What ideas and philosophies guided the Transcendentalist movement in America? Scholars explore the topic, reading texts by Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. Additionally, they write essays comparing the authors' structural...

S.E. Hinton's The Outsiders is still relatable to teenagers today, even though it was written more than 50 years ago. Explore how the figurative language of the story works to establish characterization, and how foreshadowing lays...

A shirt can't really swallow you—right? Readers find examples of symbolism and personification in S.E. Hinton's The Outsiders with two straightforward lessons.

Catch-22, Joseph Heller's send-up of military organizational bureaucracy, provides readers with an opportunity to consider the importance of the anti-hero. Class members fill out a worksheet comparing and contrasting the qualities...

Some assignments are great, some can become great, and some have greatness thrust upon them. This one is great. After completing Joseph Heller's classic satire, Catch-22, groups craft and present their own political satire.

Words matter. Words frame thought. Words are symbolic. Readers of Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale examine how the words In Gilead's "New Language" reinforce the power of the government and provided insight into the symbolic level...

Eleventh graders investigate the concept of the American Dream. They use the novel "The Great Gatsby" as an example from literature. Students brainstorm in order to define the American Dream.

Learners consider how the attributes of heroes have evolved. In this character traits lesson, students define heroism in their culture and research the epic heroes of literature. Learners select heroes to write about and share their...

Students investigate the history of literature in America by looking at the types of genres first read in the United States. They look at the foundations of how the original colonists had the intention of transmitting religious and moral...

Pupils construct a personalized book with their own family members to practice family vocabulary and literacy in English. This activity would benefit any kindergartener; but is especially aimed at the English Learner.

Fifth graders explore the purpose for reading a piece of literature. In this reading lesson, 5th graders view the cover of a book and then predict the order of details from the book.  Students listen to the piece of literature and...

Pupils are exposed to literature and create an Academy award for their piece of literature. They play an author or a character and present themselves, a category, and each of the nominees in that category to gain awareness of...

Students complete the reading of an age appropriate piece of literature. They think critically about their reading and discuss it with a group of peers. Students make connections among their reading, their own lives, and the discussions...

Young scholars read and explore the themes of the book The Eighty Yard Run. In this literature lesson, students discuss their observations and predictions. Young scholars develop their own story which is similar to that of The Eighty...

Fourth graders investigate the style of diary writing as its own genre of literature. They read Harriet The Spy in order to have a text for this literature study. Students use the skill of prediction to preview the story, and then...

Young scholars engage in a reading of literature with the intention of working on the reading comprehension skill of identifying the plot of a story. They conduct independent reading looking for the plot and fill in the graphic organizer...

Students explore the book A Midsummer Night's Dream. In this literature lesson, students identify main characters and vocabulary words from the text. Students participate in a book discussion group.

Students examine historical photographs and discuss what the photograph reveals and how they can contribute to writing. In this response to literature  students choose a photograph and develop a paragraph around it.

Students read the story "Arthur's Halloween" and discuss how they have helped someone. In this "Arthur's Halloween lesson plan, students play a game that strengthens their listening skills. Students participate in identifying...

Students add themselves in to a story. In this literature lesson, students listen to the story Miss Nelson is Missing by Harry Allard and James Marshall. They pull out certain words in the story and add their own to create a new...

Students examine what makes a tragic hero and whether Captain Ahab fits the criteria.  In this literature instructional activity, engage in group discussions and examine Captain Ahab from the novel Moby Dick. They will then...

Students compare and contrast surrealist paintings to Alice in Wonderland.  In this literature activity, students examine surrealism paintings and apply those principles to Alice in Wonderland.  They explore how the...

Students explore elements of American folktales and tall tales. In this literature activity, students read examples of American folktales and tall tales and prepare a monologue or news report to present to the class based on their readings.

Students explore children's literature by reading biographies in class. For this history analysis lesson, students read books written by Jean Fritz about the Revolutionary War and discuss the events that led up to the critical moment....