Third graders explore figurative language in Jacob Have I Loved and define what is a dream killer.

Mermaids will sing to your class members as they engage in an activity related to T.S. Eliot's famous dramatic interior monologue. After engaging in a socratic seminar about literary devices in the poem, individuals choose one...

Working in groups, young historians review a war poem written by Stephen Crane. After reviewing the poem, they present an oral interpretation of the poem and hold a panel discussion about their analysis. The panel is made up of five or...

Invite your class to investigate racism and civil rights by analyzing the great Dr. Martin Luther King's speech. Your learners will read the words from the "I Have a Dream" speech and analyze the political and racial overtones. They will...

The Summer of the Swans, by Betsy Byars, is a 160-page chapter book about a family going through a difficult time. Complement your reading of Byars' book with this detailed outline of each chapter. Every section includes comprehension...

Students analyze what makes a hero in The Lord of the Rings, Book Six. They discuss the characters and the aspects of their behaviors that make them heroes and write essays regarding the climax and heroic gestures of a character. After...

Students create a design for a silver dollar based on a historical figure. In this historical lesson, students choose a person who impacted history to memorialize in a custom designed silver dollar. In addition, students will create a...

Students learn and research the life of George Washington Carver.  In this historical figures lesson, students read a book on George Washington Carver, discuss his character and the challenges he faced in becoming a botanist. ...

If you're looking for a fantastic cross-curricular lesson on the Statue of Liberty, then this lesson is for you! Learners watch a Reading Rainbow episode which focuses on the Statue, then gather facts about the creation, construction,...

Students study black history, examine portraits and portrait making and create their own portraits, and  investigate their natural environment. This humanities instructional activity provides a text that can be used to teach lessons...

Students analyze passages from The Mysteries of Love and Eloquence, or the Arts of Wooing and Complementing, written in the seventeenth century. Students analyze the images, words and figures of speech the author used and compare the...

Students discuss the war in Iraq, Adam Michnik's essay "We, the Traitors," and the notion that we bear a collective responsibility to rise up against oppression, within a modern geo-political context. They each write a research report on...

Students find 20 words that are new to them. They write the definition and drawing or symbol to help them remember the meaning of the word. Students use the context of the word from the book to help figure out the meaning of the word.

Students explore U.S. History by writing poems. In this United States leader biography lesson, students identify elements needed to create a good poem, and write a Bio-Poem about themselves. Students utilize the same form to write a...

In this My Pyramid worksheet, students figure out how many ounces of each food group they need based on calories. Students also read tips about finding a balance food and fun.

Eighth graders investigate the history of the United States by researching Jamestown. In this archaeological activity, 8th graders attend a field trip to historical Jamestown in Virgina to discover key figures that formed our country....

Students investigate inspirational figures by researching Helen Keller.  In this biography lesson, students utilize the Internet to take notes about the life of Helen Keller.  Students complete a biography question worksheet...

Students extend their understanding of Milton Hershey. In this notable figures lesson, students create a paper quilt about Milton Hershey. Students use the template provided to design their own quilt square, including an illustration and...

Students practice reading for the gist of a text, improving reading speed, and fostering interest in reading authentic texts. They explore the use of figurative language.

Students use Valentine's Day to use figurative language in English. This is a great lesson for ESL students (who may not have much experience with this holiday), to engage in social conversation with their peers.

High schoolers examine a primary source document from 1684 that includes many of the same lines found in Romeo's speech to Juliet from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Students compare the texts and discuss authorship during the sixteenth...

Explore the hidden meanings behind the images on US currency with this elementary school lesson on symbolism. Starting with a class discussion about symbols, children go on to brainstorm different objects that represent the Unites...

Students imagine themselves someplace -- the beach, a mountain top, a city street -- anywhere.

High schoolers review what they have already learned about similies and begin to engage with similies on a deeper and more abstract level as they create their own.