Reed Novel Studies
From The Mixed Up Files Of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler: Novel Study
Claudia Kincaid decides to run away to bring some excitement to her life, but she never expects the adventure she finds. A helpful study guide takes readers through the novel From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler....
Curated OER
"Their Eyes Were Watching God": Folk Speech and Figurative Language
Using or considering using Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God? Then this packet is a must for your curriculum library. The examination of how Hurston combines folklore and folk language to create the voice of her...
Curated OER
The Outsiders
Tenth graders complete a variety of activities related to the first two chapters of the book The Outsiders. They define metaphor, simile, idiom, and hyperbole, and take a vocabulary pre-quiz. In small groups, they write a character...
Curated OER
Similes
Similes are a great way to get your writers thinking about descriptive details. They read a brief explanation which covers clichés and the general wording of a simile. Then, learners try a few on their own. First, they complete nine...
Curated OER
Parts of Speech Matching
In this parts of speech worksheet, students read sentences and match them to the part of speech that they represent including similes, personification, metaphors, and more. Students complete 8 matches.
Curated OER
Eating Up Idioms
Ah, food idioms! Now that sounds tasty. Class members read and discuss various food-related idioms, create an illustration of a food-related idiom, and develop a class book or bulletin board to celebrate figurative language and National...
Curated OER
Social Movements in American Politics
Students explore American social movements. In this writing skills instructional activity, students read Orwell's "Politics and the English." Students then apply the rules for writing that are included in the piece. Students follow-up by...
Curated OER
Hyperbole Lesson Plans: Ideas for the Art of Exaggeration
Hyperbole lesson plans and ideas that make figurative language instruction relevant to students' lives. Discover how to help learners better understand the figurative concept of hyperbole. A fantastic article which includes multiple web...
Curated OER
It's Raining Cats and Dog: Studying Idioms
Seventh graders determine the literal and figurative meanings of idioms and research the history of idioms. In this idioms instructional activity, 7th graders read two books by Fred Gwynne and select two idioms from the texts to...
Curated OER
Metaphor
High schoolers identify the distinction between literal and figurative language with a focus on metaphors. They complete a metaphor analysis chart, then practice expanding metaphors by composing their own comparisons of elements of the...
Reed Novel Studies
The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp: Novel Study
Wild feral hogs and an alligator wrestler are just two interesting aspects of Kathi Appelt's novel The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp. Using the novel study, scholars search the text for examples of the eight parts of speech....
Laura Candler
Bio Poems Made Easy
A creative way bring autobiographical writing to your poetry unit or back-to-school curriculum, this lesson plan guides you through a bio poem activity. Kids use the graphic organizer to describe themselves using adjectives, things they...
Curated OER
Comparisons: Well-Known Sayings
How familiar is your class with basic idioms? Eight idioms and their explanations are listed here, and learners must match each explanation with the correct idiom. Looking for a way to extend this activity? Have your learners choose one...
National Constitution Center
Born in the U.S.A: Music as Political Protest
Though often used in shows of patriotism, Bruce Springsteen's 1985 song "Born in the U.S.A." is critical of America's role in the Vietnam war and its treatment of American veterans. High schoolers analyze the song's lyrics in an activity...
Think Map
Shakespearean Idioms
How do you react if you're "hot-blooded?" What happens when you engage in a "wild goose chase?" And what are "salad days?" Use this worksheet and the online Visual Thesaurus to answer these questions and more. Based on Shakespearean...
Curated OER
Proverb Test
Use this entertaining learning exercise in your class after a lesson on proverbs or as a fun activity after a test. Students read each question and think of the proverb or expression that best fits the description. Have them work in...
Curated OER
Famous People - A Quiz on Definite and Indefinite Articles
This online, interactive worksheet helps English language learners practice identifying the correct article among four options. Feedback is immediate by clicking on the answer button following each questions. It includes 15 questions...
Curated OER
Teaching Debate to ESL Students
Language learners use the debate format to practice formulating, expressing, and defending their ideas. Working in teams, class members develop resolutions, use opinion indicators to express their opinions and reasons, and prepare...
Reed Novel Studies
James and the Giant Peach: Novel Study
Everyone wants to feel like they belong. James, in James and the Giant Peach, finds a feeling of belonging in a very odd place—inside a peach! Scholars read the story of James and the Peach and work through vocabulary, language, and...
University of Florida
Phonological Awareness: A Sound Beginning
Choose from a variety of phonological activities to complement a reading lesson. The guide goes through the basic components of good phonics instruction focusing on sound types, levels of phonological awareness, assessment methods, and...
Curated OER
Idiom Workout
Teach your students that identifying a phrase as an idiom isn't an insult! Providing an ample definition of the term "idiom," as well as three categories of popular idioms ("get the..." "in a..." and "on the..."), the activity prompts...
K12 Reader
Adventures with Alliteration! - Nouns
Create poetry with a worksheet based on alliterative phrases. After reviewing ten nouns, kids add an adjective to each based on the first letter of the noun. They then rewrite five sentences to involve more alliteration.
Curated OER
Further Improvements of Writing Skills
Improve writing skills by finding a personal writing style, using descriptive language effectively, and using precise language. Middle schoolers discuss individual style in writing and formal and informal language. They utilize figures...
Curated OER
English Skills Worksheet (6.203)
In this multiple English activities worksheet, students complete a variety of assignments: write three onomatopoeia sentences, add ten endings to ten words, give the root words to eight words, play two rounds of word chess, find the...