Lesson Plan
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Identifying Science Fiction

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students discuss works of science fiction that they read, highlight aspects that made each a part of science fiction genre, identify formal literary elements, and discuss ways each can be developed through science fiction.
Unit Plan
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Poetic Justice: A Study of Poe's Famous Works

For Teachers 8th
Students explore Edgar Allan Poe's most famous short stories. In this Edgar Allan Poe lesson, students complete a 25 page packet of activities where they recognize the features of genres and literary devices Poe uses. Students read "The...
Lesson Plan
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How Tragic!

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Learners study and interpret a classical tragedy and role play a character from the play.  In this tragedy lesson, students discuss a specific work to discover the form, structure, and characteristics of the genre and interpret the...
Lesson Plan
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Writers and the Old South Myth

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Learners are introduced to authors of the South. In groups, they compare and contrast the pastoral and counter pastoral traditions present in some forms of Southern literature. They use a database to examine the covers of the books...
Lesson Plan
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Fantasies and Myths

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders listen to the book, THE GIVING TREE and discuss what genre category they believe the story fits into and why. They read of of the myths on the website on the computers and then come back together as a group and discuss...
Lesson Plan
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Crane, London, and Literary Naturalism

For Teachers 10th - Higher Ed
Students identify the key characteristics that comprise American literary naturalism in Jack London's "To Build a Fire" and Stephen Crane's "The Open Boat." In this naturalism analysis lesson, students identify characteristics of the...
Lesson Plan
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Cinematic Poetry

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders explore the genre of poetry through the creation of a multimedia presentation. Students write a poem and create an Avid presentation of their poem for the class. The poems and presentations are peer-reviewed.
Lesson Plan
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Author Study

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students examine and identify the characteristics of the different genres of literature. After being read and reading various stories, they identify how different books by the same author carry the same story elements. They discuss how...
Lesson Plan
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Fantasy, Fables, Myths, Legends & Fairy Tales

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students identify the differences between fantasies, fables, myths, legends and fairy tales. In groups, they create their own versions of the different genres. They practice identifying the examples, as well.
Unit Plan
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Readers' Theatre with African and Chinese Folktales

For Teachers 4th
Students investigate genre of folklore, specifically African and Chinese folktales, and script and perform folktales with examples from The Magic Brocade and Fire on the Mountain. Seven lessons on one page.
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The Odyssey

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students write a dramatic scene based on The Odyssey and perform it for the class. In this living literature lesson, students work in small groups to discuss the way the characters look, act, and sound. They then choose scenery and...
Lesson Plan
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Cooperative Jigsaw Expert Report of Fables

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Young scholars research literary elements of fables. In this literature lesson plan, students analyze literary elements of fables. Young scholars work collaboratively using a jigsaw strategy to analyze literary elements.
Lesson Plan
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Creating an Anthology

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Student compile a poetry anthology. In this literature lesson, students examine notable poetry anthologies. Students then select a theme to build their anthologies of 10 poems pertaining to their chosen theme.
Lesson Plan
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Would You Like to Become a Millionaire?

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Learners answer questions written by other teams about literature in an attempt to become "millionaires." In small groups they write a motivational introduction to their teams selected books, publish their questions as a HyperCard...
Lesson Plan
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What About Us? Women in the Civil War

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students research the role of women in the Civil War. In this Civil War unit, students research the role women played during the war. This unit includes eight different activities including vocabulary, writing prompts and a literature...
Lesson Plan
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Recognizing Similes: Fast as a Whip

For Teachers 10th - Higher Ed
Students review basic knowledge of similes and engage with similes on a more abstract level. In this similes lesson, students define similes and identify examples. Students read and analyze the similes used in poetry by Derricotte,...
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What? You want me to read AND enjoy it?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners appreciate independent reading through learning about authors and genre.
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Writing Book Reviews

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Students explore new authors and genres they might like to read. The understand the ingredients of a book review. They write book reviews using persuasive language to recommend books.
Lesson Plan
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Eudora Welty's "A Worn Path" in Graphical Representation

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Young scholars analyze graphical forms of Eudora Welty and interpret the shorts stories in the representations. In this graphical representations instructional activity, students analyze the short story genre in comic strips. Young...
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911 As History

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students recognize persuasive techniques, think criticaly about the messages contained in various media, and discuss controversial issues in constructive ways. They analyze the deeper messages contained in children's literature, and...
Unit Plan
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Unearthing the Secrets of the Garden

For Teachers 5th
Students analyze the literary class, The Secret Garden. In this literature unit lesson, students complete a unit of activities to help them with their reading comprehension of the book The Secret Garden. Students complete webs,...
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Character Development Through Reader's Theater

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders study a piece of literature, adapt it into a script and perform the piece to the class. Students practice reading their scripts. They use Inspiration software to create a multimedia presentation.
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Modernism

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars engage in a study of the literature of modernism in America. They conduct research and read different texts for clarification of the genre style. Students discuss the background influences of culture that shaped modernism.
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Being in the Noh: An Introduction to Japanese Noh Plays

For Teachers 10th - Higher Ed
Learners analyze the conventions used in Noh plays and write an introduction to a Noh play of their own. In this Noh play lesson, students identify the conventions of the Noh form and analyze the realizations the main character achieves....