Curated OER
"The Possibility of Evil" Vocabulary
Read Shirley Jackson's "The Possibility of Evil" and complete this word study. You may choose to introduce these seven words before reading the text to front-load the new words. Words include indulgently, rapt, unchecked, degraded,...
Novelinks
Oedipus the King: Anticipation Guide
Is it possible to escape fate? Are all types of pride evil? Are family secrets best kept secret? Before reading Oedipus the King, class members respond to a series of statements on an anticipation guide that introduces some of the basic...
Writing Educators Symposium
Asking the Right Questions
It can be difficult to find the theme of a book or story if you don't know the questions to ask. Teach your kids to discern the universal theme in works of literature with a set of activities that promote critical thinking and...
Curated OER
Literary Analysis of Theme
Remember reading "The Lottery" and "The Possibility of Evil" by Shirley Jackson? Learners can experience and analyze the tension, themes, and human experience found in these pieces through reading and class discussion. They use...
Novelinks
The Dark Is Rising: Problematic Situation Strategy
What items would you need to save the world from an evil wizard? Prior to reading Susan Cooper's young adult contemporary fantasy The Dark is Rising, and to generate interest in the tale, class groups must reach consensus on a...
Media Literacy
Good Versus Evil: Exploring Popular Children's Animation
Dora, Buzz Lightyear, Mufasa. Swiper, Dr. Porkchop, Scar. The six lessons in this unit packet focus on how good and evil, and violence, are portrayed in children's animation. The lessons encourage kids to consider how violence is...
Curated OER
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: Semantic Feature Analysis
Racist, independent, conflicted? Readers of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn brainstorm words that describe the traits of characters in Twain’s novel and then rate these qualities in several of their favorite characters. Individuals...
Curated OER
George Lucas and the Power of Myth
Students examine the contributions of George Lucas to society. They analyze the concept of a hero, conduct Internet research on the life of George Lucas, develop a Hero Attribute Chart, and create an artistic rendering representing the...
Prestwick House
Introducing Literary Theory – A Unit Wrap-Up
Literary theories are lenses through which a text may be analyzed. The question in this lesson plan is how a particular literary lens can influence the reader's view of the text.
Curated OER
Introduction to Reform Movements of the 1800s
Eleventh graders consider the impact of reform movements of the 19th century. In this Progressive Reform lesson, 11th graders examine documents and images associated with women's suffrage, prohibition, and labor reform. Students respond...
Curated OER
"A Sound of Thunder" Vocabulary in Context
Ray Bradbury does it again, providing a story full of symbolism and interest. After your class reads "A Sound of Thunder" and studies the difficult vocabulary, quiz them with this sheet. Example words include aurora, expendable, and...
Great Books Foundation
State of Affairs
Good verses evil. Scholars make inferences after taking a close look at the short story, State of Affairs, in which Daniel Defoe goes back and forth comparing good and evil thoughts through his writing. After reading the text,...
Curated OER
The Social Contract
In this online interactive history worksheet, students respond to 10 short answer and essay questions about The Social Contract by Rosseau. Students may check some of their answers on the interactive worksheet.
Read Theory
Analogies 3 (Level 7)
Master word analogies with a straightforward exercise. Pupils match word pairs to one another based on the relationships represented in each pair. The worksheet provides bridge sentences that learners fill out as they determine the...
Curated OER
Science Fiction
Learners write a science fiction story. For this science fiction lesson, students read selections of science fiction and compare them to supernatural stories from the Bible. Learners identify themes and discuss elements that...
Curated OER
New World, Old Evils: Latin America and the Holocaust
Students examine how Latin America was affected by the Holocaust in Europe. In groups, they research topics related to Latin America and World War II. They interview survivors if possible and discover how entire nations were effected...
Curated OER
The Hollow Men Questions
In this reading comprehension worksheet, students respond to 6 short answer and essay questions based on the poem "The Hollow Man."
Foreign Policy Research Institute
Understanding the Koreas
Though this resource was designed in 2005, US tension with North Korea remains a relevant topic for exploration and understanding. Unfortunately, this lecture and reading-based instructional activity is unlikely to engage the class. The...
Curated OER
Half Man, Half Limping Rabbit
Students explore culture and change through reading "Half Main, Half Limping Rabbit" by Nina Porzucki. In this literature and cultural lesson, students discuss Dracula and other folk stories from Romania. Students identify the ways the...
Curated OER
Doctor Faustus - Essay Questions
In this literature learning exercise, learners respond to 16 short answer and essay questions about Marlowe's Doctor Faustus. Students may also link to an online interactive quiz on the novel at the bottom of the page.
Curated OER
Half Man, Half Limping Rabbit
Students examine the possible advantages of mortality over immortality. They explain how or why change can be a powerful and positive force and that sometimes the beauty of a country, or of a culture, is not always obvious to the people...
Curated OER
"Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters"
Fifth graders read and analyze the books "Snow White in New York" and "Mufaro's Beautiful Daughter." They analyze the characteristics of the characters in each story, write thoughts of characters in speech bubbles, and write a letter to...
Curated OER
SPEAK NO EVIL
Students explore different means of communication by looking at magazines, newspapers, formal and informal language.
Curated OER
Taking Stock of Iraq
Young scholars research key people, places, organizations, and nations involved in Iraq's "transition." Then they present their research in a lesson format to fellow classmates at a teach-in.