University of California
The Civil War: Lincoln’s Speeches
Abraham Lincoln is responsible for uniting the states during the most tumultuous periods in American history, and for his elegant oratory that kept the Union believing in its cause. Young histoians analyze various speeches by America's...
Curated OER
SPEECHES TO INTRODUCE
Pupils create multimedia speeches of introduction which focus on women and Hispanics. They introduce their famous person and, using a video camera, video tape their speeches.
PBS
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
What rights are guaranteed to students? Do they align with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was approved by the United Nations in 1948? Middle and high schoolers present persuasive arguments about the rights they believe...
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Remembrance of Things Past
Engage critical and social thinking by exploring the value of language and word choice. The class considers the article "The Silence of the Historic Present" and analyzes several presidential speeches. They engage in class discussion,...
The New York Times
Inaugural Words: 1789 to the Present
One of the reasons presidential inaugural speeches are so inspiring is the way word choice reflects the historical context of the time. An interactive timeline invites learners to click on their president of choice and view the most...
National Center for Families Learning
The Summer Fun Summer Learning Dramatic and Story Reading Unit
What's the difference between story reading and story telling? Participants in a summer enrichment program learn all about the difference as they listen to famous speeches, engage in dramatic readings, and craft their own short stories...
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Rhetorical Devices in a Primary Source
Analyze Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous and powerful "I Have a Dream" speech as a primary source document. After reading up on rhetorical devices and working in small groups to define terms, class members identify and explain the use of...
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Using Primary Sources to Study the Holocaust
Engage your middle schoolers with Pastor Martin Niemoller's famous poem that begins, "First they came for the communists." Now that you have their attention, send learners to the various work stations you created to have them explore...
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The Gettysburg Address: An American Treasure
Learners apply information found in Lincoln's speeches, especially The Gettysburg Address, to create a persuasive speech on a current topic.
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Violence Prevention
Compare and contrast the ideologies of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle schoolers conduct research regarding civil rights and rhetorical strategies used in political speechs. They examine the strategies that both men employed...
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Debate on Ratification: Should We Ratify the New Constitution?
Students determine whether the Constitution should be ratified. In this U.S. Constitution activity, students research the roles of famous Federalists and Antifederalists in order to prepare them to participate in a classroom simulation...
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Sojourner Truth
Students research Sojourner Truth. In this African-American history lesson plan, students read the speech "Ain't I A Woman?" and brainstorm descriptive words that describe Sojourner Truth. Students discuss why her acts were considered...
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The Civil War: A Nation Divided
Students examine the clash between the North and the South. In this Civil War lesson plan, students watch segments of the Discovery video "The Civil War: A Nation Divided". Students conduct further research pertaining to the economies...
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I Have a Metaphor
Learners locate the literary devices used in Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech. In this figurative language lesson plan, students first distinguish between similes, metaphors, analogies, personification, etc. Learners...
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Bringing Historical Figures Alive
Students research a famous American from a specific era. In this American history lesson, students choose a famous person from a time period chosen by the teacher, write a short report, prepare a speech, plan a PowerPoint presentation,...
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You're Hired!
Students participate in a simulation of being a speech writer for the President. They listen to and analyze speeches and present one of their own.
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Who Am I?
Middle schoolers utilize the tools and elements available in a multimedia application to create a 1-page document, presented in comic book form, about a famous person. The document they create may be part of a multi-faceted research...
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The Art Of Persuasion
Students engage in a lesson that focuses upon the use of persuasive speech. They conduct research into the famous sayings used by sideshow owners and performers from the Old West. Students then create advertisements for shows that could...
Humanities Texas
Primary Source Worksheet: Lyndon B. Johnson, Excerpt from “To Fulfill These Rights”
"Equal opportunity . . . is not enough." Johnson's 1965 commencement address to the students at Howard University provides an opportunity for participants to see how education was a key element in his vision for civil rights.
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Outstanding African Americans Activity
Challenge historians to investigate influential African-Americans through this online research activity. Learners undertake this task using online links, some of which require investigative searching. Print the activity out first, so...
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Official Statements
Young scholars research the viewpoints of famous Americans, and then write commencement speeches reflecting these viewpoints to be delivered to high school graduates of today.
Library of Virginia
Life as an Enslaved People
As part of a study of slavery in the United States, class members analyze documents related to the sale of slaves. They consider not only the text of the bills of sale but also what the appearance of the broadsides suggest.
Curated OER
In King's Words
Students analyze writings of Mr. Martin Luther King Jr. They read and discuss an article, and in pairs, research and analyze a written work or speech by Dr. King, create a mixed media collage to represent the text, and write an artist...
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Eyes Worldwide on the Prize
Students examine Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech and see how it has been produced in China by reading an online article. They study discrimination in the world and write responses to the speech.