Lesson Plan
Curated OER

"The Fall of the House of Usher" by Edgar Allan Poe

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers read and analyze the short story "The Fall of the House of Usher" by Edgar Allan Poe. They take notes while reading the story, select an element to analyze, and write an essay about the characters, theme, or the setting.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Sixties Protests and Social Change

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students identify, examine and analyze photographs of the sixties to determine the forces of social change at work in America during this decade. They determine the goals of each movement and the methods used by each to achieve those goals.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

I Hear Poetry

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students practice analysis of poetry by analyzing song lyrics using a worksheet to guide the analysis process. They work in small groups to assess the stylistic and literary devices used in the song lyrics then they find a published...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Little Mystery and Intrigue in Writing Short Detective Stories

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students read and analyze the twelve short stories in the novel "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes." They create their own detective that has to solve a new kind of crime, and write and edit a short story with their original detective as...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Due Process of Law and the Jim Crow Era

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students analyze eight case studies of Supreme Court decisions regarding due process of law and their impact on American society in the early 20th century. They digest that although the 14th amendment was intended to give federal rights...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Supreme Court

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners examine the Fourteenth Amendment. In this Supreme Court lesson plan, students define due process and equal protection as they analyze the impact of the amendment and the Supreme Court on workers' rights in the early 20th...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rhetorical Devices

For Teachers 12th
Twelfth graders identify and analyze examples of rhetorical devices as valid or invalid inferences. In this text analysis lesson, 12th graders research a controversial topic in teams and identify rhetorical devices for the topic....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Native American Literature: A Paradigm Shift

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Learners explore Native American literature. In this cultural diversity lesson plan, students read selected Native American books and analyze the themes of the books and familiarize themselves with the vocabulary used in the books.
Lesson Plan
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Exploring Prejudice and Text-to-Text Relationships

For Teachers 10th
Tenth graders use the novel To Kill a Mockingbird to analyze relationships in society. In this literature analysis lesson, 10th graders participate in a shoe activity where they bring in one shoe belonging to someone they know and a...
Lesson Plan
Orange County Department of Education

Dear Mr. Henshaw

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders read Dear Mr. Henshaw and identify the character trait of self-respect as exhibited by Leigh throughout the story. They evaluate the author's use of letters to tell the story and discuss how the story would be different if...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Should New Orleans be Rebuilt?

For Teachers 8th - 10th
Pupils, after researching two websites dealing with New Orleans, complete a chart as they read the arguments for and against rebuilding New Orleans. They locate the evidence offered for support, analyze the geography domains and identify...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Constitutional Change During the Progressive Era

For Teachers 9th - 11th
Young scholars analyze the passage of the 16th through 19th amendments during the Progressive Era around the turn of the century. Using research skills, they write papers and create portfolios supporting and opposing the adoption of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Renewable Energy Plants in Your Gas Tank: From Photosynthesis to Ethanol

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students examine the role photosynthesis plays in plant survival.  In this renewable energy lesson students document their observations and analyze and interpret their results. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Poll Positions

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students analyze and graph the results of a nationwide New York Times poll about race in the United States. They poll people in their community regarding their views and experiences, and compare and contrast local and national poll data.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Cracking the Mirror of the Past

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Young scholars compare and contrast two pieces of artwork in regards to their nastalgic elements. Using the internet, they research local religious institutions in their area and note their function in society. They also compare and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Composing Project

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students design, compose, and present short musical compositions for keyboard in this lesson plan meant for the high school choir class. This lesson can be adapted to any time frame, but the author suggests a considerable amount of time...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

YANG AND THE YOUNGEST AND HIS TERRIBLE EAR

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students perform a web scavenger hunt to find information about the author of the book, YANG THE YOUNGEST AND HIS TERRIBLE EAR. They develop an understanding of how writers use personal experience to add voice to their writing.
Lesson Plan
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Celebration and Satire

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students analyze 19th-century paintings that depict celebrations in various ways. In this visual arts lesson, students view samples of paintings during the Industrial Revolution and discuss the effects of that time period on society....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Does Ancestry Affect Folklore?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students break into groups of 4 or 5 and choose an option to demonstrate a different cultural perspective in a fairy tale or other folklore that they are familiar. Possible choices are: PowerPoint presentation, video, digital...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Faces of the Bench

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students use primary source documents to gather information on justices in the Michigan Supreme Court. They write about the thoughts and experiences of the author. They identify and describe each justice briefly.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Old Electoral College Try

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students examine defining issues in the race for the White House and evaluate important issues in several of the swing states. They create and administer a poll in their community and make predictions by analyzing the data.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Public Policy Analysis

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students read an article about a pressing public policy issue. Using the text, they identify the themes, facts and ideas presented and develop an argument supporting or disagreeing with the position of the author. In groups, they...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Muckraking Literature

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners complete a unit of lessons on Muckraking literature. They listen to and discuss a teacher-led discussion, read and analyze examples of Muckraking literature, conduct Internet research, and write a report on the attitudes of the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

War and the Animal

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students analyze the spatial organization of people, places, and environments in a spatial context. They gain personal insight into the horrors of war and the importance of ethnicity. Students define all key terms, analyze a world map...