To gain a better understanding of characters in Pearl Buck's The Good Earth, kids create a biopoem for one of her characters.

As part of their study of Out of the Dust, readers create a biopoem for one of the characters in Karen Hesse's 1998 Newbery Medal winning verse novel.

Based on the poem "The Lake Isle of Innisfree" by Irish poet William Butler Yeats, this resource is well constructed and guides learners through examining the Yeats poem (rhyme, meter, content) to composing a poem of their own about a...

Altering the ending of a famous fairy tale is a really fun way for kids to experience creative writing. The lesson here has them do just that! Learners listen to the famous fairy tale, "The Twelve Brothers," and change the ending of the...

Inntroduce primary learners to essential critical reading strategies with an activity based on James Reeves' poem, "The Wind."  Learners listen as the poem is read, first as a riddle, and then re-read with the title visible. The...

Building upon prior lessons in the series, this reading and writing exercise requires pupils to look back at their own writing, track character development in the novel The Cay, and analyze how Phillip has changed. The reading focus is...

Plot, setting, characters, and conflict are common to both drama and narrative stories. Kids create narrated tableaus that show their understanding of the plot, setting, and conflict of a story they've recently read. The lesson...

Take a trip back in time with this political cartoon analysis worksheet, which has scholars reading background information on the heated 2008 primary campaign to help them approach two political cartoons. Three talking points (or writing...

Budding musicians discuss rhythmic notation and melody as they play a bar instrument or recorder. They use the notes B, A, G, and E to play a simple melody, and then they use those same four notes to turn a poem into a song. They...

"Ode to la Tortilla" and "Ode to Joy"? Sure! Use Gary Soto's poem to introduce learners to the ode format. After examining the descriptive words Soto uses, class members study a poster of Ludwig van Beethoven, suggest words that describe...

Sixth graders research online various types of poetry. In this poetry analysis lesson, 6th graders research different types of poetry online, their characteristics, and poets. Students create a class atlas that incorporates the seven...

Fourth graders complete an activity with the book The Secret School by AVI. In this literacy lesson plan, 4th graders finish the story and write a Haiku poem describing their favorite part of the story. 

Twelfth graders use music to aid them in interpreting poetry. In this poetry activity, 12th graders analyze the lyrics, figurative language, and literary devices of selected music. Students compare the music to the poetry of Samuel...

Pupils create a poem that expresses the physical and emotional turmoil of living through the Dust Bowl.  In this Out of the Dust lesson plan, students research facts about the time period and discuss the cause-effect patterns...

  Students read and discuss the poem, The Purple Cow.  In this poetry lesson plan, students discuss the rhyming words in the poem and why this piece of literature is silly or unusual.     

Middle schoolers write poetry and post it on the Internet for others to see.

Seventh graders create PowerPoint poetry "books." They write five to seven autobiographical poems, select appropriate photos and music, and combine everything into a PowerPoint poetry presentation. They use many technological resources...

A visual arts lesson plan combined with language arts, where the students will create a visual poem using crayons. Students are asked to make a connection to an important aspect or event their lives.

Pupils chart the order of events in literature. In this literature lesson, students read The Odyssey and summarize the epic journey in their own words. Pupils then write about journeys they have taken in their own lives.

Students examine the various things trees give us. They read the book, "The Giving Tree" by Shel Silverstein, cook a food using a tree fruit, create notepads using unused paper, construct a picture frame with twigs, and write a poem.

Second graders analyze the proper form of friendly letters and write emails to a key pal. In this friendly letters and email lesson, 2nd graders discuss sending friendly letters and view examples of the letter format. Students then...

Second graders analyze the proper form of a friendly letter and send flat Stanley letters all over the United States. For this letter writing lesson, 2nd graders read the book Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown and create their own Flat...

Ninth graders continue to make their way through "The Odyssey". Using the text, they take notes, write a short informational paper and present it to the class. They answer reading comprehension questions to end the lesson.

Pupils explore rap and hip hop music. In this music and culture lesson, students experience the music of Will Smith in order to work on language and communication skills such as rhyming words, writing, and public speaking.