Ed Change
Exchanging Stories: Names
Students write short stories about their names and share them in small groups to help build community in the classroom.
Curated OER
Diary of Anne Frank: Act 1 Scene 1 & 2
Eighth graders read act 1 scenes 1 & 2 of the play Diary of Anne Frank. In this Diary of Anne Frank lesson plan, 8th graders discuss how the setting of the play affects the mood of the story and answer short answer questions.
MENSA Education & Research Foundation
It’s Greek to Me: Greek Mythology
It's no myth: this packet on Greek mythology is an excellent addition to your social studies curriculum. With writing activities, such as short answer responses and biopoems, and reading activities, which include creation stories and...
Curated OER
Writing a Historical Fiction Story
What is historical fiction? After explaining the difference to your learners, it's time to give each learner a try! With your support, encourage them to research, plan, and write their own historical fiction story. Don't forget to have a...
Scholastic
Ruby Bridges: A Simple Act of Courage, Grades 3-5
Through character trait graphic organizers, a vocabulary sorting activity, class discussion, and a civil rights movement slide show, your young historians will be introduced to the amazing story of Ruby Bridges and her experiences as the...
Curated OER
Aboriginal Hand Prints
A part of a study of Australian Aboriginal culture, class members listen to a Dreamtime story about a father who stenciled his handprint on a rock wall. Class members then make their own hand print art representative of themselves...
Pennsylvania Bar Association
The Pied Piper vs. The City of Hamelin
How would the Pied Piper recover his damages from the deceptive citizens of Hamelin if the story took place today? Explore one of the Pied Piper's options with a short play that depicts a court case in which he sues the city of Hamelin...
National First Ladies' Library
Writing (and Rewriting!) History
Middle schoolers differentiate between fiction and non-fiction, discuss historical fiction, which combines both genres, choose historical novel from list and read independently, and write original short stories that combine elements of...
Curated OER
Regions Change
Young scholars examine how geography can have an impact on change in a region. They discuss what their local area might be like in 50 years, and in pairs, select a situation and write a short story to describe how it changed from one...
Curated OER
Picture Prompt: Penguins and Christmas Tree
What happens when penguins put up a Christmas tree? Only your students know for sure, since they're the ones writing the story! A picture of penguins around a Christmas tree is sure to inspire even your most reluctant writers to begin,...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Kate Chopin's The Awakening: Local Color in the Late 19th Century
Kate Chopin's The Awakening introduces readers not only to the lush Louisiana setting of Grand isle but also to the nuances of Creole culture. the second lesson in a three-part series examines how Chopin's use of literary realism and...
Crafting Freedom
The Self-Empowerment of Harriet Jacobs
In a hands-on learning activity, pupils read about and recreate the experience of Harriet Jacobs, author of one of the most famous slave narratives of all time in which she describes her years of hiding from her master in a confined...
Curated OER
Message in a Bottle
Sixth graders write a short story about being stranded on a deserted island. After a brief geography review of locations at various latitudes and longitudes, 6th graders draft their story about being stranded. They use sensory and...
Curated OER
Events Leading to the Indian Removal 1830-1832
Students consider the effects of Indian Removal on the Cherokee Nation. In this American history lesson, students research Internet and print sources regarding the Indian Removal Act of 1830. Students write short stories that detail the...
Curated OER
Picture Prompt: Pilgrim Boy and Turkey
In this writing worksheet, students study a picture of a Pilgrim boy and a turkey. Students write a story about the picture. There is a word list box provided so that students can create a word bank.
Curated OER
Picture Prompt: Elf at the North Pole Village
Great during the Christmas season, this prompt gives students a picture of an elf in the North Pole Village to inspire students to begin and end the story. A word box provides teachers the opportunity to add words from a spelling or...
Curated OER
Jamestown Fort: Finding History
Students identify artifacts discovered from the exploration of the Jamestown fort in order to help them create a short fictional account about the lives of Jamestown's first inhabitants. For this history lesson, students research the...
Curated OER
Surviving the Depression-1930-1939 Lesson 2: Life During the Depression- Stories
Students interview individuals who lived during the Great Depression era to investigate the economic hardship that was experienced. They determine the motivations of philanthropic Americans who shared and gave during this era after...
Curated OER
Crazy Fish Camp
Students participate in a activity that reviews the importance of fishing for people who live as natives in Alaska. The game is played in order to unwrap an object that represents the fish in a short amount of time. The object is to open...
Curated OER
Learning About Africa
Students examine one of the locations in Africa listed in the lesson focusing on location, climate, products, activities, and other information they use for their short story. They then write an outline of their story and organize their...
Curated OER
The Easter Celebration
Pupils read a short story about Easter. They recognize and point to pictures of the key words (egg, chicken, rabbit, basket, flower). They make an Easter basket and count how many chickens can fit inside. They also practice identifying...
Curated OER
A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words
Students, after reading the book, "Esperanza Rising," create a virtual display by combining different story elements into a visual representation. They choose the setting and characters of a scene that will act as a springboard of ideas...
Curated OER
Primary Sources in the Classroom: A Gold Rush Perspective
Students develop and hone their historical inquiry and analytical abilities. They draw up a list of 20 essential items they would have to bring to survive one year as a Gold Rush stampeder.