Primary
University of Pennsylvania

Celebration of Women Writers: The Mother's Book by Mrs. Child

For Students 9th - 10th
Advice on child rearing and parenting from the famous Lydia Maria Child reads like an early version of today's self-help parenting books. The entire text is available here.
Article
University of Pennsylvania

A Celebration of Women Writers: Civilization in Southern Mills

For Students 9th - 10th
Stories of women and children working in Southern mills in the late 1800's. Poor wages and poor working conditions are commonplace throughout this recounting by Mother Jones in 1901.
Website
University of Pennsylvania

University of Pennsylvania: Celebration of Women Writers

For Students 9th - 10th
Comprehensive overview of major women writers and their contributions to literature. Focuses more on their works than theory but still provides answers.
Handout
University of Pennsylvania

A Celebration of Women Writers: E. Pauline Johnson

For Students 9th - 10th
Introduce yourself to Pauline Johnson, a Mohawk poet and recitalist whose best-known poem is "The Song My Paddle Sings." Also, read her poems "In the Shadows," "As Red Men Die," "The Lost Lagoon," "The Pilot of the Plains," and "The...
eBook
University of Pennsylvania

Celebration of Women Writers: One Man Saves the Day

For Students 9th - 10th
The story of early Roman hero Horatius Cocles by Charlotte Yonge includes the famous poem by Lord Macaulay about the Roman soldier who single-handedly defended a bridge across the Tiber from invading Etruscans.
Lesson Plan
British Library

British Library: Bronte's Jane Eyre: Women in 19th Century England

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Through an exploration of a range of historical sources, this activity will develop students' understanding of some of the pressures facing women in the 19th century and to consider the problems that Charlotte Bronte encountered as a...
Unit Plan
Annenberg Foundation

Annenberg Learner: American Passages: Modernist Portraits: Gertrude Stein

For Students 9th - 10th
Feminist and modernist, Gertrude Stein is featured in this biography for her contributions of many literary genres as well as being a mentor to many twentieth century writers. See "Gertrude Stein Activities" for related materials.
Handout
University of Pennsylvania

University of Pennsylvania: Harriet Beecher Stowe

For Students 9th - 10th
This site provides a very good biography of the famous American female author, Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811-1896.)
Website
City University of New York

Cuny: Dorothy Parker Rothschild

For Students 9th - 10th
This biography of 20th century poet Dorothy Parker discusses the many tragedies that impacted her life and the wit that made her writing famous.
Activity
University of Toronto (Canada)

University of Toronto: Dorothy Parker

For Students 9th - 10th
This site contains a list of poems by Dorothy Parker, all which are linked to the text of each.
Article
Other

Vanderbilt.edu."the the Black Female & Renaissannce Rena

For Students 9th - 10th
Highly detailed article concerning this famous era. Historical significance is addressed and a well-written analysis of many authors.
Website
National Women's Hall of Fame

National Women's Hall of Fame: Maya Angelou

For Students 9th - 10th
Read a biography of African-American writer Maya Angelou, a woman whose career has inspired and affected millions of people.
Website
National Women's Hall of Fame

National Women's Hall of Fame: Edith Wharton

For Students 9th - 10th
The National Women's Hall of Fame provides a brief discussion of the life and work of Edith Wharton, first female novelist to be awarded the Pulitzer Prize. The site is provided by the National Women's Hall of Fame, a museum of women's...
Website
Emory University

Postcolonial Studies at Emory: Isabel Allende

For Students 9th - 10th
A brief biography of Allende along with a brief discussion of Allende as a feminist. Also includes an analysis of "The House of the Spirits."
Handout
Black Past

Black Past: Hurston, Zora Neale

For Students 9th - 10th
This is a very brief encyclopedia entry about Zora Neale Hurston, the talented and prolific writer of the Harlem Renaissance and later.
Website
African American Literature Book Club

African American Literature Book Club: Ann Petry

For Students 9th - 10th
This site focuses on Ann Petry including a short biography, the video [10:12] "Ann Petry and Harlem's History" and links to seven of her literary works.
Website
Other

Metro active.com: Ghost Writer: Amy Tan

For Students 9th - 10th
This website from MetroActive.com offers a newspaper article on Amy Tan and her novel "The Hundred Secret Senses." Tan discusses the "ghosts" in her novels as well as her own life as a storyteller.
Unit Plan
Annenberg Foundation

Annenberg Learner: American Passages: Social Realism: Edith Wharton

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Drawing attention to the role of women in marriages, social differences between Europeans and Americans, old money versus new, near the turn into the twentieth century we read about author Edith Wharton. Click "Edith Wharton Activities"...
Unit Plan
Annenberg Foundation

Annenberg Learner: American Passages: Becoming Visible: Grace Paley

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Grace Paley is presented in this brief biography highlighting her contributions to literature for her vivid expressions of American local-color through her writings. See "Grace Paley Activities" for related materials.
Activity
Other

Seven Gothic Tales

For Students 9th - 10th
This page offers some biographical information and gives a brief summary for each of Karen Blixen's Seven Gothic Tales.
Unit Plan
Bill Carson

Puritan sermons.com: Fire and Ice Why So Few Women?

For Students 9th - 10th
Brief discussion about the lack of women writers in 17th century Puritan culture.
Handout
Encyclopedia Britannica

Encyclopedia Britannica: Bell Hooks

For Students 9th - 10th
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features bell hooks, an American scholar whose work examined the varied perceptions of black women and black women writers and the development of feminist identities.
Article
Other

The Motley Fool: The Fribble: The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon

For Students 9th - 10th
This brief summary of The Pillow Book includes the author's financially inspired additions to the lists that Sei Shonagon included in her diary. (Published October 3, 1997)
Unit Plan
Georgetown University

Georgetown University: Mary E. Wilkins Freeman (1852 1930)

For Students 9th - 10th
Notes for teachers who are reading Freeman's (1852-1930 CE) stories with their students, as well as links to other authors for comparison and a bibliography of source material are all available here.