English III

Two perspectives on slavery: A comparison of personal narratives

This activity for grade 11 will help students evaluate and critique authors' perspectives. Students will read two first-person narratives and analyze how each text is influenced by its author's cultural background.

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

By Dayna Durbin Gleaves.

Singing the "Song of Life"

This lesson requires students to use their reading, comprehension, and analysis skills to analyze a poem and respond creatively to the selection.

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

By Angela Taylor.

Picturing America at the turn of the twentieth century

Students link together the literature and the history of the United States at the turn of the twentieth century. Questions guide students as they study visual documents. Students also read the teacher's choice of two widely anthologized short stories and an excerpt from a best-selling novel of the period. Two exercises will raise student awareness of the impact that visual images have on their lives: one that is based on internet advertising and a second that results in a student-produced scrapbook.

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

By Scott Culclasure.

Literature-based newspaper: Their Eyes Were Watching God

Students will create an Eatonville newspaper depicting the characters and events in Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God.

Format: lesson plan (grade 11 English Language Arts)

By Jennifer Swartz.

Jonathan Edwards and the art of persuasion

In this lesson, students will study the elements of persuasive writing in Jonathan Edward's “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” according to the following criteria: speaker, audience, occasion, and means of persuasion, and then analyze a contemporary piece of writing, such as an advertisement, for similar elements.

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

By Dave Guiley.

The American Dream

In conjunction with a unit on Puritanism, students will define and illustrate their personal definition of the American Dream or their concept of the dream in general.

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

By Becky Ackert and Deborah Belknap.

Resources on the web

Word maps: Developing critical and analytical thinking about literary characters

Students use a word map strategy in this lesson that explores methods of characterization in O. Henry's “After Twenty Years”. Individually and in collaborative groups, students analyze the many aspects of a character's life, problems, situations,... (Learn more)

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

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Using student-centered comprehension strategies with Elie Wiesel's "Night"

In this lesson, students independently read Elie Wiesel's Night and review the themes in small groups using the reciprocal teaching strategies and note-taking format. After an introduction to the reciprocal teaching strategies... (Learn more)

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

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

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

In this lesson, students explore short story as a genre of literature. Prior to the project, students read a short story, write about their connections to the story, and participate in a class discussion. The teacher then introduces or reviews literary... (Learn more)

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

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Seuss and Silverstein: Posing questions, presenting points

In this lesson that introduces the difference between literal and critical questions, students work in small groups to select and read books or short stories by Dr. Seuss and Shel Silverstein. Then, using the interactive Literary Elements Map, students... (Learn more)

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

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Review redux: Introducing literary criticism through reception moments

Using literary critiques of Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun, students learn to place literature in social and historical context in order to identify reception moments. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 11 English Language Arts)

Provided by: IRA/NCTE

Reader response in hypertext: Making personal connections to literature

This multi-genre lesson that focuses on setting, plot, and metaphor, uses novels that contain a strong sense of place, focus on closeness of characters, and are metaphorical in character. In this lesson students will demonstrate their... (Learn more)

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

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

A poem of possibilities: Thinking about the future

Using John Updike's poem “Ex-Basketball Player&rdquo as a model, students write original poems considering their own goals, plans and hopes for the future. The teacher reads the poem aloud and engages students in an analysis of the details of the... (Learn more)

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

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Paying attention to technology: Exploring a fictional technology

This lesson challenges students to explore fictional technology and urges them to think more deeply about their own beliefs; students are also encouraged to pay attention to the ways that technology is described and used. Students complete a technology... (Learn more)

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

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Music and me: Visual representations of lyrics to popular music

With a focus on critical and visual literacy, this lesson challenges students to identify a song and to evaluate the meaning of the lyrics and music. Students then select digital images they think represent the meaning of the song and learn to create a... (Learn more)

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

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

In literature, interpretation is the thing

In this lesson, which focuses on Shakespeare's Hamlet, students not only read, but also think about how they are reading a text and the reasons behind divergent interpretations of critics and readers of the same character.... (Learn more)

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

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

I've got the literacy blues

In this lesson from ReadWriteThink, students read “The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry and explore the story's themes using blues music, creative writing, and media study. Students research the history of the blues and create a graphic organizer... (Learn more)

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

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

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

Many high schools have problems with bullying and violence. This ReadWriteThink lesson helps students understand these problems in depth. Using a realistic, high-interest novel (The Bully by Paul Langan) and interactive reading strategies (such... (Learn more)

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

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

From Friedan forward—considering a feminist perspective

Students write letters expressing their views on an important and potentially controversial topic—feminism. After students have read “We” by Mary Grimm, they analyze certain quotes from the piece and participate in a small group discussion... (Learn more)

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

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Exploring literature through letter writing groups

In this lesson, students discuss literature through a series of letter exchanges in the form of handwritten letters, typed letters, electronic documents, e-mail, online discussion posts, and even Weblog posts. After the teacher models the format and process... (Learn more)

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

Provided by: ReadWriteThink