Penguin Books
An Educator's Guide to Matched by Ally Condie
Even supposed Utopian societies have their flaws. Using an educator's guide, individuals explore the society Ally Condie creates in Matched. Reflective writing prompts double as discussion questions and cover key themes in the novel, as...
Curated OER
Students as Editors
Students read poems from a variety of authors. They write biographies of each poet and create a book full of the biographies and poems. They share their creation with the class.
Curated OER
Poetry on the Web
Eighth graders search a website and locate a poem written by a specific poet whose work appears in the grade 8 anthology. After listening to poetry, 8th graders present oral or written examples of imagery and an analysis of the imagery.
Maryland Department of Education
The Concept of Identity Lesson 2: The Historical/Biographical Approach
"How does our environment shape our identity?" After researching biographical information about John Knowles and considering how these experiences are reflected in A Separate Peace, class members consider the strengths and weaknesses of...
Maryland Department of Education
The Concept of Identity Lesson 4: The Psychological Approach
Readers apply Sigmund Freud's theories of the unconscious mind and the psychological approach to literary criticism to analyze and evaluate the relationship between two characters in A Separate Peace.
Curated OER
Hearing the Poetry of Langston Hughes Through the Sounds of Jazz
Students have an appreciation of Langston Hughe's poetry and his use of jazz rhythms, have the ability to read poetry closely, and freewrite to gain a fresh perspective on music and literature.
Curated OER
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's "Haunted Houses"
Learners read and analyze Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem, "Haunted Houses." They define key vocabulary terms, discuss the poem's technical aspects, and create an original poem about a haunted house or a haunted place.
Curated OER
Writing Places
Students brainstorm ideas after being read a poem and then are to write their own poem and read them out loud.
Curated OER
The Pledge of Allegiance
Young scholars explore U.S. history by identifying American symbolism. In this American Flag instructional activity, students read the poem "The Flag" by M. Hubbard and define the symbolism of the colors and stripes within the U.S. flag....
Curated OER
Imagery Lesson Plan
Students are introduced to the term imagery. Individually, they read "The Dream Deferred" and note examples of imagery in the poem. To end the lesson, they write their own poem making sure to use the five components of imagery.
Curated OER
Language Arts: What Makes an Individual
Third graders listen to the teacher read "The Sneetches" prior to creating charts about their individual characteristics. After numerous examples of individuality, they compile them on chart paper. As an extension, 3rd graders write...
Curated OER
You Too Can Haiku: How to Write a Haiku
Students explore language arts by writing their own poems. In this haiku lesson, students investigate the Japanese culture and their beautiful music, poetry and art. Students count the syllables in every line of a haiku poem and write...
Read Works
The Tone of a Poem
Tone and poetry are closely tied. Show your class how to determine the tone of a poem by noting your reactions and marking lines that bring out feelings. Next, work as a class to work through a second poem. Finally, have individuals read...
Curated OER
Frederick
First graders listen to a read aloud of Leo Lionni's, Frederick, and illustrate a scene from the story.
Curated OER
Spenser, Shakespeare, and the "Blazon": Lesson 4
Students discuss the meaning and tone of Shakespeare's Sonnet 130. In this sonnets instructional activity, students compare Spenser's sonnets to Shakespeare's. Students discuss specific words that add to the humor in Shakespeare's...
Curated OER
Where in the World is Flat Stanley?
Second graders analyze the proper form of a friendly letter and send flat Stanley letters all over the United States. In this letter writing lesson plan, 2nd graders read the book Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown and create their own Flat...
Curated OER
Visualizing Sarah, Just Plain and Tall
Students define "visualize," practice visualizing day at beach, read poem, Crocodile Toothache, silently, listen to teacher read same poem aloud, share visualizations with classmates, read first chapter of book, Sarah, Plain and Tall,...
Curated OER
Humans and the Natural World Poetically
Students read poetry for gist and find images to create a visual narrative. In this poetry lesson, students read Green Lane and Flies and Nettles to examine the relationship between humanity and the nature. Students reflect on a place...
National Endowment for the Humanities
A Raisin in the Sun: Whose "American Dream"?
How does Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun factor into a discussion of the American dream? High schoolers define the American dream and recognize the historical setting of the play. Additionally, they identify forms of...
Curated OER
Bridge to Terabithia: Visualizing to Optimize Comprehension
Good readers visualize. And in our image-rich culture it is imperative that children are provided with opportunities to practice this important skill. A selection from Shel Silverstein’s Where the Sidewalk Ends and Bridge to Terabithia,...
Curated OER
Thanksgving Poem
First graders read a Thanksgiving poem to build reading comprehension skills. They develop the skill of using context clues while explaining the meaning of each line of the poem. The assessment is done as the teacher listens to poems...
Curated OER
Patterns in Poetry: Part 2 -- Sound
Students understand a variety of poems listening for sound letter correspondence, rhyme scheme, assonance, and alliteration. In this language arts lesson, students practice listening and reading skills to complete patterns in poetry. ...
Curated OER
The Elements of Poetry
Ninth graders explore the elements in poetry. In groups, they complete a jigsaw puzzle and discover the strategies for completing a puzzle and reading a poem are similar. Students read short poems and identify key elements in a poem...
Curated OER
Focus on Figurative Language in Prose and Poetry
Students place emphasis on the use of figurative language when analyzing prose and poetry. In this figurative language lesson plan, students explore the tone of a story and its imagery. Students read and discuss how the author uses...