English I

Analyzing Author Style using Sentence Combining

This activity should be completed before reading the essay “Beach People, Mountain People” by Suzanne Britt. Students will combine three sets of kernel sentences based on the first paragraph of Britt's writing. They will then compare their sentences to Britt's. The class will discuss what sentence combining strategy or strategies they used and observe how Britt varies her sentences.

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–10 English Language Arts)

By Vickie Smith.

Diction in Maya Angelou's poem, "Remembering"

The class will annotate and discuss Angelou's poem. Then they will select specific words and complete a webbing that asks them to explore the connotations of the word as well as consider the author's purpose in using it.

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–10 English Language Arts)

By Vickie Smith.

Grammar Scramblers, Spreadsheets, and Parts of Speech

Students use and create Grammar Scramblers with a spreadsheet in order to practice identifying and using parts of speech in a fun way.

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–9 English Language Arts and Computer Technology Skills)

By Tom Munk.

Heaven or Groundhog Day?

This unit is designed to appeal to adolescents with its non-print text base, the movie Groundhog Day. The pre-viewing activities prepare students for the allusions in the movie and include cultural literacy. The teacher can pick and choose from the activities to apply the concept of personal growth. The teacher may select from activities for science, workplace ethics, music, computer competency, and English language arts. The teacher may modify any of the attachments to suit the students' needs and interests.

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 English Language Arts, Music Education, Social Studies, and Computer Technology Skills)

By Julia Millush.

How Ironic!

This lesson will introduce students to the concept of irony. Verbal, situational, and dramatic irony will be defined, but the focus of the lesson is situational irony. This lesson can be used prior to teaching longer, more complex short stories that contain situational irony. This lesson is modified for an English Language Learner (ELL) who reads at the Intermediate Low (IL) level.

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

By Ann Gerber and Tericia Summers.

Looking Back - An Art/English/History Interdisciplinary unit

This is an interdisciplinary unit that incorporates research of historical events of the past century. By students learning to recognize that society impacts the themes within art and literature, students then take this knowledge base and interview an individual to develop a biographical narrative, a collage, and oral presentation.

The lesson can be modified to take two weeks or longer. Some of the activites are designed for long-term assignments.

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

By Julie Osmon.

Romeo! Why Do You Have to Be a Doggone Montague?

Students will interpret and comprehend Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet," Act 2, Scene 2 (the balcony scene) through translating the original text and preparing a dramatic presentation of the scene for the class.

Format: lesson plan (grade 9 English Language Arts)

By Amanda Rowland.

Sentence Combining and Decombining

Students will focus on stylistic choices and sentence fluency by combining, decombining, and recombining sentences in professional writing, peer writing, and their own writing.

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

By Peter Bobbe.

Sequential Vocabulary: Lesson I

Understanding words is necessary for success in every discipline. Learning to identify and define word parts empowers a student to unlock the meaning of unfamiliar words. This process teaches a life skill rather than memorization of definitions. Sequential Vocabulary: Lesson I is designed to be taught with Sequential Vocabulary: Lessons II, III, and IV.

Format: lesson plan (grade 9 English Language Arts)

By Valerie Hendricks.

Story Tellers and Poets

Students will examine the style, purpose, and organization of folktales and poetry in order to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of both genres. With this knowledge, students will use the word choice and repetition of traditional folktales to transform them into modern poetry.

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–10 English Language Arts)

By Heather Bower and Michele Hicks.

Using RAFT to determine how to write an informational essay

Students will use RAFT as a tool to determine how to write an informational essay. They will also design a graphic organizer for the assignment as well as compose a rough draft. This is the second lesson in a series of three based on the LEARN NC 9th grade writing exemplars.

Format: lesson plan (grade 9 English Language Arts)

By Kim Bowen.

Lesson plans on the web

Analyzing the purpose and meaning of political cartoons

In this lesson, students evaluate political cartoons for their meaning, message, and persuasiveness. (Learn more)

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

Provider: IRA/NCTE

Analyzing the stylistic choices of political cartoonists

In this lesson, students learn terminology that describes comics and political (or editorial) cartoons and discuss how the cartoonists' choices influence the messages that they communicate. (Learn more)

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

Provider: IRA/NCTE

Audio listening practices: Exploring personal experiences with audio texts

In this lesson designed to develop students’ involvement with media literacy, students keep a daily diary that records how and when they listen to radio, music (e.g., songs on MP3 players, podcasting), and other streaming media or archived broadcasts. (Learn more)

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

Provider: IRA/NCTE

Authentic persuasive writing to promote summer reading

Invites students to create brochures and flyers that suggest books and genres to explore during the summer months. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 8–9 English Language Arts)

Provider: IRA/NCTE

Become a character: Adjectives, character traits, and perspective

In this ReadWriteThink lesson, students “become” one of the major characters in a book and describe themselves and other characters, using lists of accurate, powerful adjectives. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9 English Language Arts)

Provider: IRA/NCTE

Behind the masks: Exploring culture and self through art and poetry

Students research mask making from various cultures, draw sketches of the masks, and take notes that highlight the connections between the masks and the cultural practices of the people who created them. (Learn more)

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

Provider: IRA/NCTE

Book report alternative: Characters for hire! Studying character in drama

In this lesson, students create a resume for a character in a play. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9 English Language Arts)

Provider: IRA/NCTE

Building Vietnam War scavenger hunts through web-based inquiry

After reading a book about the Vietnam War, students, working in small groups, adopt the perspective of members of a group involved in the war (e.g., soldier, nurse, doctor, photojournalist, TV reporter) and conduct Internet research to explore how that particular group was affected. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9 English Language Arts, Social Studies, and Computer Technology Skills)

Provider: IRA/NCTE

Choosing the best verb: An active and passive voice mini-lesson

In this lesson, students look at the use of passive and active voice. Students explore verb choice in a variety of online resources then draw conclusions about verb use which they can apply to their own writing. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9 English Language Arts)

Provider: IRA/NCTE