The Renaissance is the theme of a five-week unit designed to boost reading comprehension, spelling, vocabulary, and expository writing skills. Scholars listen to and discuss daily readings and engage in skills practice activities...

Here's a great resource for your curriculum library. The 240-page packet, organized into units by topics, includes sample lesson plans, links to primary and secondary source documents, worksheets, activities, and sample assessments.

Students study the Renaissance and the important art from the period. In this Renaissance lesson, students discuss the black plague and religion during the Renaissance. Students read the Renaissance worksheet and learn vocabulary words...

Three lessons in the Let Freedom Swing concert tour resource guide packed with information, materials, and activities that provide the context for any study of American history.

A 10-lesson unit takes high schoolers through a novel study of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. To start, students learn about Fitzgerald's background and gain historical context that prepares them for a reading of the book. The...

Over the history of the world, music has been at the heart of some of the greatest social and political movements. Scholars discover their musical roots as they dive into the sounds and emotions of renowned jazz players. They see how...

Students study the Italian Renaissance, its impact, and origin. In this Italian Renaissance lesson, students study the Renaissance via the ancient civilizations and political geography of various countries. Students study the art prior...

Students explain the value of different genres of art. In this art lesson, students describe the differences in various genres of art and make comparisons between them. Students choose an art genre and create an original work of art...

Students complete a unit of lessons to learn about William Shakespeare and the Globe Theatre. In this William Shakespeare lesson, students complete 7 lessons of activities to study William Shakespeare, the Globe Theatre, and the play 'A...

Newberry Library learning module uses primary source material of Shakespeare in a lesson on how Renaissance writers and artists portrayed European exploration of America. Students read excerpts from works of Renaissance literature to...

This lesson is an introduction to a unit on The Harlem Renaissance, the period between the end of WW I through mid 1930s when African Americans were recognized for their literature, music, and art. It discusses their themes and lists...

This lesson focuses on the Harlem Renaissance poet Jean Toomer and his poem "Reapers." It features a short bio, a link to his poem, and lists of leveled questions to help analyze poetry: Surface level, Deeper level, Application level,...

This lesson focuses on the Harlem Renaissance poet Claude McKay and two of his poems: "If We Must Die" and "The Tropics of New York." It offers a short bio and links to the two poems, and then explains the style and meanings of the poems.

This lesson provides background for an English Renaissance unit; it compares the English Renaissance with the Italian Renaissance. It features Queen Elizabeth I's influence and provides a poem written by the queen, "When I Was Fair and...

This lesson focuses on John Donne and his sonnets. It features three of his sonnets: Holy Sonnet VII: "At the Round Earth's Imagin'd Corners," Holy Sonnet X: "Death, Be Not Proud," and "The Bait," which is a reply to Christopher...

This lesson focuses on the sonnet including the definition, the history, the types of, and meters. It features the three types of sonnets: Italian/Petrarchan Sonnet, English/Shakespearean Sonnet, and Spenserian Sonnet. It describes the...

This lesson focuses on the Carpe Diem ("Seize the day") poets Andrew Marvell and Robert Herrick. It features links to biographies of each of these poets, the poem "To His Coy Mistress" by Andrew Marvell and the poem "To the Virgins, to...

This lesson focuses on Langston Hughes and two of him poems: "Theme for English B" and "I, Too." It provides links to the two poems including an audio version of "I, Too" and a handout worksheet for "Theme for English B." It asks student...

This lesson focuses on the practice for the SAT test. I offers links to a full practice test, SAT vocabulary word lists, and the College Board website.

This is a self-guided learning unit on the topic of poetry. Included are lessons, self-assessments, background information, learning activities, and related literature. Learn how to analyze poetry, appreciate figurative language, and...

This lesson focuses on Countee Cullen, a Harlem Renaissance poet who based his works on Romantic poets and downplayed racism. It features links to three of his poems: "From the Dark Tower," "The Loss of Love," and "Saturday's Child." It...

This lesson focuses on English Pertrarchan sonnets which were translated into English by Sir Thomas Wyatt who then created his own poetry in the Pertrarchan form. It features Wyatt's poems "They Flee from Me" (in text and audio) and...

This lesson focuses on Edmund Spenser and his sonnets. It features two of his sonnets: Sonnet 30 and Sonnet 75, known as the Fire and Ice poems and a worksheet for them. It also offers links to Spenser's biography, Amoretti and...

This lesson focuses on Christoper Marlowe and his works including his famous sonnet "The Passionate Shepherd to his Love." This poem and "A Nymph's Reply" are provided in both text from audio forms. Links to Marlowe's biography and a...