Students will learn about Harriet Beecher Stowe’s activist writing, particularly her best-known work, Uncle Tom’s Cabin. After watching a video synopsis of her life, they will examine the cover page of sheet music for a play based on Uncle Tom’s Cabin and will read excerpts from the book that illustrate the power of her writing. To conclude the lesson, students will design a new book jacket for Uncle Tom’s Cabin that will highlight the importance of both the author and the novel.

Through viewing a video about Helen Keller’s life, examining a 1904 photograph of Keller, and reading excerpts of her autobiography, students will learn about Helen Keller’s commitment to advocating for equal treatment for people with disabilities. The lesson concludes with students choosing a quotation that best represents Keller’s challenges and successes.

In this lesson, students will learn about Thoreau’s iconoclastic ideas and about the unusual steps he took to live out his beliefs. In addition to watching a short video, they will examine the original 1854 book cover for Walden and read excerpts from Thoreau’s most famous works. To conclude the lesson, they will connect Thoreau’s unusual perspective and daring actions to their lives as young 21st-century Americans.

In this lesson, students will explore the courage that it took for Jackie Robinson to fight segregation and discrimination on and off the baseball field. After viewing a short video about his life, students will analyze a photograph that exemplifies Robinson’s dignity and then read a letter he wrote to President Dwight Eisenhower pleading for speedier action on civil rights. The lesson will conclude with students creating baseball cards that portray Robinson’s remarkable courage both on and off the baseball field.

Students will learn about the notable achievements and difficult challenges experienced by Malcolm X. After watching a biographical video, they will analyze a photograph taken during the only face-to-face encounter Malcolm X ever had with Martin Luther King Jr., and they will read and answer questions about a letter written during his momentous pilgrimage to Mecca. To conclude the lesson, students will choose a quotation to analyze as a way to demonstrate their understanding of this charismatic leader.

In this lesson, students will learn about Mark Twain’s career as a journalist, novelist, and humorist. After viewing a video about his life, students will examine a caricature of Twain from the humor magazine Puck and will read a letter he wrote to a close friend and fellow author. The lesson concludes with students writing a Twain-style piece about a contemporary issue.

In this lesson, students will watch a video about Dr. King that emphasizes his commitment to nonviolence. They will then examine and analyze a 1956 flyer and a 1966 photograph that illustrate King’s approach to maintaining nonviolence. The lesson culminates with a comparison to other leaders who have been consistently nonviolent in spite of great personal risk.

Students will learn about the remarkable athletic achievements and advocacy of Muhammad Ali. After watching a biographical video, students will analyze a photograph taken during the height of the controversy over Ali’s refusal to fight in the Vietnam War, and they will read the transcript of a revealing interview Ali gave and answer questions about it. To conclude the lesson, students will choose a quotation to use for a motivational poster.

Students Share Their Reading Through A Short Movie! Integrates plot structure, main ideas and summarizing.
Much better than a written report!

This course was created by the Rethink Education Content Development Team. This course is aligned to the NC Standards for 4th Grade English Language Arts.

This course was created by the Rethink Education Content Development Team. This course is aligned to the NC Standards for 4th Grade English Language Arts. 

In this lesson, students will get beyond the myths of Rosa Parks’ arrest on a Montgomery bus in December of 1955 in order to understand that she was a person of strong convictions about civil rights and fair treatment. After watching a short biographical video, they will examine a photograph of Parks and others at the Highlander School, a training ground for activists, and they will read the parts of the Montgomery City Code that led to her arrest. The lesson culminates with students developing a creative piece based on their new understanding of Rosa Parks.

In this lesson, students will learn about Sitting Bull’s determination to protect Native American land and culture in the face of Westward Expansion and the overwhelming power of the US military. After viewing a video about his life, students will examine an 1885 photograph of Sitting Bull and read excerpts of his description of the Battle of Little Bighorn. The lesson concludes with students imagining a dialogue between Sitting Bull and a more cautious counterpart.

In this lesson, students will learn about Sojourner Truth’s egalitarian spirit in the face of institutional discrimination. After viewing a video about her life, students will examine an 1864 photograph of Truth and read excerpts of her most famous speech. The lesson concludes with students choosing a new name for a current-day exemplar of perseverance.

Students will learn about the inventions and path to success of Thomas Edison by watching a short biographical video, analyzing a photograph of Edison and one of his most famous inventions, and reading a letter written by Edison to a Minnesota high school student. The lesson concludes with students assessing and updating one of Edison’s many inventions.

Students will learn about the powerful writing and strong convictions of Thomas Paine, author of Common Sense, one of the most influential books in American history. After watching a short video about Paine, students will examine both the cover and some of the contents of his most famous work. To conclude the lesson, students will write eulogies for Paine that summarize his greatest accomplishments as a writer and advocate for American independence.

In this lesson, students will learn about Walt Whitman’s brave actions and highly regarded writings. After viewing a video about his life, students will examine the frontispiece and title page of an early edition of Leaves and Grass and will analyze one of its most famous poems. The lesson concludes with students writing an updated version of “I Hear America Singing” reflecting what they have learned about Whitman’s beliefs about our country.

Our ‘Local Read Aloud’ is a spin-off of The Global Read Aloud, created by Pernille Ripp.  The idea is that we select one book to read aloud to our students over a span of six weeks.  During our six weeks of reading we connect with other classrooms across the district and discuss, create, and connect with the book and our peers.  We can use a variety of tools to connect, and take as much, or as little time as we’d like. The project is intended to be enjoyable and not stressful, and in my experience the students enjoy the read aloud component as much as the connections.

Our ‘Local Read Aloud’ is a spin-off of The Global Read Aloud, created by Pernille Ripp.  The idea is that we select one book to read aloud to our students over a span of six weeks.  During our six weeks of reading we connect with other classrooms across the district and discuss, create, and connect with the book and our peers.  We can use a variety of tools to connect, and take as much, or as little time as we’d like. The project is intended to be enjoyable and not stressful, and in my experience the students enjoy the read aloud component as much as the connections.