English I

Resources on the web

A significant influence: Describing an important teacher in your life

In this lesson, students write tributes to teachers or mentors who have made profound differences in their lives. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9 English Language Arts)

Provided by: IRA/NCTE

Short story fair: Responding to short stories in multiple media and genres

In this lesson, students read short stories from a collection in small groups and then prepare responses in multiple media and genres that are shared in a culminating Short Story Fair. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9 English Language Arts)

Provided by: IRA/NCTE

Seuss and Silverstein: Posing questions, presenting points

In this lesson from ReadWriteThink, classic stories provide the ideal springboard for struggling readers to discuss relevant social issues. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9 English Language Arts)

Provided by: IRA/NCTE

Put that on the list: Collaboratively writing a catalog poem

Students work in small groups to write a catalog poem based on such human emotions as anger, guilt, and happiness. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9 English Language Arts)

Provided by: IRA/NCTE

The peace journey: Using process drama in the classroom

In this lesson, students respond to an imaginary advertisement, role-play, and work in small groups to develop a visual map as they explore the notion of peace. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9 English Language Arts)

Provided by: IRA/NCTE

Paying attention to technology: Exploring a fictional technology

This lesson asks students to complete a short survey to establish their beliefs about technology and then compare their opinions to the ideas in a novel that depicts technology (such as 1984, Brave New... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9 and 11–12 English Language Arts)

Provided by: IRA/NCTE

Outside in: Finding a character's heart through art

In this lesson, students explore the idea of alienation by examining Edward Hopper's art and Raymond Carver's fiction. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9 and 11 English Language Arts)

Provided by: IRA/NCTE

Novel news: Broadcast coverage of character, conflict, resolution, and setting

In this lesson, which is a twist on readers' theater, students are challenged to prepare original news programs based on incidents in a recent reading. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9 English Language Arts)

Provided by: IRA/NCTE

Name that chapter! Discussing summary and interpretation using chapter titles

In this lesson, students name chapters in novels that they are reading, creating a cumulative list for the novel as they proceed. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9 English Language Arts)

Provided by: IRA/NCTE

Making connections to myth and folktale: The many ways to “Rainy Mountain”

In this assignment, students write a three-voice narrative based on N. Scott Momaday’s structure in The Way to Rainy Mountain. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9 and 11 English Language Arts)

Provided by: IRA/NCTE

Literary parodies: Exploring a writer's style through imitation

In this lesson, students analyze the features of a poet's work and then create their own poems based on the original model. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9 and 11 English Language Arts)

Provided by: IRA/NCTE

John Brown and the Underground Railroad

Students analyze John Brown's attitudes and actions against slavery and then compare Brown's views with those of other people who were active in the Underground Railroad and the abolitionist movement. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9 English Language Arts and Social Studies)

Provided by: National Geographic

Investigating names to explore personal history and cultural traditions

In this lesson, students investigate the meanings and origins of their own names in order to establish their own personal histories and to explore the cultural significance of naming traditions. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9 English Language Arts)

Provided by: IRA/NCTE

Id, ego, and superego in Dr. Seuss's “Cat in the Hat”

In this lesson, students explore plot, theme, characterization, and psychoanalytical criticism using The Cat in the Hat. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9 English Language Arts)

Provided by: IRA/NCTE

A high-interest novel helps struggling readers confront bullying in schools

Using a realistic, high-interest novel and interactive reading strategies, students discuss and deal with the many issues that surround bullying and will consider what they themselves can do to prevent bullying. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9 English Language Arts)

Provided by: IRA/NCTE

Geography and history in songs

Students look at some historical paintings on the Internet and describe the things the paintings reveal about the places depicted in the paintings. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 Visual Arts Education and English Language Arts)

Provided by: National Geographic

Faulkner's "As I Lay Dying": Crossing the River

Students consider the symbolism of the river crossing in As I Lay Dying and how Faulkner's use of multiple narrative perspectives relates to the author's thematic concerns. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 English Language Arts)

Provided by: National Endowment for the Humanities

Exploring literature through letter writing groups

Working in groups, students will explore a work of literature by exchanging a series of open-ended letters. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9 English Language Arts)

Provided by: IRA/NCTE

Exploring language and identity: Amy Tan's Mother Tongue and beyond

Students examine Amy Tan's “Mother Tongue” and produce personal narratives that examine language and identity issues. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9 English Language Arts)

Provided by: IRA/NCTE

Exploring cross-age tutoring activities with Lewis and Clark

Students use the book How We Crossed the West by Rosalyn Schanzer, along with interactive activities and websites, to explore the events of the Lewis and Clark expedition. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 English Language Arts and Information Skills)

Provided by: IRA/NCTE