Introduction to American Literature

High schoolers discuss the topic of freedom and what the National Anthem means to them and to our country. They create a new and original verse for the National Anthem.

We often see other countries depicted in movies, but getting a close look at a typical day in the life of a young person from another country isn't as common. Give your pupils such a look with a resource that helps class members...

Of all the amendments found in The Bill of Rights, the First Amendment contains some of the most important freedoms for American citizens. A unit plan on the First Amendment features interactive lesson plans designed to teach about those...

A good addition to a unit on the War of 1812, this slideshow details causes, specific battles, political contexts, and several campaigns of the war. Maps and pictures with broad topics allow teachers to bring their own discussion topics...

Ada Limon's poem, "A New National Anthem," offers young scholars an opportunity to reflect on the significance of the US national anthem and the extent to which Key's vision applies to all Americans. After watching a video of Whitney...

You may not be able to take your class to see Ft. McHenry, the birthplace of our national anthem, but using video clips, your learners can see the site for themselves. A curated collection of videos discusses the writing of the anthem in...

Ask your learners this question as a quickwrite: why do you write? This prompt can begin a unit on writing and open up a dialogue about the motivations writers have. Tap into your scholars' reasons for writing and make the activity more...

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick refused to stand for the National Anthem in 2016 as a form of protest. Were his actions appropriate? Using the provided website, pupils attempt to decide for themselves by reading the main...

Pupils sing the national anthem and analyze the lyrics. They work in cooperative groups to sequence the lyrics, research the cultural and historical context of the anthem and record a class performance.

Students use a Billy Joel song to write a scenerio about it.