Curated OER
The Lightning Thief: Vocabulary Strategy
Take an in-depth look into the vocabulary from the novel, Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan. With a list of words to choose from, scholars discover the definition, origin, stories associated with...
La Jolla High School
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck: In Search of Figurative Language
While this resource was originally made to be used in conjunction with John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men, it could be used for any literary text. A reference sheet for readers, the resource includes terminology related to figurative...
MENSA Education & Research Foundation
The Writer’s Toolbox: What You Need to Master the Craft
Strengthen your high schoolers' writing with a series of steps for writing successfully. With sections on organizing an essay, choosing a topic, crafting a thesis statement, and revising a draft, the lesson encourages your class to...
Geography 360°
Poetry Writing
Put the tips and tricks in this guide into practice in order to encourage your pupils to blossom into poets. A wonderful reference material for teachers, this packet includes definitions of poetic terms and forms as well as step-by-step...
Mary Pope Osborne, Classroom Adventures Program
Mummies in the Morning Egyptian pyramids, hieroglyphics
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...
Jackson School District
An Introduction to Satire
What is satire, and what are its characteristics? A handy handout provides young satirists with all the information they need to analyze a satire or to craft their own.
Global Publishing Solutions
Exploring New York City
Your class members will get up close and personal with the Big Apple in this fantastic lesson, which introduces learners to not only the concept of a city, but also provides a thorough overview of New York City itself and its...
Curated OER
The Story of Jack O'lantern
In this Halloween reading worksheet, students learn the origin of the Jack O'Lantern by reading the Irish tale. Note: There are references in this story to selling souls to the Devil, purgatory, the fires of Hell and Jack who gets drunk...
Curated OER
Tips for Improving Transition
Vary, bury, pull, fit. These tips for improving transitions in writing are found on a template designed as a teacher resource. A clever way to make memorable these suggestions for improving transitions in writing, the language in the...
Curated OER
The Spread of Enlightenment Ideas
Looking for a simple and straightforward reference on the Enlightenment for your young historians? Check out this list of key terms and important figures from the period, followed by a traditional assessment where your learners will be...
Other
English Words of Arabic Origin
A list of English words originating in Arabic, followed by a series of exercises for the advanced English student.
Rice University
Rice University: Loan Words
An exhaustive and comprehensive resource on the definition, process, and uses of "loan words" in English. Includes several examples of words grouped by subject and language of origin. Excellent site.
Other
Kryss Tal: The English Language: Words Borrowed
An incredible comprehensive list of "borrowed words" in the English language, grouped by the languages from which the words are borrowed. Provides and describes dozens of languages and literally thousands of loan words. Highly recommended.
Other
World Wide Words/exploring the English Language
"World Wide Words is devoted to the English language - its history, quirks, curiosities and evolution. The Words site is organized into sections, each with its own index to help you find your way about."
Other
Etymological Dictionary: Influences on Astronomy
An interesting look at the meanings of many of the words in mythology that have been used in English astronomical field. This resource lists the word, etymological and mythological root or character, and modern English meaning.
University of Pennsylvania
Digital Library: Works of Charles Darwin
The Digital Library provides links to the texts of a dozen of works by Charles Darwing including "On the Origins of Species."
Other
Woodward English: Spelling Rules: Ing
Rules, exceptions, and examples of how to add -ing to verbs, dependent on the ending of the original word.
Other
The Phrase Finder: Home Page
"A professional writers' resource from The Phrase Finder for generating ideas for headlines, advertising copy, song lyrics, etc." Just type your word and the phrase finder will find a phrase to match it. L.9-10.4c References, L.9-10.4d...
Other
Zhongwen: Chinese Characters and Culture (A Genealogy and Dictionary)
An excellent resource. Zhongwen's Chinese-English dictionary helps learners understand the origins of Chinese characters and their interconnections, with interesting information on character roots. In the readings section, English...
Other
Cummings Study Guides: How Shakespeare Prepared Manuscripts
Learn many of the elements which Shakespeare used, or took into consideration, as he wrote the original manuscripts of his plays. How did he shape the English language with new words, how did he evoke settings when plays used few or no...