Curated OER
The Underground Railroad
High schoolers write about the impact of the Underground Railroad. They examine primary documents as they conduct independent research to explore the role of the Underground Railroad during the fight for abolition. They compose essays...
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Indian Story Bag
Students use an object to tell an interesting story from their lives. They write and present a short story about an interesting episode from their life and gather objects in a story bag, which illustrates their story to the class.
Curated OER
Using Word Processing to Create Graphic Organizers
Middle schoolers create a graphic organizer and instructional rubric using word processing software. They conduct Internet research at the History Alive website, and publish an essay.
Curated OER
Picture This: Photography in Adult Basic Education
Students use photos to generate opinions and feelings for them to write about. They use the photos to find something they are interested in and help them write.
Curated OER
Past, Present, and Future: Career Exploration and Planning
Tenth graders write an autobiography about their future. For this career education lesson, 10th graders write about the future based on their career goals. Students troubleshoot possible obstacles to fulfilling a life or career dream...
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Teacher Appreciation Week
Students write a biographical narrative about their favorite teacher. In this teacher appreciation lesson, students interview their favorite teacher and compile it into a biographical narrative including a teacher quote.
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Which Car Will Mom Approve?
Eighth graders write a comparison/contrast essay to determine which of two cars should be purchased from the parents' perspective.
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Self-portraits: Integrating Arts And the Language Arts
Students look into a mirror and draw their own self-portraits. Then they write a descriptive essay, describing the portrait and the features of their face.
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Multicultural Attire
Students research the native attire of a chosen culture, write an essay reflecting the role of the attire in the given culture, and create a significant piece of attire from that culture that be modeled in a fashion show.
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A Day in the Life
Students write an essay. In this comparison lesson plan, students read about a child's typical day on a fair trade cocoa farm in the Dominican Republic. Students write about a typical morning of a child in the US and make comparisons.
National Endowment for the Humanities
From Courage to Freedom
Learners analyze Frederick Douglass' narrative about Christianity and slavery. For this Frederick Douglass lesson, young scholars read his slave narrative and analyze its word choice, imagery, irony, and rhetorical appeals. Learners...
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A Historical Career Search
Students analyze the use of language, including non-standard written and oral English. They write persuasive, descriptive, narrative and/or evaluative pieces in response to the story read and keep reflection journals. Finally, students...
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Industrialization of the American Landscape - Language Arts
Students examine poetry , editorials, and other writings during the Industrial Revolution. They perform a "chalk talk" to explain perceptions, ideas and observations of the working world. Students write poetry and essays modeled after...
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Looking at Human Struggle Through The Language Arts Curriculum: The Faces of Slavery
Sixth graders examine the use of slavery in the United States. Using a map, they draw the route of the Tecora and Amistad voyages. Individually, they write an essay describing their opinions on whether the Africans on the ships should be...
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Twain: Steamboat's a-Comin'
Students discover how rivers inspire creative expression. In this Mark Twain lesson, students list songs about rivers and discuss common characteristics. They locate the Mississippi River on a map and write a script in which a steamboat...
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Eugene O'Neill on Page and Stage
Students investigate the life and works of Eugene O'Neill. For this American theater lesson, students read biographical information about O'Neill and review Long Day's Journey into Night. Students then analyze the play in order to...
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Physics "24"
Students construct a model house or school. In this physics lesson, students research about who wind up clocks work and write an essay about it. They determine the center of gravity of different objects.
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Help Me Find My Keys
Fourth graders write a five-paragraph essay on the topic: What mistakes have you made and then learned a life lesson from that experience?
Museum of Tolerance
Oral History Activity
Oral history has brought a multitude of lessons, stories, and factoids to our current knowledge of the past. Let us continue to use oral history traditions through a lesson that encourages pupils to discover and appreciate where they...
Curated OER
Adventures in Alice
Students create a haiku and illustrate it on the computer. In this haiku lesson plan, students review the history of the haiku while they are outside and then write their own. Students then use a computer program to illustrate their poem.
Curated OER
Am I Really Free?
Fourth graders write about slavery and freedom. In this freed slaves instructional activity, 4th graders read historical information about free blacks during slavery and explore books, objects and slave narratives to learn more. ...
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Critic's Choice
Third graders read three to five genres and choose one as a favorite. They write an essay persuading the class to read the genre. This lesson serves as a nice introduction to different styles of literature.
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Legacies of the Middle Passage
Students research the Atlantic slave trade during the 18th century. In this slave trade instructional activity, students read a narrative about colonial expansion in the Americas and the rise of slavery in the United States. Students...
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Creating an Instructional Manual
Ninth graders create an instructional manual about using a mechanical device. In this technical writing lesson, 9th graders create a PowerPoint presentation that includes the step by step process of how to use the mechanical device.