Though this lesson deals specifically with Hamlet and its themes, many of the strategies and approaches here may be used with most any of Shakespeare's plays that have been adapted to film. Viewing clips of the same Shakespeare scene in...

Students investigate the Iditarod. In this last great race lesson, students explore and research the Iditarod race which takes place in Alaska.  Students explore a variety of websites and images to gather background information. A...

Young scholars explore Balinese culture. In this Balinese integrated fine arts lesson plan, students listen to a podcast of "The Monkey Dance," taking notes about important features of the dance. Young scholars participate in a jigsaw...

Second graders explore information about carrier pigeons and other means of communication. They describe different types of communication and transportation and identify their advantages and disadvantages They develop a Communication...

High schoolers explore news photography skills. In this photojournalism lesson, students examine photographs from newspapers and magazines and discuss the attributes of quality photographs. High schoolers complete a webquest at the Kodak...

Students explore creating a self-assessment tool in a model classroom. Through the use of a video, students are observed engaging in peer assessment activities to generate a checklist. Students discuss the use of strategies a teacher can...

Students experiment with illuminating important text.  In this fictional literature lesson, students research Shakespearean sonnets.  Students identify key elements of the sonnets, and examine the relationship between...

Students listen to a story about a sea turtle sanctuary. They participate in a discussion about the sea turtles. They analyze some of the hazards that can hurt sea turtles and brainstorm ways to help the problem. They write and...

Students continue their examination of character by being introduced to the concept of responsibility. As a class, they are read a story and identify when the main character was being responsible. They share wha they are responsible...

Students examine and identify the characteristics of the different genres of literature. After being read and reading various stories, they identify how different books by the same author carry the same story elements. They discuss how...

Students create a presidential campaign story. In this presidential campaign lesson, students produce, direct and act in their own campaign story. Stories focus on setting, characters, context, critical incidents, and concluding events.

Students take a closer look at a memory play. In this American drama lesson, students read Tennessee Williams's The Glass Menagerie and analyze it as a memory play. Students discuss the linear and non-linear aspects of the play prior to...

Students break into groups of 4 or 5 and choose an option to demonstrate a different cultural perspective in a fairy tale or other folklore that they are familiar. Possible choices are: PowerPoint presentation, video, digital...

Young scholars revise Spanish mystery stories. They sequence the events from a group's mystery story and suggest revisions for the setting. They revise their stories using the suggestions from classmates and describe characters in...

Students write their own modern day folktale and compare it with "Cathal O'Cruachan and the Cowherd." In addition, they illustrate a character from the original Irish folktale and how the same character would appear today. Students read...

Students explain reducing, recycling and reusing. For this science/ arts lesson, students create a commercial and display a backdrop made out of recycled goods. Additionally, students write written responses to writing prompts. 

Students identify and research school customs and folk groups through discussion and interviews. Then they identify and learn that traditional culture exists within other cultural contexts, such as the academic world of school, and in...

Fifth graders discover how reconstruction had an impact on racial issues in the United States. In this Reconstruction lesson plan, 5th graders are introduced to primary vs. secondary resources and then rotate through stations to...

Young scholars participate in several activities using a reading partner. They plan and organize reading meetings with their partner, and then review story elements by retelling the stories orally. The partners question each other and...

Students read and analyze the book, Chasing Vermeer. They discuss the main story elements, analyze how pentominoes are important to the story, use a pentomino code to decipher a message, and create a secret code of their own.

Students prepare for and respond to literature selections. This package includes eleven lessons from the American Literature, The Earliest Days: Prehistory to 1750 each covering a different reading selection. Pre-reading and response...

Students explore different types of student literature; they then write their own fiction pieces, in either fantasy/adventure or memoir/realism style.

Students discuss the importance of writing clear, well structured essays. They explore the use of introductions and conclusions when writing an essay. Students compose an essay using both introductions and conclusions.