American Literature- Middle School & High School

Updated: April 8, 2002

American Folktales - Grades 6-12 - This is an interesting compilation of American folktales, each retold by the author. The tales are sorted into thematic groups - states, tall tales, ethnic tales, etc. There is also an alphabetical index of stories. While we cannot guarantee the "political correctness" of all these, they would be a nice resource for any study of folktales or American growth and development.

American Writers - Grades 6-12 - C-Span has created an American writers site containing biographical information and literary excerpts from dozens of American writers from the 17th century to the present. The excerpts include a variety of critical and interpretation resources. C-Span plans to add additional content, including teacher materials, when the cable series of the same name airs in Spring, 2002.

Timeline of American Literature - Grades 6-12 - There's more to this site than first meets the eye. In addition to a chronology of American writers and literature from 1620 to 1920, the author includes a synchronous chronology of historical events, which provides context for the literature listings. In addition, the author has created biographies and references for many of the authors listed, as well as links to other sites which cover related issues and events. Plan to spend some time with this one.

Edward Albee - Grades 9-12 - This site provides a synopsis, reading list and student/teacher comments on American playwright Edward Albee’s 1962 play Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Edward Albee - Grades 9-12 - This ThinkQuest site is maintained by students and staff of New Jersey’s Ronald McNair Academic High School. It is an impressive example of student work. It offers student essays, author biographies, an art gallery, and literature games. It also contains a very helpful listing of movies related to and created from literary works. This movie section includes some intriguing elements; for example, it lists several selections relating to Hamlet, including some interesting foreign films.

All Alcott: The Louisa May Alcott Web – Grades 6-12 - Explore this site for great information on Little Women author Louisa May Alcott. The site offers general information, criticism, essays, pictures and links . A wonderfully user-friendly "Source and Citation" page guides students through proper documentation practices when using the site.

American Verse Project - Grades 9-12 - This in-progress site is compiling e-texts of American poetry prior to 1920. The site features simple, Boolean and proximity searches to locate words and phrases in the texts.

Maya Angelou - Grades 6-12 - This site is part of the University of Minnesota's Voices from the Gaps project detailing the lives and accomplishments of women of color. It includes biographical and literary information on the author and the relationship between her life and her writing.

Baldwin, James - Random House teacher's guide for The Fire Next Time and Nobody Knows My Name. These guides provide a complete review of the texts, along with teaching strategies and related activities.

Bradbury, Ray - The Drummer Boy of Shiloh - Grades 6-8 - This lesson plan is from the California SCORE series. These lessons require that students use the Internet to complete the lesson materials.

Pearl S. Buck – Grades 9-12 - A good starting place for information on Pearl S. Buck and her works. There’s a biographical overview, a multimedia section, and material about Buck’s international humanitarian efforts. Source: University of Pennsylvania.

Willa Cather - Song of the Lark - Grades 9-12 - This author/title page, created by the National Council of Teachers of English, provides a wealth of materials to accompany Willa Cather's novel. There's an on-line text, author biography, an annotated list of web resources, and a collection of lessons dealing with the novel. Comprehensive, well-done, and easily accessible, this is a great resource.

Crane, Stephen - The Red Badge of Courage - This elegant site from the University of Virginia provides a complete electronic text from the original edition of Crane's novel about the American civil war. The multi-part introduction (use the links at the bottom of the pages) provides detailed commentary on the work, as well as period illustrations and related context. Useful site for teachers planning lessons, or for serious students.

A.G.Cascone Appropriate for adults and grades 8-12 - This is the official website of author, A.G. Cascone. A.G.Cascone are really two sisters that are authors. This is their official website and includes links to the three "teen thrillers" they have written; "In a Crooked Little House", "If He Hollers" and "There’s No Place Like Home". These are young adult books and appropriate for grades 8-12. Site created by Roger Williams at Bookwire

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek - Grades 9-12 - TeachersFirst presents a Reader's Response unit to Annie Dillard's beautiful book. There is an assignment - writing, internet research, or simply reflection and discussion - for each chapter. This unit would be ideal for a combined study of literature and life sciences.

Ellison, Ralph - The Random House teacher's guide for The Invisible Man. This guide provides a detailed analysis of the text, as well as a set of teaching ideas and related activities.

Emerson - Grades 10-12 - This comprehensive site contains biographical information, portraits, quotations, texts of Emerson’s essays, poetry and larger works, literary analysis, and commentary. An excellent resource for a serious study of Emerson’s life, factors that influenced his writing, and contemporary interpretations of his works.

William Faulkner on the Web - Target: Senior high - Welcome to Yoknapatawpha County! This site provides shortcuts to specific works of Faulkner, biographical information, and audio recordings of Faulkner reading his works. Also featured is the "Play Room" presenting the " lighter side"of Faulkner with trivia, quizzes and quotes! Links also to the Faulkner Society, the Faulkner Foundation and the Center for Faulkner Studies. See also:Reader's guides for several Faulkner works, from the Random House web site. These guides were developed for reading groups rather than teachers, but much of the content could be adapted for classroom use.

William Faulkner - Grades 9-12 - Here's a biography and brief discussion of William Faulkner's many works from the Mississippi Writers' Page. This site is slightly "Mississippi-centric," but the content and links are a good starting point for further exploration of this Mississippi-born author.

F. Scott Fitzgerald - An extensive collection of resources from the Fitzgerald Centenary site at the University of South Carolina. A rich site with Fitzgerald articles and essays, bibliographies, chronology, quotations, and voice/film clips.

The Robert Frost Web Page - Middle School and High School - This is a useful site for information on Frost and his work. It contains a biography, interviews, bibliographies and information on Frost papers and memorabilia.

Frost in Cyberspace: A Web Site Introducing Robert Frost to a New Generation – "Frost in Cyberspace" provides students and teachers with excellent information on Robert Frost. In addition to biographical info, the site provides material on Frost’s publications and theory. In addition, there are sound recordings of some of the poems available. Source: Sarah Jackson at Stephen F. Austin University.

Gonzales, Corky - I am Joaquin - Grades 9-12 - This is a lesson plan from the Chicano Literature series developed by California's SCORE program. These lessons require that students use the Internet to complete the lesson.

Jim Harrison - Target: Senior high - This site provides material on Michigan author and poet Jim Harrison. Harrison is the author of such books as The Road Home, Julip, and Legends of the Fall. In addition to biographical information and critical reviews, the site also provides the text of Harrison’s essay "Everyday Life," an essay on Zen practice and writing.

Nathaniel Hawthorne -Grades 9-12. This site contains full texts of Hawthorne’s works, biographical information, links related to Hawthorne’s literary contemporaries, and helpful resources for teachers, including lesson plans and teaching guides. Use to augment a unit on 19th century American literature or to supplement an in-class discussion of Hawthorne’s writings. See also: TeachersFirst also lists a Scarlet Letter lesson plan.

Hemingway, Ernest - The Old Man and the Sea - Grades 6-8 - This lesson plan for the Hemingway classic is from the California SCORE series. These lessons require students to use the internet to complete the lesson materials.

Hemingway Centennial Site - Grades 6-12 - CNN's commemoration of Hemingway's 100th birthday offers more biography than bibliography. Particularly interesting is the section in which users can submit writing samples "in the Hemingway style" for evaluation by other users. Budding writers may wish to try their hand at this.

Jim Henson - Grades 6-12 - Though not an author in the strict sense, Jim Henson's work in television and film created dozens of memorable characters and stories. This site includes biographical information and links to other Henson resources. From the Mississippi Writer's site at the University of Mississippi.

Langston Hughes - Cora Unashamed - Grades 9-12 - This author/title page from the National Council of Teachers of English offers annotated biographical links, a complete online text, and lesson plans based on Hughes' book Cora Unashamed. These is part of an unusually complete series from NCTE on American writers.

Langston Hughes: Artist and Historian by Medria Blue, Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute - U.S. History: Grades 6-8 – This lesson explores Langston Hughes’ poetry, setting it as a "vehicle by which students are exposed to the African-American experience in the United States of the 1920s through the 1960s."

The Henry James Scholar’s Guide - Target: Middle School and Senior High - If Henry James is your topic, this is a site to see! You will find movies reviews, e-texts, on-line discussions, teaching materials and ideas and links to the Henry James Review and Henry James conferences. Source: Richard D. Hathaway, Professor of English, SUNY, New Paltz.

Literary Kicks-- An "unofficial" site on the beat generation authors and poets - Target: Senior High - If "beat generation" authors such as Kerouac, Ginsberg and Ferlinghetti are on your syllabus, then get your students "on the road" to this site. Although the site is definitely "unofficial," it presents some great information with poetic passion! Especially fascinating is the section entitled "Beat Connections in Rock Music." The site also presents interesting links to other "out of the main stream" artists such as William Blake and the Pre-Raphaelites. Source: Levi Asher

Lee, Harper - Teacher's Guide for To Kill A Mockingbird - This teacher's guide is a part of California's SCORE program. It contains teaching ideas, as well as suggestions for student activities and additional web research.

Novel Guide for To Kill a Mockingbird - Grades 6-12 - McDougall Littell's guide is actually for their publication of the screenplay based on Harper Lee's book. The suggestions for cross-curricular activities and background information are also workable for those studying the novel itself. There are some good discussion starters here.

To Kill a Mockingbird - Historical Perspective - Grades 9-12 - The Library of Congress created this extensive site, which uses archival images and texts to provide background and context for a multi-part study unit on To Kill A Mockingbird. The entire project takes about eight weeks, but the unit can be subdivided into smaller components. If this book is in your syllabus, this site is well worth a visit.

Henry James' The American - This site, part of the upcoming PBS series The American Collection, offers biographical information on Henry James, the full text of the novel, a lesson set, and a surprisingly large collection of links to other web resources dealing with the author and the work. Teachers have been involved in reviewing and/or creating many of these resources.

The Sinclair Lewis Homepage - Target: Senior High - Teaching Mainstreet, Babbitt or Arrowsmith this year? Then check out this site. There are e-texts of the novels, biography and background.

Call of the Wild - Grades 6-12 - McDougall Littell's guide to London's book offers a selection of theme ideas, crosscurricular activities, and research assignments. These could be useful if you're searching for a new way to present the content.

The Jack London Collection - Grades 6-12 - From the University of California at Berkeley comes this author site containing a wide range of content, including online editions of many of the author's works. Teachers interested in pursuing London's work in detail will find this site invaluable. Parents can use this site as a way to show their students how London's life influenced his writing.

Call of the Wild Vocabulary - Grades 6-12 - Here's a listing of 100 vocabulary words from Jack London's books, along with pointers to similar listings from other major works. Grab 'em and go!

Arthur Miller - The Crucible - Grades 9-12 - This is a lesson plan for The Crucible from the California SCORE series. These lesson plans require students to use the Internet to complete the lesson.

The Crucible Project - Grades 9-12 - This student-created site offers another set of ideas, lessons, and resources for teaching The Crucible.

Melville - Grades 9-12 - Enhance students’ understanding and interpretation of Melville’s writings with biographical information, excerpts and electronic texts of his works, criticisms, observations by those who knew him, and Melville’s own reflections on his life and accomplishments.

An electronic Eugene O'Neill Archive - Grades 9-12 - This site offers a complete and scholarly resource on American poet Eugene O'Neill. Useful for reference by both teachers and students.

Gary Paulsen - Grades 6 and up - Gary Paulsen is an author of young adult literature. This site includes a biography of the author as well as a list of his works. Site created by James A. Schmitz, Univ. of Vt. This site is an excellent resource for someone needing background information on Gary Paulsen. The audience for this site may be limited. Click here for a unit plan based on Paulsen's book Woodsong.

Poe - The Interactive Raven - Grades 6-12 - TeachersFirst's own on-line presentation of Poe's classic poem provides a built-in glossary, as well as notations on the use of common literary devices in Poe's text. Students can see these devices illustrated in the first half of the poem, then spot them on their own in the later verses. Makes the Raven come alive. The introduction requires the Flash player, available from the TeachersFirst Toolbox.

Poe - Qrisse's POE Page, the most complete of many interlinked POE sites. This site is maintained by a dedicated amateur, but has remained a comprehensive resource.

Edgar Allen POE - An Author Unit - Grades 9-12 - This is a lesson plan from the California SCORE program designed for use by classes studying Poe's writing. It includes teacher instructions, student materials, and suggestions for further reading and Internet searching.

The Edgar Allen Poe Society of Baltimore offers a site which chronicles Poe's life, with emphasis on the work he did while in Baltimore.

The Sixties - Grades 9-12 - This site, created by the Library of the University of Virginia, provides an introduction to the protest and hippie movements of the 1960s, paying particular emphasis on the literary elements of the era, as well as their roots in the beat generation of the 1950s. There are extensive bibliographic references for each of the dozen or so sub-topics covered by the site. This is a compact, comprehensive look at a turbulent decade.

Steinbeck, John - The Pearl - Grades 9-12 - This is a lesson plan for Steinbeck's novel from the California SCORE series. These lessons require that students use the Internet to complete the lessons.

National Steinbeck Center - Target: Middle School and Senior High - Source: National Steinbeck Center - This beautiful and creative site offers information about the new National Steinbeck Center in Salinas, California. The museum was built in tribute to Steinbeck, who believed that the arts should be enriching to the community. The site offers chat rooms, info on the museum and on the Steinbeck Festival to be held in August of 1999.

Thoreau, Walden, and the Environment - Grades 9-12 - A new site offering texts of Thoreau's work, along with background on Walden Pond, the effort to preserve Thoreau's historic refuge, and information for researchers. New in June, 1998, the contents are expected to grow in coming months.

Thoreau - Walden - The University of Virginia offers this e-text of Thoreau's signature piece, along with a bit of introduction and commentary. For another more on Thoreau, see The Transcendentalists, a privately developed site dealing with Thoreau, Emerson, and other transcendental writers.

Mark Twain at Large - His travels here and abroad - Grades 6-12 - This is a web exhibit from the library at the University of California at Berkley. It presents a chronology of Mark Twain's travels along with excerpts and reproductions of his writings and letters during his travels. The material could be integrated into a Twain unit, or it could serve as a resource for students researching specific authors.

Twain's Hannibal - Grades 9-12 - This unit from the Library of Congress offers students an exposure to the use of primary resources in the study of history and literature. The Library's collection for this time period is rich, so there are many highly visual ways to expose students to Twain's world. Students will need to spend some time with this one.

Mark Twain in his Times - Grades 6-12 - This site from the University of Virginia is a welcome addition to the general lack of good Twain material on the web. The site concentrates on Twain's career and the manner in which Sam Clemens turned Twain into an institution. There are also links to critical information and e-texts of Twain's major works, along with illustrations. Good site for lesson ideas, or for independent use by students.

Mark Twain - Huckleberry Finn - Grades 9-12 - California's SCORE program offers two lesson plans for this classic, one based on themes of emancipation, and the other examining issues of censorship surrounding the work. Both lessons require that students use the Internet to complete the lesson.

Eudora Welty - Grades 9-12 - Here's a collection of biographical and literary discussion information on author Eudora Welty, as compiled by the Mississippi Writers' Page. This site is slightly "Mississippi-centric," but the content and links are a good starting point for further exploration of the author's work.

Eudora Welty - Ponder the Heart - Grades 9-12 - This author/title page, created by the National Council of Teachers of English, provides a wealth of materials to accompany Eudora Welty's novel. There's an on-line text, author biography, an annotated list of web resources, and a collection of lessons dealing with the novel. Comprehensive, well-done, and easily accessible, this is a great resource.

The Whitman Project - Grades 9-12 - This elegant treatment of Walt Whitman and his works was created by the University of Virginia. It offers texts, interpretive essays, and links to related resources on the web.

Tennesee Williams - Grades 9-12 - Here's a biography and brief discussion of Mississippi-born playwright Tennessee Williams' works from the Mississippi Writers' Page. This site is slightly "Mississippi-centric," but the content and links are a good starting point for further exploration of this famous playwright's work.

Williams, Tennessee - The Glass Menagerie - Grades 9-12 - This lesson plan for the classic Tennessee Williams play is from the California SCORE series, which require that students use the Internet to complete the lesson.

Richard Wright - Grades 7-12 - Here's a biography and brief discussion of Richard Wright's writing from the Mississippi Writers' Page. This site is slightly "Mississippi-centric," but the content and links are a good starting point for further exploration of this Mississippi-born author.

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