National Endowment for the Humanities
García Márquez’s Nobel Prize Speech: “The Solitude of Latin America”
To conclude a study of One Hundred Years of Solitude, class members analyze Gabriel Garcia Marquez's Nobel Prize in Literature acceptance speech. After a whole-class discussion of the main ideas in the speech, individuals draft a...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Harriet Jacobs and Elizabeth Keckly: The Material and Emotional Realities of Childhood in Slavery
Young historians learn how to make generalizations based on primary sources in a instructional activity that uses the autobiographies of two women born into slavery. The class watches a historical re-enactment of scenes from the lives of...
Curated OER
The Evolution of the Preamble
Reading and comprehending informational text is vital in all subject areas. Upper graders use primary sources and worksheets to better comprehend the historical importance of the Preamble of the US Constitution. Web links, handouts, and...
Indiana University
British Literature Restoration Unit: The Pillow Book – Sei Shonagon
First drafted in the year 996, The Pillow Book contains reflections of those met by a lady-in-waiting in the Japanese court. A brief summary, historical context, and discussion questions are provided on the first two pages. Then, two...
Curated OER
Wanted, a Substitute
In this primary source analysis instructional activity, students analyze an American Civil War song. Students respond to 5 short answer questions about the song and its lyrics.
Curated OER
My America
Eleventh graders compare 1920's America to modern America. In this historical perspectives lesson, 11th graders research both eras in American history using inquiry skills. As a culminating activity, students create digital slide shows...
Curated OER
The Constitution: Drafting a More Perfect Union
Students analyze an unknown primary source document to determine its origin. In this Constitution lesson, students read primary source documents and contrast and compare the evolution of the drafts of the Constitution. Students analyze...
Curated OER
Critical Analysis of Evolution
Tenth graders discuss anomalies in nature and science. They discuss times that anomalies led to the collection of data that explained the phenomena and contributed to changing scientific understandings. Students work in groups to...
Curated OER
Novel Analysis
Young scholars read the novel, Lord of the Flies, then write an essay analyzing the novel. They analyze, in small groups, characters, plot, setting, style, symbolism, theme, critical responses, and historical influences
Curated OER
Living to Tell Their Tales
Young scholars explore ways in which the elderly can be valuable resources in learning about history. By conducting their own historical research through interviews with the elderly, students come to appreciate this resource first-hand.
DocsTeach
Integration of the US Armed Forces
Uncle Sam wants you to integrate the military! The activity uses images and documents to help scholars understand the integration of African Americans into the mainstream military. Academics analyze a series of military photos and...
Curated OER
Films About World War II
Ninth graders focus on how filmmakers have changed their view of the Second World War. They create portfolios or their own documentary to investigate the various screen interpretations of the wartime era and explain different points of...
Curated OER
The Civil War: On the Homefront
Eighth graders examine the role of Indiana soldiers in the Civil War. In this American Civil War lesson, 8th graders listen to a lecture about the involvement of Indiana soldiers in the war and then analyze letters written home by the...
Curated OER
Historical Figures
Student research a "Historical Individual" using the Internet. They print a minimum of five articles and organize them. They create a visual biography of their historical figure.
Curated OER
Middle Ages Diary
Students research life in the Middle Ages. They write a historical fiction diary based on a character they create. Students use the six steps to process writing to complete their diary. They orally present their diaries to the class.
Curated OER
Multimedia Book Report
Young readers plan and draft a book report focusing on the five key components of a novel: plot, character, setting, conflict, and theme. After completing a story board, pupils then prepare a PowerPoint book report that is shown to the...
Dream of a Nation
Writing Interdisciplinary Essay
The Grapes of Wrath. The Jungle. Native Son. The Things They Carried. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian. To address a current social, political, economic, or environmental issue, class groups pair the reading of a classic...
Curated OER
Consequences of Individual Choices
Students simulate a Revolutionary War draft. In this American Revolution lesson, students participate in a classroom activity that requires them to advocate for the Patriots or the Tories. Students examine selected primary sources about...
Curated OER
Will the Real Samuel Adams Please Stand Up
Students participate in a "To Tell The Truth" game show activity in order to determine the role of Sam Adams in the Revolutionary events that took place in the Boston area. They ask questions of three students posing as Sam Adams to...
Curated OER
The U.S. Constitution:Continuity and Change in the Governing of the United States
Young scholars interpret historical evidence presented in primary and secondary resources. In this U.S. Constitution lesson, students examine and analyze primary sources regarding the plan for U.S. government.
Novelinks
Tuck Everlasting: Bio-Poem
Learn about the characters of Natalie Babbitt's Tuck Everlasting with a character biopoem. Readers fill in a poem format to detail the character traits of Winnie, Jesse, Miles, and Mae, and share their finished poems with their peers.
Curated OER
Express Yourself Lesson Seed 14: Dedication
Connect Martin Luther King Jr's famous speech, "I Have a Dream," to The Cay by Theodore Taylor. Taylor refers to the speech in his dedication, which creates a natural segue into talking about the speech and how it relates to the novel....
Curated OER
Al Capone Does My Shirts
Students are introduced to the novel "Al Capone Does My Shirts". Using primary source documents, they identify the unique geographical differences between where they live and the setting in the novel. They complete a Venn diagram...
National First Ladies' Library
Mark Twain's America
Students read Huckleberry Finn, analyze text for historical contexts, and write book report emphasizing historical elements, type report comparing and contrasting events in book to events of today, create Powerpoint presentation...