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Flannery O'Connor's "A Good Man is Hard to Find": Who's the Real Misfit?
Students read and analyze the short story, "A Good Man Is Hard to Find," by Flannery O'Connor. They write a one-page response, explore various websites, take an online interactive journey, and write a final assessment paper.
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Show Me the Story
Learners examine the elements of a story, read a review of Chris Rock's new sitcom, "Everybody Hates Chris" and create original sitcom episodes based on their own lives.
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The New Fant-"Asia": Contrasting Animated and Live-Action Filmmaking
Students consider different stories and story-telling techniques of animated and live-action filmmaking, write proposals for animated films, and storyboard individual scenes.
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Defending Great Literature
Students defend Mark Twain and the study of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn using persuasive techniques, appropriate word choice, and correct letter format, in response to a fictional letter by an upset parent.
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Newsworthy Fairy Tales
Third graders review common fairy tales and work in teams to rewrite the fairy tales as news articles. They answer questions using the 5 Ws (who, what, where, when, why). Student articles include eye-catching headlines.
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Cinderella Stories
Students read and compare Cinderella stories using a worksheet. They write and illustrate original tales with a twist.
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Amelia Earhart: A Biography
Second graders investigate the accomplishments of Amelia Earhart. They read and discuss a biography of Amelia Earhart, complete a Venn diagram, and conduct an interview with a classmate and write and publish a biography of their classmate.
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To Kill a Mockingbird
Students explore the components of racismas they read through Horton Foote's, "To Kill a Mockingbird." The trial of the main character reveals instances of justice in the face of prejudice and forms the focus of the instructional activity.
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We're Booked
Students share their all-time favorite books with peers. They read and discuss the article Notable Children's Books of 2007. Afterward, they create book webs and compose reviews based on their book selections.
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The Power of Fiction
Students explore fiction that moves individuals to social action. In this literature lesson, students read The Jungle by Upton Sinclair and analyze its literary worth as well as its investigative journalism. Students investigate other...
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Writing Novelettes
Students practice their writing techniques by creating a novelette. In this creating writing lesson, students brainstorm and decide on a topic they would like to expand upon in order to create their own novelette. Students...
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Poetry
Tenth graders write a poem. In this poetry instructional activity, 10th graders read the poem The Road Not Taken written by Robert Frost, answer discussion questions, add new stanzas to the poem and share them with the class.
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The Declaration of Independence
Fifth graders participate in a discussion about the Declaration of Independence. In this Declaration of Independence instructional activity, 5th graders write imaginary stories in the voice of a member of the committee at...
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Catch-22 Essay Questions
In this literature worksheet, students respond to 10 short answer and essay questions about Joseph Helle's Catch-22. Students may also link to an online interactive quiz on the novel at the bottom of the page.
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The Jungle by Upton Sinclair
In this literature worksheet, students respond to 3 short answer and essay questions about Sinclair's The Jungle. Students may also link to an online interactive quiz on the novel at the bottom of the page.
Pennsylvania Department of Education
Analyzing Literary Elements in Fiction
Students analyze the characters and events in fictional writing. In this literary elements lesson, students study the meaning of the words characterization and fiction. They listen to the story Pigsty by Mark Teague, or any other book...
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Creative Writing
Students create a story with a beginning, middle and an ending. They also read and analyze another's story.
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Tale of Hungbu and Nolbu
Engage in a lesson that is concerned with the teaching of family values for helping to understand Korean culture. The values of Koreans is explored using a literature study.
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Children's Book
A great way to publish students' stories is by having them create a picture book using Pages. This simple lesson has them take a short story they have written and create a book with a title page and dedication. After they have printed...
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Comparing and Contrasting Fiction and Nonfiction Using Graphic Organizers
Students compare and contrast fiction and non-fiction selections. In this writing skills lesson, students use different forms of graphic organizers to compare "The Three Little Pigs," to Wiesel's Night.
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Do-deca-he-dron-It's Greek to Me!
Students create a dodecahedron shaped visual report of the literary elements of a short story.
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Point of View and Mentor Relationships
Tenth graders analyze the role of mentors, point of view, and prejudice using the texts of To Kill a Mockingbird and Maya Angelou's I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. For this literature analysis lesson, 10th graders review Scout's...
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Tomie dePaola Author Study
Using Tomie de Paola's books for an author study can get students thinking about characters, plot, and illustrations.
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Altoona Horseshoe Curve: A Vital Link
High schoolers explain the significance of the Horseshoe Curve. For this railroad lesson students reconstruct elements of a German plot to destroy the Horseshoe Curve.