Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Aunt Isabel Tells a Good One...

For Teachers K - 2nd
Explore language arts by reading two similar stories in order to compare and contrast them in class. Young readers read two Aunt Isabel books, by Kate Duke, and discuss the main characters, plot, and setting. They complete a graphic...
Lesson Plan
Prestwick House

Rhyme and Repetition in Poe's "Annabel Lee"

For Teachers 9th - 10th Standards
Many and many a year ago Edgar Allan Poe crafted the chilling tale of "Annabel Lee." The poem is the perfect vehicle to introduce Poe's concept of unity of effect, the idea that every element in a poem or story should help to develop a...
Lesson Plan
August House

Anansi and the Tug o' War

For Teachers K - 2nd Standards
Combine art, math, language arts, drama, and delicious Jell-o with a instructional activity based on the African folktale Anansi and the Tug o' War. Kids make predictions and discuss plot points of the story before joining in...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Setting's Effect on a Character's Actions

For Teachers 3rd Standards
Do the actions of a character in a story change based on the setting the writer provides? Learners explore the concept of character action in relation to story setting by investigating the setting and events in the story Science...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson Plan 7: The Elements of Story

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Budding novelists work on character development by relating to the characters in their stories. They imagine their own hopes and dreams and recall those of characters from books they've read. Learners also consider struggles the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Midsummer Night's Dream

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explore the book A Midsummer Night's Dream. In this literature lesson plan, students identify main characters and vocabulary words from the text. Students participate in a book discussion group.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Nursery Rhymes

For Teachers 1st - 4th
Pupils recall details of nursery rhyme read by teacher, identify main characters, and demonstrate knowledge of poem by creating concept map about story that includes title, clip art, and changes in font and color.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Compare and Contrast: Literary Analysis

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders are able to use active listening skills, take notes and identify literary elements of a short story. They use/create graphic organizer, compare/contrast literary elements from various stories and compare and contrast traits.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Compare and Contrast: Literary Analysis

For Teachers 7th
Great for a reading intervention or remedial Language Arts class, this instructional activity uses two stories from Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul III ("Terri Jackson" and "Mary Lou" to reinforce note-taking skills, story elements,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Compare and Contrast Historical Time Periods

For Teachers 7th - 12th
What do images tell us about history? Dress, setting, and actions all convey cultural norms, and in essence, give reference to historical time and place. Learners compare and contrast Kunisada's Actor with Flute in Snow to Hokuei's...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introducing Literary Elements in Fiction

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Identify literary elements in fiction. In this reading comprehension lesson plan, learners read the book Pigsty and record literary elements onto a graphic organizer. They specifically discuss the main characters and events in the text.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rabbit in the Garden!

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Students read a classic tale from the Beatrix Potter collection, and recognize the main characters and settings of the story. They discover the extraordinary life of Beatrix Potter and then create their own illustration of a favorite...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Pride and Prejudice: Concept/Vocabulary Analysis

For Teachers 7th - 10th Standards
Clarify the setting, literary themes, and potential vocabulary issues with a concept analysis resource. With thoughtful explanations of many parts of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, the reference sheet will be a great...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Just the Facts, Ma'am

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Elementary learners identify the main elements of story structure and form questions to summarize their reading. They listen as the teacher reads a story and then write questions to determine (1) main characters, (2) setting, (3)...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Story Pyramids

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Young writers generate descriptive words. They use pictures of various landscapes (from books, magazines, or the Internet) and complete a story pyramid. The pyramid (included here) asks to describe the main character, the setting, and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Visualization: Cricket in Times Square

For Teachers 4th
After reading The Cricket in Times Square chapter titled "Caught in the Kitchen," learners list three describing details about the characters and setting. Groups collaborate to find sensory details to support their character assertions....
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Analyzing Character: Who is Lyddie?

For Teachers 7th Standards
Character analysis can help readers feel more connected to a literary text. Scholars explore the topic by writing an acrostic poem about the main character from Katherine Paterson's novel, Lyddie. Then, pupils watch a short video to help...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Study of Theme and Figurative Language in Poetry and/or Prose

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Identify and analyze the use of figurative language used in select pieces of writing. These pieces of literature will represent at least two pieces by one writer and at least two pieces by different writers. This lesson would be a great...
Lesson Plan
Penguin Books

One for the Murphys by Lynda Mullaly Hunt - Teacher's Guide

For Teachers 5th - 8th Standards
Children in foster care face a lot of uncertainty in their lives. A guide for the novel One for the Murphys introduces a main character, Carley, who is thrust into the foster care system. Chapter-by-chapter questions cover key...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Bronte and Rhys' Portrayal of Bertha

For Teachers 11th - Higher Ed
Students, while reading and discussing the two texts by Charlotte Bronte and Jean Rhys, compare/contrast the two main characters and juxtapose them as the same character told from two different points of view. They gain insight of how to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Main Idea- Fiction

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders investigate the concept of main idea and supporting details, and how they are used in the genre of fiction. In this literacy lesson, 8th graders listen to a fictional passage and take notes on the characters, setting,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

"Theseus and the Minotaur"

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Students analyze the features of myths and legends. They read the myths "Theseus and the Minotaur" and "Orpheus and Eurydice," identify the myth story elements, evaluate each story for the overall theme, describe the characters, and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Creating a Costume Book for the Opera Don Pasquale

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students listen to and watch the opera, Don Pasquale, by Donizetti. They discuss the importance of sets and costumes in an opera and then, with a partner, design a period costume for each of the main characters in the opera.
Lesson Plan
Maine Content Literacy Project

Introduction to Ernest Hemingway

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
What is a white elephant, and what does it have to do with Ernest Hemingway? Study "Hills Like White Elephants" in-depth by following the procedures outlined in this lesson plan, the fifth in a series of fourteen. Learners start the day...