National Endowment for the Humanities
Walt Whitman to Langston Hughes: Poems for a Democracy
Explore the idea of democratic poetry. Upper graders read Walt Whitman, examining daguerreotypes, and compare Whitman to Langston Hughes. They describe aspects of Whitman's I Hear America Singing to Langston Hughes' Let America Be...
Curated OER
guided reading using OWLS
Learners complete activities based on All About Owls written by Jim Arnosky, Owl At Home written by Arnold Lobel, and Owl Moon written by Jane Yolen.
Curated OER
Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China
Students complete an Internet search to locate sources relating to Jung Chang's Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China. In this literary analysis instructional activity, students visit the website to research topics related to the reading....
Museum of Tolerance
The Price of Personal Responsibility
A reading of Patrick Henry's "Speech in the Virginia Convention," Henry David Thoreau's "Civil Disobedience," and Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "Letter from Birmingham Jail" launch a discussion about the price one is willing to pay to...
EngageNY
Solving Basic One-Variable Quadratic Equations
Help pupils to determine whether using square roots is the method of choice when solving quadratic equations by presenting a lesson plan that begins with a dropped object example and asks for a solution. This introduction to solving by...
Curated OER
Critically Surfing the Web
The New York Times article “Online Diary,” launches this study of websites and how to assess them. Richly detailed, the lesson includes warm-up activities, procedures, journal prompts, discussion questions, and links to valuable...
PBS
Stories of Painkiller Addiction: The Cycle of Addiction
Drug addiction, including prescription drug addiction, begins with a reason that's different for every user. High schoolers learn more about the reasons people begin abusing drugs with a set of videos and worksheets that discuss four...
University of Arkansas
Assessment and Discussion
"Without concerned citizen action to uphold them (human rights) close to home; we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world. . ." Eleanor Roosevelt's comment is used to set the stage for the conclusion of a five-lesson unit...
Education Fund
Fear the Scarce Resources
In a life or death situation, what resources would you choose to survive—and why? A zombie attack simulation teaches learners the concepts of scarcity and resources in regards to economics. The hands-on activity requires individuals to...
Curated OER
Much Ado About Something (Lesson 6)
View a video clip about Shakespeare's work. Identify the ambiguities in his texts. Practice reading well-known soliloquies.
Speak Truth to Power
Dalai Lama: Free Expression and Religion
How is religious freedom connected to the conflict between China and Tibet? After reading an online passage of background information, your learners will divide into groups and both read and view an interview with the Dalai Lama. They...
Ohio Literacy Resource Center
Compare & Contrast Essay
Comparing two texts can build a greater understanding of the texts and themes of the works. Take some time to follow the steps here to guide your pupils through the process of composing compare-and-contrast essays.
University of Chicago
Comparing Modern and Ancient Ideas of Ethnicity and Identity
Explore ethnicity and identity with a research and writing assignment. Class members conduct online research, looking in particular at images and carefully noting down their sources on notecards. They read about identity and compose...
Take 10
Author’s Perspective
Gradually build understanding of author's point of view through a scaffolded set of exercises. Moving from direct instruction, to collaborative work, and eventually to independent practice, these steps will assist your class in grasping...
Advocates for Human Rights
Voices of Iraqi Refugees
The stated goal of this resource is to provide learners with basic facts about and build empathy for Iraqi refugees. To do so elementary classes develop a plan for how to welcome refugees to their classroom. Middle schoolers read...
Alabama Learning Exchange
The Big Bang Theory: An Evidence-Based Argument
What evidence supports the big bang theory? Individuals analyze scholarly resources about the the theory and develop arguments backed by evidence. They brainstorm, share ideas, watch a video, and read articles to complete a graphic...
EngageNY
Calculating Probabilities of Events Using Two-Way Tables
Tables are useful for more than just eating. Learners use tables to organize data and calculate probabilities and conditional probabilities.
Curated OER
Cornell Notes with I Tunes
Note taking is an invaluable skill and requires practice. This lesson incorporates the Cornell Notes format, however the plan itself could be implemented to teach any style. The basic idea here is to use university lectures on podcasts...
Curated OER
HaringKids Guide
Students complete online worksheets about the work of Keith Haring and HaringKids. In this Keith Haring lesson plan, students also design their own symbol.
KERA
Matisse and Picasso
Discover Modernism through the eyes of artists. Over the course of six well-thought-out lessons, learners examine works by Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse while completing a range of collaborative and hands-on activities. A great resource!
Curated OER
Fast Food and Daily Nutrition Choices
Young scholars explore food. In this nutrition lesson, students investigate multiple facets of healthy eating and how the fast food industry impacts our society. They will participate in class discussions, read from their text-book, and...
Curated OER
Making Your Local Ethical Shopping Guide
Students write a research action plan on how to buy products that are environmentally friendly even in tough world conditions. In this ethical business lesson plan, students learn that the economy, food prices, natural disasters, and...
Curated OER
Off the Hook Books
Students complete a survey that gives their teacher an idea of their reading habits and favorite books. The teacher will use the survey in order to build a classroom library that appeals to all students.
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Lesson Plan: Omelet Cooking Principles
Although designed for a foods lab, the information in this resource might be just the thing for your own recipe notebook. Illustrated, step-by-step directions for making the perfect omelet, egg-citing puzzles, games, and even...