Less than $5 English Language Arts Literature Circles

Ignite critical thinking with these 52 reader-response question cards that can be used for any fiction book or text!

This time-saving resource will provide you with a wide variety of questions with all the main elements of a fictional story to teach and assess the reader’s comprehension of the text.

You will also find two different response sheets for written responses!

Elements and Skills Covered:

•Plot-Climax

•Sequencing Events

•Characterization

•Problem & Solution

•Theme/Author’s Purpose

• Figurative Language

•Setting

•Mood

•Point of View

•Cause and Effect

•Summary

•Dialogue

This is the PERFECT RESOURCE for:

•Centers, Literature Circles, Partner Work-

Students ask each other the questions and form discussions.

•Guided reading, Small Groups-

Give to any teacher, teacher assistant, etc as they work with students during and/or after any text.

•Readers Workshop, Whole Class Instruction

Pull out a specific question as an introduction to a mini lesson. Keep them on hand as you assess understanding during/after a read aloud or novel.

•Independent Reading Time, At Home

Choose a card for the student to respond to during and/or after your classroom independent reading time. They could use the response sheet to write their answer. Send home with parents so they can have a variety of questions to ask their child as they read at home.

Thank you for your interest and HAPPY TEACHING!!

A powerpoint providing background information for F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic novel The Great Gatsby. Great as an introductions to the novel.

•F. Scott Fitzgerald

•The Roaring 20’s

•The Novel

•The Characters

•Old Money vs New Money

•Settings in the Great Gatsby

•Symbols

World War II fiction novels offer high school teachers a powerful tool for engaging students in historical learning. These novels provide immersive experiences that transport readers into the tumultuous era of the 1940s, allowing them to witness the human experience amidst the chaos of war. Through compelling characters and gripping narratives, students can gain a deeper understanding of the complexities of the conflict, including its causes, consequences, and the diverse perspectives of those involved. Moreover, reading World War II fiction encourages critical thinking and empathy as students explore themes of resilience, sacrifice, and the impact of war on individuals and societies. By delving into these narratives, students not only enhance their historical knowledge but also develop important skills in analysis, interpretation, and perspective-taking, making World War II fiction an invaluable addition to any high school curriculum.

This list is by no means exhaustive but it contains newer as well as classic titles, many of which have been made into movies. Share this list with students for reading suggestions over the break or during the school year for book reports or other assignments. Or use for a student book club or even your own book club! World War II historical fiction is quite popular right now!!!

I admit that my own historical fiction novel, Hearts at War, is on the list! I wrote this novel with the high school student in mind, in order to delve deeper into life on the home front for those coming-of-age. The story centers around a Japanese-American boy and a Caucasian girl who grow up in Southern California and then follows how their lives diverge once Pearl Harbor is attacked. Students might be surprised to learn that Japanese-American Nisei served as secret translators in the Pacific theater of war during World War II. I wanted that piece of history to come to light which has been hidden for far too long.

Rigorous! Thought-provoking! Discussion-based! This 20-page EDITABLE curriculum has everything you'll need for profoundly stimulating lessons on Jhumpa Lahiri's extraordinary short story, "A Temporary Matter"! Invite your class to engage in student-driven discussions without compromising on intellectual rigor. The reading quiz, discussion questions, and analytical writing assignment will challenge your students to dig beneath the surface of the text and generate profound interpretive insights!!

Hold your students accountable for completing the homework by beginning class with a quick reading quiz. Then facilitate a dynamic discussion that motivates students to become attached to the thrill generating shared knowledge. Challenge students to explicate textual details using a wide range of interpretive lenses: formalist, psychoanalytic, cultural studies, etc.

Here are some highlights from this 20-page curriculum:

• Reading Quiz: The reading quiz contains 10 questions focused on important details from the plot of "A Temporary Matter." For this story, I chose to create a fill-in-the-blank quiz that takes the form of a summary of the story's plot. There are 10 blank lines within the summary where students are expected to provide a missing word, name, or number. As a result, grading this quiz is simple and quick. Answer key included. (2 pages)

• Discussion Question Handout: One double-sided handout featuring 12 discussion questions on Jhumpa Lahiri's "A Temporary Matter." The discussion questions are the divided into 5 sections, each of which focuses on a different literary element or theme: characterization, setting, sharing secrets, etc. As with all of my resources, the discussion questions are the beating heart of this lesson plan. Every question is grounded in concrete textual details and challenges students to arrive at lucid interpretive insights! (2 pages)

• Discussion Question Answer Key: This unit features a detailed answer key that's informed by many of the best scholarly essays on "A Temporary Matter." But please note that there is rarely a single "correct" answer for any question. Rather, the discussions questions are designed to foster lively exchanges and interpretive debates among students. They challenge students to build interpretive arguments that require the support of carefully selected textual evidence! (8 pages)

• Analytical Writing Assignment: Challenge students to take their interpretations one step further by writing an analytical paper on Lahiri's wonderfully complex story. Let students choose from one of two thought-provoking sample topics — or invite them to develop a similar topic of their own. Rubric included. (4 pages)

My store is called “Rigorous Resources” because all of the units feature rigorous, content-rich lessons guaranteed to boost your students' close-reading and critical-thinking skills. What distinguishes this unit is how the discussion questions and writing assignment are designed to help student arrive at an abundance of interpretive insights!!

This entire unit will come to you in two separate formats: Word doc *and* PDF. Because the Word doc is fully editable, you'll be able to CUSTOMIZE the materials to suit your teaching style and/or your students' skill levels — year after year! If you don't have Microsoft Word, you'll still be able to access the unit as a PDF — which is easy to navigate and quick to print. Click on the green “preview” button to see exactly what you’ll get....

Thank you for choosing “Rigorous Resources”!!

Happy teaching!

Adam Jernigan, Ph.D.

adamjernigan@gmail.com

P.S. Don't forget to click “follow” for email updates on new products by Rigorous Resources. New products will be 50% OFF for the first 24 hours!

Rigorous Resources is your one-stop shop for resources on American literature. Every unit was designed by a Ph.D. in English with a research specialization in American literature. Check out these units on canonical texts by diverse American authors:

Complete Unit on Tommy Orange's There There

Complete Unit on Arthur Miller's The Crucible

Complete Unit on Frederick Douglass's Narrative

Complete Unit on Nella Larsen's Passing

Complete Unit on Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God

Complete Unit on J. D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye

Complete Unit on Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun

Complete Unit on Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye

The Chapter Book Response Sheets can be used with any chapter book. This product comes with 14 different response sheets-students can complete a response sheet after each chapter or after several chapters. These response sheets are ideal for Literature Circles, Independent Read, Homework, etc. Each response sheet focuses on different concepts that are aligned with Common Core. Please check out the Preview for a better view of examples.

Below are suggestions for the use of the Chapter Book Response Sheets:

Literature Circles- Students can use the response sheet after each chapter or every couple of chapters. The concepts covered can be used as discussion pieces during Literature Circle.

Independent Read- Students can use these response sheets to keep their reading skills and memory fresh while reading a chapter book. They can keep their response sheets in order and have a study guide to look back on at the end of the book.

Homework- Students can be assigned one or more chapters, and do a response sheet for homework.

All printables are in black and white. Please rate and comment. Thank You!

This book study guide is designed for Kate DiCamillo's Mercy Watson to the Rescue, perfect for your students. The resource includes comprehension questions for each chapter, story elements analysis, and graphic organizers for identifying the beginning, middle, and end of the story, as well as cause and effect relationships.

Benefits

• Comprehensive guide for deeper understanding of the book

• Promotes critical thinking skills

• Engages students through interactive activities

Instructions/Tips for Implementation

Use this study guide in small groups, as homework assignments, or during independent reading time to enhance students' comprehension skills and analytical thinking.

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Thank you for checking out my products!

-Laila

Character traits and analysis fun!

Have some outdoor fun (or use butcher paper for indoors) with sidewalk novel characters! Students choose a character from their novels then do body outlines with sidewalk chalk. Fill these with physical and character traits from quotes within the novel...full directions for implementing and making a competitive game. Can be used with all ages and novels. Excellent for comprehension and assessment.

Use this activity to sequence the events in There was an Old Lady who Swallowed a Turkey. Each event is pictured on a turkey feather that, when completed, creates an adorable turkey that sequences the story. Print on cardstock to make it more durable or mat it on a large piece of construction paper. Students will color and cut out the turkey feathers and body, glue them together, and have a great "craftivity" that tells what happens in this adorable book.

This is included in my sequencing activity bundle available here.

This is a discussion activity to go along with the Lorax movie. There are 6 prompts for students to discuss. Either in a whole group or split into groups, the students will discuss the prompts. This is a great activity to go along with after watching, good practice with supporting their claims and opinions with facts, and good practice for their discussion skills!

Disccusion Prompts

There are 6 different different prompts for the students to discuss. Cut out each prompt so the groups can have the prompt they need to focus on. I would recommend either splitting them into groups and passing the prompts out, or taping the prompts to the wall and have the groups move to each spot in the room for the prompt.

The prompts will have the students discussing characters, real world applications, greed, and theme!

I hope you enjoy it! Please rate and review.

Embark on an enjoyable journey into the world of two-letter words with this charming Turkey Match activity! This engaging resource is ideal for both literacy centers and Response to Intervention (RTI) sessions, accommodating up to six students. Additionally, you can add a playful twist by turning it into a word bingo game with your students. As a bonus, I've included two adorable recording sheets to enhance the learning experience, allowing for differentiated instruction.

Since two-letter words make up so much of our spoken and written language, they are important to learn. The mastery of two-letter words will help with fluency and support students with reading bigger words in the future.

Don't miss these other captivating offerings:

Turkey Number Match

Turkeys Writing Activities Graphic Organizers

Turkeys Ten Frame Match

Thanksgiving Class Book What We Are Thankful For

Wishing you a warm and wonderful Thanksgiving! To explore more top-notch learning materials that align with the Common Core, please visit my store and click on the green star icon at the top of the store page to become a valued follower. Thank you for your interest!

This story is also available as part of an eight story ebook, "Young Voices: Eight Short Stories of Courage & Resilience."

In the wake of the 9/11 tragedy, two seventh graders, Alex and Sarah, display remarkable resilience by choosing to help at their local community center instead of attending school. Through this experience, they learn valuable lessons about community, empathy, and the human capacity to overcome adversity. Alex finds solace in drawing, capturing the emotions around him, while Sarah uses storytelling to comfort younger children. Their actions not only aid in their personal coping but also bring hope to those around them. This story is a poignant exploration of young people finding strength and unity in the face of unspeakable tragedy.

There are thought provoking questions (and suggested answers) at the end of the story.

General Learning Objectives for Deep by Design stories:

Understanding Conflict: The material offers insights into the dynamics of territorial conflicts and their ramifications for those caught in the crossfire.

Effects of War or Conflict on Youth: The content underlines the deep-seated impact of hostilities on the mental and physical health of children and adolescents.

Resilience and Hope: Through character experiences, the narrative highlights the human capacity for endurance and the quest for collective healing amidst adversity.

Cultural Insight: The text provides a window into the complexities of a region's culture and the intense obstacles its inhabitants endure.

Human Rights: The narrative serves as a primer for dialogues concerning the safeguarding of civilians and the enforcement of human rights in times of strife.

Peacebuilding: The book promotes an investigation into the adoption of nonviolent strategies for mitigating disputes and fostering reconciliation at the community level.

These apple preschool worksheets are perfect for preschoolers to complete during the fall time. These worksheets focus on concepts like letter recognition, counting, simple math concepts, handwriting, and so much more! Check out the preview for examples of the apple themed worksheets included.

Activities Included In this Packet

• Letter and Number Mazes
• Emergent Reader
• Roll and Cover Page
• Build It Up! Page
• Cut and Paste Counting Page
• Color the 5 Frame
• Color the 10 Frame
• Picture Addition
• Graphing Page
• Missing Number and Letter Pages
• Greater Than and Less Than
• Letter Matching Cut and Paste
• Put Numbers 1-10 in Order
• Capital and Lowercase Letter Sorting
• Line, Shape, Letter and Number Tracing
• Counting Coloring Pages
• Roll and Color Dice Center Game
• Cut and Paste Counting Page
• Build an Apple Craft

When to Use:

• Independent practice
• Morning Work
• Homework
• Emergency Sub Plans

All of the worksheets in this packet are no-prep. The teacher just needs to print out the pages and give them to students to complete.

More Apple Activities:

Lets Be Scientists with Apples

Apple Letter Identification Game

Apple Counting Mats

3 Little Pigs with a twist- Part of my first story of my Bilingual Series

Tales with a twist is designed to give students a familiar feel, but with surprising elements throughout the story.

Print out the stories in either English, or Spanish or both!!!

It is not direct translation rather I focused in translating the stories in a way they feel right and are authentic.

More stories coming soon!

4 Worksheets which explores the foundational early learning concepts of identifying the correct spelled work that goes with the visual shown.

There are only two options of spelling for each visual so it makes the task easier for little learners.

WORKBOOKS – Just print!

Behaviour and Feelings Workbook

Self Esteem and Feelings Workbook

Emotions & Self Care Workbook

My Anger Management Workbook

SOCIAL SKILLS, PUBERTY, PROTECTIVE BEHAVIOURS, RELATIONSHIPS AND SEXUALITY

Puberty Lesson and Activity Book

Appropriate V's Appropriate Things to Say

Learning about Bodies and Puberty Workbook

Protective Behaviours, Relationships and Puberty Special Game

Stranger Danger Education

Road Safety Social Story

Fire Safety Social Story

Safety In The Community Activity and Educative Book

AUTISM, SOCIAL STORIES & ACTIVITIES

How My Engine Runs Social Story

Teaching Children about Personal Space

Noises Hurt My Ears - Social Story - Sensory Defensiveness

When a loved one dies - grief and loss social story

Understanding Divorce Social Story

Being Nice and Making Friends Social Story

Doing a Poo on the Toilet Social Story

SPECIFIC TEACHING AND COUNSELLING RESOURCES

Supporting Students to Gain Insight through Reflection

Supervision and Reflective Practice Templates

Increasing a Child's Attention Span

Behavioural Strategies for Fostering Self Esteem

Anxious Children - Behavioural Strategies

Children with Attachment and Abandonment Issues: Behavioural Strategies

Recognising Defences in Children

ANGER MANAGEMENT

Anger Management Plan

Anger Management Activity Worksheets

Anger Management Traffic Lights Activity

My Anger Management Workbook

BEHAVIOUR ASSESSMENT AND BEHAVIOUR SUPPORT PLANS

Managing Aggressive Behaviours and Outbursts

Understanding Behavioural Triggers

Behaviour Reward Chart - Girls (editable)

Behaviour Reward Chart - Boys (editable)

Behaviour Thermometer - Incident Prevention and Response Plan (editable)

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TERMS OF USE - Please read my Terms of Use regarding personal and commercial use of All Therapy Resources. You can download the free document here: https://www.TeachShare.com/Product/Terms-of-Use-Clarification-For-free-paid-purchases-All-Therapy-Resources-4714723

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Being able to analyze and understand characters is very important skill students need in order to understand a story at a deep level. With these Characterization and STEAL character analysis reading response templates for Google Jamboard™, your students will interactively analyze characters by collecting evidence of speech, thoughts, effects, actions and looks.

What's Included:

• 5 templates ( 1 template for each element: speech, thoughts, effects, actions and looks

Directions:

• It is time to take a closer look at a character.
• Click on the Google Slide to access a forced copy of the templates in Jamboard.
• Students go back into the text to identify & explain aspects of the character.
• Students find at least 3 textual example for each element of characterization (S.T.E.A.L.).

Uses:

• individual activity
• small collaborative groups
• whole class where students can each contribute to a part of the activity, or as a guided lesson on character analysis
• distance learning
• assigned as a paper-pencil assignment
• short stories
• novel studies
• book clubs
• litereacy centers
• AVID

What is Google Jamboard:

Google Jamboard is a digital interactive and collaborative whiteboard. It is a FREE online and app version.

Click HERE to see our other reading resources!

Click HERE to see our other AVID resources!

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Toddler to Kindergarten will love this fun non-competitive way to identify the lower and upper case letters and the sounds they make. The student will see the letters, hear the sounds, and feel the cards in their hands. Numbers are included as these games can use numbers as well.

What’s included:

3 different sets each in B/W and color with:

• Lower case letters
• Upper case letters
• Beginning sound pictures
• Numbers 0-20
• Math symbols
• Blank cards

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Are you looking for a hands on, easy, no prep cut and paste activity? Do you want a simple, yet effective way to explore and compare the text features of information and narrative texts? This three page resource, with teacher answers is aligned to the Australian Curriculum V9 and is ready to print and use in your classroom today!

How can you use this cut and paste activity:

• independent task at the start, middle or end to consolidate learning
• small group, or work 1 on 1 with a student
• a quick review
• reading/literacy block group activity
• formative assessment tool

What's included in this text feature activity:

• 3 black and white printable activity pages (to identify and differentiate between the unique features of informational and narrative texts)
• 3 ANSWER sheets - to guide or mark student work

Why you'll love this text feature cut and paste:

• no prep - great for busy teachers!
• aligns to the Australian Curriculum V9
• print and go - ready to use
• hands on engaging activity
• promoting fine motor skills
• effective way to reinforce key concepts in a fun, interactive way

Help your AVID or ELA students build reading comprehension and practice using text evidence with these editable discussion cards and talking chips for The Landlady by Roald Dahl! This activity is sure to get your middle school students in the Halloween spirit. This resource can be used during the Halloween season, but can also be used at any other time during the year! Students will read the provided story, The Landlady through the Google doc, then they will sit in small groups and take turns pulling a discussion card.

Great for: using text evidence, collaboration and team building, public speaking practice,

⭐Save 30% with this mega AVID BUNDLE!⭐

Save 30% with this AVID Halloween Bundle!

DIRECTIONS:

• Access your forced copy of the Google Doc with the story, The Landlady on the second slide.

• Go to the last slide to add your own discussion prompts.

• Click "File" then "Download" and then "PDF" to download the prompts as a PDF document.

• Print, cut, and laminate a set of cards for each of your groups of 4-5 students.

• Print, cut, and laminate talking chips.

• Put students into groups of 4-5.

• Decide how many talking chips each student gets (this encourages participation during the dialogue and teaches students how to use social cues when deciding when to share, instead of raising a hand).

• One student draws a card from the top. That student asks the question and dialogue begins in the group. Students should have the short story handy so they can use evidence in their responses.

• When dialogue dies down, students continue taking turns drawing a card, asking questions. and having discussions.

• Students should discard the questions already asked so they don't repeat any.

WHAT's INCLUDED:

• Google Doc with the story, "The Landlady"
• Google slide with printable talking chips
• 24 Discussion Prompts in color and black & white
• Editable Discussion Prompt Cards in color and black & white

Check out other AVID Resources HERE!

Check out other Reading Resources HERE!

Letter Z Activities:

This set includes 9 ready to use printables and activities for letter Z.

Set includes:

· Color and Trace the Letter

· Sorting Letter Sounds- Cut and Paste

· Sorting Letters- Cut and Paste

· Find and Color the Letter

· Color by Code

· Letter Crown

· Letter Play-Doh Mat

· Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down Sort

· All About Letter Book

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Check out my other letter activities:

Letter A

Letter B

Letter C

Letter D

Letter E

Letter F

Letter G

Letter H

Letter I

Letter J

Letter K

Letter L

Letter M

Letter N

Letter O

Letter P

Letter Q

Letter R

Letter S

Letter T

Letter U

Letter V

Letter W

Letter X

Letter Y

Letter Z

Are you looking to hold a formal Socratic Seminar in your classroom?

Socratic Seminars (or "Fish Bowl" Conversations as I like to call them with my students) are higher order ways of assessing whether your students are able to understand and react to what they are learning in class. These seminars rely on the power of inquiry and allow students to take the lead in their learning and discussion. The only problem? They require a great deal of preparation. Fortunately, this student-tested resource includes everything you need to conduct a structured and formal set of Socratic Seminars in your classroom. All you need are the 4 or 5 questions to form the basis of these discussions!

Product Includes:

• Assignment Directions with step-by-step instructions on how to conduct fishbowls in your classroom
• Engaging Introductory Activity for the "Fishbowl"
• “Fishbowl” Preparation Sheet
• Conversation Builder Prompts
• Participant Observation Sheet
• Rubric

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Also, check out these great materials by Language Arts Excellence:

⭐ Socratic Seminar Lesson Plan and Materials

⭐ Human Tic Tac Toe Review Game

⭐ Novel Playlist Assignment

⭐ Figurative Language Challenge Game

⭐ Peer Edit Forms and Lesson Plan

⭐ Secondary ELA Activities for any Novel

⭐ Emergency ELA Lesson Plan BUNDLE

⭐Differentiated Essay Prompts for use with ANY Novel

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⭐ Click to Follow Language Arts Excellence⭐