Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Lesson plans for "Paul Revere's Ride" and other poems

|Biography and Background| |"Paul Revere's Ride"| |Other Poems|

Biography and Background

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Biography, links to e-texts.

Longfellow and the American Sonnet
Biography, portrait, and links to related sites.

"Paul Revere's Ride"

The Birth of An American Hero: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's "Paul Revere's Ride"
High school students will understand the heroic archetype and apply it to the history of Paul Revere's Ride and to Longfellow's poem "Paul Revere's Ride."

The Paul Revere - Midnight Rider Virtual Museum
This SCORE WebQuest introduces students to the poem by Longfellow, its historical background, and some songs from the era. This site is standards-based and has a Teacher Guide.

Why Do We Remember Revere? Paul Revere's Ride in History and Literature
Students examine the historical facts of Paul Revere's ride and compare them with Longfellow's account. They form hypotheses about why Americans consider Revere's ride so important. This lesson is designed for grades 6-8.

Writing Poetry like Pros
This extensive set of lessons includes an activity using Longfellow's "Paul Revere's Ride" in Lesson 1, Group 4.

Other Poems

Longfellow and the American Sonnet
This lesson uses the poem "The Cross of Snow" as an introduction to the Petrarchan sonnet. Lesson includes analysis, text of poem, and related graphics. Access requires Adobe Acrobat Reader or compatible application.

"My Lost Youth"
This lesson asks students to compare and contrast "My Lost Youth" and Dylan Thomas's "Fern Hill." Access requires Adobe Acrobat Reader or compatible application.

Sample Lesson from the Gold Book
Brief biography of Longfellow, suggestions for reading "Day is Done," "Evangeline," and "The Song of Hiawatha." Answers are included at the bottom.

"The Village Blacksmith": The Reality of a Poem
In this lesson students analyze the historical context of the poem as a way to understand its theme.

The Writer's Hour: Footprints on the Sands of Time
This author study is designed for grades 3-6.