National Endowment for the Humanities
Seeing Sense in Photographs & Poems
Learners analyze photographs and poetry as forms of each other. In this poetry and photography analysis instructional activity, students use the photographs of Alfred Stieglitz and poetry from William Carlos William to explore how poetry...
Curated OER
Bums in the Attic
Students engage in a study about the life of young girl in the book "Bums In The Attic". They read the narrative story while considering the first person point of view. Students write a journal that analyzes the author's style of writing.
Curated OER
Getting To Know You
Students prepare for and respond to literature selections. This package includes ten lessons from the American Literature series, each covering a different reading selection. Pre-reading and response activities are included for each...
Curated OER
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's "Haunted Houses"
Learners read and analyze Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem, "Haunted Houses." They define key vocabulary terms, discuss the poem's technical aspects, and create an original poem about a haunted house or a haunted place.
Curated OER
Shakespeare's Othello and the Power of Language
Students explore the basis of Iago's persuasive power by analyzing Shakespeare's use of rhetoric and figurative language. In this Othello lesson, students analyze Iago's rhetoric in monologues and dialogues with other characters....
Curated OER
Our Book Club
Young scholars review a book considered to be their favorite for inclusion in a recommended books list. As a part of a book club, each student selected book will be included in a list of recommended books for a young adult's personal...
Curated OER
Recognizing Similies: Fast as a Whip
Students review what they have already learned about similies and begin to engage with similies on a deeper and more abstract level as they create their own.
Curated OER
The Leaves of Autumn
First graders express the words of Autumn through creative dance movements.
Curated OER
6 Room Image Poem (adapted from Georgia Heard’s Awakening the Heart)
Students explore emotions and memories in preparation for poetry writing. For this poetry lesson students use a graphic organizer and prompts to begin to describe a specific memory which they will turned into a poem.
Curated OER
Recognizing Similes: Fast as a Whip
Young scholars review basic knowledge of similes and engage with similes on a more abstract level. In this similes lesson, students define similes and identify examples. Young scholars read and analyze the similes used in poetry by...
Curated OER
Chinese Kites
First graders investigate the concept of kite making in the culture of China. They design and create their own kites. The purposes of making kites is discussed and the question of a kite's functionality is covered.
Curated OER
Looking Back to 1980
Students use clustering/mind mapping techniques to generate ideas, graphically represent inferences, organize their conclusions and write a report that presents conclusions the writer has reached, and facts substantiating those conclusions.
Curated OER
The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner
Students read and analyze a poem about a speaker's posthumous view of war, assess the purpose of an author's note and evaluate the effect of the point of view on the reader's response. They work in groups to discuss and analyze the poem.
Curated OER
Life Sized Self Portrait
Students create a self-portrait that is compiled by using individual student drawings. The drawings emphasize line, shape, color and possibly texture depending upon the student's selection of materials.
Curated OER
A Courtin' We Will Go
Students investigate dialect in poetry as an indication of a people's culture in literature. They write a poem about dating in this era.
National Park Service
A Natural Resource Called Peace
Get your pupils outside and teach them about peace at the same time! Scholars create a list describing peace, hike outside, add to that list, and later create poems. The exercises support differentiation for your individual classes as...
Curated OER
Stitching Truth Lesson Two: The Arpilleristas in Pinochet's Chile
Students analyze arpilleras. In this Chilean history instructional activity, students examine social justice issues as they read and interpret arpilleras. Students study the tapestries to learn about Augusto Pinochet and his human rights...
Curated OER
Memories, A Connection to the Past
Students read four or more books. They make predictions before reading, complete a picture walk, read in partners and complete graphic organizers. Various graphic organizers are provided in English and Spanish.
Association of American Geographers
Project GeoSTART
Investigate the fascinating, yet terrifying phenomenon of hurricanes from the safety of your classroom using this earth science unit. Focusing on developing young scientists' spacial thinking skills, these lessons engage...
Curated OER
Starring...Bears!
Students illustrate a First Nations' legend. In this legend of bears lesson, students read several legends which involve bears and groups of stars or constellations. After reading, students illustrate portions of the stories....
Curated OER
Save the Earth: It's Everyone's Home
Students explore how recycling helps save trees and protect the environment. In this environmental concern lesson, students color a handout of animals that live in forests. Students discuss how recycling paper can save trees and set up...
Curated OER
Celebrating the Day of the Dead
Students explore the artwork of the Indo-Hispanic holiday of Day of the Dead. They view images, define key vocabulary terms, and plan and create a two- and three-dimensional sculptural figure.
Curated OER
Images of Gary: An Ideal Place to Live?
Students examine photographs depicting historical scenes from the US Steel Photograph Collection. They develop criteria to analyze or judge an image's representation. They assess photographs according to the criteria.
CommonLit
Common Lit: A Jelly Fish
CommonLit.org is a wonderful resource to use in a Language Arts classroom. Each story, poem or article is accompanied by guided reading questions, assessment questions, and discussion questions. In addition, students can click on words...