Curated OER
Literary Criticism
Students evaluate and debate whether movies, television shows, and other mass media cause violent behavior in students and whether books are the same as or different from these other media in their potential for causing violent behavior...
Curated OER
'Hunger Games' Science: Investigating Genetically Engineered Organisms
In The Hunger Games novel and movie, a futuristic, dystopian society is the setting. In it, a genetically engineered bird escapes control of the government. Using this as a starting point, teenagers examine the realistic possibility of...
Curated OER
Casting Doubt: "Color-blind" and Nontraditional Casting Decisions
In his article about color-blind casting entitled, "Willy Loman Is Lost, Still Looking for Stimulus Plan and Some Dignity," Charles Isherwood quotes August Wilson as saying, "To mount an all-black production of a 'Death of a Salesman'...
Curated OER
The Play's the Thing
Students describe to a partner theater experiences they have had in their lives that were memorable, and analyze why. They study about one director's original artistic choices for staging Shakespeare by reading and discussing "Nature's a...
Curated OER
By Heart
To memorize, or not to memorize: that is the question. Whether 'tis nobler to suffer the fear and anguish of committing a poem to memory, to endure the heartache, to shuffle off this fear, and face the stares of classmates with the hue...
Curated OER
How'd They Do That?
Students research the movie production occupation and careers in the industry. In this movie careers and effects lesson, students watch a video about special effects used in movies and scale. Students draw a building to a specific scale...
Curated OER
Telling Time as an Everyday Use of Numbers
How can we estimate time? Have your young mathematicians make a clock. Then they compare and contrast types of clocks. They practice writing times in two different ways and make a book about telling time.
Curated OER
Swinging with the Times
Students examine the many changes in the Tarzan character from Edgar Rice Burroughs' first novel to Disney's newest movie version to explain how student movies are often used to mirror and promote cultural attitudes and beliefs.
Curated OER
Fear Factors
Students explore their own childhood fears. Then, by reversing the scenario and considering how the objects of their fears might in turn also be afraid of them, students confront these fears and create a student books that help younger...
Lafayette Parrish School System
Teaching Tone and Mood
Tone and Mood are not synonymous! Introduce young readers to these literary devices with a series of exercises that not only point out the significant differences between the terms but also shows them how to identify both the tone and...
Prestwick House
Star Wars and the Hero's Journey
Is Luke Skywalker the archetype of a literary hero? Follow the path of the Hero's Journey with an engaging lesson plan that details the plot structure, applies it to Star Wars: A New Hope, and invites class members to choose their own...
Curated OER
Ballou High School Marching Band Documentary Lesson Plans
Students examine the journey of the Ballou Marching Band. In this America's Promise instructional activity, students read about Colin Powell and examine the history of America's Promise. Students explore the Five Points of the program...
Curated OER
Laughing Matters
Is laughter really the best medicine? Middle and high schoolers discuss the truth behind this adage by reading and discussing a New York Times article about Dr. Patch Adams. They participate in a round-table debate in response to...
Foreign Policy Research Institute
Teaching the 9/11 Anniversary
Here is a lesson on terrorism and 9/11. While outdated, it could be easily revised for today's teens. It includes targeted vocabulary, a background information activity, critical thinking questions, and step-by-step procedures for...
Shmoop
ELA - Literacy.CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.1
Understanding, analyzing, citing, linking—the four steps required by CC ELA Literacy Standard RH.11-12.1. Enjoy the humor of the explanations of these steps as you examine the suggestions for Common Core designed activities related to...
Curated OER
Laws and Force in Law Enforcement
Students investigate the issues of police brutality, use of excessive force, and the underlying issues by participating in a round-table discussion. They compare how these issues are explored differently in different types of...
Curated OER
Making Plans: A Line-up Role-play
Pupils engage in a role-playing activity that focuses on conversation skills when using the telephone. They practice being one of two groups, callers and receivers, for the purpose of making plans with each other. There is a dialog page...
Curated OER
The Water Cycle
Students are introduced to the components and importance of the water cycle. They are shown how groundwater moves using a model. Students list 9 places on earth where water is found. They define the terms cycle and water cycle.
Curated OER
Power to the Little People
Young scholars explore the classic story theme of good versus evil as relayed in folk tales.
Curated OER
Are You an Animal Safety Sleuth?
Young scholars identify animal behaviors that are unsafe and react appropriately to the warning signs. In this animal safety lesson, students discuss animal behavior in uncertain situations. Young scholars make flip cards for younger...
Curated OER
Adding Punctuation
Students explore using correct punctuation in their sentences. they discuss the various punctuation rules. Students practice putting the correct punctuation in a list of sentences.
Curated OER
Hispanic Immigration: America in the Year 2000
Students investigate the underlying reasons for immigration, focusing on five major trends: political, economic, family, career and educational. They examine the immigration of Spanish speaking groups.
Curated OER
High-Tech Heaven?
Students read and discuss, "Post-Christmas Comes a Geek's Gizmo-Rama" by David Pogue. They consider how technologies they use impact their lives.
Curated OER
Sudan Surprise
Learners consider animal migration patterns that have been recently documented in Sudan. They investigate the migratory patterns of animals and discuss how human conflicts and activities affect migratory wildlife populations.