of public policies. They analyze how public policy issues are influenced by government actions (e.g., transportation, the environment). They research the elements and requirements of the...

Students create a 3-D self-standing album containing an accurate timeline of his/her life. They select personal items to attach to the timeline (like jewelry, photos, etc.). Also, they create journals as keepsakes for themselves and...

Students create a genealogy book tracing their heritage many generations back. They examine their own ethnicity, attitudes, and self-awareness. They examine new American trends regarding family structure and ethnicity.

Use a five-lesson unit to investigate how different cultures use art for common purposes, such as the marking of special events, celebrations, and the validation of human experience.

Students properly fold the American Flag and demonstrate proper care and use of the flag to younger students. They properly raise and lower to the flag on a flagpole and demonstrate care and use to younger students as well.

Students demonstrate knowledge of the understanding of American individualism, specifically four areas: decision making, expressing opinions, competition, and obligation.

Sixth graders compare and contrast various forms of artistic expression associated with specific groups of people, geographic regions, or time periods, specifically, art of Australia, and create art works using procedures borrowed from...

Pupils explore elements of Jewish tradition and how they feel conflicted with rituals, theologies, and rules. They discuss their Jewish traditions and what they would change if possible. After group discussion, they read Helene Aylon's...

Art forms, especially government-sponsored "poster art", very effectively conveyed specific cultural values during World War II. Understanding the role that visual images play in expressing issues and ideas is critical to developing...

Fifth graders examine excerpts from a diary of a Confederate soldier and his experiences in a Union prison camp. After receiving character cards, they write diary entries from the perspectives of their Civil War identity. As an...

As the title suggests, this lesson is designed for a foster care therapy group. C.S. Lewis' novel provides children an opportunity to discuss life issues vicariously through fictional characters. However, the discussion questions and...

Students take home an Australian Teddy Bear home and draw pictures, photograph, write or verbalize stories of what the bear did at their home. They make a book that is sent to their partner class.

Did you know that modern Chinese literature “grew from the psychoanalytical theory of Sigmund Freud”? Designed for a world literature class, seniors are introduced to “One Evening in the Rainy Season,” Shi Zhecun’s stream of...

Elementary students explore African American culture by reading children's poetry. They read the book, The Palm of My Heart which features poetry by an assortment of young African American boys and girls. Students define several...