What is war? Students discuss the ethical dilemma of war by viewing Picasso's painting entitled "Guernica" and write down everything they see in the painting. Then they choose one emotion that best summarizes their emotional response to...

Tenth graders gather information on the history of anti-Semitism and Judaism. Using texts from a variety of sources, they analyze the role of rescue and resistance in children's books. They discuss the child's point of view and reflect...

The role of women before and during the American Revolution changed dramatically. To gain an understanding of these changes, middle schoolers analyze primary source documents, including letters from women that supported the patriot cause...

Is peace simply the absence of war, or is there more to the story? Young social scientists define peace in the second installment of a 15-part series. Groups work together to explore cultural concepts of peace and the peacemaking process...

Students use poetry to understand conflict in the Middle East. In this poetry lesson, students read persona poems and use the poetry  and a novel as mentor text to guide their own poem about peace in the Middle East.

Students express the meaning of the Star-Spangled Banner. In this American history instructional activity, students read through the national anthem and complete an activities from a list of choices. Some choices include: writing the...

Students create poems based on the Haiku form and research about WWII. Class discussion and classroom readings of student work finish this lesson plan. Emphasis is placed on Standards in the Arts.

The Holocaust is the focus of this interactive poetry strategy. The classroom will be set-up to remind students of the Secret Annex, with a table, lamp, and various other props. Each participant will receive 3  Saltine crackers and...

Students examine words and phrases associated with World War I as an introduction the era. They explore the legacy of World War I by reading and discussing "The War to End All Wars If Only." Students write obituries for fallen World...

Students research the Japanese American World War II Camp Experience. They discuss the experience in the context of civil rights and the Bill of Rights.

In this reading comprehension worksheet, students respond to 4 short answer and essay questions based on the poem "Afterwards," by Thomas Hardy.

The Grapes of Wrath may be the most famous novel set during the Dust Bowl, but what other stories cover the same time? The unit focuses on the Karen Hesse novel Out of the Dust. Learners keep a timeline of the Dust Bowl, maintain a...

"How does our environment shape our identity?" After researching biographical information about John Knowles and considering how these experiences are reflected in A Separate Peace, class members consider the strengths and weaknesses of...

Readers apply Sigmund Freud's theories of the unconscious mind and the psychological approach to literary criticism to analyze and evaluate the relationship between two characters in A Separate Peace.

Tenth graders are introduced to concepts of war through musical lyrics. They demonstrate and understanding of the role of segregation in US military policy and practice.

Fifth graders study the Civil War. In this US history lesson, 5th graders simulate what life was like during the Civil War by having two groups with one group given more materials than the other group. Students then draw a...

Students explore how poems represent the social, historical, and cultural times that they were written in. In this poetry lesson plan, students compare and contrast poems with music of the time and explore implications of writing poems...

Jack Kerouac's cult classic, On the Road, is the focus of this resource designed for teachers

Fourth graders, after analyzing the poem The Charge of the Light Brigade, discuss its significance to the Crimean War. They explore how war is perceived from a non-military point of view.

Twelfth graders review how the government and Bill of Rights came into effect. Using primary source documents, they discuss if Japanese rights were violated when they were placed in internment camps after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. ...

Have we forgotten? As part of their study of Remembrance Day, class members consider whether countries have kept their promise not to forget and create their own remembrance ceremony.

Students listen to poems and rhymes, clap out syllables, and sing along with familiar tunes. They use puppets and crafts to help recall and retell favorite poems, and craft their own poems.

Engage your class in a series of activities, each related to the use or analysis of symbols used to convey patriotic or national concepts. They identify different national symbols and explain their meanings, discussing the importance of...

Sixth graders explore their individual identities. For this personal identity lesson, 6th graders write biopoems using the provided template. Students share their poems and respond to the poetry shared.