A standard reading comprehension quiz, this resource asks 10 multiple choice questions that focus on the characters in Harper Lee's modern classic novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. The fact-based questions, which focus on identifying...

A simple, standard, reading comprehension quiz for The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. High schoolers answer multiple choice questions that test their ability to recall information about the plot and characters from Mark Twain's novel....

Ninth graders respond in essay form to the following writing prompt. Mel Gibson, star of The Patriot, is quoted as stating, "If one were to adhere to historical accuracy all the way, you'd probably have the most boring two hours on...

Students examine lives of Native Americans in order to become familiar with contributions to and influences on American society particularly, but not exclusively, in the Western region of the United States. Students focus on cultural...

Young scholars examine how the English eventually outnumbered the Native Americans and gained control. They participate in a demonstration using circles and fractions to discuss how the Native Americans were forced off their land, and...

Students compare how Native Americans were treated long ago to how they are treated today. They write an essay from the perspective of a Native American from their time period explaining their side with details supporting their views.

Students investigate how early European exploration and colonization resulted in cultural and ecological interactions among previously unconnected peoples. They comprehend that Europeans had misconceptions about Native American literacy...

Third graders create a Hyperstudio report on an African-American individual who has had an effect on American History. They use a fact sheet and concept web that they created during previous lessons to produce the report and use the...

Students view and discuss a video on the legend of the Hope Diamond then compare and contrast other tales such as Paul Bunyan, Pecos Bill and Johnny Appleseed. They analyze basic characteristics of these legends then use descriptive...

Students investigate equality by reading a historical fiction book in class.  In this civil rights lesson, students read the story Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry with their classmates and define the Jim Crow Laws that kept blacks...

Fifth graders practice creative writing  by describing events from the Colonial era.  In this U.S. History lesson, 5th graders identify King George III and George Washington, the roles they played, and the differences between...

Students examine African life during slavery on the Internet. In this slavery lesson plan, students use the Internet to research slavery and create a scrapbook. Students review pictures of slavery and label them as primary or secondary...

Fifth graders become familar with the pilgrims and first Thanksgiving through essays about important people of the time.  In this Thanksgiving lesson, 5th graders choose an important figure from the time of the Pilgrims and write a...

Students recognize the events that led to the Philippine Revolution. In this Philippine Revolution lesson, students relate the causes of the Philippine Revolution to situation in the world today. Students examine the Philippine Equation...

Useful for literary analysis, citing textual evidence, or summary skills, this lesson about the Kumeyaay Indians would be a good addition to your language arts class. Middle schoolers read novels and summarize the literature in their own...

¡Celebramos Kwanzaa! Celebrate Kwanzaa through the fictional story Celebra Kwanzaa con Botitas y sus gatitos to delightfully explain the seven principles of Kwanzaa. Dual language learners participate in reading and vocabulary...

Jack London's heart for adventure has come to define the spirit of America and its frontier. Selected passages from the foreword The Cruise of the Snark take eighth graders through London's construction and voyage of his ship before...

Learn about the California Gold Rush from an institution that has been in place since the early days of the American West: Wells Fargo History Museum. From domain-specific vocabulary review to group research projects, an expansive packet...

The Nashua River serves as the focal point of an investigation of the treatment of and care for natural resources. A reading of A River Rand Wild: An Environmental History by Lynne Cherry, launches the study and class members consider...

Schools in the 1950s and 60s looked very different from the schools we know today. An educator's guide explores the civil rights movement and, specifically, the process of integrating schools. Questions cover key themes in the novel and...

As a reading comprehension assessment, ninth graders are asked to use evidence drawn from The Glass Menagerie to support an analysis of how Tennessee Williams uses specific lines to develop Amanda's character as well as her...

A mouse on a motorcycle—what could possibly go wrong? Using the novel study that accompanies Beverly Cleary's The Mouse and the Motorcycle, pupils complete a brief vocabulary activity and then answer questions about the text. Next,...

Does hard work and determination really pay off? It seems that way for Billy, a character in Where The Red Fern Grows. After working for two years, he finally has enough money to buy the pups he's always wanted. Scholars read about the...

Uncover the exciting world of the Roaring Twenties with The Great Gatsby study guide. Individuals become critics as they write a review of the production. Scholars also read historical information and analyze the differences between the...