Resources for teaching the Alabama State Department of Education Critical Standards for 2020 school closures.

Resources for teaching the Alabama State Department of Education Critical Standards for 2020 school closures.

Television host and journalist Meredith Vieira takes a look at 100 of the best-loved books in America and the ways in which these novels affect [More]

Television host and journalist Meredith Vieira takes a look at 100 of the best-loved books in America and the ways in which these novels affect people and connect them. The eight-episode series features interviews with celebrities, authors, fans and everyday Americans who discuss the books that have influenced them and the significance of these stories on American popular culture. The series culminates with the reveal of America's most-loved novel.

The Giver is a Newberry Award-winning book by Lois Lowry that tells the story of 12-year-old Jonas, who lives in a seemingly perfect society called [More]

The Giver is a Newberry Award-winning book by Lois Lowry that tells the story of 12-year-old Jonas, who lives in a seemingly perfect society called “the community,” where memories and feelings have been eliminated. He eventually discovers the community’s dark side and takes a daring step to save a life and seek freedom. We explore how Jonas is an ordinary boy who does the extraordinary. Learning objectives
Students will: 

• Watch a video segment and answer contextual questions 
• Build vocabulary, reading and listening comprehension skills
• Complete a vocabulary worksheet 

 

This video from the American Masters film Ralph Ellison: An American Journey provides a plot summary of Invisible Man focusing on the protagonist’s journey from [More]

This video from the American Masters film Ralph Ellison: An American Journey provides a plot summary of Invisible Man focusing on the protagonist’s journey from innocence to maturity.  The background essay describes the stages of Joseph Campbell’s “Hero’s Journey” and students are invited to compare Ellison’s novel to Campbell’s monomyth.  This resource is recommended for use after students have read Invisible Man in its entirety. For additional resources on Ralph Ellison: An American Journey and to purchase the complete DVD, visit California Newsreel.

This video from the American Masters film Ralph Ellison: An American Journey features a plot summary of Invisible Man and discussion of the novel’s significance [More]

This video from the American Masters film Ralph Ellison: An American Journey features a plot summary of Invisible Man and discussion of the novel’s significance in the history of African American literature.  Students should watch the video after reading Invisible Man as several scenes from the novel are reenacted. For additional resources on Ralph Ellison: An American Journey and to purchase the complete DVD, visit California Newsreel.

A little thing can do a big thing in a big thing’s life.” E.B. White’s story of unlikely heroes on a small farm has made [More]

A little thing can do a big thing in a big thing’s life.” E.B. White’s story of unlikely heroes on a small farm has made a lasting impact on America. Follow along with school children in Brooklin, Maine, as they explore E.B. White’s very own farm where he wrote Charlotte's Web.

Learning Objectives Students will:

• Watch a video segment and answer contextual questions
• Explore the importance of friendship in a classroom discussion
• Create character “book covers,” exploring the character traits of the three main characters in “Charlotte’s Web”