Ashbrook Center at Ashland University
The Constitutional Convention
Imagine sitting down with representatives of your school to write a new student handbook. What arguments would ensue? How would compromises be made to finish the project? Scholars research the Constitutional Convention using a directory...
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of American History: Themes: Container Back Story: Container Revolution
America on the Move tells the story of containerization-the technological and operational revolution that transformed the way cargos are loaded and moved among ships, trains, and trucks. Here is a behind-the-scenes look at how the...
Library of Congress
Loc: Experiencing the Global War on Terror: Stories From Veterans Memory Project
From the Veterans Memory Project a series of interviews with veterans of the Global war on Terror built around four themes; attitudes toward service and war,combat,re-entry to civilian life, and the impacts of the experience.
Other
Kate chopin.org: Kate Chopin
This site is dedicated to Kate Chopin including her biography, and links to her short stories including the text, analysis, and questions for each, links to her novels especially The Awakening which includes a link to the text, analysis,...
Other
Global Oneness Project
This site offers a wealth of high-quality stories, articles, films, and photo essays from around the world that cover many themes and current topics. Many of them are accompanied by lesson plans.
Other
Stony Brook University: Buddhism Study and Practice Group: Buddhist Stories
A large collection of Buddhist stories that encapsulate Buddhist beliefs and themes.
Other
What Is a Short Story?
An essay that attempts to answer that question. The author is an author and teacher, and is understandably troubled with the idea of defining exactly what a "short story" is.
Other
Macrohistory: Babylonian Myths of Creation and a Great Flood
The story of Gilgamesh addresses the eternal themes of human audacity, free will, and why people must die. Study the following summary of Gilgamesh and the Babylonian creation story. Pictures and a bibliography are included.
Books in the Classroom
Carol Hurst's Children's Literature Site: Keeper of the Doves
This resource offers a review of "Keeper of the Doves" by Carol Hurst as well as discussion questions and activities for classes reading this deceptively simple story about a family during one summer in 1900.
British Library
British Library: 20th Century: Literature 1900 1950
Explore key literary works of the early 20th- century with these articles.
Other
Thoughtful Learning: ccss.ela literacy.rl.8.9
Use the following resources to teach students how to analyze a modern work of fiction that draws on themes, patterns of events, or character types from myths, traditional stories, or religious works such as the Bible, including...
Other
Book Page Interview: Gary Soto
This site, part of the online version of the magazine BookPage, provides a 1998 interview with Gary Soto, in which he discusses the themes of some of his works, his background, and his use of different genres of writing.
Other
Milwaukee Public Museum: Indian Country: Oral Tradition
The Milwaukee Public Museum provides this introduction to the Native American oral tradition and oral literature of the Great Lakes region. Describes common themes and characters, including trickster characters and windingo (ice...
Academy of American Poets
Poets.org: Langston Hughes
This site provides a biography of Langston Hughes, followed by several of his poems (some complete with audio clips) and a bibliography of his more influential works.
British Library
British Library: 20th Century: Gender and Sexuality
Discover how 20th-century literature explored, questioned, and exploded traditional ideas of gender roles and sexuality.
Other
Athabasca University: Centre for Language and Literature: Alice Munro
A biography of Canadian short-story writer, Alice Munro, who has received numerous awards for her work. Learn about her early life, her collections of stories, and her stories' reoccurring plots and themes.
Sacred Text Archive
Jewish Fairy Tales and Legends by "Aunt Naomi"
This is the index page to the full text of a vivid collecton of Jewish folklore that entertains and teaches. This book, originally published in 1919, is based on tales from the Talmud and Midrash. While some of the themes are familiar...
Victorian Web
The Victorian Web: Rudyard Kipling
The Victorian Web provides information from social and political history and a detailed biography to essays about characterization, themes and more, this site offers an excellent variety of resources related to Victorian author Rudyard...
abcteach
Abcteach: Dinosaurs
[Free Registration/Login Required] This resource features a variety of activities related to dinosaurs. There are interdisciplinary tasks that include writing exercises such as creative writing and story planner formats. Lessons for...
Library of Congress
Loc: Exploring With Lewis & Clark
This site from Library of Congress provides a multimedia site using historical documents to tell the story of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The movies require high speed access but the site will hold student interest.
University of Calgary
Canada's First Nations: Native Creation Myths
Here's an introduction to the creation myths of Canada's First Nations, which contains a brief look at the themes and content of these stories, as well as the problems that arise when they are translated. Includes links to the creation...
British Library
British Library: 20th Century: Capturing and Creating the Modern
Discover the ways in which writers captured the fast-changing world around them during the 20th Century.
Other
Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory: 6+1 Traits
This site focuses on the 6+1 TraitTM Writing framework.