Penguin Books
A Teacher’s Guide to the Signet Classics Edition of Mary Shelley ’s Frankenstein
Contrary to popular belief, the monster's name in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is not Frankenstein. A teacher's guide for the novel helps readers make sense of key details in the text, define vocabulary words, and discuss prominent...
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Native American
Students investigate how early European exploration and colonization resulted in cultural and ecological interactions among previously unconnected peoples. They comprehend that Europeans had misconceptions about Native American literacy...
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The John Travolta Syndrome
Students examine the influence of music and film on contemporary fashion. In this popular culture lesson, students research select films featuring John Travolta. Students research selected time periods in American history as well....
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Folktales: "The Storytelling Stone"
Students create a folktale after finding out the importance of folktales in different cultures. In this folktales lesson, students determine the definition of a folktale and read a "The Storytelling Stone." Students then discuss the...
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The Poet's Message-"The Colored Soldier" by Langston Hughes
Young scholars analyze the poem, "The Colored Soldier" by Langston Hughes to gain a greater experience of how poets use language to create meaning, influence thinking and thus become pioneers of change in American society. They work on...
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Is All Cinema Verité?
Learners explore the relationship between movies and culture, looking at movies as both a part of and a reflection of popular culture. They research the specific historical and cultural realities present during the run of a particular...
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It Ain't Necessarily So
Students examine characterization of African Americans in literature, popular culture, and opera. In this stereotypes lessons, students conduct research that requires them to analyze the origins and content of stereotypes perpetuated...
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Cultural Comparisons Interview
Students interview a family member and give an oral report. In this oral history lesson, students create interview questions relevant to an American historical period. Students interview a family member and present an oral report to the...
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Collage of Kwanzaa Colors
Students explore African cultures by creating a holiday collage. In this Kwanzaa art lesson, students identify the popular colors associated with the African holiday and create a collage using them. Students present their art work for...
Curriculum Corner
Australian Christmas
Where is Australia? How is an Australian Christmas from other Christmases around the world? Learners participate in a mini-research project where they discover what an Australian Christmas is like.
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Beisbol! Latino Baseball Pioneers and Legends
Students explore Latin America by researching the favorite past time, baseball. In this Latin culture lesson, students identify the leaders in the Latin American baseball movement such as Felipe Alou, Jose Mendze, and the great Roberto...
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Freedom, Power and the People
Students analyze how social change has affected artistic expression and popular culture. the explain the influence of media on contemporary American culture.
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Symbolism in China's Material Goods
Students make a generalization about the process of 'looking' and 'grouping', hoping to show that we, as Americans, show preferences and shared choices. They study examples of American art through time and create a class chart...
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Shakespeare Was A Black Woman
"I all alone beweep my outcast state." After a discussion of the "Shakespeare in American Life" segment in which Maya Angelou's relates her reaction to Sonnet 29, class groups create and perform a scene about an outcast that includes the...
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Approaching Walden
Eleventh graders examine their natural surroundings as a way to begin thinking about an abstract idea. They analyze and compare or contrast the rhetorical stategies of two essayists. Students interpret and evaluate images culled from...
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Mountain Creation: A Drama Exploration
Students explore mountain formation. In this cross curriculum earth science and legend writing lesson plan, students listen to the poem "The Way to make Perfect Mountains" by Byrd Baylor and identify examples of vivid language used....
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Take Me Out to the Ballgame
Students study the American sport and history of baseball. In this baseball lesson, students complete three levels of units to learn about baseball.
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Vietnam Revisited
Students explore the impact of the Vietnam War. In this Vietnam and popular culture lesson, students research and plot major events in the conflict. Students interview people regarding their memories of the war and watch the movie " The...
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Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's Christmas Bells
Learners read and analyze the anti-slavery poem, "Christmas Bells" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. They discuss the content and form of the poem, write an essay, write an original poem, examine how this anti-slavery poem was converted...
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Cinderella Folk Tales: Variations in Plot and Setting
Young scholars examine plot and setting of Cinderella, and how it changes as it is translated into different cultures, discuss universal literary elements of the Cinderella story, and write narratives with original settings and plots...
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Colonial Trades and Apprenticeships
Students examine and analyze culturally significant objects from colonial Boston. They construct a story around the life and work of Nathaniel Hurd from a list of keywords excerpted from a passage about Nathaniel Hurd. In addition, they...
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Hold On to Your Hats
Elementary schoolers study the symbolism and influences found in advertising. First, they learn about the history and cultural significance of the Summer Official's Hat that was a symbol of status in ancient China. Then, they access...
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Time Machine: Drive for the American Dream
Learners view a documentary on automobiles. Americans have always been in love with automobiles. They are a definition of character, and a representation of social status. After viewing, students discuss what they saw and create an...
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Poet James Whitcomb Riley: Famous in His Own Day
An engaging biography of "Hoosier" poet James Whitcomb Riley serves as a springboard for study of his unique dialect-based verse. Several activities illuminate differences between spoken vernacular and formal language. Learners record...