CommonLit
Common Lit: Text Sets: Ancient Egypt
This is a collection of 6 Grade-Leveled texts (7-12) on the topic Ancient Egypt. Egyptian civilization is over 5,000 years old. While modern Egypt is different in many ways, the influence of Ancient Egypt can still be felt along the...
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Common Lit: "Hearts and Hands" by O. Henry
A learning module that begins with "Hearts and Hands" by O. Henry accompanied by guided reading questions, assessment questions, and discussion questions. The text can be printed as a PDF or assigned online through free teacher and...
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Common Lit: Book Pairings: "The Count of Monte Cristo" by Alexandre Dumas
In the mid-1800s, a French sailor is unjustly imprisoned for fourteen years. He escapes, finds a fortune, and seeks revenge on the those who put him in prison. Selected (7) reading passages (grades 8-11) to pair with "The Count of Monte...
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Common Lit: Book Pairings: "The Color Purple" by Alice Walker
Celie is an African American woman living in Georgia in the early 20th century. She suffers decades of abuse as she struggles to find love and friendship in her life. Selected (8) reading passages (grades 8-12) to pair with "The Color...
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Common Lit: "The Circuit: Stories From the Life of a Migrant Child" by F. Jimenez
A collection of autobiographical short stories about a boy whose family moves from America to Mexico where they become migrant workers. Selected (6) reading passages (grades 5-8) to pair with "The Circuit: Stories from the Life of a...
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Common Lit: Book Pairings: "The Chocolate War" by Robert Cormier
When Jerry Renault refuses to sell chocolate for the school's annual chocolate fundraising drive, the rest of the student body turns against him. Selected (8) reading passages (grades 9-11) to pair with "The Chocolate War" by Robert...
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Common Lit: Book Pairings: "The Catcher in the Rye" by j.d. Salinger
From a mental institution, where he is receiving treatment, Holden Caulfield recounts the two day period after he is kicked out of school. Selected (8) reading passages (grades 8-12) to pair with "The Catcher in the Rye" by J.D....
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Common Lit: Book Pairings: "Catch 22" by Joseph Heller
An air pilot named Yossarian and his squadron navigate life in the army during World War II. Despite their attempts to stay alive, the army's "Catch 22" rule continues to put them in danger. Selected (5) reading passages (grades 9-11) to...
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Common Lit: Book Pairings: "Bud, Not Buddy" by Christopher Paul Curtis
After losing his mother four years ago, 10-year-old Bud Caldwell runs away from the foster care system in search of the father he has never met. Selected (11) reading passages (grades 5-8) to pair with "Bud, Not Buddy" by Christopher...
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Common Lit: Book Pairings: "Brown Girl Dreaming" by Jacqueline Woodson
Jacqueline Woodson describes her experiences growing up as an African American girl in South Carolina and New York in the 1960s. Selected (6) reading passages (grades 3-6) to pair with "Brown Girl Dreaming" by Jacqueline Woodson. [Free...
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Common Lit: Text Sets: Political Theory
As governments form and change over time, they look to political philosophers to answer important questions about governance. This text set covers some of the world's most influential political thinkers. This collection includes 10...
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Common Lit: Text Sets: The Vietnam War
One of the most controversial proxy-wars of the Cold War was the Vietnam War. Lasting from 1955 to 1975, the North Vietnamese fought the South Vietnamese with the USSR's and America's respective support. This collection includes 9...
CommonLit
Common Lit: Text Sets: Science of the Body
Introduce students to how the body looks and works with these texts on biology and genetics. This collection includes 20 Grade-Leveled texts (5-10) on the topic of Science of the Body. [Free account registration required for specific...
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Common Lit: Text Sets: Psychology and the Mind
The mind has fascinated and mystified humans for millennia. Delve into the science behind the brain with these works on philosophy, foundational psychology, and scientific studies. This collection includes 61 Grade-Leveled texts (6-12)...
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Common Lit: Book Pairings: "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" by John Boyne
A wire fence stands between Bruno and Shmuel's friendship at Auschwitz, and tragedy beckons when Bruno's naivety and his distance from his family take him beyond the fence. Selected (9) reading passages (grades 5-9) to pair with "The Boy...
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Common Lit: Book Pairings: "Black Boy" by Richard Wright
Richard Wright, a black boy living in the Jim Crow South, travels north in hopes of escaping the violence and prejudice that rules his childhood. Selected (8) reading passages (grades7-12) to pair with "Black Boy" by Richard Wright....
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Common Lit: Book Pairings: "Beowulf"
The life of the mighty hero Beowulf is recounted, as he wins honor and fame by protecting his people and the neighboring nation from terrible monsters. Selected (6) reading passages (grades 9-12) to pair with the Epic poem "Beowulf"....
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Common Lit: Book Pairings: "The Bell Jar" by Sylvia Path
Partially inspired by Plath's experiences with depression, The Bell Jar follows the emotional breakdown of Esther Greenwood, a promising college student who cannot reconcile her desires with American conventions during the 1950s-1960s....
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Common Lit: Book Pairings: "Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Malcolm X, Alex Haley
The Autobiography of Malcolm X traces the life of one of the most influential, controversial, and thoughtful people of the 20th century. Selected (10) reading passages (grades 8-11) to pair with the "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by...
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Common Lit: Book Pairings: "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coekho
Following omens and the pursuit of his dream, Santiago goes on a journey to find his treasure. Along the way he encounters characters and circumstances that both support or challenge his quest. Selected (5) reading passages (grades 6-11)...
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Common Lit: Book Pairings
Teaching a book unit this year? It's a best practice to supplement book units with short passages from a variety of different genres. These 92 reading passages were handpicked by master teachers to supplement your book units. They...
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Common Lit: Text Sets: World War Ii
World War II was the second war to embattle the entire globe, lasting from 1939 to 1945. It not only witnessed the Holocaust and the nuclear bombings of Japan, but became the deadliest conflict in human history. This collection includes...
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Common Lit: Text Sets: World War I
World War I, or the Great War, embroiled the globe in bloody fighting from 1914 to 1918. Learn about the complex alliances that led dozens of countries to go to war, how the war was won, and what life was like for soldiers and civilians....
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Common Lit: Text Sets: Workers' Rights
As America grew, so did its production of agriculture and manufacturing, leading to a rise in workers and their demands. Study the history of worker's rights in America from the Industrial Revolution to today. This collection includes 13...