Theme: Art & Music

Below are books and lessons for K-12 on art and music.
For teachers looking for posters and other artwork for their classrooms, check out People’s History Artists for the Classroom.
   

I See the Rhythm

Picture book. By Toyomi Igus and Michele Wood. 2005. 32 pages.
A lyrical voyage through 500 years of African American music, from its roots in Africa to contemporary hip-hop for ages 6+.
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Labor Songs

Teaching Activity. By Bill Bigelow and Norm Diamond. 7 pages.
Students explore the power of songs to build solidarity and increase understanding. This is the final activity from Bigelow and Diamond’s labor history book, The Power in Our Hands, and draws on the other lessons.
Teaching Activity by Norm Diamond
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Lewis Hine’s Photographs

Teaching Activity. By Bill Bigelow and Bob Peterson. Rethinking Schools. 4 pages.
Using photographs to spark creative writing and critical thinking about child labor issues and social justice.
Teaching Activity by Bill Bigelow
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Colorful portrait of Mahmoud Darwish by Ahmad Kadi.

Remembering Mahmoud Darwish

Teaching Activity. By Naomi Shihab Nye and Linda Christensen. 4 pages.
An essay, poem, and teaching idea utilizing famous Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish's work to help students "name the invisible forces that imprison them."
Teaching Activity by Linda Christensen
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Study History

Poster. By Ricardo Levins Morales. 11" x 15".
Beautiful illustration on the connection between history and our future.
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Sun City – A Teaching Guide

Teaching Guide. By Bill Bigelow. 6 pages.
Lessons to accompany the 1985 video "Sun City" that promoted the cultural boycott of South Africa initiated by Little Steven van Zandt of Bruce Springsteen’s E St. Band.
Teaching Activity by Bill Bigelow
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Union Maid

Song. By Woody Guthrie. 1940.
A union song written by Woody Guthrie in response to a request for a union song from a female point of view.
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