Curated OER
Dear Presidential Diary
Students discover how a president spends the day. In this presidential history lesson, students research primary sources in order to write their own diaries for presidents that include suggestions of laws, managing personnel, budgeting,...
Curated OER
Life in a Hurricane Zone
Students investigate the social effects of hurricanes. In this social studies lesson, students assume the persona of residents of the Dominican Republic and write diary entries and letters regarding the devastation caused by Hurricane...
Curated OER
Job Journals
Students compare the differences between job varieties. For this career exploration lesson, students evaluate different aspects of jobs and then write a diary entry as if they were the real employee.
Literacy Design Collaborative
Text Analysis and Character Revelations: Flowers for Algernon
What does your character reveal about you? Scholars carry out several activities to determine the reveal of character in Flowers for Algernon. Readers answer text dependent questions, complete diary entries, write reflections, and use...
Curated OER
My Secret War: Lesson 1
Fifth graders explore historical fiction. In this genre study lesson, 5th graders go on a text feature scavenger hunt to identify the parts of a historical fiction text. Additionally, students read the book, My Secret War and discuss...
Curated OER
The Diary of Anne Frank
Sixth graders explore journal writing. In this writing lesson plan, 6th graders use the published diaries of Anne Frank and discuss the entries in her journal. Students write in their own journal for a week and create a one page summary...
Curated OER
Writing Process
Fourth graders complete activities with the book Help! I'm a Prisoner in the Library by Eth Clifford. In this literature instructional activity, 4th graders read through chapter 4 of the book and respond to the policeman's phone calls....
Curated OER
Communities in Crisis Lesson 1: Primary Source? What is That?
Distinguish between primary and secondary source documents using the theme of philanthropy. Middle schoolers discuss Anne Frank: The Diary of Young Girl as a way to study the past using a primary source. Then they investigate how to...
Curated OER
Aztec Myths 1
Students write a diary entry or a letter from the viewpoint of a character in a myth. In this Aztec myths lesson plan, students define myths and read "The Heart of Copil" and "The Eagle of Tenochtitlan" and find the land of...
Curated OER
Choices and Commitments: The Soldiers at Gettysburg
Students investigate the Gettysburg Campaign and the major actions for each day of the battle. They read primary source documents, write a diary entry, analyze the Gettysburg Address, and write a persuasive speech regarding an issue in...
Curated OER
The Well of Truth
Second graders explore the Egyptian folktale, The Well of Truth. In this folktale lesson plan, 2nd graders read the tale and discuss the events from the text. Students write a diary entry from the point of view of a character in the...
Curated OER
How Historians Know: Investigating a Midwife's Life
Young scholars view "A Midwife's Tale" to explain the methods historians use to study the past. They complete worksheets to identify what historians look for.
Curated OER
The Making of a Star
Students create schematic diagrams of the new Russian space station module. They compose an imaginary yet realistic series of diary entries from the point of view of an astronaut living on board the completed space station.
Curated OER
The Stories of Status Symbols
A good writer needs to be observant and have an imagination. Hone those creative writing skills with an activity inspired by a very old Chinese artifact. Learners examine the piece Mandarin Duck Rank Badge, and then write a story from...
Syracuse University
Civil War
What was it like to enlist as a soldier in the Civil War? By using enlistment papers, young scholars consider this question. After they've looked at the primary source and discussed it, they create a short story of a fictional soldier to...
Curated OER
A Colony is Born : Lesson 5 - Dear Mem
Discover colonies! Young historians will listen to a primary source journal entry read aloud with a backdrop of wave sounds. They discuss the entry, add historical facts to a chart and personal insights to another. Then they listen to...
American Library Association
Explorers Project
Delve into the Age of Exploration with a multiple-intelligences research project. Learners generate a rubric and worksheet to guide their studies and research one explorer. There is emphasis on research skills, citing sources,...
Middle Tennessee State University
A House Divided: The Civil War Home Front in Tennessee
To broaden their understanding of both the short term and long terms effects of the Civil War, class groups examine primary source materials and then assume the role of a family member and draft a letter to a soldier describing life at...
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Women in the Military
Scholars analyze the role of women in the military in United States history. Using group research, debate, and diary entries, they explore various military activity in America. To complete the lesson, young historians write an essay...
Curated OER
Adventure Writing: Oregon's Landscape as a Setting
Students identify geographical features of different regions encountered by migrants on the Oregon trail. Students research how the Oregon landscape may have affected life and 19th century westward migration. Students write a narrative...
Curated OER
World War I: War in a Democratic Society
Students research opposition and support for World War I from a number of perspectives. They analyze a number of primary and secondary sources, while considering what (if anything) makes a war just and write a letter expressing his/her...
Curated OER
Total English Upper Intermediate: Using "If"
In this using if worksheet, students practice using if and can do statements as they complete 8 sentence starters using if and their own ending. Students also work in pairs to write a diary entry of 100 words following the provided...
Curated OER
Exploiting Antarctica
Students read the story and diary "Lizzie's diaries from Antarctica and Antarctica" to get massive clean-up. Students discuss their knowledge of life in Antarctica and raise the fact of the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station and its...
Constitutional Rights Foundation
The War of 1812: America’s First Declared War
Free Trade and Sailor's Rights! Pupils dive into America's first declared war, the War of 1812. They analyze the presidencies of Jefferson and Madison through diary entries and historical reasoning. To conclude the lesson, they use their...