National Endowment for the Humanities
Walt Whitman to Langston Hughes: Poems for a Democracy
Explore the idea of democratic poetry. Upper graders read Walt Whitman, examining daguerreotypes, and compare Whitman to Langston Hughes. They describe aspects of Whitman's I Hear America Singing to Langston Hughes' Let America Be...
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,...
ReadWriteThink
Sonic Patterns: Exploring Poetic Techniques Through Close Reading
Robert Hayden's poem "Those Winter Sundays" serves as the anchor text in a five-part lesson plan that takes the mystery out of poetry analysis by modeling explicit strategies for pupils to employ to conduct a close reading of a poem....
Curated OER
The Negro Speaks of Rivers Theme of Race
In this poetry analysis worksheet, students explore the theme of race in the Langston Hughes "The Negro Speaks of Rivers," as they read an excerpt about the perspectives that black people throughout history have taken with regards to...
Curated OER
The Negro Speaks of Rivers Theme of Memory and the Past
For this poetry analysis worksheet, students read a paragraph regarding Langston Hughe’s use of collective voice in the poem, “The Negro Speaks of Rivers Theme of Memory and the Past.” Students then answer 4 discussion questions about...
Curated OER
My Last Duchess Theme of Madness
For this poetry analysis worksheet, students consider the motivation for the actions of the Duke in "My Last Duchess," by Robert Browning as they read a brief paragraph positing that the Duke is insane. Students then respond to 3...
Curated OER
No Second Troy Theme of Guilt and Blame
For this poetry analysis worksheet, students examine the content of the William Butler Yeats poem, “No Second Troy." Students read a paragraph about the theme of the poem, then respond to three discussion questions about the role of...
Curated OER
The Lamb Theme of Youth
In this poetic themes worksheet, students consider the theme of youth in "The Lamb," by William Blake as they respond to 3 short answer questions. Students may also complete their choice of the 2 reading activities suggested.
Curated OER
Ode on a Grecian Urn Theme of Wisdom and Knowledge
In this reading reflection learning exercise, students respond to 4 short answer and essay questions as they consider the themes of wisdom and knowledge in "Ode on a Grecian Urn," by Keats. Students may also complete their choice of 3...
Curated OER
Compare and Contrast Poems vs. Lyrics
Combine your pupils' love of music with their growing knowledge of poetry! First, have them bring in their favorite songs for a discussion on word choice and literary devices. Then, use a Venn Diagram to compare and contrast the...
Curated OER
My Last Duchess Theme of Art and Culture
In this poetry analysis activity, students read a comment on the significance of the Duke’s art collection in Robert Browning's "My Last Duchess." Students then respond to questions about the Duke’s art gallery, his portrait of the...
Monarch High School
TP-CASTT Practice
Acronyms can help learners remember facts and analyze poetry. This resource includes graphic organizers for TP-CASTT, SOAPS, SOAPSTone, and DIDLS. Class members can try out one or all of these strategies to assist with that difficult job...
Colorado Springs School District
AP Literature and Composition Reading and Writing Transition Tasks
Worried about the summer slide? Scholars keep literature skills sharp by working through a summer packet to prep for AP Literature classes. Pupils annotate and close read short stories, answer questions about a variety of literary...
Penguin Books
The Discussion Guide to the Inaugural Poem: The Hill We Climb by Amanda Gorman
National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman's "The Hill We Climb," featured at the 2021 inauguration of President Joseph Biden, is the focus of a six-page guide. The guide includes before reading, during reading, and after reading...
Curated OER
The Effects of Slavery
The emotional and spiritual oppression of slavery in the African-American experience is the focus of this instructional activity. Middle schoolers analyze various texts by Frederick Douglass and Maya Angelou related to freedom and...
Curated OER
The Negro Speaks of Rivers Themes
In this poetry analysis worksheet, students respond to 5 discussion questions that require them to investigate the symbolism of rivers in the Langston Hughes poem “The Negro Speaks of Rivers."
Curated OER
John Donne's Poetry Worksheet
Concluding a study of metaphysical poetry? Challenge John Donne scholars with a activity that asks them to identify the subject of several of his poems, to interpret lines, to find examples of metaphysical conceits, and to analyze how...
Curated OER
Poetry Group Activity
In this Romeo and Juliet worksheet, students complete a group project by creating a poem on an assigned topic relating to themes found in Romeo and Juliet.
Trinity University
Dante's Inferno: Allegory, Hero's Journey, or Epic Poem? Yes!
Dante Alighieri's "The Inferno" is the central text in a unit designed for high school seniors. Scholars compare the Christian concept of Hell to Dante's. In addition, they examine the tale as an example of epic poetry, as an allegory,...
Farmington Public Schools
British Literature Honors: Beowulf
Whether new to teaching Beowulf or an experience pro, you'll find much to like in a richly detailed unit plan that asks readers to consider how the epic represents the difficulty in defining good and evil but also reflects the changing...
Alabama Learning Exchange
J. Alfred Hyperbolizes
Mermaids will sing to your class members as they engage in an activity related to T.S. Eliot's famous dramatic interior monologue. After engaging in a socratic seminar about literary devices in the poem, individuals choose one...
Curated OER
The Lamb Theme of Religion
In this literary analysis worksheet, learners consider the comments made about religion in William Blake's poem, "The Lamb." Students read an overview of the poem's symbolic content, then respond to five questions in which they reflect...
Curated OER
Spring: Paul Laurence Dunbar
Explore the abundance of spring, no matter what season you are covering in your class! Using the poetry of Paul Laurence Dunbar, GALE Biography Resource Center, and Litfinder, pupils work on researching the poet and analyzing the use of...
Curated OER
Ode to the West Wind Questions
In this literary analysis learning exercise, students read the poem "Ode to the West Wind," by Percy Bysshe Shelley and then respond to 5 short answer discussion questions about the significance of wind in the poem and the symbolism of...