The author primarily teaches traditional high school English texts in a largely white, middle-class school, but the method she uses allows her to address important issues relevant to students. One unit she teaches is an investigation of the criminal justice system and a variety of issues related to the school-to-prison pipeline. A crucial text…

This curriculum-based collection of lesson plans is designed to build student confidence for articulating their unique ideas and sensibilities about the world through literary expression. For this book, Jimmy Santiago Baca, one of the foremost poets in America today, collaborates with two National Writing Project Fellows and literacy…

From personal experiences teaching in a prison, suggests how the topic of prisons can be included in social studies instruction. Ideas include learning about prison terminology, recidivism, and student attitudes concerning prisons. Lists resources to aid in teaching a unit on prisons. (CH)

Activities for French language classes, all on the theme of prisons, are described. They begin with the students drawing about some aspect of the theme, then discussing the drawings, imagining how they would act in a related situation, discussing related vocabulary, completing brief writing exercises, and creating a dramatization. (MSE)

Site visits to three New England prisons were conducted to gather information on the multicultural environments of Hispanic prison inmates and to identify English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) teaching materials available for use with Hispanic American inmates. Available materials were located, and the materials' effectiveness was discussed with…

Presents a simulation activity in which students assume the role of grizzly bears in Banff National Park. Concepts such as species diversity, fitness, natural selection, habitat loss, extinction, and population dynamics are discussed. Children learn how human activities can affect the bear's reproductive success. Lists materials, instructional…

Discusses the intense interest in literature many prisoners demonstrate in literature classes and suggests ways college literature teachers can achieve similar student involvement by making their classes more student-oriented. (DD)

Provides information and insights on the teaching of art and music in prisons, primarily in California. Maintains that art teacher education programs should better equip graduates for teaching in the prison environment, since such programs are expanding. (JDH)

Teaching composition in a prison is different from teaching composition in a traditional freshman composition classroom. Since most prison inmates have a high school equivalency degree earned while in prison, a developmental writing course offered prior to the standard freshman composition sequence is probably necessary. Such a class may include a…

Based on experience teaching media studies in two maximum security institutions in the Midwest, the author describes difficulties teaching in the restrictive environment of prison and ways the challenge can be met. (PD)

Relates one teacher's experiences while teaching literature and composition to prison inmates. (HOD)

Presents a lesson plan based on the Andersonville (Georgia) Civil War prison camp. Provides background information about the history and life in the camp. Includes teaching suggestions, a copy of a letter to the Confederate States of America Surgeon General from a camp doctor, and suggestions for further study. (CFR)

Presents a lesson plan about the Point Lookout (Maryland) prison camp, which housed the largest total number of Civil War prisoners. Provides background information, a description of life in the camp, and five sketches of the camp and its inmates. Includes teaching suggestions, student questions, and recommended sources. (CFR)

Shows how a teacher used paintings as a basis for writing exercises designed to teach students about the subjectivity of interpretation and the importance of visual imagery. Describes a number of specific writing assignments and classroom activities involving description, interpretation, drawing, poetry, and research papers. (TB)

Describes an educator's experiences teaching creative writing in prison. Notes that Emily Dickinson's rich inner world especially resonated with a few prisoners. Contains three of Dickinson's poems, and two poems by a prisoner. (RS)