English I

Resources on the web

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

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

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

Manipulating sentences to reinforce grammar skills

In this lesson, students manipulate sentences from books or magazines to learn grammar in context and review grammar rules. (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 scrapbooks online: An electronic reader-response project

This lesson leads students to reflect on and respond to literature by creating an online scrapbook. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 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

Is a sentence a poem?

In this lesson, students analyze syntax, imagery, and meaning in a chosen one-sentence poem to decide what makes it a poem. Then students write one-sentence poems describing a picture. (Learn more)

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

Provided by: IRA/NCTE

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

Graffiti wall: Discussing and responding to literature using graphics

In collaborative groups, students create graphics that illustrate elements of fiction in student-selected novels. (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

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

Draft letters: Improving student writing through critical thinking

This lesson challenges students to think critically about their writing on a specific assignment before submitting their work to a reader. (Learn more)

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

Provided by: IRA/NCTE

Discovering traditional sonnet forms

Students explore the traditional form of sonnets and write original poems in the manner of well–known poets. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9 English Language Arts)

Provided by: IRA/NCTE

Discovering a passion for poetry with Langston Hughes

In this lesson, students explore contemporary youth poetry as well as the poetry of Langston Hughes, placing the poems in their historical context. They go on to create their own poems that communicate a personal view on a current world issue. (Learn more)

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

Provided by: IRA/NCTE

Communicating on local issues: Exploring audience in persuasive letter writing

Students research a local issue using Internet and print resources and write a persuasive letter defending their position to two audiences. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9 English Language Arts)

Provided by: IRA/NCTE

The comic book show and tell

In this brief authentic writing experience, students compose original comic book scripts using detailed, descriptive language and exciting dialogue. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9 English Language Arts)

Provided by: 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)

Provided by: 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)

Provided by: IRA/NCTE