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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Silly Sally

For Teachers K - 1st
Students examine character traits. For this literary elements lesson, students read 2 short stories paying special attention to the actions and descriptions of the characters. Students add themselves as characters in the story.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Plot Structure

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders review the parts of a plot sequence for a short story. They think of a famous Disney movie and plot the events of the movie in the correct plot sequence. They do the same for a comic strip, labeling the exposition, rising...
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Lesson Plan
K20 LEARN

Comparing/Contrasting Characters Through Two-Voice Poems: Characterization

For Teachers 11th Standards
Two babies, two fathers, two experiences, two worlds. Partners craft two-voice poems to capture the points of view of two men with very different lives who have just become fathers.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Predictions, Predictions, and More Predictions

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders pose questions about the subject of a short story based on the title and cover illustration; then read the story and determine if their questions actually pertained to the story line, and, if so, how the story answered the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rudyard Kipling's "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi": Mixing Fact and Fiction

For Students 3rd - 9th Standards
"Rikki-Tikki-Tavi," from The Jungle Book, offers young readers a chance to examine how Rudyard Kipling uses setting and personification to bring to life the brave mongoose who battles cobras to protect his family. Class members explore...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Unit Plan for Mark Twain and American Humor

For Teachers 10th - 11th
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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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Haunting Music

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students discover music that was inspired by the spooky and bizarre. In this music of Hector Berlioz and Camille Saint-Saens lesson, students identify elements of music and listen to the Symphonie Fantastique and Danse Macabre. Students...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Truman Capote: Other Voices, Other Rooms

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students read and analyze Truman Capote's autobiographical short story, "A Christmas Memory." They discuss writing styles, conduct Internet research on Truman Capote, write a book review, and write a short story based on one of Truman...
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Lesson Plan
National First Ladies' Library

Writing (and Rewriting!) History

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers differentiate between fiction and non-fiction, discuss historical fiction, which combines both genres, choose historical novel from list and read independently, and write original short stories that combine elements of...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Greek Mythology: Cultures and Art

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students examine literary arts. In this Greek mythology lessons, students read Greek myths and select characters from the myths to study. Students create watercolor illustrations of the characters, write short stories about the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Reading Puzzle

For Teachers 12th
Twelfth graders examine the elements of literature. They each read a chapter of a novel, sequentially list the main ideas, present a summary of the chapter to the class, sequence the events, and review the novel by summarizing the timeline.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Identifying Science Fiction

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students discuss works of science fiction that they read, highlight aspects that made each a part of science fiction genre, identify formal literary elements, and discuss ways each can be developed through science fiction.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Study Guide for Saki's "The Interlopers"

For Teachers 7th - 12th
In this comprehension check worksheet, students define 6 vocabulary words, define 9 literary terms, respond to 8 short answer questions, and complete a graphic organizer pertaining to "The Interlopers" by Saki in order to help them...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Figurative Language and Symbolism

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students identify figurative language and symbolism in poetry as well as prose. In this literary elements instructional activity, students read and discuss the role of symbolism in Yellow Man by Moonlight, A Christmas Carl, The House of...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Translation Into Reality

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students read a variety of short stories that focus on teenage protagonists. In groups, they answer comprehension questions and discuss the characters and setting for each story. Individually, they choose one writing assignment to...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Tales of Edgar Allen Poe

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Analyze the writing of Edgar Allen Poe by reading and then writing in a similar style. Budding authors learn about the life of Poe and read one or more of his famous works online. Partner groups create an original piece of writing using...
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Lesson Plan
Indiana University

World Literature: "One Evening in the Rainy Season" Shi Zhecun

For Teachers 12th
Did you know that modern Chinese literature “grew from the psychoanalytical theory of Sigmund Freud”? Designed for a world literature class, seniors are introduced to “One Evening in the Rainy Season,” Shi Zhecun’s stream of...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Silly Nilly

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders create their own stories with a life instructional activity and illustrate them.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Writing the Mystery with a Purpose

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students present the outline of the mystery story they are writing while working in reciprocal teaching groups. They respond to group members writing before they continue to finish revisions.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Wrapped in Mystery

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders can identify five basic elements that most mysteries contain. They put the elements of mystery into a graphic organizer they can follow. They construct meaning after reading Poe's short story and identify or infer the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Higher Power of Lucky

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students complete activities using the book The Higher Power of Lucky. In this literature instructional activity, students read the story and identify the parts of the story. They create a wind chime like that found in the book. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Comparing Themes and Plots

For Teachers 10th - Higher Ed
Students compare theme and plot in two short stories by Nathaniel Hawthorne. In this theme and plot analysis lesson plan, students read Young Goodman Brown and The Minister's Black Veil  as well as take notes about the theme and plot for...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Analyzing Character Conflict Caused by the Plot

For Teachers 3rd Standards
How do we know how a character was affected by the conflicts they encounter in a story? We use evidence from the text to make assertions about the characters we read about. Third graders practice finding and using evidence in a short...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Children's Book Creations

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Learners create a children's book version of the Japanese folk story "Momotaro Boy of the Peach" and present the story to elementary students. In this children's book lesson, learners design their book to explain Japanese culture to...