Homeschool Writing-Essays Resources (by date, oldest first)

• Do you need help getting your students to understand how text is structured and how authors craft their writing?
• Do you want them to practice aligning ideas and writing their own?

Help your students master paragraph structure with this comprehensive resource designed for middle and high school learners. "Building Strong Paragraphs" focuses on key writing skills such as identifying topic sentences, supporting details, and crafting thesis statements. This ready-to-use packet includes practice worksheets, engaging exercises, and thesis sentence-building activities that will enhance your students' writing abilities.

Ideal for both informational and argumentative writing, this resource walks students through the entire process of constructing well-organized, coherent paragraphs. Whether you're teaching how to develop supporting sentences, transition between ideas, or conclude effectively, this resource covers it all!

What's Included:

• Graphic Organizer for understanding structure
• Identification exercise
• Two Unique Passages per skill: topic sentences, thesis statements, supporting sentences & concluding sentences
• 9 Passages
• 20 Pages
• Available as a PDF and a Word Document

Perfect for:

• Grades 6-10
• English Language Arts (ELA) Teachers
• Writing Workshops
• STAAR Writing Prep
• Argumentative and Informational Essay Practice

Benefits of this Resource:

• Aligned with Common Core Standards and TEKS for writing.
• Great for differentiated learning in classrooms with ELLs and students needing extra practice.
• Supports critical thinking and writing clarity.

Who is this for?

• Middle and High School Teachers: Perfect for educators looking to strengthen their students’ paragraph-writing skills with structured, step-by-step activities.
• ELA Teachers: Aligned with TEKS and Common Core standards, this resource is ideal for anyone teaching informational and argumentative writing.
• Students Preparing for Standardized Tests: Great for test prep, including STAAR writing, helping students improve clarity, coherence, and overall writing structure.
• Special Education & ELL Support: Easily adaptable for differentiated instruction, making it an excellent tool for classrooms with diverse learners, including English Language Learners and students with varying writing levels.
• Homeschool Educators: A valuable resource for guiding students through the fundamentals of paragraph writing at home.

This includes two Articles "The History of Narcissistic

Personality Disorder" and "Selfies, Facebook, and Narcissism: What's the Link? Exploring the link between Facebook and Narcissism" plus a graph titled "College Students' Narcissistic Personality Inventory Scores 1982-2006" . After reading these two articles students are given a prompt for an expository essay on narcissism. There is also an outline sheet included for students to use in order to help them organize their essay. Plus a rubric for easy grading of final essay.

***** Check out my other Writing Resources*****

Counterclaim and Rebuttal

Interactive Essay Writing Flipbook

Argumentative Essay

Writing Thesis Statements

Essay prompt and articles: Hurricanes

Essay prompt and articles: Colonization in Africa

This includes two Articles "The History of Narcissistic

Personality Disorder" and "Selfies, Facebook, and Narcissism: What's the Link? Exploring the link between Facebook and Narcissism" plus a graph titled "College Students' Narcissistic Personality Inventory Scores 1982-2006" . After reading these two articles students are given a prompt for an expository essay on narcissism. There is also an outline sheet included for students to use in order to help them organize their essay. Plus a rubric for easy grading of final essay. This product works great in any digital classroom. This is editable in Google Docs. You must have Google Drive to use this product! You may sign up for Google drive for free Visit here for help with Google Drive

Includes prompts for writing informative and argumentative essays. Also includes writing powerpoints, outlines, and rubrics

Sometimes it feels like teaching young children how to write an essay is impossible. The My Essay Writing Lapbook makes this process so much easier. Students will learn how to make an Essay Writing plan, find a powerful lead, and write an essay using this Lapbook. The lapbook is a fun and interactive way for kids to organize their thinking process.

Included in this Lapbook is the following:

-4 different 4 + 1 Square Writing templates. Each template is for a different types of writing (narrative, fictional, comparing stories, comparing characters, persuasive, & informational).

Lapbook Contents:

-Cover Page

-(3) Interactive Writing Checklists

- Interactive Powerful Leads Spin Wheel (one premade and one blank for personalization).

-Interactive Transition Words according to color templates(one premade and one blank for personalization).

-Powerful Synonym Chart (Blank).

-Transition Words Interactive templates (3 premade and 3 blank for personalization).

- Writing Checklists templates (3 premade and 3 blank).

- 2 Model Essay Plans (Color coded).

- 2 Model Essays that accompany the plans (color coded).

- Writing Process Chart and Spelling Word Chart (Blank).

Suggestions and Instruction Guide with pictures included. All printables are in black and white.

Items not included are: file folder, tape, construction paper, and brass brad.

Check out my preview for product description pictures.

Please rate and comment! Thank you!

Are you an AVID teacher or English Language arts teacher? Need to explain how to write a thesis statement in an argumentative essay to middle or high school students? In this product you will find everything you need to help your students craft their thesis statements!

What You Get:

✏️5 teach slides

✏️"make it better" activity direction slide

✏️7 bad thesis statements

✏️7 better thesis statement examples

✏️argumentative writing prompt

✏️21 argumentative writing topic ideas

✏️4 steps guiding students in crafting their thesis statements

Make it Better Directions:

• Each slide students will be given a bad thesis statement.
• In small groups, their goal is to fix it and make it better.
• Classmates, selected judges, or teacher will vote on the best one and that group earns a point.

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

AVID Mega Growing Bundle

AVID Teambuilding Bundle

AVID Writing Bundle

Follow KJ Inspired Resources:

TeachShare Store- Receive updates on new products and sales

Instagram

Tik Tok

*Note this product may be used in brick and mortar classes as well as virtual systems like Outschool

Are you an AVID or English teacher? Need to explain argumentative writing to middle or high school students? In this product you will find 16 teaching slides that explain argumentative writing.

What do you get?

• 16 teaching slides that cover argumentative writing and format

Use For:

• focused note taking practice, ELA, AVID

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

AVID Mega Growing Bundle

AVID Teambuilding Bundle

AVID Writing Bundle

Follow KJ Inspired Resources:

TeachShare Store- Receive updates on new products and sales

Instagram

Tik Tok

This 30-page EDITABLE curriculum has everything you'll need to help students write write phenomenal college application essays! This is the PREMIERE bundle for any English teacher, college counselor, or tutor working to help students master the Common App essay!

The materials in this bundle were designed by a Ph.D. who has taught English at top-ranked high schools and colleges for over 20 years. He has worked closely with former college admissions officers from Harvard, Brown, and NYU. This 30-page unit features all the wisdom he's gathered over a decades-long career in secondary and higher education. The unit is packed to the brim with writing tips and formatting advice that will help your students craft truly remarkable college essays!

Here are some highlights from the 30-page curriculum:

• How to Get Started (Handout #1): Tips for how to get started on one's college essay and overcome writer's block. (1 page)

• Strategies for Crafting Vivid & Lively Prose (Handout #2): While the question of what students choose to write about will be important, the question of how they write will be equally important since a writer's style can reveal a lot about their personality. This handout features advice on how students can write essays using vibrant and virtuosic prose that will enamor any admissions officer. (2 pages)

• The Opening Line: Attention-Grabbing Hooks (Handout #3): The opening paragraph is the single most important part of a college essay. How will your students capture the interest of admissions officers? How will they make a memorable first impression? This handout offers several suggestions for how to focus an opening paragraph, followed by concrete examples of opening paragraphs by top essayists like Annie Dillard, Frank McCourt, Louise Erdrich, Naomi Shihab Nye, and others. (4 pages)

• How to Format a College Essay (Handout #4): This handout offers advice for the structural organization of college essay, with tips on what should be included in each paragraph. The strategy offered here will enable students to showcase their skills at descriptive writing, narrative writing, informational writing, and reflective writing — all in less than 650 words! (1 page)

• Sample Essays: Show your students eight successful college essays written by students who were recently admitted to top-ranked colleges and universities. These were the favorite essays that wowed admissions committees at Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University, Cornell University, Hamilton College, New York University, and Tufts University. (18 pages)

• Writing Assignment: This carefully scaffolded writing assignment will help students to get practice at writing narrative essays in response to actual prompts on the Common App from 2023-2024. (1 page)

• Writing Rubric: Use this rubric to evaluate the narrative essays that your students write in response to to the prompts from the Common App of 2023-2024. (1 page)

This resource packet will come to you in two separate formats: Word doc and PDF. Because the Word doc is 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 the materials in PDF format, which is easy to navigate and quick to print!

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 more than a dozen actual pages from the resource. 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!

Feel free to check out these other resources on writing:

How to Write an Analytical Essay

How to Write an Poem Analysis Essay (AP Lit FRQ 1)

How to Frame Quotations or Embed Evidence

Figurative Language Stations

This 25-page EDITABLE writing curriculum has everything you'll need to help your students write high-quality analytical papers on any literary text. This unit was originally designed for high school English teachers who want to help students improve their analytical writing. But teachers across other disciplines report that it has helped them to deliver clear and informative lessons on how to write high-quality expository essays.

Here are some highlights from this 25-page unit on analytical/expository writing:

• The Writing Process (Handout #1): This handout offers several tips about how to choose a topic for an analytical paper on literature. Encourage your students to use the writing process as an opportunity to deepen their knowledge about the text. (4 pages)

• The Intro Paragraph: Hook & Thesis (Handout #2): In the first page of this handout, students learn to identify and formulate the interpretive questions which they will hope to answer or solve while writing their papers. The challenge of "problem construction" will present most high school students with the opportunity to develop a new and exciting skill — one that will serve them well in college and beyond. In the second and third pages of this handout, students learn to write thesis statements that balance complexity with clarity. They learn to use grammatical subordination in order to generate a main claim that is sufficiently complex to anchor an entire paper. (4 pages)

• Body Paragraphs: Evidence & Analysis (Handout #3): In this handout, students learn about how "evidence" in the humanities differs from evidence in the sciences. Because evidence in the humanities is rarely factual or indisputable, student writers will always need to frame, unpack, and analyze their evidence. This handout offers several suggestions about how, as it were, to "make the evidence speak." It also offers strategies for how to organize evidence into a series of body paragraphs that build upon one another in a logical and compelling manner. (2 pages)

• Topic Sentences / Transitional Sentences (Handout #4): This handout offers advice about how students can use transitional expressions to clarify the logical connections between the claims in each of their topic sentences. It includes a list of different types of transitional expressions along with several examples. (2 pages)

• Precepts for Effective Prose (Handout #5): This handout features about a dozen precepts or "rules of thumb" that students should follow when writing academic papers. The handout contains brief paragraphs on each of the following topics: Avoid plot summary; Always use the present tense; Minimize intensifiers; Alternatives to writing "It says"!! (2 pages)

• Sample Introductory Paragraphs: Look at six introductory paragraphs from articles published by literary scholars in academic journals over the last decade. Invite students to reflect on what they find to be particularly effective — or ineffective —about each introductory paragraph. How does each writer hook the reader's interest? How do they construct an interpretive problem? How do they generate a complex thesis statement? (6 pages)

• Paper Outline Template: Invite students to use this template when generating the outlines for their analytical papers. (3 pages)

• Rubric: Use this rubric to evaluate the analytical papers that your students write in response to any literary text. (1 page)

The entire writing unit will come to you in two different formats: Word doc *and* PDF. Because the Word doc is 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 the entire unit as a PDF file, which is easy to navigate and quick to print!

Because I believe that teachers on TeachShare should be able to see what they're getting before they make a purchase, the preview for this resource provides access more than a dozen actual pages from the resource. 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!

Feel free to check out these other resources on writing:

How to Write a College Application Essay

How to Write an Poem Analysis Essay (AP Lit FRQ 1)

How to Frame Quotations or Embed Evidence

Figurative Language Stations

This handout provides a thorough and clear explanation of how to properly embed quotations within a paper. The handout will introduce students to the three methods they should be using to introduce textual evidence. It offers a lucid account of how to properly punctuate quotations, how to properly alter quotations, and how to properly cite evidence from different literary genres (novel, plays, poems, etc).

Tired of reading papers in which students repeat the exact same phrases to introduce a series of quotations? Tired of reading papers in which students contextualize evidence by writing, On page 34, it says, "blah blah" ?? Look no further! I developed this resource after listening to my talented English colleagues chat about their shared frustrations over how students frame quotations in their papers. If the teachers at your school are facing similar frustrations, then you might find this handout to be helpful.

As it turns out, there are only three strategies that writers employ when embedding quotations in a paper. This handout explains when and how students should use each of the three strategies:

1. Block Quotations: The best technique for framing a long quotation is to use a block quotation. The examples in this handout will model not only how to punctuate a block quotation but also how to follow up with analysis by picking out key words from the quotation and unpacking their significance.

2. Clause-and-Colon Method: The best technique for framing a mid-sized quotation is to introduce the quotation with an independent clause followed by a colon (:). The examples in this handout will model the grammatically correct way to use a colon to set up a quotation.

3. Integration-of-Keywords Method: The best technique for framing shorter quotations is to integrate the quotations into the writer's own sentences. The examples in this handout demonstrate how to integrate quotations seamlessly into the flow of one's sentences.

Here's my suggestion for how to use this handout. What I'd recommend is that you distribute this handout to your students before you distribute your next writing assignment. After reading and discussing each of the three methods, you might announce that all students will be required to utilize both the "clause-and-colon method" and the "integration-of-keywords method" at least once in their next papers. Should you do that, I promise their papers will improve!

My store is called “Rigorous Resources” because all of the materials prioritize rigorous content over decorative graphics. While there are plenty of sellers whose lessons feature beautiful design elements, my resources promise to improve students' writing by equipping them with practical skills used by published academic writers.

The previews for my resources provide direct access to several pages of exemplary materials. Hit the green “Preview” button to see exactly what you’ll get. . . .

This 3-page document will come to you in two separate formats: a Word doc *and* a PDF. Because the Word doc is editable, you'll be able to costumize the resource 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 the resource as a PDF — which is easy to navigate and quick to print.

If there's anything I can do to support your amazing work in the classroom, please don't hesitate to get in touch. 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!

Feel free to check out these other resources on writing:

How to Write a College Application Essay

How to Write an Analytical Essay

How to Write an Poem Analysis Essay (AP Lit FRQ 1)

Figurative Language Stations

This 180-page EDITABLE unit has everything you'll need to deliver profoundly engaging lessons on William Shakespeare’s Othello. The colorful workbooks will enable you to capture and hold the attention of modern-day students. The higher-order questions will help you pivot from reading comprehension to interpretive analysis and critical thinking. Deliver the best lessons while inspiring students to fall in love with Shakespeare's Othello!!

Every page in this teacher-friendly unit is fully editable! So you'll be able to customize the materials to suit the skill levels of your students — year after year! The unit also includes an answer key filled with insights from Shakespeare scholars at universities like Harvard and Cambridge. Your students will be reading like a professor!

Trifles light as air are to the jealous confirmations strong as proofs of holy writ.... Shakespeare's Othello is finally being appreciated as one of his most virtuosic and masterful accomplishments. The play amounts to a fascinating study of interracial love and same-sex friendship, ethical action and eloquent speech, jealousy and self-doubt, cynical manipulation and courageous advocacy.

In addition to focusing on the themes mentioned above, this curriculum brings an anti-racist lens to the study of Othello. Although the play was written over 400 years ago, Shakespeare's Othello can help students achieve a deeper understand of how race and gender operate in today’s world. This unit provides an opportunity to discuss modern concepts such as “intersectionality,” “stereotype threat,” and “code switching.”

This unit ranks among the very best that I've ever created, and I couldn't be more excited to share it with you!!

Here’s what you’ll find in this editable 180-page unit:

• Introduction to Shakespeare’s World: The 30-page introduction includes five handouts covering topics like Shakespeare’s biography, the language of Renaissance England, the construction of the Globe Theater, how to recognize iambic pentameter, and more. Every handout is followed by a comprehension check, practice exercise, or quiz. You could spend up to a week with the introductory handouts — or skip them altogether. Answer keys included. (30 pages)

• STUDENT WORKBOOKS on Othello: The 60-page workbook features colorful and highly engaging worksheets on every scene in Othello. 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!

• Workbook Answer Key: The 60-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), Coppélia Kahn (Brown), Eamon Grennan (Vassar), Dympna Callaghan (Syracuse), Susan Snyder (Swarthmore), Janet Adelman (Berkeley), Emma Smith (Oxford), Farah Karim-Cooper (Kings College London), Michael Neill (Auckland), and others. (60 pages)

• Figurative Language Quiz: The quiz challenges students to identify 8 types of figurative language — metaphor, simile, metonymy, paradox, oxymoron, personification, apostrophe, and hyperbole — used across 25 quotations from Othello. Also included is a glossary with definitions of the types of figurative language as well as examples of how they’re used in the early scenes of Shakespeare’s play — so you can begin reviewing the types of figurative language with students before they tackle the quiz. Answer key included. (5 pages)

• Analytical Writing Assignment: Challenge students to take their interpretations one step further by writing an analytical paper on Shakespeare’s Othello. Let students choose from one of 5 thought-provoking sample topics — or invite them to develop a topic of their own. Includes a writing schedule, outline template, and grading rubric. For teachers of AP Literature, this unit also features FRQ3 prompts focused on Othello. (8 pages) 

This unit 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 the skill levels of your students — year after year! If you don't have Microsoft Word, you'll still be able to access the complete unit in PDF format — which is easy to navigate and quick to print.

Rigorous Resources is your one-stop shop for top-quality units on canonical literary texts by diverse authors. Wishing you an amazing experience with teaching Shakespeare's Othello. If you have any questions along the way, please don't hesitate to get in touch at the email address below. 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 get 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

Looking for a final writing assignment on William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet? This resource features everything you'll need to lead students through the process of writing an analytical essay about Romeo and Juliet. The resource features 5 writing prompts which will motivate students to think with nuance about important themes in the play. The resource also includes scaffolding to help students select evidence, generate an outline, and begin writing. For teachers, the resource features an assessment rubric which can be used to grade and provide feedback on students' analytical writing.

Here's what you'll find in this editable 8-page resource:

• Analytical Writing Assignment: Challenge students to take their interpretations one step further by writing an analytical paper on Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Let students choose from one of 5 thought-provoking sample topics — or invite them to develop a topic of their own. Includes a handout introducing students to the elements in an analytical essay as well as a scaffolded writing schedule with each step in the essay writing process. (4 pages)
• Outline Template: Scaffold the writing process by having students fill out an outline before they write their papers. The outline template has boxes where students can write out their hook, thesis, topic sentences, textual evidence, and so on. (3 pages)
• Assessment Rubric: A detailed assessment rubric enables teachers to grade student papers in a fast and efficient manner. (1 page)

The entire unit 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 the Romeo and Juliet. If you have any questions along the way, 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

Looking for a final writing assignment on Shakespeare's Julius Caesar? This resource features everything you'll need to lead students through the process of writing an analytical essay about Julius Caesar.

The resource features 5 writing prompts which will motivate students to think with nuance about important themes in the play. The resource also includes scaffolding to help students select evidence, generate an outline, and begin writing. For teachers, the resource features an assessment rubric which can be used to grade and provide feedback on students' analytical writing.

As a bonus, this resource also features a two-page handout on how to embed quotations within an analytical essay. The handout provides students with three techniques for framing textual evidence: the block quotation, the clause-and-colon method, and the integration of short quotations into one's own sentence.

Here's what you'll find in this editable 10-page resource:

• Analytical Writing Assignment: Challenge students to take their interpretations one step further by writing an analytical paper on Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. Let students choose from one of 5 thought-provoking sample topics — or invite them to develop a topic of their own. Writing schedule, outline template, and rubric included. (4 pages)
• Framing Quotations: This handout provides students with advice about how to embed textual evidence into a body paragraph. The handout familiarizes students with three different methods for framing quotations: the block quotation, the clause-and-colon method, and the integration of key words and phrases within one's own sentence. (2 pages)
• Outline Template: Provide students with the scaffolding necessary to write a five-paragraph essay. This outline template challenges students to fill in a text box for every part of their essay: hook, thesis, topic sentences, evidence, analysis, and conclusion. (3 pages)
• Assessment Rubric: Evaluate student essays in a quick and efficient manner by using an analytical writing rubric. (1 page)

The entire unit 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 the Julius Caesar. If you have any questions along the way, 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

Looking for a final writing assignment on William Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing? This resource features everything you'll need to lead students through the process of writing an analytical essay about Much Ado. The resource features 5 writing prompts which will motivate students to think with nuance about important themes in the play. The resource also includes scaffolding to help students select evidence, generate an outline, and begin writing. For teachers, the resource features an assessment rubric which can be used to grade and provide feedback on students' analytical writing.

Here's what you'll find in this editable 13-page resource:

• Analytical Writing Assignment: Challenge students to take their interpretations one step further by writing an analytical paper on Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing. Let students choose from one of 5 thought-provoking sample topics — or invite them to develop a topic of their own. Includes a handout introducing students to the elements in an analytical essay plus a writing schedule that explains each step in the writing process. (4 pages)
• Outline Template: Scaffold the writing process by having students fill out an outline before they write their papers. The outline template has boxes where students can write out their hook, thesis, topic sentences, textual evidence, and so on. (3 pages)
• Assessment Rubric: A detailed assessment rubric enables teachers to grade student papers in a fast and efficient manner. (1 page)
• AP Lit Practice Essay: Designed for teachers of AP Literature, this in-class practice essay will allow students to rehearse the "FRQ3" essay from the AP Literature and Composition Exam. The assignment asks students to write a 40-minute in-class essay in response to one of three recent FRQ3 prompts for which Much Ado About Nothing would be a viable work of literary merit. (5 pages)

The entire unit 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 the Much Ado About Nothing. If you have any questions along the way, 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

Looking for a final writing assignment on William Shakespeare's Macbeth? This resource features everything you'll need to lead students through the process of writing an analytical essay about Macbeth.

The resource features 5 writing prompts which will motivate students to think with nuance about important themes in the play. The resource also includes scaffolding to help students select evidence, generate an outline, and begin writing. For teachers, the resource features an assessment rubric which can be used to grade and provide feedback on students' analytical writing.

As a bonus for AP Lit teachers, this resource also includes an FRQ3 practice essay with 3 prompts for Macbeth. The in-class practice essay is a great way for students to prepare for the AP Literature and Composition Exam.

Here's what you'll find in this editable 13-page resource:

• Analytical Writing Assignment: Challenge students to take their interpretations one step further by writing an analytical paper on Shakespeare's Macbeth. Let students choose from one of 5 thought-provoking sample topics — or invite them to develop a topic of their own. Writing schedule, outline template, and rubric included. (8 pages)
• AP Lit Practice Essay: Designed for teachers of AP Literature, this in-class practice essay will allow students to rehearse the "FRQ3" essay from the AP Literature and Composition Exam. The assignment asks students to write a 40-minute in-class essay in response to one of three recent FRQ3 prompts for which Macbeth would be a viable work of literary merit. (5 pages)

The entire unit 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 the "Scottish play." If you have any questions along the way, 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 product features all the materials you need to assign a compare/contrast essay for Edgar Allan Poe's two famously gruesome tales: "The Tell-Tale Heart" and "The Black Cat."

For this assignment, students will need to think critically and specifically about the similarities and differences between the two famous stories. A comprehensive chart is provided to prompt students to take a close look at both tales and to think beyond the obvious (like the fact that they are both written by Edgar Allan Poe) and consider the deeper similarities and differences (like plot structure, mental state of the narrators, and elements of suspense) between them. These thoughtfully-constructed materials will help students develop exemplary compare/contrast essays that they can be proud of!

Product Includes:

• Complete assignment directions
• Specific similarities/differences chart with 17 story components
• Venn diagram template
• Essay graphic organizer (Block Method)
• Rubric
• Teacher key for chart

_____________________________________________________________________________

Check out these great products to supplement your study of The Tell-Tale Heart and The Black Cat:

⭐ The Tell-Tale Heart Literature Guide

⭐ The Tell-Tale Heart Anticipation Guide and Lesson Plan

⭐ The Tell-Tale Heart Creative Writing Assignment on Perspective

⭐ The Tell-Tale Heart ESCAPE ROOM

⭐ The Tell-Tale Heart Figurative Language Challenge Activity

⭐ Unreliable Narrator of The Tell-Tale Heart Lesson Plan

⭐ The Black Cat Literature Guide

⭐ The Black Cat ESCAPE ROOM

⭐ Unreliable Narrator of The Black Cat Lesson Plan

⭐ Edgar Allan Poe "Breaking News" Article and Illustration Activity

⭐ The Tell-Tale Heart/The Black Cat Socratic Seminar Materials

More resources to round out your Edgar Allan Poe unit:

⭐ Introduction to Edgar Allan Poe PowerPoint

⭐ Introduction to Edgar Allan Poe Scavenger Hunt

⭐ Edgar Allan Poe Bell Ringer Journal Prompts

⭐ Edgar Allan Poe Crossword Puzzle

⭐ Edgar Allan Poe ESCAPE ROOM

⭐ Edgar Allan Poe Brochure

⭐ Edgar Allan Poe's Obituary

⭐ Edgar Allan Poe Quote Posters

⭐ Edgar Allan Poe Resource Bundle

But why stop with two stories? We have enough Edgar Allan Poe resources to frighten your students for months!

⭐ The Raven Literature Guide

⭐ The Pit and the Pendulum Literature Guide

⭐ The Masque of the Red Death Literature Guide

⭐ The Cask of Amontillado Literature Guide

⭐ The Fall of the House of Usher Literature Guide

⭐ Edgar Allan Poe Short Story BUNDLE

_____________________________________________________________________________

Click to Follow Language Arts Excellence

If you are looking to save time editing and grading student essays, this resource will literally be a life-changer! Over my years of teaching, I believe that I have perfected the peer editing system so as to produce the best student essays possible with minimal errors while cutting down significantly on the time the teacher must spend editing and grading them. This product includes three meticulously-designed peer editing forms with directed questions and editing prompts. Forms are fully editable so that you may change wording to remain consistent with your instruction, grade level, and adapt to any essay. The questions cover everything from basic essay components and quote integration to technical details, grammar, and formatting. Most importantly, this resource also includes a step-by-step guide on how to conduct a 45-50 minute class on peer editing day. I promise that these peer editing forms and accompanying lesson plan will become some of the most valuable resources in your teacher's tool box and that your students' writing will improve without you pulling your hair out reading rough drafts. ___________________________________________________________________________ Check out these related resources for your ELA classroom by Language Arts Excellence: ⭐ Introduction to Dystopia Powerpoint
⭐ Socratic Seminar Lesson Plan and Materials
⭐ Literary Devices Crossword Puzzle
⭐ Literature Circle Task Cards
⭐ Literature Activities {{BUNDLE!}}
⭐ Novel Playlist Assignment
⭐ Guess Your Grade - Effective Effort Form
⭐ Figurative Language in 2017 Hit Music PowerPoint & Task Card BUNDLE
⭐ Figurative Language Challenge Game
⭐ Characters in the Hot Seat! ___________________________________________________________________________ ⭐Click to Follow Language Arts Excellence⭐

This product features 20 beautifully-made task cards with generic essay prompts that will work for any novel. These prompts are differentiated so that they appeal to all learners and give all students a chance to shine in their essay writing! After years of tweaking my essay prompts, I have created questions that are thoughtful and concise so that in turn, they reap excellent student responses. Example: How reliable is the narrator of your novel? Is the reader able to fully trust him/her? Why or why not? Support your answer with three specific and relevant details from the text. Essay prompts focus on literary analysis and are recommended for middle and high school students. _________________________________________________________________________ Also, check out these great resources that can be adapted for any novel by Language Arts Excellence: Differentiated Essay Prompts for use with ANY Novel Novel Soundtrack Assignment Socratic Seminar Lesson Plan and Materials Adaptable for ANY Topic Differentiated End of Term Reflection Activities Book Recommendation Form Differentiated End of Year Reflection Activities

Self-reflection is so important for students of all ages and what better time to reflect on learning than at the end of the school year? With that in mind, I created this end of year reflection assignment that prompts students to consider all of the meaningful experiences they had all year in my class. My students really get into this assignment and I'm sure yours will too! I've included in this product a model of my assignment and a fully editable template for you - it will only take a few minutes to tweak it and make it your own. Your students will thank you for offering this differentiated assessment! I also included three exemplary student examples. ___________________________________________________________________________ Check out these related resources by Language Arts Excellence to finish your school year strong: ⭐ End of Year ELA Escape Room
⭐ End of Year ELA Escape Room - Pop Culture Edition ⭐ End of Year Mad Libs ⭐ We Didn't Start the Fire Activity ⭐ End of Year "Book Talk" Activity
⭐ Guess Your Grade - Effective Effort Form ___________________________________________________________________________ ⭐ Click to Follow Language Arts Excellence⭐

This 3-page form asks students to specifically rate their performance on the 6 components of effective effort on a given essay: TIME, FOCUS, RESOURCEFULNESS, USE OF STRATEGIES, USE OF FEEDBACK, and COMMITMENT. This product is modeled after teachings from The Skillful Teacher by Jon Saphier, Mary Ann Haley-Speca, and Robert Gower and encourages a growth mindset in students. I provide this form to my students every single time I assign a paper and am always pleasantly surprised at how honest they are in their responses, especially as the incentive for guessing their grade is 2 bonus points! ____________________________________________________________________________ Also, check out this great lesson plan for teaching Effective Effort by Language Arts Excellence: ⭐Effective Effort Lesson Plan ____________________________________________________________________________ ⭐Click to Follow Language Arts Excellence⭐