$10 - $20 8th Grade Unit Plans (by date, oldest first)

Introducing our NEW Accelertated Rock'n'Rollin'!

Accelerated Rock'n'Rollin' is designed for the beginning drummer in ages 13 and up, and even adults! The book is a combination of levels 1 and 2 which dives straight into reading music on the simplified staff with the abbreviations on circles (notes and moves students through reading drum music on the staff, learning note values, time signatures, and dynamics. In this book, patterns are called solos.

There are also a hand full of composing activities throughout the book. Remember that students should not be rushed through the book, and it is completely okay to keep students working on a certain section or pattern for a few weeks at a time until they’re comfortable.

To make sure they’re playing with accuracy, start off each pattern around 60bpm. You can adjust the tempo from there as they learn the patterns.

The book flows in the following order:

• Introduce the Instruments on a simplified 3-line staff.

• Moves to a traditional 5-line staff.

• Introduce notes as quarter notes on the staff, and changes cymbals to cross notes.

• Introduce Half Notes and Rests, Whole Notes and Rests, and Dotted half notes.

• Introduce Rudiments and Stickings.

  • From Book 2, “ROCK’N’RUDIMENTS” readies students to learn and play simple stickings in 4/4 and 3/4 times using Quarters, Whole, Halfs, and Eighth notes. These rudiments can be used for fills, and can be revisited later on. 

• Introduces beamed 8th notes (2 sounds in 1 beat.)

• Introduces Forte and Piano dynamics. 

Printing instructions are included on the first page, with a print authorization certificate on page 2. The book is pages 3-102 in the document. Duplication is Prohibited. E-mail us at: zsmusiceducation@gmail.com for more information.

This 135-page EDITABLE curriculum has everything you'll need for profoundly stimulating lessons on Gene Luen Yang's American Born Chinese! Invite your class to engage in student-driven discussions without compromising on intellectual rigor. The pre-reading handout, discussion questions, image analysis worksheets, vocabulary lists, and analytical writing assignment will challenge your students to dig beneath the surface of the text and generate profound interpretive insights!!

The graphic novel is an aesthetically innovative genre in which meaning is created through the interplay of image and text. How do we read a novel in which two narrative channels — one verbal, the other visual — interact? And how do graphic novels challenge readers to expand the set of interpretive techniques that make up “close reading”? This unit will help students understand complex questions about literary and aesthetic form, the experience of social exclusion, and the troubling history of racial stereotypes in American popular media.

Here are some highlights from the 135-page curriculum:

• Author Biography: Open this unit by reading and discussing a 3-page biography of Gene Luen Yang. The biography introduces students to Yang's experience growing up as one of the only Asian-American students in predominantly white schools in California. As such, it introduces readers to many of the themes that will emerge in American Born Chinese: the painful experience of social exclusion, the threat of racial stereotypes, the healing power of literature, etc. (3 pages)

• Discussion Question Handouts (x9): Thirty pages of higher-order discussion questions guaranteed to inspire profoundly thoughtful class discussions! This unit features double-sided handouts with 8-10 questions for each of the book's 9 chapters. The discussion questions are the beating heart of these lesson plans. They challenge students to build interpretive arguments that require the support of carefully selected textual evidence — leading to keen interpretive insights! Guaranteed to elicit student engagement and foster profound discussions! (20 pages)

• Discussion Question Answer Keys (x9): The answer keys to the discussion questions are informed by cutting-edge scholarship by literature professors who specialize in the graphic novel and Yang's American Born Chinese. Of course, there is rarely a single "correct" answer for any question; rather, the discussions questions are made up of higher-order questions 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. (40 pages)

• Quick Writes: A "quick write" can be used at any time in a class to get students to pause and reflect on the text in writing. Introduce a quick write before you begin a discussion to allow students to collect their thoughts. Or roll one out toward the end of a discussion to let students capture and refine their best ideas. (9 pages)

• Image Analysis Worksheets (x5): These worksheets challenge students to analyze and compare more than a dozen visually complex panels from American Born Chinese. Students will reflect on how Gene Luen Yang builds meaning by through the use of aesthetic strategies such as visual parallels, verbal puns, inversions, symbolism, etc. Help students figure out what it means to "close read" a graphic novel. Worksheets are provided for chapters 1, 2, 4, 8, and 9. Answer keys included. (18 pages)

• Vocabulary Lists (x9): Lists of 8 vocabulary words for every chapter, complete with definitions and sample sentences with the words as they are used in American Born Chinese. A total of 72 words. (9 pages)

• Reading & Vocabulary Quizzes (x9): Daily quizzes with 6 questions on the reading homework plus another 4 questions on the vocabulary words. If you choose not to have your students study vocabulary, you can still use the portion of the quiz focused on reading comprehension. Grading these quizzes is simple and quick. They’re an easy way to log 9 grades into your gradebook. Answer keys included. (18 pages)

• Analytical Writing Assignment: Challenge students to take their interpretations one step further by writing an analytical paper on Gene Luen Yang's complex graphic novel. Let students choose from one of three thought-provoking sample topics — or invite them to develop a similar topic of their own. Writing schedule, outline template, and rubric included. (7 pages)

This resource packet will come to you in two separate formats: Word docs *and* PDFs. Because the Word docs are 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 all of the materials in PDFs, which are easy to navigate and quick to print!

Finally, because I believe that teachers should be able to see what they're getting before they make a purchase, the preview for this resource provides access to over 30 pages from this 135-page bundle. 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!

NEW IN 2020: Rigorous! Thought-provoking! Discussion-based! This 80-page EDITABLE unit promises to elicit dynamic engagement from all students without compromising on intellectual rigor. Invite your students to engage in student-driven discussions that promise to be profoundly stimulating! The discussion prompts, daily quizzes, short writing prompts, and final paper will challenge your students to dig beneath the surface of the text and generate profound interpretive insights!

Hold your students accountable for completing the nightly homework by beginning every class with a quick vocabulary and reading quiz. Facilitate dynamic discussions that motivate students to become attached to the thrill generating shared knowledge. Challenge students to explicate textual details using a wide range of interpretive lenses: formalist, historicist, psychoanalytic, feminist, etc. Inspire students to arrive at a whole new depth of insight!!

Everything you’ll need to teach the novel is included in this bundle. Here are a few of the highlights:

• Unit & Pacing Guide: Suggestions for how to approach the complex themes and deceptively simple language in Kincaid's Annie John.

• Discussion Questions: Sixteen pages of deeply thought-provoking discussion questions! One 2-page handout containing 6-10 questions for each of 8 chapters. The discussion questions are the beating heart of this curriculum. Every discussion question is grounded in concrete textual details and challenges students to arrive at lucid interpretive insights! The questions could be used to focus students’ thinking prior to beginning a discussion, to foster in-class writing such as stop-and-jots, or to assign written reflections for homework. Guaranteed to elicit student engagement and foster profound discussions!! (16 pages)

• Vocabulary Lists: Lists of 10-12 vocabulary words for every chapter, complete with definitions and sample sentences with the words as used in Annie John. A total of close to 100 words. (8 pages)

• Vocabulary & Reading Quizzes: Quizzes with 10 questions per chapter. Build students’ vocabularies while holding them accountable for the nightly reading homework. Each quiz contains 7 questions on vocabulary words plus another 3 questions on reading comprehension. Grading these quizzes is simple and quick. They’re an easy way to log 8 grades in your gradebook. Answer key included. (16 pages)

• Narrative Writing Assignment: A narrative writing assignment that could be given after students finish reading Chapter 3. This assignment is inspired by the "autobiographical essay" that Annie shares with her classmates. (1 page)

• Analytical Writing Assignment: Challenge students to find connections between quotations excerpted from different parts of Annie John. Then invite students to use those quotations as the basis for building an interpretive argument that is supported by textual evidence. Builds skills in close reading and analytical writing! Student writing sample included. (3 pages)

• Creative Writing Assignment: Invite students to think about the messages they have received about what it means to be a "man" or a "woman." Then, following the example in Kincaid's short story "Girl," have students write a short story about how they have navigated the normative pressures associated with gender. Student writing sample included. (2 pages)

• Short Story Pairings: Read and discuss two short stories that examine how and why young children are socialized into normative gender roles: Kincaid's "Girl" & Bret Anthony Johnston's "Boy." This bundle includes transcriptions of both stories as well as a page of thought-provoking discussion questions on Kincaid's "Girl." (3 pages)

• Poetry Pairing: Wrap things up with the poem that Jamaica Kincaid says "taught me how to write." This poem by Elizabeth Bishop engages with many of the same coming-of-age themes explored in Kincaid's Annie John. The poetry pairing includes discussion questions, answer keys, and a quiz on poetic devices. (10 pages)

My store is called “Rigorous Resources” because all of the materials prioritize rigorous content over decorative graphics. Yes, these lessons are filled with dozens of captivating images — maps and photographs of Antigua, paintings of historical events alluded to in the novel, portraits of the author — that shed light on various scenes from Kincaid's novel. But what really distinguishes this curriculum is how the discussion starters, close-reading exercises, and writing prompts are all designed to help student arrive at an abundance of interpretive insights!! . .

These materials will come to you in a single 80-page EDITABLE Word document. Feel free to modify the lessons to suit your teaching style and/or the needs of particular students. The previews for my resources provide direct access to over a dozen pages of actual materials. Click on the green “preview” button to see 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!

These student workbooks feature everything you'll need to deliver profoundly engaging lessons on William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. These workbooks, with their colorful design and rigorous content, are guaranteed to have your students falling in love with Shakespeare's tragic tale of star-crossed lovers!

Every page of these teacher-friendly workbooks is fully editable. So you'll be able to customize the materials to match the skill levels of your students — year after year. Recover weeks of prep time while amplifying student engagement with these rigorous and colorful literature workbooks!

Best of all, every page of this workbook comes with a detailed and insightful answer key! The answer keys are brimming with interpretative expertise from leading Shakespeare scholars who teach at universities like Harvard and Cambridge. You'll have every student reading like a professor!

Here's what you'll find in this editable 100+ page teaching resource:

• Pacing Guide: The pacing guide features brief summaries of every scene in the play. It also provides suggestions about which scenes to assign for homework so that students' nightly workload will be manageable while every class session will be maximally productive. The pacing guide also includes a sample homework posting which teachers can copy and paste into their school's learning management system. (3 pages)

• STUDENT WORKBOOKS on Romeo and Juliet: The 50-page workbook features highly engaging worksheets on every scene in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Each worksheet is divided into sections which invite students to engage with the text in a variety of different ways:

• The Passage Analysis section invite students to analyze one or two key passages from each scene.
• The Evidence Hunt challenges students to answer an interpretive question by finding the best textual evidence to support their answer.
• The Comparing Quotations section invites students to make connections between quotations from different scenes in the play.
• The Discussion Question section features three higher-order questions designed to foster lively discussions and interpretive debates among students.
• The Quick Writes challenge students to compose short arguments that require the support of carefully selected textual evidence — leading to keen interpretive insights!

The workbook is guaranteed to foster skills in close reading, thoughtful analysis, and lively discussion. It will have your students feeling genuinely excited to study Shakespeare every day! (50 pages)

• WORKBOOK ANSWER KEY: The 50-page answer key to the workbook provides detailed answers to the passage analysis, evidence hunt, and comparing quotations sections. The answer key is informed by the best books and articles written by leading Shakespeare scholars: Marjorie Garber (Harvard), Stephen Greenblatt (Harvard), Emma Smith (Oxford), Coppélia Kahn (Brown), Catherine Belsey (Cambridge), Susan Snyder (Swarthmore), David Bevington (Chicago), Dympna Callaghan (Syracuse), and many others. (50 pages)

These workbooks and answer keys will come to you in two separate formats: Word Docs *and* PDFs. Because the Word docs are fully editable, you'll be able to customize them to match the skill levels of your students — year after year! If you don't have Microsoft Word, you'll still be able to access PDF versions — which are easy to navigate and quick to print.

Rigorous Resources is your one-stop shop for top-quality resources on William Shakespeare. Wishing you an amazing experience with teaching Romeo and Juliet. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to get in touch. I love hearing from fellow teachers who share a passion for great literature! 

Happy teaching!

Adam Jernigan, Ph.D.

adamjernigan@gmail.com

P.S. Remember to “follow” my store to receive email updates on new products by Rigorous Resources. New products will be 50% OFF for the first 24 hours!

Feel free to check out these complete units on Shakespeare's masterpieces:

COMPLETE UNIT with Workbooks on Romeo and Juliet

COMPLETE UNIT with Workbooks on Julius Caesar

COMPLETE UNIT with Workbooks on Macbeth

COMPLETE UNIT with Workbooks on Othello

COMPLETE UNIT with Workbooks on Hamlet

COMPLETE UNIT with Workbooks on Much Ado About Nothing

INTRO TO SHAKESPEARE: Biography, Globe Theater, Language, & Meter

This bundle includes an imagery unit plan, a question trail, an analysis of "Never Shall I Forget" from chapter 3, an analysis of "Juliek's Violin" by Cyrus Cassells (to use with chapter 6), and a Socratic Seminar for Elie Wiesel's Night. Please check out each product individually. Thank you!

Please help my little business grow!

Did you know that you can receive $ credit towards future TeachShare purchases by reviewing this product? Please leave a review at the product page or through "My Purchases" under "My Account" at TpT. Thank you!

Nutcracker Literature Bundle: ($18 value)

Combines The Nutcracker and the Mouse King Picture Book Study and the Nutcracked Novel Study and Vocabulary Unit.

Nutcracker and the Mouse King Picture Book Study ($5 Value)

This study works excellent as an introduction to studying the Nutcracker Ballet.

Using the picture book The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, the original Story by ETA Hoffman, illustrated by Gail de Marcken, and the Story adapted by Wren Mayse. The materials aim to enhance the readers understanding and interpretation of the Story.

What is Included: 23 Pages Total

· Goal and Instructional Pages for Teacher

· Lesson Plans for 10-days of lessons

· Pre-Reading Notes Page (1 page)

· Discussion Questions (9 pages)

· Story Outline (Plot Outline) (2 pages)

· Battle Plan Outline (2 pages)

· Answer Keys (4 pages)

Nutcracked Novel Study and Vocabulary ($8 Value)

Novel Study: These materials for Susan Adrian's novel Nutcracked aim to enhance readers' understanding and interpretation of the Story.

What is Included: 40 Pages

· Goal and Instructional Pages for Teacher

· Lesson Plans for 15-days of lessons- Incorporate vocabulary work in

· Discussion Questions (11 pages)

· Reality vs. Fantasy-Journal (1 page)

· Reality vs. Fantasy-Teaching Worksheet Activity (1 page)

· Reality vs. Fantasy-2 Worksheets (1 page each)

· Georgie's Problems (Conflict Worksheet) (1 page)

· Plot Diagram (1 page)

· Final Test (2 Options) (2 pages each)

· Answer Keys (8 pages)

Vocabulary: -In general, the goal for finding vocabulary words within a novel is to have students encounter words they may not have seen or heard before and then understand their meaning in the text and their everyday lives.

What is Included: 31 Pages

· Goals and Instructional Pages for Teacher

· Master Word Lists (3 pages)

· Student Dictionary (11 pages)

· Crossword Puzzles (3 pages)

· Word Search (1 page)

· Vocabulary in Context Worksheet (2 pages)

· Final Test (1 page)

· Answer Keys (6 pages)

This Bundle also includes a Bundle Guide: 8 Pages ($3 value)

· Goals and Instructions for the Bundle

· Brief Bundle Overview

· Full Bundle Lesson Plans (helps combine the two units into one)

Look to pair this Bundle with other Nutcracker Christmas School Activities. A complete 20-Day Christmas School Unit is available as a bundle through my website or TeachShare storefront.

This is a bundle of my top-selling literature packet and quizzes for the novel, Monster, by Walter Dean Myers. The comprehensive literature guide was created to correspond with the three quizzes to form a cohesive unit for your study of this great novel!

Product Includes:

Literature Guide: This 35-page product features a complete literature guide for use while reading the novel.. Monster is such a fun book to teach students about the American justice system while bringing up many moral issues and thoughtful points for discussion. This packet provides an excellent basis for comprehension and vocabulary acquisition for Monster and encourages students to play along with the jury as they read. I am confident that it will increase your students' understanding of this spectacular novel dramatically.

This student packet includes:

• Student cover page
• Thoughtful anticipation guide
• 30 "Legal Lingo" vocabulary terms
• 70 Comprehension questions
• 4 Pages of juror's notes
• Full answer key

Quizzes: This product features 3 comprehensive quizzes for the novel.

Quizzes cover:

• Character Identifications (matching)
• Comprehension Questions (multiple choice)
• Vocabulary (fill-in-the-blank)

Full answer keys are also included.

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Though it is recommended to purchase materials together, you can also purchase them separately:

Monster Literature Guide & Monster Quizzes for Entire Novel

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Also, check out these great products to supplement your Monster unit by Language Arts Excellence:

⭐ Monster (Myers) Activity BUNDLE

⭐ Monster (Myers) Anticipation Guide & Lesson Plan

⭐ Monster (Myers) Socratic Seminar Lesson & Materials

⭐ Monster (Myers) vs. Murder on a Sunday Morning Compare Contrast Project

⭐ Monster (Myers) ESCAPE ROOM

_________________________________________________________________________________

Click to Follow Language Arts Excellence

Narrative Writing made simple! This Narrative Writing Unit provides all of the lessons, graphic organizers, and activities needed to guide students through the entire writing process. Ideal for upper elementary and middles school classrooms, this resource provides a structured approach to crafting engaging narratives, ensuring that students develop their writing skills effectively.

Resource Overview:

Identifying Narrative Elements:

• Mentor Texts for analyzing key narrative elements.
• Guided activities to explore characters, setting, and conflict.

Brainstorming:

• Prompts and exercises to inspire creativity and originality.
• Strategies for drawing from observations and unique perspectives

Planning Graphic Organizers:

• Graphic organizers for planning characters, setting, and conflict.
• Plot graphic organizers to outline the sequence of events.
• Anchor charts and diagrams to help visualize plot structure.
• Detailed resources for planning plot with clear beginnings, middles, and ends.

Drafting:

• Mini-lessons on Transitions, Dialogue, and Imagery to enrich writing.
• Activities to practice and incorporate these elements into drafts.

Revising and Editing:

• Self and peer revision checklists to guide the improvement process.
• Editing checklists for polishing grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

Publishing:

• Finalization steps for preparing narratives for publication and presentation.
• A rubric for assessing narrative quality and completeness.

Additional Features:

• Flexible pacing guidelines to fit into your writing block.
• Opportunities for differentiation based on student needs.
• Engaging materials and activities to enhance students' narrative writing skills.

This unit plan provides a detailed roadmap for teaching narrative writing, making it easier to help students produce well-structured and compelling stories.

Whether you have experience teaching music or not, this unit is for you. Have a small budget or no budget for teaching music? I have included ways to make music with your students for very little money. I have used this unit for 5 years teaching music and every year the students love it. This unit will give you a semester (or half a year) worth of material to use with approximately 2 periods of music per week.

What is bucket drumming?

Bucket drumming is a relatively inexpensive way to bring rhythmic practices into the classroom. This unit is designed to be accessible for all teachers to use, regardless of musical training. The use of familiar words helps both teachers and students learn simple rhythms together. The rhythms increase in difficulty and there are options for easy, medium, and hard rhythms. This allows for easy modifications and accommodations ensuring that students of all abilities are successful in this unit. I have taught variations of this unit with grade 6-8 students for over 5 years with success, and these lessons can be modified for other grade levels.

In my experience, students love bucket drumming and enjoy the lessons in this unit. One activity that you can use when you have a few extra minutes is the Elimination Game, and students LOVE it! It can be used as a great warm-up game and to reinforce the skills taught in this unit.

This unit includes games, lessons, and activities to help strengthen ear training, encourage active listening, develop rhythmic abilities, develop composition skills, explore creativity, and most importantly, to have fun! I have also included some helpful information to get bucket drumming started in your classroom. Included in this unit are lessons, games. activities, and rubrics where needed. There are a solid 21 – 31 periods worth of work included in this unit (possibly more).

Included below are the overall lesson plans and activities included in this unit. Most “lessons” can be used for multiple periods and the approximate number of periods is included in brackets beside the activity. I have based these periods on approximately 45 minutes each. These lessons include opportunities to read music, compose, and perform.

Introduction to Bucket Drumming (1 - 2 periods)

Elimination Game (1 period)

Elements of Music (2 – 3 periods)

Rhythm Cards (2 – 3 period)

8 Bar Rhythm Challenges (4 – 6 periods)

Let’s Compose! (5 – 6 periods)

Stomp Composition (6 – 10 periods)

If you have any questions, please let me know! Happy Bucket Drumming!

TIPS:

1. Be sure to leave feedback to earn your TeachShare credits!

2. If you like what you see - follow me for new products and updates (click the star by my store name MsNerdWood).

La Comida Unidad Completa:

Includes 3 sections of vocabulary, quizzes, interactive activities, 3 worksheets, and enhanced visuals.

☀️Teach Food items like never before!☀️

✏️Creative

✏️Easy-to-use

✏️Engaging

✏️Authentic

✏️SUB-FRIENDLY

⭐NO PREP NEEDED

Have students practice LOS ALIMENTOS like never Before.

Includes a Prepositions section in order to engage in Interactive Lessons.

I believe in Game Based Learning and Project Based Learning in the classroom. This bundle is part of my GBL Program.

En Español ☀️☀️

Unleash your students' inner artist!

• Leave FEEDBACK so you will earn TeachShare credits, which may be applied to your future purchases.

LA COMIDA HUGE BUNDLE

You won't need anything else to teach about La Comida.

• Bingo Cards
• Interactive Games
• Worksheets
• Visuals Aids
• Enhanced Visuals
• Differentiation
• and so much more!

This product focuses on the following areas:

This mental health curriculum includes suggested activities and tips to support mental health education and instruction for students in 5th through 8th Grade. Depending on students ability levels, this product could be used in 4th and 9th grade as well.

What's in this product:

Mental Health Promoting Self Care and Strength Notes - This product includes a 2 page teacher guide with tips and tricks when teaching self-management - promoting self-care for mental health and overall well being, an activity that relates with self-management, and a 12 page teacher guide with tips and tricks when teaching resiliency - students will learn from adversity and become a stronger, wiser person. Students will learn about overcoming problems that have helped them to become stronger, sometimes when we have problems we get pushed down and there are different choices we can make. Those choices are reviewed in this product. Students will discuss the importance of learning life lessons, positive feedback, poor habits, and good habits. They will learn the importance of being open-minded and how being open-minded leads to change, growth, and new possibilities. Students are also presented with different words that will help them to remember to have an open mind. Students will learn how to express positive feelings about themselves to help build self-esteem, strengthen their own identity, appreciate positive traits about their peers, and practice appropriate use of social media and mobile technology tools. Students will be presented with a real-life situation about how one woman defined herself and found happiness, they will discuss this individuals feels, how positive traits inspired her, and how she built up her self esteem. Students will discuss positive and neutral character traits, they will identify unique character traits about themselves and discuss them further and how these positive traits promote their overall well being.

Understanding Emotions - In this product, students will discuss what to ask for help for oneself and others. Students will identify and express a variety of feelings, common emotions that students feel, compare their emotions to a roller coaster ride and why that may happen, examples of emotional highs and emotional lows, when we feel emotional highs and lows, we may feel more pressure, and as students grow and develop – they need to deal with pressure. When students feel pressured, they can read the list of healthful ways to handle pressure, the list of feelings that it is okay to feel, what it is never okay to do, feelings and their definitions are included: embarrassment, depression, awkwardness, isolation, confusion, disappointment, hopefulness, optimism, happiness, and excitement. The importance of controlling emotions, suggestions for handling emotions are provided, mood swings, feeling pressure, and irritability are discussed. Students will be presented with different situations where they are required to identify the feeling, helpful ways to deal with the feeling, and harmful ways to deal with the feeling. Transition from elementary to middle school and adolescence are discussed and reviewed. Better techniques that can be used to form healthful relations are taught. Gossiping and annoying behaviors are reviewed and why they are frowned upon is included in this product. Students will also identify emotions, have students describe their own feelings and act out emotions. 10 emotion scenarios are provided for students to identify how students would feel if they were in that situation, students will track their emotions in a 7 day journal that is provided in this packet, coping skills are discussed and how they help us handle emotions in productive and positive ways, so our actions match our behavior, a list of poor coping skills is included along with healthy coping skills. Comprehension questions are asked throughout this product for students. They can be answered individually or as a group and can also be used as a group discussion. A teacher’s guide along with tips and activities is included with this product.

Social Communication Skills Adapted Notes and Review - In this product, students will begin to understand what words mean to others, get students to learn to actively listen to someone telling them information or telling them to complete a task, get students to verbalize more clearly, and get students to effectively communicate. Students will work with a partner by following their partners directions, and after the activity, students will evaluate the easiest part of the activity, hardest part of the activity, and answering the question why communication is important when verbalizing or interacting with others, students will read communication starters using facial expression, intonation, and tone of voice, the importance of using facial expression, intonation, and tone of voice are discussed in depth when having a conversation with others, Examples of different tones of voice are included in this product. Students will practice saying an expression a few different ways so they can understand how tone of voice is important, when we are frustrated or annoyed about something our tone of voice changes as does our intonation and facial expression, therefore, alternative strategies students can implement in their day to day routine are provided for when they feel frustrated, and when talking to others, students will learn that by listening to their conversation partner that they will understand how they are feeling based on their facial expressions, intonation, and tone of voice.

Emotional Awareness - In this product, students will identify how powerful positive and negative words are and for students to build empathy. Students will talk about words and actions that can hurt someone's heart/feelings. Students will learn the power of words and how they impact others, students will discuss the meanings of words: bullying, cattiness, discrimination, gossiping, self-esteem, and teasing, a list of hurtful words and actions, and helpful words and actions are provided, and students will be required to add onto all of these lists, students will talk about the effects of hurtful words on the heart, when students are frustrated what they can do to feel better, and how to better handle situations in the future when someone uses a hurtful word or you go to use a hurtful word.

Forgiveness Activities - In this product, students will learn what forgiveness is, to understand what forgiveness looks like, to discuss what forgiveness means, discuss the benefits of forgiveness, and to strategize how to practice forgiveness. Students will talk about what forgiveness means and how forgiveness means letting go of anger or resentment, Elizabeth Eckford and Tariq Khamisa are discussed in this product and what happened to them, how forgiveness was important in their situations, how forgiveness is important in these situations. Comprehension questions are asked that relate with Elizabeth and Tariq's situations and how students would handle forgiveness in these situations. Students will learn when they may want to forgive someone, when you may want someone to forgive you, and who you are hurting if you don't forgive someone. Students will learn that forgiveness requires compassion, empathy, and courage, it takes time and that is okay. Students will learn what to say to someone when they forgive them, how to show someone that you forgive them, and how you can ask forgiveness.

Gratitude Activity – Students will complete a gratitude scavenger hunt, where will they look for things in their environment that they are grateful for and students will answer questions about what they are grateful for such as something that they are thankful for that shows a vibrant color, something that makes them feel strong, something that they recently learned/discovered, etc.

Feelings and Mental Health Activities and Tips - In this product, students will learn to ask for help for self and others, students will use their imagination and visualization to release bad feelings, recognize when a situation needs help, students will identify the adults in school to ask for help from, identify the adults out of school to ask for help from, understand what trusting a person means, students will learn how we are all connected, learn what it means to work as a team, learn about different forms of communication, and practice different forms of communication. Students will talk about stuck feelings and how they get stuck, because you don't know that they are there, or you don't know how to let them go, a story about stuck feelings will be presented to students, and they will be required to answer questions about how they would best solve the problem if they were in the characters shoes, students will talk about pulling out their feelings, sending them away, and letting them go, students will focus on one uncomfortable feeling and will discuss where they can send it to let it go, so it doesn't return, students will talk about what they can do when they feel an unpleasant feeling, they will work on a feelings survival kit that will help them handle a situation in the future where they feel unpleasant feelings, students will discuss the definition of trust and who they can trust to help them when they are feeling unpleasant feelings, they will complete activities such as a buddy walk, trust fall, and trust drawing to help build trust, and students will complete a human knot and will work together with their peers to get out of the knot. Upon completing the human knot, students will complete the journal questions that are included in this product. Students will talk about the importance of communication and how we effectively communicate with others both verbally and nonverbally. Students will play the games telephone, charades, and hello with partners/groups and will reflect on their communication skills in the journal included in this product.

You may like these products as well:

Mental Health Curriculum 5th – 8th Grade Bundle

https://www.TeachShare.com/Product/Mental-Health-Curriculum-5th-8th-Grade-9777027

Individual Products:

Mental Health Promoting Self Care and Strength Adapted Notes

https://www.TeachShare.com/Product/Mental-Health-Promoting-Self-Care-and-Strength-Notes-and-Activities-9662166

Understanding Emotions Activities:

https://www.TeachShare.com/Product/Understanding-Emotions-Activities-9684291

Social Communication Skills Notes and Review:

https://www.TeachShare.com/Product/Social-Communication-Skills-Notes-and-Review-9700711

Emotional Awareness:

https://www.TeachShare.com/Product/Emotional-Awareness-9711191

Forgiveness Activities:

https://www.TeachShare.com/Product/Forgiveness-Activities-9753807

Gratitude Activities:

https://www.TeachShare.com/Product/Gratitude-Activities-9753926

Feelings and Mental Health Activities and Tips:

https://www.TeachShare.com/Product/Feelings-and-Mental-Health-Activities-and-Tips-9766418

This product focuses on the following areas:

This mental health curriculum includes suggested activities and tips to support mental health education and instruction for students in 8th through 12th Grade. Depending on students ability levels, this product could be used in 6th and 7th grade as well.

What's in this product:

Positive Self Talk - This product includes a brief teacher guide that discusses the importance of promoting self-care for mental health and overall well-being, suggestions are provided for short mindfulness exercises for teenagers, emotional responses to various situations that may arise - both positive self-talk and negative self-talk, the importance of being unable to change the situation, but changing the way we think about something and how we feel and act, students will take time to reflect on a time they felt upset about something and what happened when they used both negative and positive-self talk, the importance of our mental health, mood, and motivation are shared, examining unhealthy thinking styles, and recognizing negative-self talk in given situations that relate with jumping to conclusions, personalization, catastrophizing, shoulding, overgeneralization, labelling, emotional reasoning, magnification and minimization (the definition of each is provided along with examples). Students will then write down ways that they would challenge and change their negative self-talk in order for it to become positive self-talk to help improve mental health, mood, and motivation.
Resiliency Activities - This product emphasizes resiliency and how it is important for students to learn from adversity and become a stronger, wiser person and recover quickly from challenges, 7 activities that can be carried out with small groups or the entire class are included in this product - these 7 activities include a teacher's guide, tips, and templates (as required are included) to go along with the teacher's guide are also included in this product. Feelings are also discussed in this product. a feelings journal template is included in this product that allows students to document how they are feeling regarding each prompt that is asked each day. A blank template is also included in this packet if you want students to complete a free-write journal entry each day.

Communication Styles Adapted Notes and Review - This product provides students with skills to support effective communication skills, explore the importance of both verbal and nonverbal communication skills, identify the principles of effective communication, and learn the difference between the 4 communication styles - passive, passive aggressive, aggressive, and assertive. Students will answer short answer comprehension questions that compare the 4 communication styles. Students will learn about passive, passive aggressive, aggressive, and assertive communication, what each communicate style entails, how they differ from each other, what passive, passive aggressive, aggressive, and assertive communicators will do (body language, facial expression, etc.), the impact of each communication style in individuals is reviewed, what each communicator may believe and say to others, and tips on how to communicate with individuals who use the 4 kinds of communication styles to communicate.

Emotional Awareness - In this product, students will identify how powerful positive and negative words are and for students to build empathy. Students will talk about words and actions that can hurt someone's heart/feelings. Students will learn the power of words and how they impact others, students will discuss the meanings of words: bullying, cattiness, discrimination, gossiping, self-esteem, and teasing, a list of hurtful words and actions, and helpful words and actions are provided, and students will be required to add onto all of these lists, students will talk about the effects of hurtful words on the heart, when students are frustrated what they can do to feel better, and how to better handle situations in the future when someone uses a hurtful word or you go to use a hurtful word.

Mental Health Stigma Activities - This product provides students with information regarding stigma. Students will answer questions regarding technology and social media and how they can affect our ability to show compassion to others, why people forget to take care of themselves and show compassion for themselves, how to stop negative thoughts from happening. Students will review the meaning for stigma, stereotype, prejudice, and discrimination. Students will also review what negative things they have heard about people with mental illness, along with positive things. Talking about how others are different and that's what makes them unique, and how others are stigmatized based on how they look, act, etc. Examples of possible stigmas are presented. The meaning of self-stigma and what examples of self-stigma are presented. Students will also review health conditions or social differences that were stigmatized throughout history, and ways to reduce stigma to eliminate negative feelings.

Throughout this product, students will answer comprehension questions and will also be presented with social scenarios that they may encounter where they are asked how they would feel or what they would do. An attitude survey regarding mental health that contains 10 questions is also included in this product. Students will compare their results when they are finished and will go over the correct answers.

Gratitude Activity – Students will complete a gratitude scavenger hunt, where will they look for things in their environment that they are grateful for and students will answer questions about what they are grateful for such as something that they are thankful for that shows a vibrant color, something that makes them feel strong, something that they recently learned/discovered, etc. students will write about experiences in for which they feel gratitude and expand upon that experience.

Stress Response Adapted Notes - This product provides students with information regarding stress. Students will complete a stress test and reflect on what may cause them stress. Fight/flight/freeze response is also reviewed in this product and how it relates with stress. Once students have taken the stress test, they will analyze their results. Students will work in groups and complete the packet regarding the effects of stress. Students will answer questions such as how they felt when they were feeling stressed, etc. Students will review the effects of stress charts provided that include what happens when the body is in fight or flight compared to when it is relaxed. Students will also learn about the emotional, physical, and mental effects of stress and see how they differ from one another. Students will learn what stress and stressors are when they discuss coping with stress. Healthy and unhealthy strategies to cope with stress are included in this product. Students will take time to reflect on a time when they were stressed or if they were stressed and answer questions regarding making healthy or unhealthy choices to cope with stress.

Throughout this product, students will answer comprehension questions and will also be presented with social scenarios that they may encounter where they are asked how they would feel or what they would do. An attitude survey regarding mental health that contains 10 questions is also included in this product. Students will compare their results when they are finished and will go over the correct answers.

If you aren’t interested in this bundle, you may be interested in each product that is included in this bundle:

Positive Self Talk:

https://www.TeachShare.com/Product/Positive-Self-Talk-Activities-and-Tips-9822221

Resiliency Activities:

https://www.TeachShare.com/Product/Resiliency-Activities--9826305

Communication Styles Adapted Notes and Review:

https://www.TeachShare.com/Product/Communication-Styles-Adapted-Notes-and-Review-9837662#show-price-update

Mental Health Stigma Activities:

https://www.TeachShare.com/Product/Mental-Health-Stigma-Activities-9844604

Gratitude Activities:

https://www.TeachShare.com/Product/Gratitude-Activities-9753926

Stress Response Adapted Notes:
https://www.TeachShare.com/Product/Stress-Response-Adapted-Notes-and-Activities-9848108

If you like this product, please leave a positive review. :)

Engage your middle and high school students with this 21-Day Multimedia Thematic Unit focused on Social Media and Mental Health! Designed for Grades 7 and up, this comprehensive unit weaves together ELA, social studies, and digital literacy through interactive lessons, activities, and assessments that explore the influence of social media on identity, mental health, and society.

This unit features a variety of multimedia resources, including TED Talks, informational articles, political cartoons, and the documentary The Social Dilemma. Students will develop critical thinking skills as they engage with different forms of media, reflect on their personal social media habits, and create meaningful projects like a political cartoon capstone.

What’s Included:

• Daily Lesson Plans for 21 days of engaging, standards-aligned instruction
• A range of activities including debates, Socratic seminars, and reflective writing
• Viewing guides and discussion prompts for multimedia content
• Informational text analysis with evidence-gathering strategies
• Step-by-step directions for creating a capstone political cartoon on social media’s impact
• Assessment rubrics and graphic organizers to support student learning

Aligned Standards:
This interdisciplinary unit is aligned with Common Core ELA Standards (including reading, writing, speaking, and listening), as well as ISTE Digital Literacy Standards. Perfect for cross-curricular learning, it encourages students to develop literacy skills, media analysis, and digital responsibility.

Why You'll Love This Unit:

• Interactive and Student-Centered: Students engage with real-world issues like social media usage, body image, and mental health in meaningful ways.
• Multimedia Integration: Incorporates TED Talks, articles, documentaries, and more to create a rich, dynamic learning experience.
• Project-Based Learning: Culminates with a creative capstone project where students design their own political cartoons, showcasing their understanding of the unit’s themes.
• Critical Thinking and Reflection: Encourages self-awareness as students reflect on their own social media habits and the impact on their mental health.

Who It’s For:

• Middle and high school teachers (Grades 7-12) looking for an engaging, interdisciplinary unit that addresses current issues.
• Educators seeking a Common Core-aligned and ISTE-aligned unit that integrates social media, mental health, and literacy skills.

Perfect for:

• ELA, social studies, and digital literacy classrooms
• Teachers looking for 21st-century skill-building units
• Classrooms wanting to address the impacts of social media on student well-being

This 21-Day Multimedia Unit will help students understand the impact of social media on their lives while improving essential academic skills. Get ready for insightful discussions, creative projects, and meaningful reflections that resonate with your students’ real-world experiences. Download now and bring relevant, standards-aligned learning to your classroom!

This BUNDLE includes 94 unique Self Portrait Lessons/Units: Ghostly Self Portraits, Cool Shades Self Portraits, and Picasso Self Portraits. Get students motivated and engaged in semi-difficult tasks with these eye-popping pages.

Please remember that using any of my original artworks for future commercial use is prohibited.

This is not a clipart product. This product cannot be used in any way for your own freebies or products.

This product is for personal use only and cannot be copied, redistributed or reposted by others.

If you enjoy these Self Portrait Lessons/Units, please check out my TeachShare store for more similar items.

I also have a unit for sale on Conscious Discipline, and another unit for sale on UDL & SEL.

This BUNDLE includes 180+ unique BUNDLE it! - Perspective Art Lessons/Units pages: Underwater Perspective Walkway, 2-Point Perspective City Scene, Bird's Eye View City Scene & 3-D Forms. Get students motivated and engaged in semi-difficult tasks with these eye-popping pages.

Please remember that using any of my original artworks for future commercial use is prohibited.

This is not a clipart product. This product cannot be used in any way for your own freebies or products.

This product is for personal use only and cannot be copied, redistributed or reposted by others.

If you enjoy these Perspective Art Lessons/Units, please check out my TeachShare store for more similar items.

I also have a unit for sale on Conscious Discipline, and another unit for sale on UDL & SEL.