$5 - $10 Middle School English Language Arts Thematic Unit Plans

Bring the heartwarming and inspiring Disney+ adaptation of Out of My Mind into your classroom with this comprehensive movie guide and activity bundle. Perfect for grades 5-8, this resource engages students in thoughtful discussion, critical analysis, and creative reflection while exploring key themes of inclusion, perseverance, and advocacy.

What’s Included:

Pre-Watching Activities:

• Agree/Disagree/Justify Statements: Students reflect on key themes like inclusion, disability, and perseverance before viewing the movie.
• Author Investigation: Research questions about Sharon M. Draper’s life, career, and motivations for writing Out of My Mind.

During-Watching Questions:

• 3 Open-Ended Discussion Questions: Encourage critical thinking and active viewing, focusing on the film’s characters, themes, and key moments.

Post-Watching Reflection:

• Creative Reflection Choices: Students choose from a variety of activities, including:

• A personal essay exploring connections to Melody’s story.

• A diary entry written from the perspective of a character.

• A 6-panel brochure highlighting the movie’s plot, characters, and themes.

Skills Covered:

• Critical Thinking: Through open-ended questions and reflection activities.
• Research Skills: Investigating Sharon M. Draper’s life and work.
• Creative Expression: Writing diary entries, essays, or designing brochures.
• Empathy and Inclusion: Exploring themes that challenge perspectives and foster understanding.

Why Teachers Love It:

Engaging & Flexible: Perfect for a wide range of learners with multiple activity options.
Low Prep: Ready-to-use activities designed for easy implementation.
Standards-Aligned: Meets objectives in reading comprehension, writing, and critical thinking.

Perfect For:

• Movie Companion Activities
• SEL Lessons on Inclusion and Perseverance
• Sub Plans or Flexible Learning Days
• Cross-Curricular Connections in ELA and Social Studies

This complete guide offers everything you need to turn Out of My Mind into a powerful teaching moment. Inspire your students to think deeply, reflect creatively, and grow in understanding with this must-have resource. Grab it today!

Additional resources with similar themes: 18-Day Disabilities & Equity Unit Grades 6+ Project, Essay, Assessments, Seminar

This is a full unit plan for reading Lord of the Flies by William Golding through a choice of two different lenses: Psychology or Gender. You'll receive the full Unit Plan in a grid format, as well as every assignment for both lenses.

Students will be put in groups according to their chosen lens and will explore a number of resources pertaining to their lens. They'll complete a wide variety of assignments, including a Double Entry Journal, Socratic Seminar, Symbolism Word Splash and Explanation, Theme Formal Essay, and Characterization Creative Situational Writing. The directions and rubric are included for each assignment. Since it's in a Google Doc, it's all ready for you to post and have your students complete digitally, OR you can print it out and have then do it that way, too!

Please let me know if you have any questions! My students LOVED being in charge of their own learning by choosing how they would read the text and having all of the assignments laid out for them right from the beginning. Thanks for looking!

This is a differentiated mini-unit on Elizabethan England to prepare students for studying Shakespeare's works! It can be used as an introduction to any of Shakespeare's plays. It begins with a day of research into Shakespeare's life and times, then asks students to create a group collage on their topic and ultimately perform a presentation of their findings.

Included in this product:

- Rationale for Project

- English Language Arts Frameworks

- 4 Meticulously Explained Lesson Plans

- Extensive explanation of differentiation strategies embedded in lessons (Perfectly aligned with Standard II of Teacher Evaluations)

- 5 Separate packets with questions for 5 separate topics

- Rubric

- Picture of my students' work from this year

This is an engaging group project that keeps students working from start to finish while playing to their very different strengths. I have put hours upon hours into this project so that you don't have to - truly, you will find that it runs itself!

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Also, check out these great products to add to your Shakespeare unit:

⭐ Introduction to Shakespeare Powerpoint, Scavenger Hunt & Lesson Plan

⭐ Shakespeare ESCAPE ROOM

⭐ Shakespeare Bell Ringer Journal Prompts

⭐ Shakespeare Crossword Puzzle

⭐ Shakespeare's "Death Lines" Activity

⭐ Shakespeare's Epitaph Assignment

⭐ Shakespeare Valentine's Day Lesson Plan

⭐ Sonnet 130 Valentine's Day Lesson Plan

⭐ Sonnet 18 Valentine's Day Lesson Plan

⭐ William Shakespeare Quote Posters

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