Tag Archives : Handouts


Poetry Lesson on Sonnets (Shakespeare and Browning)

Product Description

Lesson on Sonnets

This mini bundle includes a sonnet from William Shakespeare (#130) and a sonnet from Elizabeth Browning (How do I Love Thee?). In this activity, students will compare the different tones and forms from both poems. One is beautiful and romanticizes love, and the other sees love realistically (and a little meanly if you ask me). Students will identify the different types of sonnets, the figurative language found within their lines and will have the opportunity to write their own.

Students get to see another side of Shakespeare from his sonnet. Students always love his realistic, yet sarcastic portrayal of love.

The mini bundle includes:
– a detailed lesson plan for the teacher
– student notes (the poems) and activity
– an annotated copy of the poems as well as a comprehensive answer key.

The entire unit contains four pages.

This lesson is part of a larger poetry bundle:
Click here to preview the Poetry Unit for Senior Students

You may also be interested in the following products: 
Poetry Through Song Unit
Lord of the Flies Unit (No prep required)
Hamlet Unit (No prep – Complete Unit)
Death of a Salesman (No prep required)
Frankenstein (No prep – Complete Unit)
Poetry Unit for Senior Students (NO PREP)
Poetry Unit for Intermediate Students
Poetry Unit: The Art of Interpretation
Romeo and Juliet – A No Prep Unit

It’s teaching made easy!

Total Pages 4 pages

Answer Key Included

Teaching Duration 1 hour



Parts of Speech Grammar Circles (Superhero Themed)

Product Description

Superhero themed Parts of speech Grammar Circle Unit

One of the biggest challenges I had in my English classes was how to fit grammar in with everything else I had to teach. I would give students grammar pages, and then we would correct them together. It was tedious, and it took forever! What’s more is that students were not learning the way I wanted them to. They wouldn’t apply what they had learned from the grammar pages and activities. 

I found a solution!

Grammar Circles. Grammar Circles are very similar to literature circles in the sense that students are teaching one another grammar. It is a fun and functional way to teach and Learn grammar. Although this may be done individually, it can also be completed as a group where students, through a specific process outlined in the package, teach one another grammar. They also correct the work together, so the teacher has very little to do other than to facilitate and supervise. 

Once these circles have been implemented and students know who their group members are and what they are supposed to do, it is a great prep to leave a supply teacher.

The package includes:

1) A Student Packet – which contains the Literature Circle directions, the notes, and activities, and a “Mark Calculation” page to keep track of their marks. (27 pages)

Activities included focus on: 

-nouns
-adjectives
-verbs
-adverbs
-prepositions
-conjunctions
-putting in all together
-correct use of pronouns
-who and whom
-that and which
-who’s and whose
-that and who
-pronoun case
-pronoun agreement
-active and passive voice
-verb tenses (present, past, future)
-verb uses (consistency in verb tenses)

2) A teacher Guide with easy to follow instructions on how to organize the Grammar Circles.

3) The Answer Key – devised to allow students to correct their work and learn from one another. 

Also included are free Superhero Themed Parts of Speech Posters to decorate your class.

For those who are from Ontario, Canada – this unit adheres to the Grade 9 English Curriculum (academic). The unit can be taught in any grade to learn parts of speech. 

(51 pages total for this unit)

You may also be interested in:

Sentences – Grammar Circles for easy and effective grammar

Super Hero Themed Parts of Speech Posters (FREE)

Total Pages 51 pages

Answer Key Included

Teaching Duration N/A


Poetry Unit (for senior students)

Product Description

Poetry Unit for Senior Students (Bundled)

I love poetry! I love reading it, I love teaching it, and I love the discussions I can have with my students because of it. May students (and some teachers) dislike poetry because they think it’s too difficult. I once had a student tell me that poetry was like a “code” that needed to be unlocked. Cringe!! Some poems are meant to be analyzed. Some poems and meant to sound beautiful, and some poems are meant to be simple and enjoyed for what they are. This unit has a little of all of those things. 

Students love this poetry unit. It is a complete unit with no prep required on the teacher’s part. This 2 and a half week unit includes a student guide, 12 detailed lesson plans, two multimedia presentations (no internet connection required), a complete answer key with annotated poems (this is a teacher favorite!) , and an end of the unit evaluation with answer key. 

Just print it and teach it. It really is that easy.

This bundle includes individual lessons devised to teach students the importance of:

• Figurative language (its uses and effects)
• How to read poetry
• How to understand and apply symbolism and imagery
• The importance of rhythm 
• The importance of tone and attitude in a poem
• Types of poetry
• How to analyze poetry
• How to appreciate poetry (even when you don’t understand it)
• Includes some Canadian poetry 

This unit’s focus is the analysis of poetry and teaches students how to make inferences, which is a skill they must learn for their other subjects as well. 

Poems include authors such as Emily Dickenson, Dorothy Parker, Maya Angelou, Thomas Gray, Lord Alfred Tennyson, Alfred Noyes, T.S. Eliot, Shakespeare, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Robert Frost, Pearl Jam, Langston Hughes, Margaret Atwood, and Walt Whitman. The Unit includes 21 different poems.

The unit has been conceived to last 15 days – with 65 minute periods (although they are easy to modify). 

The unit includes:

1 – The teacher guide (Contains 12 comprehensive lesson plans to teach the poems included in the unit. EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO TEACH THIS UNIT HAS BEEN DONE FOR YOU. )

2 – The student package (Contains students’ notes, poems, and questions) (28 pages)

3 – The answer key includes annotated poems and answers to all student activities, as well as an example of paragraph developing a theme in poetry (saving you time).

4 – Included is a test with multiple choice questions as well as one development question. All answers are included. (Word format for easy changes)

5 – 2 PowerPoint presentations – one multimedia presentation to introduce the unit (17 slides) and the second to reinforce the use of imagery and symbolism (19 slides) – NO INTERNET CONNECTION REQUIRED

A total of 68 pages + 36 slides are included in this package. 

This unit is complete and does all of the thinking for you. All you need to do is to print out and photocopy the student package, and you’re set.

Check out these individual lessons from the unit: 
Poetry and Imagery – Langston Hughes
Tone in poetry – Robert Frost
Rhythm in Poetry
Poetry Lesson on Sonnets (Shakespeare and Browning)
Free Poetry Lesson: Analysing Poetry (NO PREP)
Lesson on Allegory and Symbolism Analysis in Poetry is ready to teach (NO PREP).

It’s teaching made easy!

You may also be interested in the following products: 

Poetry Through Song Unit

Lord of the Flies Unit (No prep required)

Hamlet Unit (No prep – Complete Unit)

Death of a Salesman (No prep required)

Frankenstein (No prep – Complete Unit)

Poetry Unit for Intermediate Students

Poetry Unit: The Art of Interpretation

Romeo and Juliet – A No Prep Unit

Total Pages 68 pages

Answer Key Included with rubric

Teaching Duration 3 Weeks


Poetry: A Lesson on Imagery – Langston Hughes

Product Description

This is a lesson on poetry and imagery

This mini bundle includes the poems of Langston Hughes and has a focus on the importance of imagery. More specifically, the lesson is based on two poems: A Dream Deferred and Mother to Son.

This lesson is part of a larger poetry bundle:
Click here to preview the Poetry Unit for Senior Students

This lesson will take two full periods.

The mini bundle includes:

– a detailed lesson plan for the teacher
– student notes (the poems) and activity 
– an annotated copy of the poems as well as a comprehensive answer key.
-an activity on PowerPoint to teach students about imagery

The entire unit contains six pages+ 19 PowerPoint slides

I hope you enjoy your purchase!

It’s teaching made easy! 

You may also be interested in the following products: 
Poetry Through Song Unit
Lord of the Flies Unit (No prep required)
Hamlet Unit (No prep – Complete Unit)
Death of a Salesman (No prep required)
Frankenstein (No prep – Complete Unit)
Poetry Unit for Senior Students (NO PREP)
Poetry Unit for Intermediate Students
Poetry Unit: The Art of Interpretation
Romeo and Juliet – A No Prep Unit

Total Pages 8 pages

Answer Key Included

Teaching Duration 2 hours


Poetry Unit (for senior students)

Product Description

Poetry Unit for Senior Students (Bundled)

I love poetry! I love reading it, I love teaching it, and I love the discussions I can have with my students because of it. May students (and some teachers) dislike poetry because they think it’s too difficult. I once had a student tell me that poetry was like a “code” that needed to be unlocked. Cringe!! Some poems are meant to be analyzed. Some poems and meant to sound beautiful, and some poems are meant to be simple and enjoyed for what they are. This unit has a little of all of those things. 

Students love this poetry unit. It is a complete unit with no prep required on the teacher’s part. This 2 and a half week unit includes a student guide, 12 detailed lesson plans, two multimedia presentations (no internet connection required), a complete answer key with annotated poems (this is a teacher favorite!) , and an end of the unit evaluation with answer key. 

Just print it and teach it. It really is that easy.

This bundle includes individual lessons devised to teach students the importance of:

• Figurative language (its uses and effects)
• How to read poetry
• How to understand and apply symbolism and imagery
• The importance of rhythm 
• The importance of tone and attitude in a poem
• Types of poetry
• How to analyze poetry
• How to appreciate poetry (even when you don’t understand it)
• Includes some Canadian poetry 

This unit’s focus is the analysis of poetry and teaches students how to make inferences, which is a skill they must learn for their other subjects as well. 

Poems include authors such as Emily Dickenson, Dorothy Parker, Maya Angelou, Thomas Gray, Lord Alfred Tennyson, Alfred Noyes, T.S. Eliot, Shakespeare, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Robert Frost, Pearl Jam, Langston Hughes, Margaret Atwood, and Walt Whitman. The Unit includes 21 different poems.

The unit has been conceived to last 15 days – with 65 minute periods (although they are easy to modify). 

The unit includes:

1 – The teacher guide (Contains 12 comprehensive lesson plans to teach the poems included in the unit. EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO TEACH THIS UNIT HAS BEEN DONE FOR YOU. )

2 – The student package (Contains students’ notes, poems, and questions) (28 pages)

3 – The answer key includes annotated poems and answers to all student activities, as well as an example of paragraph developing a theme in poetry (saving you time).

4 – Included is a test with multiple choice questions as well as one development question. All answers are included. (Word format for easy changes)

5 – 2 PowerPoint presentations – one multimedia presentation to introduce the unit (17 slides) and the second to reinforce the use of imagery and symbolism (19 slides) – NO INTERNET CONNECTION REQUIRED

A total of 68 pages + 36 slides are included in this package. 

This unit is complete and does all of the thinking for you. All you need to do is to print out and photocopy the student package, and you’re set.

Check out these individual lessons from the unit: 
Poetry and Imagery – Langston Hughes
Tone in poetry – Robert Frost
Rhythm in Poetry
Poetry Lesson on Sonnets (Shakespeare and Browning)
Free Poetry Lesson: Analysing Poetry (NO PREP)
Lesson on Allegory and Symbolism Analysis in Poetry is ready to teach (NO PREP).

It’s teaching made easy!

You may also be interested in the following products: 

Poetry Through Song Unit

Lord of the Flies Unit (No prep required)

Hamlet Unit (No prep – Complete Unit)

Death of a Salesman (No prep required)

Frankenstein (No prep – Complete Unit)

Poetry Unit for Intermediate Students

Poetry Unit: The Art of Interpretation

Romeo and Juliet – A No Prep Unit

Total Pages 68 pages

Answer Key Included with rubric

Teaching Duration 3 Weeks


Opinion Letter with the Novel Holes

Product Description

The Opinion Letter with the Novel Holes

Appropriate for grades 7 to 9, students learn how to recognize and write a supported opinion using Louis Sachar’s novel “Holes.”

The bundle includes:

-An activity sheet on “What is a Supported Opinion?” (with answer key)

-Instructions on how to write an effective opinion letter

-The evaluation which contains the instruction sheet and list of topics (that were selected for students of different needs. Students who are high achieving might select one of the more complex topics, while a student who struggles can choose a more obvious one.)

-An evaluation grid is included along with evaluation expectations

-All writing process directions and sheets are included (Pre-Writing or Brainstorming sheet and a Paragraph Organizer)

-Also included is an example of the writing process from beginning to end to help students fully understand what the task entails. (Pre-Writing sheet, Paragraph Organizer and the final draft, which includes format expectations.)

It really is teaching made easy! Print it and go!

Ten pages in PDF format are included.

You may also be interested in the following products:

The Elevator Short Story Mini Unit

Intermediate Poetry Unit

Super Hero Themed Parts of Speech Posters (FREE)

FREE Parts of Speech Grammar Circles (Superhero Themed)

Sentences – Grammar Circles for easy and effective grammar

Spelling Flip Book

Rubrics Self-Evaluation

Fish Bowl Evaluation Bundle

Opinion Piece Bundle

How to Write a Paragraph

ELA Literature Study Unit to Use with ANY Work of Literature

Total Pages 10 pages

Answer Key Included with rubric

Teaching Duration 4 days


Short Story Bundle Unit Plan

Product Description

The Short Story Bundle is 4 short story mini-units for the price of one. See the preview for more details.

Seventh Grade Short Story Mini Unit is a great way to start any literature unit. Suitable from grade seven to ten, this unit reviews literary elements and allows students to practice identifying all important elements.

The unit includes:

-A Copy of the short story

-An anticipation reading guide

-a two-page literary element cheat sheet

-plot graph

-word wall

-Character trait explanation sheet

-Characterization activity

-Writing evaluation (or activity) with evaluation sheet

-Comprehensive answer key for all activities.

18 pages total

“The Elevator” Short Story Mini-Unit is a one-stop-shop for teaching the short story. Other than photocopies, all of the work has been done for you.

This mini-unit is suitable for grades 7 through 10 and includes:

-a copy of the short story

-questions for comprehension

-a plot chart organizer

-activity to help students discover the author’s purpose for writing

-an instructional sheet on how to develop themes (with a practical example)

-an instructional sheet on how to develop a theme in paragraph form

-a graphic organizer to help students organize their paragraphs

-an example of a completed graphic organizer to plan the paragraph

-an example of a paragraph for “The Elevator.”

-a comprehensive answer key for all handouts

-a three-day lesson plan to accompany the story

This short story mini-unit features Shirley Jackson’s short story “Charles.” Appropriate for grades 7 to 10, the lessons focus on the development of theme and paragraphs.

Included in the mini-unit is:

• A copy of the short story

• A prediction chart

• An anticipation guide

• Activity sheet (select important passages in the text for theme and paragraph support)

• Author’s purpose activity sheet

• How to develop a theme sheet with an example

• A graphic organizer to help students plan their paragraph

• An answer key for all activities

• 3-day lesson plan for easy planning

16 pages total

The Rain Rain Go Away Mini Unit includes all materials to teach this short story. Students also get the opportunity to be creative and collaborate with others in the creative process. This unit is always a hit in my class.

The resource includes:

-An anticipation guide

-A copy of the short story

-Questions for comprehension

-Plot graph activity

-Information sheet on characterization and an accompanying activity

-A personal word wall to improve students’ vocabulary and understanding

-A comprehensive answer key for all activities

Also included are two evaluations with evaluation grids:

-An individual evaluation where the student must write an alternate ending to the story

-A group evaluation where students must work collaboratively to produce an alternate ending

24 pages total

Individual Short Story Mini-Units:

The Elevator Short Story Mini Unit

Rain, Rain, Go Away Short Story Mini Unit

Seventh Grade Mini Unit

Charles Short Story Mini Unit

You may also be interested in the following products:

Intermediate Poetry Unit

Super Hero Themed Parts of Speech Posters (FREE)

FREE Parts of Speech Grammar Circles (Superhero Themed)

Sentences – Grammar Circles for easy and effective grammar

Spelling Flip Book

Rubrics Self-Evaluation

Fish Bowl Evaluation Bundle

Opinion Piece Bundle

How to Write a Paragraph

ELA Literature Study Unit to Use with ANY Work of Literature

It’s teaching made easy!

Total Pages 74 pages

Answer Key Included with rubri

Teaching Duration 2 Weeks


Free: Developing Themes in Literature

Product Description

This handout has been created to help both teachers and students learn how to develop themes in literature properly. This can be such an abstract concept for some students. Hopefully, this FREE handout will demystify theme development.

This handout includes step by step instructions on how to develop a theme in paragraph form.

I hope you enjoy it! 

It’s teaching made easy!

You may also be interested in the following products: 

Thesis Writing Activity with PowerPoint Presentation

Teaching The Essay Package
Essay Evaluation Comments with Drop Down Boxes
Lord of the Flies Unit (No prep required)
Hamlet Unit (No prep – Complete Unit)
Death of a Salesman (No prep required)
Frankenstein (No prep – Complete Unit)
Poetry Unit for Senior Students (NO PREP)
Poetry Unit for Intermediate Students
Poetry Unit: The Art of Interpretation
Romeo and Juliet – A No Prep Unit


Total Pages 1 page

Answer Key N/A

Teaching Duration N/A


Poetry Through Song – A No Prep Unit

Product Description

!

Teach the art of poetry through song lyrics

I love teaching poetry! I love it when my student like learning it too.

So many students dislike poetry that I wanted to create a unit just for them. This unit takes a different approach to teaching poetry all while allowing students to be critical of the songs they hear on the radio. This unit teaches the same skills as traditional poetry units do, but does it more lightly.

Take a look at what is included in this bundle:

An introductory video on how to approach poetry throughout the unit see video here Poetry Through Song Introduction Video

A Figurative Language Bingo Game to make learning and reviewing figurative language more fun.

The Teacher Guide includes 13 complete lessons focusing on and building on specific skills with each lesson

The Student Guide includes the following:

-notes on how to approach poetry

-notes on poetic devices and figurative language

– A copy of the following songs: Malibu, Roar, Scars to your Beautiful, Golden Leaves, Sound of Silence, There were Roses, The Cave, Something Just Like This, and Lost Boy. A wide variety of songs are included.

-Activities accompany every song (Theme and meaning, historical and literary allusions, the meaning of pronouns, Thematic connection exercises, video comparison activity, fun with allusions, fun with metaphors, fun with idioms, and much more.) See the preview for more details.

The Answer Key includes the answers to all questions and activities and comes with detailed annotations of each poem.

A Culminating Task with rubric included (in Word format for easy modifications)

140 pages included + 1 video

See the previews of some of the lessons included in the bundle:

You may also be interested in the following products:

Lord of the Flies Unit (No prep required)

Hamlet Unit (No prep – Complete Unit)

Death of a Salesman (No prep required)

Frankenstein (No prep – Complete Unit)

Poetry Unit for Senior Students (NO PREP)

Poetry Unit for Intermediate Students

Poetry Unit: The Art of Interpretation

Romeo and Juliet – A No Prep Unit

Thesis Writing Activity with PowerPoint Presentation

Teaching The Essay Package

Essay Evaluation Comments with Drop Down Boxes

It’s teaching made easy!

Total Pages 140 pages

Answer Key Included with rubric

Teaching Duration 2 Weeks



Opinion Piece Bundle

Product Description

How to write an effective Opinion Piece Bundle includes:

-notes for students (What is an opinion piece? How do we write an opinion piece?…)
-work process sheets to help students organize their ideas
-an example of an effective opinion piece (an effective tool for teaching)
-a student self-evaluation and teacher evaluation

Total Pages 6 pages

Answer Key N/A

Teaching Duration N/A


How to write a paragraph

Product Description

The Paragraph package is an easy to use document that will help students learn how to write effectively using the proper form.
The document includes a detailed description of the different types of paragraphs as well as how to effectively write the paragraph (with sentence by sentence instructions).

It’s teaching made easy!

Total Pages 3 pages

Answer Key N/A

Teaching Duration N/A


Poetry Unit : The Art of Interpretation No Prep

Product Description

Poetry: The Art of Interpretation – is designed to teach students how to interpret, appreciate, and analyze poetry.

There are nine complete lessons (estimated to last approximately 60 minutes), therefore two weeks of lessons.

This complete, no prep unit is a great way to start! This unit includes a student guide, nine detailed lesson plans, two multimedia presentations (no internet connection required), a detailed answer key with annotated poems and answers, and an end of the unit evaluation with a rubric, and answer key.

Just print it and teach it.

Poetry is a very subjective form of art. Some poems you love and others, you hate. What we need to realize is that this is the beauty of poetry. Poetry is not a mystery to be solved. Rather, it is the masterful manipulation of language that has the power to transform the ordinary and to immerse its reader into the world created by the author.

This unit incorporates art to help students understand and appreciate the beauty of words. Also, students will learn how to analyze themes in poetry through paintings and artwork. 

This bundle includes:

Each lesson focuses on a different skill set including:
– Knowledge and manipulation of figurative and poetic language
– How to read and understand (appreciate) poetry
– How to analyze poetry
– How to annotate poetry
– How to paraphrase effectively
– How to use symbols
– How to effectively develop themes from poetry
– Creative writing
– Creative activities to learn how to analyze

The unit includes a student packet (20 pages), a teacher packet (with nine complete lessons), and a comprehensive answer key with annotations to the poem (with 17 pages). See the preview for more details.

Poets studied include: (8 poems total)
– Billy Collins – “Introduction to Poetry”
– Anne Marriott – “As You Come in”
– Phyllis Gotlieb – “First Person Demonstrative”
– Edgar Allan Poe – The Raven
– Robert Frost – “Nothing Gold Can Stay.”
– John Crowe Ransom -“Janet Waking”
– Woodruff – “I am a Poem that Tells a Lie.”
– Tennyson – “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”

The unit also includes: 

1 – The teacher guide (Contains nine comprehensive lesson plans to teach the poems included in the unit. EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO TEACH THIS UNIT HAS BEEN DONE FOR YOU. )

2 – The student package (Contains students’ notes, poems, and questions) (20 pages)

3 – The answer key includes annotated poems and answers to all student activities (saving you time – 18 pages).

4 – Included is a test with multiple choice questions as well as a development question. All answers are included. (Word format for easy changes)

5 – 2 PowerPoint presentations – one multimedia presentation to introduce the unit (17 slides) and the second to reinforce the use of imagery and symbolism (19 slides) – NO INTERNET CONNECTION REQUIRED

6 – Images to project or print

7- An end of the unit creative evaluation, which includes clear and concise directions and rubric. (In a Word document for easy modifications)

– An interactive multimedia Jeopardy game to review figurative language and poetic devices (PowerPoint – no internet required)

– A multimedia PowerPoint on how to read and interpret poetry

– A PowerPoint presentation on how to understand symbols and imagery in literature (19 slides)

– A final culminating evaluation with evaluation rubric (left in Word format for easily made modifications)

The unit has been created in such a way as to simplify the teacher’s life. Photocopy the three packages included and don’t worry about it for the rest of the unit. You literally can begin teaching it without any other preparation. 

A total of 43 pages + 64 slides are included in this package.

This unit is complete and does all of the thinking for you. All you need to do is to print out and photocopy the student package, and you’re set.

You may also be interested in the following products: 
Poetry Through Song Unit
Lord of the Flies Unit (No prep required)
Hamlet Unit (No prep – Complete Unit)
Death of a Salesman (No prep required)
Frankenstein (No prep – Complete Unit)
Poetry Unit for Senior Students (NO PREP)
Poetry Unit for Intermediate Students
Poetry Unit: The Art of Interpretation
Romeo and Juliet – A No Prep Unit

I will be adding to this resource. Click on the Follow Me section at the top of my store page and you will be notified when I have revised this product or when a product is on sale. Of course, downloading the revised version will be free.

Total Pages 43 pages and 64 slides

Answer Key Included with rubric

Teaching Duration 2 Weeks


Free: Poetry Through Song – Individual Lesson (Sound of Silence)

Product Description

This individual 2-day lesson teaches poetry through song lyrics

The lesson included in this mini bundle includes a lesson plan, student activity sheets, and a comprehensive answer key. Students will analyze the song “The Sound of Silence,” will learn the importance of allusions, will learn about theme development, and will compare both the original Simon and Garfunkle version to the Disturbed version, all while furthering the theme of the song. 

Poetry should be fun, and it can be! 

This lesson is a preview of my unit called “Poetry Through Song.” Check out the preview to the unit here:
Poetry Through Song Unit
You may also be interested in the following products: 
Lord of the Flies Unit (No prep required)
Hamlet Unit (No prep – Complete Unit)
Death of a Salesman (No prep required)
Frankenstein (No prep – Complete Unit)
Poetry Unit for Senior Students (NO PREP)
Poetry Unit for Intermediate Students
Poetry Unit: The Art of Interpretation
Romeo and Juliet – A No Prep Unit
It’s teaching made easy!

Total Pages 7 pages

Answer Key Included

Teaching Duration 2 days



Opinion Letter with the Novel Holes

Product Description

The Opinion Letter with the Novel Holes

Appropriate for grades 7 to 9, students learn how to recognize and write a supported opinion using Louis Sachar’s novel “Holes.”

The bundle includes: 
-An activity sheet on “What is a Supported Opinion?” (with answer key)

-Instructions on how to write an effective opinion letter

-The evaluation which contains the instruction sheet and list of topics (that were selected for students of different needs. Students who are high achieving might select one of the more complex topics, while a student who struggles can choose a more obvious one.)

-An evaluation grid is included along with evaluation expectations

-All writing process directions and sheets are included (Pre-Writing or Brainstorming sheet and a Paragraph Organizer)

-Also included is an example of the writing process from beginning to end to help students fully understand what the task entails. (Pre-Writing sheet, Paragraph Organizer and the final draft, which includes format expectations.)

It really is teaching made easy! Print it and go!

Ten pages in PDF format are included.

You may also be interested in the following products: 
The Elevator Short Story Mini Unit
Intermediate Poetry Unit
Super Hero Themed Parts of Speech Posters (FREE)
FREE Parts of Speech Grammar Circles (Superhero Themed)
Sentences – Grammar Circles for easy and effective grammar
Spelling Flip Book
Rubrics Self-Evaluation
Fish Bowl Evaluation Bundle
Opinion Piece Bundle
How to Write a Paragraph
ELA Literature Study Unit to Use with ANY Work of Literature

Total Pages 10 pages

Answer KeyvIncluded with rubric

Teaching Duration 4 days


Creating Characters in Creative Writing

Product Description

In creative writing, it is very important to create strong and dynamic characters. In addition, characters within a story need to have strong motivation, and their interactions with other characters need to add interest and appeal to the reader.
Included within this resource is a visual reminder to students in creative writing when it comes the time to incorporate characters in their work.

Also included is a worksheet that will guide students in creating a strong main character and a second worksheet for orchestrating dynamic and plot-driven secondary characters that will keep the reader interested until the end of the story.
Please see the preview for more details.

You may also be interested in the following products that are part of my Creative Writing Series: 
Introduction to Creative Writing PowerPoint
Exploring the Elements of Fiction in Creative Writing
Creative Writing Activity
Buidling Suspense in Creative Writing

It’s teaching made easy!

I will be adding to this resource. Click on the Follow Me, and you will be notified when I have revised this product or when a product is on sale. Of course, downloading the revised version will be free. 

IF YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO OPEN THE ZIP FILE, PLEASE

Total Pages 3 pages

Answer Key N/A

Teaching DurationN/A


Parts of Speech Grammar Circles (Superhero Themed)

Product Description

Superhero themed Parts of speech Grammar Circle Unit

One of the biggest challenges I had in my English classes was how to fit grammar in with everything else I had to teach. I would give students grammar pages, and then we would correct them together. It was tedious, and it took forever! What’s more is that students were not learning the way I wanted them to. They wouldn’t apply what they had learned from the grammar pages and activities. 

I found a solution!

Grammar Circles. Grammar Circles are very similar to literature circles in the sense that students are teaching one another grammar. It is a fun and functional way to teach and Learn grammar. Although this may be done individually, it can also be completed as a group where students, through a specific process outlined in the package, teach one another grammar. They also correct the work together, so the teacher has very little to do other than to facilitate and supervise. 

Once these circles have been implemented and students know who their group members are and what they are supposed to do, it is a great prep to leave a supply teacher.

The package includes:

1) A Student Packet – which contains the Literature Circle directions, the notes, and activities, and a “Mark Calculation” page to keep track of their marks. (27 pages)

Activities included focus on: 

-nouns
-adjectives
-verbs
-adverbs
-prepositions
-conjunctions
-putting in all together
-correct use of pronouns
-who and whom
-that and which
-who’s and whose
-that and who
-pronoun case
-pronoun agreement
-active and passive voice
-verb tenses (present, past, future)
-verb uses (consistency in verb tenses)

2) A teacher Guide with easy to follow instructions on how to organize the Grammar Circles.

3) The Answer Key – devised to allow students to correct their work and learn from one another. 

Also included are free Superhero Themed Parts of Speech Posters to decorate your class.

For those who are from Ontario, Canada – this unit adheres to the Grade 9 English Curriculum (academic). The unit can be taught in any grade to learn parts of speech. 

(51 pages total for this unit)

You may also be interested in:

Sentences – Grammar Circles for easy and effective grammar

Super Hero Themed Parts of Speech Posters (FREE)


Total Pages 51 pages

Answer Key Included

Teaching Duration N/A


Free: Developing Themes in Literature

Product Description

This handout has been created to help both teachers and students learn how to develop themes in literature properly. This can be such an abstract concept for some students. Hopefully, this FREE handout will demystify theme development.

This handout includes step by step instructions on how to develop a theme in paragraph form.

I hope you enjoy it! 

It’s teaching made easy!

Thesis Writing Activity with PowerPoint Presentation

Teaching The Essay Package
Essay Evaluation Comments with Drop Down Boxes
Lord of the Flies Unit (No prep required)
Hamlet Unit (No prep – Complete Unit)
Death of a Salesman (No prep required)
Frankenstein (No prep – Complete Unit)
Poetry Unit for Senior Students (NO PREP)
Poetry Unit for Intermediate Students
Poetry Unit: The Art of Interpretation
Romeo and Juliet – A No Prep Unit
Total Pages 1 page

Answer Key  N/A

Teaching Duration N/A


Opinion Piece Bundle

Product Description

How to write an effective Opinion Piece Bundle includes:

-notes for students (What is an opinion piece? How do we write an opinion piece?…)
-work process sheets to help students organize their ideas
-an example of an effective opinion piece (an effective tool for teaching)
-a student self-evaluation and teacher evaluation

Total Pages 6 pages

Answer Key   N/A

Teaching Duration  N/A


Poetry Through Song – A No Prep Unit

Product Description

Half price for a limited time only!

Teach the art of poetry through song lyrics

I love teaching poetry! I love it when my student like learning it too.

So many students dislike poetry that I wanted to create a unit just for them. This unit takes a different approach to teaching poetry all while allowing students to be critical of the songs they hear on the radio. This unit teaches the same skills as traditional poetry units do, but does it more lightly.

Take a look at what is included in this bundle:

An introductory video on how to approach poetry throughout the unit see video here Poetry Through Song Introduction Video

A Figurative Language Bingo Game to make learning and reviewing figurative language more fun.

The Teacher Guide includes 13 complete lessons focusing on and building on specific skills with each lesson

The Student Guide includes the following:

-notes on how to approach poetry

-notes on poetic devices and figurative language

– A copy of the following songs: Malibu, Roar, Scars to your Beautiful, Golden Leaves, Sound of Silence, There were Roses, The Cave, Something Just Like This, and Lost Boy. A wide variety of songs are included.

-Activities accompany every song (Theme and meaning, historical and literary allusions, the meaning of pronouns, Thematic connection exercises, video comparison activity, fun with allusions, fun with metaphors, fun with idioms, and much more.) See the preview for more details.

The Answer Key includes the answers to all questions and activities and comes with detailed annotations of each poem.

A Culminating Task with rubric included (in Word format for easy modifications)

140 pages included + 1 video

See the previews of some of the lessons included in the bundle:

You may also be interested in the following products:

Lord of the Flies Unit (No prep required)

Hamlet Unit (No prep – Complete Unit)

Death of a Salesman (No prep required)

Frankenstein (No prep – Complete Unit)

Poetry Unit for Senior Students (NO PREP)

Poetry Unit for Intermediate Students

Poetry Unit: The Art of Interpretation

Romeo and Juliet – A No Prep Unit

Thesis Writing Activity with PowerPoint Presentation

Teaching The Essay Package

Essay Evaluation Comments with Drop Down Boxes

It’s teaching made easy!

Total Pages 140 pages

Answer Key Included with rubric Teaching

Duration 2 Weeks


Tone – a Poetry Lesson

Product Description

Lesson on tone in poetry

This mini bundle includes Robert Frost’s poem “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” and has a focus on the importance of tone. 

The mini bundle includes:
– a detailed lesson plan for the teacher
– student notes (the poems) and activity
– an annotated copy of the poems as well as a comprehensive answer key.

The entire unit contains 4 pages.

This lesson is part of a more comprehensive bundle:
Click here to check out my Poetry Unit for Senior Students

I hope you enjoy your purchase!

You may also be interested in the following products: 
Poetry Through Song Unit
Lord of the Flies Unit (No prep required)
Hamlet Unit (No prep – Complete Unit)
Death of a Salesman (No prep required)
Frankenstein (No prep – Complete Unit)
Poetry Unit for Senior Students (NO PREP)
Poetry Unit for Intermediate Students
Poetry Unit: The Art of Interpretation
Romeo and Juliet – A No Prep Unit

It’s teaching made easy!

Total Pages 5 pages

Answer Key Included

Teaching Duration 1 hour


Poetry Unit (for senior students)

Poetry Unit (for senior students)

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Poetry-Unit-for-senior-students-1107375

 Product DescriptionPoetry Unit for Senior Students (Bundled)

I love poetry! I love reading it, I love teaching it, and I love the discussions I can have with my students because of it. May students (and some teachers) dislike poetry because they think it’s too difficult. I once had a student tell me that poetry was like a “code” that needed to be unlocked. Cringe!! Some poems are meant to be analyzed. Some poems and meant to sound beautiful, and some poems are meant to be simple and enjoyed for what they are. This unit has a little of all of those things. 

Students love this poetry unit. It is a complete unit with no prep required on the teacher’s part. This 2 and a half week unit includes a student guide, 12 detailed lesson plans, two multimedia presentations (no internet connection required), a complete answer key with annotated poems (this is a teacher favorite!) , and an end of the unit evaluation with answer key. 

Just print it and teach it. It really is that easy.

This bundle includes individual lessons devised to teach students the importance of:

• Figurative language (its uses and effects)
• How to read poetry
• How to understand and apply symbolism and imagery
• The importance of rhythm 
• The importance of tone and attitude in a poem
• Types of poetry
• How to analyze poetry
• How to appreciate poetry (even when you don’t understand it)
• Includes some Canadian poetry 

This unit’s focus is the analysis of poetry and teaches students how to make inferences, which is a skill they must learn for their other subjects as well. 

Poems include authors such as Emily Dickenson, Dorothy Parker, Maya Angelou, Thomas Gray, Lord Alfred Tennyson, Alfred Noyes, T.S. Eliot, Shakespeare, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Robert Frost, Pearl Jam, Langston Hughes, Margaret Atwood, and Walt Whitman. The Unit includes 21 different poems.

The unit has been conceived to last 15 days – with 65 minute periods (although they are easy to modify). 

The unit includes:

1 – The teacher guide (Contains 12 comprehensive lesson plans to teach the poems included in the unit. EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO TEACH THIS UNIT HAS BEEN DONE FOR YOU. )

2 – The student package (Contains students’ notes, poems, and questions) (28 pages)

3 – The answer key includes annotated poems and answers to all student activities, as well as an example of paragraph developing a theme in poetry (saving you time).

4 – Included is a test with multiple choice questions as well as one development question. All answers are included. (Word format for easy changes)

5 – 2 PowerPoint presentations – one multimedia presentation to introduce the unit (17 slides) and the second to reinforce the use of imagery and symbolism (19 slides) – NO INTERNET CONNECTION REQUIRED

A total of 68 pages + 36 slides are included in this package. 

This unit is complete and does all of the thinking for you. All you need to do is to print out and photocopy the student package, and you’re set.

Check out these individual lessons from the unit: 
Poetry and Imagery – Langston Hughes
Tone in poetry – Robert Frost
Rhythm in Poetry
Poetry Lesson on Sonnets (Shakespeare and Browning)
Free Poetry Lesson: Analysing Poetry (NO PREP)
Lesson on Allegory and Symbolism Analysis in Poetry is ready to teach (NO PREP).

It’s teaching made easy!

You may also be interested in the following products: 

Poetry Through Song Unit

Lord of the Flies Unit (No prep required)

Hamlet Unit (No prep – Complete Unit)

Death of a Salesman (No prep required)

Frankenstein (No prep – Complete Unit)

Poetry Unit for Intermediate Students

Poetry Unit: The Art of Interpretation

Romeo and Juliet – A No Prep Unit


Total Pages   68 pages

Answer Key Included with rubric Teaching

Duration 3 Weeks


Building Suspense in Creative Writing

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Building-Suspense-in-Creative-Writing-3774342

 

Building Suspense in Creative Writing

 

Product Description

In creative writing, the only thing that will keep the reader engaged in your story until the last page is by building effective suspense. This resource includes a visual chart of the different types of suspense to include in writing and includes relevant examples and tips to achieve it.

In addition, also included in this resource are two suspense building activities and 4 pages of notes on how to effectively build suspense within any type of story.
Please see the preview for more details.

You may also be interested in the following products that are part of my Creative Writing Series: 
Introduction to Creative Writing PowerPoint
Exploring the Elements of Fiction in Creative Writing
Creative Writing Activity
Creative Characters in Creative Writing

It’s teaching made easy!

Total Pages
6 pages
Answer Key
N/A
Teaching Duration
N/A

Free Frankenstein Activity

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Frankenstein-Activity-1110383

 

Frankenstein Activity

 

Product Description

Who is the real monster in Frankenstein?

This activity has been designed to help students to understand the creature’s character. Is he a friend, or is he an enemy? Is he solely responsible for his misery?

This activity helps to develop students’ argumentation skills in a fun and meaningful way.

This free activity is part of a larger unit:
Frankenstein Unit (No prep)

I hope you enjoy it.

It’s teaching made easy!

Total Pages
1 page
Answer Key
N/A
Teaching Duration
N/A

Rhythm in Poetry – A Complete Lesson

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Rhythm-in-Poetry-A-Complete-Lesson-1177410

 

Rhythm in Poetry - A Complete Lesson

 

Product Description

Teach students the importance of rhythm in poetry.

This lesson includes Emily Dickenson’s “If I Could Not Stop for Death” as well as Pearl Jam’s “Last Kiss” lyrics to discover (hands-on) the importance of rhythm in poetry. Often, Language Arts teachers are weaker in this area because it is a little more technical than merely looking at the language.

The lesson includes:
– a detailed lesson plan for the teacher
– student notes (the poems) and activities
– an annotated copy of the poems as well as a comprehensive answer key

The entire unit contains 6 pages and it will most likely take two periods to complete.

This lesson is part of a larger unit:
Click here for a preview of the Poetry Unit for senior Students unit

You may also be interested in the following products: 
Poetry Through Song Unit
Lord of the Flies Unit (No prep required)
Hamlet Unit (No prep – Complete Unit)
Death of a Salesman (No prep required)
Frankenstein (No prep – Complete Unit)
Poetry Unit for Senior Students (NO PREP)
Poetry Unit for Intermediate Students
Poetry Unit: The Art of Interpretation
Romeo and Juliet – A No Prep Unit

Total Pages
6 pages
Answer Key
Included
Teaching Duration
2 days

How to write a paragraph

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/How-to-write-a-paragraph-1804011

How to write a paragraph

 

Product Description
The Paragraph package is an easy to use document that will help students learn how to write effectively using the proper form.
The document includes a detailed description of the different types of paragraphs as well as how to effectively write the paragraph (with sentence by sentence instructions).It’s teaching made easy!

Total Pages
3 pages
Answer Key
N/A
Teaching Duration
N/A

Free: Poetry Through Song – Individual Lesson (Sound of Silence)

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Poetry-Through-Song-Individual-Lesson-Sound-of-Silence-3638399

 

Poetry Through Song - Individual Lesson (Sound of Silence)

 

Product Description

This individual 2-day lesson teaches poetry through song lyrics

The lesson included in this mini bundle includes a lesson plan, student activity sheets, and a comprehensive answer key. Students will analyze the song “The Sound of Silence,” will learn the importance of allusions, will learn about theme development, and will compare both the original Simon and Garfunkle version to the Disturbed version, all while furthering the theme of the song.

Poetry should be fun, and it can be!

This lesson is a preview of my unit called “Poetry Through Song.” Check out the preview to the unit here:
Poetry Through Song Unit

It’s teaching made easy!
Total Pages
7 pages
Answer Key
Included
Teaching Duration
2 days

Opinion Letter with the Novel Holes

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Opinion-Letter-with-the-Novel-Holes-3695429

 

Opinion Letter with the Novel Holes

 

Product Description

The Opinion Letter with the Novel Holes

Appropriate for grades 7 to 9, students learn how to recognize and write a supported opinion using Louis Sachar’s novel “Holes.”

The bundle includes: 
-An activity sheet on “What is a Supported Opinion?” (with answer key)

-Instructions on how to write an effective opinion letter

-The evaluation which contains the instruction sheet and list of topics (that were selected for students of different needs. Students who are high achieving might select one of the more complex topics, while a student who struggles can choose a more obvious one.)

-An evaluation grid is included along with evaluation expectations

-All writing process directions and sheets are included (Pre-Writing or Brainstorming sheet and a Paragraph Organizer)

-Also included is an example of the writing process from beginning to end to help students fully understand what the task entails. (Pre-Writing sheet, Paragraph Organizer and the final draft, which includes format expectations.)

It really is teaching made easy! Print it and go!

Ten pages in PDF format are included.

You may also be interested in the following products: 
The Elevator Short Story Mini Unit
Intermediate Poetry Unit
Super Hero Themed Parts of Speech Posters (FREE)
FREE Parts of Speech Grammar Circles (Superhero Themed)
Sentences – Grammar Circles for easy and effective grammar
Spelling Flip Book
Rubrics Self-Evaluation
Fish Bowl Evaluation Bundle
Opinion Piece Bundle
How to Write a Paragraph
ELA Literature Study Unit to Use with ANY Work of Literature

Total Pages
10 pages
Answer Key
Included with rubric
Teaching Duration
4 days

Teaching the Essay Package

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Teaching-the-Essay-Package-696853

 

Teaching the Essay Package

 

Product Description

TEACHING THE ESSAY – AN EASY TO USE GUIDE FOR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS

The Teaching the Essay package has been devised as a resource to help guide students develop their essay writing skills. This comprehensive package includes details on how to structure an essay as well as how to develop arguments. This visually attractive handout contains practical examples and guides students with revision questions to keep them on track.

The package focuses on: (Package contains 13 pages)

– Format (Introduction – thesis, development, conclusion)
– Developing arguments
– Tips for writing
– Practical examples
– Quote insertion and selection
– Comprehensive transitions list
– How to analyse
– Paragraphing and how to format arguments within the paragraphs
– Style and flow (transitions)
– Revision questions
– Practical essay analogy
– Strategies in writing

I have been using and revising this document for over 10 years and it has proved to be a most useful tool for teaching the essay.

It’s teaching made easy!

Total Pages
13 pages
Answer Key
N/A
Teaching Duration
N/A

Free Poetry Lesson: Analyzing Poetry (NO PREP)

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Free-Poetry-Lesson-Analyzing-Poetry-NO-PREP-1133366

 

Free Poetry Lesson: Analyzing Poetry (NO PREP)

 

Product Description

FREE LESSON – This mini unit on Walt Whitman’s” I Heard the Learned Astronomer” and “A Noiseless, Patient Spider,” teaches students how to analyze poetry. Students must learn to observe, connect, make inferences, and draw conclusions on themes.

This mini guide includes:

-a detailed lesson plan for the teacher
-poems for students
-answer key and poetry annotation

This mini-guide includes six pages. I hope you enjoy it.

This is also part of a bundled poetry unit. Check it out at my store or by using the link below
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Poetry-Unit-for-senior-students-1107375

You may also be interested in the following products: 
Poetry Through Song Unit
Lord of the Flies Unit (No prep required)
Hamlet Unit (No prep – Complete Unit)
Death of a Salesman (No prep required)
Frankenstein (No prep – Complete Unit)
Poetry Unit for Senior Students (NO PREP)
Poetry Unit for Intermediate Students
Poetry Unit: The Art of Interpretation
Romeo and Juliet – A No Prep Unit

It’s teaching made easy!

Total Pages
6 pages
Answer Key
Included
Teaching Duration
90 minutes

Poetry Unit : The Art of Interpretation No Prep

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Poetry-Unit-The-Art-of-Interpretation-No-Prep-1238103

 

Poetry Unit : The Art of Interpretation No Prep

 

Product Description

Poetry: The Art of Interpretation – is designed to teach students how to interpret, appreciate, and analyze poetry.

There are nine complete lessons (estimated to last approximately 60 minutes), therefore two weeks of lessons.

This complete, no prep unit is a great way to start! This unit includes a student guide, nine detailed lesson plans, two multimedia presentations (no internet connection required), a detailed answer key with annotated poems and answers, and an end of the unit evaluation with a rubric, and answer key.

Just print it and teach it.

Poetry is a very subjective form of art. Some poems you love and others, you hate. What we need to realize is that this is the beauty of poetry. Poetry is not a mystery to be solved. Rather, it is the masterful manipulation of language that has the power to transform the ordinary and to immerse its reader into the world created by the author.

This unit incorporates art to help students understand and appreciate the beauty of words. Also, students will learn how to analyze themes in poetry through paintings and artwork.

This bundle includes:

Each lesson focuses on a different skill set including:
– Knowledge and manipulation of figurative and poetic language
– How to read and understand (appreciate) poetry
– How to analyze poetry
– How to annotate poetry
– How to paraphrase effectively
– How to use symbols
– How to effectively develop themes from poetry
– Creative writing
– Creative activities to learn how to analyze

The unit includes a student packet (20 pages), a teacher packet (with nine complete lessons), and a comprehensive answer key with annotations to the poem (with 17 pages). See the preview for more details.

Poets studied include: (8 poems total)
– Billy Collins – “Introduction to Poetry”
– Anne Marriott – “As You Come in”
– Phyllis Gotlieb – “First Person Demonstrative”
– Edgar Allan Poe – The Raven
– Robert Frost – “Nothing Gold Can Stay.”
– John Crowe Ransom -“Janet Waking”
– Woodruff – “I am a Poem that Tells a Lie.”
– Tennyson – “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”

The unit also includes: 

1 – The teacher guide (Contains nine comprehensive lesson plans to teach the poems included in the unit. EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO TEACH THIS UNIT HAS BEEN DONE FOR YOU. )

2 – The student package (Contains students’ notes, poems, and questions) (20 pages)

3 – The answer key includes annotated poems and answers to all student activities (saving you time – 18 pages).

4 – Included is a test with multiple choice questions as well as a development question. All answers are included. (Word format for easy changes)

5 – 2 PowerPoint presentations – one multimedia presentation to introduce the unit (17 slides) and the second to reinforce the use of imagery and symbolism (19 slides) – NO INTERNET CONNECTION REQUIRED

6 – Images to project or print

7- An end of the unit creative evaluation, which includes clear and concise directions and rubric. (In a Word document for easy modifications)

– An interactive multimedia Jeopardy game to review figurative language and poetic devices (PowerPoint – no internet required)

– A multimedia PowerPoint on how to read and interpret poetry

– A PowerPoint presentation on how to understand symbols and imagery in literature (19 slides)

– A final culminating evaluation with evaluation rubric (left in Word format for easily made modifications)

The unit has been created in such a way as to simplify the teacher’s life. Photocopy the three packages included and don’t worry about it for the rest of the unit. You literally can begin teaching it without any other preparation.

A total of 43 pages + 64 slides are included in this package.

This unit is complete and does all of the thinking for you. All you need to do is to print out and photocopy the student package, and you’re set.

You may also be interested in the following products: 
Poetry Through Song Unit
Lord of the Flies Unit (No prep required)
Hamlet Unit (No prep – Complete Unit)
Death of a Salesman (No prep required)
Frankenstein (No prep – Complete Unit)
Poetry Unit for Senior Students (NO PREP)
Poetry Unit for Intermediate Students
Poetry Unit: The Art of Interpretation
Romeo and Juliet – A No Prep Unit

Total Pages
43 pages and 64 slides
Answer Key
Included with rubric
Teaching Duration
2 Weeks