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National Seminars
Each teacher participating as a National Fellow in a national seminar prepares a curriculum unit to be taught the following year in their school and to be shared with other teachers in the school district and elsewhere.
Guides to the curriculum units consist of synopses written by their authors and contain recommendations of the school courses and grade levels where the units may best apply.
Curriculum Units by National Fellows of the Yale National Initiative
2023
▼
Volume 1
Histories of Art, Race and Empire: 1492-1865
1.
4.
5.
7.
8.
9.
Illuminating Gem of the Ocean with Art Representing African Diaspora
Guide Entry
Renee Patrick Mutunga
Guide Entry
Renee Patrick Mutunga
10.
11.
▼
Volume 2
Writing About Nature
1.
6.
7.
8.
▼
Volume 3
Transitions in the Conception of Number: From Whole Numbers to Rational Numbers to Algebra
1.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Division of Fractions in Algebra, from real-life applications to abstract equations
Guide Entry
Jose Ulises Reveles Ramirez
Guide Entry
Jose Ulises Reveles Ramirez
7.
▼
Volume 4
Environmental Justice
3.
4.
5.
7.
▼
Volume 5
Nature-Inspired Solutions to Disease Problems
1.
2.
5.
7.
2022
Guide to Curriculum Units▼
Volume 1
Children and Education in World Cinema
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
▼
Volume 2
American Global Power from Empire to Superpower
2.
4.
5.
▼
Volume 3
The Social Struggles of Contemporary Black Art
1.
3.
4.
5.
▼
Volume 4
Alien Earths
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
▼
Volume 5
Fires, Floods, and Droughts: Impacts of Climate Change in the U.S.
1.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
2021
Guide to Curriculum Units▼
Volume 1
U.S. Social Movements through Biography
1.
2.
3.
5.
6.
8.
▼
Volume 2
Gender, Race, and Class in Today’s America
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
▼
Volume 3
Democracy and Inequality: Challenges and Possible Solutions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
▼
Volume 4
The Sun and Us
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
9.
10.
▼
Volume 5
Human Centered Design of Biotechnology
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
8.
9.
2020
Guide to Curriculum Units▼
Volume 1
American History through American Lives
1.
2.
3.
4.
6.
7.
8.
▼
Volume 2
Teaching about Race and Racism Across the Disciplines
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
▼
Volume 3
Politics and Public Policy in the United States
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
7.
8.
9.
10.
▼
Volume 4
Solving Environmental Problems through Engineering
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
▼
Volume 5
Caretakers versus Exploiters: Impacting Biodiversity in the Age of Humans
1.
2.
3.
5.
6.
9.
10.
2019
Guide to Curriculum Units▼
Volume 1
Reading for Writing: Modeling the Modern Essay
1.
2.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
▼
Volume 2
The Problem of Mass Incarceration
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
▼
Volume 3
American Democracy and the Promise of Justice
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
▼
Volume 4
Energy Sciences
1.
2.
3.
4.
7.
8.
9.
▼
Volume 5
Perimeter, Area, Volume, and All That: A Study of Measurement
1.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
2018
Guide to Curriculum Units▼
Volume 1
Race, Class, and Punishment
1.
3.
4.
5.
7.
8.
9.
10.
▼
Volume 2
Poems about Works of Art, Featuring Women and Other Marginalized Writers
1.
2.
4.
5.
7.
8.
9.
▼
Volume 3
Adaptation: Literature, Film and Society
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
▼
Volume 4
Big Numbers, Small Numbers
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
▼
Volume 5
Manipulating Biology: Costs, Benefits and Controversies
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
9.
10.
2017
Guide to Curriculum Units▼
Volume 1
The Illustrated Page: Medieval Manuscripts to New Media
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
7.
8.
▼
Volume 2
Literature, Life-Writing, and Identity
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
▼
Volume 3
Poetry and Public Life
1.
2.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
▼
Volume 4
Chemistry of Cooking
1.
2.
3.
4.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
▼
Volume 5
From Arithmetic to Algebra: Variables, Word Problems, Fractions and the Rules
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
10.
▼
Volume 6
Engineering of Global Health
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
2016
Guide to Curriculum Units▼
Volume 1
Contemporary American Indian History
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
▼
Volume 2
Why Literature Matters
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
7.
8.
9.
▼
Volume 3
"Over the Rainbow": Fantasy Lands, Dream Worlds, and Magic Kingdoms
1.
2.
3.
4.
6.
7.
8.
▼
Volume 4
Energy Sciences
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
▼
Volume 5
The Number Line in the Common Core
2.
3.
6.
7.
8.
▼
Volume 6
Making Sense of Evolution
1.
3.
6.
2015
Guide to Curriculum Units▼
Volume 1
Literature and Information
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
9.
10.
▼
Volume 2
Explaining Character in Shakespeare
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
▼
Volume 3
History in Our Everyday Lives
1.
2.
3.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
▼
Volume 4
Using Film in the Classroom/How to Read a Film
1.
2.
3.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
▼
Volume 5
Problem Solving and the Common Core
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
10.
▼
Volume 6
Physiological Determinants of Global Health
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
9.
2014
Guide to Curriculum Units▼
Volume 1
Understanding History and Society through Images, 1776-1914
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
▼
Volume 2
Playing with Poems: Rules, Tools, and Games
1.
2.
3.
4.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
▼
Volume 3
Immigration and Migration and the Making of a Modern American City
1.
2.
3.
4.
6.
▼
Volume 4
Eloquence
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
▼
Volume 5
Place Value, Fractions, and Algebra: Improving Content Learning through the Practice Standards
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
▼
Volume 6
Microbes Rule!
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
2013
Guide to Curriculum Units▼
Volume 1
Picture Writing
2.
3.
5.
6.
7.
9.
10.
▼
Volume 2
Interpreting Texts, Making Meaning: Starting Small
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
▼
Volume 3
The Art of Biography
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
9.
10.
11.
▼
Volume 4
Invisible Cities: The Arts and Renewable Community
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
▼
Volume 5
Energy Sciences
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
9.
▼
Volume 6
Genetic Engineering and Human Health
1.
3.
5.
6.
2012
Guide to Curriculum Units▼
Volume 1
Interdisciplinary Approaches to Consumer Culture
1.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
▼
Volume 2
Storytelling: Fictional Narratives, Imaginary People, and the Reader's Real Life
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
▼
Volume 3
The American Presidency
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
9.
10.
11.
▼
Volume 4
Narratives of Citizenship and Race since Emancipation
2.
3.
4.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
▼
Volume 5
How Drugs Work
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
▼
Volume 6
Asking Questions in Biology: Discovery versus Knowledge
1.
Asking Questions about Learning Disabilities: A Gateway to Self-Determination
Guide Entry
Benjamin Barnett-Perry
Guide Entry
Benjamin Barnett-Perry
2.
3.
4.
5.
7.
▼
Volume 7
Energy, Environment, and Health
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
7.
8.
9.
10.
2011
Guide to Curriculum Units▼
Volume 1
The Art of Reading People: Character, Expression, Interpretation
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
▼
Volume 2
Love and Politics in the Sonnet
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
9.
▼
Volume 3
The Idea of America
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
American Tapestry: Interconnectedness Revealed through Historical Fiction
Guide Entry
Waltrina Kirkland-Mullins
Guide Entry
Waltrina Kirkland-Mullins
8.
An Opportunity for All? Andrew Jackson and the American Indian
Guide Entry
Patricia Mitchell-Keita-Doe
Guide Entry
Patricia Mitchell-Keita-Doe
9.
▼
Volume 4
The Big Easy: Literary New Orleans and Intangible Heritage
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
▼
Volume 5
Chemistry of Everyday Things
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
▼
Volume 6
Great Ideas of Primary Mathematics
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
8.
9.
10.
11.
▼
Volume 7
Organs and Artificial Organs
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
2010
Guide to Curriculum Units▼
Volume 1
Connecting the Visual to the Verbal in the Classroom
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
▼
Volume 2
Persuasion in Democratic Politics
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
10.
▼
Volume 3
Creating Lives: An Introduction to Biography
1.
2.
I Have a Story to Tell: Learning through Peer Biographical Inquiry
Guide Entry
Stephanie Brown-Bryant
Guide Entry
Stephanie Brown-Bryant
3.
5.
6.
7.
8.
10.
11.
12.
▼
Volume 4
The Mathematics of Wallpaper
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
▼
Volume 5
Nanotechnology and Human Health
1.
3.
4.
5.
8.
▼
Volume 6
Evolutionary Medicine
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
2009
Guide to Curriculum Units▼
Volume 1
Storytelling around the Globe
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
▼
Volume 2
The Rise, Fall, and Rise Again of the Civil Rights Movement
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
▼
Volume 3
Shakespeare and Human Character
1.
3.
4.
5.
6.
8.
▼
Volume 4
The Sound of Words: An Introduction to Poetry
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
8.
9.
10.
▼
Volume 5
Green Chemistry
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
▼
Volume 6
The Brain in Health and Disease
1.
An Investigative Approach to the Brain: The 5 Senses, the 5W's and an H
Guide Entry
Vivienne Bartman-McClellan
Guide Entry
Vivienne Bartman-McClellan
2.
3.
4.
5.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
▼
Volume 7
Energy, Climate, Environment
1.
Flexible Enthusiasm: Consumption and Awareness of Plastics in Our Lives
Guide Entry
Stephanie Brown-Bryant
Guide Entry
Stephanie Brown-Bryant
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
2008
Guide to Curriculum Units▼
Volume 1
Approaches to Teaching Shakespeare
1.
2.
3.
4.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
▼
Volume 2
American Voices: Listening to Fiction, Poetry, and Prose
1.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
▼
Volume 3
Democracy in Theory and Practice
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
▼
Volume 4
Bridges: The Art and Science for Creating Community Connections
1.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
▼
Volume 5
Estimation
2.
3.
The Amazing Zero; Starring in: "Place Value, Estimation and Order of Magnitude"
Guide Entry
Vivienne Bartman-McClellan
Guide Entry
Vivienne Bartman-McClellan
4.
5.
6.
8.
9.
▼
Volume 6
Nutrition, Metabolism, and Diabetes
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
The Way Food Works: Analyzing the Short and Long Term Effects of What We Eat
Guide Entry
Kristin (Peterson) Anton
Guide Entry
Kristin (Peterson) Anton
9.
10.
11.
▼
Volume 7
Urban Environmental Quality and Human Health: Conceiving a Sustainable Future
1.
2.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
2007
Guide to Curriculum Units▼
Volume 1
Adapting Literature
1.
2.
3.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
▼
Volume 2
Across the Curriculum with Detective Fiction for Young People and Adults
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
▼
Volume 3
Maps and Mapmaking
1.
2.
3.
4.
7.
8.
▼
Volume 4
Latino Cultures and Communities
1.
2.
4.
6.
7.
▼
Volume 5
Renewable Energy
1.
2.
3.
4.
6.
7.
8.
▼
Volume 6
Keeping the Meaning in Mathematics: The Craft of Word Problems
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
9.
10.
11.
12.
▼
Volume 7
The Science and Technology of Space
1.
3.
5.
6.
7.
2006
Guide to Curriculum Units▼
Volume 1
Stories around the World in Film
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
▼
Volume 2
The Supreme Court in American Political History
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
7.
▼
Volume 3
Children's Literature, Infancy to Early Adolescence
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
▼
Volume 4
Native America: Understanding the Past through Things
1.
2.
4.
5.
6.
8.
9.
11.
▼
Volume 5
The Science of Global Warming
3.
5.
6.
7.
2005
Guide to Curriculum Units▼
Volume 1
The Uses of Poetry in the Classroom
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
▼
Volume 2
Art and Identity in Mexico, from Olmec Times to the Present
1.
2.
3.
4.
"Viva La Raza", Students inherit their Culture through Art research
Guide Entry
Mayra Muller-Schmidt
Guide Entry
Mayra Muller-Schmidt
5.
6.
8.
9.
▼
Volume 3
War and Civil Liberties
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
▼
Volume 4
Astronomy and Space Sciences
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
7.
8.
9.