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First-Day Lesson Plan for American Literature: Poems about "America"
By Rigorous Resources for High School English
This lesson was designed to be used on the first day of a year-long 11th-grade American Literature course. The lesson includes a poetry packet with 7 poems by diverse American authors. Each of the poems raises important questions about what "America" represents. A land of freedom and equality? A refuge for immigrants? A diverse and inclusive nation? Or a land with entrenched inequality? A saber-rattling evil empire?
Here is a list of the poems:
1. Ada Limón, "A New National Anthem" (2018) — our new Poet Laureate!
2. Emma Lazarus, "The New Colossus" (1883)
3. Walt Whitman, "I Hear America Singing" (1860)
4. Langston Hughes, "I, Too" (1923) — responding directly to Whitman!
5. Claude McKay, "America" (1921)
6. James Lasdun, "The Question" (2012) — is America "good or bad"?
7. Tony Hoagland, "America" (2003)
This resource also comes with a classwork packet that features discussion questions on the poems by Ada Limôn, Emma Lazarus, and Langston Hughes. The discussion questions come on three handouts, each of which contains 7 questions about a particular poem. Each handout also has a quick write where students can answer one of the questions in writing.
How might the concept of "America" represent a set of ideals and promises? Has this nation lived up to its ideals and promises? How might the idea of America be different from the reality?
Thank you for choosing Rigorous Resources!
Happy teaching!
Adam Jernigan, Ph.D.
P.S. Don't forget to click “follow” for email updates on new products by Rigorous Resources. New products will be 50% OFF for the first 24 hours!
Rigorous Resources is your one-stop shop for resources on American literature. Every unit was designed by a Ph.D. with a research specialization in American literature. Feel free to check out these complete units on canonical texts by diverse American authors:
Complete Unit on Tommy Orange's There There
Complete Unit on Arthur Miller's The Crucible
Complete Unit on Frederick Douglass's Narrative
Complete Unit on F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby
Complete Unit on Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God
Complete Unit on Nella Larsen's Passing
Complete Unit on J. D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye
Complete Unit on Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun
Complete Unit on Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye
Complete Unit on Gene Luen Yang's American Born Chinese
Literary Analysis Writing Checklist
By Beth Hammett
Free checklist of parts of an introductory literary analysis for AP, Pre-AP, G/T, college level writers. Students are asked to locate: Hook--different kinds list Author's name Title of text Summary Area of literary analysis list Thesis, and write down your thesis Makes writing an introduction for a literary analysis easier to understand. Great for ELA test prep! Meets CCSS.
Congratulations Certificate for Phlebotomy and CCMA students!
By Melissa W
Celebrate your students' achievements with this beautifully designed congratulations certificate, which is perfect for those completing their certified clinical medical assistant (CCMA) and phlebotomy programs (CPT).
Ultimate Guide to Mitosis (graphic organizer, handout, study guide)
By Stephanie O.
Lay out clearly and concisely what you want your students to know about each phase of mitosis, using this handy chart.
This table maps out the exact breakdown I use with my tutoring students if they've been overwhelmed or stumped by their biology teacher's explanation.
What's included:
+ key events in prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase
+ vocabulary definitions
+ color-coding mnemonics to aid understanding (prophase and telophase mirror each other!)
+ BONUS: cytokinesis (and how it differs in animal cells vs plant cells)
Example uses:
+ add it to the end of your lecture notes as a recap
+ hand it out as a supplement to practice questions on identifying what stage of mitosis a cell is in based on a microscopy image or a sketch
+ provide it as a summary study guide for a unit test on mitosis
Suited for intro high school biology, AP Biology, IB Biology SL/HL, intro college biology, and MCAT.
Appreciate this reference sheet? Rate it 5 stars so that other teachers know it's worth their while! You can also toss me a tip here—thank you!
Looking for other science resources? Check these out!
+ Ultimate Guide to Naming Ionic and Molecular Compounds (including acids)
+ Ultimate Guide to the Polyatomic Ions
+ Ultimate Guide to the Solubility Rules
✅ Don't forget to follow me to be notified when new resources are added!
AVID Mandala Coloring Pages with Inspirational Quotes for SEL
By Teach Savvy Store
Looking for a fun and creative way to help your students develop their Social Emotional Learning skills while promoting mindfulness? Look no further than our AVID Teacher's Mandala Coloring pages!
This downloadable PDF includes 8 unique mandalas, each featuring an inspirational quote to help motivate and inspire your students. Perfect for use in the classroom or at home, these mandalas provide a calming and reflective activity for students to color and share or use as inspiration to create their own mandalas with quotes.
By incorporating mindfulness into your curriculum, you'll be helping your students to reduce stress, improve focus, and promote overall well-being.
*Save 30% with the AVID bundle!
*These resources are available for Outschool teachers to purchase without the need for extra licenses.
Check out other AVID resources HERE!
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein: Thematic Introduction (Pre-Reading Handout)
By Rigorous Resources for High School English
This four-page handout introduces students to the themes which are most prominent in Mary Shelley's literary masterpiece, Frankenstein (1818). By having your students read and discuss this thematic introduction together, you will have them captivated by the complex questions invoked by Frankenstein before they open the novel's cover.
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein asks a series of profound questions about human nature. Are human beings inherently benevolent or malevolent? Are humans better off when they live alone in isolation or when they live together in society? Can the development of modern technology have the effect of transforming human nature?
This handout is part of a larger bundle of Frankenstein resources which includes discussion questions, short writing prompts, vocabulary lists, daily quizzes, and an analytical writing assignment. To view my comprehensive bundle of Frankenstein resources, visit the following link:
Thank you for choosing "Rigorous Resources"!
Happy teaching,
Adam Jernigan
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!
Mastery Meter (Student Success Skills)
By Beth Hammett
Move your mastery meter from "empty" to "full" as you use the chart to find expert peer tutors in your class. By the end of the semester, students' skills will improve through the use of peer tutoring. Easy to follow directions with lined chart.
Back to School Freebie | Meet the Teacher Gift Tags | Retro & Preppy Checkered
By Teach Savvy Store
Back to School |Meet the Teacher Gift Tags | Retro & Preppy Checkered: Help welcome students back to school with these preppy peace, love and school buses gift tags! Perfect to pair with your meet the teacher or open house gifts. :)
Get the student gif tags bundle HERE!
What's Included
Directions
✨More Gift Tags✨
Back to School Gift Tags
Very Happy You are Here Smiley & Checkered
Teacher Appreciation Gift Tags
Flair Pens
Smiley & Checkered Teacher Appreciation
Latte Gift Tag
Sub Way Gift Tag
State Testing Gift Tags
Good Luck Checkered & Smiley
End of the Year Resources
State Testing Coloring Pages & Bookmarks
State Testing Gift Certificate
Flower Gift Tag
Font Credits
Oh Hey ELA!
Shakespeare's Hamlet | Pre-Reading Handout on Major Themes in Hamlet | Free
By Rigorous Resources for High School English
This 3-page pre-reading handout introduces students to the most prominent themes in William Shakespeare's Hamlet. By having your class read and discuss this thematic introduction together, students will be captivated by the complex questions invoked in Shakespeare's play before they begin reading the enigmatic first scene.
If you like this 3-page pre-reading handout, you'll definitely want to check out my 200-page Complete Teaching Unit on Hamlet. The complete unit features worksheets on every scene in Shakespeare's longest play. Because the complete unit is both professionally designed and academically rigorous, it is especially well-suited for courses like Honors English and AP Literature.
Wishing you an amazing experience with teaching this complex play. If you have any questions along the way, please don't hesitate to get in touch. And don't forget to check out the Complete Teaching Unit on Hamlet...
Happy teaching,
Adam Jernigan, Ph.D.
P.S. Don't forget to click “follow” for email updates on new products by Rigorous Resources. New products will be 50% OFF for the first 24 hours!
Please 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
Prepositions and Prepositional Phrases in Writing
By Beth Hammett
Make learning prepositions and prepositional phrases fun and easy with this visual writing presentation. 13 pages/slides of active learning strategies for understanding and using prepositions and prepositional phrases along with commas. Includes: Definitions Poem Preposition List Preposition Chair Activity Preposition Walk around the School Campus Easy to use tips Prepositional Phrases Commas and Prepositions Lots of color coded, visual writing examples Practice activities for individual/small/whole group Peer Workshopping Easy for students to follow and use. Great for fllipped classrooms and homeschools. Activities can be used individually or in small or whole group settings. A stimulating visual learning approach to help students understand prepositions and phrases.
By Beth Hammett
Fun and interactive activity for students to relate real life writing to the use of comma rules. Have plenty of magazines, brochures, or newspapers on hand for students/small groups to cut out comma examples and paste them under the correct comma rule headings. Group or individual activity is enjoyable to students, who will discuss rules as they work! (Reminder: review the 3 Kinds of Writing PowerPoint and Using Commas in Writing to help students understand the different guidelines for academic, creative, and journalism writing, along with comma rules).
Graphic Organizer for ACT/SAT and Expository
By Beth Hammett
New standardized tests, such as ACT and SAT, ask students to define the problem, sort through solutions, find the best solution, and explain why they chose their answers. This free graphic organizer will help students with working through the process!
Back to School Information Sheet
By Beth Hammett
Keep students' information on hand with this brief Back School Information Sheet. Get to know students' favorite hobbies, accomplishments, and out of school activities, plus keep on hand their personal information. Have each student complete the form then just bind or scan for easy access throughout the year.
Sentence Patterns Worksheet Writing Activities
By Beth Hammett
Help students understand and master the four kinds of sentences with this fun, interactive, activity! Students use brochures, magazines, newspapers, etc... to find real life writing examples of the four basic kinds of sentences: Simple Compound Complex Compound-Complex Great small group activity that gets students discussing rules, reading, and sentence varieties!