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Monthly Activities for Grades 6-8

August 2023

August has the International Day of the World’s Indigenous People (Aug 9). Celebrate the Indigenous people and cultures of our world with us this month. We’ve curated resources to use in your classroom related to this observance and more. Explore these PBS LearningMedia resources on these topics to incorporate into your classroom or home:

A collage with red sponge painted pigs on top.

Arts: The Joy of Art with Roberto Juarez

Learn about the work of artist Roberto Juarez. Inspired by his memories of childhood, Juarez combines collage, painting, and printmaking to make large-scale artworks. In the related activity, students will work with these techniques to create their own mixed media piece. The video and discussion will take one class session.

Suggested for Grades 9 to 12

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Helen Keller

English Language Arts: Helen Keller

In a time when opportunities for people with disabilities were few, one young woman who was both blind and deaf became a world-renowned voice for change. To this day many still marvel at the accomplishments and perseverance of author and activist Helen Keller. Through two activities and a short biographical video, students will understand Helen […]

Suggested for Grades 9 to 12

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Health & PE: Mind Frame

Mind Frame is a peer-hosted collection of videos targeted at middle school audiences to help de-stigmatize the act of talking about mental health and illness. Topics include Depression, Anxiety, Suicide Prevention, Substance Use Disorder, and Wellness – shared by one of two hosts, Rylee Davis or Griffin Greear.

Suggested for Grades 9 to 12

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Math: Scale City

This video explores scale models, including 1:12 dollhouse models, 1:24 railroad models, and 1:192 architectural models. It explains what the different ratios represent and asks students to consider how they can use measurement and proportional reasoning to create their own scale models. The accompanying classroom activity gives students hands-on practice with creating models to scale […]

Suggested for Grades 9 to 12

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Several students sitting together working on devices

Media Literacy: News and Media Literacy Collection

This collection, which includes videos, blog articles, student handouts, lesson plans, and tip sheets for families, helps students identify, analyze, and investigate the news and information they get from online sources. Media literacy is an essential skill for all students across a range of subjects, from Science to Social Studies to English Language Arts. The […]

Suggested for Grades 9 to 12

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Side-by-side images of Cheri Blauwet, a White woman, in a blue blazer and in her USA Olympics uniform.

Science: The Secret Life of Scientists & Engineers

Meet medical doctor Cheri Blauwet in this media gallery from NOVA’s “The Secret Life of Scientists & Engineers.” When Cheri was 18 months old, she sustained a spinal cord injury and became disabled. In high school, she was convinced by her track coach and family to try wheelchair racing. She eventually participated in three Paralympic […]

Suggested for Grades 9 to 12

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A cartoon graphic of a White woman in a white shirt sitting on a wheelchair.

Social Studies: Judy Heumann – The Mother of ADA

Learn about Judy Heumann, a lifelong advocate for the rights of disabled people. She helped spearhead the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the law which makes it illegal to discriminate against those with disabilities in the United States.

Suggested for Grades 9 to 12

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A Black woman in a red head scarf holds her hands up pointing her index fingers up.

World Languages: Valerie Shirley

When meningitis left Valerie Shirley’s son, Musab, deaf at 5 months old, she learned sign language, eventually became an ASL teacher, and co-founded the Minnesota Deaf Muslim Community (MDMC) as a result.

Suggested for Grades 9 to 12

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