Students analyze strong female characters infive different European folktales. In this European folktales instructional activity, students identify the setting and culture described in each folktale to gain understanding of the...

Students read stories. In this culture activity, students read stories from different regions around the world. Students look for each region on the map and listen for interesting cultural details in the story. Students then discuss the...

Students read the story of the Eagle Boy. In this Native American Tale lesson, students discover the respect a boy has for wildlife. Students discuss eagles and what they symbolize. Students create  song lyrics for the story and...

Students examine the culturally based impulse to share with others versus the impulse to watch out for oneself or one's immediate family. They probe the deeper meanings of "Ilunga's Harvest" and examine the impact of the events in...

Students examine the story for use of balanced sentences and parallelism-two literary devices-and then practice using those devices in writing of their own. They combine the simple sentences grammatically into one correct sentence. A. I...

Young scholars examine the remarkable degree of sharing that the author encounters upon arrival in Africa. They reflect on the enduring understanding, "Attitudes toward sharing differ among different cultures." The respond in their...

Students examine Chinese folktales. For this literature and philanthropy lesson, students read Chinese folktales and analyze their literary elements. Students consider the effects of generosity in the tales and in their own lives.

Analyze the use of balanced sentences and parallelism in a narrative. Included in this resource is a narrative about serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in Kazakhstan titled, "The Train Ride Home". Middle and high schoolers review...

Young scholars learn what it means to give generously. In this giving lesson, students give examples of when they have given of themselves. Young scholars complete a service project where they create a gift for preschoolers with whom...

Students compare resolving contrasting values between cultures. They probe the deeper meanings of a story by a peace Corp worker and the questions it raises. They study the Maimafu villagers who accompanied the Peace Corps Volunteers...

Learners read "The Senegalese Miracle". They discuss the amount of sharing the author finds in Africa. They examine the relationship the author has to the locals.

A journey of a lifetime awaits you in Ruby Holler. Troublesome orphaned twins pair up with an older couple for a magical adventure. However, the journey must begin with the pairs staying together in Ruby Holler. Scholars soon learn...

Reading snail mail is a great way to go back into history and to understand others' points of view. The resource, the second in a five-part unit, covers the Dreyfus Affair. Scholars, working in two different groups, read one letter and...

High schoolers read African folktales. In this literature lesson, students share prior knowledge about South Africa, Morocco, and Nigeria. Then high schoolers work in groups to read an assigned African folktale and answer response...

Students write an essay and create illustrations of Jewish culture. In this literature-response lesson plan, students read various Jewish folktales. As they read, students study the geographical, cultural, and historical background of...

Students pretend to be 18th century shopkeepers or trades people and create signs representing their shops or trades.

Students read The Train Ride Home by Robin Solomon. In this literature response lesson, students will inspect the writing of Solomon to determine how she established a certain tone through her word choice and...

Students read the story "Sharing in Africa". As a class, they brainstorm a list of holidays and celebrations in various cultures and identify the Congo on a world map. To end the lesson, they focus on one paragraph of the story,...

Students explore philanthropy. For this service learning lesson, students read Runaway Rice Cake, identify the elements of the story, and make rice cakes to share with others.

Students participate in a simulated trade session similar to one that may have occurred at Wyam during the Lewis and Clark expedition. They determine how trade with the native people allowed the expedition to be successful.

Sometimes people find friendships in the most unlikely places, and The Whipping Boy is no different. Few would think that Jeremy and the Prince for whom he takes whippings could ever become friends. However, after a hostage situation...

Students study philanthropy related terms and philanthropy in the United States and their local community. In this philanthropy lesson, students study pictures of present and past Americans and discuss their philanthropic acts. Students...

Learners study the concept of culturally based impulse to share as opposed to watching out for oneself or family by reading and responding to "Ilunga's Harvest."

Young scholars examine the author's lively text to determine how she achieved her many literary effects. They discover the author's techniques in describing people and events, in setting tone, and in establishing pace. They reflect about...