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Comparing African, American, and European Folktales
Students listen to John Steptoe's story, "Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters," and then identify similarities and differences between an African, a Native American, and a European folktale.
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Forest Joe Lesson Plan: Outlaw or Hero?
Students become familiar with an American legend that is unfamiliar to many. Presented with the legend of Forest Joe, a runaway slave who, much like Robin Hood, stole from the rich to give to the poor, students draw comparisons and...
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The Eight Immortals
Students compare and contrast the Eight Immortals with American super-
heroes, such as Superman, Wonder Woman, and Aquaman while examining the literary genre of folktales and its connection to art.
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National And International
Students participate in a series of geography lessons in which they identify the meaning of national and international. They discover the regions of the US after identifying the planet on which they live, the continents, the oceans and...
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The American Dream
Students expand their knowledge by researching on the Internet the African American civil rights movement and compiling a timeline of events and heroes. In addition to the civil rights timeline, students identify the key historical sites...
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Courageous Voices that Shook the Nation to Action
Students study Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. In this Martin Luther King, Jr. day lesson, students learn about the holiday for Dr. King through literature and music. Students learn the lyrics to Stevie Wonder's 'Happy Birthday' about...
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Evaluating Information Quality: Identifying Useful Information
Third graders examine different types of information and evaluate its accuracy. In groups, they research tribal heroes from the present and past. As a class, they identify what they need to look for to determine if the information is...
Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary
Benjamin and the Way to A Good Life
Young scholars explore American history by reading biographical text in class. In this Benjamin Franklin lesson, students research the famous inventor by reading assigned text and answering reading comprehension questions afterwards....
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Sports Personalities in Advertising
During a series of four activities, class members examine and deconstruct advertising that features famous athletes. They determine target audiences, analyze ads, explore "emotional climate," and role play a meeting between a sports...
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Heroes and Heroines of the Underground Railroad System (UGRR)
Fourth graders choose one leader, either Tubman or Coffin, and write a persuasive summary paragraph that explains why the leader displays the character traits of a hero/heroine in the UGRR
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Models of American Citizenship
Third graders investigate the concept of American citizenship by pretending to time travel. They travel back in time to visit the eras of Thomas Jefferson, Hellen Keller, Harriet Tubman, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and community heroes....
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Crossing the Line: Jackie Robinson
Students participate in viewing The National Pastime, a film about Jackie Robinson's life. They discuss how Robinson was a hero and how they can learn from him. They work in groups using a graphic organizer to analyze Jackie Robinson...
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Envisioning Equality
Students research the contributions of Civil Rights leaders. In this human justice lesson, students research selected websites about the accomplishments of leaders of the American Civil Rights Movement. Students use their research...
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Symbols of America
Students research the events of September 11th . In this symbols lesson, students discover ways to honor this day. Students research the Internet for symbols used to represent ideas, events and people. Students work in groups to design a...
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Revolutionary Women of South Carolina
Students examine multiple primary sources. In this revolutionary war lesson, students read case studies regarding women from South Carolina. Students will compare the different roles women played during the Revolutionary War. Students...
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Examining Women's Roles through Primary Sources and Literature
Students interpret historical evidence presented in primary resources. In this women's history lesson, students examine the role of women prior to and following the suffrage movement. Students also read selected pieces of women's...
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Violence Prevention
Compare and contrast the ideologies of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle schoolers conduct research regarding civil rights and rhetorical strategies used in political speechs. They examine the strategies that both men employed...
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Story Stretching: Tall Tales in North America
Students are introduced to tall tales. In this introductory tall tales unit, students explore the tall tales of Casey Jones and Johnny Appleseed. This unit includes many interdisciplinary lessons including graphing skills and geography.
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Art Through the Eyes of Youth
Students take a field trip to an art gallery reflecting on the paintings they like the most. Individually, they use magazines to find pictures related to their personality. In pairs, they make a mask to represent their ethnic group and...
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I'll Trade You . . .
Students watch the video, New York Sports: Big Shots and Bad Guys. They research some of the players highlighted in the show for information about their athletic prowess, their importance in the city, and their reputations as Big Shots...
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The True Story of Abbie Burgess
First graders read a story from their textbooks about women in the 1850's. They discuss what it was like to be a woman living in American during this time period. They brainstorm heroines of American history and then discuss woman...
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Official Statements
Students research the viewpoints of famous Americans, and then write commencement speeches reflecting these viewpoints to be delivered to high school graduates of today.
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Folk Traditions in the Blues
Click here to download a PDF of this lesson. (2.8 MB) Overview This lesson will enable teachers to use the blues to explore selected topics in African American folklore. Students will learn about some of the African American cultural...
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Civil War
Students are be able to analyze primary sources (Civil War images) for examples of how soldiers are portrayed historically. They discuss what a hero is and why some individuals are heroes to certain groups while others are not.