Curated OER
“And Still I Rise” Proud Black Women
Students examine the experiences of African American women. In this poetry lesson, students use their literary analysis skills to compare the poetry of Maya Angelou to rap music performed by Queen Latifah and Lauryn Hill.
Curated OER
"Thank You Ma'am" by Langston Hughes
Young scholars use Langston Hughes' "Thank You Ma'am" as a reading and vocabulary improvement activity. In this reading and vocabulary lesson, students review the related vocabulary and read the poem. Young scholars discuss the story...
Curated OER
Culminating Activities for Sharon Draper’s Novel Copper Sun
Student examine the elements of literature. In this literature lesson, students follow the provided procedures to review the novel Copper Sun by Sharon Draper.
Curated OER
Character Traits and People in Black History
Third graders, after reading a one-page biographical essay, write in paragraph form how an African American has demonstrated a certain character trait.
Curated OER
Cinderella Stories - Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters
Students examine an African Cinderella story. In this Cinderella lesson, students listen to the story, Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters, in order to compare it to the original Cinderella story and to increase their understanding of story...
Curated OER
Robert Smalls: Warrior and Peacemaker
Students research the events that led to the Civil War and the Reconstruction. For this Civil War history lesson, students study images of Robert Smalls and research his role in the Civil War. Students review the South Carolina...
Curated OER
Wicked Similarities and Differences in Cinderella
First graders focus and listen to stories in order to identify similarities and differences in those stories. This lesson focuses on some of the different versions of the story, Cinderella. They use a Venn Diagram imbedded in this plan.
Curated OER
Learning the Blues
Learners take a virtual field trip to Memphis, Tennessee in their study of the blues, its characterisitics, founding fathers, and histororical influence on modern music. They compose blues lyrics that reflect present-day attitudes and...
Curated OER
Warriors Don't Cry
Students write a journal depicting a day in the life of a character and a newspaper article. In this Warriors Don't Cry activity, students summarize the main events of integration and find out about the life of Melba...
Curated OER
Looking Back at Pre-Civil War Slavery
Eighth graders explain the nature of slavery, the impact of slavery on African-Americans, and how slavery intensified the conflict between the North and South that eventually led to a major cause of the Civil War.
Smithsonian Institution
Solomon G. Brown: Letter Writing
Personal correspondence in the form of letters is not as common as it once was. This resource presents an opportunity for you to introduce your class to letter writing and cover topics in social studies. Learners read a letter written in...
Curated OER
Senufo Painting
Students create a Senufo painting in the same style as the Fakaha tribespeople from West Africa. They listen to a teacher-led lecture on Senufo painting, develop a sketch of an animal and masked figures, and draw their figures on burlap.
Curated OER
Courage of the Heart
Students research discrimination and how people fought against for the common good. In this discrimination instructional activity, students watch a movie about Alfred Blalock and Vivien Thomas. Students generate a list of words about...
Curated OER
Jamestown Journey Part 3
Fourth graders study the economy of Jamestown. In this early settlers lesson, 4th graders read about the trade between the English and the natives in Jamestown. This lesson is part of a larger unit and coincides with the novel The Double...
Curated OER
December
Students create snowflake similes, Kwanzaa plaques, menorah banners, and more for the month of December. In this December activities lesson plan, students also analyze characters in How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
Academy of American Poets
We Sing America
Pair the famous poems "I Hear America Singing," by Walt Whitman, and "I, Too, Sing America," by Langston Hughes, with a more recent poem by Elizabeth Alexander called "Praise Song for the Day" to demonstrate a theme and introduce your...
Curated OER
Our Unfinished Work
Students investigate the racism elements after the election of President Barack Obama. For this racism lesson, students read a recent article about 'post-racial' society. Students compile a list of achieving a post-racial society and...
Curated OER
Act it Out
Young scholars discuss racial stereotypes. In this racial stereotypes instructional activity, students develop a character from information given to them on an index card. Young scholars give their character a race different...
National Park Service
Making Choices
What factors go into a decision to enter a war? Use a collection of primary source documents and images to prompt a discussion about the American Revolution and the reasons for entering a war against Britain.
Curated OER
You Gotta Have A Hat
First graders compare versions of the folktale, 'Caps for Sale.' After listening to both stories, 1st graders utilize a Venn Diagram imbedded in this instructional activity to produce a graphic organizer detailing the similarities and...
Curated OER
American Literature and the Civil War
Students prepare for and respond to literature selections. This package includes fourteen lessons from the American Literature, The Civil War and Its Aftermath: 1845-1880 series, each covering a different reading selection. Pre-reading...
Curated OER
Nelson Mandela, Symbol of Courage
Fifth graders study Nelson Mandela. In this leadership lesson, 5th graders study the life of Nelson Mandela. Throughout their learning, they read biographies on Nelson Mandela, compare their community to those in South Africa, discuss...
Curated OER
Fables and Trickster Tales Around the World
Students analyze fables and trickster tales from various cultural traditions. In this fable analysis lesson, students identify the elements of fables and trickster stories. Students read Aesop's fables and Ananse spider stories....
Curated OER
Modeling Our Writing Style After Another Author's Style
Young scholars reread "The Senegalese Miracle" from a previous lesson. As they read, they must underline as many images related to their senses as possible and share their findings with the class. In partners, they practice chunking...