National Endowment for the Humanities
Nathaniel Hawthorne and Literary Humor
Young scholars examine Nathaniel Hawthorne's style of humor and compare it to other humorists. They discuss the purpose of literary humor and determine how it develops characters and plots in stories. They analyze the use of different...
Curated OER
Torts (A/V)/Negligence/Damages
Students explore what it means to be responsible community members/citizens. They consider their duty to act as reasonable people under the circumstances and analyze a negligence case (duty, breach, damages). They detrmine their legal...
Curated OER
Cheiftainship / Leadership
Students examine Bill Reid's sculpture "The Black Canoe".They decide which character in the canoe they are most like. Students analyze how their personalities work towards contributing to the group. They explore the moral theme of...
Curated OER
Fairy Tails Can Show Due:It can happen for you, If you play your part.,
Students view a Reader's Theater focusing on the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. The story is used as a springboard into a videotaped mock trial of Gold E. Locks developed by the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA). They...
Curated OER
Giving Generously
Students explore philanthropy. In this service learning lesson, students read Runaway Rice Cake, identify the elements of the story, and make rice cakes to share with others.
Curated OER
Splendid China: Chinese Folktales
Students investigate Chinese culture by reading their folk tales. In this creative writing lesson, students practice identifying the different elements in a folk tale and examine the related vocabulary. Students organize thoughts for a...
Curated OER
Compliments can Change the World
Students explore the definition of philanthropy as it relates to bullying. In this moral values activity, students listen to the book Thank you, Mr. Falker and identify how the main character was bullied. Students define philanthropy,...
Curated OER
The Blind Men and the Elephant
Young scholars listen to the folktale, 'The Blind Men and the Elephant,' and examine the significance of perspective. They listen to and discuss the story, answer discussion questions, and apply the moral of the folktale to real-life...
Pearson
Unlocking and Exploring Folktales
Designed with many of the Common Core standards in mind, this 10-lesson unit is brimming with ELL strategies, teacher's notes, and the best of core instructional methods for teaching the common elements of folktales, and exploring...
Curated OER
History or Mis-story?
Students explore some of our country's founding myths and legends by participating in an online poll. For example, did George Washington really chop down a cherry tree, then confess to his father about the deed, saying, I cannot tell a lie?
Curated OER
Dramatizing Fables
Learners familiarize themselves with fables by listening to several of them. They define fables. They identify the moral of a specific fable. They identify characters, plot and sequence of events. They create a mask of a character in a...
Curated OER
Greek culture and Aesop's Fables
Tenth graders explain political and social thought during the Greek 6th and 5th centuries B.C. They research five to eight fables, figuring out the moral for each and writing an essay on how Aesop influenced the morals and ideals of...
Curated OER
What Can We Do to Help End Hunger?
Students use the internet to research people who have made a difference in the fight against poverty and hunger. In groups, they discuss the actions they can take in their community to help those in need. They are also introduced to the...
Curated OER
The Lion and the Mouse
Students examine a story. In this good citizenship lesson, students read the story "The Lion and the Mouse" and discuss being kind and what it means to be a good citizen. Students hold a discussion about how other animal pairs could...
Curated OER
Myth, Legend and Folklore
Students examine the role of myths and folklore in the Native American culture. They listen to examples of oral history and write their own. They share their story with the class.
Curated OER
Chiune Sugihara
Students read a story about a Japanese man wanting to save the Jews from Germany, Japan's allies at the beginning of the war. Reading various texts, they examine the life of Chiune Sugihara and how he saved many Jews from death. They...
Curated OER
Using Fairy Tales to Promote Retention of Ethical Standards
Students explore ethical systems. Students read fairy tales and Bible stories to identify examples of ethical systems. Students brainstorm and discuss movies, songs and poems that exemplify ethical system.
Curated OER
"Death To King Alcohol!" Temperance in the 19th Century
Students analyze songs, drawings and stories from the 19th century temperance movement. They work together in groups to form a temperance society within their classroom and analyze strategies of campaigns during the movement.
Curated OER
"Love Must Not Be Forgotten" by Zhang Jie
Students read and analyze a story set during the Cultural Revolution in China. They answer discussion questions, discuss political and cultural revolutions, complete a reading survey, produce graphic organizers, and complete a Cultural...
Curated OER
Forging Freedom
Students read the story Forging Freedom by Hudson Talbott about the holocaust. For this holocaust lesson plan, students also answer discussion questions.
Curated OER
To Tell the Truth
Students participate in a discussion designed to help them discern the truth from lies. They discuss picture cards and make true and false statements regarding the information on the cards. Students also listen to various fables about...
Curated OER
Teaching Creation Myths
Students examine various creation myths from around the world. They compare/contrast the myths, write their own creation stories, and present their myths to the class in the form of storytelling, role-playing, dance, or a puppet show.
Curated OER
Religion Through Language Arts & History
Students explore the principal religions which are alive today: Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, and the Philosophies of the Chinese. They determine that there are scientific explanations for many of the subjects that...
Curated OER
To Encourage the Others (1972)
Students explore, examine and study Christian beliefs about punishment, justice and capital punishment. They view and analyze the way complex moral and ethical issues are dealt with in moving images like the screen/movie. Each student...