Mystery is an exciting genre for young readers to investigate. The plots are so intriguing! Here is a series of lessons featuring Sherlock Holmes stories that invite learners to enter the world of the mystery genre.  Based on what...

Learners explore the drama of real life. In this journalism lesson, students read the USA Today article titled "Lessons in 'Little Theater' Echo in Learners' Lives," respond to discussion questions regarding the article, and complete an...

Explore online profiles and social media with your middle and high school classes. Use blogs to inspire your class to craft a well-written, thoughtful response to a prompt you give.  A few example prompts are given. 

In an age of fake news and photoshopped images, it is vital that 21st century learners development the skills they need to evaluate mass media and assess its validity. A great way to launch such a study is with a carefully crafted lesson...

Students discuss a dramatic situation involving realistic characters and create response "letters" to the situation in this Drama lesson for the high school classroom. The lesson emphasizes the study of empathy and sympathy as it relates...

Students read a tragic true story about personal safety and devise ways to reach a public audience with the message of personal safety in this Drama instructional activity for the high school classroom. Emphasis is placed on cooperative...

High schoolers create costumes using recycled materials determined beforehand by the teacher in this High School Drama/Art instructional activity on costume designing. The example instructional activity is based around the title of...

Students practice their writing skills. In this writing perspective lesson, students review The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and consider the points of view of the main characters. Students write descriptions of a modern-day event...

Students identify the structure of Shakespearean Drama.  For this Shakespearean drama lesson, students identify features common to Shakespearean drama and explain their purpose. 

High schoolers explore the roles in Noh drama and the significance of Noh masks while creating their own version of a Noh play in this High School lesson adaptable for either the Language Arts or Theater classroom.

Government surveillance is an enduring conflict that has become increasingly complex with our nation's use of technology. Add to the understanding of Orwell’s 1984 by using the resources here that display the contemporary actions of Big...

Action! Delve into character development in the play Fences by August Wilson, setting the stage for learners to analyze character nuances. Thespians choose a scene from the script, responding with a written account of the...

Before beginning F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, create a historical context of the Roaring 20s with this activity. Set up a gallery walk with the provided PowerPoint, which features 10 topics related to the 1920s. Then...

Students create storyboards based on Julius Caesar using the device of framing to convey character information. After examining framing techniques in photographs from the Folger Theater, they discuss how they influence character...

Students explore where Shakespeare exists in local community plays. In this Shakespeare lesson plan, students create a documentary to define the existence of Shakespeare in their community drama activities. Students participate in...

Learners in a Spanish foreign language class are giving topics to develop a skit to preform in front of the class. As a class, they are introduced to new vocabulary and the concept of paraphrasing. After performing their skit, they...

High schoolers discover the contributions of 3 Alaskan leaders. In this Alaska history lesson, students research the leaders Nathaniel Bowditch, Ki'ianaa'ahu'ula, and Elizabeth Peratrovich. High schoolers present their findings through...

Learners create individual works of art using cow cut-outs as their canvas in this hilarious instructional activity ideal for the High School Art or Art History classroom. The instructional activity includes resource links and can be...

Students participate in tactile and visual exploration. In this tactile and visual exploration lesson, students listen to John Archambault's, Grandmother's Garden, and sing the song, "Friends Are Like Flowers." They participate in ice...

Students become immersed in analyzing the influences on and development of an artistic paradigm; they also move into, through and beyond the literary piece.

Students determine the names of animal babies, then read a news article about zoo's experiencing animal births. In this current events activity, the teacher introduces the article with vocabulary activities, then students read the news...

While Thirteen Days is a fantastic film to use in the classroom in reference to the Cold War and the Cuban missile crisis, it is important to take care to effectively and properly incorporate its contents into your curriculum. This...

Young scholars assess the importance of acceptance of self and others via the development of self-worth and the looking for the good in others not the bad. They explore the task of looking at the world through the eyes of others. In...

Students explore appropriate ways to communicate feelings.  In this character development lesson, students listen to Hands are not for Hitting and several other books about expressing emotions appropriately.  Students observe...