Curated OER
The Poetry Archive
Listening to poems about feeling lonely and feeling like an outsider set the stage for a group activity that focuses on Stevie Smith's "Not Waving But Drowning." Groups examine the three stanzas of Smith's poem separately and identify in...
Curated OER
Poetry of The Great War: 'From Darkness to Light'?
Students examine World War I poetry for historical context, poetic devices, and participate in a class discussion. They write an analysis of the poetry's form and its content.
Reed Novel Studies
To Kill a Mockingbird: Novel Study
Edgar Rice Burroughs was an American fiction writer whose biggest claim to fame was the creation of Tarzan. Using the novel study for Harper Lee's beloved novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, pupils research and list facts about him or another...
Curated OER
The Metamorphosis: Herber Readiness Activity
Delve into Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis before opening the book with a lesson on literary themes. High schoolers engage in a word association activity before reading a list of statements based on the book's themes. Then, in groups,...
Curated OER
Quote the Raven...'NeVeRmOrE'
What does the raven say and do in the poem by the same name by Edgar Allan Poe? Test your readers' understanding of the raven and the narrator's thoughts and actions with this multiple-choice quiz.
Curated OER
Listening Exercises: "London" by William Blake
In this poetry and listening skills online activity, students watch a YouTube video reading of the poem, "London" by William Blake. They enter the correct words in a cloze activity. They read an excerpt about the poem and answer the...
Academy of American Poets
On "El Florida Room" by Richard Blanco
Scholars of all ages examine Richard Blanco's poem, "El Florida Room." Looking closely at pictures, pupils look for details that stand out to them, then read the poem. A whole-class discussion allows learners to reflect on what they...
Curated OER
Using Pre-reading Strategies: Infer
Use this resource to support your class practicing inference with poetry and visual art. The plan calls for an examination of "The Scream" by Edvard Munch and the "Mona Lisa" to promote speculation about artist's intent. From there, it...
Curated OER
Creating a Found Poem
Teach your English learners about theme through this found poem project. Class members read two versions of O. Henry's "The Gift of the Magi": the original version and a synopsis. After learning about themes and connecting theme to their...
Curated OER
Introduction to Poetry Lesson Plan
Analyze poetry in a group setting. Middle and high schoolers read lyrics to a Tom Petty song and free write about the song's tone, setting, and speaker. They then complete the same activity in a group setting using seven poems. The...
Teaching English
In Flanders Fields
War is one of the most profound human experiences in history, and is often best depicted in works of art and literature. Introduce class members to the poetry of World War I with this resource that uses John McCrae's "In Flanders Fields"...
New York State Education Department
English Language Arts Examination: June 2014
Should companies track consumers' shopping preferences without their permission? Using the resource, scholars write source-based argumentative essays to answer the question. They also answer reading comprehension questions based on an...
Curated OER
Keats' Poems Quiz
In this online interactive reading comprehension learning exercise, students respond to 15 multiple choice questions about the poetry of John Keats. Students may submit their answers to be scored.
Curated OER
Regents High School Examination Comprehensive Examination in English Session Two (2004)
In this Regents High School Examination Comprehension Examination worksheet, students read an excerpt from a nonfiction work and a poem and answer reading comprehension questions. Students then write a unified essay using evidence from...
Curated OER
Regents High School Examination Comprehensive Examination in English Session Two (2010)
In this Regents High School Examination Comprehensive Examination worksheet, pupils read an essay and a poem and answer reading comprehension questions. Students then write an essay based on both passages.
Curated OER
Regents High School Examination Comprehensive Examination in English Session Two (2007)
In this Regents High School Examination Comprehensive Examination worksheet, students read a poem and an excerpt from a memoir and answer reading comprehension questions. Students then write a unified essay using ideas and evidence from...
Curated OER
Regents High School Examination Comprehensive Examination in English Session Two (2006)
In this Regents High School Examination Comprehensive Examination worksheet, pupils read a short story and a poem and answer reading comprehension questions. Students then write a unified essay using ideas from both passages.
Curated OER
Regents High School Examination Comprehensive Examination in English Session Two (2006)
In this Regents High School Comprehensive Examination worksheet, students read a poem and an excerpt from a short story and answer reading comprehension questions. Students then write a unified essay in which they use ideas and examples...
Curated OER
Regents High School Examination Comprehensive Examination in English Session Two( 2005)
In this Regents High School Examination comprehensive Examination in English worksheet, students read an excerpt from a short story and a poem and answer reading comprehension questions. Students then compose an essay using evidence...
Great Books Foundation
Shared Inquiry Lesson Plan for “The New Colossus”
Two is better than one. Scholars use shared inquiry and discuss their ideas with one another to better interpret Emma Lazerus' poem "The New Colossus." They work through pre-reading, reading, questioning, and rereading activities before...
Curated OER
Langston Hughes Was a Dreamer Too
Encourage your pupils to imagine their own dreams for the future. After studying three poems by Langston Hughes and listening to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s I Have a Dream speech, young poets craft their own dream stanza.
New York State Education Department
English Language Arts Examination: August 2017
Reading and comprehending a poem is a lot different than doing the same for a piece of fiction or an informational text. As part of a sample English language arts examination, readers put their skills to the test by reading passages in...
Curated OER
King David
Here is a quick learning exercise on King David, the second king of Israel. It discusses his famous contest with the Philistine warrior Goliath and is followed by a few reading comprehension questions.
Novelinks
The Chosen: Biopoem
What better way to get to know a character than through a biopoem? Learners choose a character from Chaim Potok's The Chosen and create a well-crafted poem about his or her desires, traits, and ambitions.