Middle School Writing Literature Circles (by date, oldest first)

Should schools ban soda? This is an argumentative essay prompt, three articles, and outline sheet. Your kids will all have their own opinions about sugary drinks and whether or not schools should ban soda. This comes complete with rubric. 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.

Explain how vaccines work. This is an informative essay prompt, two articles,a graph, and outline sheet. Your kids will learn about how vaccines are made and how they work in the human body. This comes complete with rubric.

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

Novel Study for Any Novel (Independent or Small Group Novel Study)

For Grades 6 to 9

Aprox. 8 weeks teaching duration.

Google Slides, PDF, Editable MS Word

No Prep

Includes:

Reading comprehension questions

Several writing assignments

Analysis of character, mood, setting, literary devices

Graphic organizers

Student self assessment

Grading Rubric

This resource features a set of 25 reader response journal prompts for use during your unit on The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho. Each bell ringer is comprised of a quote from the novel and a thoughtfully crafted question that encourages students to personally connect with his inspirational words. Prompts can be used as bell-ringers (most popular and mean the first 5 minutes of every class for a month are planned for you!), summarizers, stations, full class or small group discussion questions, for homework, task cards, sub plans, as a filler activity… the possibilities are endless!

Example of a prompt:

“Because I don't live in either my past or my future. I'm interested only in the present.” 

What does “living in the present” mean to you? Do you agree that it is important to live in the present? On the other hand, what can one gain by reflecting on one’s past and how could looking towards future events be beneficial?

Note that page numbers are not included due to varying editions of the book.

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

⭐ The Alchemist Socratic Seminar Materials

⭐ The Alchemist ESCAPE ROOM

⭐ The Alchemist "Silent Conversation" Quote Pass Activity

⭐ The Alchemist Anticipation Guide & Lesson Plan

⭐ The Alchemist Quote Posters

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⭐Click to Follow Language Arts Excellence⭐

This resource features a bundle of all of our lesson plans, materials, and activities for Paolo Coelo's inspirational best-selling novel, The Alchemist. Each product is thoughtfully crafted and allows students to think outside the box by delving deeply into the novel's themes, characters, and plot development. Lessons have all been classroom-tested and allow for differentiation while encouraging optimal student engagement. You will not find tedious lists of comprehension questions and vocabulary words in this bundle; instead you will find materials that will bring the novel to life!

Included in this Bundle:

⭐ The Alchemist "Silent Conversation" Quote Pass Activity

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

⭐ The Alchemist Anticipation Guide & Lesson Plan

This product features an anticipation guide for The Alchemist, and a meticulously-explained lesson plan that is in my opinion, the absolute best way to approach a new novel. Using a non-intimidating method called "Numbered Heads", this activity will get your students thinking, writing, conversing, and reporting about themes you will be encountering during your study of The Alchemist.

⭐ The Alchemist Bell Ringer Journal Prompts

This resource features a set of 25 reader response journal prompts for use during your unit on The Alchemist. Each bell ringer is comprised of a quote from the novel and a thoughtfully crafted question that encourages students to personally connect with his inspirational words. Prompts can be used as bell-ringers (most popular and mean the first 5 minutes of every class for a month are planned for you!), summarizers, stations, full class or small group discussion questions, for homework, task cards, sub plans, as a filler activity… the possibilities are endless!

⭐ The Alchemist ESCAPE ROOM

This meticulously-crafted resource features all of the materials you need to conduct a full-length Escape Room for The Alchemist. Planning an escape room may seem like quite the daunting task, but this product provides everything from the basics and set-up instructions to answer keys so that yours runs smoothly from start to finish. The activity involves movement, energy, creative thinking and most of all, collaboration. All tasks are skills-based so that with this fun lesson, learning is not sacrificed. Your students will be having so much fun that they won’t even realize the higher order thinking skills they are applying in the playing of this game!

⭐ The Alchemist Quote Posters

Make your classroom pop with this set of 20 gorgeous posters featuring quotes from The Alchemist. Each 7.5 x 7.5 (square) poster contains a provocative quote from the novel imposed over a stunning photograph meant to inspire your students and motivate them to follow their dreams. The square format is reminiscent of Instagram and makes for an eye-catching arrangement on your wall or bulletin board. I suggest laminating the posters and using them not just during your Alchemist unit, but all year long!

⭐ The Alchemist Socratic Seminar Materials

This resource features lesson plans and materials to conduct a formal set of Socratic Seminars for The Alchemist. Socratic Seminars (or "Fish Bowl" Conversations as referred to in this resource) are higher order ways of assessing whether your students are able to understand and react to your class texts. These seminars rely on the power of inquiry and allow students to take the lead in their learning and discussion. The only problem? They require a great deal of preparation. Fortunately, this student-tested resource includes everything you need to conduct a structured and formal set of Socratic Seminars in your classroom surrounding The Alchemist... and no preparation is required by you at all.

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Click to Follow Language Arts Excellence

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

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

Skills applied may include:

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

A NOVEL STUDY for TOM APPLEBY CONVICT BOY by Jackie French.

This 102 page BOOK COMPANION is a highly engaging and comprehensive literature unit that allows your students to respond to a story by using a wide range of reading comprehension strategies and skills.

With comprehension questions and activities for each chapter, students will cover a wide range of the English Curriculum Standards in context.

The unit can be followed chapter by chapter, with no extra preparation or planning required by the teacher.

*AN ANSWER KEY IS INCLUDED*

Activities include:

• Comprehension strategies - inference, prediction , visualizing, questioning, retrieving information, activating prior knowledge, making connections, cause and effect, summarizing, analyzing, synthesizing, understanding vocabulary in context.
• Literacy Skills - sequencing, cause and effect, main idea and events, compare and contrast, point of view.
• Story elements - character descriptions, character analysis, character emotions, character challenges, setting, plot, theme.
• Book response - creative responses, critical thinking, partner discussion response, written responses.
• Vocabulary - a focus on vocabulary words in context, word work.
• Applying and Synthesising - engaging activities designed for your student to show a deeper understanding of the story.
• Research - relevant to the story and children's interests
• Written tasks - using a range of genres as relevant to the story
• Creative Thinking - engaging activities allowing student to apply their own knowledge and themes from the story to be creative.
• Critical Thinking - using themes from the story to consider wider issues

All activities have been designed with student engagement at the forefront. In responding to the book, students will be required to think both within and beyond the text. Children learn best when they are having fun! Even better that they are learning the love of books at the same time!

This product is not associated with this book's author or publishing company. The book must be purchased separately in order to be used alongside this product.

Please follow me for more literacy units - particularly new releases.

You are welcome to request a novel study in the questions and answers section of my shop!

Thank you for your continued support.

A Book Study Companion for THE LOST WHALE by HANNAH GOLD.

With comprehension questions and activities for each chapter, students will cover many of the Grades 4, 5 and 6 ELA Common Core State Standards in context.

This unit is packed with Common Core aligned activities and includes printable and digital versions.

The Unit can be followed chapter by chapter, with no extra preparation or planning required by the teacher. The responses in the unit have been planned and arranged so that your students will practise a wide range of comprehension strategies in context. It has been designed to promote thinking and comprehension. Tasks can be completed independently, collaboratively or alongside a teacher. The unit has been planned so that over the course of the book, students will become familiar with and well-practised in using comprehension strategies to make meaning from text.

All activities have been designed with student engagement at the forefront. In responding to the book, students will be required to think both within and beyond the text. Children learn best when they are having fun! Even better that they are learning the love of books at the same time!

Please follow me for more literacy units - particularly new releases!

Dog Man Series

Cat Kid

Diary of a Wimpy Kid No.16 - Big Shot

The Last Bear

Thank you for your continued support

A Book Study Companion for DIARY OF A WIMPY KID by Jeff Kinney.

With comprehension questions and activities for each chapter, students will cover many of the Grades 4, 5 and 6 ELA Common Core State Standards in context.

This unit is packed with Common Core aligned activities and includes printable and digital versions.

The Unit can be followed chapter by chapter, with no extra preparation or planning required by the teacher. The responses in the unit have been planned and arranged so that your students will practise a wide range of comprehension strategies in context. It has been designed to promote thinking and comprehension. Tasks can be completed independently, collaboratively or alongside a teacher. The unit has been planned so that over the course of the book, students will become familiar with and well-practised in using comprehension strategies to make meaning from text.

All activities have been designed with student engagement at the forefront. In responding to the book, students will be required to think both within and beyond the text. Children learn best when they are having fun! Even better that they are learning the love of books at the same time!

Please follow me for more literacy units - particularly new releases!

Dog Man Series

Cat Kid

Diary of a Wimpy Kid No.16 - Big Shot

The Last Bear

Thank you for your continued support

A Novel Study Book Companion for WE DREAM OF SPACE by Erin Entrada Kelly

This 40 page resource is an engaging and comprehensive unit that allows your students to respond to the story by using a wide range of comprehension strategies and skills

With comprehension questions and activities for each chapter, students will cover many of the Grades 4, and 5 and 6 ELA Common Core State Standards in context.

This unit is packed with Common Core aligned activities and includes printable and digital versions.

The Unit can be followed chapter by chapter, with no extra preparation or planning required by the teacher. The responses in the unit have been planned and arranged so that your students will practise a wide range of comprehension strategies in context. It has been designed to promote thinking and comprehension. Tasks can be completed independently, collaboratively or alongside a teacher. The unit has been planned so that over the course of the book, students will become familiar with and well-practised in using comprehension strategies to make meaning from text.

Activities include:

• COMPREHENSION ACTIVITIES FOR EACH CHAPTER

• Comprehension strategies - inference, prediction , visualising, questioning, retrieving information, activating prior knowledge, making connections, summarizing, analysing, synthesising, understanding vocabulary in context.

• Literacy Skills - sequencing, cause and effect, main idea and events, compare and contrast, point of view. PMI, venn diagrams, writing, point of view, mentor text activities, prefix and vocabulary work, idioms

• Story elements - character descriptions, character analysis, character emotions, character challenges, setting, plot, theme,

• Book response - creative responses, critical thinking, partner discussion response, written responses,

All activities have been designed with student engagement at the forefront. In responding to the book, students will be required to think both within and beyond the text. Children learn best when they are having fun! Even better that they are learning the love of books at the same time!

Please follow me for more literacy units - particularly new releases!

Dog Man Series

Fing

Fantastic Mr Fox

Thank you for your continued support

A Book Study Companion for LUCKY BROKEN GIRL by Ruth Behar.

With comprehension questions and activities for each chapter, students will cover many of the Grades 4, 5 and 6 ELA Common Core State Standards in context.

This unit is packed with Common Core aligned activities and includes printable and digital versions.

The Unit can be followed chapter by chapter, with no extra preparation or planning required by the teacher. The responses in the unit have been planned and arranged so that your students will practise a wide range of comprehension strategies in context. It has been designed to promote thinking and comprehension. Tasks can be completed independently, collaboratively or alongside a teacher. The unit has been planned so that over the course of the book, students will become familiar with and well-practised in using comprehension strategies to make meaning from text.

All activities have been designed with student engagement at the forefront. In responding to the book, students will be required to think both within and beyond the text. Children learn best when they are having fun! Even better that they are learning the love of books at the same time!

Please follow me for more literacy units - particularly new releases!

Kaspar Prince of Cats

Cat Kid #1

Diary of a Wimpy Kid No.16 - Big Shot

The Last Bear

Thank you for your continued support

A 50 page Book Study Companion for THE WORLD'S WORST PETS by DAVID WALLIAMS.

With comprehension questions and activities for each chapter, students will cover many of the Grades 3, 4, and 5 ELA Common Core State Standards in context.

This unit is packed with Common Core aligned activities and includes printable and digital versions.

The Unit can be followed chapter by chapter, with no extra preparation or planning required by the teacher. The responses in the unit have been planned and arranged so that your students will practise a wide range of comprehension strategies in context. It has been designed to promote thinking and comprehension. Tasks can be completed independently, collaboratively or alongside a teacher. The unit has been planned so that over the course of the book, students will become familiar with and well-practised in using comprehension strategies to make meaning from text.

All activities have been designed with student engagement at the forefront. In responding to the book, students will be required to think both within and beyond the text. Children learn best when they are having fun! Even better that they are learning the love of books at the same time!

Please follow me for more literacy units - particularly new releases!

Dog Man Series

Fing

Fantastic Mr Fox

Thank you for your continued support

A Book Study Companion for THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN by KATHERINE APPLEGATE.

With comprehension questions and activities for each chapter, students will cover many of the Grades 4, 5 and 6 ELA Common Core State Standards in context.

This unit is packed with Common Core aligned activities and includes printable and digital versions.

The Unit can be followed chapter by chapter, with no extra preparation or planning required by the teacher. The responses in the unit have been planned and arranged so that your students will practise a wide range of comprehension strategies in context. It has been designed to promote thinking and comprehension. Tasks can be completed independently, collaboratively or alongside a teacher. The unit has been planned so that over the course of the book, students will become familiar with and well-practised in using comprehension strategies to make meaning from text.

All activities have been designed with student engagement at the forefront. In responding to the book, students will be required to think both within and beyond the text. Children learn best when they are having fun! Even better that they are learning the love of books at the same time!

Please follow me for more literacy units - particularly new releases!

Dog Man Series

Cat Kid

Diary of a Wimpy Kid No.16 - Big Shot

The Last Bear

Thank you for your continued support

A Book Companion for DIARY OF A WIMPY KID Diper Overlode by Jeff Kinney

This 78 page resource is an engaging and comprehensive unit that allows your students to respond to the story by using a wide range of reading comprehension strategies and skills.

With comprehension questions and activities for each chapter, students will cover many of the Grades 3, 4 and 5 ELA Common Core State Standards in context.

This unit is packed with Common Core aligned activities and includes printable and digital versions.

The Unit can be followed chapter by chapter, with no extra preparation or planning required by the teacher. AN ANSWER KEY IS PROVIDED. The responses in the unit have been planned and arranged so that your students will practise a wide range of comprehension strategies in context. It has been designed to promote thinking and comprehension. Tasks can be completed independently, collaboratively or alongside a teacher. The unit has been planned so that over the course of the book, students will become familiar with and well-practised in using comprehension strategies to make meaning from text.

Activities include:

• COMPREHENSION ACTIVITIES FOR EACH CHAPTER

• Comprehension strategies - inference, prediction , visualising, questioning, retrieving information, activating prior knowledge, making connections, summarizing, analysing, synthesising, understanding vocabulary in context.

• Literacy Skills - sequencing, cause and effect, main idea and events, compare and contrast, point of view, venn diagrams, writing, vocabulary work, idioms

• Story elements - character descriptions, character analysis, character emotions, character challenges, setting, plot, theme,

• Book response - creative responses, written responses.

All activities have been designed with student engagement at the forefront. In responding to the book, students will be required to think both within and beyond the text. Children learn best when they are having fun! Even better that they are learning the love of books at the same time!

Please follow me for more literacy units - particularly new releases!

Dog Man Series

Geronimo Stilton The Great Rat Rally

Fantastic Mr Fox

Thank you for your continued support

A Novel Study Book Companion for The Girl Who Stole an Elephant by Nizrana Farook.

With comprehension questions and activities for each chapter, students will cover many of the Grades 3, 4 and 5 ELA Common Core State Standards in context.

This unit is packed with Common Core aligned activities and includes printable and digital versions.

The Unit can be followed chapter by chapter, with no extra preparation or planning required by the teacher. The responses in the unit have been planned and arranged so that your students will practise a wide range of comprehension strategies in context. It has been designed to promote thinking and comprehension. Tasks can be completed independently, collaboratively or alongside a teacher in a guided reading session. The unit has been planned so that over the course of all the book, students will become familiar with and well-practised in using comprehension strategies to make meaning from text.

All activities have been designed with student engagement at the forefront. In responding to the book, students will be required to think both within and beyond the text. Children learn best when they are having fun! Even better that they are learning the love of books at the same time!

Please follow me for more literacy units - particularly new releases!

Diary of a Wimpy Kid No.16 - Big Shot

Captain Underpants #02

Gangsta Granny Units

The Last Bear

Thank you for your continued support

A Book Companion for The Diary of a Wimpy Kid No 15 THE DEEP END

This 42 page resource is an engaging and comprehensive unit that allows your students to respond to the story by using a wide range of comprehension strategies and skills

With comprehension questions and activities for each chapter, students will cover many of the Grades 4, and 5 and 6 ELA Common Core State Standards in context.

This unit is packed with Common Core aligned activities and includes printable and digital versions.

The Unit can be followed chapter by chapter, with no extra preparation or planning required by the teacher. The responses in the unit have been planned and arranged so that your students will practise a wide range of comprehension strategies in context. It has been designed to promote thinking and comprehension. Tasks can be completed independently, collaboratively or alongside a teacher. The unit has been planned so that over the course of the book, students will become familiar with and well-practised in using comprehension strategies to make meaning from text.

Activities include:

• COMPREHENSION ACTIVITIES FOR EACH CHAPTER

• Comprehension strategies - inference, prediction , visualising, questioning, retrieving information, activating prior knowledge, making connections, summarizing, analysing, synthesising, understanding vocabulary in context.

• Literacy Skills - sequencing, cause and effect, main idea and events, compare and contrast, point of view. PMI, venn diagrams, writing, point of view, mentor text activities, prefix and vocabulary work, idioms

• Story elements - character descriptions, character analysis, character emotions, character challenges, setting, plot, theme,

• Book response - creative responses, critical thinking, partner discussion response, written responses,

All activities have been designed with student engagement at the forefront. In responding to the book, students will be required to think both within and beyond the text. Children learn best when they are having fun! Even better that they are learning the love of books at the same time!

Please follow me for more literacy units - particularly new releases!

Dog Man Series

Fing

Fantastic Mr Fox

Thank you for your continued support

A Book Study Companion for SURVIVORS The Lost City - Book One of the Survivor's Series by Erin Hunter.

With comprehension questions and activities for each chapter, students will cover many of the Grades 4, 5 and 6 ELA Common Core State Standards in context.

This unit is packed with Common Core aligned activities and includes printable and digital versions.

The Unit can be followed chapter by chapter, with no extra preparation or planning required by the teacher. The responses in the unit have been planned and arranged so that your students will practise a wide range of comprehension strategies in context. It has been designed to promote thinking and comprehension. Tasks can be completed independently, collaboratively or alongside a teacher. The unit has been planned so that over the course of the book, students will become familiar with and well-practised in using comprehension strategies to make meaning from text.

All activities have been designed with student engagement at the forefront. In responding to the book, students will be required to think both within and beyond the text. Children learn best when they are having fun! Even better that they are learning the love of books at the same time!

Please follow me for more literacy units - particularly new releases!

Kaspar Prince of Cats

Cat Kid #1

Diary of a Wimpy Kid No.16 - Big Shot

The Last Bear

Thank you for your continued support

A Book Study for MEGAMONSTER by David Walliams

This unit is packed with Common Core aligned activities. This is a 86 page literacy unit designed to promote thinking and comprehension.

The unit includes printable and digital versions.

The responses in the unit have been planned and arranged so that your students will practise a wide range of comprehension strategies in context.

The unit is formatted in the order of the book, so that teachers can provide follow-ups after every reading session. The Unit can be followed chapter by chapter.

Each Chapter has a set of questions, with an extra response included after every second chapter.

The unit includes a range of activities and responses that can be assigned to individuals or groups of students. Tasks can be completed independently, collaboratively or alongside a teacher. The full range of activities can be viewed in the preview.

All activities have been designed with student engagement at the forefront. In responding to the book, students will be required to think both within and beyond the text. Children learn best when they are having fun! Even better that they are learning the love of books at the same time!

Please follow me for more literacy units - particularly new releases!

Gangsta Granny by David Walliams

The Christmas Pig by J.K Rowling

Thank you for your continued support

A NOVEL STUDY for THE MAGIC FARAWAY TREE - A New Adventure by Jacqueline Wilson.

This 36 page resource is an engaging and comprehensive unit that allows your students to respond to the story by using a wide range of reading comprehension strategies and skills.

With comprehension questions and activities for each chapter this unit can be followed chapter by chapter, with no extra preparation or planning required by the teacher. The responses in the unit have been planned and arranged so that your students will practise a wide range of comprehension strategies in context. It has been designed to promote thinking and understanding. Tasks can be completed independently, collaboratively or alongside a teacher. The unit has been planned so that over the course of the book, students will become familiar with and well-practised in using comprehension strategies to make meaning from text.

Activities include:

• COMPREHENSION ACTIVITIES FOR EACH CHAPTER

• Comprehension strategies - inference, prediction , visualising, questioning, retrieving information, activating prior knowledge, making connections, summarizing, analysing, synthesising, understanding vocabulary in context.

• Literacy Skills - sequencing, cause and effect, main idea and events, compare and contrast, point of view, venn diagrams, writing, point of view, vocabulary work, idioms

• Story elements - character descriptions, character analysis, character emotions, character challenges, setting, plot, theme,

• Book response - creative responses, written responses, critical thinking.

All activities have been designed with student engagement at the forefront. In responding to the book, students will be required to think both within and beyond the text. Children learn best when they are having fun! Even better that they are learning the love of books at the same time!

Please follow me for more literacy units - particularly new releases!

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing

The One and Only Ivan

Survivors - The Empty City

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Thank you for your continued support