Less than $5 8th Grade English Language Arts Lesson

Challenge your students with a deep exploration of figurative language with this complete, standards-aligned lesson plan centered on Langston Hughes’ classic poems Dreams and Harlem. Perfect for grades 6-8, this 60-minute lesson introduces and reinforces figurative language skills with a variety of Depth of Knowledge (DOK) levels, from identification to detailed analysis. Through engaging activities, guided notes, fill-in-the-blank practice, and insightful discussions, students will strengthen their understanding of metaphors, similes, personification, hyperbole, repetition, and more!

What's Included:

• Do Now Prompt: Connect students personally to the theme of dreams and aspirations.
• Guided Notes & Slides: Fill-in-the-blank notes and a comprehensive slide deck introduce and review key figurative language concepts.
• Figurative Language Practice Handout: Allows students to identify and categorize figurative language independently or in pairs.
• Detailed Analysis of Dreams and Harlem: Thought-provoking questions and guided analysis help students apply figurative language skills in context, from interpreting similes and metaphors to discussing theme.
• Reflection and Discussion: Encourages students to connect poetic themes to real life and deepen their understanding of how figurative language enhances literature.

Why Teachers Love It: This resource provides a complete and flexible plan that fits seamlessly into any poetry or figurative language unit, with resources to support all stages of learning—from foundational identification to advanced interpretation. It’s ideal for introducing figurative language or deepening students’ analysis skills, making it a versatile addition to any ELA classroom.

Key Features:

• Differentiated Levels of Analysis: Activities move from DOK Level 1 (identifying figurative language) to DOK Levels 3-4 (interpreting meaning and thematic connections).
• Engagement-Boosting Content: Uses two of Hughes’ most powerful poems to explore big ideas about dreams, aspirations, and consequences, making learning relevant and impactful.
• Aligned with Language Standards: Perfect for reinforcing figurative language standards through high-interest texts.

Boost your students' confidence with figurative language and inspire thoughtful conversations with this enriching lesson plan! Download today to elevate your poetry and figurative language instruction with this ready-to-use, engaging resource!

GEOGRAPHY THUMBPRINTS: A CHARACTER ANALYSIS OF A PERSON, CHARACTER, COUNTRY, OBJECT, EVENT

This lesson, although written for geography, is not subject-specific and is adaptable to any subject or topic — history, ancient studies, book studies or any time you are studying a person, character, country, object, or event. Use this character analysis to explore people, reading characters, historical characters or people, events, countries, and objects. No, an object, country, or event does not have feelings, but what if they did? How would they feel? What would they see? What would they hear? What would they say? Encourage your student to think outside the box and stretch their minds and higher-level thinking skills.

Materials Needed

• butcher paper, poster board, or drawing paper
• Emotional chart (Included)
• Character analysis chart (Included)
• Markers
• Rulers

Type of Lesson

Group cooperation, research, exploratory, examination

Closure:

3-5 minute Presentations

Copyrighted by @MarthaBoykinLessons

For use of one class only and not to be distributed, copied, or printed outside of the classroom. Additional licenses can be purchased if other instructors and classes wish to use this lesson.

Disclaimer:

One purchase is for the use of one teacher. If additional teachers would like to use this product, please purchase additional licenses.

This 12-slide PowerPoint presentation covers the Civil War between 1861-1865. It is an ideal lesson for the Civil War or as a stand-alone resource for women’s history. The presentation includes descriptive text as well as primary sources. It is also a good resource during Women’s History Month.

Each slide contains information and graphics that highlight how women experienced the war or contributed during this period. During this time of relatively rigid gender roles, some women moved across the boundaries of the private sphere into the public sphere during the Civil War.

Topics include:
Background to the Civil War
Women during the 1850s
White Women in the North and West
African-American Women in the North

Women in the South
Nurses during the Civil War
Spies and Soldiers

This file has been secured via Flat Pack but if you'd also like the Power Point file, please email me at cnonnemaker@gmail.com.

There is also an Easel Activity and Assessment. Whether for standard classroom use, Home Schoolers or for asynchronous learning, these are valuable digital tools. The Easel Assessment includes Multiple-Choice and True/False questions.

This is part of the Women in American History Series which includes PowerPoint lessons as well as Reading Assignments and Worksheets, Analyzing Primary Sources and Activities for other eras.

Other resources about Women during the Civil War include:
Women during the Civil War: Reading Assignment and Worksheet
Women during the Civil War: Primary Source Analysis and DBQ's

If you like World War II historical fiction, I have written a book called Hearts of War about a Nisei soldier who served in the Military Intelligence Service and a woman who served in the Women Army Corps. In writing this book, I wanted to bring an unknown aspect of history to light. Available on Amazon or Kindle and I appreciate any reviews!

Thank you!

Christa Nonnemaker

This 40-page EDITABLE poetry unit promises to elicit dynamic engagement from all students without compromising on intellectual rigor. The 10 poems in this unit all pivot on vivid and evocative SENSORY IMAGERY.

Because even our strongest students often have difficulty analyzing poetic imagery, I designed this unit to help students learn to "unpack" images and to explain how images deepen a poem's meaning. 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 40-page curriculum:

• Homework Packets with Poems: The two homework packets contain a total of 10 poems by award-winning poets such as Emily Dickinson, Robert Hayden, Mary Oliver, Gary Soto, Sharon Olds, Mark Doty, Yusef Komunyakaa, Tony Hoagland, and others. The poems in each homework packet derive their meaning from the deft use of sensory images. These carefully selected poems will set the stage for your class to have fascinating and profoundly productive discussions!! (10 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: metaphor, personification, symbolism, imagery, alliteration, etc. The digital versions of the quizzes on Google Forms will grade every student's work and generate a list of their scores. Answer keys included. (4 pages).

• Discussion Questions: Lists of discussion questions for the first poems in each homework packet. The discussion questions will ensure that your class discussions get off to a productive start. 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. (8 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)

• 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 40-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.

adamjernigan@gmail.com

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

Store: https://www.TeachShare.com/Store/Rigorous-Resources

Get ready for argumentative units with this engaging activity centered around persuasive techniques in rhetorical devices, and logical fallacies.

Teacher students what makes a good and bad argument with a short lesson and 5 practice paragraphs to evaluate for effectiveness. Afterwards, students can practice rhetorical devices in advertisements and analyze why the device was chosen (author's purpose).

ALSO INCLUDED IS AN EXTENSION ACTIVITY where students can get creative and make their own ads.

- Teacher directions

- Grading Rubric

- Student instructions

- Research and Brainstorm document

(no templates for creation are included)

PROVIDED IN WORD/POWERPOINT & PDF

Introduce the history of April Fool's Day then enjoy fun, educational activities that include:

Includes:

History & Timeline Symbolism activity

Awards

Class Debate

Charades

Crossword with answer sheet

Maze

Polls

Prank Reflection

Visual Prank Drawing

Writing Activities

Word Search with answer sheet

Easy to implement and use with students. Uses higher level and critical thinking skills that are great for Pre-Ap/AP. Differentiated lessons for centers or groups.

This Enneagram Test Resource is for middle and high school students to learn about their personality type and results. It includes an introduction, test instructions, reflection worksheets, type analysis pages, personal growth plans, and activities for understanding relationships.

Teachers can use it anytime during the school year for personality studies or social-emotional learning.

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If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at dottysprintables@gmail.com

In this All-In-One Poetry Unit, students will explore the world of poetry and discover the beauty of expression through reading, writing, and learning. They will develop their skills in identifying different types of poetry and learn key terms related to poetry. With practice, students will master common poetry terms and create their unique poems. This unit is sure to inspire a love for poetry in students and foster a sense of creativity and imagination.

✏ What's Included:

* 51-slide PowerPoint with Poetry Terms, Types of Poetry, and Poetry Examples

* 6 Guided Practice slides embedded into the PPT at key intervals

* 5 Independent Practice slides embedded into the PPT after the Guided Practice

* 1 Interactive Kahoots game code (20-question review)

* 1 Crossword Puzzle focusing on Key Poetry Terms and Types (with Answer Key)

* 1 Quiz/Test over Poetry Types and Terms

* 1 Poetry Poster for your Classroom

This resource is suitable for traditional classroom settings as well as for ELL/ESOL teachers and special education teachers, making it a versatile and inclusive addition to any teaching program. These make a great homeschool addition to your poetry unit!

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Be sure to look at the Preview and Thumbnails to ensure this activity aligns with your students/curriculum. If you have any questions, please contact me HERE BEFORE purchasing any item in my store so I can ensure you are satisfied with your purchase.

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Use this AVID resource when students begin their argumentative writing! Students will quickly develop arguments on a variety of topics through a speed style variation of Philosophical Chairs. In turn, students will not only craft their thesis statements and come up with arguments for their essays, but they will also increase their public speaking and collaboration skills!

Overview:

Philosophical Chairs: Speed Formation utilizes many of the same components of the classic version, but is a fun, fast-paced variation that can be utilized during shortened class periods. This variation of Philosophical Chairs should only be utilized after students have developed their skills through the classic style.

What's Included:

• 1 student objective slides
• 1 overview slide
• 1 argumentative prompt slide
• 2 thesis statement teaching slides
• 6 rules of engagement slides/steps
• 2 basic norm slides
• 1 google doc where students reflect on the philosophical chairs

Click HERE to see our other AVID resources. We also have several great AVID bundle options available down below!

AVID Mega Growing Bundle

AVID Teambuilding Bundle

AVID Writing Bundle

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In this product, students will identify nouns, common/proper nouns, singular nouns, singular possessive nouns, plural nouns, and plural possessive nouns.

Full Product Link:

In this product, students will identify nouns in sentences, proper/common nouns, singular form of plural nouns, plural form of singular nouns, identify the difference singular nouns, singular possessive nouns, plural nouns, and plural possessive nouns, and rewriting sentences is required throughout this product to help student's improve grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling skills.

https://www.TeachShare.com/Product/Nouns-Grammar-Review-9721577

You may also be interested in the following:

Sentence Grammar Worksheets:

https://www.TeachShare.com/Product/Sentence-Grammar-Practice-Worksheets-9721071

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.

This no-prep lesson covers the social emotional learning competency- responsible decision-making! Ray Bradbury's classic short story A Sound of Thunder provides students ample opportunity to analyze the decisions that characters make. This also provides an opening for teachers to talk with students about making responsible decisions in their own lives. The story is not included in this resource, but can be easily found online.

This resource is half ELA aligned and half SEL aligned. You will find comprehension, setting, and theme questions along with questions designed to make students think about their own decision making processes and the decisions of characters within the short story.

This resource contains:

• A Pre-Reading Activity where students are asked to think about their own decision making processes.

• A 20 Question Reading Quiz to check student comprehension of the short story.

• A 10 Slide Presentation to accompany the student worksheets. This presentation also contains a definition of responsible decision-making and a class discussion question.

• Text-Related Short Answer Questions that encourage students to think more deeply about the story.

• Decision Making Short Answer Questions that are related to the text. Students are asked to consider the decision making process of the main character in A Sound of Thunder.

• Decision Making Short Answer Questions that are related to the student. These questions encourage students to think about potential consequences before making decisions and ways to avoid being sucked into other people's bad decisions.

• A Teaching Guide with Answers to all questions on the student worksheets. The guide makes this lesson ideal for a substitute day!

ELA Ethos, Pathos, Logos Game - Rhetorical Appeals Stand Up Sit Down Activity: Persuasive writing is an essential part of the ELA and AVID curriculum! Before students can successfully write their persuasive writing pieces, they need to understand the concepts of persuasive language. Make teaching ethos, pathos, and logos fun and engaging with these teach slides and rhetorical appeals game!

✨AVID Bundle✨

✨AVID Writing Bundle✨

What's Included

• 4 teach slides which go over the definitions and offer examples of pathos, ethos and logos
• 20 stand up sit down game slides
• 20 answer slides behind each game slide
• 1 editable template to make your own OR allow students to make their own
• comes in Powerpoint and Google Slides

Directions

• Read each sentence out loud.

• Students either stand or sit for the correct rhetorical triangle (pathos, ethos, or logos.)

• Consider setting a short timer or giving points for even more of a challenge!

You may also like...

Summer Homophones Stand Up Sit Down Game

ELA Bundle

Roll a Story Bundle

Fun Debates Speed Philosophical Chairs

ELA Word Work Game

This resource features a set of 25 reader response journal prompts for use during your unit on Shakespeare. Each bell ringer is comprised of a Shakespearean quote from one of his plays or sonnets and a thoughtfully crafted question that encourages students to personally connect and appreciate the timelessness of his work. Prompts can be used as bell-ringers (most popular and mean the first 5 minutes of every class for more than a month are planned for you!), summarizers, stations, full class or small group discussion questions, for homework, task cards, sub plans, as a filler activity… the possibilities are endless!

Example of a prompt:

All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players… and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages” ~ As You Like It

What types of roles do you play in your own life? How do these roles differ and to what audience(s) are they played? Why do we find ourselves playing different roles for different people within our lives?

Enjoy using these bell ringers during your study of any Shakespearean play or any time throughout the year when you just need to hear a few wise words from the Bard!

_____________________________________________________________________________

We've gone digital! Check out the paperless version to support distance learning:

⭐ Shakespeare Digital Bell Ringer Journal Prompts

Save 20% off this resource when you purchase as part of a bundle of Shakespeare products:

⭐ Shakespeare Resource Bundle

Also, check out these great products to add to your Shakespeare unit by Language Arts Excellence:

⭐ Shakespeare ESCAPE ROOM

⭐ Shakespeare Scavenger Hunt

⭐ Introduction to Shakespeare Powerpoint

⭐ Shakespeare Crossword Puzzle

⭐ Shakespeare's "Death Lines" Activity

⭐ Shakespeare Valentine's Day Lesson Plan

⭐ William Shakespeare Quote Posters

___________________________________________________________________________

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This "MEDICINE BAG" resource allows teachers to GRAB n' TEACH! This product includes a READY-tO-Print LESSON PLAN, EDITABLE, an Exceptional Student Education [ESE] Accommodations/Modifications, English Language Learners [ELL] Strategies, Differentiation Instruction, a BLANK LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE, and Teacher Notes on the short story. Get the ease and peace-of-mind you need to teach this work.

This PRODUCT Includes:

1. A "MEDICINE BAG" Ready-To-TEACH Lesson Plan with Alternate Activities

2. "MEDICINE BAG" TEACHER NOTES

3. Exceptional Student Education [ESE] Modifications/Accommodations

4. English Language Learner Strategies

5. Black & white versions

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A & P [LESSON PLANS and TEACHER NOTES]

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END OF SOMETHING [LESSON PLANS and TEACHER NOTES]

GET A KNIFE! [TASK CARDS]

FUN BLACK HISTORY PROJECTS & ACTIVITIES [BUNDLE]

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Back to School MUST have resource!

Twenty day introduction to writers' workshop in the middle grades.

From going through the rules of the workshop, to editing vs. conferencing, to the different genre of writing. Everything is covered or introduced in this twenty day plan.

This package includes detailed lessons, BLMs, posters and teacher prompts. NOW INCLUDES: a digital presentation

Although this is intended for use when the school year begins, it can easily be used at any point throughout the year to teach different aspects that are covered.

What people are saying:

• Just started using this - it was very helpful in planning my first few weeks of writing! (Marynelle V)
• First year teacher these resources have been more than helpful thank you so much!!!!! (Peter H)
• Such a time saver! Thank you! (Tina M)

Please don't forget to take a look at the other items I have available in my store!

Thank for taking the time to stop by and purchase this resource.

This picture prompt writing set is perfect for easy morning warm-ups or quick on the go printables for sub tubs. Each picture comes with 2 versions. First, there is the print and go version. This set is ready to be printed and added to your sub tub. The other version is a picture prompt with directions. These are ready to be put on the whiteboard for easy morning writing prompts.

***Allusion Figurative Language Guided Notes and Student Activity Set***

A great set to guide students to discover:

Allusion Meaning, Examples, Purpose, and Using Allusion in Writing

Help students understand allusion and how to use it to improve their writing with this great set.

This set includes activities for individual, whole-class, and cooperative practice. See the complete Allusion product preview!

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More Great Figurative Languages Resources From Kile's Classroom :

Figurative Language Bundle.

Simile and Metaphor Guided Notes and Activities

Hyperbole Guided Notes and Activities

Idiom Guided Notes and Activities

Personification Guided Notes and Activities

Other ELA Resources From Kile's Classroom :

5th / 6th Grade Poetry Elements Read & Write Poems Lessons & Graphic Organizers

Writing Graphic Organizer Bundle.

Language Interactive Notebook Pages for the Whole Year.

Compare and Contrast Interactive Notebook and Student Activities.

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Included in this Google Drive resource, you are given a ready-to-use slide show which holds THREE self-confidence activities that are interactive and fun for several ages and grade levels! These activities will have your students laughing, being creative, and being okay with just being themselves. Reflection questions are included. Other items needed: categories to choose from (ideas related to self-esteem included in the notes section) and a dollar bill for the 3rd included activity. Little prep needed to find success with these SEL lessons and activities! Enjoy.