Curated OER
Animal Farm: Theme of Dreams, Hopes, and Plans
"Four legs good, two legs bad..." Focusing on the themes from George Orwell's Animal Farm, this reading comprehension worksheet prompts middle schoolers to respond to several short answer and essay questions. They may also complete their...
Curated OER
Science Fiction Literature
Students identify the elements of science fiction literature. They write and illustrate a science fiction story using real and exaggerated science. In addition, they read their stories aloud in small groups.
Curated OER
Plot and Conflict
Students review the literary elements of plot and conflict. In this plot and conflict lesson, students read a story and answer questions about the plot and conflict within. Students create a concept map for the novel to identify the...
Curated OER
Fiction Elements in Hatchet
Students read or listen to Hatchet by Gary Paulsen, identify elements of fiction, develop writing, thinking, and organizing skills, and create PowerPoint slides based on the story.
National Endowment for the Humanities
A Story of Epic Proportions: What Makes a Poem an Epic?
Learners analyze the epic poem form and its roots in oral tradition. In this epic poetry lesson, students research the epic hero cycle and recognize the pattern of events and elements. Learners analyze the patterns embedded in the stories.
Writing Educators Symposium
Asking the Right Questions
It can be difficult to find the theme of a book or story if you don't know the questions to ask. Teach your kids to discern the universal theme in works of literature with a set of activities that promote critical thinking and active...
Curated OER
Life's Lessons: Survival of the Fittest
Students analyze Jack London's use of anthropomorphism to identify the importance of adaptability in life. In this literature lesson, students use the novel The Call of the Wild to identify key elements in survival. Students complete...
Curated OER
Write a Round-Robin Story
Students discover the elements of a story (introduction, plot, climax, resolution, denouement). In groups of five, one student writes an introduction and passes it to the next person, who writes the plot and passes it to the next person,...
Curated OER
Oliver Twist Goes to Hollywood
How does Oliver Twist, the novel written by Charles Dickens, compare with its screenplay adaptation? Although the activity doesn't require learners to have read the novel, the similarities and differences of the highlighted passages...
Curated OER
Analyzing Literary Devices
Eighth graders identify figurative language and poetry in this literary analysis lesson. Using Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll and a YouTube video for "The Walrus and the Carpenter," young readers complete a literary device...
Curated OER
Short Story Lesson
Students examine short stories and identify setting, characters, points of view, theme and plot. This lesson develops an appreciation and understanding of short stories.
Curated OER
Rudyard Kipling's "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi": Mixing Fact and Fiction
"Rikki-Tikki-Tavi," from The Jungle Book, offers young readers a chance to examine how Rudyard Kipling uses setting and personification to bring to life the brave mongoose who battles cobras to protect his family. Class members explore...
Syracuse City School District
Reading Comprehension Unit Plan
A unit plan uses short texts to teach literary elements such as theme and characterization. Included are passages by authors such as Walter Dean Myers and Sandra Cisneros. Activities include quick writes, filling in graphic organizers,...
Curated OER
Animal Farm Themes
In this reading comprehension worksheet, students respond to 3 short answer and essay questions based on themes in Animal Farm. Students may also complete their choice of 3 reading activities suggested.
Curated OER
Animal Farm Theme of Power: Control over the Intellectually Inferior
In this reading comprehension worksheet, students respond to 2 short answer and essay questions based on themes in Animal Farm. Students may also complete their choice of 3 reading activities suggested.
Curated OER
Animal Farm Theme of Rules and Order
In this reading comprehension activity, students respond to 4 short answer and essay questions based on themes in Animal Farm. Students may also complete their choice of 3 reading activities suggested.
Curated OER
Animal Farm Theme of Foolishness and Folly
In this reading comprehension worksheet, students respond to 2 short answer and essay questions based on themes in Animal Farm. Students may also complete their choice of 3 reading activities suggested.
Curated OER
Animal Farm Theme of Cunning and Cleverness
In this reading comprehension worksheet, students respond to 3 short answer and essay questions based on themes in Animal Farm. Students may also complete their choice of 3 reading activities suggested.
Curated OER
Animal Farm Theme of Pride
In this reading comprehension activity, students respond to 2 short answer and essay questions based on the theme of pride in Animal Farm. Students may also complete their choice of 3 reading activities suggested.
Curated OER
PowerPoint Short Story Report
Learners make a Microsoft PowerPoint report from a short story read in class. They summarize and paraphrase a short story identifying the six story elements: characters, setting, plot, conflict, solution, tone/mood.
Curated OER
Laurence Yep's Dragonwings
Students read independently the novel, "Dragonwings," by Laurence Yep and make connections between a text and the world. They summarize, paraphrase, analyze and evaluate skimming and scanning techniques when reading a novel. Each student...
Curated OER
Poetic Justice: A Study of Poe's Famous Works
Students explore Edgar Allan Poe's most famous short stories. In this Edgar Allan Poe lesson, students complete a 25 page packet of activities where they recognize the features of genres and literary devices Poe uses. Students read "The...
Curated OER
W.W. Jacob's "The Monkey's Paw" Theme
Students identify the theme of "The Monkey's Paw" and relate it to prior knowledge. In this "The Monkey's Paw" lesson, students discuss fate and coincidence and debate which one controls destiny. A test is chosen as the winner based on...
Curated OER
"A Sound of Thunder" Worksheet
In this "A Sound of Thunder" worksheet group, students complete a graphic organizer for the plot of the story. Students then complete activities with vocabulary from the reading and edit passages from the text.