University of Virginia
Analyzing Social Commentary in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn continues to be one of the most frequently banned books. The satire and social commentary present challenges when using the book as a core text. Direct readers' attention to how Twain uses plot,...
Curated OER
Literature and History of the Holocaust
Students examine quotes and text passages related to the Holocaust. They generate a list of questions about the Holocaust and analyze a piece of writing based on the authorship of the work. They infer the meaning of a poem and determine...
Curated OER
The Cycle of Life
Eighth graders search for rites of passage in their own lives and study rites of other cultural groups in Louisiana and around the world. They assess how to recognize moments of importance in people's lives and find meaning in the stages...
Smithsonian Institution
For Land's Sake: George Washington as Land Surveyor
Students discuss the importance of land ownership and the purpose of land surveying in the eighteenth century. They interpret a transcript of an eighteenth-century land survey. They survey and area of land. They create a written or...
Curated OER
The Odyssey Lesson 1
Learners explore Greek mythology. In this ancient culture and introduction to The Odyssey literacy lesson, students complete a worksheet accessing their prior knowledge about Greek mythology. Learners listen to a passage about the Trojan...
Smithsonian Institution
Giving Speeches: George Washington's First and Second Inaugural Addresses
Students discuss the purpose of the President of the United States giving an inaugural address. They describe their impressions of any inaugural speaches they have heard or read. Students research events leading up to Washington's first...
Curated OER
The Problem with Prejudice
Third graders read and discuss "The Hangman" by Maurice Ogden and answer questions about the poem. They list things they can do to combat prejudice using each of the letters in the word and create a small poster with a slogan against...
National History Day
Challenging the Status Quo: Women in the World War I Military
Why are some so resistant to change? The status quo is often to blame for a lack of forward movement in society. Following the events of World War I, women in America suddenly had a voice—and were going to use it. Scholars use the...
Curated OER
Inference
Making inferences about what you read is an important skill for both elementary, middle, and high school learners. Focusing on events which occurred during World War II, they answer a series of questions related to what we can infer as...
Curated OER
The Freedom to Fight
Students study the African American troop experiences in the Civil War. In this American history lesson plan, students examine primary and secondary sources regarding the experiences and contributions of African American soldiers who...
Curated OER
European Explorers of North and South America
Sixth graders explore the connection between the geography of America and the migration of the Native Americans to the American continents to the future conquering of the continents by the Europeans. They discuss the causes and effects...
Curated OER
European Exploration
Sixth graders analyze key European explorers and focus on where and why they explored. They research who sponsored the explorers as well as the accomplishments of the explorers. They discuss the lasting effects of the expeditions in...
Curated OER
911 As History
Middle schoolers recognize persuasive techniques, think criticaly about the messages contained in various media, and discuss controversial issues in constructive ways. They analyze the deeper messages contained in children's literature,...
Curated OER
Reporting Live From...
Students examine the many disasters in West Virginia. In this US history lesson, students write about and give an oral presentation of one of the disasters as if they were reporters.
![De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. [Pdf] Unit Plan](https://d15y2dacu3jp90.cloudfront.net/images/attachment_defaults/resource/large/FPO-knovation.png "De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. [Pdf] Unit Plan")
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. [Pdf]
"Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr." is a one page, biographical passage about Martin Luther King, Jr. It is followed by an open-ended question which requires students to provide evidence from the story; it includes determining the author's...