Curated OER
Japanese Folktales: Animals and Demons
Students compare and contrast the stories from different cultures by studying the folktales of Japan and their use of animals and antagonist characters. Any activity in this lesson can be used as a separate lesson.
Curated OER
From Forest to Farm to Urban Forest
Learners participate in a group discuss revolving around urban development and their answers to worksheet questions. They analyze maps and historical records to compare and contrast the day to day activities of a forest manager.
Curated OER
The Institutions of Government: The Judiciary
Students explain the difference between tribal, state and federal sovereignty. Using the internet, they read Supreme Court cases that focus on Native American law. They compare and contrast the view of the case from the Native...
West Virginia Department of Education
The Debate - John Brown: Martyr or Madman?
Did he die for a cause, or was he crazy? Although the resource discusses John Brown and West Virginia history, many historical figures have the same reputation. Teach learners about different perspectives and highlight the importance of...
West Virginia Department of Education
An Act Worthy of Reward
John Brown is considered by many to be a martyr for abolition and civil rights. The resource covers an important event in West Virginian history, the raid by John Brown, as a standalone that discusses Brown's last words and his reaction...
Channel Islands Film
Cache: Lesson Plan 1 - Grades 9-12
Archaeologists have discovered a cache of Native American relics. They want to preserve these relics by removing them from the rapidly eroding site to a lab where they can be studied. Native American traditions demand that the items be...
Reed Novel Studies
Tuck Everlasting: Novel Study
Would you want to live forever? That is a question that Winnie, in Natalie Babbitt's Tuck Everlasting, must answer. Scholars read to find out what Winnie chooses and reinforce their knowledge with vocabulary activities, comprehension...
Digital Public Library of America
Teaching Guide: Exploring To Kill a Mockingbird
Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, considered by many to be a seminal piece of American literature, contains many complex literary themes that carry through United States history. Use a series of discussion questions and classroom...
Annenberg Foundation
Spirit of Nationalism
What were the virtues and values that helped form America? Pupils watch and discuss a video, read biographies of early Americans, chart the differences between early American religious movements, write journals and letters, draw, and...
Curated OER
Trekking to Timbuktu: Timbuktu's Golden Age of Scholarship
Learners access online information regarding education in Timbuktu and the mighty Songhai Empire. They write an essay comparing and contrasting the curriculum of the university at Sankore with that of their own school.
Curated OER
The Fugitive Slave Law and Migration
Students examine the Fugitive Slave Law as a motivating factor for slaves to emigrate outside the United States. After discussing the relationships between fugitive slaves and North American and Caribbean countries, they write essays...
Curated OER
Social Studies: The Connecticut Hill Community
Students discover the reasons for the settlement of the Connecticut Hill Community. Through an examination of the climate, occupations of the inhabitants, and demographics, they discuss reasons people choose locations for settlement. ...
Curated OER
Oink, Moo, Peep What Is A Farm?
Learners explore the workings of a farm. After reading "Charlotte's Web," students visit a farm. They discuss their observations of the real farm to the one described in the book. Learners create a map of the farm they visited. They...
Curated OER
When Is A Rug Not A Rug? A Cultural Cmparison: The Kurds and The Turkmen
High schoolers compare and contrast the Kurds and Turkmen ways of living. Individually they read information about the homes, their designs, and customs. Students write essays about how they would make a Kurd or Turk welcome in their home.
Curated OER
The Joy Luck Club
Students read The Joy Luck Club and analyze the effect of having to translate from one culture into another. Students trace patterns that link mothers and daughters in the novel, and write an essay comparing personal experiences to those...
Curated OER
History Detectives
Fifth graders investigate aspects of the Civil War. In this history lesson plan, 5th graders complete several tasks involving the economy, culture, and geography of the Civil War. First, students are divided into groups to study primary...
Curated OER
The Armenian Genocide: The American Ambassador in Constantinople
Students analyze America's reaction to the Armenian Genocide. They write a journal response, read and discuss text, compare/contrast reactions around the world to the Armenian Genocide and the genocide in Rwanda, and write an essay.
Curated OER
Through Many Lenses: How are Countries Depicted By the Media
Young scholars read various sources about a country to understand viewpoints about that country. In this country instructional activity, students recognize that different sources portray different organizations differently. Young...
Curated OER
The Violence of Ancient Rome
Students compare the violence in ancient Rome and the violence in American society today. They research and write an essay that requires comparison and contrast techniques as well as supporting personal opinions about violence in our...
Novelinks
The Devil’s Arithmetic: Semantic Feature Analysis
Organize the characters in Jane Yolen's The Devil's Arithmetic according to their shared character traits. After listing character traits as a class, kids note which characters exhibit particular characteristics with a discussion and...
Curriculum
Expository Writing
The beauty of the way this expository writing resource is structured is that the units can be presented as a complete writing workshop or sequenced throughout a course of study
Curated OER
Two Trustworthy Texans
Seventh graders read about two pioneers from Texas and learn how they became well trusted people. For this trust lesson, 7th graders read essays about two Texas pioneers. They learn vocabulary such as loyalty, honesty, good reputation,...
Curated OER
The Incident of September 11th
Sixth graders identify and write in their journals in order to activate prior knowledge on the events that surround September 11th. Students, with a partner, read various essays, articles and personal experiences of September 11....
Curated OER
News View
Young scholars read and analyze three different news sources that describe the same event. They compare/contrast the similarities and differences of the news sources, and write an essay describing the main event.