National Endowment for the Humanities
Shakespeare's Macbeth: Fear and the Motives of Evil
Students use an online search engine (or a printed concordance) to locate passages that highlight Macbeth's response to fear and his descent into evil. They analyze the motives of Macbeth's increasingly desperate and evil actions.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Anne Frank: Writer
Students explore the writings of Anne Frank. They discuss how Anne did or did not change during her two years in the Secret Annex. Students take a stand on how much Anne has in common with contemporary young people.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Folklore in Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God
Learners define folklore, folk groups, tradition, and oral narrative. They identify traditional elements in Their Eyes Were Watching God Analyze and understand the role of traditional folkways and folk speech in the overall literary...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Lesson 2: Chief Executives Compared: The Federalist Papers
Fix the Articles of Confederation or develop a new constitution? That was the question facing the Founding Fathers. Several of those in favor of a new constitution published a series of essays, collected in the Federalist...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Edgar Allan Poe, Ambrose Bierce, and the Unreliable Biographers
High schoolers research biographical facts about Edgar Allan Poe and Ambrose Bierce and complete literary analysis activities. In this biographical lesson plan, students research basic biographical facts about Poe and Bierce. High...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Lesson 1: What Is the Purpose of the White House?
Pupils view images of presidents working and living at the White House. They list activities that take place at the White House and discuss the many purposes of the building.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart: Oral and Literary Strategies
Readers are first introduced to Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart by making a map of Africa. They will better understand the novel's historical and literary contexts, European and African literary traditions, and how...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement: Marco Polo Takes a Trip
After completing this 9-12 instructional activity unit, students will be able to identify Marco Polo and understand why he took his trip to China and back. They will discover the challenges of traveling along the Silk Road while learning...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement: Lesson 3: The Rise and Fall of Joseph Mc Carthy
Young scholars will learn about McCarthy's crusade against communism, from his bombshell pronouncements in 1950 to his ultimate censure and disgrace in 1954. Through an examination of documents and political cartoons they will study key...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement: Voting Rights for Women: Pro and Anti Suffrage
This website from EDSITEment has a lesson plan that examines the push and pushback for voting rights for women. Using primary sources such as political cartoons and letters, find out why people were opposed to universal suffrage, and...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement: Midnight Ride of Paul Revere: Fact, Fiction, Artistic License
An interdisciplinary lesson focusing on Paul Revere's Midnight Ride. While many students know this historical event, this lesson allows them to explore the true story of Paul Revere and his journey through primary source readings as well...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement:african Americans and the New Deal's Civilian Conservation Corps
One of the New Deal programs, the Civilian Conservation Corps, provided over a quarter of a million young black men with jobs and was thus another arena of the struggle for greater equality. This lesson explores that struggle and its...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement: Stars and Stripes Forever: Flag Day Lesson Plan
With this lesson plan, students can explore the history of the American flag and learn facts about this holiday.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement: Introduction to Modernist Poetry
Understanding the context of modernism is important for students before they analyze modernist texts themselves. To that end, this is a three-lesson curriculum unit: 1."Understanding the Context of Modernist Poetry;" 2. "Thirteen Ways of...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement: Stephen Crane's "The Open Boat"
In this lesson, students will examine the relationship of man and nature as portrayed in "The Open Boat," based on Crane's suffering from a shipwreck on The Commodore in which he spent thirty hours on a small boat at sea before being...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement: The Emancipation Proclamation: Freedom's First Steps
By reading and studying a variety of written resources--the Emancipation Proclamation and newspaper archives--high school learners explore the steps Lincoln took towards emancipating the slaves and freed slaves' reaction to the...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement: Eyewitness to History (Lesson Plan)
Understanding the important events in United States history and being able to recognize how history affects current events are crucial skills for students. This lesson plan lets them examine and analyze important milestones through...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement: Then and Now Life in Early America
Select from lesson plans that challenge learners to compare everyday objects from colonial times to present day objects. Links to sites with photos and other primary sources will assist students in their comparison.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement: Dust Bowl Days
Seven-lesson plan collection of lessons and suggested activities for instructing early learners about the Dust Bowl using a variety of primary sources (songs, letters, photos, etc.).
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement: Animal Fables and Trickster Tales
Animals and tricksters appear in folk tales from a wide variety of cultures, especially those with strong oral storytelling traditions. Use this lesson plan to introduce students to these characters and the lessons they were used to...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement: Like Father, Like Son: Presidential Families
In U.S. history, two families have had a father and a son hold the office of President. Students can use research skills to look into the office of the President and the two families that have followed the old adage - "Like father, like...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement: All Together Now: Collaborations in Poetry Writing
Three learning activities to teach K-2 students about poetry. Very detailed lessons with references and other suggested activities. Ways to individualize and academic content standards are noted. (Attachment may not load in archived URL.)
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement: Egypt's Pyramids: Monuments With a Message
Take a trip back in time with this exciting lesson plan! Explore the Egyptian pyramids with the wealth of resources presented on this site. Provides links to information, photos, and much more!
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement: Macbeth Fear and the Motives of Evil
"Why does Macbeth, who knows that his actions are evil and will be punished, continue to choose evil?" Through this study of Macbeth's evil deeds, high school students will not only test their reading and research skills but also explore...