Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Outsiders: The K-W-H-L Strategy

For Teachers 6th - 8th
What does your class know about the 1960s? Introduce your unit on S.E. Hinton's The Outsiders with a K-W-H-L chart, which encourages kids to list what they already know about the time period, what they would like to know, how they...
Activity
Novelinks

Tuck Everlasting: Directed Reading Thinking Activity

For Teachers 4th - 7th Standards
Encourage close reading for young learners with a lesson based on Natalie Babbitt's Tuck Everlasting. The first part of the resource guides readers through a Directed Reading Thinking Activity (DRTA), prompting them to make...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

"Shooting An Elephant": George Orwell's Essay on His Life in Burma

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High school readers examine George Orwell's essay "Shooting an Elephant" for examples of symbolism, metaphor, connotation, and irony. They analyze how these literary tools convey the writer's main point and contribute to the persuasive...
Handout
Novelinks

The Tempest: Concept Analysis

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Use a handy concept analysis guide as you begin your unit on William Shakespeare's The Tempest. With character descriptions, literary themes, and anticipated affective issues, the guide can help those new to using The Tempest craft...
Activity
Pasco Middle School

AVID Socratic Seminar

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Developed specifically for AVID students, this packet of materials that includes an explanation of the Socratic seminar, the preparation materials, and tips and protocols, is a must-have resource for any class. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Pearl: Problematic Situation

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Is money the root of all evil, or the answer to everyone's dreams? Analyze the role of money in John Steinbeck's The Pearl with a writing prompt where kids imagine that they have won the lottery, and must think about the ways it will...
Unit Plan
English Resources

Buddy by Nigel Hinton

For Teachers 7th - 9th
The lessons that come from reading the novel Buddy by Nigel Hinton might be masked by how much you have just enjoyed the story, but don’t let an opportunity for learning pass you by. Let this learning scheme bring clarity to the ideas...
PPT
Alabama Learning Exchange

A Novel Study Unit to Take Us Back in Time

For Teachers 7th - 10th
A Novel Study is the focus of this Literature PowerPoint. A class is about to have author Chris Paul come speak to their class about his novel, The Watson's Go to Birmingham - 1963. Before his appearance, the class is directed to do an...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Analyzing Literature via Literature Circles

For Teachers 6th - 7th
Introduce literature circles with Roland Smith's novels. Your seventh graders will see the activity modeled as you read The Three Little Pigs together and apply the format to a Roland Smith novel of their choice. The lesson includes...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Writing about Internal & External Conflicts in Lois Lowry's The Giver

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders examine the internal and external conflicts that Jonas faces in "The Giver" in an essay. Students use SMART Board and Inspiration to organize their ideas graphically before combining them into their paper.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Interpreting Meaning in Maya Angelou’s “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings”

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Launch a study of Maya Angelou's "I know Why the Caged Bird Sings" with the Youtube video of Alicia Keys singing her "Caged Bird." Groups then read Angelou's poem and discuss the symbols employed. Although the text of the poem is not...
Activity
Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award

So B. It

For Teachers 5th - 9th
Looking for supporting materials for a study of So B. It by Sarah Weeks? This resource includes a summary of the book, questions to answer and discuss, a journal starter, a list of related activities, a list of similar books, and links...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Half Man, Half Limping Rabbit

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Read your class a folk tale from Romania then discuss it. As they listen they discover how the author sets the mood using English conventions such as foreshadowing, magical elements, and they look for descriptive language while looking...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Half Man, Half Limping Rabbit

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore culture and change through reading "Half Main, Half Limping Rabbit" by Nina Porzucki. In this literature and cultural lesson, students discuss Dracula and other folk stories from Romania. Students identify the ways the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Literature Awards: Michael L. Printz Award 2004

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students research information about the Michael L. Printz Awards which are given to outstanding young adult novels.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

1984: How Much Fact in Fiction?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students compare and contrast the society in Orwell's 1984 with modern society. In this 1984 lesson, students research the historical climate in which Orwell wrote the novel. Students create a comparison chart of privacy issues in the...
Lesson Planet Article
Curated OER

"The Giver"- A Novel Study

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Here are some resources and lesson ideas to incorporate into a literature study of the novel "The Giver" by Lois Lowry.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Read On

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students consider the question "Why do we read?" through creating and sharing individual timelines of their own histories as readers. They then choose a book on which to write a personal essay.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

For Sale - Ageless Water

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students discuss the topic of everlasting life after completing the novel, Tuck Everlasting. They examine advertisements for bottled water on the Internet and in magazines. Then they create their own advertisement for ageless water.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Enriching Student Inquiry into Endangered Animals

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students read aloud novel Hoot, by Carl Hiassen, choose endangered animal, complete individual research projects related to their interest, prepare persuasive writing piece, and compare and contrast two endangered animals.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Investigate The Role of Women in China

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students study the changing role of women in Communist China. They view a slideshow to interpret the images and watch a video that shows the changing roles. They write a prediction of how women's roles change in the next 10 years.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Now and Then

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students record transformations and their effects within and across cultures. Students study the life of specific people in a former time period and then in the present time period. This teacher focused on the Winnebago tribe, using her...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Diary of Anne Frank

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders read the Diary of Anne Frank. In this novel reading lesson, 8th graders read and analyze the story. Students do online activities and create a newspaper giving a summary of three major events in the story. Students answer...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Songs of Native Americans

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students listen to chapter from novel When Legends Die by Hal Borland, listen to traditional Lakota song, discuss feeling song induces and in what circumstance it may be used, and examine connection between cultural music and family...