Indiana University
World Literature: "One Evening in the Rainy Season" Shi Zhecun
Did you know that modern Chinese literature “grew from the psychoanalytical theory of Sigmund Freud”? Designed for a world literature class, seniors are introduced to “One Evening in the Rainy Season,” Shi Zhecun’s stream of...
Curated OER
Brave New World: Biopoem
“Words can be like x-rays if you use them properly—they’ll go through anything.” Readers of Brave New World will be pierced by an activity that asks them to use details from the text to craft a biopoem for one of the characters in Aldous...
Core Knowledge Foundation
Volume 2 - A History of the United States: Modern Times—Late 1800s to the 2000s
The second volume of the Core Knowledge History of the United States ebook begins by asking young scholars to consider the impact immigration, industrialization, and urbanization had on the United States in the late 1800s. The text ends...
Curated OER
Is Modern Culture Ruining Childhood?
There are a lot of different ways a learner could respond to this New York Times article discussing the effects of modern culture on childhood. After reading the article, pupils construct a thoughtful blog post. The guiding questions...
Curated OER
Modern American Theatre: Intro to Drama
Set this slideshow up at as an independent work station, or to provide your theater arts class with a look at the many manifestations of modern literary drama. Tennessee Williams, Edward Albee, and Arthur Miller are the focus of the...
Center for Civic Education
The Power of Nonviolence: Music Can Change the World
Here is a fantastic activity through which class members discover how music has the ability to influence others in a meaningful way. After reviewing selected pieces and modern-day protest songs, learners will research other songs that...
Shakespeare in American Life
Performing Modernized Shakespeare
“All the world’s a stage…” What do Leonardo DiCaprio, Heath Ledger, and Kenneth Branagh have in common? They have all starred in modern adaptations of Shakespeare’s plays. After viewing a series clips from modern Shakespeare videos,...
TED-Ed
The Silk Road: Connecting the Ancient World Through Trade
Introduce learners to The Silk Road, the first world-wide web. The narrator of this short, animated video traces the pioneers of globalization and the impact they had on culture and economy. The Scythians, Darius the First, and Alexander...
PBS
Master of the Airwaves: How FDR Used Radio to Ease the Public’s Fears
The political and economic climate during the 1930's was uncertain and tumultuous. But Americans' minds and hearts were eased with the reassuring words of their president, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and addresses over the radio. High...
Indiana University
Literature of Asia and the Middle East: "A Sound of Hammering" by Dazai Osamu
Dazai Osamu’s short story, “A Sound of Hammering” is the focus of a three-day investigation of modern Japanese literature and life in post-World War II Japan. The events in Osamu’s story mirror those in his own life, and give a...
Curated OER
The Ancient World
Students explore the concept of migration. In this ancient civilizations lesson, students watch "The Ancient World" and research life in the Fertile Crescent. Students then write letters from the perspective of people migrating from...
Curated OER
Origin of the Modern Summer Games
Where did the Olympic Summer Games originate? The class takes a look at ancient origins of modern Olympic games. They research the Olympics and write a compare and contrast essay that describes how the Olympic Games have changed since...
Curated OER
Origin of the Modern Summer Games
Learners discover the origin of the modern summer Olympic Games. In this history lesson, students compare and contrast the modern and ancient Olympic Games as they create a timeline.
Curated OER
Beginning of World War II
Ninth graders explore how the rise of dictators led to the start of World War II. They identify and explain the main causes for World War II and they explain the causes for the rise of dictators during the 1920's.
Curated OER
Lead Up to World War II
Twelfth graders examine Hitler's rise to power leading up to World War II. and how the Treaty of Versailles contributed to Hitler's rise to power in Germany. They identify the important countries involved in the beginning of World War II.
Curated OER
Tortilla in a Bag
An engaging, and interesting lesson of types of bread found around the world awaits your charges. In it, learners compare and contrast manjy types of breads that come from cultures all over the globe. They utilize worksheets embedded in...
Curated OER
The Achievements and Challenges of Egypt
Awesome, that is all I have to say! This set of lessons provides learners with an understanding of ancient Egyptian laws, lifestyle, religion, and culture. It engages them in a critical analysis activity regarding the film, "The Prince...
National Endowment for the Humanities
How "Grand" and "Allied" Was the Grand Alliance?
Learn more about the Grand Alliance with a scaffolded lesson plan that includes four activities. Class members use primary sources to complete a map exercise, understand the goals and objectives of each individual nation, and participate...
K12 Reader
MLK: Complete the Speech
Take a close look at a few paragraphs of Martin Luther King, Jr.s' famous speech, "I Have a Dream." Class members fill in the missing words using the bank of words provided and then respond to a question about the speech and modern day...
Curated OER
Modern Issues
Ninth graders examine how modern issues of the world affect their lives. They listen to a lecture about the differences between developed and developing countries, act out physical representations of charts and pictures on the overhead,...
Curated OER
The Fall of Rome and the Beginning of the Middle Ages
A major turning point in world history is the focus of this presentation. Rome has fallen, and with its descent comes the Dark Ages. With pictures, maps, and important information about the Middle Ages, this slideshow would be a great...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Shakespeare's Julius Caesar: Leadership and a Global Stage
Shakespeare's Julius Caesar is, among other things, the study of a ruler's ambitions. Young scholars watch videos, read articles, and keep a Commonplace Book while studying the play. At the end of Act III, pupils stage the play that...
Edgate
Learning From the Past: Origin of the Modern Summer Games
Where did our beloved Summer Games originate? Kids look for the origins of the Summer Olympics in our ancient past. They research how the Games came to be and how they have changed. They'll complete Venn diagrams to compare and contrast...
Curated OER
First World War Weapons
For this First World War worksheet, learners take notes, create tables, and answer questions about the weapons used in World War One.