Curated OER
Voices of Tragedy and Horror: Remembering the Holocaust
Students consider the implications of the Holocaust. In this World War II lesson, students read the graphic novel Maus at the end of a unit on World War II. Students discuss the impact of reading about the Holocaust as well as theme of...
Curated OER
Faith in Wartime
Learners explore World War II and the people of that era. Numerous activities allow students to examine conscientious objectors; why it was difficult for people to maintain their religious faith while experiencing the horrors of war;...
Curated OER
Until Then I Had Only Read About These Things in Books
Students read assigned text about the World War II. In this Holocaust survival lesson, students identify the mass murders associated with Adolf Hitler's Nazi party and read stories of young men who narrowly avoided the death camps....
Curated OER
Lessons from the Holocaust
Students investigate the horrors of World War II by participating in a role-playing activity. In this holocaust lesson, students read handouts describing the atrocities committed against the Jews in Germany during the mass slaughter. ...
Curated OER
Heart of Darkness
Students interpret the resolution of Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness. In this literature lesson, students discuss the ending of the novella and Conrad's intentions in ending it the way he did. Students then write alternative endings...
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The Odyssey: A Deeper Appreciation
Students read "The Odyssey" and identify the ways it relates to their own lives. As a class, they also examine the history of the story and identify the various Greek gods and goddesses. In groups, they focus on the geography of the...
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Teaching About Peace Through the Cranes of Hiroshima
Students listen to the story of "Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes." They discuss the events of Hiroshima, effects of the bombing, and methods people can make a difference in achieving peace in the world. Students use orgami paper and...
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???The Hell of Mirrors??? by Edogawa Rampo
Students read and analyze the story "The Hell of Mirrors," by Edogawa Rampo. They watch a video excerpt, answer discussion questions, construct a periscope, complete handouts, define key vocabulary terms, take a quiz, and write a book...
Curated OER
Underground Railroad Workshop
Ninth graders examine the purpose of the Underground railroad. In this Slavery lesson, 9th graders read stories about people's travels. Students compare and contrast the lives of mothers in these stories.
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Dear Mrs. LaRue; Letter Writing
Students listen to the story about a naughty dog who writes to his owner in letter form. In this writing a letter lesson, students pretend to write to a character in the story and practice their literacy skills. Students then create a...
Curated OER
"The Hell of Mirrors" by Edogawa Rampo
Students read and analyze the short story, "The Hell of Mirrors," by Edogawa Rampo. They write diary entries, develop a video, create an illustration, conduct research, and write a short story.
Curated OER
War and the Animal
Students analyze the spatial organization of people, places, and environments in a spatial context. They gain personal insight into the horrors of war and the importance of ethnicity. Students define all key terms, analyze a world map...
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Encounter with a Skull (Tae dokuro, 1890)
Students read and analyze a short story by Koda Rohan. They conduct research, read and discuss a biography of the author, identify examples of Japanese and Buddhist symbolism in the story, and write an original story.
Curated OER
"Encounter with a Skull"
Students read a story twice. The first time they read it is without contextual information. They read it with the contextual information.
Curated OER
Listening to Poetry: Sounds of the Sonnet
Students investigate how sound influences meaning in poetry by listening to sonnets. They write an analysis after listening to and reading sonnets.
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Text Under the Microscope
Students explore plot, setting, point of view, and theme. In this literary elements lesson, students read "The Cask of Amontillado," by Poe and the War of the World script by H.G. Wells. Students identify and define the text elements in...
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Tales of the Supernatural
Students explore the origins and development of a literary genre. They investigate how shared imaginative concerns link the members of a literary period and compare works of literature from different eras.
Student Achievement Partners
Laura Hillenbrand's "Unbroken" and Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston and James D. Houston's "Farewell to Manzanar"
Passages from Unbroken and Farewell to Manzanar provide the context for a study of the historical themes of experiencing war, resilience during war, and understanding the lasting trauma of war. Appendices include extension activities,...
Prestwick House
Introducing Literary Theory – A Unit Wrap-Up
Literary theories are lenses through which a text may be analyzed. The question in this lesson plan is how a particular literary lens can influence the reader's view of the text.
Curated OER
Pre-Reading Strategy Instructional Routine: Maus I and II
Vladek's attitudes are difficult for many young learners to understand. Prepare your class for the events represented in Art Speigelman's graphic novel with a pre-reading activity that has them read articles about and interviews with...
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Heart (and Arm) of Darkness
Middle schoolers read and translate a 19th-century American ghost tale into a Japanese hanging scroll in this exciting lesson for middle-level Language Art classes. The lesson can be completed in four or five days.
Curated OER
Total English Elementary: The Arts
In this vocabulary activity worksheet, learners consolidate key vocabulary from a unit of study as they classify terms by unscrambling words and identifying 6 films based on the categories listed.
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"The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe
In this "The Tell-Tale Heart" worksheet, students write an essay about how Edgar Allan Poe keeps the reader in suspense. The worksheet helps students construct the essay through eleven different scaffolding steps.
Curated OER
Text Structures in Science Writing
Students recognize that science writing is organized in identifiable patterns called text structures. Understanding and using these different text structures help refine students' abilities to read and write in science.