National Endowment for the Humanities
A Story of Epic Proportions: What Makes a Poem an Epic?
Learners analyze the epic poem form and its roots in oral tradition. In this epic poetry lesson, students research the epic hero cycle and recognize the pattern of events and elements. Learners analyze the patterns embedded in the stories.
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Writing Applications
Tenth graders read the novel Great Expectations by Charles Dickens and complete characterization activities. In this characterization lesson, 10th graders work in tiers to examine the text for evidence about the way Dickens uses the...
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Author, Author!
Third graders, in groups, select and research a favorite studenT author or illustrator. They answer questions about the author, conduct research and prepare a PowerPoint presentation with their findings.
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She's All Over the Map
Students consider female authors and their literature. Working in partnerships, they research and map the life and work of a Nobel Prize-winning female author of their choice. Students write individual letters expressing their thoughts...
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The Civil War Through a Child's Eye
Students use primary and secondary sources to observe a child's view of the Civil war. For this Civil War lesson, students understand that different people had different perspectives on the war. Students recognize the...
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Carson McCullers: Loneliness and Frustrated Love
Students examine the themes of loneliness and frustrated love in the work of Carson McCullers. In this theme analysis lesson, students complete a comparison of patterns in the novels of McCullers as a part of a theme analysis.
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A Tree is an Ecosystem
Students make observations about trees. In this ecosystem lesson plan, students observe and record all living and non living things they find under a tree, look for birds nests, evidence of woodpeckers and take samples such as leafs,...
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Reading Multicultural Literature
High schoolers read several fictional pieces which examine issues of urbanization and rural cultures. They discuss how the place a person lives affects the kind of person they become.
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Exploring Science Fiction
Twelfth graders read a variety of science fiction short stories. Using the text, they identify the components that make it science fiction and a well written piece of literature. They record their observations and share them with the...
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Studying The American Musical Theatre
Students discover the group dynamics necessary to produce an American musical in this six day lesson. Themes and characterization techniques are explored during collaborative small group research projects.
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"The Necklace" and "Cinderella"
Tenth graders complete literature analysis activities using Guy de Maupassants "The Necklace" and the Grimm Brothers "Cinderella." In this literature analysis lesson plan, 10th graders discuss the life and career of Guy de...
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The Ballad of the Sad Café
Students view the film "The Ballad of the Sad Cafe" and analyze it for stereotypes of mountain and hillbilly communities. They identify and discuss Appalachian values represented in the film and write a report on their observations.
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Unforgettable Personalities
Students read an essay titled, "Unforgettable Personalities" to study the influence of character's traits on the resolution of conflict in a narrative. They discuss and complete a worksheet that compares their own personality traits to...
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The Name Jar
Students participate in a lesson that focuses on the literature of Korea. "The Name Jar" is read by students to practice some essential reading skills. This would include the recognition of sequence in a story, characterization, and...
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How Does Ancestry Affect Folklore?
Students break into groups of 4 or 5 and choose an option to demonstrate a different cultural perspective in a fairy tale or other folklore that they are familiar. Possible choices are: PowerPoint presentation, video, digital...
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Timeline - United States and Germany, Before, During, and After World War II
Students read novel Rosa's Miracle Mouse, research assigned years in small groups, and create timelines and Powerpoint presentations detailing interaction between Germany and the United States before, during, and after World War II.
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Artists Giving Back
Students define serial reciprocity through art and make a classroom goal for the giving back. In this serial reciprocity lesson, students read Camille and the Sunflowers and discuss why the arts are important in communities. Students...
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"I am determined to prove a villain" Richard III, Shakespeare, and the Creation of Villains
Students create a list of historical and fictional figures to identify their villainous behaviors and qualities. In this Shakespeare lesson, students discuss historical and fictional villains and their common characteristics. Students...
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A Picture's Worth 500-700 Words
Young scholars interpret and analyze a work of art and write a narrative for the piece of art. In this narrative art lesson, students analyze a work of art and then write a short story 500-700 words long to narrate the art.
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Novel Lesson 3
Learners examine the horrors of war through literature. In this Vietnam lesson, students read Fallen Angels and participate in discussion groups that focus on characterization and the realism of war included in the novel.
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Twain: Icon and Iconoclast
Students examine work by Mark Twain in the context of pre- and post-Civil War America. In this cross curricular lesson, students gather biographical information about Twain, use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast him with...
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The Freddy the Pig Series
Students read the series of books called The Freddy the Pig Series by Walter R. Brooks and complete activities with them. In this The Freddy the Pig Series lesson plan, students write poetry, create drama, write in journals, do...
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Cloud Haiku
Students listen as a haiku is read by the teacher, determining what season is being portrayed in the poem. Students work together as a class and create a model haiku, then complete a worksheet, completing their own poem. Students will...
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Charolotte Perkins Gilman's "The Yellow Wall-paper" - the "New Woman"
Students analyze the life of American middle to upper-class women in the mid- to late-nineteenth century and early twentieth century. In this women's suffrage lesson, students visit the given links in the lesson to analyze the changing...