What is historical fiction? After explaining the difference to your learners, it's time to give each learner a try! With your support, encourage them to research, plan, and write their own historical fiction story. Don't forget to have a...

"Rikki-Tikki-Tavi," from The Jungle Book, offers young readers a chance to examine how Rudyard Kipling uses setting and personification to bring to life the brave mongoose who battles cobras to protect his family. Class members...

Students identify artifacts discovered from the exploration of the Jamestown fort in order to help them create a short fictional account about the lives of Jamestown's first inhabitants. In this history lesson, students research the...

Students write a science fiction story.  In this science fiction lesson plan, students read selections of science fiction and compare them to supernatural stories from the Bible.  Students identify themes and discuss elements...

Students put themselves in the role of a historical person and have to write a short story of dramatic dialogue about an event or person that has NOT been depicted in a work of historical fiction yet. This person is Hannah Dustin. A...

Students write a short story set in a selected period of history. They conduct research on a selected period of history, write and edit a rough draft of their short story, and submit a final draft of their story that includes details...

Integrate geography with literature in this interdisciplinary lesson. Begin by reading a poem such as The Time We Climbed Snake Mountain by Leslie Marmon Silko. On a large map, place push pins in the cities or states mentioned. An...

Fifth graders explore world history by reading historical fiction. In this World War II lesson plan, 5th graders read the story My Secret War and identify the importance of fiction when analyzing history. Students answer study questions...

One photograph can represent so much more than the images on the film. Eighth graders select a photograph from the Civil War era and conduct additional research based on the subject matter from the picture. Once they complete the...

Students examine the concept of heroes, and research the role of the Tuskegee Airmen during WWII. They view a video, write journal responses, and read a short history of the group.

Students read and discuss the book, Esperanza Rising. After analyzing and identifying the novel's structural elements, they examine working conditions for migrant workers in the 1930s. As part of the lesson, students in groups choose...

Did you know that modern Chinese literature “grew from the psychoanalytical theory of Sigmund Freud”? Designed for a world literature class, seniors are introduced to “One Evening in the Rainy Season,” Shi Zhecun’s stream of...

Learners identify with and interpret the role of organized crime in the development of one of America's most vibrant cities. Then they look into the city's establishment and development, follow the role of organized crime in its...

Students create and present a short science fiction story. In this Bible studies lesson students work in small groups and are assigned characters and a scenario to develop a play about.

Learners examine one of the locations in Africa listed in the lesson focusing on location, climate, products, activities, and other information they use for their short story. They then write an outline of their story and organize their...

Students create and perform science fiction drams based upon their knowledge of the solar system. In this solar system instructional activity students work in cooperative groups to create a short play and will also score the play.

Fifth graders read and analyze the novel, 'Dancing Feathers.' They identify the main story elements, develop personal and fictional narratives, retell the story from a different point of view, create a mask, and design a postcard.

Kate Chopin's The Awakening introduces readers not only to the lush Louisiana setting of Grand isle but also to the nuances of Creole culture. the second lesson in a three-part series examines how Chopin's use of literary realism and...

Students take effective notes from a video documentary, create an oral report about an assigned aspect of the video, and express an understanding of the King's six wives' lives.

Students outline solutions for what would happen if we had an oil shortage. In this oil shortage lesson plan, students research and discuss an oil crisis that can occur and what would happen to society if it did.

Learners define folklore, folk groups, tradition, and oral narrative. They identify traditional elements in Their Eyes Were Watching God Analyze and understand the role of traditional folkways and folk speech in the overall literary...

Students use problem solving skills to examine symptoms, causes, and treatment of tuberculosis in modern times and in early 1900s. Students read patient case, work in teams to diagnose illness, and conduct Internet research to confirm...

Students explore the First Thanksgiving. In this U.S. history lesson, students read about the Pilgrims and Native Americans and discuss how they obtained and prepared food. Students develop a possible first Thanksgiving menu and draw a...

Sixth graders examine the changes occuring during adolescents using children's literature. As a class, they brainstorm a list of the various roles they play in their family. In groups, they use excerpts of plays from Shakespeare to...