High School Historic Fiction Teacher Resources

Pupils write a story. In this historical fiction lesson, students research how Thanksgiving began. Pupils write a fictional story where they are a main character of this time period.

Students investigate the experience of Puerto Rican immigrants to America. In this immigration lesson, students research the challenges that Puerto Rican immigrants faced and then write historical fiction selections that reflect their...

Was he or wasn’t he? We may never know for sure about the origins of King Arthur. But a video that leads middle school and high school viewers through the facts and fictions that have kept King Arthur alive in peoples’ imaginations for...

Did you know that Pocahontas was 12 when Jamestown was established? Did you know that she later married John Rolfe? Did you know that she lived in London for two years? Did you know that she died of small pox? Class members study the...

During or after reading Catch-22, have your high school scholars complete this research project. First they'll brainstorm a list of people they might like to research, then they'll dive into your library's resources! There are several...

Students explore what life was like for African-Americans and Native Americans during the American Revolution. For this early U.S. history lesson, students research primary sources to find out more about their lives in order to write...

Students discuss famous examples of historical fiction as a genre and why it is used so often. They create an original piece of historical fiction by developing a character who is an immigrant to the United States. They are assessed...

Middle schoolers find a historial novel online and distinguish between fiction and nonfiction books. They research three historical events related to their novel and write a letter to a figure from their novel's time period.

Thoroughly delve into My Antonia by Willa Cather with a plethora of activities. Engage scholars with videos and web sites in this week-long unit that explains the historical context and creates pioneers in the field of research. An...

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...

Students compare and contrast the society in Orwell's 1984 with modern society. In this 1984 instructional activity, students research the historical climate in which Orwell wrote the novel. Students create a comparison chart of privacy...

Everything you wanted to know about the history of English literature and language but were afraid to ask. From Beowulf to Canterbury Tales, the Knights of the Round Table to Robin Hood, Addison, Fielding, Shakespeare, Swift, and many...

Tenth graders view this science fiction adventure, though not scientifically accurate, creates opportunities to explore the extinction of dinosaurs and to explore evolution.

Learners discuss prior knowledge of American culture during the 1950's. They complete KWL charts, participate in class discussions and view the documentary film Atomic Café. They record their observations from the film.

Students become familiar with the historical and sociological aspects of the boarding house phenomenon in America. As students work in groups, they read and analyze documents that will help them gain a deeper understanding. To...

Reading and comprehending a poem is a lot different than doing the same for a piece of fiction or an informational text. As part of a sample English language arts examination, readers put their skills to the test by reading passages in...

Discuss the history of slavery by analyzing historic photography depicting slavery. Learners write fictional stories based on these photographs. This is a creative and motivating way to launch a discussion of these topics. 

Plants prefer classical music to rock and roll. That's one of the claims in an informational passage that makes up part of a set of standardized assessment questions. The set is part of a larger collection of English language arts tests...

Is graffiti art? Writers explore that question as part of a source-based argument within a set of questions from the NY Regents examination. The assessment from June 2018, part of a larger set of standardized tests, consists of three...

Tenth graders read "Beloved" by Toni Morrison. In groups, they research the life and works of Morrison and read a speech by Sojouner Truth. Using the novel, they discuss the experiences of slaves and the effect of slavery on their...

Students explore and analyze primary documents from historical women's diaries. They conduct Internet research, develop conclusions about the primary documents, answer questions, and present their information to the class.

Students analyze primary source documents and evaluate historical evidence to find consequences of the policies that were adopted from the 1830s to today regarding Native American Indians.

Learners investigate primary sources to experience first- hand accounts of Kansas pioneers. They write an historical fiction letter or skit based on territorial documents.

Students examine the dynamics of family finances. In groups, they discuss the importance of a budget and create their own given a fictional amount of money. As a class, they listen to a speaker from the bank discussing the importance of...