National Endowment for the Humanities
A “New English” in Chinua Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart”: A Common Core Exemplar
To examine the “New English” Chinua Achebe uses in Things Fall Apart, readers complete a series of worksheets that ask them to examine similes, proverbs, and African folktales contained in the novel. Individuals explain the meaning...
National Endowment for the Humanities
“House by the Railroad”: A Painting and a Poem for the Common Core
Introduce your class to ekphrastic poetry with an exercise that asks them to examine Edward Hooper's painting House by the Railroad and Edward Hirsch's poem "Edward Hopper and the House By the Railroad." After a close reading of the two...
Mary Pope Osborne, Classroom Adventures Program
Mummies in the Morning Egyptian pyramids, hieroglyphics
Visit the Magic Treehouse and take your class on a trip through time with a reading of the children's book Mummies in the Morning. Using the story to spark an investigation into Egyptian culture, this literature unit engages...
Curated OER
Science Hits Activity
Students listen to a song that teaches the elements of the periodic table and write their own song to be used as an aid in remembering scientific information.
Curated OER
A Pixie Biography Report
Students practice biographical writing after completing research on the subject. In this journalism lesson plan, students read a story of an important person's life and discuss the important moments along the way. Students utilize...
Curated OER
Cultural Creation Myths
Students write original plays based on supernatural explanations of existence. In this cultural creation myths lesson, students listen to five different stories about supernatural creation. Students record similarities and differences in...
Curated OER
Show Me the Story
Students examine the elements of a story, read a review of Chris Rock's new sitcom, "Everybody Hates Chris" and create original sitcom episodes based on their own lives.
Curated OER
Ancient Civilizations
Sixth graders, in groups, research the culture of an ancient civilization. They use the Internet to locate artifacts that illustrate different elements of culture, write a description and analysis of each piece and present their work to...
Curated OER
Monoprint
Students review Gerald Ferstman's work and discuss abstract art. They design and create monoprints on Mylar. They reflect on their work and write about the experience of creating the piece.
Curated OER
Our Illuminated Alphabet
Students examine artwork and create their own. In this writing and illustrating lesson, students view illuminated letters from the Getty Museum's collection and discuss art vocabulary. Students examine the visual elements in the images...
Curated OER
Fantasy Creature
Students, in groups, create three-dimensional sculptures from found objects. They paint their sculptures and write essays that reflect on the collaborative creative project.
Curated OER
Holes
Students read and analyze the story elements of the novel "Holes" by Louis Sachar. They play a "Holes" matching game, complete a timeline of story events, complete a Cause-and-Effect graphic organizer, conduct research on Louis Sachar's...
Curated OER
What Do We Owe To Thoreau?
Learners use this design as an electronic reading and writing guide to Henry David Thoreau's famous essay, "On Civil Disobedience." They use activities to familiarize students with the political issues of Thoreau's time. Comprehension...
Curated OER
A Prelude To Beowulf
Students study the literature and literary techniques of the early Middle Ages, thus preparing students to read Beowulf with an appreciation for its artistry and beauty. Students solve online riddles, write riddles and study Anglo-Saxon...
Curated OER
Once Upon a Genre
Students examine fractured fairy tales before responding by writing in many different genres including a persuasive essay, a personal narrative, a letter, an advertisement, and a resume'. They create a pop-up book with their written...
Curated OER
To Travel or Not to Travel: Locomotor andNonLocomotor Movement
Students develop dances. In this movement lesson, students play action and stillness games and learn motif writing symbols that communicate dance moves. Students use locomotor and non-locomotor movement to create their own movement phrases.
Curated OER
Poetry in Music
Sixth graders look at poetry in music. In this language arts lesson, 6th graders listen to and read the lyrics of songs to find the poetic aspects of them. They focus on similes and metaphors and write their own songs lyrics.
Curated OER
Get Dramatic: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Students explain reducing, recycling and reusing. In this science/ arts instructional activity, students create a commercial and display a backdrop made out of recycled goods. Additionally, students write written responses to writing...
Curated OER
Spin Me a Story
Students examine the motif of spinning and weaving in myths and folktales. They read various myths, complete a WebQuest, develop a mind map of story elements, and write an original "spider" story.
Curated OER
Scenario challenge
Fifth graders become familiar with the geography of New Hampshire and the importance of specific sites in history. In this New Hampshire lesson, 5th graders create a brochure including points of interest and showing distances between...
Curated OER
Tall Tales Today
Students explore the attributes of American tall tales. In this folklore lesson, students read several tall tales, describe the elements of tall tales, and then use hyperbole to write their own tall tales.
Curated OER
EXPRESSIVE QUALITIES
Students create a dance that expresses a specific mood. They describe the composition in writing and explain how they would alter actions, movement qualities and spacing to convey a new mood. They perform the dance they created...
Curated OER
Exploring the Mystery Genre
Students determine the story elements of typical mystery stories including characters and plot structure. They look at vocabulary that is common to mystery stories before reading and responding to mystery chapter books. Working in guided...
Curated OER
Images of Children in Dorthea Lange's Photographs
Students research the photographs of Dorthea Lange. For this visual art lesson, students look at photographs of children taken by Lange and answer several questions. They write or tell stories to explain what they think is occurring in...