What So Proudly We Hail
The Meaning of America: Enterprise and Commerce
Using Mark Twain's The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg, invite your learners to consider the concept of virtue in a democratic society devoted to gain and self-interest. This stellar resource guides your class members through a close...
What So Proudly We Hail
The Meaning of America: Freedom and Individuality
What are the strengths and weaknesses of American individualism and independence? Explore these principles through a close reading of Jack London's To Build a Fire, and engage in high-level discussion with your class by analyzing the...
Curated OER
Writing Crazy Crayons
Second graders observe the workings of an assembly line. They classify old crayon pieces by color, melt them in candy molds, package them, and produce advertising literature to sell the product. Students share their work with the class.
What So Proudly We Hail
The Meaning of America: National Identity and Why It Matters
Combining a close reading of a classic American text with the study of history can be a very powerful strategy, and this is most certainly the case with this resource using Edward Everett Hale's The Man without a Country. Consider themes...
What So Proudly We Hail
The Meaning of America: Self-Command
Even for one of the most accomplished men in American history, there was room for improvement. Challenge high schoolers to use Benjamin Franklin's Project for Moral Perfection to analyze text, make inferences, connect to historical...
Curated OER
Crane, London, and Literary Naturalism
High schoolers analyze "To Build a Fire" by Jack London and "The Open boat" by Stephen Crane. They write an essay in which they compare and contrast the narrators and plots in each story.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Kate Chopin's "The Awakening": No Choice But Under?
The first in a series of three resources designed to accompany a reading of Kate Chopin's The Awakening provides readers with background information about Chopin, Creole culture, literary realism, and women's suffrage.
Curated OER
The Catcher in the Rye Character Map
For this literature worksheet, students respond to 7 short answer and essay questions about J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye. Students may also link to an online interactive quiz on the novel at the bottom of the page.
Curated OER
Anonymous Patriots: Songs of the Revolution
Give your class a deeper understanding of the context and meaning behind early American song lyrics. By reading the lyrics to "Yankee Doodle" and "Revolutionary Tea," high schoolers will practice analysis by examining the structure and...
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre
West Side Story Suite and In The Night Fancy Free
West Side Story and Romeo & Juliet—two classics in their own rights that help young literature lovers better analyze different works. Learners research and compare the characters and story elements of West Side Story and Romeo &...
Curated OER
Carson McCullers: Loneliness and Frustrated Love
Learners examine the themes of loneliness and frustrated love in the work of Carson McCullers. In this theme analysis lesson, students complete a comparison of patterns in the novels of McCullers as a part of a theme analysis.
Curated OER
The Story of English
Explore the history and scope of the English language with this presentation. With discussion points on the roots of English, its various forms around the world, and its status as a global language, this slide show would be a good...
Curated OER
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
In this online interactive reading comprehension instructional activity, students respond to 31 short answer and essay questions based on The Picture of Dorian Gray. Students may also access an online quiz on the selection using the link...
Curated OER
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
In this online interactive reading comprehension learning exercise, students respond to 14 multiple choice questions about Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray. Students may submit their answers to be scored.
Curated OER
Literature Word Search Puzzle
In this literacy worksheet, students look for the words that are part of the word search puzzle that is focused around the theme of the sheet.
Curated OER
My Brother Sam is Dead: A study of the Revolutionary War
Fifth graders complete an analysis of the Revolutionary War through literature. After "My Brother Sam Is Dead," students create a time capsule containing items that would be relevant during the Revolutionary War. They identify key...
Curated OER
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs Activities
"Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs", in its book or movie form, rains down lesson possibilities.
Curated OER
Ten Characters from American Folklore
Students read short stories about ten characters from American folklore. They match a statement about each character with the correct character. They then rewrite one of the ten stories in their own words (optional).
Curated OER
The Contender: Chapters 18-20
In this The Contender comprehension check instructional activity, students respond to 22 short answer questions covering chapters 18- 20 of The Contender by Darren Shan so that they better understand the chapters and the novel.
Curated OER
Locating Direct Objects
In this online interactive direct objects activity, learners respond to 10 fill in the blank questions identifying the direct objects in 10 sentences.
Curated OER
Fizzwiggling First Lines Quiz!
In this first lines worksheet, learners participate in matching fifteen book titles written by Roald Dahl to their fifteen opening lines by drawing a line from one to the other.
Curated OER
Whose River Is It?
Students explore the world around them through authors, poets, and artists eyes and ears as it relates to them with the river theme. They examine and interpret conditions that might affect the river. Students read books about rivers....
Curated OER
Historical Witness: Social Messaging
Students research the effects of the Industrial Revolution through art and satire. In this Industrial Revolution instructional activity, students complete a Venn diagram, a symbolism study, a satire study, and complete an art activity to...
Curated OER
Poetry and the American Presidents
Fifth graders choose a poetry activity in order to focus their research about American presidents.