National Endowment for the Humanities
Faulkner's As I Lay Dying: Crossing the River
High schoolers analyze the multiple voices in William Faulkner's As I Lay Dying. In this multiple voices lesson plan, students explore the use of symbolism with the narrative voices of the text. High schoolers write a detailed profile of...
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What's the Best Deal?
Students explore number sense by solving consumer math problems. In this pattern identification lesson, students analyze a list of numerical and geometric patterns while predicting the future outcome. Students utilize inference skills to...
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Diagramming Annabelle Lee
Eighth graders examine the parts of the Edgar Allan Poe poem, "Annabelle Lee." After listening to the poem, 8th graders utilize a study guide imbedded in this plan to help them diagram the poem. A great lesson on poetry!
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Come On, You Can Trust Me
Fourth graders see how to define and then recognize a variety of propaganda techniques at work in their everyday world. Choosing one technique, they creatively demonstrate a thorough understanding from real world experiences. A very rich...
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50th Anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education
Students examine a poster of Brown v. Board of Education and discuss what the important details are. They read the story behind the poster and court case. They role play different sections of the case such as the court case or Linda...
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Understanding the Declaration of Independence
Students identify and interpret the Declaration of Independence and the rights and privileges demanded in the document. They also identify how those rights and privileges have affected our history. Students then research about the...
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Ooblek
Students demonstrate the three states of matter. For this matter lesson, students read Bartholomew and the Ooblek. Students create "ooblek" and discuss what state of matter it is.
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Principles of Flight: Where are We?
Young scholars explore the concept of topographical maps. In this topographical map lesson plan, students discuss how airplanes know where to fly. Young scholars use topographical maps to simulate a field trip on the...
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The Frog and the Ol' Black Fly
Students explore frogs. In this cross curriculum literacy and frogs lesson, students predict the plot and then listen to the book The Wide-Mouthed Frog by Keith Faulkner. Students define "predator" and identify foods a frog might...
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Casting a Ballot for New Freedoms
Students use a New York Times article about the first free election in Indonesia in over four decades as a tool for learning about the government and politics, economy, religion, international relations, and people of Indonesia in the...
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Relative Ratios
Learners discover that proportions are made up of equal ratios each containing the same building blocks. They, using the Internet, apply their knowledge of direct relationships and proportions to problems in planetary science.
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Picking Pythagoras
Students discover that side measurement is used in determining angle classification of a triangle. By squaring sides, they predict whether triangles be right, obtuse, or acute. They prove the Pythagorean Theorem and use it to solve...
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The Hurricane
High schoolers analyze three different ways a story is told, determine truth and fiction in each story, and discover and apply techniques to narrate a good story.
Students listen to Bob Dylan's "The Hurricane" and watch the "R" rated...
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What's That Tree?
Fifth graders identify trees along a nature trail. Using a dichotomous key, 5th graders answer questions to aid in their identification of trees along a specified nature trail. Observations are recorded in their science journals. Sample...
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How Africans Became Slaves for the Colonists
Students complete a t-chart identifying the advantages and disadvantages of having indentured servants. In groups, they research the use of serfs and slaves in various cultures and share their responses. To end the lesson, they...
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Slavery and Abolition: Three Unforgettable Names
Students research the people and events involved in the abolitionist movement prior to the U.S. Civil War. They read about and discuss the roles of Nat Turner, Harriet Tubman, and John Brown. Students complete a word splash, Venn...
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Tall Tales and Urban Legends
Students identify and interpret what tall tales, urban legends, and cyberlore are and to find them in their own lives. They practice telling and listening to these types of tales and explore why people tell them. Students also identify...
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Cities and Seasons
Students explore how satellite images show seasonal changes in seven cities in North and South America. Through a sequence of images, they study the green-up and brown-down of the seasons and how seasons change over time. Afterwards,...
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The Perfect Principal
Students demonstrate their understanding of math skills. In this data analysis lesson, students complete a worksheet requiring them to calculate mean, median, and mode, and create and interpret graphs. Lesson is intended as an assessment...
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1856-1865: Abolitionists and the Civil War
Students explore the concept of philanthropy. In this abolition lesson, students watch "Uncle Tom's Cabin" and discuss the philanthropic acts they witnessed in the film. Students also complete an activity that requires them to determine...
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Good Health
Students complete a unit with cross-curricular activities to learn about a healthy body and maintaining their health. In this health lesson, students complete 8 lessons to learn about good health, a healthy diet, healthy foods, healthy...
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Weather Observation Journal
Students record weather for a period of one month. In this weather lesson, students observe weather for one month on a large pictograph. Students record clouds, wind, temperature and any other weather conditions they observe. Students...
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Timeline of Extreme Weather Events
Students research and chart extreme weather events on a timeline. In this extreme weather lesson, students interview older people who have experienced extreme weather events. Students complete a worksheet based on the information of the...
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Frost Depth
Learners explore the concept of frost depth. In this frost depth lesson, young scholars conduct a scientific investigation that requires them to use a frost tube to measure, record, and graph frost depth data.