C-SPAN
The Electoral College and the Constitution
What is the purpose of the Electoral College? Is it antiquated, or does it have a place in today's political climate? High schoolers view a series of video clips as they analyze the parts of the United States Constitution that address...
Louisiana Department of Education
The Scarlet Letter
Use Nathanial Hawthorne's immortal text on the influence of religion on the early American settlements, as well as its continued impact on American culture, with a unit that focuses on The Scarlet Letter. In addition to Hawthorne's...
Curated OER
Performance-Based Assessment Practice Test (Grade 11 ELA/Literacy)
Support your eleventh graders with a practice assessment for the Common Core tests. The practice test features a series of literary and informational passages and related multiple choice and essay questions. An online version is also...
Curated OER
End-of-Year Practice Test (Grade 11 ELA/Literacy)
Set up a solid foundation for learners going into Common Core testing by taking some time to complete this practice test. Class members answer questions about both literary and informational texts, with an emphasis on textual evidence....
Curated OER
A Close Reading of Learned Hand's "I Am an American Day"
Judge Learned Hand's "Spirit of Liberty" speech delivered during the July, 1944 "I Am an American Day" celebration is the subject of a close reading activity that models for learners how to approach a dense, difficult text.
PBS
Constitution Day
Travel back to 1787 as young scholars investigate the creation of the US Constitution. After first working in small groups to create sets of classroom rules, students go on to read a summary of the Constitution and watch a short video...
The New York Times
Making Do: Learning and Growing Through Adversity
What is it that makes people keep going when they face challenges in life? Ask your class to consider this question in relation to their own experiences and as they read material from The New York Times. Using personal experiences...
Creative Visions Foundation
Studying Documentaries Like a Writer - Looking For Persuasive Techniques
Revisit the documentaries viewed in the previous lesson in this series in order to take a look at the persuasive techniques employed by the documentary creators. Small groups watch the films a second time, taking notes on two provided...
Curated OER
Down for the Count?
The New York Times article “Supreme Court, Split 5-4, Halts Florida Count in Blow to Gore” provides the opening to an assessment of the United States Supreme Court decision in the case of the 2000 presidential election. Assuming the...
Curated OER
Interpreting Foundation Documents of the American Republic
Explore early American documents that qualify as primary sources. Tenth and eleventh graders use the provided worksheets to analyze the texts of the Articles of Association, the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation,...
Curated OER
The Declaration of Independence
Learners analyze the Declaration of Independence. They identify and describe various sections of the document then discuss how the colonists responded to it. As a culminating activity, they write their own declarations of independence as...
Japan Society
Japan in the World Since 1945
What have US-Japanese relations been like since the conclusion of World War II? Why do some commentators identify Japan's postwar years as a subordinate independence? Invite your young historians to research Japan's status in the world...
Shmoop
ELA.CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.11-12.9
Guided by close-reading questions, groups examine the similarities and differences between the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights. In addition, they look at how the principles are presented in these two foundational US...
PBS
The March on Washington and Its Impact
High schoolers read Martin Luther King, Jr's speech that he gave in Washington. They identify the social conditions that led to the civil rights movement. They discuss the significance of the March on Washington.
Bibliomania
Bibliomania: Simonds History of American Literature
This site presents the full text of the "Simonds History of American Literature." This detailed reference book explores the literature in early colonial times, the eighteenth century, the beginning of the nineteenth century, the New...
Bibliomania
Bibliomania: The Eighteenth Century (First Half)
This Bibliomania site provides a great description of the literary history of the Colonial period from 1700 to 1750. Includes analyses of the works of Samuel Sewall, Sarah Kemble Knight, Ebenezer Cook, William Byrd, and Jonathan Edwards.
University of Groningen
American History: Biographies: John Locke
The University of Groningen provides information about the 17th century British liberal philosopher. Includes concise biographical information and a link to the text of "A Letter Concerning Toleration." Read about what part of his...
![Ga Virtual Learning: American Literature: Declaration of Independence [Pdf] Unit Plan](https://d15y2dacu3jp90.cloudfront.net/images/attachment_defaults/resource/large/FPO-knovation.png "Ga Virtual Learning: American Literature: Declaration of Independence [Pdf] Unit Plan")
Georgia Department of Education
Ga Virtual Learning: American Literature: Declaration of Independence [Pdf]
This is a 6-page PDF of The Unanimous Declaration of the Thirteen United States of America, better known as The Declaration of Independence.
Luminarium
Luminarium: Anthology of English Literature
This site provides a selection of major authors and works associated with English literature, ranging from Geoffrey Chaucer to Sir Isaac Newton. Each author's page contains online texts of the author's works, essays about the author and...
Other
Liberty Online: "Addresses, Messages, and Replies"
This site provides students access to the full text of selected Thomas Jefferson's speeches.
Bartleby
Bartleby.com: John Donne: The History of His Poems
Traces Donne's progress and success as a 17th century poet. Full text excerpt taken from "The Cambridge History of English and American Literature."
Bartleby
Bartleby.com: John Donne: His Position and Influence
Excerpt taken from "The Cambridge History of English and American Literature," this site places Donne amidst Elizabethan poets of his era and defines Donne apart from them.
Bartleby
Bartleby.com: Cambridge Hist of Eng & Am Lit: Travellers and Explorers,1583 1763
Description of American colonist narratives written for relatives and friends left behind in England. Click on the link at the end of each page to access the entire chapter.
Bartleby
Bartleby.com: Cambridge History of Eng and Am Lit: Narratives Indian Captivities
Discusses Indian captivity narratives as the result of "involuntary journeying" and their contemporary appeal. Click on the next three names at the bottom of the page to read about some of the captives.