Curated OER
The Gullah People of the Sea Islands
Eighth graders examine the lives of the Gullah-Geechee people. In this unique cultures lesson plan, 8th graders explore music, language, and slavery of the Gullah-Geechee people from the southern low-country in the United States....
Curated OER
Writing a Business Letter to Compare and Contrast
Students compose business letters. In this writing skills lesson, students use the business letter format as they note cause and effect relationships between the weight epidemic in the United States and changing menus in American...
Curated OER
"Here's much to do with hate, but more with love": The Prologue in Romeo and Juliet
Students participate in a guide close reading of the Prologue to Romeo and Juliet. They write a prologue sonnet to another piece of literature they have read.
Curated OER
Esperanza Rising: Lesson 8
Sixth graders complete activities with the book Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan. For this literature lesson, 6th graders read Chapter 8 of the book and discuss the chapter. They practice putting events in sequence and record new...
Curated OER
Shakespeare Shows
Students study, interpret, perform, and present various Shakespearean works adapted for middle school Students. They choose a scene from one of the plays covered in this teaching unit to reenact with a group.
Curated OER
Nazi Deportation of Hungarian Jews
Students view a presentation introducing them to the deportation of Hungarian Jews during the Holocaust. Using the text from "Night" by Elie Wiesel, they examine how the Hungarians were treated during the war. They read and discuss the...
Curated OER
Consonants: g, j, x, qu, y
Students engage in a reading comprehension lesson that focuses on specific sounds found in words. The lesson includes a variety of experiences that include games, a storybook, and literature response writing.
Curated OER
Define My Own Destiny: Using Arrested Development and Lauryn Hill to Teach Hansberry's Raisin in the Sun
Literary themes don't just belong to literature. High schoolers listen to the lyrics of modern songs by Arrested Development, Lauryn Hill, and others to enhance their study and to connect to characters, conflicts, and themes of...
Curated OER
The Cotillion or One Good Bull is Half the Herd, a Black Arts Movement novel by John O. Killens
Students study late twentieth-century African American satirical literature as well as its cultural antecedents. they analyze and discuss, within the contexts of race and gender, the social criticism of the middle classes presented by...
Curated OER
Proud to Be of Service
Observe the National Day of Service and Remembrance with a service learning lesson plan. After discussing the events of September 11, 2001, learners plan and implement their own service learning project in honor of American...
Curated OER
The Unraveling
Students explore the role of tone in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. In this literature instructional activity, students perform scenes from the play inflecting the tone that they believe Shakespeare intended.
Curated OER
Text Elements—Vampires
Students explore the tone and style of passages from horror genre literature. In this literary elements lesson, students read The Vampire by John Stagg and the War of the World script by H.G. Wells, Students write about the way the...
Curated OER
Introduction to American Literature
Eleventh graders define freedom, write about what the Star Spangled Banner means to them, and in cooperative groups write a new verse to the national anthem.
Curated OER
Philanthropy in Literature Lesson 1: Definition of Terms
Students watch a video after which they define philanthropy and site examples of it in daily life. They use this definition as they work through the rest of the unit.
Curated OER
Writing and Literature
Pupils participate in a layered unit that includes activities like: Write a character study (minimum 250 words) of a character you are familiar with from a book or play. What is their personality like? Who would you compare them to (in...
Curated OER
Swallowing Stones by Joyce McDonald Unit Plan
Students read Joyce McDonald's, Swallowing Stones while investigating the literary elements used in the writing. They define a large number of vocabulary words to be applied when reading. Finally, they write a persuasive essay.
Curated OER
Quilting with Literature: Internet Research and Multi-Media Presentation Skills in AP English
Have your class acquire research skills such as using hotlists and evaluating websites while they study major literary eras. They create multimedia presentation using information from the Internet research.
Curated OER
Mythology Research Project: Freshmen English
Ninth graders work in pairs and research a mythological figure, focusing on how the myth leads to an understanding of the "human condition." They compile information, summarize the myth, and develop a plan for written and oral reports.
Curated OER
Themes in Literature - Langston Hughes "Thank You Ma'm"
Eighth graders study Langston Hughes, "Thank You Ma'am" to discover the elements of plot, character motives and reactions. They express the effects of trust and kindness by writing a reflective personal narrative. They illustrate the...
Curated OER
Final Project for Unit on Hansberry's "A Raisin in the Sun"
Twelfth graders read and analyze Act III of "A Raisin in the Sun." They write and create the first scene of an imaginary Act IV, writing dialogue, themes, and stage direction for the characters.
Curated OER
Letter Writing: An English Language Arts Lesson For Writing/Proofreading
Ninth graders write a letter to someone who is deserving of thanks. Peer and self-editing takes place. After the writing process is completed and a copy is made for the portfolio, envelopes are distributed, addressed, sealed, and mailed.
Curated OER
I Went to the Crossroads: The Faust Theme in Music, Film and Literature
Students analyze song lyrics and discuss Faust theme in musical history. In this thematic lesson, students view a film clip and create a song lyric, poem or short story developed around the Faust theme. Students perform or present their...
Curated OER
China: Culture and Young Adult literature
Eighth graders are introduced to Chinese language and culture to make Asian reading selections in literature circles more meaningful. They write about Chinese characters, work on oral speaking, and read Asian books and then have...
Curated OER
Journalism Career Pathway Unit
Pupils explore a career in journalism while using various forms of technology; such as, distance learning via the Iowa Communications Network (ICN) and the Internet. They have the opportunity to create a final project that is based...