National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement: Introducing the Essay: Twain, Douglass and American Non Fiction
This lesson plan serves as an introduction to American literary non-fiction writing and focuses primarily on teaching some basic approaches to recognizing rhetorical strategies adopted for persuasive effect in essays and non-fiction. The...
Other
Middle school.net: Shakespeare Analysis & Slide Show
Check out this informative site featuring an analysis of Shakespeare. The objective of this activity is for students to analyze a sonnet and present their findings via slide show. This lesson integrates technology into the curriculum.
TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: The Power of a Great Introduction
Never underestimate the power of an intriguing start. When analyzing the literary greats like Charles Dickens and Kurt Vonnegut, be inspired by their craft and learn how to write a tantalizing introduction and strong thesis. Free...
TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: Mining Literature for Deeper Meanings
Writing a great English paper can be tough because literature doesn't always reveal its deeper meanings immediately. Amy E. Harter offers a few tips on how to read and write more critically and thoughtfully. [4:12]
ReadWriteThink
Read Write Think: Reader Response in Hypertext: Making Personal Connections
Students write a narrative of place, a character sketch, an extended metaphor poem and a persuasive essay then link all four texts to quotations they have selected from a novel.
ReadWriteThink
Read Write Think: Modeling Academic Writing
Students prepare an already published scholarly article for presentation, with an emphasis on identification of the author's thesis and argument structure.
Sophia Learning
Sophia: Research Essay for the Turn of the Screw
This PDF lesson plan is for learners to write a 5-7 page essay which uses research to support their stance on a topic. For this essay, the students will argue whether they believe the character of the Governess, from Henry James' The...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement: Animal Farm: Allegory and the Art of Persuasion
This lesson plan will introduce students to the concept of allegory by using George Orwell's widely read novella, Animal Farm. Through this novel, students will learn what an allegory is, the rhetorical components of an allegory, and...
Pennsylvania State University
Pennsylvania State University (Dr. Mc Clennen): How to Do a Close Reading
This guide is written for college students, but should be very useful for upper level high school students as well. The writer first describes fourteen steps to take in doing a close reading, then provides six pieces of advice on how to...
Department of Defense
Do Dea: Story, Identity, Unity
Delve into the art of storytelling in this self-guided unit. Multiple topics are covered such as literary genres, the 7 elements of fiction, figurative language, theme, characterization, etc. At the end of the unit, write your own flash...
Georgia Department of Education
Ga Virtual Learning: Ninth Literature and Composition
This is an introduction to a unit on writing in various genre including Nonfiction, Narrative, Literary Writing, Short Stories, and Poetry. Analysis of "The Odyssey", "To Kill a Mockingbird", "Romeo and Juliet". Click on the View links...
University of Illinois
University of Illinois: Modern American Poetry: Robert Frost (1874 1963)
Critical analysis of numerous Frost poems by foremost literary critics like William Pritchard. This is a great resource for students learning how to analyze Frost's poetry.
Curated OER
Study Guide for the Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare [Pdf]
A well-written study guide for The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. Includes a profile of William Shakespeare and background information about the play and its historical context. There are synopses of each act, discussions of literary devices,...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement: Stephen Crane's "The Open Boat"
In this lesson, students will examine the relationship of man and nature as portrayed in "The Open Boat," based on Crane's suffering from a shipwreck on The Commodore in which he spent thirty hours on a small boat at sea before being...
Other
Dbq Theme: Slavery in the United States [Pdf]
A Grade 8 writing assignment on slavery. Students examine nine different primary source documents and answer questions about each. After completion, they would be asked to write an essay. This task uses the method called DBQ or...
University of Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin: Writing Center: How to Write a Review of Literature
This site explores the writing of an analytical essay in terms of a review of literature. The site provides guidelines for students to follow when writing the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. It also offers links to useful...
Bartleby
Bartleby.com: Cambridge History of Eng and Am Lit: The Romantic Revival Byron
Information on the life and works of Byron and several other Romantic-era writers is offered at this site, with links to critical analyses of these works.
Louisiana Department of Education
Louisiana Doe: Louisiana Believes: Ela Guidebooks: Tp Castt
This strategy helps young scholars refine their understanding of poetry to meet reading expectations, engage in group conversations to meet speaking and listening expectations, prepare for writing about texts, and engage in language...
Cengage Learning
Houghton Mifflin: Rudolfo Anaya, Analysis of His Work
Great research site! Includes his themes, perspectives, form, style, audience, comparison and contrast in writing.
Rutgers University
Rutgers University: Johnson on the History of the Language
Critical analysis of Johnson's use of literary sources in his dictionary, and his contribution to the development of modern English. Includes extensive notes and bibliography.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
"In this unit, students explore the artistry that helped make Irving our nation's first literary master and ponder the mystery that now haunts every Halloween -- What happened to Ichabod Crane?"
Georgetown University
Georgetown Unversity: Edward Taylor
Very extensive site that contains information about Taylor's "major themes, historical perspectives, and personal issues" as well as poetic style, form, and artistic conventions. Contains analysis of "Huswifery," as well as other Taylor...
Other
On "Paul Revere's Ride" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Acclaimed literary critic Dana Gioia analyzes Longfellow's classic narrative poem, "Paul Revere's Ride," encouraging readers to see beyond the story into the rationale for the structure and style of the poem.
Georgia Department of Education
Ga Virtual Learning:ap Literature & Composition: Life, Death, and in Between
This unit focues on life and death, text-to-text connections, archetypes, symbols, and allusions, and writing in a non-native language. It features "The Second Coming" by William Butler Yeats, Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart, and...