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Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: A Respectable Woman by Kate Chopin

For Students 7th - 8th
Kate Chopin (1850-1904) was an American author of short stories and novels based in Louisiana. She is considered one of the leading feminist writers of the 20th-century. This story begins with a married woman's disappointment over the...
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Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Behind Closed Doors: "Colorism" in the Caribbean by Michel Martin

For Students 7th - 8th
In this interview, Michel Martin discusses Frances Robles's report on colorism in the Dominican Republic. Colorism is a form of prejudice based on the darkness of a person's skin color. Discrimination based on colorism often occurs...
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Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: "A Nation Divided: North vs. South" by Us history.org

For Students 7th - 8th
The American Civil War was fought within the United States from 1861 to 1865. The election of President Abraham Lincoln in 1860 increased tension between the North and South. Lincoln's political party was interested in stopping the...
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Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Censorship: For the People or for Controlling the People? By Mc Birney

For Students 7th - 8th
Censorship has, and continues to be, a highly debated topic. Some people believe that in order to secure the safety of citizens, information should be closely censored. However, many other people believe that this is a violation of...
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Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Courage in Denmark: Resistance to the Nazis in Wwii by Us Holocaust

For Students 7th - 8th
World War II (WWII), a global conflict that lasted from 1939 to 1945 involved more than 100 million people and over 30 countries. The Allied powers - including the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union - worked together...
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Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: American Justice in the Supreme Court

For Students 7th - 8th
The Supreme Court is the highest court of the United States. It was set up by our Constitution to make important decisions about the law. This article describes how the Supreme Court works, and its impact on American justice. It also...
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Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: "Alexander Hamilton" by Jessica Mc Birney

For Students 7th - 8th
Alexander Hamilton (1757-1804) was an American political figure and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. In this informational text, Jessica McBirney discusses Hamilton's life and accomplishments, specifically his...
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Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Dance Mama Dance by Daniel Beaty

For Students 7th - 8th
Daniel Beaty is an award-winning actor, singer, writer, and poet. His productions are known for incorporating music, movement, and words. In this poem, the speaker discusses their mother and their wish to see her dance. It also provides...
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Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Assassination of the President:attempted Murder of Secretary Seward

For Students 7th - 8th
This excerpt from an 1865 newspaper, Evening Star, contains multiple accounts of the night President Abraham Lincoln and Secretary of State William Seward were attacked. The attack came only five days after Confederate General Robert E....
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Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: An Incredible Job: Being America's President

For Students 7th - 8th
The President of the United States is the elected commander-in-chief who has many responsibilities that are crucial to in the safety and success of America. This informational text by USHistory.org discusses the duties of the President,...
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Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Ancient Egyptian Dynasties: Ruling Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms

For Students 7th - 8th
Egypt is famous for its enormous pyramids, many of which can still be visited today. The pyramids were built by the rulers of Egypt, called pharaohs. In the following informational text by USHistory.org, discusses the rise and fall of...
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Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: "Cinderella" by Charles Perrault

For Students 7th - 8th
French author Charles Perrault is often called the "father of the fairy tale" for his well known tales such as "Little Red Riding Hood," "Puss in Boots," "Sleeping Beauty," and "Cinderella." Cinderella is a famous folk tale, a story that...
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Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Chief Powhatan's Address to Captain John Smith (1609)

For Students 7th - 8th
The Powhatan are Native American people from Virginia who share an Algonquian language. In 1607, the Jamestown settlement in the Virginia colony became the first permanent English settlement in the Americas. At the initial arrival of the...
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Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Close Calls in u.s. Election History (2016)

For Students 7th - 8th
Democracy and power to the people are celebrated as key American values, but sometimes democracy is more complicated than one might think. This informational text investigates some close calls in U.S. elections and what caused their...
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Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Coping Mechanisms

For Students 7th - 8th
Work, school, money - these are some of the most common stressors in everyday life. The effects of stress on a person's mental and emotional health may vary, but without the proper tools to cope, stress can have serious consequences. It...
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Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: A Jelly Fish

For Students 3rd - 4th
CommonLit.org is a wonderful resource to use in a Language Arts classroom. Each story, poem or article is accompanied by guided reading questions, assessment questions, and discussion questions. In addition, students can click on words...
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Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Walking for My Life

For Students 3rd - 4th Standards
CommonLit.org is a wonderful resource to use in a Language Arts classroom. Each story or article is accompanied by guided reading questions, assessment questions, and discussion questions. In addition, students can click on words to see...
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Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Dancing Towards Dreams

For Students 3rd - 5th
CommonLit.org is a wonderful resource to use in a Language Arts classroom. Each story or article is accompanied by guided reading questions, assessment questions, and discussion questions. In addition, students can click on words to see...
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Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: A Cave That Talked

For Students 3rd - 4th Standards
CommonLit.org is a wonderful resource to use in a Language Arts classroom. Each story or article is accompanied by guided reading questions, assessment questions, and discussion questions. In addition, students can click on words to see...
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Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Baseball's Girl Umpire

For Students 3rd - 4th
CommonLit.org is a wonderful resource to use in a Language Arts classroom. Each story or article is accompanied by guided reading questions, assessment questions, and discussion questions. In addition, students can click on words to see...
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Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: A Princess Who Can Tune an Engine

For Students 3rd - 4th Standards
CommonLit.org is a wonderful resource to use in a Language Arts classroom. Each story or article is accompanied by guided reading questions, assessment questions, and discussion questions. In addition, students can click on words to see...
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Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Everella's Want

For Students 3rd - 4th Standards
CommonLit.org is a wonderful resource to use in a Language Arts classroom. Each story or article is accompanied by guided reading questions, assessment questions, and discussion questions. In addition, students can click on words to see...
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Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Why the Sky Is Far Away

For Students 3rd - 4th Standards
CommonLit.org is a wonderful resource to use in a Language Arts classroom. Each story or article is accompanied by guided reading questions, assessment questions, and discussion questions. In addition, students can click on words to see...
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Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: "Act Your Age" by Colleen Archer

For Students 3rd - 5th
CommonLit.org is a wonderful resource to use in a Language Arts classroom. Each story or article is accompanied by guided reading questions, assessment questions, and discussion questions. In addition, students can click on words to see...