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Poems with Tone and Mood
Students examine the use of tone in poetry. In this literature lesson, students read "We Real Cool," by Gwendolyn Brooks and use the provided graphic organizer to chart the poem's tone and mood.
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Romanticism, Realism and Transcendentalism
Correct two sentences on overhead and complete one analogy,Define word meanings, synonyms, antonyms, variant forms and word parts for five words,interpret ?The Devil and Tom Walker?
-respond to teacher-directed questions
-discuss...
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Political Cartoons: Thinking Broadly, Communicating Succinctly
Learners think broadly about the tsunami disaster and its aftermath through studying cartoons. Students critically think about the literary devices the authors/artists use, such as satire, metaphor and personification.
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Word Bank; Theater
Students are given a word bank relating to theater. In this word bank lesson, students are introduced to a list of words and their definitions. Students then build their vocabulary regarding theatrical concepts.
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Create a Youth Consumer Magazine
To underscore the importance of being informed consumers, kids check out youth consumer magazines and websites and then create their own. Although no detailed plans are included in the resource, it is packed with ideas and suggestions.
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Politics and Religion in 17th Century Dutch Art
Seventh graders examine different pieces of Dutch Art. They identify its social and political meanings by using cultural and historical information. They examine maps of the time period as well.
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Extreme Poetry Vocabulary
Challenge your class with this comprehensive list of literary vocabulary words. Learners take a pre-test, look up definitions, come up with an example, and then take a post-test. You might use this prior to a unit about poetic devices in...
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Defending Great Literature
Students defend Mark Twain and the study of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn using persuasive techniques, appropriate word choice, and correct letter format, in response to a fictional letter by an upset parent.
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Respect for Authority
Students examine the country of Mongolia and how it is trying to form a democracy. As a class, they participate in a class meeting about a new class rule and they voice their opinions. They read excerpts of a letter of a Peace Corps...
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Tennessee Williams: Exploring the American Dream
Students read and analyze selections of Tennessee Williams' work. They write journal responses, conduct Internet research, perform various scenes from one of Williams' dramas, and create a presentation.
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The Red Badge of Courage: A New Kind of Courage
Students provide examples of Crane's treatment of the "manly virtues" associated with war using support from the text of The Red Badge of Courage. They describe the three published endings of The Red Badge of Courage and the difference...
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The Crucible
Twelfth graders use an Internet scavenger hunt, vocabulary, sample essay questions, and short answer questions suitable for study and review of the play, The Crucible.
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The Rest Cure: Gender in Medicine and Literature
Read and discuss "The Yellow Wall-Paper" and the gender issues that the story brings up. Use articles from the time period to analyze, complete with specific discussion questions. After two days, scholars write an essay based on topics...
Dream of a Nation
Writing a Narrative Essay
Imagine using narrative essays to encourage change. This multi-week unit plan does just that. After reading a series of articles from Tyson Miller's Dream of a Nation: Inspiring Ideas for a Better America, class members examine the...
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Cartoons and Protest
Students examine political cartoons from 1774 through today, determine their meanings through analysis and discussion, and create their own political cartoons focusing on historical issues studied in class.
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Mark Twain: Straddling the Civil War
Mark Twain's life, politics, writing, and role as a mirror of pre- and post-Civil War American culture are the focus 11th and 12th graders in this section from an expansive author study. A critical writing assignment comparing Twain...
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Constructing Narrative from the Migrant Experience in Literature
Excerpts from John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath and from John Fante's Ask the Dust, as well as a variety of primary source documents provide the background for an examination of the migrant experience from 1920-1945.
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Flip flops....In the style of.....
Pupils create a pair of flip flops. Using the internet, they become familiar with the work of a specific artist and make their flip flops in the same design. They write a report on the information they gather about the artist and share...
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Understanding Flashback
Middle schoolers are introduced to the definition of "flashback" in that writers use it when they want to reveal to readers something that happened in the past.
Then Students write a short story using a flashback scene and then move...
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Persuasion
High schoolers explore the characteristics of a persuasive letter. They label each characteristic and they create a persuasive letter using the correct business letter format. Students recommend a school rule or change of a rule and...
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Manifest Destiny and Westward Expansion
Students explore the economic, political, racial, and religious roots of Manifest Destiny. They read articles and analyze how the concept influenced the nation's westward expansion. Students discover the motivations and expectations of...
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Expressing Our Thoughts Through Poetry
Students create a poem on about spring. They read final version of their poem chorally. They write reflections of their experience in creating the poem.
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Early Industrialization
Eighth graders analyze primary source documents emphasizing young people in factory labor (mill workers during 1840-1860). They study hours of labor, ages of laborers, reasons for working, and working conditions. They write a poem or song.
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Literature: Isabel Allende
Students watch and respond to a Bill Moyers Now video on the Chilean author, Isabel Allende. They brainstorm a list of recent events that might inspire writers and choose one to write about in poetic, diary, or short story form.