Introductory Lesson for Advanced Level Classes

Prepare your class for a unit on A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines with an excellent set of materials. The first lesson of ten comes with an audio guide about the work as well as an interview of Gaines in a 30-minute video. Young...

What characteristics would your class attribute to a hero? Have them explore heroic acts and character development with a lesson from Ernest J. Gaines's A Lesson Before Dying. After discussing a handout, readers decide if small acts can...

After rereading the full text of Walter Mosley's essay "True Crime," groups complete an evidence collection tool worksheet and then class members independently draft a multi-paragraph, evidence-based response that identifies how Mosley...

Point of view, purpose, and tone: three concepts readers of primary and secondary source materials must take into account when examining documents. Class members view a PowerPoint presentation and use the SOAPS strategy to identify an...

After viewing Baz Luhrmann’s depiction of the marriage of Romeo and Juliet, the class listens to a recording of act 3, scene 1, lines 59–110; and then groups consider how Shakespeare develops Romeo’s character through his interactions...

Class members continue their study of Romeo and Juliet by watching scenes from Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet and then examining the figurative language Shakespeare uses in act 1, scene 5, lines 92–109, when Romeo and Juliet meet at the...

The Scarlet Letter is the anchor text in a four-week unit that examines Hawthorne's novel through the lens of the intolerances found in a supposed civilized society. In addition to their reading, class members watch clips from TV shows,...

Find the main idea in an informational text with a versatile lesson. Three levels of differentiation help you implement the strategy in any age or class level, based on the ability and objectives of your learners.

Consumer technology has made it possible for filmmakers to create entire movies from the comfort of their home computer. Guide high school film buffs through the process of designing a documentary with an extensive unit published by...

Teach your class about colony collapse disorder and foster discussion about causes and solutions for the honeybee problem. Class members read and discuss an article and participate in one of two detailed activities about pollination and...