Curated OER
Understanding Character
Readers practice character analysis by reviewing Gary Soto's short story "La Bamba" with the whole class (anything you've read together will work). They design t-shirts that feature traits and story elements to reveal the nature of a...
Curated OER
Poetry in Song
Have your music lovers examine song lyrics and identify the poetry elements or tools used by a lyricist. They review the song individually before working in groups to discuss what they discovered about the song's narrator or character...
Curated OER
Reader's Review
Students create booklets to provide information on elements of a novel, including plot, setting, character, major and minor conflicts and theme.
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Story Elements
Eighth graders identify six story elements (setting, characters, character traits, plot, resolution, and point of view) and create short stories utilizing all six elements. They are introduced to story elements as the things that make up...
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Identifing Elements of Narrative Writing
Learners explore the concepts of narrative writing. They identify the basic elements in narrative writing such as the setting description, characters, conflict, climax and resolution. Using five adjectives from a previous spelling unit,...
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Literary Analysis - The Hobbit
Students write a literary analysis for J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit. In this literary analysis activity, students review the elements of a literary analysis. Students read the book and take notes for the analysis. Students then write a...
Curated OER
Building a Literature Pyramid
Young scholars create a literature pyramid. They review and discuss their assessment task and rubric and select the literature for their pyramid. They read the literary selection and complete a pyramid sheet for one of the four literary...
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Building Two Literature Pyramids
Learners create literature pyramids. They read selections of various societies, eras, and ideas. They complete two pyramid sheets for the same literary element including either plot, character, setting, or theme. They color-code their...
Curated OER
Conflict Mediation - Part 2: Practice
Fourth graders work in small groups and try the mediation process, taking turns as mediators and disputants. They discuss and review the handouts over the concepts of mediation. Students volunteer to participate in the class role-play.
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The Problem Solving Game
Fifth graders identify the steps to problem solving: STAR (Stop, Think, Act, and Review) and how the steps relate to resolving problems and conflicts. They are told that they are an employee at a game factory. Students are told that they...
Curated OER
Deciphering the Mechanics of Poetry
After a review of poetic terms, groups are given an object and they create a poem using a simile, a metaphor, internal rhyme, end rhyme, alliteration, and personification. Groups then exchange objects and repeat the process. Consider...
Reed Novel Studies
The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader: Novel Study
A painting is worth a thousand words—in a different world! Lucy and Edmund sail away into Narnia using a picture of a ship at sea. The story tells of their adventures and the islands they visit. Scholars work through activities about the...
Penguin Books
An Educator's Guide to Matched by Ally Condie
Even supposed Utopian societies have their flaws. Using an educator's guide, individuals explore the society Ally Condie creates in Matched. Reflective writing prompts double as discussion questions and cover key themes in the novel, as...
Reed Novel Studies
The Wind In The Willows: Novel Study
True friends stick together. In the case of The Wind In The Willows, the friends just happen to be a toad, mole, rat, and badger who team up to beat the weasels. The resource covers the first chapter of their raucous adventures. Scholars...
Curated OER
Language Arts: Stylistic Devices
Students are able to define given literary terms, such as metaphor, simile, imagery, personification, symbolism, etc. They are able to identify the use of literary elements in a given text. Students are able to interpret weather...
Curated OER
Miss Nelson is Missing
Students examine the story elements in the book, Miss Nelson is Missing. In this literary elements lesson, students listen to the story and identify the sequence of events in the test. Students also use an online dictionary to define the...
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The Literary Element of Theme
In this recognizing the theme in a story worksheet, young scholars read and review the five main steps of how to identify the theme in a story.
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Gift of the Magi Test
Students explore literary elements, plot structure, and story elements. They read "The Gift of the Magi," and identify its theme and elements of the story. Afterward, students discuss the story and take a test over the material studied.
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Comparing Works By The Same Author: Venn Diagram
A Venn diagram is a great tool. Middle schoolers research specific authors from different time periods, cultures, and genres. In groups, they create a Venn Diagram in order to compare and contrast two pieces of literature by the same...
Curated OER
My Antonia: Story Grammar
Pupils can write down all of the major plot elements of My Antonia by Willa Cather on this straightforward worksheet. Learners note down themes, characters, the chain of events, and more.
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Children's Books Teach Diversity, Respect
Students compare aspects of children's books that teach diversity and respect. They examine universal values such as courage and bravery, respect and apathy. They create a final project based on their ability to recognize the values in...
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Writing Scripts
Create a classroom full of writers using this innovative technique. The presentation walks learners through the process of writing a script, including identifying the setting, characters, and major events in the story. After reviewing...
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Volleyball - Lesson 3 - Setting Up to Attack
The focus of Lesson three in this 20 lesson volleyball unit is setting the ball. Proper technique for hand position, contact position, stance, and facing direction are reviewed. These skills are practiced individually and in small...
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Much Ado About Nothing: Fun Trivia Quiz
Check to see if your pupils can identify characters and basic plot points from Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing with this online interactive quiz. While the content is not innovative, this basic quiz could be helpful as a sponge or...