Curated OER
Literary Devices Paper
Fourth graders write a character analysis of someone they know describing them through similes, metaphors, and hyperboles. They may include themselves and how their person relates to him or her.
Curated OER
Comprehension Webs
In this character webs worksheet, 6th graders draw lines connecting characters and descriptions from the book Tennessee Blueprint. Students complete 2 webs.
Curated OER
Sherlock Holmes Database Investigation
High schoolers conduct a character study using the literature of Sherlock Holmes. They use a database with different cases that need to be solved. Students use the computer software to work through a list of suspects and match them with...
Curated OER
"Lawd! Lawd! Lawd!"
From British accents to Texan drawls, a character's dialect can be an important part of the reading experience. A Six-Trait writing activity guides learners through the analysis of a character's dialect (Daniel Keyes's Flowers for...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Faces of Climate Change
How does climate change affect you? First in a three-part series, the activity focuses on how individuals living around the world are affected by climate change. Individuals take on the role of a given character and share their...
Curated OER
How are People Portrayed by Different Media?
Your 9th - 12th graders can hone their analysis and critical thinking skills by studying the way a subject is portrayed across media types. They examine how various print, visual, and online sources have portrayed key players in the 9/11...
Curated OER
Constructing Narrative from the Migrant Experience in Literature
Excerpts from John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath and from John Fante's Ask the Dust, as well as a variety of primary source documents provide the background for an examination of the migrant experience from 1920-1945.
Curated OER
Folktale Writing
Review literary analysis techniques with this reading lesson about folktale writing. Middle schoolers read different folktales from many authors, and write their own folktales to share with the class. They identify the plot, morals and...
Curated OER
Teaching a Short Story
Students work in small groups and prepare an analysis of a short story to be presented to their peers. They research the story and create a handout or a visual aid that cites sources of information and summarizes the main points of the...
Curated OER
Story Elements
Middle schoolers create a "character T-shirt" that exemplifies their ability to analyze a character. The students also compare and contrast characters in a given story. Finally, the middle schoolers write a presentation about the...
Curated OER
The Is No Such Thing as a Perfect Pumpkin
Students explore using descriptive words to describe physical appearance. In this appearance lesson, students look at pumpkins and discuss how there is not a perfect pumpkin. Students also hypothesize about what the perfect pumpkin's...
Digital Public Library of America
Teaching Guide: Exploring Little Women
Louisa May Alcott's Little Women is a literary masterpiece as well as a timestamp of the formative mid-nineteenth century in America. Using a primary source set of photographs, letters, and portraits, readers discuss the ways...
Curated OER
Beanie Baby Biographies
Learners write a biography for their favorite Beanie Babies and then share their biography out loud. A simple, yet effective idea! Everyone loves their Beanie Baby!
Curated OER
Connecticut Complicity
Eleventh graders take a closer look at slavery in Connecticut. In this slavery lesson, 11th graders research the contributions of Connecticut residents who spoke out about the issue of slavery. Students take on the personas of the...
Curated OER
Cooperative Jigsaw Expert Report of Fables
Pupils research literary elements of fables. In this literature lesson, students analyze literary elements of fables. Pupils work collaboratively using a jigsaw strategy to analyze literary elements.
Curated OER
Fear and Loathing in Othello
High schoolers research the ideas that people had of African people during Shakespearean times and examine Othello's descriptions of himself as written by Shakespeare.
Curated OER
The Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Tenth graders read and analyze the novel Lord of the Flies by William Golding. They examine the setting, plot, and climax in the novel. Character descriptions, good, evil symbolic images within characters are dissected in detail with...
Curated OER
Stephen Crane: The Open Boat
Students explore the genre of American literary naturalism by reading,"The Open Boat" by Stephen Crane. They examine the relationship of man and nature through analysis of the characters, narration and descriptive vocabulary.
Curated OER
Who Is That Ghostly Character?
Eighth graders listen to a taped version of the radio play, "The Hitchhiker". They write a conclusion to the play and work with a partner to evaluate it before a final revision.
Curated OER
Analyzing Two or More Nonfiction Texts
How does recognizing the author's purpose help you draw conclusions about a topic? Using two articles (both are attached), learners brainstorm why each author wrote each article. Are their purposes similar or different? Learners use a...
Curated OER
Understanding Characters
Students analyzing characters from a story by creating an article about one. For this story analysis lesson, students read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl, and pick one character to write descriptively about. Students...
Curated OER
Tall Tale Rollers
Students explore American tall tales. In this tall tale lesson plan, students discover the six characteristics that are included in tall tales. Students survey their class to find each student's favorite tall tale character and organize...
Curated OER
Mapping National and Geographic Identity
Students analyze geographic maps. In this map analysis lesson plan, students analyze the symbols in geographic maps and the impact of cultural, historical, and political concepts. Students compare and contrast maps in various mediums by...
Curated OER
EXTRA! EXTRA! Read all About It!
Students are able to synthesize information on increasing regulatory reforms during the Progressive Era through individual research and presentation of material. They are responsible for a list of regulatory reforms with dates and...