National Endowment for the Arts
Reader Resources: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
A handy guide offers high schoolers support as they read the American novel, The Great Gatsby. Complete with a biography of F. Scott Fitzgerald, a timeline of the Roaring Twenties, discussion questions about the novel, and more, this...
Mr. T Davis
Major Works Data Sheet
Ease the anxiety of preparing for the AP English exams with a four-page packet test-takers can use to record key information about major works they have read. In addition to biographical information about the author, historical...
Curated OER
Author Background/Investigation
Students research an Accelerated Reader author and write a two page report summarizing relevant information about the author. They include personal data, professional data, and at least one quote from someone who has read one of the...
Curated OER
Jan Brett Author Study
Students practice utilizing the internet to look up information on the author Jan Brett and the books she wrote. They visit a variety of websites to assess the biography of Jan Brett and retell a story that she wrote in their own words...
Syracuse City School District
Literary Elements
Address the literary elements in a piece of writing using these materials. The packet includes plenty of resources, and focuses mainly on theme, character, and point of view, with some materials for setting, symbolism, and author's...
Maryland Department of Education
The Concept of Identity Lesson 2: The Historical/Biographical Approach
"How does our environment shape our identity?" After researching biographical information about John Knowles and considering how these experiences are reflected in A Separate Peace, class members consider the strengths and weaknesses of...
Curated OER
Let There Be Peace: Nobel Prize Winners
What is the Nobel Peace Prize? After they establish criteria for great leadership, secondary learners read a New York Times article about President Jimmy Carter's acceptance of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. Individuals research the...
PBS
The Diary of Anne Frank
While designed to supplement a viewing of the PBS Masterpiece Classic The Diary of Anne Frank, this resource can also serve as an excellent informational text and activity source for your students on the historical context and timeline...
National WWII Museum
Dr. Seuss and WWII
What famous children's author and illustrator created World War II political cartoons featuring such subjects as fascism, the war effort, discrimination, and the dangers of isolationism? The who in this story is Dr. Seuss, and what...
Curated OER
Mark Twain Award Nominees 2004-05
Students examine books nominated for the Mark Twain Award. They visit various authors' Web sites and read stories, explore the authors, and perform related activities.
Arts Midwest
The Stories and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe: Biographical Criticism and the Speaker of a Poem
Author's are often influenced by events in their own lives as they write. Use Edgar Allan Poe's poems "Ulalume" and "Annabel Lee" to take a look at how the death of Poe's wife affected his poetry. Ask students to discuss and compare the...
Curated OER
E.B. White
In this biography worksheet, learners read a short passage detailing the life of author E.B. White. Students then answer 6 questions about the passage they have read.
Curated OER
Booker T. Washington
In this social studies worksheet, students find the words associated with Booker T. Washington and the answers are found by clicking the button at the bottom of the page.
C3 Teachers
Black Women Writers: What Gets Black Women Heard?
Zora Neal Hurston, Toni Morrison, and Maya Angelou are featured in a guided inquiry unit. High schoolers research the lives and works of these and other Black women writers and craft an argument, using evidence from their research, to...
Alabama Department of Archives and History
La Mobile: A Case Study of Exploration and Settlement
The Le Moyne brothers, Jean-Baptiste and Pierre, were among the first explorers of the Gulf Coast. Class members read biographical information and journal entries about these men, study maps showing where the settlements they established...
Library of Congress
Anne of Green Gables
According to Anne with an E, "You can always nearly enjoy things if you make up your mind firmly that you will." An eBook version of Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery introduces readers to the classic text. The novel includes a...
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
The Old Man and the Sea Ernest Hemingway
Accompany a reading of Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea with a thorough literature packet. Although the materials are meant to prepare readers for a timed essay, the background information and the activities are sure to engage...
Curated OER
Reading: The Beginnings of a Writer
In this reading: beginnings of a writer worksheet, learners read a short biography of J.K. Rawlings and answer true and false comprehension questions. Students answer ten questions.
PBS
Does Art Imitate Life?
Write what you know, sound advice for any writer and something many famous authors are known to have done. Use these materials to explore how Shakespeare's life influenced his plays. This resource is packed with readings, video segments,...
Curated OER
Cut and Paste Biographies
Students explore the influence of African-American artists, writers, and musicians on American culture. After researching different figures in these areas, they create collages representing each person's life and legacy.
Curated OER
Creating Children's Books
Students collaborate to create a children's book. For this visual arts lesson, student study the components and procedures that go into making a children's book including the shape, size. layout, biographical information about the...
Reed Novel Studies
Moon Over Manifest: Novel Study
Manifest, Kansas is a town where anything is possible. Scholars explore the fictional setting using an engaging novel study on Clare Vanderpool's Moon Over Manifest. After answering questions about the text and complete a vocabulary...
Reed Novel Studies
Jake and Lily: Novel Study
Just how strong is a twins' bond? Jake and Lily, in a novel by the same name, have a powerful bond until they turn 11. Then, everything changes. As scholars read about twin trouble, they learn eight new vocabulary words, create...
Reed Novel Studies
Mr. Popper's Penguins: Novel Study
Antarctica is actually a desert. Using the novel study that explores Mr. Popper's Penguins, pupils find four of their own interesting facts about the amazing continent. They also practice putting words in alphabetical order and answer...