National Endowment for the Humanities
“Every Day We Get More Illegal” by Juan Felipe Herrera
A study of Jan Felipe Herrera's poem "Every Day We Get More Illegal" opens the door for a discussion on immigration. To begin, class members examine the photograph "Desert Survival," record their observations of the image, and then...
National Endowment for the Humanities
“The Great Migration” by Minnie Bruce Pratt
Minnie Bruce Pratt's poem, "The Great Migration," offers young scholars an opportunity to reflect on how where we come from influences who we are. Groups conduct a close reading of the poem, recording observations about the poem's...
National Endowment for the Humanities
"Sí, se puede!": Chávez, Huerta, and the UFW
"Sí, se puede!" Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta believed organizing farm workers and changing their working conditions were possible. Scholars examine provisions of the Bracero Program, videos, and the United Farm Workers' (UFW) work....
National Endowment for the Humanities
Montaigne “On Cruelty”: A Close Reading of a Classic Essay
An excerpt from Michel de Montaigne's essay "On Cruelty" provides advanced readers an opportunity to polish their close reading skills. Scholars read the passage twice and then respond to the provided questions.
!["From Citizen, VI [On the Train the Woman Standing]," Claudia Rankine Lesson Plan](http://content.lessonplanet.com/resources/thumbnails/456347/large/u2nyzwvuc2hvdf8ymdizltazlte3x2f0xzeyljexljq2x1bnlnbuzw.png?1679080322 "\"From Citizen, VI [On the Train the Woman Standing],\" Claudia Rankine Lesson Plan")
National Endowment for the Humanities
"From Citizen, VI [On the Train the Woman Standing]," Claudia Rankine
Claudia Rankine's poem "From Citizen, VI [On the Train the Woman Standing]," asks readers to consider direct and more subtle forms of prejudice. After discussing the format of the poem, its tone, and the emotions expressed, class members...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Shakespeare's Julius Caesar: Leadership and a Global Stage
Shakespeare's Julius Caesar is, among other things, the study of a ruler's ambitions. Young scholars watch videos, read articles, and keep a Commonplace Book while studying the play. At the end of Act III, pupils stage the play that...
Curated OER
Hans Christian Andersen's Fairy Tales
A thorough lesson introduces learners to Hans Christian Andersen, the nineteenth-century author who created wonderful tales. They read the original texts of several of his stories, including "The Ugly Duckling," "The Little Mermaid,"...
Curated OER
"Shooting An Elephant": George Orwell's Essay on his Life in Burma
Students read an essay by George Orwell's life in Burma and place it in its cultural and historical context. They identify the main points of the essay and Orwell's use of symbolism in the essay. They explain how each persuasive tool...
Curated OER
"Leap, plashless": Emily Dickinson & Poetic Imagination
Learners examine different poems from Emily Dickinson. They practice listening for meter in the poems and make connections between the texts. They also practice their own creative writing skills.
Curated OER
Charlotte Perkins Gilman's "The Yellow Wall-paper" -- The "New Woman"
Students examine the roles of women in the nineteenth and early twentieth century. They identify how class and nationality affected a woman's place in society. They also discover women's resistance to change during the time period.
Curated OER
George Washington: The Living Symbol
Students discuss George Washington's life and how he became a symbol of this nation. They categorize various images of Washington into the various roles he plays.
Curated OER
Reading, Writing and 'Rithmetic in the One-Room Schoolhouse
Young scholars, through historic photographs and stories, discover the world of the one-room schoolhouse and compare it to their school experience.
Curated OER
Picturing First Families
Students complete a variety of activities as they study Washington, D.C., the Presidency, and George Washington. They take a virtual trip to Washington, D.C., and visit the National Portrait Gallery, the White House, and the Library of...
Curated OER
Regulating Freedom of Speech
Students examine the nature and limits of the Constitutional right to freedom of speech. They read and analyze the First Amendment, discuss various case studies, and research and record their own opinion on discussion questions.
Curated OER
Images at War
Learners examine American attitudes toward war as revealed in Civil War photographs and WWII homefront posters. They analyze and discuss photos, explore the National Archives website, and organize a statement of their findings.
Curated OER
A Storybook Romance: Dante's Paolo and Francesca
Students study the structure and artistry of Dante's, Divine Comedy. They examine how romantic love is interpreted in the episode of Paolo and Francesca while experiencing literary allusions.
Curated OER
The Eagle Has Landed: Aztecs Find a Home
Pupils examine the Aztec civilization in what is now Mexico. Using a map, they locate the empire and explain the legend of the founding of Tenochtitlan. They explore the symbols on various Mexican flags and what they meant to the Aztec...
Curated OER
Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart: Teaching Through the Novel
Students are introduced to Chinua Achebe's first novel and to his views on the role of the writer in his or her society. It can be used alone or in conjunction with the related lesson Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart.
Curated OER
The Monroe Doctrine: President Monroe and the Independence Movement in South America
Pupils identify conditions in Europe that relate to the independence movements in South America and list reasons why President Monroe gave for recognizing the independence movement in South America.
Curated OER
The Campaign of 1840: The Campaign
Students discuss the use of visual images, objects, and spectacle in the 1840 campaign, then take a stand: Was the campaign of 1840 based more on substance or image?
Curated OER
The Campaign of 1840: The Candidates
Learners compare and contrast William Henry Harrison and Martin Van Buren as candidates for president. They explain why the Whigs wanted to find a candidate in the mold of former president Andrew Jackson and discuss whether Harrison fit...
Curated OER
The Campaign of 1840: The Whigs, the Democrats, and the Issues
Pupils reflect on the nature of the campaign of 1840. They identify the positions of the Democrats and the Whigs and their basic differences.
Curated OER
The Alphabet is Historic: The Roman Alphabet is our Alphabet
Students show that the Greeks, Phoenicians and Romans lived in the Mediterranean area. They give reasons why the alphabet was important for the Romans. and say that the Romans developed the alphabet they are learning in school.
Curated OER
The Debate in the United States over the League of Nations: League of Nations Basics
Students describe Woodrow Wilson's concepts for peace and the League of Nations and efforts to foster American support for it.