"Now is the summer of our happiness/Made winter by this sudden, fierce attack!" Luke Skywalker meets Hamlet in a 10-lesson unit based on Ian Doescher's William Shakespeare's Star Wars: Verily, a New Hope. Using Star Wars® as source...

Young journalists write diary entries from the point of view of a person involved in a historical event. They focus on including facts, clear narration, and accurate description of the individual's feelings. 

Engage critical and social thinking by exploring the value of language and word choice. The class considers the article "The Silence of the Historic Present" and analyzes several presidential speeches. They engage in class...

Was the fatal crash of EgyptAir Flight 990 cause by mechanical failure or was it an act of sabotage? The crux of the debate and the subsequent controversy centers on translation of an Arabic phrase uttered by the pilot. The New York...

Young potters make their very own version of the classic Navajo Pottery. With helpful worksheets and applicable cross-curricular activities, the lesson is an enriching way to mold both your clay and the multicultural...

Who is Herman Melville? Read and discuss "Bartleby the Scrivener: A Story of Wall-street." Then, discuss the film adaptations of Melville's work and translate a passage of the text into modern-day English. Discussion questions are...

In this figurative language instructional activity, students identify the figurative language technique being used in each of the 10 sentences. The sentences are based on Edgar Allan Poe's literary work.

In this language worksheet, learners participate in a language game involving twenty-eight sentence starters. Students draw a sentence and complete the thought.

Students watch and discuss a scene from 'Cool Hand Luke,' then read the actor Kevin Costner's commentary on it. Then, each identifies one work of art that he or she loves and prepares a similar commentary on the details of that work's...

Students consider the ways nature has been used in art, and then design and create their own original sculptures using materials from nature for a class exhibit.

Learners explore how one artist portrays her own experiences and interests through her art. Students then choose themes in their own lives and create works of art inspired by those themes.

Young scholars analyze the military, business, and political implications of Sun Tzu's book The Art of War. In this literature lesson, students read and discuss the novel prior to interviewing business people about business practices...

For this New York State Testing Program English Language worksheet, students read five excerpts and answer comprehension questions.  Students determine answers for 26 multiple choice questions.

Using The Musicians' Brawl, middle schoolers first impressions and the effect the title has on a piece of work. Then they analyze the narrative elements to art and write a newspaper article for the painting. In this narrative art lesson...

By working cooperatively, writers will create a newspaper about the Brooklyn Museum of Art. Each member will take on a different role representing various types of newspaper writers. They will discover the history, exhibits, special...

Students compare and contrast an academic and Impressionist portrait. In this art history lesson, students look at two different styles of painting and write a paragraph as if they are the subject in the painting. They compare and...

Young scholars examine how a piece of art tells a story. In this visual art lesson plan, students interpret a piece of art work by writing a newspaper article that tells the story of the moment in time that is depicted in a picture. They...

What do figures of speech have to do with financial literacy? Take an interdisciplinary look at The Berenstain Bears' Trouble with Money to find out. Young analysts read about the cubs' spendthrift ways and how Mama and Papa Bear...

Use this online English skills worksheet on a computer lab day in your language arts class. Young writers respond to twelve questions that require them to write more concise sentences. They may check suggested answers.

Engage your class in art analysis of Indian Look-Alike by Melanie Yazzie. Using this work of art as inspiration, writers compose a poem or short story. After a peer review session, the teacher conveys information about the work of art as...

 In this English language vocabulary worksheet, students select words or phrases from 4 possible answers to complete a sentence. The sentences have varied structures with unusual topics and sometimes advanced vocabulary. The user...

Get your language arts class moving, build community, and strengthen writing skills with this kinesthetic activity. The class brainstorms interview questions from which each chooses three. Individuals then collect information about six...

Combining visual and language arts, here is a resource that prompts middle schoolers to write stories based on pictures of their surroundings. They use digital cameras to take pictures of favorite areas in the school. Next, they choose...

Looking for a way to bring prewriting into your informative writing unit? Use this lesson to reinforce writing skills in your eighth grade language arts class. Young writers use a web graphic organizer as a prewriting tool for expository...