Creative lessons bring literature and history to life for middle-schoolers

Submitted by Independence Local Schools

Students at Independence Middle School immersed themselves in their English language arts classes when they met an historical figure and acted out an environment from one of their books.

In sixth grade, teacher Michelle Koussa arranged a special visit from Helen “Cookie” Mahne by coming to her classroom in full character as a member of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Mahne was Koussa’s own grandmother, who played in the league for the Cleveland Bloomer Girls in the 1930s.

The visit connected to the students’ unit exploring how sports and the world impact one another. Through this interactive experience, students learned about league expectations from the time period, analyzed texts and made connections to World War II and its influence on athletics. The lesson set the stage for deeper learning as students explore the differences between historical fiction and fact. 

Fifth-grade students in Emma Tomins’ class stepped into the world of The City of Ember, a book thatcenters around an underground city powered only by light bulbs. Adding flashlights and blacked out windows into the classroom, this activity mimicked the completely dark skies and limited light sources in “Ember.” With the lights dimmed and flashlights in hand, students read together by “firelight,” mirroring the setting of the novel. “These engaging lessons highlight how creativity in the classroom can transform reading into an adventure,” said IMS Principal Haley Mueller. “It helps students make meaningful connections to literature and history.”