Thirty-six pages familiarize scholars with the story and vocabulary of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. After reading and listening to an abbreviated version of the holiday tale learners show what they know about the sequence of...

Nazi policies shifted from deportation and imprisonment to extermination of the Jewish people in death camps in the "Final Solution." Learners examine photos of artifacts, read poetry written by survivors, analyze testimony from...

The end was just the beginning. The period immediately after the end of World War II and the Holocaust is often called "The Return to Life" as survivors looked to reunite and recreate broken families and shattered lives. A two-lesson...

Young historians examine primary sources, including diaries, poems, and photographs, to consider the conditions in the ghettos and how they fit into the escalation of the Third Reich's plot against the Jewish people. 

Rhyme, rhythm, free verse, imagery: Do these words describe poetry, or jazz music? The answer is both! A resource explores these similarities as scholars watch a video, engage in discussion, read author biographies, write poetry and...

Accompany a reading of Madeleine L'Engle's classic tale, A Wrinkle in Time, with a detailed guide equipped with 15 informative and useful chapters. Scholars discover who the author is, why she wrote the book, and crucial story elements...

Bah! No need to make amends for an opportunity missed if you take advantage of a resource packet designed to accompany a viewing of the musical version of A Christmas Carol. Stuffed with goodies, with activities, exercises, worksheets,...

Here's a resource that deserves a place in your curriculum library, whether or not your school has adopted the Common Core. Designed for middle and high school language arts classes, the packet is packed with teaching tips, materials,...

Examine human resilience across two texts with a detailed unit. Over the course of a week, learners will conduct a close reading of excerpts from Unbroken and Farewell to Manzanar. The resource includes clear procedures for reading and...

Can we test whether lines ascribed to William Shakespeare were actually written by someone else? Science and linguistics join forces in this fantastic TED-Ed video to help us investigate the theory of whether history's greatest writer...

Help your pupils grow the reading strategies they need to succeed by supporting them with various graphic organizers. This packet includes a wealth of attractively formatted graphic organizers for predicting, keeping track of plot,...

Expose your class to Shakespearean language with a manageable excerpt from As You Like It. A wonderfully comprehensive plan, this resource requires pupils to use higher-level thinking skills to interact with a complex text and connect...

Each stanza typically has its own main idea that has a purpose within a poem. Demonstrate how to determine the purpose of each stanza within the poem "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost. The video models marking the text and analysis of...

New ReviewNikki Wallschlaeger's Violin is the featured poem in a instructional activity that uses music and multiple readings to delve deep into its analysis. After a writing warm-up, learners watch and listen to a video that showcases Regina...

New ReviewCharles Dickens' A Christmas Carol provides middle schoolers an opportunity to examine how references to historical context can contribute to the impact of and the theme of a story. Groups conduct a close reading of an excerpt from the...

Howdy partner! After discussion and teacher model reading of Slaveships, scholars pair up for a partner reading of the poem. They then use equity sticks to discuss their thoughts of the poem with the class. Readers talk about allusion,...

Learners finish the end-of-unit assessment by completing a poetry analysis of We Wear the Mask. Scholars may use their Poet’s Toolbox reference sheets and How to Read a Poem anchor charts to guide them through the assessment. 

Scholars listen to a reading and answer probing questions about If We Must Die by Claude McKay. Readers annotate their personal copies of the poem as they discuss its figurative language, vocabulary, and meaning. They then transfer their...

Learners listen as a teacher models how to read a poem using The Negro Speaks of Rivers. They use the How to Read a Poem anchor chart to help guide their thought process on how a poem requires different reading than other text. While...

Introduce young learners to imagery with a lesson that asks them to look closely at the lyrics from popular songs. Class members listen to a song rich with imagery, draw a picture of the images that come to mind, and then share their...

Justice and murder are the heart of the best mysteries. The writers interviewed for this episode of the Great American Read try to convince viewers that the best of this genre is Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None.