National Endowment for the Humanities
Harriet Jacobs and Elizabeth Keckly: The Material and Emotional Realities of Childhood in Slavery
Young historians learn how to make generalizations based on primary sources in a lesson that uses the autobiographies of two women born into slavery. The class watches a historical re-enactment of scenes from the lives of Harriet Jacobs...
C3 Teachers
Emancipation: Does It Matter Who Freed the Slaves?
Scholars generally agree on the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States. This inquiry-based lesson asks high schoolers to consider more than the claims of who freed the enslaved people but the significance of the issues...
Curated OER
Abigail and John in Love
The second lesson in the series asks groups to analyze an exchange of love letters between Abigail and John Adams. Scholars identify the many allusions and references in the letters and consider what they can infer about the writers.
Curated OER
Illustrating the Elements of a Story
Explore the elements of a story with this two-page graphic organizer. Readers write and draw descriptions of each element, including setting, plot, conflict, rising action, climax, dialogue, and narration.
Rainforest Alliance
Knowing the Essential Elements of a Habitat
To gain insight into the many different types of habitats, individuals must first get to know their own. Here, scholars explore their school environment, draw a map, compare and contrast their surroundings to larger ones. They then write...
Prestwick House
Analyzing Multiple Interpretations of Literature
There is a reason why an Oscar is given each year for the Best Adaptation Screenplay. Adaptations are the focus of an exercise that asks class members to compare a work of literature with a least one adaptation of the work into a...
American Press Institute
High Five: Media Literacy and Newspapers
Teach the five different types of media with the first of three in a media literacy unit. Learners create and propose a final newspaper project, which must address information covered throughout the unit.
Simon & Schuster
Classroom Activities for Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton
Edith Wharton's Ethan Frome is the focus of an 11-page packet that includes three lesson plans, three worksheets, and a homework assignment. The first lesson introduces readers to the historical context of the novel. At the same time,...
Simon & Schuster
Classroom Activities for Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer
Three lessons based on "The Wife of Bath's Prologue" from Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales offer scholars an opportunity to examine literary satire, medieval attitudes towards women, and the form and function of a frame story.
PBS
Explore Art and Movement Inspired by Jacob Lawrence’s Migration Series
Panel 58 from Jacob Lawrence's "Migration Series" of paintings provides middle schoolers with an opportunity to sharpen their observation and analytical skills. After engaging in a warm-up activity that introduces the concepts of...
Stanford University
Sedition in World War I
Students examine the critics of the First World War. In World War I lesson, students free write about patriotism and determine its meaning. After watching a video students discuss patriotism and opposition to the war. Students work in...
Curated OER
Analysis of the Diary of Narcissa Whitman
Seventh graders explore the West through the eyes of a settler. In this Westward Expansion instructional activity, 7th graders read excerpts from the diary of Narcissa Whitman as she journeyed West from Pennsylvania. Students respond to...
Curated OER
A Christmas Carol Exploration
Seventh graders explore the history of Christmas by researching classic literature. In this holiday lesson, 7th graders read the story A Christmas Carol and discuss the tone of Charles Dickens' classic literary work. Students answer...
Curated OER
Building a Computer
In this computer worksheet, students read about computers and the definition of a computer. They build a simple computer using two rulers and learn to add numbers using the computer they build. They answer three critical thinking...
Curated OER
Health, Hygiene, Sanitation, and Privacy
Students examine articles to find out about the relationship between sanitation and disease. In this personal hygiene and home economics lesson, students diagram areas for personal hygiene in their homes, read articles about health and...
Curated OER
Tsunami
Students examine the impact of tsunamis. In this tsunami lesson plan, students read clues and use critical thinking skills to determine why the HMS Chatham was diverted from Dubai in 2004. Students also research tsunamis and create...
Curated OER
Writing Exercise: The Neolithic Revolution
Provide a format for your historians to explore the Neolithic Revolution using this writing exercise. Three display questions prompt scholars to reflect on how the revolution was a turning point in human history, its impact on gender...
Curated OER
Writing Exercises: Political Revolutions
Political Revolutions are fascinating! Historians explore the 18th century revolutionary period through writing with these three broad short-answer prompts. They consider the long-term effects of the Napoleonic Code and describe the...
Curated OER
Julius Caesar: The First Half of the Play
If you want to test your class' reading comprehension on the first half of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, this online interactive quiz may benefit you. Be aware that it requires no critical thinking or analysis.
Curated OER
Julius Caesar: Fun Trivia Quiz
While this online interactive quiz may give you some ideas for basic reading comprehension questions, it includes several mechanical errors and does not require any critical thinking.
Curated OER
Macbeth: Fun Trivia Quiz
This online, interactive quiz on Macbeth asks basic reading comprehension questions, but fails to require any critical thinking or analysis. For this reason, it may be useful for your class to self-assess their understanding, but has...
Curated OER
Innocents Lost
Young scholars use discussion and writing to express their views about the causes, circumstances and impact of the shooting of a six year old girl by a classmate.
Curated OER
Oreo Cookie Writing
Students explore the concept of response writing. For this writing lesson, Oreo cookies are used as motivational tool and writing prompt. Students develop a summary of the events that took place when the Oreos were given out.
Curated OER
Decimal System, Zero, and Pi
Students explore Indian contributions to mathematics. In this mathematics history instructional activity, students examine the decimal system, zero, and pi as contributions from the Indian culture.