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1. United States Population Information

   Format(s): Text, Website

   Reference materials, lesson plans, and comprehensive fact sheets provided by the U.S. Census Website.

2. Fun with Weather

   In: English Teaching Forum 2007, Volume 45, Number 2 Format(s): Text

   This three-part weather-themed lesson for young learners connects weather, clothing, and feelings vocabulary. The target structures covered are: asking about the weather; comparing weather; using the modal auxiliary, should; and the question word, when. The lessons utilize all four skills and include such activities as going outside, singing, journaling, dressing a toy puppy, role play, and letter writing. Flashcards, riddles, a song, reading material, a listening script, and a sample letter are included.

3. Ben's Guide to U.S. Government for Kids

   Format(s): Website

   For kindergarten through high school curriculum. From the U.S. Government Printing Office.

4. Arts and Culture

   Format(s): Text, Website

   Full lesson plans on a variety of topics related to the arts from the National Endowment of the Humanities.

5. Lesson Plan: Going Green

   In: English Teaching Forum 2007, Volume 45, Number 4 Format(s): Text

   The lesson plan, “Going Green,” allows students to develop research and problem-solving skills on the theme of environmental conservation. The lesson includes a glossary of environmental terms. It uses a learner-centered approach as learners work in groups to determine their topic, the vocabulary they want to learn, how to collect information, how to report it (qualitatively or quantitatively), and what action to take based on the results. Students report their findings and action plan in a poster presentation. Creative writing, a debate, or a "green fair" are optional extensions.

6. Using Letters to Tell Stories in the EFL Classroom

   In: English Teaching Forum 2011, Volume 49, Number 4 Format(s): Text

   This article discusses how letter writing can be used as authentic language use. An activity for beginners involves an exchange of letters of introduction between the instructor and students. This serves a socially meaningful interactional purpose. The second activity is the construction of an story, one in which the plot is expressed in a series of letters. The writer suggests using letter exchanges for this creative writing project after using books such as The Color Purple. Letter writing is one way to enable and empower students to tell their own stories.

7. To the Moon! — A Launch Pad for Encouraging Students to Express Their Opinions

   In: English Teaching Forum 2011, Volume 49, Number 4 Format(s): Text

   Writing a persuasive essay can be a challenging task. This article outlines an activity that involves developing, communicating, and exploring opinions. Students work individually to select volunteers to go to the moon. Groups then try to agree on the selection, discussing their reasons and assumptions. A number of letter-writing assignments incorporate material from the discussions. This student-centered activity can improve confidence, critical thinking skills, and writing fluency, while students learn from and challenge each other.

8. From Page to Stage: Lord of the Flies

   In: English Teaching Forum 2002 (Volume 40, Number 1) Format(s): Text

   This article shares the importance of promoting drama activities within classrooms in a way that will develop language. The authors share a project they implemented in a tenth grade English classroom with the novel “Lord of the Flies.” They present the details of their preparation strategies as well as a step-by-step process. The article discusses how successful the project turned out to be as well as how drama can enhance English classrooms.

9. Transforming the Whole Class into Gossiping Groups

   In: English Teaching Forum 2002 (Volume 40, Number 1) Format(s): Text

   This article discusses various communicative purposes displayed by speakers of a language, including focusing on the topic of gossiping as a universal language function and exploring ways to exploit our human tendency for gossip to provide language fluency practice. The author provides two different interactive gossip activities that can be used in the classroom to help students speak more fluently. Included are step-by-step details for each lesson plan and each activity.

10. Passion for Life!

    In: English Teaching Forum 2003, Volume 41, Number 3 Format(s): Text, Image / Poster / Maps

    In “Passion for Life,” the author promotes the use of drawing to make the classroom a positive and pleasant place. This technique can help even shy students become active. After reading the poem “Life” by Mother Teresa, students choose their favorite line from the poem and draw a picture to represent it. Secondary students are asked to learn the poem by heart.

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