Diction and Identity

Foster reader confidence when encountering complex text and reinforce the skills readers have acquired to build and extend their understanding of text. The plan uses a section of Douglass’ narrative as an exemplar text. Directions for...

Imagine what it was like to be a slave in the United States in 1845. Eighth graders are given an opportunity to experience life from the point of view of Frederick Douglass as they read and discuss an annotated passage from Narrative of...

How was Edgar Allan Poe able to create "intriguing, memorable, and lasting literature"? To answer this question, learners analyze the syntax, diction, and characterizations in Poe's poems and short stories and compare the impact of these...

 The narrative works of Frederick Douglass engage learners in the topic of slavery. They will experience American history in a new way, a Douglass expresses his thoughts in his own words. Pupils then interpret this literary work.   

Does identify come from within, or is it shaped by external forces? Explore the complex concept of identify with a two-unit module designed for 12th grade language arts. The first unit uses A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams...

Chapter 10 of The Autobiography of Malcolm X introduces readers to the teachings of Elijah Muhammad. Discussion questions focusing on syntax and diction draw attention to how Malcolm X's point of view of Mr. Muhammad changes.

Close reading is key to the analysis and interpretation of literature. A close reading of the title and the epigraph of “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” offers readers an opportunity to examine how even single words or names can...

Getting tired of reading the same verbs over and over again in your pupils' writing? Teach them about precise and vibrant verbs! This presentation, which is somewhat out of order, contains two different activities for practicing with...

Twelfth graders analyze "Dedication" and "Child of the Americas" using a double-journal format. They compare responses and infer meaning from the connotations of select images in the poems write a paragraph describing the importance of...

Ninth graders read the play, "A Raisin in the Sun," and participate in a class discussion about "identity." They discuss racial identity and examine and interpret how community influences a personal identity. They demonstrate how...