Curated OER
Identifying Theme
What's theme, and can texts of every length have one? Explore the themes of fives short reading passages with your middle school class. Encourage them to highlight specific places in the text where they recognized the theme.
K12 Reader
Valentine’s Day Adjectives and Adverbs
Connect parts of speech with Valentine's Day in an engaging grammar worksheet with a Valentine theme. Learners fill in the blanks with the appropriate adjective or adverb to complete each sentence.
Phantom of Opera
The Phantom of the Opera: Ideas for Research and Discussion
You could spend a full day discussing The Phantom of the Opera and not scratch the surface, but a set of lessons about the literary elements and themes of the musical production is a great start. Young thespians build upon the background...
Novelinks
Oedipus the King: Organizational Patterns
Designed for teachers of Sophocles' Oedipus the King, this packet provides information about themes and literary devices used in the play. Appropriate for first-time and veteran teachers of Sophocles' tragedy.
Curated OER
Vocab-u-lous! Build a Fabulous Vocab
In this vocabulary worksheet, students select the best word choice to complete the sentence. All words correspond to the theme of Earth Day.
Prestwick House
The Sign of the Beaver Student Response Journal
Discuss the themes and events of Elizabeth George Speare's The Sign of the Beaver with a collection of journal topics. Each chapter contains two or three questions for kids to consider and write about, for a total of 24 questions.
Curated OER
Parents' Day
In this Parents' Day worksheet, students complete activities such as reading a passage, matching phrases, fill in the blanks, correct word choosing, multiple choice, sequencing, unscramble the sentences, write questions, take a survey,...
Curated OER
"Once More to the Lake" by E.B. White
Revisit your own childhood memories of long summers and lakeside fun with E.B. White's essay, "Once More to the Lake." Included here is the actual text as well as a series of short-answer questions that follow. Not only do readers study...
Prestwick House
Death of a Salesman
Arthur Miller's work of American tragedy and frustration is as relevant today as the first day it premiered on stage. Learners review character names and details from Death of a Salesman with a crossword puzzle that contains 27 clues.
Curated OER
Who Can Achieve the "American Dream"
Exploring the idea of working to achieve the American Dream, the class reads an excerpt from How the Garcia Girls Lost their Accents by Julia Alvarez. Following, the class analyzes the excerpt and discusses the theme of the reading using...
Japan Society
Our Family and Other Families: Using Totoro to Teach Family Structure
What do families around the world have in common? Explore this theme through the popular animated film My Neighbor Totoro by Hayao Miyazaki. Over the course of two days, pupils view the film, pausing to discuss their own families and the...
Curated OER
First Day in Grapes
Students read about a boy's first day in a new school. In this self-esteem lesson, students discuss the problems Chico has in his new school and how he faces them with courage and bravery. Students discuss people who migrate from other...
Curated OER
Clowning Around: Drawing
Kids create a clown out of shapes. They work to show emotions while practicing their drawing skills. Pupils use circles, triangles, squares, oil pastels, and their imagination to draw, color, and decorate a sad or happy clown. Tip: Have...
Curated OER
Owen and Mzee
Middle schoolers examine the trait of compassion. In this character education lesson plan, students read Owen and Mzee: The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship by Isabella Hatkoff. Middle schoolers discuss the theme of the story as...
Curated OER
Macbeth: Quotations
In this Macbeth learning exercise, students read passages from Macbeth and answer the prompts for each one. Prompts include identifying the speaker, describing the context of the quote, and explaining the significance of one of five...
Curated OER
Aesop's Fables: Unity
In this language arts and literature activity, students read 3 separate Aesop's fables that all have the theme of unity. Students then complete 5 pages of essay questions, short answer, detail checking, higher meaning reflections and...
Curated OER
Star Wars: Modernity and the Timelessness of Myth
Students explore myths through the study of multiple texts. Students use James Joyce's "Ulysses," the film "Star Wars," various Greek and Biblical myths to inform a guided discussion of myths and the common themes in these texts.
Curated OER
Aesop's Fables: Fitting In
In this literature worksheet, students read one of Aesop's fables that has the theme of fitting in. Students then complete 7 pages of questions: detail checks, deeper meanings, imagination exercises, drawing characters and scenes, a...
Film Space
Whale Rider
Ready for an educational movie day? Use a resource based on the movie Whale Rider to learn more about the Maori culture. Class members answer a variety of questions and listen to music from the soundtrack to further analyze and...
Reed Novel Studies
We All Fall Down: Novel Study
Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day? Will, a ninth grade student in We All Fall Down, was at work with his father in the World Trade Center. Scholars read Will's story of the accounts told in first person....
Curated OER
Use Literature to Teach Tolerance
Students listen as teachers read a different book or a different passage that focuses on the theme of tolerance. Students then write a paragraph each day to tell how that day's book/passage taught them the importance of tolerance.
Mythology Teacher
Eros and Psyche: Part 1
With Eros and Psyche, your learners will have the opportunity to combine the art of reader's theater with a study of the ancient Greek gods! This engaging reader's theater script will also serve as a fantastic way for your class members...
Curated OER
Time Problems
In this math worksheet, middle schoolers solve the problem according to using the problem solving methods based upon the theme of time.
Curated OER
No Rest for the Festive: Christmas Days Out
Students enjoy winter activities. In this field trip opportunities lesson, students may visit Winter Wonderland, the Tanya Axford Christmas Installation, the Lander Operation Control Centre for the Beagle 2 Mission, the Avon Valley...