12th Grade Back to School Handouts

This lesson was designed to be used on the first day of a year-long 11th-grade American Literature course. The lesson includes a poetry packet with 7 poems by diverse American authors. Each of the poems raises important questions about what "America" represents. A land of freedom and equality? A refuge for immigrants? A diverse and inclusive nation? Or a land with entrenched inequality? A saber-rattling evil empire?

Here is a list of the poems:

1. Ada Limón, "A New National Anthem" (2018) — our new Poet Laureate!

2. Emma Lazarus, "The New Colossus" (1883)

3. Walt Whitman, "I Hear America Singing" (1860)

4. Langston Hughes, "I, Too" (1923) — responding directly to Whitman!

5. Claude McKay, "America" (1921)

6. James Lasdun, "The Question" (2012) — is America "good or bad"?

7. Tony Hoagland, "America" (2003)

This resource also comes with a classwork packet that features discussion questions on the poems by Ada Limôn, Emma Lazarus, and Langston Hughes. The discussion questions come on three handouts, each of which contains 7 questions about a particular poem. Each handout also has a quick write where students can answer one of the questions in writing.

How might the concept of "America" represent a set of ideals and promises? Has this nation lived up to its ideals and promises? How might the idea of America be different from the reality?

Thank you for choosing Rigorous Resources!

Happy teaching!

Adam Jernigan, Ph.D.

adamjernigan@gmail.com

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Rigorous Resources is your one-stop shop for resources on American literature. Every unit was designed by a Ph.D. with a research specialization in American literature. Feel free to check out these complete units on canonical texts by diverse American authors:

Complete Unit on Tommy Orange's There There

Complete Unit on Arthur Miller's The Crucible

Complete Unit on Frederick Douglass's Narrative

Complete Unit on F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby

Complete Unit on Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God

Complete Unit on Nella Larsen's Passing

Complete Unit on J. D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye

Complete Unit on Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun

Complete Unit on Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye

Complete Unit on Gene Luen Yang's American Born Chinese

First Day of School Spanish Bingo: Fun and Engaging

Looking for a dynamic way to break the ice and introduce yourself to your upper division Spanish students? Our interactive bingo game is the perfect solution! With engaging questions and prompts, students will have a blast getting to know each other while practicing their Spanish skills. This resource is easy to use and customizable to fit your classroom needs. Download now and make the first day of school a memorable one!

For an in-depth explanation of Terms of Use for this resource, please download it here.

Back to School |Meet the Teacher Gift Tags | Retro & Preppy Checkered: Help welcome students back to school with these preppy peace, love and school buses gift tags! Perfect to pair with your meet the teacher or open house gifts. :)

Get the student gif tags bundle HERE!

What's Included

• 1 pdf peace sign and school bus gift tag page
• 4 gift tags to a page

Directions

• print
• cut out
• hole punch
• attach to a gift

✨More Gift Tags✨

Back to School Gift Tags

Very Happy You are Here Smiley & Checkered

Teacher Appreciation Gift Tags

Flair Pens

Smiley & Checkered Teacher Appreciation

Latte Gift Tag

Sub Way Gift Tag

State Testing Gift Tags

Good Luck Checkered & Smiley

End of the Year Resources

State Testing Coloring Pages & Bookmarks

State Testing Gift Certificate

Flower Gift Tag

Font Credits

Oh Hey ELA!