Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Book Pairings: "Death of a Salesman" by Arthur Miller

For Students 9th - 10th
In this play, Willy Loman, an aging traveling salesman, struggles to come to terms with his "failures," reconnect with his sons, and let go of the ideal of the American Dream. Selected (9) reading passages (grades 8-12) to pair with...
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime" by Mark Haddon

For Students 9th - 10th
Christopher Boone sets out to investigate the suspicious death of his neighbor's dog but discovers more about his own family mysteries. Along the way, readers learn about the complex beauty of autistic thinkers. Selected (6) reading...
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Book Pairings: "The Crucible" by Arthur Miller

For Students 9th - 10th
In +J1105:J1113this allegorical drama, inspired by the witch hunt trials of 1692-93 and the 1950s Red Scare, the town of Salem is plagued by hysteria and accusations of witchcraft. Selected (9) reading passages (grades 8-12) to pair with...
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Book Pairings: "The Crossover" by Kwanme Alexander

For Students 5th - 8th
Inseparable twin brothers Josh and JB love basketball, but changes in their lives begin to pull them apart. Selected (6) reading passages (grades 5-8) to pair with "The Crossover" by Kwanme Alexander. [Free account registration required...
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Book Pairings: "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelly

For Students 9th - 10th
The scientist Victor Frankenstein recounts his story of bringing a creature to life and the tragedies that followed. Selected (8) reading passages (grades 8-12) to pair with the horror novel "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelly. [Free account...
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Book Pairings: "Flush" by Carl Hiaasen

For Students 9th - 10th
After Noah's dad is arrested for sinking a casino boat he believed was dumping sewage into the ocean, Noah must prove that his suspicions are right and stop the boat from further polluting the ocean. Selected (8) reading passages (grades...
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Book Pairings: "Fences" by August Wilson

For Students 9th - 10th
The play "Fences" explores the complex relationships of a 1950s middle-class, African American family and how they deal with issues of financial hardship, infidelity, and insecurities. Selected (7) reading passages (grades 7-11) to pair...
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Book Pairings: "The Fault of Our Stars" by John Green

For Students 9th - 10th
Hazel has been diagnosed with cancer and has a sullen outlook on life. She meets Augustus, whose love and friendship brings her across the world and around again -- in more than one way. Selected (6) reading passages (grades 8-12) to...
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Book Pairings: "Farewell to Manzanar" by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston

For Students 9th - 10th
Selected (7) reading passages (grades 8-11) to pair with the memoir "Farewell to Manzanar" by Jeanne Wakatsuki. [Free account registration required for specific tools.]
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Book Pairings: "Fahrenheit 451" by Ray Bradbury

For Students 9th - 10th
Set in a future where books are outlawed and firemen burn any they find, fireman Guy Montag questions his role in society and joins an organization committed to starting a revolution. Selected (7) reading passages (grades 8-11) to pair...
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Book Pairings: "Eight Days: A Story of Haiti" by Edwidge Danticat

For Students 5th - 8th
In this tale, for young readers, award-winning Edwidge Danticat tells the story of Junior, a seven-year-old boy trapped beneath his house after the Port-au-Prince earthquake and his rescue. While trapped during the earthquake, Junior...
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Book Pairings: "Drinking Coffee Elsewhere" by Zz Packer

For Students 9th - 10th
In this collection of short stories ZZ Packer introduces us to a range of different perspectives, from Brownie Troops out to seek retribution, to a father and son who bicker on their way to the Million Man March. Selected (8) reading...
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Book Pairings: "Macbeth" by William Shakespeare

For Students 10th - 12th
Spurred by ambition and spiritual prophecy, Macbeth, and his wife Lady Macbeth, come up with a scheme to murder King Duncan and take his throne. Their actions force them to commit more murders and eventually leads to their downfall....
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Book Pairings: "Lyddie" by Katherine Paterson

For Students 8th - 9th
Lyddie is a young girl who is separated from her family and made to work in order for them to keep their farm. Selected (6) reading passages (grades 8-9) to pair with the novel "Laddie" by Katherine Paterson. [Free account registration...
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Book Pairings: "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding

For Students 5th - 8th
In this novel, a group of boys are stranded on a deserted island and attempt to govern themselves. Selected (7) reading passages (grades 5-8) to pair with the novel "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding. [Free account registration...
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Book Pairings: "A Long Walk to Water" by Linda Sue Park

For Students 5th - 8th
Based on a true account, this book tells the story of Salva Dut, an 11-year-old boy separated from his family by the civil war in Sudan, and Nya, a girl from a small village who walks miles each day to fetch water for her family....
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Book Pairings: "The Lightning Thief" by Rick Riordan

For Students 5th - 7th
On the first day of summer, 12-year-old Percy Jackson learns that he is a demigod. He joins Camp Half-Blood, where he learns the skills required to travel on a dangerous quest to retrieve Zeus' stolen lightning bolt. Selected (7) reading...
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Book Pairings: "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson

For Students 9th - 10th
This book tells the story of Bryan Stevenson, a young lawyer who establishes a legal practice, and takes on the case of Walter McMillian who was wrongly convicted for murder. Selected (8) reading passages (grades 8-12) to pair with "Just...
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Book Pairings: "Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan

For Students 9th - 10th
Four Chinese women, who left war-torn China and immigrated to America, share their stories as they try to understand their daughters and what it means to be Chinese in America. Selected (10) reading passages (grades 8-11) to pair with...
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Themes: Love: How Does Love Emerge?

For Students 9th - 10th
This is a collection of Grade-Leveled texts (3-12) to address the question, "How does love emerge?" Select a grade level and a collection of on grade-level reading passages on the topic comes up. [Free account registration required for...
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Themes: Love: How Are We Changed by Love?

For Students 9th - 10th
This is a collection of Grade-Leveled texts (3-12) to address the question, "How are we changed by love?" Select a grade level and a collection of on grade-level reading passages on the topic comes up. [Free account registration required...
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Themes: Loneliness & Isolation: What Does It Mean to Feel Alone?

For Students 9th - 10th
This is a collection of Grade-Leveled texts (3-12) to address the question, "What does it mean to feel alone?" Select a grade level and a collection of on grade-level reading passages on the topic comes up. [Free account registration...
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Themes: Justice/freedom/equality: Freedom or Security More Important?

For Students 9th - 10th
This is a collection of Grade-Leveled texts (3-12) to address the question, "Which is more important: freedom or security?" Select a grade level and a collection of on grade-level reading passages on the topic comes up. [Free account...
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Themes: Justice, Freedom & Equality: What Is Fair?

For Students 9th - 10th
This is a collection of Grade-Leveled texts (3-12) to address the question, Justice, Freedom & Equality: What is fair?" Select a grade level and a collection of on grade-level reading passages on the topic comes up. [Free account...