Writing
Have Fun Teaching

Story Starters

For Students K - 5th
Starting at the very beginning may be a very good place to start, but it can also be very difficult for emergent writers. Help them get started by providing them with a setting, a main character, and a basic plot.
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Collecting Details: The Challenges Ha Faces and Ha as a Dynamic Character

For Teachers 8th Standards
What is a dynamic character? Using an interesting resource, scholars set out to answer the question. They create graphic organizers to collect details about character development as they read the novel Inside Out & Back Again. They...
Unit Plan
Mary Pope Osborne, Classroom Adventures Program

The Backpack Travel Journals

For Teachers 2nd - 5th Standards
Strap on those backpacks, it's time to travel through history with this literature unit based on the first four books of The Magic Tree House series. While reading through these fun stories, children create story maps, record...
Handout
Vanier College

Analyzing Short Stories/Novels

For Students 9th - 12th
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.
Unit Plan
Curated OER

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson Literature Study Guide

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
Yo-ho-ho, Treasure Island can be lots of fun with the aid of a resource that guides readers' exploration of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic tale of buccaneers and buried gold. It's the glory of the read that will turn your...
Lesson Plan
Teaching English

Fairy Tales; Not Just for Kids

For Teachers 6th - 9th
"Once upon a time . . ." Language learners examine the key elements of well-known fairy tales and then craft their own.
PPT
Gulf University

The Elements of Drama

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Introduce young actors to the meanings of basic drama literary, technical and performance elements with this colorful presentation.
Activity
Curated OER

Review of a Novel Project

For Teachers 5th - 8th
This review of a novel project is a great way to ensure accountability for independent reading. The assignment sheet, templates, samples, and rubrics are all part of the packet materials.
Lesson Plan
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Maryland Department of Education

The Concept of Diversity in World Literature Lesson 11: The Historical/Biographical Approach to Literature

For Teachers 10th - 11th Standards
How affected is Thinks Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe's personal biography? Using a four corners strategy, and evidence from their readings, class members debate the degree of biographical influence in Achebe's novel.
Lesson Plan
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Mary Pope Osborne, Classroom Adventures Program

Mummies in the Morning Egyptian pyramids, hieroglyphics

For Teachers 1st - 4th Standards
Visit the Magic Treehouse and take your class on a trip through time with a reading of the children's book Mummies in the Morning. Using the story to spark an investigation into Egyptian culture, this literature unit engages...