Filling up the waning hours of the school year with meaningful, helpful lessons can be a challenge. Never fear, EduDemic is to the rescue. We’ve come up with dozens of lessons, trips, and creative ways to engage students from elementary school to high school. The links below are mostly to PDFs that you can easily print out and distribute to your fellow teachers.
Class at Ann Arbor Public Schools
Need something in particular? We’ve organized the links below by subject matter and also time period. Teaching about life in a WWII Japanese Internment Camp? We got you covered. Want to know a creative way to teach about Abe Lincoln’s hat? Not a problem.
Creative Lessons (By Subject)
Lessons from the Smithsonian Institute
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Learn From Objects
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Play and Create
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Read Together
- Download the Martin’s Big Words reading guide »
- Download the Miss Lady Bird’s Wildflowers reading guide »
- Download the Mr. Lincoln’s Whiskers reading guide »
- Download the The Flag Maker reading guide »
- Download the Baseball Saved Us reading guide »
- Download the Vejigante Masquerader reading guide »
- Download the Seven Brave Women reading guide »
- Download the When Clay Sings reading guide »
- Download the Follow the Drinking Gourd reading guide »
- Download the Dakota Dugout reading guide »
- Download the Freedom on the Menu reading guide »
- Download the Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie reading guide »
- Download the Maria’s Comet reading guide »
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Study in School
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Take a Trip
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Use Technology
Creative Lessons (By Time Period)
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Beginnings to 1620
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1585 – 1763
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1754 – 1820s
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1801 – 1861
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1850 – 1877
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1929 – 1945
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1945 to early 1970s
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1968 to Present
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By Subject
Select a topic below to find related history information, activities, books, and more.
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Nonviolence »
- First Lady for the Environment »
- A Letter to Abraham Lincoln »
- Making the Star-Spangled Banner »
- Life in a WWII Japanese-American Internment Camp »
- A Puerto Rican Carnival »
- Great Women of Our Pasts »
- Pueblo Pots »
- Slave Life and the Underground Railroad »
- Life in a Sod House »
- Students Sit for Civil Rights »
- Life on the Water »
- Exploring the Sky »
Creative Geography Lessons
Lessons from ProTeacher
- Flat Stanley- its based on the book. You send off flat stanleys to schools or addresses around the US. They stay for a visit and return with a journal explaining the events of the stay– the neat part is, these host states can include information, brochures, pictures… source
- map of a “new” State- I saw a cute idea for a BB for social studies on maps. They create a map of a new state. They draw an outline for it, decide on its name, decide which landforms and bodies of water they want the state to have. Give them each a creative name (echo valley, etc…), design at least 10 different symbols to use in a key for their map. Have 3 of these symbols each represent a different natural resource. The other symbols can… source
- Continents and Oceans- A printable word search puzzle of the continents and oceans names source
- Creating a Travel Brochure - Students create a travel brochure for visiting China. Includes a printable outine to help students plan their project. Easily adaptable for any country or state source
- Five Times Five: Five Activities for Teaching Geographys Five Themes- A collection of geography activities including designing a country, saying hello in other languages, and performing weather reports for cities around the world source
- Geography Awareness Week Curriculum Guide- A PDF format unit with a week of lessons about rivers. Designed for Florida students, but adaptable source
- Geography Web Sites- Links to information on geography for grades K – 5 source
- Geography World- A directory of geography-related websites from high school teacher Brad Bowerman including physical geography and culture from around the world source
- GeoPictionary- Directions for a pictionary type game with geographic places and terms to draw and identify source
- Helping Your Child Learn Geography- A guide for parents and teachers to help children learn the five themes of geography source
- Map Puzzles- Free downloadable software helps students learn countries and capitals. Choose from puzzles about Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Austronesia, Central America, South America, the United States, and the Continents source
- National Geographic: Geography Education- The Classroom Ideas section includes a few geography-related lesson ideas and handouts. Click on source to view National Geographic home page source
- National Geographic K-4 Lessons and Activities- Standards based classroom lesson ideas for teaching about geography. Lessons involve describing a setting, using observation skills, community services, and geographic story maps source
- Nystrom Intermediate Lesson Plans- Students learn to use an atlas, read a compass, understand latitude and longitude, trace a historic voyage, and follow the probable route of the first people to inhabit the Americas source
- Nystrom Primary Lesson Plans- Students learn to distinguish countries from continents, locate states on a map, plan a trip, and name the continents source
- Ocean Postcards- A lesson plan for a creative research report in which students create a postcard that describes one of the worlds bodies of water. A postcard diagram, table of water bodies, and extension activity are provided source
- Oceans All Over- A lesson plan for teaching students the locations and names of the worlds oceans source
- Our World – My Own Island – How are They Connected- A complete instructional unit with printable activities and assessment rubrics. Students participate in a simulation activity by designing an island, and learn basic geography skills source
- Paper Model of A Globe- A printable globe for your students to cut and assemble. The globe includes unlabled lines of longitude and latitude source
- Sort This- Students sort countries into northern and southern hemsipheres. Printable activity sheets are provided source
- The Geographic Doctor Seuss- Students learn the meaning of the word “region” by reading Yertle the Turtle source
- Travel Brochure- Students create an itinerary and brochure of five different countries. A checklist for the project and related web links are provided source
- Who Sliced this Pie- A lesson plan for a simulation activity that teaches students about the distribution of the Earths resources and population source
- World- A blackline political map of the world. Reproducible for your class to color and label source
- World Almanac: A Tool for Building Study Skills- Print this scavenger hunt of fifteen questions for your students to use with an almanac source
Language – ARTS Elementary (K-5)
Lessons from Col-Ed
- Successful Paragraphs (4-6)
- Creative writing; multi-author story writing (1-12)
- ‘School News’ using writing, speaking and/or questioning skills (3-12)
- Whole language experience using “Casey at the Bat” (3-5)
- Vocabulary & language concept development (PreK-2)
- Descriptive/Persuasive writing ‘My Pyramid – Preparing for a Journey” (4-6)
- Increasing vocabulary for primary students (1-3)
- Sounding-out CVC words, ‘The Blending Slide’ (K-1)
- Using popcorn to create a reading book (K-3)
- Creative Writing; turn on inventiveness with ‘Potato Possibilities’ (4-6)
- Color Code Writing; forming letters and numbers with colors (K-3)
- Integrated vocabulary, listening and creative writing exercise (K-12)
- Writing – a photo essay (2-4)
- Whole language story for developmental activities (K)
- Writing ‘Auto-Bio’ poems (4-12)
- Spelling; three great techniques for weekly spelling lists (3-6)
- Literature; activity to understand character’s personality (K-12)
- Learn a topic through research & drawing – Alphabet Book (K-12)
- Vocabulary & language comprehension using “Land Before Time” (4-6)
- Reinforcing alphabet names/sounds (K-1)
- Whole Language; Oklahoma Indian History: Spiro Mounds (3-6)
- Working with syllables using music patterns (2-4)
- Inferring Character Traits (all grades)
- Reading, Whole Language; Story Pyramid
- Adverbily, practicing the use of adverbs (4)
- ‘Busy As A Bee’, working with similes (3-6)
- Creative thinking, writing, reading & character analysis using “Frog and Toad are Friends” (2)
- Bibliotherapy, studying the perils of prejudice (3-6)
- Following oral directions using ‘Mystery Pictures’ (1-6)
- ‘Read In’; Unique story writing involving two grade levels (K-6)
- ‘Poetry Cubes’, develop an appreciation for different styles of poetry (2-4)
- ‘An Irritating Creature’ – poetry lesson (3-4)
- Writing activity using fairy tale structure to identify elements of a short story (4-6)
- Enigmas – ‘Mysteries in…’; activity to encourage research & creative thinking skills (4-5)
- ‘Zoo Animal Poetry’,activity involving field trip and video (K-3)
- ‘Let Me Tell You About My State’, activity involving Amateur Radio services (4-6)
- ‘American Experiences Abroad — An Interview’, activity involving Amateur Radio services (4-6)
- ‘Just Sandwiches’, creative language arts activity (4-9)
- Use of literature in SDMPS (3-5)
- ‘Parts of Speech Review’, hands-on activity (3-6)
- Stories That Grow on Trees”, creative writing activity (4-8)
- Appropriate Use of Helping Verbs, (3-12)
- ‘Invent A Holiday’ (4-6)
- ‘Apples Are A….Peeling’, activity filled lesson involving all subject areas (1-5)
- The Middle Ages and Children’s Literature”, (Gifted, 2-5)
Language – ARTS Intermediate (6-8)
- Creative writing activity using shopping mall personalities (7-9)
- Basic Grammar; review with fun using “Jabberwocky” (7-12)
- Writing poems with photographs (6-12)
- Vocabulary – unfolding meaning (6-7)
- Creative Writing; ‘Becoming a Logophil (4-8)
- Activities for descriptive character analysis (K-12)
- Reading; learning propaganda techniques through advertisements (5-12)
- Euphemisms (7-9)
- Activity to stimulate thought and verbal participation of students (4-12)
- Learning nursery rhymes through many activities (4-7)
- Learning vocabulary words with core curriculum (5-7)
- Writing, Poetry: Knowing Ourselves and Others Through Poetry (6-12)
- Vocabulary, The Dictionary Game, “Balderdash” (4-12)
- Expository Writing, “The Personal Touch” (6-12)
- Story Starters, introduction to story telling (all grades)
- ‘What? You want me to read AND enjoy it?’ activity to encourage reading (6-8)
- ‘Horrid Homonyms’ – confusing word pairs/homonyms (6-8)
- Mass Media – Magazine ads and You, the Teenager (6-12)
- ‘What You See Isn’t Always What You Get!’, reading comprehension activity (5-8)
- ‘Cooperation Blocks’, practice in effective communications and cooperation (6-12)
- ‘Review Basketball’, learning to use reading material to find information (6-12)
- Password” vocabulary review activity (4-12)
- ‘Make A Statement!’, using environmental bumper stickers (6-8)
- “The ‘Real’ Fairy Tales”, fun creative writing activity (5-8)
- ‘Paragraph Unity’, writing activity (7-9)
- ‘Book Review’, pre-writing activity (8-9)
- ‘Reading..Try It, You Might Like It!’, activity to enjoy reading (6-7)
- ‘Decimal Search’, working with the Dewey Decimal System (4-8)
- ‘Novel Partners’, independent reading activity toward a structured whole class reading activity (5-8)
- ‘Vocabulary Stumpers’, activity to increase vocabulary (6-12)
- ‘Adjective? What’s An Adjective?’ (5-8)
- Indexing and writing skills activity (5-12)
- Create “Who Did It” mysteries with the computer (5-12)
- Reference Book of the Year”, fun research/library skills activity, (6-8)
Language – ARTS High School (9-12)
- Creative writing – writing for fun (9-12)
- Increase listening skill activity (9-12)
- Literature Review; using knowledge, interpretation & judgement questions (10-12)
- Writing, Creating a ‘Class Directory’ (9-12)
- ‘MacBeth’ made easy (6-12)
- ‘Junk Mail Explosion’ – activity to increase student awareness of persuasion tactics (7-10)
- ‘Symbols of Language’, understanding written communication (6-11)
- Introduction to American Literature, creative freewriting activity (11)
- Using prominent personalities with identifiable social causes to stimulate writing (8-12)
- ‘Map of Ship Trap Island’, reading for detail (9)
- ‘Inventions’, understanding the relationships between things and words (7-12)
- ‘Write? No Way!’, “re-newed” writing activity (7-12)
- ‘Olympic Shadow Boxes’, learning to use reference materials (9-12)
- Timelines”, using research activites to discover history of city, state and self, (9-12)
- Life After the Fact”, creative culmination activity after reading “Lord of the Flies”, (9-12)
- Family Feud” fun format to review “Romeo and Juliet”, (9-12)
- Teaching Shakespeare”, a different approach, (9-12)
- Spotting Details”, creative writing activity, (9-12)
Art Lesson Plans
Lessons from EduRef
These art lessons are just a fraction of what you can get from Kinder Art.They have great resources for art projects for early grades. Clicking on these lessons will take you to the web site where I encourage you to look around.
Drawing
- A MONSTER’S WORLD
Using texture, the student will create imaginary monsters. - A UNIQUE DRAWING EXPERIENCE
Students (and teacher) will see how with just one set of directions, everyone in the classroom will come up with very unique works of abstract art. - BEAUTIFUL NUMBERS
This art activity focuses on the shape of numbers. A good tie-in to math for younger students. - BLIND CONTOUR DRAWING
Contour drawing is an excellent way to train the eye to draw what it really sees rather than what it thinks it sees. - CHALK AND GLUE
A great lesson submitted by Leon Ruder – Artist and Teacher, St. Ignance area schools, St. Ignance, Michigan, USA. - CHALK AND STRING DESIGNS
Create wonderful works of art using string and, well chalk of course. - CRAYON ETCHING
Younger students will enjoy exploring this activity while older students should be encouraged to investigate detailed images and patterns. - CRAYON RESIST
A paint and crayon lesson plan for all ages. - CRAZY DOODLES
A free-form drawing project that deals with the elements of design – colour, line, shape, form and texture. - CREATIVE PRINCIPLES
A series of simple design exercises to further understand of the Principles of Design and how each can be developed within a structured composition. From Ruth Hand. - FILL A JAR
Making the ordinary – extraodinary. - GLUE FISH
A great lesson submitted by Karen Larmour – Teacher, Salem Baptist Christian School, Winston Salem, North Carolina, USA - MIXED MEDIA DRAWING (& PAINTING)
A mixed media still life “happy accident” art lesson that is a great introduction to pen & ink, watercolor and pastels. - NAME ALIENS & MONSTERS
Fun, weird and creative. Who could ask for anything more? From Melisa McCurley. - SEE IF YOU CAN DRAW
Students will use their imagination and creativity by solving art problems in this art game. From Judy Walsh. - SHADOW PICTURES
An activity that teaches students about light, shade and shadow. - STAINED GLASS DESIGNS
Using white glue for lead and chalk pastel for glass, you can create wonderful stained glass designs. - SUNFLOWERS
Expressionistic sunflowers in oil, acrylic or pencil crayon. - WANDERING INK DRAWING
Students will learn to “go with the flow” as they allow their materials to take on a life of their own. - WET CHALK PAINTING
By dipping your chalk into wet paint, you can create wonderful works of chalk art that won’t smudge like regular chalk. - WHAT’S OUTSIDE THE WINDOW?
A drawing lesson that gets the creative juices flowing.
Painting
- A BLOTTO FUN
The most fun you can have creatively, is when you make something by accident. This lesson will help you do just that make a happy accident. - CREPE PAPER BLOTS
Making beautiful designs with wet paper. - CREATURE PAINTING
A wonderful activity that will bring out a child’s imagination. - EMOTION PAINTING
Students will gain an understanding of how much of a role emotion plays in artmaking. - FISH BANNER
Animals that live underwater can provide parents and educators with an enormous amount of teaching inspiration. - FOIL ETCHING
Who knew you could make such wonderful art using aluminum foil and soap? - GRAFITTI
Students will explore line shape and colour as they work both individually and as an artistic unit. By: Catherine Bamess - HAPPY ACCIDENTS
Take it from us, mistakes can be beautiful. - HEART BLOTTOS
Great fun for Valentine’s Day. - MAGNIFICENT FLOWERS
Making wonderful flowers with Michele Rivera. - MIXED MEDIA PAINTING
A mixed media still life “happy accident” art lesson that is a great introduction to pen & ink, watercolor and pastels. - MONDRIAN STYLE PAINTING
Make a painting in the style of artist Piet Mondrian & try your hand at a “virtual painting” courtesy of Richie Bielak - PAINTED SHOES
Canadian artist Theodore Dragonieri paints, collages and reconstructs old shoes to represent great artists of the 20th century. - SAND PAINTING
Navajo Indians created sand paintings as a way of chasing away evil spirits. - SCRATCH ART
Create a firework display with crayons and paint. From B. Church. - SEASHELL PAINTING
Seashells make wonderful palm-size canvases for seascape paintings. - SPIN ART
A great lesson on color, color mixing and abstract art from Judith Walsh. - SPONGE PAINTING
Finding fun with materials under the kitchen sink. - SPRAY PAINT MURAL
An outdoor, warm weather activity that teaches young children about colour mixing. - SUNFLOWERS
Expressionistic sunflowers in oil, acrylic or pencil crayon. - TISSUE PAPER PAINTINGS
The illusion of paint using paper, glue and imagination - WATERCOLOR RAINBOWS
A wonderful “welcome spring” lesson submitted by Gena Becerra – April Lane School, Yuba City CA - VAN GOGH’S PAINTING STYLE
A great painting and art history lesson submitted by H. Bachman, an art educator from Maryland, USA - VIEWFINDER PAINTING
Students will learn to look at the different ways of laying out a painting. - WINTER RESISTS
Crayon resist is a technique that usually combines crayons and dark paint or ink. Snow scenes can be created using white tempera instead of black.
Sculpture
- CLAY HEADS
Creating sculptural works with clay. - FABRIC ASSEMBLAGE
What to do with scraps of burlap & canvas. - FACE PLATE
A great clay lesson from Lori Hurdle - GARGOYLES AND GROTESQUES
Create your own gargoyle using self hardening clay. From: Joann Trimarco. - HAVE IT YOUR WAY SANDWICH COLLAGE
Learning about collage from Deb Barone of Myerstown Elementary School, Myerstown, PA - KITES
Have your students use different art techniques in one fun art project, from Jennifer Nilsson. - MARACAS & SHAKERS
Maracas were originally made from the dried shells of gourds with beads or beans inside. - MEDIA COLLAGE
Take a close look at print advertising and product packaging. - MORE MARACAS
Lillian Foxx’s maraca making lesson results in the pleasure of discovery and accomplishment. - PAINTED SHOES
Canadian artist Theodore Dragonieri paints, collages and reconstructs old shoes to represent great artists of the 20th century. - PAPERCLAY® FISH ORNAMENTS
Creating relief sculpture with an undersea theme. From the Creative PaperClay® Company. - PEBBLE PICTURES
Add another dimension to paintings using pebbles found at the beach. - PLASTER AND WIRE MOBILE/SCULPTURE
A project in Problem Solving, Balance and Creativity by Anitra Redlefsen - PLASTER FACE MASK
Making masks with Anitra Redlefsen - PUMPKIN SEED MOSAIC
Mosaics are made of tiny colored pieces of stone, pottery, glass or other materials, arranged together and set in plaster or cement to make patterns and images. - RAINSTICKS
Legend has it that the Chilean Indians invented the rainstick to make rainy weather. - RELIEF FOIL SCULPTURE
A shining example of what you can do with aluminum foil. From Kimberly Hutts. - ROCK AND WIRE MOBILE
A Project in Problem Solving, Balance and Creativity. A Life Lesson by Anitra Redlefsen - STAINED GLASS PAPER SCREEN
Observing the shapes and lines that make up a stained glass window.
Multicultural Art
- MASKS
an easy way for your students to make false faces. - COFFEE CAN DRUM
drums are an important part life and ceremony in many cultures. - PAPIER MACHE MASKS – MASKMANIA
artistically, masks are among the most remarkable objects created by traditional civilizations.
Africa
- DRUM
make a dumbek or conga drum with materials from your garden shed.
Mexico
- YARN PAINTING (OFRENDAS)
the Huichol Indians of Mexico are known for their yarn paintings, otherwise known as Ofrendas. - PAPER BAG OR FABRIC PONCHO
perfect for a cinco de mayo festival.
North America
- NORVAL MORRISSEAU – OJIBWA PAINTER
a medicine man or shaman, Morrisseau developed a style which has since evolved and been used by many Native artists. - MINI TOTEMS
totem poles are tall, carved posts that were created by important men among certain tribes of British Columbia and Alaska - SAND PAINTING
Navajo Indians created sand paintings as a way of chasing away evil spirits. - INUIT CARVING
A wonderful 3-dimensional art lesson plan (in clay) from Pat Higgins. - DREAMCATCHERS
A super & simple way for your students to create dreamcatchers from Patti Beckman.
Creative Drawing Lessons
Lessons from Incredible Art
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[...] 500+ Creative Lessons To Teach Almost Anything | Edudemic 1801 – 1861 [...]
[...] 1801 – 1861 1850 – 1877 1754 – 1820s 500+ Creative Lessons To Teach Almost Anything | Edudemic [...]
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[...] 500+ Creative Lessons To Teach Almost Anything – dozens of lessons, trips, and creative ways to engage students from elementary school to high school. http://edudemic.com/2010/06/500-creative-lessons-to-teach-almost-anything/ [...]
[...] links below are mostly to PDFs that you can easily print out and distribute to your fellow teachers.Via edudemic.com Advertisement GA_googleAddAttr("AdOpt", "1"); GA_googleAddAttr("Origin", "other"); [...]
[...] Geography World – A directory of geography-related websites from high school teacher Brad Bowerman including physical geography and culture from around the world source GeoPictionary – Directions for a pictionary type game with geographic places and terms to draw and identify source 500+ Creative Lessons To Teach Almost Anything | Digital Delights for Learners | Scoop.it [...]
[...] 500+ Creative Lessons To Teach Almost Anything | Digital Delights for Learners | Scoop.it National Geographic: Geography Education – The Classroom Ideas section includes a few geography-related lesson ideas and handouts. Click on source to view National Geographic home page source National Geographic K-4 Lessons and Activities – Standards based classroom lesson ideas for teaching about geography. Lessons involve describing a setting, using observation skills, community services, and geographic story maps source [...]