English II

A “defining moment” in editorial writing

Students will be introduced to the definition mode of writing. Students will learn to define a particular subject by responding in an editorial format. Students will first compose an editorial graphic organizer, which will aid in composing a completed editorial using the writing process. This lesson includes modifications for a Novice Low Limited English student.

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

By Susan Brooks and Carrie Mabry.

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.

Do you "Really" Believe in Magic?

Students are introduced to the genre (or mode) of Magical Realism in World Literature by reading Gabriel Garcia-Marquez's short story, "A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings." This lesson plan is modified for an English Language Learner (ELL) at the Intermediate Low (IL) proficiency level.

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

By Ann Gerber and Tericia Summers.

Examining effective openers and closures in writings

Students will listen to a reading of Dr. Seuss' and Jack Prelutsky's Hooray for Difendoofer Day! Students will then work cooperatively to edit one another's rough drafts of analytical essay, focusing on openers and closures.

Format: lesson plan (grade 10 English Language Arts)

By Heather Bower and Michele Hicks.

Highlighting Revisions, Glossing Changes

By highlighting their revisions and explaining (i.e.,glossing) the changes they have made to a draft of their work, students will not only become more proficient writers but will also become more conscious of the process of revision and thus more reflective writers. Further, teachers will find it easier to monitor and evaluate student revisions.

Format: lesson plan (grade 10 English Language Arts)

By Peter Bobbe.

Improving Student Essay Writing

English II teachers are constantly searching for strategies to improve students' analytical responses to literature. This lesson is designed for all types of learners, offering various activities for all learning styles. Individual, small group, and whole class activities on essay writing culminate with the student writing his or her own formal response to literature.

This generic writing activity may be used with any literary unit and at any point in your students' development of the writing process.

Format: lesson plan (grade 10 English Language Arts)

By Shawn Parker.

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.

Making Patterns Make Sense

Students will analyze organizational patterns in analytical writing by reading, Oh, the Places You'll Go! by Dr. Seuss. Students will then apply these patterns to their own writing by creating children's books about success.

Format: lesson plan (grade 10 English Language Arts)

By Heather Bower.

Replica of a Period Newspaper/World Literature

Students will research a specific time in history in order to create the front page of a newspaper relevant to the selected time period.

Format: lesson plan (grade 10 English Language Arts)

By Kim Dechant.

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.

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.

Teaching voice

This lesson helps students to develop an effective voice by selecting words that are clear, concrete, and exact. Exercises are based on model sentences from world literature selections.

Format: lesson plan (grade 10 English Language Arts)

By Pamela Beal.

Understanding Audience

This activity is designed to help students identify their audience and determine appropriate language use based on the audience.

Format: lesson plan (grade 10 English Language Arts)

By Bonnie Mcmurray and Julie Joslin.

War Is...

Upon consideration of the perspectives on war from their classmates, the poet Stephen Crane in "War is Kind," and various characters from All Quiet on the Western Front, students will write an editorial for the school newspaper in which they share opinions about war.

Format: lesson plan (grade 10 English Language Arts)

By Rhonda Dillingham.

You Ate What??

After reading the novel, All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque, students will use primary sources to relate Paul's experience to the life of a North Carolina soldier. Students will create their own primary source journal entry.

Format: lesson plan (grade 10 English Language Arts)

By Kari Siko.

Lesson plans on the web

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

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)

Provider: 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 English Language Arts and Visual Arts Education)

Provider: National Geographic

Holocaust and resistance

Students reflect on the Holocaust from the point of view of those who actively resisted Nazi persecution. (Learn more)

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

Provider: National Endowment for the Humanities