8th Grade Literature Lesson (by date, latest first)

A thorough lesson plan on the well-known drama "An Inspector Calls" by J.D. Priestley. The play's action takes place in an industrial city in England, where a young girl kills herself and a well-known British family is routinely investigated in relation to the death. All of the family members are either directly or indirectly implicated in the girl's downfall. As a result, an inspector calls to investigate the family. Before the evening is done, the close-knit and amiable family is revealed to be cowardly, selfish, or self-centered, its good humor turning to sour, and its pleasant fellowship to despised.

Every step of the 90-minute lesson is included in the lesson plan. It includes the 'An Inspector Calls || 7 Minute Summary' YouTube video from the Easy as GCSE channel. A student worksheet that may be printed has a lot of activities and answers at the end.

Enjoy teaching classic literature to your students!

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.

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.

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 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 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.

Are you looking for a way to truly engage your students while fostering empathy, understanding, and critical thinking?

This Wonder Novel Study is more than just worksheets; it was created by someone who intimately understands what it’s like to live with a facial difference and raise children with similar experiences.

This novel study for Wonder by R.J. Palacio includes printable and digital versions.

There are over 100 pages of student work, plus answer keys! This novel study covers all 8 sections of the novel, and it also includes a Google Slides option for some of the novel study assignments.

INCLUDES:

Overview

Background info about the author

Learning about Facial Differences

Analyzing the Plot

Character Maps for main characters

Social media activity- create a social media profile for the main characters

Figurative Language

Figurative Language Scavenger Hunt

Book vs Movie Activities

Venn Diagram - Book vs. movie

Reflection Questions

Point of View Activity

Textual evidence prompts

Textual evidence exercise

Vocabulary from the Book: Parts 1-8

Printable vocabulary flashcards

Vocabulary activity for each section with answer keys when applicable

Vocabulary Bingo game with words from all sections which comes as a separate file from the novel study.

Comprehension questions for parts 1-8 with answer keys

Empathy and Kindness project and activity options

Design your own Choose Kindness T-shirt

Art and music connection activity option

Facial differences discussion questions

Journal prompts

Acrostic poem template

Precept poster activity

ALIGNS WITH COMMON CORE:

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.5.1 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.5.2 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.5.3 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.5.4 RL.5.7: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.5.4 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.5.5 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.6.1 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.6.2 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.6.3 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.6.4 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.6.5 RL.6.7 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.6.4 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.6.5 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.6.6 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.7.1 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.7.2 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.7.3 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.7.4 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.2 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.3 RL.8.7

WHAT IS INCLUDED:

3 files:

112 Printable PDF Pages of the Wonder Novel Study

28 Printable PDF -Wonder Vocabulary Bingo Game- covers vocab from all 8 sections

PDF with link to access the Google Slides - 32 pages

IMPORTANT DETAILS:

This is a digital download. You will not receive anything in the mail.

Please use a computer to download and not your phone.

This file is for personal use only and may not be reproduced or sold commercially.

I don't accept returns, exchanges, or cancellations. But please contact me if you have any problems with your order.

Thank you! :)

-Jennifer

Copyright  © 2024 ArnoldWellnessDesign

Engage your middle school students with a thrilling 5-day detective unit centered around Roald Dahl's gripping short story, "Lamb to the Slaughter." This comprehensive unit combines critical thinking, inferencing, and multimedia analysis, making it perfect for ELA classrooms. Students will step into the shoes of detectives, analyze texts, watch film adaptations, and compare their experiences, all while meeting key CCSS standards.

What’s Included:

• Detailed Lesson Plans: Each day is thoughtfully planned to guide students through reading, analyzing, writing, and discussing "Lamb to the Slaughter."
• Graphic Organizers: Scaffolded organizers for each day to help students track evidence, make inferences, and compare the text with the film.
• Texts and Multimedia: The original short story and a link to the film adaptation, complete with an introduction by Roald Dahl.
• Writing Prompts: Engaging prompts to encourage students to write opinion essays and reflections.
• Class Discussion Guides: Questions and prompts to facilitate meaningful classroom discussions.

Day-by-Day Breakdown:

Day 1: Introduction to the Detective Activity

• Students are introduced to the murder mystery and work in groups to analyze witness statements and evidence photos.
• Focus on inference and deduction skills.

Day 2: Writing an Opinion Essay

• Students write an opinion essay based on their detective work from Day 1.
• Emphasis on textual evidence and structured writing.

Day 3: Reading "Lamb to the Slaughter"

• Students read the short story in chunked sections, making inferences and annotating the text.
• Use of scaffolding techniques to support all learners.

Day 4: Comparing Text and Film

• Students watch the film adaptation of "Lamb to the Slaughter."
• They use a graphic organizer to compare and contrast the text and film, analyzing differences in storytelling techniques.

Day 5: Final Analysis and Discussion

• Students discuss their findings and the differences between the text and film.
• Wrap-up activities include reflective writing and sharing insights.

CCSS Alignment:

This unit aligns with CCSS standards for grades 5-8, focusing on quoting accurately from texts, citing textual evidence, and analyzing multimedia elements. Standards covered include:

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.1
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.1
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.1
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.8.1
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.7
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.7
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.7
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.8.7

Benefits:

• Engaging and Interactive: Students love the hands-on detective work and multimedia elements.
• Skill-Building: Focus on inferencing, textual evidence, and critical thinking skills.
• Comprehensive and Ready-to-Use: All materials and instructions are included for a seamless implementation.

Bring excitement and depth to your ELA classroom with this 5-day detective unit on "Lamb to the Slaughter." Your students will love stepping into the role of detectives while honing their reading and analytical skills.

Are you looking for a way to truly engage your students while fostering empathy, understanding, and critical thinking?

This Wonder Novel Study is more than just worksheets; it was created by someone who intimately understands what it’s like to live with a facial difference and raise children with similar experiences.

This novel study for Wonder by R.J. Palacio includes printable and digital versions.

There are over 100 pages of student work, plus answer keys! This novel study covers all 8 sections of the novel, and it also includes a Google Slides option for some of the novel study assignments.

INCLUDES:

Overview

Background info about the author

Learning about Facial Differences

Analyzing the Plot

Character Maps for main characters

Social media activity- create a social media profile for the main characters

Figurative Language

Figurative Language Scavenger Hunt

Book vs Movie Activities

Venn Diagram - Book vs. movie

Reflection Questions

Point of View Activity

Textual evidence prompts

Textual evidence exercise

Vocabulary from the Book: Parts 1-8

Printable vocabulary flashcards

Vocabulary activity for each section with answer keys when applicable

Vocabulary Bingo game with words from all sections which comes as a separate file from the novel study.

Comprehension questions for parts 1-8 with answer keys

Empathy and Kindness project and activity options

Design your own Choose Kindness T-shirt

Art and music connection activity option

Facial differences discussion questions

Journal prompts

Acrostic poem template

Precept poster activity

ALIGNS WITH COMMON CORE:

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.5.1 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.5.2 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.5.3 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.5.4 RL.5.7: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.5.4 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.5.5 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.6.1 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.6.2 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.6.3 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.6.4 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.6.5 RL.6.7 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.6.4 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.6.5 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.6.6 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.7.1 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.7.2 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.7.3 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.7.4 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.2 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.3 RL.8.7

WHAT IS INCLUDED:

3 files:

112 Printable PDF Pages of the Wonder Novel Study

28 Printable PDF -Wonder Vocabulary Bingo Game- covers vocab from all 8 sections

PDF with link to access the Google Slides - 32 pages

IMPORTANT DETAILS:

This is a digital download. You will not receive anything in the mail.

Please use a computer to download and not your phone.

This file is for personal use only and may not be reproduced or sold commercially.

I don't accept returns, exchanges, or cancellations. But please contact me if you have any problems with your order.

Thank you! :)

-Jennifer

Copyright  © 2024 ArnoldWellnessDesign

Spanish Short Readings

Lower Levels

and Higher Level

Bundle

Purchase this bundle and save more than 65%!

Please Note that many of the short stories are my original stories as I am a Children's book writer :)

⭐No-Prep Needed

⭐Substitute Friendly

Want to be the first to know about the latest resources and special promotions? Follow me on TeachShare HERE! Terms of Use THESPANGLISHMOM™️. By purchasing and/or downloading this electronic file, you agree to the following terms. For personal use/single classroom use only. No part of this document may be distributed, posted on the internet, copied, edited, or resold. ALL contents of this document are under copyright protection including all content, text, fonts, and graphics, Thank you for respecting my hard word as well as the hard work of the artists whose work helped create this product. FOLLOW MY STORE so that you can receive notifications of new products (up to 50% OFF) and sale. To purchase additional licenses select to purchased additional licenses at checkout or go to “my purchases”, select the item, and click “buy additional licenses”. Did you know there are TeachShare School Accounts? Tell your administrator and ask if your school will purchase this for your classroom.

Thank you, Ariana Perez-Urbina

©TheSpanglishMom

Spanish Short Stories for the Classroom Libritos

includes:

5 original stories

+Reading Comprehension Questions

Stories are appropriate for Spanish 2 and higher.

Can be shared with students digitally or printed copies (up to the teacher).

+Free Updates!

This bundle includes resources for the first five short stories in the book Flying Lessons and Other Stories. Those stories are: How to Transform an Everyday, Ordinary Hoop Court into a Place of Higher Learning and You at the Podium, The Difficult Path, Sol Painting, Inc., Secret Samantha, and The Beans and Rice Chronicles of Isaiah Dunn.

Each resource includes a presentation and student worksheets which come in color and b/w for easy printing.

This bundle includes:

38 student worksheet pages

52 slides

Answer Keys

Each resource includes:

story vocabulary

pre-reading activities

tiered reading questions

an emphasis on one particular ELA standard

Depending on the length of your class periods, this resource could last 4 days or 2 weeks.

This bundle includes lessons for all stories in the book Flying Lessons and Other Stories edited by Ellen Oh. The stories are not included in this resource. Lessons are focused on the following stories:

- How to Transform an Everyday, Ordinary Hoop Court into a Place of Higher Learning and You at the Podium by Matt De La Peña

- The Difficult Path by Grace Lin

- Sol Painting, Inc. by Meg Medina

- Secret Samantha by Tim Federle

- The Beans and Rice Chronicles of Isaiah Dunn by Kelly J. Baptist

- Choctaw Bigfoot, Midnight in the Mountains by Tim Tingle

- Main Street by Jacqueline Woodson

- Flying Lessons by Soman Chainani

- Seventy-Six Dollars and Forty-Nine Cents by Kwame Alexander

- Sometimes a Dream Needs a Push by Walter Dean Myers

Each lesson includes WORKSHEETS and a PRESENTATION. Worksheets come in color and b/w. Presentations include answer keys.

Each lesson contains:

- Pre-reading journal prompt

- Story vocabulary (except Main Street)

- Tiered reading questions

- Questions focused on one particular ELA standard

- Answer keys

BONUS ESSAY WRITING PROMPTS ARE INCLUDED!

If you teach 90 minute block classes, you would likely get through one lesson per day. If you teach 50 minute classes like I do, each lesson could take two days. This bundle could last from 2 weeks to 4 weeks depending on your schedule.

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!

This social emotional learning lesson uses Terry Bisson's short story They're Made Out of Meat. During this SEL lesson, students complete a pre-reading activity, read the short story (not included), answer questions related to the text, and contemplate the ways that they can demonstrate social awareness. In particular, this lesson focuses on the idea of excluding others. Students are asked to think about the reasons they exclude others and what they might be missing by excluding people. There is also an opportunity for whole class discussion regarding the idea of social awareness.

This lesson also focuses on short paragraph writing. The presentation contains an outline and example of a 6 sentence response. Students will first collect evidence to support a response about the identity of the short story's speakers. Then, they will practice writing the 6 sentence paragraph supporting their claim about the identity of the speakers.

This resource includes:

- a slides presentation to follow: 6 sentence paragraph outline and example, discussion questions

- 5 worksheets: pre-reading, an activity to help students determine the identity of the story's speakers, questions about social awareness in the text, and a reflection about themselves to increase self-awareness

- a teaching guide

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.

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.

Overview of poetry includes 21 slides and starts at the beginning of time then finishes with 19TH century (for 20th century see Origins of Poetry 20th Century PowerPoint). 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 time periods using the contents slide. Easy for students to follow and comprehend.

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.

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.