Unit Plan
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: The Food Change [Pdf]

For Teachers 4th
"The Food Change" is a one page, fictional, reading passage about a girl who went to the doctor because she was tired. The doctor told her to eat healthy foods and not candy or cookies. It is followed by constructed-response questions...
Unit Plan
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Frederick Douglass [Pdf]

For Teachers 9th - 10th
"Frederick Douglass on Women's Suffrage," a one page, non-fiction, reading passage, is an excerpt from a persuasive speech delivered by Frederick Douglass to the International Council of Women in Washington, D.C., April 1888 in support...
Activity
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: A New Day [Pdf]

For Teachers 4th
"A New Day" is a one-page, fictional reading passage about children who learned about civil rights marches while visiting their grandfather in Mississippi. They helped people register to vote before President Obama was elected for the...
Unit Plan
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Illinois Pioneers and Prairies [Pdf]

For Teachers 4th
"Illinois Pioneers and Prairies" is a one page, nonfiction, reading passage about life in the prairies of Illinois for the early settlers including their hard work, setting up governments, building schools, and making laws. It is...
Unit Plan
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: What Is Your Own Big Plan? [Pdf]

For Teachers 8th
"What is Your Own Big Plan?" contains excerpts from a speech by President Barack Obama, Arlington, Virginia, September 8, 2009, concerning the need for a good education regardless of vocational plans. It is followed by a writing...
Unit Plan
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: How the Firefly Got Its Light [Pdf]

For Teachers 1st - 4th
"How the Firefly Got Its Light" is a one page, myth about the fly who wanted to be special; he made a deal with the moon to be his friend and, in return, the moon shared the secret of shining. It is followed by constructed-response...
Unit Plan
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

Depaul University: Center for Urban Education: The Ants and the Grasshopper[pdf]

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
"The Ants and the Grasshopper" is a one page, fable about grasshoppers who played all summer while the ants worked gathering food for winter. When winter came, the grasshoppers were hungry. It is followed by questions which require...
Unit Plan
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Gettysburg Address [Pdf]

For Teachers 9th - 10th Standards
"The Gettysburg Address" by Abraham Lincoln is one page, non-fiction speech given at the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, on November 18, 1963. It is followed by an assignment asking students to...
Unit Plan
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Prairie Farmers [Pdf]

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
"Prairie Farmers" is a one page, historical fiction, journal describing life for farmers in the prairie throughout the year. It shows the difficulties including bad weather and fires. It requires students to closely read the journal and...
Whiteboard
ClassFlow

Class Flow: Graphic Organizer Spider Graphic

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st Standards
[Free Registration/Login Required] This graphic organizer provides a webbing framework for students to analyze the main idea/theme and supporting details of a reading passage or historical event. A template for students to follow is given.
Unit Plan
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: What Is a Fable? [Pdf]

For Teachers 1st - 4th Standards
"What is a Fable?" is a one page, nonfiction passage about what a fable is including animals that talk and a lesson learned. It is followed by an open-ended question which requires students to provide evidence from the story; it includes...
Unit Plan
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Plants and Places [Pdf]

For Teachers 4th
"Plants and Places" is a one page, nonfiction passage about how plants fit the types of environment they live in such as cactus like hot, dry weather and live in Arizona. The state flowers fit the climate of the states. It is followed by...
Unit Plan
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Chicago High Schools [Pdf]

For Teachers 4th
"Chicago High Schools" is a one page, nonfiction passage about Chicago high schools, including a variety of specialty high schools and the basic requirments met by all of their high schools. It is followed by an open-ended question which...
Unit Plan
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Chicago Legacy: Burnham's Plan [Pdf]

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
"Chicago Legacy: Burnham's Plan" is a one page, nonfiction passage about Daniel Burnham, an architect and city planner for Chicago. He planned the layout of the city including Navy Pier, railroads, streets, and public buildings. It is...
Unit Plan
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Chicago Fire [Pdf]

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
"Chicago Fire" is a one page, nonfiction passage about the great Chicago Fire of 1871, which burned the city constructed of wood, and its rebuilding using brick. It is followed by constructed-response questions which require students to...
Unit Plan
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

Depaul University: Center for Urban Education: Chicago Changer, Jane Addams[pdf]

For Teachers 4th
"Chicago Changer, Jane Addams" is a one page, biographical passage about Jane Addams, Chicago's first changer. She helped poor people and immigrants to find homes and learn English. It is followed by an open-ended question which requires...
Unit Plan
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. [Pdf]

For Teachers 4th - 6th
"Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr." is a one page, biographical passage about Martin Luther King, Jr. It is followed by an open-ended question which requires students to provide evidence from the story; it includes determining the author's...
Unit Plan
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Early Chicago Environment and People [Pdf]

For Teachers 6th
"Early Chicago Environment and People" is a one page, nonfiction passage about the early Native Americans who settled in what is now Chicago. It is followed by questions which require students to provide evidence from the story; it...
Unit Plan
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Early Chicago Environment & People [Pdf]

For Teachers 4th
"Early Chicago Environment & People" is a one page, nonfiction passage about the Native Americans who lived in what is now Chicago. It explains how they lived and how Chicago got its name. It is followed by constructed-response...
Unit Plan
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: The Elves and the Shoemaker [Pdf]

For Teachers 5th
"The Elves and the Shoemaker" is a one page, fairy tale about elves who worked all night making shoes to help the poor shoemaker. The shoemaker and his wife made clothes for the elves to thank them. It is followed by constructed-response...
Unit Plan
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: The Elves and the Shoemaker [Pdf]

For Teachers 6th
"The Elves and the Shoemaker" is a one page, fairy tale about elves who worked all night making shoes to help the poor shoemaker. The shoemaker and his wife made clothes for the elves to thank them. It is followed by constructed-response...
Unit Plan
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: The Lion and the Spider [Pdf]

For Teachers 4th
"The Lion and the Spider" is a one page fable about a lion who tried to get a spider to make a web for him big enough to catch his food. The spider said that was not possible, the lion tore down its web, and the spider bit him on the...
Unit Plan
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: John F. Kennedy's Remarks, Berlin [Pdf]

For Teachers 9th - 10th
"John F. Kennedy: Remarks in the Rudolph Wilde Platz, Berlin" is a one page persuasive speech delivered by JFK on June 26, 1963. In it he commended West Germany in its efforts to have a democratic government and berated the Communists...
Professional Doc
AdLit

Ad lit.org: Classroom Strategies: Seed Discussion

For Teachers 9th - 10th
A Seed Discussion is a two-part strategy used to teach students how to engage in discussions about assigned readings. In the first part, students read selected text and identify "seeds" or key concepts of a passage which may need...