Rutgers University
Rutgers University: Getting an a on an English Paper
Written by a college professor, this site discusses five areas for students to work on to improve their writing. The areas are Thesis, Research, Close Reading, Style, and Mechanics. The author is clear and concise in his advice, and...
Thinkport Education
Thinkport: Read Like This a Strategy for Close Reading of Literature
Learn and practice close reading strategies to help increase your understanding of how to approach challenging and complex texts.
British Library
British Library:dickens's Oliver Twist:the Criminal World of 19th Century London
This activity encourages students to explore the real-life context of Oliver Twist, using a range of sources to find information about crime in 19th-century London. Students will work in groups to discover: the types of crimes that...
British Library
British Library: Coleridge's Kubla Khan: Composition
This activity, which aims to develop students' understanding of 'Kubla Khan' after completing an initial study of Samuel Taylor Coleridge's poem, will encourage students to make links between the poem and a number of historical sources.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement: Dramatizing History in Arthur Miller's "The Crucible"
Critical analysis of both the historical documents and the literary texts connected with the Salem trials is key to this lesson, which includes a number of activities and some wonderful resources.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement: Lesson 4: The Phoenicians, the Greeks, the Romans, and Us
In this lesson plan, students will consider Lesson 4: The Phoenicians, the Greeks, the Romans, and Us. Worksheets and other supporting materials can be found under the Resources tab.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement: Lesson 3: The Roman Alphabet Is Our Alphabet
In this lesson plan, students will consider Lesson 3: The Roman Alphabet is our Alphabet. Worksheets and other supporting materials can be found under the Resources tab.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement: Faulkner's Sound and the Fury:narrating Compson Family Decline
In this curriculum unit, students will consider William Faulkner's "The Sound and the Fury": Narrating the Compson Family Decline and the Changing South. Worksheets and other supporting materials can be found under the Resources tab....
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: A Better Community [Pdf]
"A Better Community" is a one page, fictional reading passage that focuses on recycling. It is followed by constructed-response questions which require students to provide evidence from the story; it includes skills such as sequencing,...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Changing Our Street [Pdf]
"Changing Our Street" is a one page, realistic fiction, reading passage about how the problem of people driving too fast in a neighborhood was solved. It is followed by constructed-response questions which require students to provide...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Changing Transportation Routes [Pdf]
"Changing Transportation Routes" is a one page, fictional, reading passage about how the problem of public transportation could be solved through the process of surveying the community, developing a workable solution, and presenting it...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Community Meeting [Pdf]
"Community Meeting" is a one page, fictional reading passage about the needs of a community and how they need to work together to meet those needs. It is followed by constructed-response questions which require students to provide...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Community Progress [Pdf]
"Community Progress" is a one page, realistic fiction passage about how students created a mural for their school, which generated lots of attention from the press, parents, and other schools. It is followed by constructed-response...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Flying [Pdf]
"Flying" is a one page, realistic fiction, reading passage about someone set a goal to be a pilot and worked hard to accomplish that goal. It is followed by constructed-response questions which require students to provide evidence from...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: How the Firefly Got Its Light [Pdf]
"How the Firefly Got Its Light" is a one page, myth about the fly who wanted to be special; he made a deal with the moon to be his friend and, in return, the moon shared the secret of shining. It is followed by constructed-response...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: I Like Plants [Pdf]
"I Like Plants" is a one page, realistic fiction, reading passage about a person who loves plants and became a botanist; now she teaches her college students about plants and ecology. It is followed by constructed-response questions...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: My New Brother [Pdf]
"My New Brother" is a one page, fictional, reading passage about child whose mother has just had new baby boy. It is followed by constructed-response questions which require students to provide evidence from the story; it includes:...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: My New President [Pdf]
"My New President" is a one page, fictional, reading passage about an African-American teen who learned about the government by working in Barack Obama's campaign office on Saturdays. It is followed by constructed-response questions...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: My New President [Pdf]
"My New President" is a one page, fictional, reading passage about an African-American teen who learned about the government by working in Barack Obama's campaign office on Saturdays. It is followed by constructed-response questions...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: My Painting [Pdf]
"My Painting" is a one page, fictional, reading passage about a Russian immigrant student who is making a painting to show how she feels about her new homeland and the people here. It is followed by constructed-response questions which...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: My Summer [Pdf]
"My Summer" is a one page, fictional, reading passage about a child who visited his grandmother in Phoenix for the summer. He was surprised at how hot it was there. It is followed by constructed-response questions which require students...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Pigeon Express [Pdf]
"Pigeon Express" is a one page, fictional, reading passage about a man who had carrier pigeons and sent messages to his sister on the other side of town everyday. It is followed by constructed-response questions which require students to...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: See Our Progress [Pdf]
"See Our Progress" is a one page, fictional, reading passage about students who turned a vacant lot into a prairie garden and then were interviewed and shown on the television news. It is followed by questions which require students to...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Spring Is Coming [Pdf]
"Spring is Coming" is a one page, fictional, reading passage about a family of settlers who had survived the winter, but needed food. Their Native American neighbors showed them onions growing and gave them new hope. It is followed by...