Designed to be used with an independent reading book, this activity provides practice with identifying and explaining literary terms. While they read, individuals find instances of literary devices and elements in use in their books....

Learners read the literature of The Talisman in order to make cultural connections and investigate the concept of irony and how it is used in this Japanese text. They also discuss the issue of conformity and its relationship to the story.

Students practice the art of listening. In this listening skills lesson, students listen to an old-time radio show and identify hidden messages, innuendo, sarcasm, double entendres, puns, hyperbole, irony, colloquialisms, inflections,...

Hop on the stock market rollercoaster! This political cartoon analysis has scholars examine a cartoon about the ups and downs of a volatile market. Background information and a quote provide context for analyzing the cartoon, and 3...

What is satire, and what are its characteristics? A handy handout provides young satirists with all the information they need to analyze a satire or to craft their own.

Here's a list-group-label vocabulary activity for The Catcher in the Rye that will knock readers out, it really will! Groups sort, label, and define a list of words taken from Salinger’s novel. Complete directions for the activity, the...

Great for a psychology, sociology, or language arts lecture, this presentation focuses on the features, functions, and subjects of humor. Complete with definitions and examples of each category, as well as links to humorous videos and...

Are you introducing your class to the horrors of eating unhealthy? This lesson contains 24 reading comprehension questions relating to the non-fiction book. Readers are encouraged to copy these and answer them in their reading...

In this online interactive vocabulary skills learning exercise, students match the 10 vocabulary terms in the word bank to the appropriate definitions. Students may submit their answers to be scored. All of the...

Middle schoolers who are about to read the chilling tale, The Lottery, do some writing beforehand. They are asked to write how their lives would change if they won a huge lottery jackpot. Then, they read the short story, and will be...

Challenge your class with this comprehensive list of literary vocabulary words. Learners take a pre-test, look up definitions, come up with an example, and then take a post-test. You might use this prior to a unit about poetic devices in...

In this literature worksheet, students respond to 23 short answer and essay questions about Oliver Twist. Students may also link to an online interactive quiz on the novel at the bottom of the page.

Students consider satire in the news by exploring various sources of "fake news," and then creating their own political satire in the form of a skit, news article, or cartoon.

In this online interactive history worksheet, students respond to 10 short answer and essay questions about Plato's Laches. Students may check some of their answers on the interactive worksheet. 

In this vocabulary worksheet, students provide the definition of 22 words. They also generate 4 synonyms and 2 antonyms for each word listed. Words include acquiesce, apathetic, expressive and more.

In this current events activity, students analyze a political cartoon that requires them to consider how visual irony is used in a cartoon about the Patriot Act. Students respond to 3 talking point questions.

In this literature worksheet, students respond to 25 short answer and essay questions about Shakespeare's Richard III. Students may also link to an online interactive quiz on the selection at the bottom of the page.

Students explore the concept of honest communication. In this character education lesson, students discover eschew obfuscation and role play sincere communication exchanges with other students.

Third graders analyze comics found in the newspaper for samples of logical, emotional, and ethical appeal. They write a paragraph for each selected comic strip explaining how the comic strip represents the use of logic, emotions, or ethics.

Learners apply vocabulary activities to two short stories in order to increase their comprehension skills. They complete three lessons in which they examine irony, examine how it is used in text, and design an ironic skit. Also, the look...

Students engage in a variety of activities in order to complete a unit about the Shakespeare work of Macbeth. The lessons are part of a layered curriculum. The objective is to create a portfolio to create more layers.

In this poetry worksheet, students complete multiple choice questions on different aspects of poetry. Students complete 40 questions total.

Eighth graders study the Civil War novel, Across Five Aprils, by Irene Hunt. They review vocabulary and literary elements and write a "Brother Against Brother" essay about coming face to face with a brother in one of the battles of the...

In this current events worksheet, students analyze a political cartoon about the American Stock Market and respond to 3 talking point questions.