Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rudyard Kipling's "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi": Mixing Fact and Fiction

For Students 3rd - 9th Standards
"Rikki-Tikki-Tavi," from The Jungle Book, offers young readers a chance to examine how Rudyard Kipling uses setting and personification to bring to life the brave mongoose who battles cobras to protect his family. Class members...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Laurence Yep's Dragonwings

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners read independently the novel, "Dragonwings," by Laurence Yep and make connections between a text and the world. They summarize, paraphrase, analyze and evaluate skimming and scanning techniques when reading a novel. Each student...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Elements of Short Stories Vocabulary

For Students 10th - 11th
In this literature worksheet, students match the correct word from the first column to the best definition found in the second column. There are twenty words and definitions to match.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Comparing Two Fantasies by J.R.R. Tolkien

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Learners explore fantasy through The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien.  In this literature lesson, students investigate character analysis through book comparisons.  Learners read The Hobbit and one other book by J.R.R. Tolkien and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Puzzle Mystery

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students solve the mystery of which painting they are reproducing by sketching. They determine the mood and imagery in artwork.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Design a Book Cover

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Students use the programs Pics4Learning and ImageBlender 3 to apply their knowledge of characters, plot, setting, symbolism, and conflict to design and create a book cover. Designed as a culminating literature activity.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

And the Moral of the Story is...

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Students discover the parts of a story through the retelling of a fable as well as characters, plot, and setting. This lesson is completed using the program Pixie to create an online storybook.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Literature Study Contracts

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners complete activities with a leveled chapter book. In this literature lesson, students read a novel and complete several graphic organizers and activities as they read. They focus on characters, settings, vocabulary, and plot. 
Organizer
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Creative Writing Idea Sheet

For Students 1st - 4th
In this creative writing ideas worksheet, students create their own stories as they use the setting, character, and objects listed on the worksheet to fuel their ideas.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Do Respect and Humiliation Shape Conflict?

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students explore the feelings surrounded by humiliation, resentment and retaliation in the context of school violence.  In this character building instructional activity, students examine possible reasons for school violence and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Translation Into Reality

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students read a variety of short stories that focus on teenage protagonists. In groups, they answer comprehension questions and discuss the characters and setting for each story. Individually, they choose one writing assignment to...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Drama Terms Notes

For Students Pre-K - 12th
Comedy, tragedy, act, scene, prop. do you want to review important drama terms? Actors record the term next to its definition on a activity that could be used individually or as a group activity. A link to a corresponding PowerPoint...
Writing
Curated OER

Handout #3-Setting Found Poems

For Students 8th - 9th
What is a Found Poem? Use excerpts of the setting presented in John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men to inspire Found Poetry. An explanation is given, and the second page houses an example of a Found Poem inspired by Black Boy, but you'll...
Lesson Plan
The New York Times

Writing Fiction Based on Real Science - NYTimes.com

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Refuse to alienate your scientific-minded young scholars during your creative writing unit. Learners explore how literary writing can reflect observable fact, and be based in actual science. The links include examples of fiction and...
Unit Plan
Mr. Ambrose

The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald

For Teachers 11th - 12th Standards
Good discussion questions, quizzes, and tests teach as well as assess. Readers of The Great Gatsby will learn much from the materials in a 36-page packet designed to help students prepare for the AP Literature exam. Included in the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mapping the Mediasphere

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students compare/contrast the media messages they see in two different communities in their city. They list the elements of art and the principles of design in the photographs they have taken in those two different communities. They...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Helpful Animals and Compassionate Humans in Folklore

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners define elements of stories from around the world that include helpful animals. They explore animal character motivations and use graphic organizers to compare and contrast animal stories from different cultures.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Story Mapping Abel's Island

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students are able to prioritize story elements using graphic organizers. They are able to evaluate character, setting and sequence in a non-print source. Students use visual and audio clues to help them evaluate the parts of a story.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Teaching Selected Poems from Jim Wayne Miller's the Brier Poems

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Students explore the basic elements of poetry through Appalachian life poetry. In this poetry lesson, students read seven poems from Jim Wayne Miller's the Brier Poems and complete poetry analysis activities for each poem.
Lesson Plan
Hawaiʻi State Department of Education

Puppet Scenes

For Teachers 2nd
Explore character, plot, and setting through dramatic puppet play. Second graders discuss basic story elements and then practice making a character with their sock puppets. After they've crafted a dynamic puppet, they pair up to create a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Pride and Prejudice: Unsent Letter

For Teachers 7th - 10th Standards
What would the characters of Pride and Prejudice say to each other in a letter? Draft unsent correspondence between characters from Jane Austen's novel. A great way to explore characterization and plot structure in a creative lesson.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Focus on Genre

For Teachers 6th - 7th
In this focus on genre worksheet, students describe the genre they are reading, types of characters, kinds of settings, and examples of other forms of the same genre. Students answer five short answer questions.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Comprehension Skills: Picture, Question and Summarize Using Fiction Stories

For Teachers K
Students build a variety of comprehension skills through the nine lessons of this unit. Picturing events, monitoring understanding during reading, forming questions, and summarizing stories form the core of the lessons being taught...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Letters of Advice and Encouragement

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students review the format for a letter. They discuss advice and encouragement and generate examples of each. Students write a letter to Despereaux. They proofread their work and a partner's work. Students discuss symbols and make a...