Road to Grammar
The Unexplained
Are you afraid of what goes bump in the night? Talk about the supernatural with your English language learners to find out their beliefs while practicing speaking skills. Learners read three different viewpoints on the paranormal...
Poets.org
Ghosts and Spirits
Connect poetry to a naturally kid-friendly topic: ghosts! Draw on your class's prior knowledge of the paranormal to help them access the classic poem "Haunted House" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. After a fun warm-up activity describing...
Curated OER
The Only Thing We Have To Fear...
Pupils explore the appeal of fear in today's society and beliefs about the paranormal, specifically ghosts. They create a survey to be distributed throughout the school regarding beliefs in ghosts and other supernatural beings and forces.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Vengeful Verbs in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”
It's time for pupils to read, examine, and contemplate literature to explore the difference between vivid and generic verbs. Pupils distinguish between the two types of verbs as they read the ghost scene from Shakespeare's Hamlet. They...
Curated OER
Literacy Lesson: Guided Reading
Here is a wonderful lesson designed for students with special needs. This well-thought-out lesson uses Big Books, familiar stories, and has a lot of review learning built into it. The book, The Keeping Quilt is used in the main part of...
Curated OER
Personal Narrative Paragraphs: Class Quilt
Begin this activity by asking third graders to bring from home pieces of cloth that represent something important to them. (Have extras for students who need them.) They reflect on important events in their lives, compose narrative...
Curated OER
How to Write an Essay: Secondary ed.
Whether introducing the structure of expository essays or reviewing the format with your high schoolers, take the time to check out this resource. Examples of seven common forms of introductory paragraphs and six types of conclusions, as...
Curated OER
An Activity to Introduce Critical Thinking
Learners discover how easy it is to accept oulandish claims by witnessing a fellow student show that they have a form of ESP but is secretly working with the teacher. This demonstrations uses skepticism as a starting point for...
Curated OER
Jane Eyre - Essay Questions
In this literature worksheet, students respond to 10 short answer and essay questions about Bronte's Jane Eyre. Students may also link to an online interactive quiz on the novel at the bottom of the page.
Curated OER
Bermuda Triangle
Young scholars explore what the Bermuda triangle is and the theories as to why it is so mysterious. In this mystery lesson students read and discuss the history and the mystery behind the Bermuda Triangle.
Curated OER
I Dig Your Art, Man (or Woman)
Twelfth graders write a thesis regarding a modern artist of their choice for a 15-20 multi-media presentation. In this lesson students create a Power Point, video, or some other visual representation studying an artist or modern artistic...
Curated OER
Congressional Scenarios
In this U.S. government worksheet, students read 12 scenarios pertaining to government intervention and determine what to do as lawmakers in response to each of the scenarios.
Curated OER
Commonly Confused Words - Quiz 15
In this confused words worksheet, students fill in the blanks to sentences by choosing the correct confusing word. Students complete 20 sentences.
Wikimedia
Wikipedia: Bermuda Triangle
Wikipedia explores the history of the Bermuda Triangle and supposed associations with paranormal activities. Content includes a look at the first mention of the Bermuda Triangle, its growth in popularity, skeptical responses, and famous...
Blackdog Media
Classic Reader: The Green Eyes of Bast by Sax Rohmer
This is the full text of the novel The Green Eyes of Bast by Sax Rohmer, a paranormal mystery featuring Bast, an ancient Egyptian cat goddess. Rohmer is best remembered for his series of novels featuring the master criminal Dr. Fu Manchu.
Georgia Department of Education
Ga Virtual Learning: Contemporary Literature: Fantasy and Science Fiction
This lesson is an introduction to Contemporary Fantasy and Science Fiction including definitions, themes, characteristics, and some leading authors and movies.
Other
Csicop: Field Guide to Critical Thinking
This article, originally published in Skeptical Inquirer, outlines some of the key components of the scientific problem-solving process while addressing the many reasons for the popularity of paranormal beliefs in the U.S. (Published in...
Other
Skeptic's Dictionary: Piltdown Hoax
Was the Piltdown Hoax proof that science is "bunk" or was it just a temporary detour demonstrating the fallibility and human quality of scientific knowledge? These pages explores why so many scientists appeared to be duped by the...
Scientific American
Scientific American: Smart People Believe Weird Things
This article, published by Scientific American (September 2002), explores how smart people can believe weird and silly things. The article comes to the conclusion that our beliefs are shaped more by our environment than our understanding...