Curated OER
Thornton Wilder's Our Town: The Reader as Writer
Students read a play and create their own play using Thornton Wilder's Our Townas a resource. In this play activity, students analyze how theatrical elements contribute to a play's meanings and effects. Students recognize differences...
Curated OER
Introduction to Poetry
Students are introduced to poetry and music. They discuss what the two have in common. They identify a song as their favorite and explain why.
Curated OER
Mrs. Katz and Tush
Students read Patricia Polacco's Mrs. Katz and Tush before comparing Jewish heritage with Black history using a Venn Diagram. They complete the diagram either as a whole group or in a small group setting. Next, they sample the Jewish...
Curated OER
Going West: The Artist Who Painted the Way
Fifth graders study the artists and artwork of the Westward movement. In this Westward Movement lesson set, 5th graders examine the characteristics of the art of this era. They look at the lives of the artists and think about how the art...
Curated OER
You Too Can Haiku
Students explore the country of Japan. In this international studies lesson plan, students utilize their geography skills to locate Japan on a map. Students explore some Japanese customs and communities. Students use descriptive language...
Curated OER
Dialogue Tags/ Synonyms for Said
Sixth graders analyze dialogue tags. In this synonyms lesson students work in groups analyzing a personal narrative. They enter the words onto a classroom chart as well as their notes or journal. The students replace tags with more...
Curated OER
Remember the Bridge: Poems of a People
Fifth graders explore poems of African Americans. They research a famous African American, write a report, create a timeline of events in African American history, create a map of the New World, and research Molly Walsh. After...
Curated OER
What Difference Does it Make How Old I Am?
Students identify subtle messages advertisers send (often unintentionally) about age in the course of trying to sell products; to analyze the consequences, both positive and negative, those messages have on the American audience; to...
Curated OER
Technology as Change: The Atlantic Canada Fishery
Ninth graders use the internet to research the history of the Atlantic Canada Fishery and how it was different from today. Using this information, they write a research paper and share it with their classmates. In groups, they...
Curated OER
Bon Voyage - Literature Travel Unit
Eighth graders locate and interpret information about the culture of another country using multi-media tools. Students read and interpret literature about characters and cultures from a foreign country. Students create a travel guide...
Curated OER
The Portrait
Students discuss the historical painting of portraits. In this art history lesson, students examine the history of portraiture during the nineteenth century. This lesson is intended to be used with a visit to the Musee d'Orsay in France.
Curated OER
Jingle Bells
Second graders identify people of different ages, cultural backgrounds, traditions, and careers. They explain how they contribute to the community. Students sing a song to display the different Christmas traditions that are celebrated in...
Curated OER
Africa
Second graders explore Africa. They label the popular places in Africa on a map. Students label the different cities and monuments that are popular in Africa. They discuss the similarities and differences between cities in Africa and...
Curated OER
There's A Nighmare in My Closet
First graders read "There's A Nightmare in My Closet." They brainstorm what closet monsters could look like. They construct miniature monsters out of construction paper. Students use a variety of different shapes and colors of...
Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech: Feminist Literary Criticism and Theory
The Feminist Theory Website at Virginia Tech University provides a list of all types of feminist literary criticism and theory.
Annenberg Foundation
Annenberg Learner: Artifacts and Fiction: Workshop in American Literature
This workshop, which is divided into eight segments, teaches how to use primary source artifacts from a variety of genres to support the teaching and learning of specific pieces of literature. The genres include visual arts, political...
ReadWriteThink
Read Write Think: Using Snowflake Bentley as a Framing Text for Multigenre Writing
Using Snowflake Bentley as a model, students create a working definition of multigenre text and then use that definition to create their own multigenre piece about winter or another theme.
Other
Literature Learning Ladders: Literature Based Web Quests
A large compilation of high-quality literature-based WebQuests organized by grade range, K-2, 3-6, middle and high (30-50 quests per range). Most relate to specific books; a few explore general themes or genres, e.g., where authors get...
American Movie Classics Company
The Film Site: Film Noir
Crime and gangster movies, detective mysteries and more -- all are of the film noir genre. Get to know the history behind this style of films.
Other
The Horror Writers Association
This is the The Horror Writers Association homepage. HWA is an organization of writers and publishing professionals. It includes "The Top 40 Horror Books of All Time as chosen by the Horror Writers Association."
AdLit
Ad lit.org: Multiple Texts: Multiple Opportunities for Teaching and Learning
Engaging all students in a themed study or unit is a challenge that teachers can resolve by using materials that match students' independent or instructional reading levels (Robb 1994, 2000). When students face textbooks that are above...
Other
Animal Myths & Legends
Creative site that collects Native American and Australian Aboriginal tales, retelling them in an easy-to-read style. Also collects animal stories, such as how the zebra got its stripes, from kids from all over the world. Includes links...