Looking for a complete lesson plan that does not require searching for additional materials? Creating Suspense Lesson 2 offers just that. After reading Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery," scholars analyze the literary devices the author...

The burning questions is at what point do readers of Fahrenheit 451 recognize the many literary devices Ray Bradbury employs in his dystopian classic that warns of  a society that uses media to indoctrinate the public and denigrates...

Introduce a study of satire with a presentation of laugh-out-loud funny slides that define the various characteristics of satiric writing and provide examples of each.

Irony, the discrepancy between what is expected and what occurs, is the focus of a reference sheet that provides young writers with models of this literary device.

Hey, what's so funny? Explore the use of satire in a variety of media with a hands-on activity. Fourth in a five-part journalism series from iCivics, the activity introduces satirical language in print and online. Pupils work alone or in...

Have everything you need to know about the elements of poetry with a nine-page handout. Split into four categories—word sounds, meanings, arrangement, and imagery—budding poets may reference terms, read definitions, descriptions, and...

Good questions can help focus readers' attention on the elements writers use to add depth to their stories. The questions on this worksheet do just that and encourage readers to think critically about a story and author's purpose.

Though often used in shows of patriotism, Bruce Springsteen's 1985 song "Born in the U.S.A." is critical of America's role in the Vietnam war and its treatment of American veterans. High schoolers analyze the song's lyrics in an activity...

O. Henry's "The Gift of the Magi" is the classic example of irony in literature. Teach young writers about the ways irony can engage their readers with an activity in which they write scripts using dramatic irony, situational irony, and...

The rich language of O. Henry's "The Gift of the Magi" is only appreciable if you understand the words. A short lesson reviews 13 words from the story and prompts class members to apply each word and its definition to other situations.

Percy Bysshe Shelley's "Ozymandias" provides the text for a comprehension assessment. Readers practice using evidence from the sonnet to respond to 10 questions.

Design your unit on The View From Saturday by E.L. Konigsburg with a concept and vocabulary analysis resource. It outlines the plot, literary elements, vocabulary issues, and any possible considerations for planning a differentiated...

A powerful image or well-placed comment always has intention behind it. Guide young readers through author's purpose and tone with a language arts video that explains why word choice is key in writing clearly and coherently.

All animals are comrades in a thorough unit plan for George Orwell's Animal Farm. With reading comprehension questions, research project ideas, resources for building prior knowledge about the Russian Revolution, and many ways to extend...

How did an investigation into the causes of the collapse of the Twin Towers, as a result of the 9/11 attacks, inform the construction of the new 1 World Trade Center? That is the central question of a resource that asks class members...

Young poets are asked to craft a poem in the voice of a first person narrator, a dramatic monologue of sorts, that reveals not only a dramatic situation but something of the narrator's character as well.

Before you begin reading The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi, review this reference sheet that includes a wealth of information regarding organizational pattern, theme, setting, foreshadowing, point of view, tone, irony,...

Focus on the literary elements of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's The Little Prince with a concept analysis sheet. With suggestions and explanations for many of the book's concepts, vocabulary, and other issues that may arise in instruction,...

O. Henry's famous short story, "The Gift of the Magi" is the core text in a comprehension activity that asks readers to respond to a series of text-based questions based on the story.

Clarify the setting, literary themes, and potential vocabulary issues with a concept analysis resource. With thoughtful explanations of many parts of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, the reference sheet will be a great addition to your...

Augment your unit on Carl Hiaasen's Hoot with a series of activities about the environment, civil disobedience, making an impact in the world, and growing up. A list of literary concepts and themes helps you to write your lessons to...

Don't let the summer go to waste! Send your secondary students off to break with a summer reading requirement. This requirement is particularly well thought out and includes a few steps. To prepare for the next year of instruction,...

Readers identify the irony in the ransom note to Ebenezer Dorset and his reply as part of a reading comprehension activity using O. Henry's "The Ransom of Red Chief."

Alanis Morissette's "Ironic" and selected images from "Condescending Wonka" are used to help kids recognize the differences between sarcasm and irony. As an exit ticket, class members create their own sarcastic captions for five...