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The Joy Luck Club
Students read The Joy Luck Club and analyze the effect of having to translate from one culture into another. Students trace patterns that link mothers and daughters in the novel, and write an essay comparing personal experiences to those...
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Animal Farm
An exploration of "Animal Farm" can be a way to get students thinking about politics, history, and literature.
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Mildred Taylor: Understanding the Author of "Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry"
Young scholars complete various activities related to the analysis of the novel "Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry." They create a collage of words and images of what it was like to live in the South in the 1930's, conduct Internet research,...
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Activity Analysis #3
Ninth graders, before being introduced to the novel "A Raisin in the Sun" by Lorraine Hansberry, experience of variety of activities dealing with raisins and dreams. They begin by writing a short essay predicting what they think will...
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Unit Plan for Mark Twain and American Humor
Students create brochures about the humor of Mark Twain. In this literature-analysis lesson plan, students read "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" and other short stories by Twain. Students write analytical paragraphs and...
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Social and Cultural Issues in the Civil Rights Movement
Middle schoolers watch videos, listen to speeches and analyze the information that is presented about the civil rights movement. They examine visual art of the period.
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The Nineteenth Amendment: Susan B. Anthony
What would your scholars do if Susan B. Anthony walked into class? Shock them to attention with this instructional activity, which has the school secretary (or any willing participant) dress as the famous suffragette and answer questions...
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Comparing Realistic and Fictional Settings
Students examine setting in a work of realistic fiction. In this literature lesson plan, students read The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and then write an essay that compares real-life settings to the settings in...
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"Retale" Value: Exploring Plot Similarities in Fiction and Nonfiction Stories
Young scholars explore seven basic story lines and apply these story lines to news articles in the New York Times. They write reports comparing the plot of a news article to novels, plays and movies with which they are familiar.
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Stadium Voices
Middle schoolers watch NEW YORK VOICES special "New York Sports: Big Shots and Bad Guys," read excerpts from famous novels/essays in hopes of understanding the feelings that sports stadiums inspire, and create a tourist brochure that...
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E.B. White
In this biography worksheet, students read a short passage detailing the life of author E.B. White. Students then answer 6 questions about the passage they have read.
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Night by Elie Weisel
Students read "No News from Auschwitz" and answer the study questions as an introduction to the novel. They record reactions to the essay and compare with reactions after reading "Night".
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Truth, Trash and Treasure
Students examine how people can make a difference in the world. They read and analyze excerpts from a novel, discuss song lyrics, clean up a local park, and write an essay.
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Teaching Night with Web Research Assignments
Young scholars research the Holocaust. They read the autobiography, Night, by Elie Wiesel, conduct research on a child of the Holocaust, and write an essay comparing/contrasting the life of their selected child with that of Elie Wiesel.
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The Songcatcher
Students read Sharyn McCrumb's and Maggie Greenwald's versions of "Songcatcher" and use them as a springboard to explore the heritage and traditions of Appalachian folk music. They review Internet sources, conduct research and write...
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Figurative Language - Part Two
Students need to use their papers from Part One of this lesson. They then write a paragraph for each term. This exercise help them to use these terms in their writing. Using figurative language makes writing more descriptive and alive.
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Anna Karenina Questions
In this reading comprehension activity, students respond to 7 short answer and essay questions based on Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy.
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Great Books: Kafka's Metamorphosis
High schoolers discuss the central image of Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis and use a strong symbol in a piece of writing. In this Metamorphosis lesson, students focus on the central image of the novel in a class discussion. High schoolers...
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The Great Gatsby
Eleventh graders investigate the concept of the American Dream. They use the novel "The Great Gatsby" as an example from literature. Students brainstorm in order to define the American Dream.
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Exploring the West Using Fiction
Young scholars explore post Civil War development of the American West. They investigate the conflict among various groups involved in the settlement of the West and select a novel by a western writer and complete questions from the...
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Au Revoir Les Enfants Film Comparison/Contrast
In this film analysis worksheet, students compare and contrast one of the themes in "Lord of the Flies" using the film "Au Revoir Les Enfants." Students write a comparison and contrast essay for the activity.
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Catching on to Catcher in the Rye
Students conduct Internet research to analyze Holden Caulfield from the novel, the Catcher in the Rye. Once they have researched various sites to gain insight into Caulfield's problems, they write letters from one character to another. ...
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Digging Up Facts
Students research a historical legend. They participate in a discussion of the legend of Kissing Kate Barlow in the novel Holes. Students then chose one of three American legends and use internet research to complete a provided graphic...
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Making Lowell Our Place
Students investigate a community through different types of educational experiences. They use short field trips to experience the community in real life. they also conduct research using a variety of resources. Then students build the...