Young scholars study literary devices used in poetry. They gain access to a specific Internet poetry site that provides a step-by-step guide on how to write a poem. They each write a poem and then exchange it with others in a group for...

Tenth graders discuss human rights. They brainstorm and listen to and read examples of music and poetry that deal with human rights and oppression. They choose one poem or song to analyze, looking for theme, oppression, and historical...

Students identify the mood and theme associated with the language of poetry. They discuss personal interpretation in small groups, and as a class and * experiment with language and rhythm.

Fifth graders read several poems by famous poets and identify what about their style makes them unique. They then analyze and compare poetic style, use of forms and themes. Next, 5th graders investigate and collect different examples of...

Young scholars explore U.S. History by writing poems. In this United States leader biography instructional activity, students identify elements needed to create a good poem, and write a Bio-Poem about themselves. Young scholars utilize...

Students complete a twelve instructional activity unit on poetry. They read and respond to different forms of poetry, write a bio poem, complete an online WebQuest, and in small groups present lessons to the class on various types of poems.

Students investigate historical context by reading poetry.  In this language arts lesson plan, students discover the work of Michael Longley and examine his poem "Ceasefire."  Students identify the sonnets used in the piece and...

Students replace nouns, verbs, pronouns, and adjectives in a poem. They identify the parts of speech, and rewrite the poem using their own selection of parts of speech.

Where do directors and set designers get their ideas so that the set they build creates the mood and atmosphere the director wants for a production? From the script! Introduce theater high schoolers to the script analysis techniques used...

Accompany a reading of The Lorax by Dr. Seuss and Tell Me, Tree by Gail Gibbons with an activity packet designed to bring awareness to nature, specifically trees. Scholars take to the outside, draw lines to create trees reminiscent of...

Middle schoolers explore and evaluate poetry. In small groups, they read and summarize poems, complete a handout, create and perform a dramatization of a poem, and write a journal entry in response to their performance.

Ninth graders examine a character from the short story, John Steinbeck's, "Flight." students respond to questions about the story and illustrate the character's journey.

Young readers plan and draft a book report focusing on the five key components of a novel: plot, character, setting, conflict, and theme. After completing a story board, pupils then prepare a PowerPoint book report that is shown to the...

Students compare versions of Cinderella and draw conclusions based on the story elements identified. In this literacy comprehension and story elements lesson, students read several versions of Cinderella, complete a "Comparing Folklore"...

Students read, listen to and analyze the poem The Hyena by Edward Morgan.  In this poetry techniques lesson, students explore the visual images of animals and their unpleasant traits. Students answer questions about the animal...

Learners read the book I Am Tall and complete several reading response activities relating to the poems in the book. In this reading response lesson, students focus on the subject of fathers and make speculations about what the poems in...

Learners write sound poems inspired by works of art they have viewed, create paintings with snow as subject, create zines about their perceptions of winter, and update one of Robert Harris' winter sports illustrations. Four lessons on...

Students analyze the tree as a symbol, sharing ideas in class discussion. They use art as the basis for a creative writing assignment in poetry or represent a selected poem with an original student drawing.

Pupils examine the themes and structure of a bluegrass song and identify the common themes in bluegrass music. They practice songwriting by rewriting the lyrics of "Oh! Susanna" as a bluegrass tune.

How close are your eighth graders to mastering the ELA Common Core standards? Keep an eye on progress with these charts, which include every eighth grade identifier and full standard text. As you move through the year and teach,...

Things sure change in year's time. Suds, from Fourth Grade Rats, went from a third grade angel to a fourth grade rat! Although he is not necessarily happy with his new self, he worries he will lose his popularity. Learners complete...

A million things to do, a ton of homework ... hyperbole sure does help get the point across! With the novel study for Jerry Spinelli's Third Grade Angels, scholars practice writing their own exaggerated sentences. Additionally, they...

Would you want to live forever? That is a question that Winnie, in Natalie Babbitt's Tuck Everlasting, must answer. Scholars read to find out what Winnie chooses and reinforce their knowledge with vocabulary activities,...

Scholars read about Hollis, an orphan in Pictures of Hollis Woods, and complete worksheet activities. Activities include using vocabulary words to complete sentences, answering comprehension questions, and writing poetry.