Novelinks
The Winter’s Tale: Shakespeare’s Words
Varier wag? I'fecks? Posterns? As part of their vocabulary study, readers of The Winter's Tale try their hand at crafting Shakespearian-style sentences using words drawn from the play.
Curated OER
Antebellum Revivalism and Reform
A gold mine for American history teachers, this presentation cascades through the middle of the 19th century with the central themes of moral and social reform. Between the blossoming Mormon church, the tightening of the Temperance...
Curated OER
The Gift Drawings of the Shakers
Students create their own "gift drawings" that are inspired by the dreams and visions of the Shakers. In this gift drawings lesson plan, students learn the history of the Shakers, make their own drawing, and practice elements of design...
National First Ladies' Library
'Tis a Gift to Be Simple: The Shaker People
Students identify the difficulties and benefits of a utopian community. They examine their own ideas of utopia and research an example of one such community that has had an impact on our own culture.
Curated OER
Our Class Band
Pupils play percussion instruments that have been divided into four groups and perform to 'Old MacDonald Had a Farm'. In this percussion performance lesson, students identify percussion instruments divided into four categories. Pupils...
Curated OER
Simple Gifts
Pupils examine the concepts of half notes, quarter notes, whole notes, and musical phrases by performing the Shaker song "Simple Gifts". Emphasis is placed on movement with music and meeting national standards for the arts.
Curated OER
Sing a Shaker Song
Second graders study the Shakers of the 19th century and practice a traditional Shaker song, complete with dance motions.
The Orchestra
The Orchestra: A User's Manual Percussion
A terrific resource covering many aspects of the percussion. Most explanations are made with video and audio clips of members of the Philharmonia Orchestra.
OpenStax
Open Stax: Antebellum Communal Experiments
Read this section of a chapter on "Antebellum Idealism and Reform Impulses" to identify similarities and differences among utopian groups of the antebellum era and explain how religious utopian communities differed from nonreligious ones.
Curated OER
National Park Service: Travel the Shaker Historic Trail
This site provides a detailed history of the Shaker community through a tour of its historical sites. Learn about its history, its stories, and the people who were prominent in establishing this religion in America.
Digital History
Digital History: Utopian Socialism
A good look at the Utopian communities that were attempted in the first half of the 19th century. They had differing reasons for their development, but their common focus was trying a unique way of communal living. Read about the Oneida...
Other
The Shaker Workshops: Who Are the Shakers?
This resource provides links to a number of articles and essays on the history of the Shakers, their way of life, and their furniture making.
Virginia Tech
Robert Newton Peck: Shaker Beliefs
The Alan Review provides information on Robert Newton, Shaker beliefs and history.
Curated OER
National Park Service: Utopias in America
A good look at the various Utopian communities established in the United States in the 1800s. Find out about the communities, their founders, and their demise.
Penguin Publishing
Penguin Random House: "A Day No Pigs Would Die" Teacher Guide
Teacher guide for "A Day No Pigs Would Die" features brief synopsis, author biographical sketch, list of themes, and ideas for interdisciplinary connections.
Other
Smith College: The Shakers
This site has a good description of the Shaker movement. It talks about their way of life and contributions to society. It also contains a list of Shaker communities that existed at one time or another in the United States.
PBS
Pbs: The Shakers Timeline
A good timeline showing the major events in the history of the religious group plus it also places them in the context of events around the world.
Countries and Their Cultures
Countries and Their Cultures: Shakers
An article reviewing information about the religious sect known as the Shakers. Learn about the history of their founder, Mother Ann Lee, and eight followers who immigrated to the United States in 1774 and the life they made here.
Digital History
Digital History:religious Ferment
The Second Great Awakening brought about the growth of Protestant denominations, and some new religions and sects.