Write what you know, sound advice for any writer and something many famous authors are known to have done. Use these materials to explore how Shakespeare's life influenced his plays. This resource is packed with readings, video segments,...

Young scholars explore crystals through the story Snowflake Bentley and then create crystal pictures of their own. In this interdisciplinary lesson, they create a crystal web chart on chart paper, design artificial snowflakes, and write...

Sixth graders select a book from the Newbery list and read it. They write a short summary of the book without giving away the ending and then research the book's author. They write a book review and, finally, incorporate all of this onto...

Fourth graders study women's involvement in Texas politics. In this US history lesson, 4th graders discuss woman suffrage, examine three Texas female pioneer legislators by reading biographies, and explore women's issues by generating a...

Seventh graders discover who the Tejanas were and how they contributed to World War II. In this World War II lesson, 7th graders listen to their instructor discuss who the Tejanas were prior to researching the contributions of three of...

Middle and high schoolers study significant people who shaped the 20th-century history and are introduced to database tools. Researchers use the Internet to research five 20th century history makers. They write a short biography of five...

Students interview another student using a twenty question format and write a three-part biography of that person. They create a collage representing the person they interviewed.

Young scholars research a specific person from American history who played a significant role and had an impact on future events and situations. They write a multi paragraph essay which includes three reasons explaining why they would...

Learners work in groups to complete biography overviews and research, organize information and decorate masks to look like their assigned Nobel Peace Prize winner. They present their information to the class as a group then independently...

Eleventh graders use the internet and other sources to research a selected individual. They explore important events, challenges, and the impact and influence the person had on US History. Using the information gathered, 11th graders...

Pupils write a biography after thy have found facts from the Houdini website. They complete a report using the organizational trait. Students use the internet to complete their fact sheets on Houdini. They discuss organization and report...

Learners demonstrate their learning about Cesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers Union by writing a biopoem. They word process the poem.

What makes a hero? After discussing the term and considering a book about Franklin D. Roosevelt, classmates work together to write a script and present their biography of a Great American hero. Notes sheets help group members organize...

Fourth graders study Indian women in Texas. In this US history instructional activity, 4th graders discuss what each Indian woman's contribution was by completing a timeline and table. Students examine the Caddo Women's...

Fourth graders explore the migration to Texas from other parts of the United States. Through journal entries they write about the trip as if they were the settlers coming to a new and foreign country. Working in small groups, 4th graders...

Students design a biographical web for a famous American figure. They identify key research questions and organize information as a prewriting strategy. This can be done individually or as a class, depending on your needs and students.

Students, working in pairs, conduct mock interviews of American presidents, highlighting personal and political details. They research their chosen president on the Internet prior to their role-playing presentation. Students publish...

Students choose a subject for a biographical research paper. They use books, the Internet, encyclopedias and articles to gather information on a determined subject then follow a rubric to write a research paper.

Fourth graders investigate the lives and societal contributions of Patrick Henry and Sojourner Truth. They complete a series of lessons that compare and contrast the biographies, historical context and work of these two revolutionaries.

Students organize facts about Harriet Tubman. In this writing activity, students research Harriet Tubman, sort facts about her into two categories, and use the information they have found to write about her life in complete paragraphs.

Tenth graders write an autobiography about their future.  In this career education lesson plan, 10th graders write about the future based on their career goals. Students troubleshoot possible obstacles to fulfilling a...

Students complete various activities related to the analysis of the novel "Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry." They create a collage of words and images of what it was like to live in the South in the 1930's, conduct Internet research, and...

Students examine why scientists classify living organisms. They list and classify items they buy at the grocery store, sort and classify leaves, explore various websites, and write a biography of Carolus Linnaeus.

Students use a brief history of the growth and decline of the anthracite region in the state to create a photograph and map "peak shaped" time line. They practice map and photo analysis strategies to "read" photographs and maps.