Eleventh graders review the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, and explore the major debates during the writing of the Constitution. They review vocabulary and compare primary source documents to study the three branches of...

Learners analyze the elements of poetry and jazz. In this critical thinking skills lesson, students take a closer look at the rhyme, rhythm, alliteration, form, free verse, lyricism, and imagery that exist is jazz as well as poetry. 

Students work as a class to first construct a pedigree of a popular singer, showcasing the singing gene being passed down through the generations. Students then make their own family pedigree and follow two traits through their family...

Students read articles related to local, state, national, and world events using word maps.

Students read "The Odyssey" and "The Morte Darthur". In groups, they research the gods and goddesses of Greek mythology and the history of the places mentioned in the stories. Individually, they are to write a paper about a hero they...

Twelfth graders examine the elements of literature. They each read a chapter of a novel, sequentially list the main ideas, present a summary of the chapter to the class, sequence the events, and review the novel by summarizing the timeline.

Students identify main idea and supporting details from a short reading selection using a two-column note taking process. In this literacy activity, students work in groups of three to four, then compare their papers with the other...

Young scholars explore the possible relationships between characters in a novel. They read the novel 'Their Eyes Were Watching God' and answer all the questions on each chapter so that the characters and events are familiar to the...

Students act outeach word in a Shakespearean speech.  In this reading technique activity, students learn passages from Romeo and Juliet and The Taming of the Shrew reading using their bodies to act out each word.  Students...

Students investigate equality and racism by creating a word art project.  In this civil rights instructional activity, students discover the life of Martin Luther King Jr. and create a word art project using the Internet site Wordle...

Eighth graders choose topics of interest, and select books from the library about them. They utilize a worksheet embedded in the text which has the students rate the text they've read based on it's "believability factor." An interesting...

Middle schoolers read excerpts from memoirs written by Gary Paulsen as examples of how to write a narrative piece. They identify figurative language used and then they write a memoir of their own that contains imagery and figurative...

Students explore images, symbols, and the relationship they establish with their own personal heritage. They discuss Aztec, Inca, and Maya civilizations. Students interview their family about their own personal heritage. Additional cross...

Eleventh graders explain Davis's views on Southern Secession.  In this American History lesson plan, 11th graders read and analyze primary sources. 

Students recognize the difficulty of knowing who wrote a letter from the envelope. In this writing "voice" lesson, students understand the meaning of voice in writing and detect who the writers are in a worksheet.

Student examine selected works of twentieth-century female poets that speak to the stereotypes about women inherent in Western culture. Individually, students explore these stereotypes and their experience with them. Students create a...

Students study how the Civil War affected Iowa natives. In this Iowa history lesson, students read the provided article on Iowa and its Civil War experiences. Students analyze the article to determine how the war affected civilians and...

Students explore centennial America. In this American history instructional activity, students search the Library of Congress digital collections for primary sources regarding the lifestyles and values of Americans in 1876. Students...

High schoolers consider colonial rights. In this Bill of Rights lesson, students complete an activity guide that requires high schoolers to analyze taxation without representation. Students respond to discussion questions pertaining to...

Students explore the sonnet form. In this lesson plan on sonnet form, students explore various sonnets and how a sonnet can range from conventional to experimental.

In this false statements of history worksheet, students identify false statements out of a group of statements. Students identify 9 false statements.

Young scholars add punctuation to a passage from King Lear and compare their version to the First Folio version.  In this Shakespeare and punctuation lesson, students discuss the difference punctuation can make on a set of...

In this article analysis worksheet, students read an article titled "Kalsu, Tillman Define Heroism," take notes on the article, define 2 words from the article, and write summaries of the article.

Readers are first introduced to Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart by making a map of Africa. They will better understand the novel's historical and literary contexts, European and African literary traditions, and how...