The young adult dystopian classic The Giver by Lois Lowry offers readers a taste of what the world would be like if we were all anesthetized to emotion. The narrator, Jonas, is tasked with the responsibility of receiving the collective …
During the first winter of the Jamestown settlement, many settlers died. Those who lived faced unbelievable difficulty and needed vast quantities of strength, skill, and mental fortitude to survive. I would introduce my unit on Jamestown with the quote and …
The classic children’s book The Little Engine that Could by Watty Piper offers many themes to teach young readers, including self-discipline. By encouraging himself with positive affirmations, the Little Blue Engine achieves what seemed impossible, delivering a load of toys …
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Peterson offers one of the most poignant stories of friendship available in children’s literature. Two friends, Jess and Leslie, find each other and become friends during a time when they both need companionship. Though their …
Natalie Babbitt’s novel, Tuck Everlasting provides an excellent opportunity for students to learn about the theme of responsibility. When Winnie Foster learns of the Tucks’ immortality, rather than capitalize on this opportunity for fame or fortune, she keeps their secret …
The short story “To Build a Fire” by Jack London is about how the main character’s lack of imagination leads to a tragic failure in the Yukon wilderness in the middle of a brutal winter. After a reading of the …
The Abolitionist Movement, led by the likes of Frederick Douglass and William Lloyd Garrison, showed the world the importance of taking responsibility to speak out against moral wrongs. The Martin Luther conversation would work nicely alongside the teaching of the …
The informational text, Fly High, Bessie Coleman by Jane Sutcliffe in an excellent account of the first African American female. I would hook readers into the topic of perseverance by using the Henry David Thoreau conversation to discuss success and …
The short story, “Yeshi’s Luck“ by Naomi C. Rose is a great introduction for young readers to the concept of fate and accepting how “the world shapes us.” In the tale, Yeshi learns that you can’t control what happens, and …
Throughout my social studies curriculum, we continually return to the concept of trade–groups of people exchanging goods and services in order the meet each other’s needs. Whether it’s trade between Native American civilizations, The Columbian Exchange, or trade among early …
Students and readers of all ages cherish the classic tale by Maurice Sendak, Where the Wild Things Are, in which a young boy, Max, is sent to bed without his dinner. He embarks on an imaginative journey while he’s in …
The amendments to the Constitution offer a great opportunity to show students how ideas evolve. I would ask students to unpack and rephrase some of the most important amendments, such as Amendment 13 prohibiting slavery, or Amendment 19 which gave …
