National Endowment for the Humanities
Nathaniel Hawthorne and Literary Humor
Young scholars examine Nathaniel Hawthorne's style of humor and compare it to other humorists. They discuss the purpose of literary humor and determine how it develops characters and plots in stories. They analyze the use of different...
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Vivid Adjectives
Students review adjectives and play a game where students compete to see who can write the most adjectives for a given noun. They write a story about one topic and try to use a variety of adjectives in sequence tto describe a noun.
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Exploring War Themes in Art and Poetry
What is war? High schoolers discuss the ethical dilemma of war by viewing Picasso's painting entitled "Guernica" and write down everything they see in the painting. Then they choose one emotion that best summarizes their emotional...
National Endowment for the Humanities
A Raisin in the Sun: Whose "American Dream"?
How does Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun factor into a discussion of the American dream? High schoolers define the American dream and recognize the historical setting of the play. Additionally, they identify forms of...
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It's Just Not Art
Students examine multiple styles of artwork that have earned awards. For this art lesson, students discuss the definition of contemporary art then compare how artwork has changed over the years.
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Language Arts Exploration
While an interesting lesson idea involving the exploration of a story about an Asian American boy named Imduk, a teacher would need to have assess to the Scott Foresman reading program to make this work. If not, a teacher could use...
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Universal Traditions
Students research personal bias towards the story Marriage is a Private Affair. For this tradition research lesson, students read the story and discuss the ending. Students free write about the topic and complete a Venn diagram to...
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"The Hell of Mirrors" by Edogawa Rampo
Students read and analyze the short story, "The Hell of Mirrors," by Edogawa Rampo. They write diary entries, develop a video, create an illustration, conduct research, and write a short story.
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"The Circuit" and the Civil Rights Movement
Students compare and contrast concepts of the civil rights movement to the concepts presented in the short story, "The Circuit." In groups, they sort a series of ideas written on index cards into two categories - rights and freedoms. ...
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Your Future Occupation
Students write a story about themselves as the main character in a work situation. In this writing perspectives lesson, students brainstorm about their future occupation. Students then use themselves as the main character in a short...
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Beneath the News: Who's Doing What to Whom, and Who Cares?
Students investigate the differences between various forms of media (print, radio, TV, Internet). They determine the target audience for each and compare exposure around the world. They write a short story and share it with the class.
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Step by Step
Students measure the rise and run of steps from a place that holds meaning for them. They write a reflection (in the form of a journal entry, poem, or short story) regarding this significant place.
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EARLY CIVILIZATIONS
Students compare and contrast the monuments of four ancient cultures and draw conclusions about the origins, construction, and purposes of these structures.
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Getting the Message: What Did You Say?
Students listen to and compare the first sentence of the Gettysburg Address spoken in different languages. They also compare frequency readings for each and discuss how the brain interprets spoken words.
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Film Study: Albert Maysles and Direct Cinema
Students Discuss the contributions of Albert Maysles to documentary filmmaking and learn how to correctly operate video recording and editing equipment to create a short film.
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Scary Stuff!
Fourth graders interview community members for a "newspaper". They design a business brochure, write a disappearing ghost story, and experiment with mono-printing. They experiment with a variety of materials, tools, equipment, and...
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Step Into My Shoes
Students order their classmates from smallest to largest foot length. In this ordering their classmates from smallest to largest foot length lesson, students trace each of their classmates foot. Students read a story called, 'How Big...
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Introductory Module
Third graders examine the non-standard method of measurement and compare it to the metric system of measurement. In this introductory module lesson, 3rd graders discover the scientific observation. Students also develop communication...
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Portrait of a Place, Portrait of a Family
Learners act out stories based on lives of famous people from Harlem. In this memoirs lesson plan, students compare the life of the people in Harlem in 1930 to the people of today. Learners explore how "home" is different for different...
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The Shape of Home
Students define home and understand that home is not the same to everyone. For this homes lesson, students participate individually and in groups to create a classroom definition of home. Students discuss the events in the story the...
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The Basics of Journalism: A Little Preview
Students define journalism and identify the basic components of a news story. In this journalism basics activity, students define the word journalism, read a new story, and break it into parts with two major characteristics for each...
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Fishing Fun
Students complete pre reading, writing, during reading, and interdisciplinary activities for the book Fishing Fun. In this reading lesson plan, students complete journal entries, go over vocabulary, answer short answer questions, have...
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Through the Eyes of Al McIntosh
High schoolers examine World War II through the eyes of local journalists such as Al McIntosh. As a class, they discuss how stories about the war affects the public back at home. In groups, they compare and contrast how newspapers...
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Push/Pull Factors and Welsh Emigration
Learners view and discuss short sections of movies that relate to immigration. Working in groups, students create a map that shows directions of internal migration in their assigned geographical area. Learners review ads/booklets created...