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Gwendolyn Brooks's 10 BEST Poems | Discussion Questions, Writing Assignment, Key
By Rigorous Resources for High School English
NEW IN 2021: Rigorous! Thought-provoking! Discussion-Based! This 35-page EDITABLE mini-unit promises to elicit dynamic engagement from all students without compromising on intellectual rigor. The discussion questions, quizzes on poetic devices, and analytical writing assignment will challenge your students to dig beneath the surface of Gwendolyn Brooks's poems and generate profound interpretive insights!!
Here are some highlights from this 35-page curriculum:
• 10 Poems by Gwendolyn Brooks: The 10 poems in this mini-unit feature Gwendolyn Brooks's best works of poetry: "The Sonnet-Ballad," "A Song in the Front Yard," "The Boy Died in My Alley," "We Real Cool," and more. The 10 poems are split between two Homework Packets, with each packet featuring 5 poems. (12 pages)
• Discussion Questions: This bundle features a list of discussion questions for one poem from each of the homework packets. The discussion questions will ensure that every class discussion starts on a productive note. Every discussion question is grounded in concrete textual details and challenges students to arrive at lucid interpretive insights! The questions lend themselves to a range of different pedagogical uses: 1) to focus students’ thinking prior to beginning a discussion, 2) to prompt in-class writing, 3) to assign written reflections for homework, etc. Guaranteed to elicit student engagement and foster deep thinking! Answer keys included. (7 pages)
• Quick Writes: The quick writes give students an opportunity to capture and refine the best ideas generated in the discussion. Quick writes can also help reticent students to gather their thoughts so they'll feel ready and eager to contribute. (2 pages)
• Literary Devices Quizzes: Open each class with a quiz of 10 questions to assess whether your students can accurately identify the literary devices used in the poems from the homework packets: metaphor, personification, symbolism, imagery, alliteration, etc. Answer keys included. (4 pages)
• Literary Devices Glossary: A glossary with definitions and examples of the various types of figurative language, imagery, stanzas, and syntactic devices. Many teachers already have a glossary of literary devices, but I'm providing this in case you need one. (2 pages)
• Analytical Writing Assignment: Challenge students to take their interpretations one step further by writing an analytical paper on a poem of their choice. The assignment sheet contains detailed instructions for how to generate a formalist analysis of a poem (analyzing how the poem's formal features contribute to its meaning). This kind of formalist analysis is exactly what students are asked to generate on the AP Literature exam! Sample paper included. (3 pages)
The entire 35-page unit will come to you in two separate formats: Word doc and PDF. Because the Word doc is editable, you'll be able to customize the materials to suit your teaching style and/or the skill levels of your students — year after year! If you don't have Microsoft Word, you'll still be able to access the entire unit as a PDF file, which is easy to navigate and quick to print!
Because I believe that teachers should be able to see exactly what they'll be getting before they purchase, the preview for this resource allows viewing accesses to 15 pages. 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.
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!
By Beth Hammett
Help students understand literary criticism and what it is and is not. Includes: group/individual activity to define literary criticism examples of literary criticism journals compare and contract of "critic" definitions links to literary criticism journals where not to find literary criticism types and definitions of literary criticism Simple overview of literary criticism and where to find proper information for academic essays.
By Bright Classroom Ideas Marketplace
Twelfth Night incorporates many classic elements of comedic theater. At the core of its structure lies a network of complex romantic liaisons (Orsino loves Olivia, Olivia is smitten with Cesario and later Sebastian, Viola has feelings for Orsino, while Sir Andrew and Malvolio are attracted to Olivia); disguise (the plot centers around Viola disguising herself as a male servant to survive after being shipwrecked in Illyria); mistaken identities (Viola and Sebastian are twins so alike that nobody can tell them apart); trickery and mischief; a rich offering of song and dance; the satire of hypocrisy, excess, and arrogance; a fleeting period of chaos and confusion; concluding with a resolution where all misunderstandings are resolved and three marriages take place.
This ebook features an extensive lesson plan focused on 'Twelfth Night' and includes multiple activities intended to last at least 90 minutes. A unique printable worksheet for learners is included, along with the answer guide.
How to Transform an Everyday, Ordinary Hoop Court... by Matt De La Peña Lesson
By Ms. J's ELA
This resource should be use with the short story How to Transform an Everyday, Ordinary Hoop Court into a Place of Higher Learning and You at the Podium by Matt De La Peña. This is the first short story in the book Flying Lessons and Other Stories. This resource includes a presentation with 11 slides which you can display to students. It also includes a colored and b/w version of 4 pages of student worksheets. The first page focuses on point of view, the second on vocabulary, the third on tiered reading response questions, and the fourth on a focus standard- RL.8.3. The presentation contains an answer key.
The Raven Socratic Seminar Lesson & Materials
By Language Arts Excellence
Socratic Seminar Materials for Edgar Allan Poe's The Raven
A Socratic Seminar (or a "Fish Bowl" Conversation as I like to call them with my students) is a higher order way of assessing whether your students are able to understand and react to your class texts. 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 was created to include everything you need to conduct a structured and formal set of Socratic Seminars in your classroom surrounding The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe... with very little preparation required on your end.
This product includes:
• Assignment Directions with step-by-step instructions on how to conduct fishbowls in your classroom
• Fun Introductory Lesson Plan on Academic Conversations
• 5 Discussion Questions for each “Fish Bowl”
• “Fish Bowl” Preparation Sheet
• Conversation Builder Prompts
• Observation Sheet
• Rubric
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Also, check out these great products by Language Arts Excellence to supplement your unit on The Raven:
⭐ The Raven ESCAPE ROOM
⭐ The Raven Figurative Language Challenge
⭐ The Raven Literature Guide
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First-Day Lesson Plan for American Literature: Poems about "America"
By Rigorous Resources for High School English
This lesson was designed to be used on the first day of a year-long 11th-grade American Literature course. The lesson includes a poetry packet with 7 poems by diverse American authors. Each of the poems raises important questions about what "America" represents. A land of freedom and equality? A refuge for immigrants? A diverse and inclusive nation? Or a land with entrenched inequality? A saber-rattling evil empire?
Here is a list of the poems:
1. Ada Limón, "A New National Anthem" (2018) — our new Poet Laureate!
2. Emma Lazarus, "The New Colossus" (1883)
3. Walt Whitman, "I Hear America Singing" (1860)
4. Langston Hughes, "I, Too" (1923) — responding directly to Whitman!
5. Claude McKay, "America" (1921)
6. James Lasdun, "The Question" (2012) — is America "good or bad"?
7. Tony Hoagland, "America" (2003)
This resource also comes with a classwork packet that features discussion questions on the poems by Ada Limôn, Emma Lazarus, and Langston Hughes. The discussion questions come on three handouts, each of which contains 7 questions about a particular poem. Each handout also has a quick write where students can answer one of the questions in writing.
How might the concept of "America" represent a set of ideals and promises? Has this nation lived up to its ideals and promises? How might the idea of America be different from the reality?
Thank you for choosing Rigorous Resources!
Happy teaching!
Adam Jernigan, Ph.D.
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. with a research specialization in American literature. Feel free to check out these complete 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 F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby
Complete Unit on Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God
Complete Unit on Nella Larsen's Passing
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
Complete Unit on Gene Luen Yang's American Born Chinese
By Beth Hammett
An interactive, engaging 15 slide PowerPoint that defines and illustrates irony. Includes definition, everyday, and real life examples with photos, novel excerpts, and music links. Includes three individual/small/whole group activites for comprehension check.
By Bright Classroom Ideas Marketplace
The tragedy of political aspirations
A courageous Scottish general called Macbeth is given a prediction by three witches that he will someday be King of Scotland. Driven by ambition and urged into action by his wife, Macbeth kills King Duncan and quickly transforms into a tyrannical leader. Core themes in Shakespeare's Macbeth encompass: the conflict of good and evil, the perils of ambition, the impact of supernatural elements, the disparity between appearance and truth, as well as loyalty and remorse. A prominent theme in Macbeth is ambition, evident in both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. They are lured by the notion that Macbeth will ascend to the throne – Macbeth is uncertain about his choices, but his wife is relentless in pursuing her desires – she considers her husband a coward and seems willing to go to any lengths.
Ambition drives one to wickedness - it empowers Macbeth, increasing his resolve, yet ultimately leads to his wife's madness.
Ambition ultimately destroys Macbeth as well, as he turns into a tyrant and consequently alienates his friends.
This lesson plan, which lasts nearly 6 hours (depending on your class size, of course), provides a comprehensive analysis of William Shakespeare's renowned play. It comprises spoken and written tasks, arranged into four worksheets. The responses are also incorporated.
The Most Dangerous Game Poetry Pairing Lesson Plan
By Language Arts Excellence
This resource features an engaging lesson plan and accompanying materials for a poetry pairing of Richard Connell's The Most Dangerous Game and William Ernest Henley's "Invictus." Lesson plan is CCSS-aligned and centers around the themes of survival and resilience. This student-tested activity is the perfect addition to your unit on The Most Dangerous Game.
Product Includes:
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Also, check out these great resources to supplement your unit on The Most Dangerous Game by Language Arts Excellence:
⭐ The Most Dangerous Game Escape Room
⭐ The Most Dangerous Game Socratic Seminar
⭐ The Most Dangerous Game Reader's Theater Script
⭐ The Most Dangerous Game Gallery Walk
⭐ The Most Dangerous Game Silent Conversation Quote Pass Activity
⭐ The Most Dangerous Game Human Tic Tac Toe Review Game
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Click to Follow Language Arts Excellence
Elizabeth Bishop's 10 BEST Poems | "The Fish," "In the Waiting Room," "One Art"!
By Rigorous Resources for High School English
NEW IN 2021: Rigorous! Thought-provoking! Discussion-Based! This 40-page EDITABLE mini-unit promises to elicit dynamic engagement from all students without compromising on intellectual rigor. The discussion questions, quizzes on poetic devices, and analytical writing assignment will challenge your students to dig beneath the surface of Elizabeth Bishop's poems and generate profound interpretive insights!!
Here are some highlights from this 40-page curriculum:
• 10 Poems by Elizabeth Bishop: The 10 poems in this mini-unit feature Elizabeth Bishop's best works of poetry: "The Fish," "In the Waiting Room," "One Art," "The Man-Moth," "Sestina," and more. The 10 poems are split between two Homework Packets, with each packet featuring 5 poems. (12 pages)
• Discussion Questions: This bundle features a list of discussion questions for one poem from each of the homework packets. The discussion questions will ensure that every class discussion starts on a productive note. Every discussion question is grounded in concrete textual details and challenges students to arrive at lucid interpretive insights! The questions lend themselves to a range of different pedagogical uses: 1) to focus students’ thinking prior to beginning a discussion, 2) to prompt in-class writing, 3) to assign written reflections for homework, etc. Guaranteed to elicit student engagement and foster deep thinking! Answer keys included. (10 pages)
• Quick Writes: The quick writes give students an opportunity to capture and refine the best ideas generated in the discussion. Quick writes can also help reticent students to gather their thoughts so they'll feel ready and eager to contribute. (2 pages)
• Literary Devices Quizzes: Open each class with a quiz of 10 questions to assess whether your students can accurately identify the literary devices used in the poems from the homework packets: metaphor, personification, symbolism, imagery, alliteration, etc. Answer keys included. (4 pages)
• Literary Devices Glossary: A glossary with definitions and examples of the various types of figurative language, imagery, stanzas, and syntactic devices. Many teachers already have a glossary of literary devices, but I'm providing this in case you need one. (2 pages)
• Analytical Writing Assignment: Challenge students to take their interpretations one step further by writing an analytical paper on a poem of their choice. The assignment sheet contains detailed instructions for how to generate a formalist analysis of a poem (analyzing how the poem's formal features contribute to its meaning). This kind of formalist analysis is exactly what students are asked to generate on the AP Literature exam! Sample paper included. (3 pages)
This 40-page 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 the skill levels of your students — year after year! If you don't have Microsoft Word, you'll still be able to access the entire unit as a PDF file, which is easy to navigate and quick to print!
Because I believe that teachers should be able to see exactly what they'll be getting before they purchase, the preview for this resource allows viewing accesses to 20 pages. 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.
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!
Modern Poetry (Pt. 2): 20th Century
By Beth Hammett
Overview of 20th century poetry includes 17 slides. Includes poets, social concepts (lifestyles, fashions, entertainment), links to readings and visuals, resources, photos of fashions and poets. A complete overview for students that can be broken down by sub-divisions. Easy for students to follow and comprehend.
Lesson Plan on 'Romeo and Juliet'
By Bright Classroom Ideas Marketplace
Romeo and Juliet is a play created by Shakespeare. It is a tragic romantic story where the two main characters, Romeo and Juliet, are supposed to be fierce opponents but ultimately fall in love. Due to the ongoing conflict between their families, they cannot be with each other, resulting in their decision to end their lives as they cannot bear the agony of being apart. Romeo and Juliet is a heartbreaking drama written by Shakespeare.
Unquestionably, the primary and most important theme of the play is love. The drama focuses on romantic love, especially the passionate longing that ignites immediately when Romeo and Juliet encounter each other for the first time. In Romeo and Juliet, love is a passionate, thrilling, prevailing force that transcends all other values, loyalties, and emotions.
This lesson plan focused on Shakespeare's famous tragedy is designed to last approximately 6 hours (of course, depending on your class size). Many tasks are organized in five worksheets. Their replies are also incorporated at the conclusion.
The Handmaid's Tale Social Media Materials
By Language Arts Excellence
This resource features two fun, interactive activities to bring The Handmaid's Tale into the 21st century! In this 45 minute lesson plan with accompanying materials, your classroom will transform into a real life "twitter-world" in which students will create twitter accounts for characters in the novel and interact with one another through their twitter pages. The Snap Chat worksheet is perfect for an engaging homework or sub-plan that your students will look forward to working on and sharing with their friends.Your students will thank you for offering such fun ways to connect with Atwood's dystopian tale and will not even realize how much they are learning by digging deep into the text. Both work perfectly for a Friday or any day that students need a mental break and a chance to tap into their creativity!
Product Includes:
- Meticulously-explained lesson plan
- 2-Page twitter account in color and in black and white
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Save 20% off this resource when you purchase as part of a growing bundle of all The Handmaid's Tale products by Language Arts Excellence:
⭐ The Handmaid's Tale Activity Bundle
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Also, check out these great resources to complement your unit on The Handmaid's Tale:
⭐ Introduction to Dystopia Powerpoint
⭐ The Handmaid's Tale Anticipation Guide & Lesson Plan
⭐ The Handmaid's Tale "Silent Conversation" Quote Pass Activity
⭐ The Handmaid's Tale "Hot Seat!"
⭐ The Handmaid's Tale Socratic Seminar Lesson Plan and Materials
⭐ The Handmaid's Tale Journal Prompts
⭐ The Handmaid's Tale Essay Questions
⭐ The Handmaid's Tale Quote Posters
⭐ The Handmaid's Tale Escape Room
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⭐ Click to Follow Language Arts Excellence⭐
FAMILY DYNAMICS IN POETRY: Poems on Parent-Child Relationships | 3-Day Lesson
By Rigorous Resources for High School English
This 45-page EDITABLE poetry curriculum promises to elicit dynamic engagement from all students without compromising on intellectual rigor. The 12 poems in this mini-unit all focus on the complex nature of family dynamics and parent-child relationships.
Because teenagers are caught up in complex relationships with their parents, these poems will set the stage for your class to have authentic discussions that inspire a whole new depth of reflection. The literary devices quizzes, discussion prompts, and analytical writing assignment will challenge your students to dig beneath the surface of the text and generate profound interpretive insights!
Here are some highlights from this 45-page curriculum:
• Homework Packets with Poems about Parent-Child Relationships: The two homework packets contain a total of 12 poems by a diverse range of award-winning poets such as Sylvia Plath, Theodore Roethke, Sharon Olds, Audre Lorde, Li-Young Lee, Galway Kinnell, Tony Hoagland, Ada Limón, and others. Every poem focuses on a different kind of parent-child dynamic. Because teenagers have a lot to say about relationships with parents, these poems will set the stage for your class to have fascinating and profoundly productive discussions!! (12 pages)
• Literary Devices Glossary: A glossary with definitions and examples of the various types of figurative language, imagery, stanzas, and syntactic devices. Many teachers already have a glossary of literary devices, but I'm providing this in case you need one. (2 pages)
• Literary Devices Quizzes: Open each class with a quiz of 10 questions to assess whether your students can accurately identify the literary devices used in the poems from the homework packets: metaphor, personification, symbolism, imagery, alliteration, etc. The digital versions of the quizzes on Google Forms will grade every student's work and automatically generate a list of their scores. Answer keys included. (4 pages).
• Discussion Questions: This bundle features a list of discussion questions for the first poem in each of the homework packets. The discussion questions will ensure that every class discussion starts on a productive foot. Every discussion question is grounded in concrete textual details and challenges students to arrive at lucid interpretive insights! The questions lend themselves to a range of different pedagogical uses: 1) to focus students’ thinking prior to beginning a discussion, 2) to prompt in-class writing, 3) to assign written reflections for homework, etc. Guaranteed to elicit student engagement and foster deep thinking! Answer keys included. (10 pages)
• Quick Writes: The quick writes give students an opportunity to capture and refine the best ideas generated in the discussion. Quick writes can also help reticent students to gather their thoughts so they'll feel ready and eager to contribute. (4 pages)
• Analytical Writing Assignment: Challenge students to take their interpretations one step further by writing an analytical paper on a poem of their choice. The assignment sheet contains detailed instructions for how to generate a formalist analysis of a poem (analyzing how the poem's formal features contribute to its meaning). This kind of formalist analysis is exactly what students are asked to generate on the AP Literature exam! Sample paper included. (3 pages)
This entire 44-page unit will come to you in two separate formats: Word *and* PDF. Because the Word doc is fully editable, you'll be able to customize the materials to suit the skill levels of your students — year after year! If you don't have Microsoft Word, you'll still be able to access all of the materials as a PDF — which is easy to navigate and quick to print! Finally, as a free bonus, I'm including links to digital copies of every document in user-friendly platforms like Google Docs and Google Forms.
My store is called “Rigorous Resources” because all of the resources contain rigorous content that will motivate students to engage in thought-provoking and productive discussions. Thank you for choosing “Rigorous Resources”!!
Happy teaching!
Adam Jernigan, Ph.D.
Links to all of the poetry units in this collection:
Poetry Unit #1: Sensory Imagery in Poetry
Poetry Unit #2: Figurative Language in Poetry
Poetry Unit #3: Love Poems
Poetry Unit #4: Ethical Dilemmas in Poetry
Poetry Unit #5: Family Dynamics in Poetry
By Beth Hammett
An easy to understand presentation to help students with mood and tone. Includes: Definitions Quotes Examples Group/Individual Activities with word banks Whole class reviews (Poetry and Prose) Great for literature classes and writing reviews! Meets CCSS.
Lesson Plan on Mary Shelley's Frankenstein
By Bright Classroom Ideas Marketplace
This 90-minute lesson plan is designed for high school students (Grades 9–12) studying Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Using the engaging "Video SparkNotes: Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein Summary" as a foundation, the lesson guides students through key plot points, characters, and major themes like responsibility, isolation, revenge, and the dangers of unchecked ambition.
The session begins with a warm-up activity to activate prior knowledge, followed by a focused video viewing and guided discussion to promote critical thinking.
Students then work in small groups to complete comprehension and analysis activities on a detailed worksheet. These tasks range from timeline sequencing and character analysis to exploring moral dilemmas and comparing Frankenstein’s actions to modern ethical issues in science. The lesson encourages students to reflect on who is more to blame—Frankenstein or his creation—and why that matters.
By the end of the class, students will have a deeper understanding of the novel’s structure, themes, and relevance. The worksheet includes a mix of creative and academic tasks, fostering engagement and interpretation. An answer key is provided to support both guided instruction and independent review. This lesson is perfect for literature units or as part of a larger discussion on Gothic fiction, ethics, or Romantic literature.
The Great Gatsby Human Tic Tac Toe Review Game
By Language Arts Excellence
This resource features a lesson plan and materials for the Human Tic Tac Toe Review Game, an engaging and competitive way to review F. Scott Fitzgerald's most renowned and beloved work, The Great Gatsby. Let's face it, review days can be difficult... and boring... so your students will appreciate you making learning fun with this collaborative game. The resource includes not only a meticulously detailed lesson plan and set-up instructions, but 70+ questions on characters, plot, quotations, and vocabulary from The Great Gatsby. Besides simple set-up, very little preparation is needed for this lesson and if your students are like mine, they will ask for this form of review for every unit of study!
Product Includes:
This full-length lesson plan can be adapted for any period length up to 1 hour and is ideal on a day leading up to the final test on The Great Gatsby.
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Also, check out these great products by Language Arts Excellence to complement your unit on The Great Gatsby:
⭐ The Great Gatsby Escape Room
⭐ The Great Gatsby Socratic Seminar Lesson Plan and Materials
⭐ The Great Gatsby "Hot Seat!"
⭐ "Silent Conversation" Quote Pass Activity - The Great Gatsby
⭐ The Great Gatsby Anticipation Guide & Lesson Plan
⭐ The Great Gatsby Social Media Materials
⭐ The Great Gatsby Quote Posters
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Click to Follow Language Arts Excellence
"A Temporary Matter" by Jhumpa Lahiri | 20-page EDITABLE Lesson Plan + Writing!
By Rigorous Resources for High School English
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.
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
Shakespeare: Brutus' Speech (Julius Caesar) Writing Activity
By Beth Hammett
Teach analysis and audience through an interactive interpretation of Brutus' Speech from Julius Caesar. Students will bring the speech up-to-date using slang and time period words. Included are: student examples extra resources list scoring rubric directions with materials list Students will "get the meaning" with this easy-to-teach, fun analysis assignment. Meets standard state ELA guidelines and CCSS.
Lesson Plan on 'The Great Gatsby'
By Bright Classroom Ideas Marketplace
While The Great Gatsby provides an in-depth portrayal of American culture during the Roaring Twenties, its storyline mirrors one told many times before, potentially as old as the country itself: a man rises from destitution to wealth, only to find that his fortune does not afford him the privileges enjoyed by those born into their elite status.
The central character is Jay Gatsby, a wealthy New Yorker whose occupation is vague. Gatsby is primarily known for the lavish parties he throws each weekend at his opulent Gothic mansion in West Egg. He is thought to be linked to illegal bootlegging and several criminal activities. The storyteller, Nick Carraway, resides next to Gatsby in West Egg.
This lesson plan for The Great Gatsby is designed to last approximately 90 minutes. The student activities vary and are presented in a separate worksheet. In the end, the answer key for the assignments is given separately at the end of the lesson plan.