Grades 8–12
1 Sessions: 2 Hours Each
Informational, Media, NarrativeLessonsThis project encourages students to engage with the the “low end” of sound as they support the cohesion of music, and more thematically, a city like New Orleans, represented in Map 16 and the corresponding chapter of Unfathomable City: A New Orleans Atlas, using writing, discussion, tactile exploration, drawing, painting, and listening to music.
This lesson is one of many brought to 826 Digital as part of the Unfathomable City: A New Orleans Atlas Curriculum and Bookshare Project, a collaboration between Big Class, now 826 New Orleans, and the National Endowment for the Humanities. This curriculum provides students opportunities to engage with the unfathomable and inexhaustible possibilities of maps, a provocation laid forth throughout the chapters and maps of Rebecca Solnit and Rebecca Snedekers’ Unfathomable City: A New Orleans Atlas.
These lessons can be adapted at large, or in parts, to fit any city or community. You may find it useful to discuss New Orleans during the instructional parts of these lessons, all the while replacing New Orleans with a city or community closer to home to guide the final products students will create.
“Low Down Dirty Maps” corresponds with Map 16 of Unfathomable City: A New Orleans Atlas and illustrates musicians and other sound makers around the city that hold up the “low end” of sound, the deep notes that hold music together and support its cohesion. The map also shows differences in color, composition and depth of the silt, mud and soil found in different parts of the city and surrounding area. The interview that the editors of Unfathomable City conduct with George Porter Jr. touches on the multiple meanings of the lowness found in the music, land, and feeling in the city of New Orleans.
by Karla Brundage, 826 Valencia
What’s in a name? Students will consider how language can impact identity and create an illustrated name poem that reflects their identities.
by Marini Drobish, 826 Digital Educator Leader
This lesson invites students to write a modern day fairy tale. Students will reconstruct classic fairy tales by choosing to focus on altering one story element: setting, point of view, or resolution.
by Stephanie Wykstra, 826NYC
A student’s guide for evaluating evidence and learning to spot misleading and false information.
by Cristeta Boarini, 826 MSP
In this lesson, students explore the genres of historical and speculative fiction before they reimagine a time they felt powerless and write a different outcome.
by Tony Weaver, Jr., educator and author of the graphic novel Weirdo, with inspiration from Cristeta Boarini, 826 MSP
What if you could change the ending to a memory that left you powerless? In this lesson, students will retell a story with a new ending, reclaiming their power in the process.
by Ola Faleti, 826CHI, with an introduction by Amanda Gorman, Inaugural Youth Poet Laureate of the U.S.
The pen is mightier than the sword. In this lesson, students learn there's no better evidence of this than the poetry behind social movements.
by Klariza Alvaran, 826CHI
In this lesson, students explore the graphic novel genre with a focus on plot and character development, scripting dialogue, and visual composition.
by 826 National, in partnership with Paramount Pictures
Imaginary friends come in all shapes and sizes! Inspired by the Paramount Pictures movie, IF, students will create their own imaginary friend to take with them on their next adventure.
by Ryan Harty, 826michigan
By examining patterns in engaging published stories and applying a set of meaningful prompts, students will learn how to develop well-rounded characters that readers really care about.
by College Essay Guy and 826 National
This lesson from College Essay Guy introduces students to two types of effective college essay structures: Montage and Narrative.
by Louise McCune, 826 Valencia
Working as budding archaeologists, students use artifacts as inspiration for several short writing pieces.
by Emily Clader & Daniel Reck, 826michigan
Students will create infinite poems using fractals, imagine life on a doughnut, and speculate about a universe where time goes crazy. Along the way, they'll explore cool, new math facts and concepts.
by 826 National
What happens when we start from a place of gratitude? In this lesson, students will use Ross Gay’s "Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude" as a catalyst for a daily gratitude journal.
by Ellen Lathrop and Malia Urbina, 826 Valencia
In this lesson, students will use descriptive language to write a poem about a favorite animal.
by Amani Nephew, 826NYC
Behind every superstition lives a tale worth sharing. In this lesson, students will conjure their own urban legend or superstition to explain the unknown.
by Kendra Lappin, 826 Valencia
Parody is a type of writing that deliberately exaggerates for comic effect. In this lesson, students will use foundational news-writing techniques to write their own parody.
by Katie Manning and Brandon Brown, 826LA
Students enter The Poetry Laboratory (no lab coats required) and use methods of observation and playful strategies to embark on the process of writing poetry.
by Mariama J. Lockington & Peter Calhoun Hall, 826NYC
In this superlesson, students isolate DNA, design planes, build lairs, and engineer safe transport to help a hero save the day. Students will also take technical notes and explore new forms of poetry.
by Daniel José Older, author of Flood City.
Students will work together to produce a newspaper for the fictional Flood City. In the process, they will take on the roles of editor and journalist to source, draft, and present their newspaper.
826 National, based on a workshop by Mai Lee
In this lesson, students will learn the basics of engineering to craft awesome paper airplanes and practice technical writing to recreate their designs.
by Lisa Lutz, 826 Valencia
In this lesson by a young adult author and self-confessed superfan Lisa Lutz, students will learn letter-writing tips and create a fan letter.
by Tom Molanphy, 826 Valencia
Students will learn to see home in a fresh way, to walk through doors and open windows they never noticed, and to find the stories that home holds.
by Julius Diaz Panoriñgan, 826LA
Through an upcoming zombie apocalypse, students will explore multiple STEM disciplines and the importance of scientific modeling. They'll write technical notes and create an ongoing narrative.
by 826 National
Spooky stories are universally beloved. Read a selection of spooky stories from countries around the world, and then write your own!
by 826 National
Students will act as members of The Cryptid Convention—the world's only secret, not-so-secret society devoted to discussing new cryptids—and write an informational poster about an original cryptid.
by Robert Paterno, 826LA
A mock crime scene kick-starts this lesson, getting students to hone their inferencing skills and serving as inspiration for crime stories.
by Kyley Pulphus, 826 New Orleans
In this Spark, students will create a “pourquoi tale,” or origin story, of how a local delicacy came to be.
by Aarti Monteiro, 826NYC
Students will read a poem by Eve L. Ewing and learn to write a poem that retells or reimagines an experience.
by Tony Weaver, Jr., educator and author of the graphic novel Weirdo
World-building is a vital part of writing compelling science fiction. In this lesson, students will develop a new, in-depth world for their science fiction story.
by Erin Ruane, 826 New Orleans
In this lesson, students are challenged to reevaluate the way water and land are represented on a map.
by Rebecca Darugar, 826NYC
Students will work collaboratively to construct a vision for your classroom as a safe space for students and educators.
by 826 New Orleans
In this lesson, students have an opportunity to write a letter expressing their views on issues that matter to them most surrounding an election.
by Christopher Ankney, AT Bianchi, & Amy Wilson, 826michigan
Using Twitter as a storytelling medium, students will improve their understanding of perspective, editing for brevity, and the importance of word choice.
by Marya Spont-Lemus, 826CHI
Through brainstorming and drafting activities, students will learn the basics of personal narrative writing and craft an essay that they can use for college, scholarships, job applications and more.
by Tony Weaver, Jr., educator and author of the graphic novel Weirdo
What makes a hero? In this lesson, students will develop a complex character that defies traditional archetypes and then write a superhero story featuring that character.
by Cristeta Boarini, 826 MSP
Students will identify something they have inherited from their families, conduct interviews, and write a narrative essay. This lesson is especially well suited for English Language Learners.
by Di Jayawickrema, 826NYC
Welcome to the Poetry Test Kitchen, where students will work together to cook up a delicious collective poem using metaphors, concrete details, and descriptive language.
by Ryan Harty, 826michigan
By examining patterns in engaging published stories and applying a set of meaningful prompts, students will learn how to develop well-rounded characters that readers really care about.
by Cristeta Boarini, 826MSP, and Skylar Burkhardt, 826 National
Few expressions of gratitude are more meaningful than a personalized letter. In this lesson, students reach out to essential workers and return their acts of service and kindness by giving thanks.
by Tim Campos, 826 New Orleans
Through discussion, map-making, and writing, students will investigate the ways in which our knowledge of places is constructed and will uncover the ways that this knowledge is distorted by biases.
by Bryan Wilson, Educator Leader, The Bureau of Fearless Ideas
What do you get when you mix foraging with metaphors? Metaphoraging, of course! In this interactive lesson, students will forage their learning space for metaphors.
by Kyley Pulphus, 826 New Orleans
This lesson supports college-bound students in writing compelling personal statements. Students will go from blank page to finished draft as they brainstorm, develop, and analyze personal statements.
by Debra Mitchell, 826CHI
Students will become script detectives, searching for the underlying structure of every play, and then use their own memories to inspire original plays.
by Rebecca Darugar, Liz Levine, and Brancey Mora, 826NYC and 826 National
Invite students to write about their personal experiences with social media and online platforms with this lesson from 826NYC.
by Allie Mariano, 826 New Orleans
Students will tell stories about their neighborhoods and create maps that document change. The end result is a better understanding of a map’s ability to demonstrate the history behind fixed points.
by 826 National
Inspired by George Ella Lyon’s original poem, this lesson guides students through naming the people, places, and things that have shaped them.
by Aran Donovan, 826 New Orleans
Students (virtually) explore a local cemetery and write a monologue from a famous person buried there, including facts from their research and imagined details from a mapping exercise.
by Kendra Lappin, 826 Valencia
Extra, extra, read all about it! In this lesson, students will learn the basics of print journalism and write an editorial for a classroom newspaper.
by Jillian Wasick, 826 Valencia
Ekphrastic poems vividly describe a piece of art. In this lesson, students will write ekphrastic poems, while exploring and creating connections between text and image.
by Laura Lisabeth, Ph.D, 826NYC
In this lesson, students experiment with the multimodal composition of Instagram and use this social media platform to promote a social justice issue.
Inspired by Angela Iton and Precediha Dangerfield, 826 Valencia
In this lesson, students will use mentor texts to hone their revision skills before turning to their own poetry drafts.
by Catherine Calabro, with inspiration from Rachel Feder, 826michigan
Your students will use free writes, writing games, cheesy pop lyrics, and revision strategies to learn how to make connections between all of the points on their journey of writing a poem.
by Summer Medina, 826NYC
Self-power comes from many places. In this lesson, students will discover the power that comes from speaking and writing in multiple languages through poetry.
by Gem Carmella, Ministry of Stories and BBC History
In this lesson, students will learn how to write comedy sketches inspired by "Monty Python’s Flying Circus."
by KQED Education
This lesson from KQED Education asks students to choose an issue they care about and create an editorial cartoon advocating for change on a local, national, or global level.
by Tony Weaver, Jr., educator and author of the graphic novel Weirdo.
When was the last time you felt like a superhero? In this lesson, students will reflect on that moment and write a poem that shows off their inner strengths.
by Allison Peters, 826michigan
Discover what’s possible through writing. In this lesson, students will write a thrilling new story about their future selves inspired by their curiosity and imagination.
by Rebecca Darugar, 826NYC
Students examine relationships between art, poetry, politics, and current events, and reflect on personal experiences while writing social justice poetry.
by Emily Gerstner, 826 Valencia
Students will practice writing strong interview questions to learn new perspectives. This lesson can be used for community building or to support a research project.
by 826 National, inspired by a workshop by Daniel Johnson
Engineers, ahoy! Students put their skills to the test designing tinfoil boats, learning about density along the way. Then, they incorporate their newfound knowledge into thrilling tales.
by Alana Herron, 826 Digital Educator Leader
Students will craft an argument about a controversial topic they hold a personal connection to and record their argument to persuade their audience.
by Mallory Miller, 826 Digital Educator Leader
In this lesson, students will construct a short narrative told through concrete poems.
by Molly Sprayregen, 826CHI
Over the course of this lesson, students produce memoirs, poems, and essays that explore what it means to be a member of the LGBTQIA community in America today.
by Dr. Anne Desrosiers and Precediha Dangerfield, 826 Valencia
The COVID-19 pandemic changed our lives. This lesson will support students in processing the changes in their everyday lives and help them to identify the creativity their community has exhibited.
by Aarti Monteiro, 826NYC
Emotions play a big role in how we remember places that are important to us. Students explore this idea by writing memoirs, using plot, dialogue, and description to bring their stories to life.
by 826 National
Stories are the thread that connect communities. In this lesson, students learn more about culture and identity through Dakota and Hmong textile arts, as well as reflect on their own identities.
by Kelly Jones, 826 New Orleans
Through writing, drawing, mapping, and researching a chosen fruit, students will become more familiar with the often complex history of food and how people access it.
by Dave Eggers, 826 Valencia and 826 National
Over a flexible series of activities, students will learn to draw details from real life to create unforgettable characters and compelling stories.
by Mandy Seiner, 826NYC
In this lesson, students will learn about different types of rhymes, identify rhymes in lyrics and generate rhymes to use in their own lyrics.
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