High School Writing-Expository Resources

Building Strong Paragraphs – Writing Structure Practice and Activities for ELA

By Blooming Through High School

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

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

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

What's Included:

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

Perfect for:

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

Benefits of this Resource:

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

Who is this for?

  • Middle and High School Teachers: Perfect for educators looking to strengthen their students’ paragraph-writing skills with structured, step-by-step activities.
  • ELA Teachers: Aligned with TEKS and Common Core standards, this resource is ideal for anyone teaching informational and argumentative writing.
  • Students Preparing for Standardized Tests: Great for test prep, including STAAR writing, helping students improve clarity, coherence, and overall writing structure.
  • Special Education & ELL Support: Easily adaptable for differentiated instruction, making it an excellent tool for classrooms with diverse learners, including English Language Learners and students with varying writing levels.
  • Homeschool Educators: A valuable resource for guiding students through the fundamentals of paragraph writing at home.
$4.00

MLA Formatting - All Things English for Middle and High School Students

By Blooming Through High School

Show your students exactly how it should be done with this handy guide. Clear instructions, examples, and a page for their own notes!

This free resource goes perfect with the All Things English for Middle and High School Students book!

And check out these other resources!

  • Defending Disney Villains
  • Revising & Editing Workbook
  • Revising & Editing for Group Lessons
  • Bell Ringers for the Semester
  • Everything Writing
Free

Logical Fallacies & Rhetorical Devices - Lesson & Activities - HS - ELA

By Blooming Through High School

Get ready for argumentative units with this engaging activity centered around persuasive techniques in rhetorical devices, and logical fallacies.

Teacher students what makes a good and bad argument with a short lesson and 5 practice paragraphs to evaluate for effectiveness. Afterwards, students can practice rhetorical devices in advertisements and analyze why the device was chosen (author's purpose).

ALSO INCLUDED IS AN EXTENSION ACTIVITY where students can get creative and make their own ads.

- Teacher directions

- Grading Rubric

- Student instructions

- Research and Brainstorm document

(no templates for creation are included)

PROVIDED IN WORD/POWERPOINT & PDF

$4.50

Essay Prompt and Outline Sheet with articles

By Educate and Create

This includes two Articles "The History of Narcissistic

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

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

Counterclaim and Rebuttal

Interactive Essay Writing Flipbook

Argumentative Essay

Writing Thesis Statements

Essay prompt and articles: Hurricanes

Essay prompt and articles: Colonization in Africa

$3.00

Essay Prompt and Outline Sheet with articles -Distance Learning

By Educate and Create

This includes two Articles "The History of Narcissistic

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

$3.50

Writing Introductions

By Educate and Create

This is an informational handout to help students who have problems writing effective introduction paragraphs. ***** Check out my other Writing Resources***** Writing Thesis Statements Counterclaim and Rebuttal Writing Graphic Organizers Interactive Essay Writing Flipbook Argumentative Essay Essay prompt and articles :Narcissism Essay prompt and articles: Hurricanes Essay prompt and articles: Colonization in Africa

$1.00

AVID Argumentative Writing - Lesson and Activity for Writing Thesis Statements

By KJ Inspired Resources

Use this AVID resource when students begin their argumentative writing! Students will quickly develop arguments on a variety of topics through a speed style variation of Philosophical Chairs. In turn, students will not only craft their thesis statements and come up with arguments for their essays, but they will also increase their public speaking and collaboration skills!

Overview:

Philosophical Chairs: Speed Formation utilizes many of the same components of the classic version, but is a fun, fast-paced variation that can be utilized during shortened class periods. This variation of Philosophical Chairs should only be utilized after students have developed their skills through the classic style.

What's Included:

  • 1 student objective slides
  • 1 overview slide
  • 1 argumentative prompt slide
  • 2 thesis statement teaching slides
  • 6 rules of engagement slides/steps
  • 2 basic norm slides
  • 1 google doc where students reflect on the philosophical chairs

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

AVID Mega Growing Bundle

AVID Teambuilding Bundle

AVID Writing Bundle

Follow KJ Inspired Resources:

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$2.25

Langston Hughes's 10 BEST Poems | "Harlem," "Mother to Son," "Let America..."

By Rigorous Resources for High School English

NEW IN 2021: Rigorous! Thought-provoking! Discussion-Based! This 45-page EDITABLE poetry curriculum promises to elicit dynamic engagement from all students without compromising on intellectual rigor. The literary devices quizzes, discussion prompts, and analytical writing assignment will challenge your students to dig beneath the surface of the text and generate profound interpretive insights!!

Here are some highlights from this 45-page curriculum:

10 Poems by Langston Hughes: The 10 poems in this mini-unit feature Langston Hughe's BEST works of poetry: "The Negro Speaks of Rivers," "Mother to Son," "I, Too," "Theme for English B," "Let America Be America Again," "Harlem," and more. The poems are split between two homework packets, each of which features 5 poems. Each homework packet is followed by a classroom packet with discussion questions and quizzes related to the poems. (12 pages)

Discussion Questions: This bundle features a list of discussion questions for the first poem in each of the homework packets. The discussion questions will ensure that every class discussion starts on a productive note. Every discussion question is grounded in concrete textual details and challenges students to arrive at lucid interpretive insights! The questions lend themselves to a range of different pedagogical uses: 1) to focus students’ thinking prior to beginning a discussion, 2) to prompt in-class writing, 3) to assign written reflections for homework, etc. Guaranteed to elicit student engagement and foster deep thinking! Answer keys included. (12 pages)

Quick Writes: The quick writes give students an opportunity to capture and refine the best ideas generated in the discussion. Quick writes can also help reticent students to gather their thoughts so they'll feel ready and eager to contribute. (3 pages)

Literary Devices Glossary: A glossary with definitions and examples of the various types of figurative language, imagery, stanzas, and syntactic devices. Many teachers already have a glossary of literary devices, but I'm providing this in case you need one. (2 pages)

Literary Devices Quizzes: Open each class with a quiz of 10 questions to assess whether your students can accurately identify the literary devices used in the poems from the homework packets: metaphor, personification, symbolism, imagery, alliteration, etc. Answer keys included. (4 pages)

Analytical Writing Assignment: Challenge students to take their interpretations one step further by writing an analytical paper on a poem of their choice. The assignment sheet contains detailed instructions for how to generate a formalist analysis of a poem (analyzing how the poem's formal features contribute to its meaning). This kind of formalist analysis is exactly what students are asked to generate on the AP Literature exam! Sample paper included. (3 pages)

The entire 45-page unit will come to you in two separate formats: Word doc *and* PDF. Because the Word doc is fully editable, you'll be able to modify the resource to suit your teaching style and/or the skill levels of your students — year after year! If you don't have Microsoft Word, you'll still be able to access the entire unit as a PDF file, which is easy to navigate and quick to print!

Because I believe that teachers should be able to see exactly what they'll be getting before they purchase, the preview for this resource allows viewing accesses to 30 pages. Click on the green "preview" button to see exactly what you’ll get. . . .

Thank you for choosing “Rigorous Resources”!!

Happy teaching!

Adam Jernigan, Ph.D.

adamjernigan@gmail.com

P.S. Don't forget to click “follow” for email updates on new products by Rigorous Resources. New products will be 50% OFF for the first 24 hours!

$5.00
$3.00

Introducing Quotations: How to PROPERLY EMBED Evidence (i.e. Set Up Quotes)

By Rigorous Resources for High School English

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This 3-page document will come to you in two separate formats: a Word doc *and* a PDF. Because the Word doc is editable, you'll be able to costumize the resource to suit the skill levels of your students — year after year! If you don't have Microsoft Word, you'll still be able to access the resource as a PDF — which is easy to navigate and quick to print.

If there's anything I can do to support your amazing work in the classroom, please don't hesitate to get in touch. Thank you for choosing “Rigorous Resources”!!

Happy teaching!

Adam Jernigan, Ph.D.

adamjernigan@gmail.com

P.S. Don't forget to click “follow” for email updates on new products by Rigorous Resources. New products will be 50% OFF for the first 24 hours!

Feel free to check out these other resources on writing:

How to Write a College Application Essay

How to Write an Analytical Essay

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

Figurative Language Stations

$1.00

Macbeth FINAL WRITING ASSIGNMENT: Editable Essay Prompts & Rubric | FRQ3

By Rigorous Resources for High School English

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

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

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

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

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

The entire unit will come to you in two separate formats: Word Docs *and* PDFs. Because the Word docs are fully editable, you'll be able to customize them to match the skill levels of your students year after year. If you don't have Microsoft Word, you'll still be able to access PDF versions which are easy to navigate and quick to print.

Rigorous Resources is your one-stop shop for top-quality resources on William Shakespeare. Wishing you an amazing experience with teaching the "Scottish play." If you have any questions along the way, please don't hesitate to get in touch. I love hearing from fellow teachers who share a passion for great literature! 

Happy teaching!

Adam Jernigan, Ph.D.

adamjernigan@gmail.com

P.S. Remember to “follow” my store to receive email updates on new products by Rigorous Resources. New products will be 50% OFF for the first 24 hours!

Feel free to check out these complete units on Shakespeare's masterpieces:

COMPLETE UNIT with Workbooks on Romeo and Juliet

COMPLETE UNIT with Workbooks on Julius Caesar

COMPLETE UNIT with Workbooks on Macbeth

COMPLETE UNIT with Workbooks on Othello

COMPLETE UNIT with Workbooks on Hamlet

COMPLETE UNIT with Workbooks on Much Ado About Nothing

INTRO TO SHAKESPEARE: Biography, Globe Theater, Language, & Meter

$5.00
$3.00

Much Ado About Nothing WRITING ASSIGNMENT: Essay Prompts & Rubric | Shakespeare

By Rigorous Resources for High School English

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

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

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

The entire unit will come to you in two separate formats: Word Docs *and* PDFs. Because the Word docs are fully editable, you'll be able to customize them to match the skill levels of your students year after year. If you don't have Microsoft Word, you'll still be able to access PDF versions which are easy to navigate and quick to print.

Rigorous Resources is your one-stop shop for top-quality resources on William Shakespeare. Wishing you an amazing experience with teaching the Much Ado About Nothing. If you have any questions along the way, please don't hesitate to get in touch. I love hearing from fellow teachers who share a passion for great literature! 

Happy teaching!

Adam Jernigan, Ph.D.

adamjernigan@gmail.com

P.S. Remember to “follow” my store to receive email updates on new products by Rigorous Resources. New products will be 50% OFF for the first 24 hours!

Feel free to check out these complete units on Shakespeare's masterpieces:

COMPLETE UNIT with Workbooks on Romeo and Juliet

COMPLETE UNIT with Workbooks on Julius Caesar

COMPLETE UNIT with Workbooks on Macbeth

COMPLETE UNIT with Workbooks on Othello

COMPLETE UNIT with Workbooks on Hamlet

COMPLETE UNIT with Workbooks on Much Ado About Nothing

INTRO TO SHAKESPEARE: Biography, Globe Theater, Language, & Meter

$5.00
$3.00

Romeo and Juliet FINAL WRITING ASSIGNMENT: Analytical Essay Prompts & Rubric

By Rigorous Resources for High School English

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

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

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

The entire unit will come to you in two separate formats: Word Docs *and* PDFs. Because the Word docs are fully editable, you'll be able to customize them to match the skill levels of your students year after year. If you don't have Microsoft Word, you'll still be able to access PDF versions which are easy to navigate and quick to print.

Rigorous Resources is your one-stop shop for top-quality resources on William Shakespeare. Wishing you an amazing experience with teaching the Romeo and Juliet. If you have any questions along the way, please don't hesitate to get in touch. I love hearing from fellow teachers who share a passion for great literature! 

Happy teaching!

Adam Jernigan, Ph.D.

adamjernigan@gmail.com

P.S. Remember to “follow” my store to receive email updates on new products by Rigorous Resources. New products will be 50% OFF for the first 24 hours!

Feel free to check out these complete units on Shakespeare's masterpieces:

COMPLETE UNIT with Workbooks on Romeo and Juliet

COMPLETE UNIT with Workbooks on Julius Caesar

COMPLETE UNIT with Workbooks on Macbeth

COMPLETE UNIT with Workbooks on Othello

COMPLETE UNIT with Workbooks on Hamlet

COMPLETE UNIT with Workbooks on Much Ado About Nothing

INTRO TO SHAKESPEARE: Biography, Globe Theater, Language, & Meter

$5.00
$3.00

Poetry on Cultural Identity | Poems on Cultural Heritage, Hybridity, & Identity

By Rigorous Resources for High School English

This 45-page EDITABLE unit focuses on poems about cultural identity! The unit on promises to elicit dynamic engagement from all students without compromising on intellectual rigor.

The thirteen poems are divided into two reading packets, with the first packet focusing cultural roots and affirming ancestors, and the second packet focusing on cultural hybridity. Each reading packet is followed by a classwork packet that contains a quiz on literary devices, discussion questions for some of the poems, quick writes, and a creative writing assignment. Finally, a third packet features an analytical writing assignment, sample student paper, and glossary of literary devices.

Here's a detailed account of what you'll find in this 45-page curriculum:

Homework Packets with Poems: The two homework packets contain a total of 13 love poems by award-winning poets such as Elizabeth Acevedo, Maya Angelou, Sandra Cisneros, Lisa Parker, Nate Marshall, Clint Smith, and others. (15 pages)

Literary Devices Glossary: A glossary with definitions and examples of the various types of figurative language, imagery, sound devices, and syntactic devices. Many teachers already have a glossary of literary devices, but I'm providing this in case you need one. (2 pages)

Literary Devices Quizzes: Open each class with a quiz of 10 questions to assess whether students can accurately identify the literary devices found in poems from the packet: metaphor, personification, symbolism, imagery, alliteration, etc. Answer keys included. (4 pages).

Discussion Questions: This unit features a list of discussion questions for three poems featured in the homework packets. The discussion questions will ensure that each class discussion is focused and productive. Every discussion question is grounded in concrete textual details and challenges students to arrive at lucid interpretive insights! The questions lend themselves to a range of different pedagogical uses: 1) to focus students’ thinking prior to beginning a discussion, 2) to prompt in-class writing, 3) to assign written reflections for homework, etc. Guaranteed to elicit student engagement and foster deep thinking! Answer keys included. (15 pages)

Quick Writes: The quick writes give students an opportunity to capture and refine the best ideas generated in the discussion. Quick writes can also help reticent students to gather their thoughts so they'll feel ready and eager to contribute. (3 pages)

Analytical Writing Assignment: Challenge students to take their interpretations one step further by writing an analytical paper on a poem of their choice. The assignment sheet contains detailed instructions for how to generate a formalist analysis of a poem (analyzing how the poem's formal features contribute to its meaning). This kind of formalist analysis is exactly what students are asked to generate on the AP Literature exam! Sample paper included. (3 pages)

This entire 45-page unit will come to you in two separate formats: Word *and* PDF. Because the Word doc is fully editable, you'll be able to customize the materials to suit the skill levels of your students — year after year! If you don't have Microsoft Word, you'll still be able to access all of the materials as a PDF — which is easy to navigate and quick to print!

My store is called “Rigorous Resources” because all of the resources contain rigorous content that will motivate students to engage in thought-provoking and productive discussions. Thank you for choosing “Rigorous Resources”!!

Happy teaching!

Adam Jernigan, Ph.D.

adamjernigan@gmail.com

Links to all of the poetry units in this collection:

Poetry Unit #1: Sensory Imagery in Poetry

Poetry Unit #2: Figurative Language in Poetry

Poetry Unit #3: Love Poems

Poetry Unit #4: Ethical Dilemmas in Poetry

Poetry Unit #5: Family Dynamics in Poetry

Store: https://www.TeachShare.com/Store/Rigorous-Resources

Free

The Great Gatsby CHARACTER ANALYSIS WORKSHEETS | 18 Worksheets (2 Per Chapter)!!

By Rigorous Resources for High School English

NEW IN 2020: Rigorous! Engaging! Thought-provoking! This 20-page EDITABLE document will invite your students to analyze the complex characters in F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. These daily writing activities promise to elicit dynamic engagement from all students without compromising on intellectual rigor. The worksheets will challenge your students to dig beneath the surface of the text and generate profound interpretive insights!

As you know, studying Fitzgerald’s nuanced construction of the characters is crucial for understanding this character-driven novel. These handouts will help students to develop a much deeper understanding of the characters while building skills in close reading!

What you'll get are 18 worksheets — two for each of the novel's 9 chapters — that invite students to analyze the main characters in The Great Gatsby. Each handout features a carefully selected passage that reveals key details about a character. Invite your students to write short paragraphs in which they analyze what the textual details reveal about the main characters. The worksheets focus on the following characters:

Nick Carraway

Jay Gatsby

Myrtle Wilson

George Wilson

Daisy Buchanan

Tom Buchanan

Jordan Baker

Henry Gatz

Because two worksheets are provided for each chapter, you can either select which worksheet to distribute or else allow students to choose which characters they wish to analyze. Admins and students alike will be thrilled to see you expanding students' voice and choice!

These worksheets will come to you in a 20-page EDITABLE Word document which you can customize to the needs of your students! The previews for my resources provide access to dozens of pages of actual content. Click on the green “PREVIEW” button to see what you’ll get. . . .

Thank you for choosing “Rigorous Resources”!!

Happy teaching!

Adam Jernigan, Ph.D.

adamjernigan@gmail.com

Note: These character analysis worksheets are also included in my Gatsby MEGA-Bundle. The bundle contains everything you'll need to deliver amazing and comprehensive lessons on Fitzgerald's novel: over 40 slides plus over 240 pages of content-rich handouts and activities. If you've already purchased the bundle, you don't need to purchase these worksheets. Thanks!

Click to view the Gatsby MEGA-Bundle

Click to view my TeachShare store

$1.99

Primary Source: Middle Passage Image Analysis/ Reflection with Graphic Organizer

By Nemos Nook

This product has students analyze 5 images from the Middle Passage to answer the prompt, "What was life like for a slave on the Middle Passage?" They will use the "I see, I feel, I wonder" method for each image and then answer the prompt separately in a formal paragraph. This lesson ALWAYS encourages rich conversations among the students. There is a slide presentation that can be used digitally and shared with students on google drive and also a PDF version if teachers want to have students complete the lesson on paper.

Suggestions for use: I usually project the images and work through the slides with the students as a class so that we can discuss together. Students always have many thoughts and feelings about these images, and I want to make sure we flush these out in class. I then have them complete the writing prompt independently or for homework. Another option is to print the photos and have students do a gallery walk or stations.

Please let me know if you have any questions about how to use this resource.

This resource is for personal use in one classroom only. Please do not distribute

to others or post publically online (within your Google Classroom, etc. is

permitted). If a friend or colleague would enjoy this resource, you may

purchase additional licenses at a discounted price. The information ,activities

and images included are copyrighted. You may not reuse or sell any part of

this resource as your own. 

I would love to hear how you used this resource in your classroom. Please leave your feedback for TeachShare credits towards your next purchase.

To view more of my products, visit my store at Nemo's Nook.

$3.75

September 11th: Quote Analysis, Graphic Organizer and Rubric - fully editable!

By Nemos Nook

Engage Your Students with a Thoughtful September 11 Quotes Analysis Assignment

Students will read through 17 quotes from 911 (including those from Barack Obama, Joe Biden, etc) and choose one quote they connect to and complete an in depth analysis. The PDF copy of the article is embedded in the google doc, and is also included separately.

What's Included:

  • Comprehensive Analysis Worksheet
    Guide your students through a deep exploration of significant quotes from September 11. The worksheet prompts them to think critically about the context, literal and figurative meanings, emotional impact, and historical significance of their chosen quote.
  • Two-Paragraph Writing Assignment
    Students will write two well-developed paragraphs that analyze their quote and reflect on its importance in understanding the events of September 11. This activity strengthens their analytical and writing skills.
  • Detailed Rubric
    Ensure clear expectations with a rubric that covers content understanding, depth of analysis, personal reflection, proofreading, and mechanics.
  • Class Discussion Component
    Foster meaningful conversations by encouraging students to share their insights and perspectives with their peers.

I have used this both in my US History and ELA classrooms when discussing 911, and it always results in some great and important discussions.

This resource is for personal use in one classroom only. Please do not distribute

to others or post publically online (within your Google Classroom, etc. is

permitted). If a friend or colleague would enjoy this resource, you may

purchase additional licenses at a discounted price. The information ,activities

and images included are copyrighted. You may not reuse or sell any part of

this resource as your own. 

I would love to hear how you used this resource in your classroom. Please leave your feedback for TeachShare credits towards your next purchase.

To view more of my products, visit my store at Nemo's Nook.

$3.25

First Amendment "Fake" Supreme Court Case Activity

By Nemos Nook

Introduce your students to the complexities of Constitutional Law with this engaging and interactive worksheet! Students will step into the shoes of Supreme Court Justices to analyze a fictional First Amendment case.

This a fun activity when teaching about the First Amendment and/or the Supreme Court. This resource has students analyze a "fake" law that has been challenged all the way to the Supreme Court as violating the First Amendment. Students need to decide, based on the facts given and the language of the First Amendment, whether the law is Constitutional.

They also need to write an "opinion" of the Court and present to the class or submit for a grade. I usually have them do this in groups, but could also be done individually as a short assessment.

Features:

  • Step-by-Step Instructions: Easy-to-follow guidelines help students navigate the case analysis process.
  • Opinion Writing: A structured template assists students in organizing their thoughts and presenting a clear argument.
  • Critical Thinking: Encourages students to consider multiple perspectives and develop sound critical thinking and reasoning skills.
  • Classroom Ready: Printable PDF format for easy distribution and use in any classroom setting.

(This activity is not necessarily looking for a correct answer, but is looking to assess how well students understand and can analyze the language of the First Amendment based on a given set of facts).

This can usually be done in one 50 minute class period.

This resource is for personal use in one classroom only. Please do not distribute

to others or post publically online (within your Google Classroom, etc. is

permitted). If a friend or colleague would enjoy this resource, you may

purchase additional licenses at a discounted price. The information ,activities

and images included are copyrighted. You may not reuse or sell any part of

this resource as your own. 

I would love to hear how you used this resource in your classroom. Please leave your feedback for TeachShare credits towards your next purchase.

To view more of products, please check out my store at Nemo's Nook.

$3.25

Project: Redesign the $20 Bill!

By Nemos Nook

Transform your classroom into a hub of creativity and history with this "Redesign the $20 Bill" project! Engage your students in an immersive activity where they research significant historical figures and redesign the $20 bill to honor their chosen individual. This project is perfect for history, social studies, art and combining research, creativity, and presentation skills. It can be an individual or group project.

This resource is 100% Editable!

What's included:

  • Detailed Lesson Plan: Step-by-step guide for teachers to implement the project.
  • Worksheets: Structured templates to guide students in their research.
  • Assessment Rubric: Clear criteria to assess students' research, design, and presentation.

Why Choose This Project?

  • Encourages critical thinking and creativity
  • Integrates history and art
  • Develops research and presentation skills
  • Fun and engaging for students

This resource is for personal use in one classroom only. Please do not distribute

to others or post publically online (within your Google Classroom, etc. is

permitted). If a friend or colleague would enjoy this resource, you may

purchase additional licenses at a discounted price. The information ,activities

and images included are copyrighted. You may not reuse or sell any part of

this resource as your own. 

Please provide your feedback and receive TeachShare credits towards you next purchase.

To view more of my products, visit my store at Nemo's Nook.

$3.00

Peer Edit Forms and Lesson Plan

By Language Arts Excellence

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

$3.00

Differentiated Essay Prompt Task Cards

By Language Arts Excellence

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

$2.50