John Knowles' A Separate Peace provides readers with an opportunity to develop their close reading and analytical skills as they look for what Knowles feels are the factors that shape our identity.

S.E. Hinton's The Outsiders is the anchor text in a unit that asks readers to reflect on their own identity, their place in their family, in groups with which they identify, and in school. 

"How does our environment shape our identity?" After researching biographical information about John Knowles and considering how these experiences are reflected in A Separate Peace, class members consider the strengths and weaknesses of...

Third graders explore the concept of self esteem. In this health lesson, 3rd graders participate in several classroom activities that address developing a positive self concept.

Students study self-portraits taken by photographers to explain the technique and symbolism used. They decide what they would like to say about themselves in their images and then, take pictures of each other. They create an iPhoto book.

Students find the best part of their body. In this positive self-concept activity, students listen to the story The Best Part of Me. They come up with their best feature and write a poem about it.  

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs provides the lens class members use to analyze and evaluate the motivations of the characters in Sylvia Plath's "Initiation" and scenes from Mean Girls. Readers then select a character from A...

As class members continue their study of approaches to literary criticism, readers examine the symbolism and archetypal patterns in John Knowles' A Separate Peace, and how these parallels are used to develop a theme...

Students produce their own self-portraits and use them to create a book in iPhoto. They explore the visual symbols used by artists to communicate their feelings, interests, and identity.

Twelfth graders analyze "Dedication" and "Child of the Americas" using a double-journal format. They compare responses and infer meaning from the connotations of select images in the poems write a paragraph describing the importance of...

Vivid quotes and strong sensory language compose Amy Tan's The Joy Luck Club, bringing the women to life as they navigate through issues surrounding identity and maternal relationships. Examine Waverly's relationship with her mother...

Learners examine how philanthropy shapes one's self identity. They reflect on this topic after listening to song lyrics and create a presentation. They share the information they gathered with the class.

Students view portraits of Nathanial Hurd. They complete a worksheet and identify differences between the portraits. This instructional activity finishes with a visit to the "About Face" exhibit in the Memorial Art Gallery.

Seventh graders read "Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank. In groups, they discuss the reasons why people would write an autobiography and identify their own identity crisis. After reading excerpts of other autobiographies, they...

Eighth graders read and discuss a variety of children's books that deal with feelings, self-concept and how they affect a person's perceptions of themselves as well as their world. They also tie in interrelationships of visual and...

Kathryn Barker's In the Skin of A Monster explores how a school massacre impacts a community. Unfortunately, the events depicted are all too familiar to many. This teacher's guide for Barker's novel offers activities that enable readers...

Students recognize how they are stars in their own rights. In this language arts lesson, students consider their personal achievements as they make a star mobile that includes written life event highlights.

Fifth graders discuss how a positive self-image can improve their school community. In groups, they are given a set of card in which they examine the role of each. After being given the presenter card, they create a collage about their...

Students define identity, consider who they are/what they value, explore the work of two photographers featured on an upcoming episode of EGG THE ARTS SHOW to see how they have dealt with the issue of identity, and respond using...

Ninth graders read the play, "A Raisin in the Sun," and participate in a class discussion about "identity." They discuss racial identity and examine and interpret how community influences a personal identity. They demonstrate how...

Young scholars analyze House on Mango Street. In this House on Mango Street lesson, students complete a pre-reading activity for vignettes from the story. Young scholars follow with lessons about self definition and identity,...

Students explore self analysis by investigating other cultures. In this personal characteristics lesson, students utilize the Internet to read about a child from Niger, and many other students around the globe. Students compare their own...

Pupils discuss major events in the 60's era including conflicts, culture, and history. Students also take a look at artists from this time and discover Pop Art. They then create their own portrait in the Pop Art style using Clarisworks...

Students read short stories that are related to adolescent issues and behaviors. In groups, they review the elements of a short story and vocabulary they might need while reading. To end the lesson, they read "Sir Tatton Sykes"...