Curated OER
"Knot" the Whole Truth: Writing a Modern-Day Story with a Tall Tale's Voice
Beyond Paul Bunyan and his blue ox, tall tales can be a great way to teach young writers about word choice and voice in their writing. Using Jerry Spinelli's Maniac Magee and the Six-Trait Writing process, they begin to write their own...
Curated OER
Langston Hughes: Voice Among Voices
Students study Langston Hughes's poetry, short stories, and his first autobiography. They read and appreciate the candid, honest and powerful creative masterpieces of this black genius and discuss the numerous universal themes and...
Curated OER
Haitian Folktales
Seventh graders identify parts of Haitian culture through folktales. They compare and contrast a Haitian folktale with an African American folktale. They read "Bye-Bye" a Haitian folktale. They create and write their own folktale. They...
Curated OER
The Art of Political Cartoons in Revolutionary America
Students analyze political cartoons. In this colonial America lesson, students examine the provided political cartoons and respond to analytical questions about each of them.
Curated OER
Folktales Reflect Daoist and Buddhist Traditions
Tenth graders compare three Chinese folktales for their "messages" and literary techniques to see how they reflect Chinese Confucian and Taoist values. They discuss how folktales share certain subjects, characters, plots and themes.
PBS
Heart to Heart
Study heart health and math in one activity. After measuring their resting heart rates by finding the pulse in their wrists, learners build a stethoscope to listen to their heart rate, and note the differences between the two methods.
Curated OER
In Daddy’s Arms I Am Tall Teacher’s Guide
Students read the book I Am Tall and complete several reading response activities relating to the poems in the book. In this reading response lesson, students focus on the subject of fathers and make speculations about what the poems in...
Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom: What's Next for us in 2011?
In this current events instructional activity, students analyze a political cartoon about predictions for 2011 and respond to 3 talking point questions.
Curated OER
Curriculum Connections with Keiko Kasza
Young scholars read books by the author Keiko Kasza and complete critical thinking skills, and connections to different subjects. In this language lesson plan, students connect the books to language arts, social studies, science, math,...
Curated OER
The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper
In this literature worksheet, students respond to 25 short answer and essay questions about James Fenimore Cooper's The Last of the Mohicans. Students may also link to an online interactive quiz on the novel at the bottom of the page.
Curated OER
The Freddy the Pig Series
Students read the series of books called The Freddy the Pig Series by Walter R. Brooks and complete activities with them. In this The Freddy the Pig Series lesson plan, students write poetry, create drama, write in journals, do...
Curated OER
Multicultural Fairy Tales -- The Stuff of Magic
Third graders are introduced to the characteristics of fairy tales. After being read some examples, they write their own fairy tale based on their adventures on a magic carpet ride after making a chart to organize their thoughts. To...
Curated OER
Political Cartoons
Students analyze cartoons by identifying the symbols, characters and information and its significance in history. They examine the economic and political changes in contemporary America. They determine that political cartoons play an...
Curated OER
Jefferson's Declaration
Fifth graders understand the people and events associated with the
drafting and signing of the Declaration of Independence and the document's significance. They identify the Founding Fathers and
their affiliations. As the lesson...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement: American Literary Humor: Twain, Harris, and Hawthorne
In this curriculum unit, students will consider American Literary Humor: Mark Twain, George Harris, and Nathaniel Hawthorne. Worksheets and other supporting materials can be found under the Resources tab.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement: Mark Twain and American Humor
This instructional activity leads high school students through a greater understanding of the conventions of the literary device of "Humor," through a study of Mark Twain and the story "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County." A...
University of Groningen
American History: Outlines: Rise of Realism
This resource provides a wealth of information about the period of American literature from 1860-1914. There are eight good articles discussing the movements of realism, regionalism, and naturalism, the rise of black American literature,...
Washington State University
Washington State University: Literary Movements: Local Color Fiction, 1865 1895
This site from Washington State University provides a good look at the regionalism and local color of American literature from 1865-1895. A definition is included, practitioners, characteristics, and techniques. There are many links to...
PBS
Pbs Ken Burns: American Lives: Mark Twain
In his time, Mark Twain was considered the funniest man on earth. Yet he was also an unflinching critic of human nature, using his humor to attack hypocrisy, greed and racism. In this series, Ken Burns has created an illuminating...
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Mark Twain: Storyteller, Novelist, and Humorist
By examining two primary source activities and a short video, students will learn how this literary icon used humor and a uniquely American voice to chronicle post-Civil War life in the United States.