Lesson using primary resource to explore how Abigail Adams's famous appeal to "Remember the Ladies" is a reflection of the status of women in eighteenth-century America.

The National Humanities Center presents collections of primary resources compatible with the Common Core State Standards - historical documents, literary texts, and works of art - thematically organized with notes and discussion questions. Topics discussed in this unit include the following: Becoming Modern: America in the 1920s: Modern Woman. Here we view the phenomenon of the "modern woman" as she was revered and reviled at the time - newly enfranchised by the 19th Amendment, entering the job market and the political arena in greater numbers than ever, and redefining marriage, motherhood, and "womanliness" for a new era. Includes commentaries, a cartoon, a literary selection from Sinclair Lewis, and a newsreel.

Lesson on how women's role in the campaign against alcohol consumption in 19th-century America reflected the strengths and limitations of the cult of domesticity. Complete set of resources for a comprehensive study.

Students will watch three episodes of the UNLADYLIKE2020 series of 26 short films and explore the similarities in issues affecting these women while also identifying the qualities that made them unique. The lessons are about finding common threads between the women, and also between the past and the present. This student-centered lesson follows the '5E' instructional model. Students will explore the lives of these incredible figures through a gallery walk, discuss their findings, research events of the present, and create their own gallery walk to present their research.

Students read three short stories about women; discuss the development of female characters, gender differences, and society' s expectations; and write scripts in which the characters discuss their similarities and differences.

Metis women are known for their skills in beading, quilling embroidery and finger weaving. Traditional arts and contemporary artists and their art is recognized through video, print and visual files.

Essay provides parallels and connections with the modern world that illuminate Rome's history and downfall. Archived.

Rediscover the complex life and legacy of the author, advocate and human rights pioneer. Helen Keller (1880-1968), who was deaf and blind since childhood, used her celebrity and wit to advocate for social justice, particularly for women, workers, people with disabilities, and people living in poverty. All the videos and support materials in this collection incorporate accessibility features including ASL interpretation, descriptive transcripts, extended audio description, closed captioning, alternative text descriptions for primary source images, and accessible text-based handouts. Visit this resource to learn more about the tools utilized to help make the film Becoming Helen Keller accessible for people who are blind or have limited vision, are deaf or partially deaf, or a combination of both. This Collection includes: Media Gallery (2), Video (12) for Grades 9-12.

Kathryn Hughes explores the repressive and often contradictory expectations of women in middle-class Victorian society while examining how women such as Florence Nightingale and Elizabeth Barrett-Browning managed to challenge those expectations. [7:39]

Professor Kathryn Sutherland considers Jane Austen's portrayal of female characters and her harshly moralistic outlook. [2:26]

Kathryn Hughes explains the role of the governess in 19th-century society and literature. Find out more about the duties of a governess, the types of women employed, who employed them, and why their position in middle-class households was often lonely and awkward. [6:24]

This site provides biographical information concerning Christopher Marlowe, texts of his works, articles and essays about his works, and a list of other available sources.

Discover ways in which systemic inequality persists today in the lives of people of color, women, and those living in both urban and rural areas, in this video from Eyes on the Prize: Then and Now. Many communities have been denied quality affordable housing, and a rapidly growing wealth gap disproportionately impacts communities of color and other ethnic minorities. While some progress has been made, one young activist states that skin color and where a child lives can predict whether he or she is more likely to end up in prison or in a career. Support materials are provided. [2:19]

Follow Clemencia Carabali, a community activist from Cauca, as she travels to Washington, D.C to share with congressional staffers the perspective of Cauca's residents- while the Colombian government has one story to tell, many of its residents have a very different and untold story. [3:25]

An extensive site from the Library of Congress that covers all kinds of topics about India. Includes a very detailed history of British India under "Company Rule, 1757-1857," "The British Raj, 1858-1947," and "Sepoy Rebellion, 1857-59." Check other links under Chapter One for more history information.

An intriguing look at the woman's role in society in the New Kingdom. This PBS article talks about the rights of women which were unusual in ancient cultures

This video from Women, War & Peace demonstrates the power of women and suggests that in today's world, especially with the evolution of communication, the presence of women at peace talks is necessary and inevitable. [7:44]

The 11th grade learning experience consists of 7 mostly month-long units aligned to the Common Core State Standards, with available course material for teachers and students easily accessible online. Over the course of the year there is a steady progression in text complexity levels, sophistication of writing tasks, speaking and listening activities, and increased opportunities for independent and collaborative work. Rubrics and student models accompany many writing assignments.Throughout the 11th grade year, in addition to the Common Read texts that the whole class reads together, students each select an Independent Reading book and engage with peers in group Book Talks. Students move from learning the class rituals and routines and genre features of argument writing in Unit 11.1 to learning about narrative and informational genres in Unit 11.2: The American Short Story. Teacher resources provide additional materials to support each unit.

This unit uses William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing as a vehicle to help students consider how a person is powerless in the face of rumor and how reputations can alter lives, both for good and for ill. They will consider comedy and what makes us laugh. They will see how the standards of beauty and societal views toward women have changed since the Elizabethan Age and reflect on reasons for those changes. As students consider the play, they will write on the passages that inspire and plague them and on topics relating to one of the themes in the play. Finally, they will bring Shakespeare’s words to life in individual performances and in group scene presentations.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Students read Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing .
Students read two Shakespearean sonnets and excerpts from an Elizabethan morality handbook dealing with types of women, and they respond to them from several different perspectives.
For each work of literature, students do some writing. They learn to write a sonnet; create a Prompt Book; complete a Dialectical Journal; and write an analytical essay about a topic relating to a theme in the play.
Students see Shakespeare’s play as it was intended to be seen: in a performance. They memorize 15 or more lines from the play and perform them for the class. Students take part in a short scene as either a director or an actor.

GUIDING QUESTIONS

These questions are a guide to stimulate thinking, discussion, and writing on the themes and ideas in the unit. For complete and thoughtful answers and for meaningful discussions, students must use evidence based on careful reading of the texts.

What are society’s expectations with regard to gender roles?
Does humor transcend time? Do we share the same sense of humor as our ancestors?
How do we judge people?
How important is reputation?

BENCHMARK ASSESSMENT (Cold Read)

During this unit, on a day of your choosing, we recommend you administer a Cold Read to assess students’ reading comprehension. For this assessment, students read a text they have never seen before and then respond to multiple-choice and constructed-response questions. The assessment is not included in this course materials.

CLASSROOM FILMS

The Branagh version of Much Ado About Nothing is available on DVD through Netflix and for streaming through Amazon. Other versions are also available on both sites.

People often say that mankind should learn from history. Charles Dickens, whose books are considered classics, set his novel A Tale of Two Cities in the past. He wanted his readers to learn from the bloody French Revolution and from the widespread brutality in London. Both cities (Paris and London) offer the reader a glimpse into dark and dangerous times. As students read about Dickens's Victorian setting and learn his view of the French Revolution, they will think about what makes a just world. Students will have a chance to think about their own experiences, and, using techniques they have learned from Charles Dickens, they will do some writing that sends a message about your own world.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

To complete the unit accomplishments, students will:

Read the Charles Dickens novel A Tale of Two Cities.
Read several short pieces, including a biography of Dickens and excerpts from other literature, to help them understand Dickens’s world and the world of the novel.
Explore new vocabulary to build their ability to write and speak using academic language.
Practice close reading and participate in several role plays and dramatic readings to help them experience the dramatic writing style of Charles Dickens.
Write a vignette and a short narrative piece, and practice using descriptive detail and precise language.
Write a reflection about the meaning of Dickens’s novel.

GUIDING QUESTIONS

These questions are a guide to stimulate thinking, discussion, and writing on the themes and ideas in the unit. For complete and thoughtful answers and for meaningful discussions, students must use evidence based on careful reading of the texts.

How does good storytelling affect the reader, and how can a good story promote change in the world?
What was the Victorian view of gender roles?
How can power be abused?
What is loyalty ? What are the limits of loyalty?