Less than $5 8th Grade Literature Literature Circles

A characterization flip book which students must use textual evidence and determine character traits. This accompanies the novel The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and comes with a rubric for easy grading.

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.

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

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.

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

Dive into the heartwarming tale of "Irene and Henry: Friendship Beyond the Frontlines," a poignant story set against the backdrop of the Northern Ireland Troubles. This narrative follows young Irene, whose resilience and quiet determination shine through the daily challenges of growing up in a conflict-ridden village. When she forms an unexpected friendship with Henry, a boy from the "other side" of the conflict, they embark on a journey of understanding that transcends the barriers erected by their community.

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

Learning Objectives:

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.

Socratic Seminars (or "Fish Bowl" Conversations as I like to call them with my students) are fantastic, higher order ways of assessing whether your students are able to understand and react to your class text. 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, with this resource, the work has been done for you!

This packet includes everything you need to conduct a structured and formal set of Socratic Seminars in your classroom surrounding the novel, Divergent, by Veronica Roth - NO PREPARATION NEEDED!

• Assignment Directions

• 5 Discussion Questions for each “Fish Bowl”

• “Fish Bowl” Preparation Sheet

• Observation Sheets

• Rubric

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Check out these great resources to supplement your unit on Divergent by Veronica Roth:

⭐ Divergent Unit Test

⭐ Divergent "Silent Conversation" Quote Pass Activity

⭐ Divergent Fear Landscape Assignment

⭐ Divergent Faction Personality Quiz

⭐ Divergent Final Project - Long Lost Sixth Faction

⭐ Divergent Symbolism Lesson Plan: Tattoos of Divergent Characters

⭐ Divergent Mock Choosing Ceremony - Lesson Plans and Materials

⭐ Divergent Characters Word Search

⭐ Divergent Faction Acrostic Poem Assignment

⭐ Divergent Worksheet Bundle

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These Academic Language Scripts are perfect in an AVID classroom setting. It is used to build classroom discussion and improve how students respond to each other during discussion. These are used as questions stems to add to discussion during socratic seminar or philosophical chairs.

*Available in two colors brights and primary colors

This Resource is Great For:

✨Socratic Seminar

✨Philosophical Chairs

✨Classroom Discussion

✨Literature Circles

✨Promoting Critical Thinking

✨Building Classroom Community

✨Student Centered Results

How to Use:

*Print cut in half

*Laminate

*Cut out and Hole punch

*Can be used as bookmarks!

Need Help or Have Questions?
If you have any questions or need assistance with this product, feel free to reach out to me at ashlee@msgamification.com. I'm here to help!

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This product is intended solely for the teacher who purchased it. Please refrain from sharing it with other teachers. If multiple teachers wish to use it, each should acquire their own license. Thank you for respecting these terms and supporting educational resources!

Copyright 2017 ©️ Ms Gamification

These book discussion task cards are an easy, low-prep way to engage students in any fiction text (novel, short story, picture book, etc.) they may read while supporting critical listening and speaking skills.

With a wide variety of questions, this set of 32 discussion cards covers many reading comprehension skills including:

• Inferencing & Text Evidence
• Making Connections
• Plot Elements
• Theme
• Tone/Mood
• Author's Purpose
• and many more!

What You Get:

32 task cards that can be printed two ways:

1. single-sided (Question side only)
2. double-sided (With a fun, patterned front cover)

Studying Fahrenheit451 ? Looking to give students some context for the novel ? Then this product is for you! Introduction power point includes:

•About the Author

•About the Book

•Historical Context

•Themes

•Symbols

•Essential Questions

NEW IN 2021: Rigorous! Thought-provoking! Discussion-Based! This 45-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 Dickinson's poems and generate profound interpretive insights!!

Here are some highlights from this 45-page mini-unit on Dickinson's poetry:

• 10 Poems by Emily Dickinson: The 10 poems in this mini-unit feature Emily Dickinson's best works of poetry. The packet includes a representative sampling of riddle poems ("It sifts from Leaden Sieves"), nature poems ("There's a certain Slant of light"), death poems ("Because I could not stop for Death"), feminist poems ("I'm ceded — I've stopped being Theirs"), ars poetica ("I dwell in Possibility"), and more. The 10 poems are split between two Homework Packets, with each packet containing 5 poems. (12 pages)

• Discussion Questions: This bundle features a list of discussion questions for two poems 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. (15 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)

• 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 45-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 all of the materials in 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.

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!

An easy-to-follow, 14-page guide for understanding and writing literature analysis. Includes: Individual/Group activities Writing process approach Definitions Purpose Goal Options Terminologies for students to look up and define Steps for analyzing Critical thinking components Literary Prior Knowledge Handout Worksheet for Analyzing Literature Extra Resources (Video and more...) Interactive approach to understanding how to properly begin, write, and complete literary analysis essays. Be sure to build a class model!

Sometimes the best classroom discussions arise when students say nothing at all!

This product features a thoughtful and engaging activity for use during the study of Harper Lee's ever-enduring tale, To Kill a Mockingbird. Centering around 5 different provocative passages from the book, this lesson provides your students with a chance to think, reflect, and respond to their peers without ever saying a word. This creative approach is a great way to differentiate instruction among your students and allows even your most quiet students to shine. I am confident that this no-prep lesson will become a must-do activity within your unit on To Kill a Mockingbird.

Product Includes:

- 5 "Silent Conversation" worksheets with 5 different quotes from the novel

- Full lesson plan

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Also, check out these great resources to complement your unit on To Kill a Mockingbird by Language Arts Excellence:

To Kill a Mockingbird Anticipation Guide &

Lesson Plan

___________________________________________________________________________

Click to Follow Language Arts Excellence

Fostering avid readers means consistently presenting books to your class. I have witnessed, first-hand, the power of consistent Book Talks with my students. Book Talks have the power to foster continued love in avid readers and reach even the most struggling readers.
Check out my brand new series of no-prep Book Talk Guides for teachers--starting with this Freebie for Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds.

What's Included?

• Teacher Tips and Tricks for successful book talks, including suggested links for book trailers*

• Book Talk Guide, including genre, what kind of students might enjoy each book, and a plot summary

• At least one student book talk response activity

Follow my store and check back as new titles and themed Book Talk bundles will be added in the days and weeks to come!

This flip book goes through all the main characters of the play. It includes graphic organizers for your students to fill out in order to better understand character development. It makes a great study guide and a good way to have your students understand the differences and similarities between the different characters of the novel. Offers differentiated instruction to meet the needs of all your students! Rubric included for easy grading. This is the GOOGLE DRIVE version.

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.

This resource features everything you need in order to conduct a structured and formal set of Socratic Seminars in your classroom for any dystopian short story or novel. It is the PERFECT addition to any dystopia unit for middle or high school students!

Socratic Seminars (or "Fish Bowl" Conversations as they are referred to in this resource) are incredible high-order ways 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, with this resource, the work has been done for you!

Product Includes:

• Assignment Directions with step-by-step instructions on how to conduct fishbowls in your classroom
• Engaging Introductory Activity for Conversation Building
• 6 Editable Discussion Questions that you can tailor to any novel
• “Fishbowl” Preparation Sheet
• Conversation Builder Prompts
• Observation Sheet
• Detailed Rubric

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Also, check out these great products for your unit on DYSTOPIA by Language Arts Excellence:

⭐ Introduction to Dystopia Powerpoint & Crossword Puzzle

⭐ Escape from Dystopia ESCAPE ROOM & PowerPoint

The Handmaid's Tale

⭐ The Handmaid's Tale Activity Bundle

⭐ The Handmaid's Tale Escape Room

⭐ The Handmaid's Tale "Hot Seat!"

⭐ The Handmaid's Tale "Silent Conversation" Quote Pass Activity

⭐ The Handmaid's Tale Anticipation Guide & Lesson Plan

⭐ The Handmaid's Tale Journal Prompts

⭐ The Handmaid's Tale Quote Posters

⭐ The Handmaid's Tale Socratic Seminar Lesson Plan and Materials

The Lottery

⭐The Lottery Activity Bundle

⭐ The Lottery Twitter & Snap Chat

⭐ The Lottery Socratic Seminar Lesson Plan and Materials

⭐ The Lottery "Tossing Lines" Anticipation Guide

Divergent

⭐ Divergent "Silent Conversation" Quote Pass Activity

⭐ Divergent (Roth) Faction Personality Quiz

⭐ Divergent (Roth) Socratic Seminar Lesson Plan and Materials

⭐ Divergent Characters Word Search

⭐ Divergent Faction Acrostic Poem Assignment

⭐ Divergent Final Project - Long Lost Sixth Faction

⭐ Divergent Mock Choosing Ceremony - Lesson Plans and Materials

⭐ Divergent Unit Test

⭐ Divergent Worksheet Bundle

___________________________________________________________________________

⭐ Click to Follow Language Arts Excellence⭐

Are you searching for an engaging way for students to complete a literary analysis reading response activity? Stop your scroll! You'll love this printable reading response activity that combines an open-ended literary reponse with the element of creation and design--resulting in a deeper level of critical thinking and idea synthesis.

Students are invited to design and create the wallpaper for a phone lock screen based off of a text--any fictional text will work--and justify their design in writing.

Skills applied may include:

• critical thinking
• literary analysis
• text evidence
• synthesizing ideas
• thematic ideas
• symbolism
• figurative language
• tone/mood
• character
• plot

Studying _Esperanza Risin_g? Looking to give students some context for the novel ?

Then this product is for you! Introduction power point includes:

•About the Author

•The Mexican Revolution

•The U.S (1920’s)

•Story Overview

•Themes

•Symbols

•Essential Questions

Sometimes the best classroom discussions arise when students say nothing at all!

This product features a thoughtful and engaging activity for use during your study of Shirley Jackson's The Lottery. Centering around 5 provocative passages from the story, this lesson provides your students with a chance to think, reflect, and respond to their peers without ever saying a word. This creative approach is a great way to differentiate instruction among your students and allows even your most quiet students to shine. I am confident that this no-prep lesson will become a must-do activity within your study of The Lottery!

Product Includes:

• 5 "Silent Conversation" worksheets with 5 different quotes from the story
• Lesson plan

___________________________________________________________________

Also, check out these great resources to complement your unit on The Lottery by Language Arts Excellence:

⭐ The Lottery "Tossing Lines" Pre-Reading Activity

⭐ The Lottery ESCAPE ROOM

⭐ The Lottery Social Media Activities

⭐ The Lottery Socratic Seminar Lesson Plan and Materials

⭐ The Lottery Theme Jigsaw Lesson Plan

⭐ The Lottery Digital Escape Room

⭐ The Lottery Literature Guide

___________________________________________________________________

Click to Follow Language Arts Excellence

Fostering avid readers means consistently presenting books to your class. I have witnessed, first-hand, the power of consistent Book Talks with my students. Book Talks have the power to foster continued love in avid readers and reach even the most struggling readers.
Check out my no-prep Book Talk Guides for teachers. And because I am so passionate about the power of Book Talks, my Book Talk Guides will ALWAYS BE FREE!

What's Included?

• Teacher Tips for successful book talks

• Book Talk Guide, including genre, what kind of students might enjoy each book, and a plot summary

• Two student book talk response activities

Follow my store and check back as new titles and themed Book Talk bundles will be added!

This bundle includes a quiz for each Act of Shakespeare's play Much Ado About Nothing. Each quiz has 10 multiple choice questions, 2 short response questions, and an answer key. Easy to give and easy to grade.