High School Writing Lesson

Take the guesswork out of teaching with this NO-PREP Comprehensive Teaching Resource for The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry.  Designed for middle and high school students, this The Gift of the Magi NO-PREP Comprehensive Teaching Resource offers a complete package that explores the story’s themes of love, sacrifice, and irony, along with its rich use of symbolism.  Whether you’re in a classroom or homeschool setting, this resource provides all the tools you need to create a seamless and engaging learning experience.

This The Gift ofthe Magi NO-PREP Comprehensive Teaching Resource resource includes a meticulously crafted 2-week lesson plan, a scope and sequence, and a pacing guide to ensure each day is productive and focused.  Students will engage with the key elements of the story through a PowerPoint presentation that offers a visually rich and interactive way to dive into O. Henry’s masterful writing.  The symbolism in The Gift of the Magi is explored in depth, giving students the opportunity to uncover deeper meanings and appreciate the literary artistry of the text.

The included tools—such as the PowerPoint, pacing guide, and a detailed exploration of symbolism—are designed to provide structure and enhance student understanding.  Use the interactive elements to analyze the characters, plot, and themes, fostering critical thinking and discussion.  The resource encourages both independent and group activities, making it adaptable to a variety of teaching styles.

INCLUDED IN THIS RESOURCE:

• 2-Week Lesson Plan
• 2-Week Scope & Sequence
• 2-Week Pacing Guide
• Symbolism in The Gift of the Magi
• Powerpoint
• Plot Diagram
• Digital or Printable Character Analysis Map
• Self-Evaluation Form

BENEFITS FOR TEACHERS/HOMESCHOOL PARENTS:

• Ready-to-use tools:  Save time with a no-prep resource that includes everything you need for two weeks of instruction.
• Structured lesson plans:  Provides a detailed 2-week lesson plan, pacing guide, and scope and sequence.
• Engaging multimedia:  PowerPoint presentation enhances instruction and student engagement.
• Flexibility:  Suitable for individual, group, or whole-class learning.
• In-depth analysis:  Covers literary elements like symbolism, themes, and character development.

BENEFITS FOR STUDENTS:

• Enhanced comprehension:  Deep dive into the story’s symbolism, themes, and plot.
• Critical thinking skills:  Analyze characters and themes through guided activities and discussions.
• Interactive learning:  Utilize the PowerPoint and structured lessons to stay engaged.
• Time management:  Follow a clear pacing guide for organized and manageable learning.
• Connection to literature:  Explore timeless themes of love and sacrifice in an accessible way.

From exploring the timeless themes of love and sacrifice to analyzing the rich symbolism embedded in the story, this resource equips educators with all they need for an impactful and meaningful study of The Gift of the Magi. Make teaching more enjoyable and effective while helping students connect with this enduring classic in a thoughtful and memorable way.Thank you for your support!

Tina – Big Easy Homeschooling Mom

Social Media Links: http://linktr.ee/bigeasyhomeschoolingmom

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http://tidewindacademyhomeschool.com

Bundle together five dynamic New Year's resources for an enriching learning experience in your middle school classroom. Here's a brief overview of each component in this comprehensive package:

New Year's Informational Text Set: Structure, Central Idea, Author's Purpose!
A collection of five diverse articles, each exemplifying a different text structure like Description, Chronological, Problem and Solution, Compare and Contrast, and Cause and Effect. This set focuses on Times Square New Year’s celebrations and includes STAAR-aligned questions on the central idea, author's purpose, vocabulary, and text structure.

Classroom Synergy: Resetting Expectations in the New Year – 4 Engaging Activities!
Kick off the new year with four activities designed to reinforce classroom expectations and promote a positive learning environment. This resource includes expectation role-playing, creating expectations posters, and connecting expectations to SEL with reflective writing prompts.

Global Bites: New Year’s Celebrations and Food Traditions – Inquiry Based Learning
Explore New Year's traditions and food customs from around the world with this inquiry-based learning project. This resource encourages research and presentation skills as students delve into diverse cultural celebrations and their unique culinary traditions.

Cheers to A New Year: How to Write A Toast Workshop
Enhance public speaking skills with this engaging workshop on crafting toasts. Perfect for New Year celebrations, this resource guides students through the process of writing and delivering a meaningful toast, fostering both creativity and confidence in public speaking.

Spill the Tea: 2023 Year in Review – Google Slides Photo Project
A fun and engaging Google Slides project that allows students to reflect on the year 2023. Students create a photo-based presentation, capturing key moments, trends, and personal experiences from the year, making it an excellent activity for New Year reflections.

This bundle is perfect for middle school teachers looking to add a mix of educational and engaging activities to their New Year curriculum. Each resource is designed to be cross-curricular, supporting skills in reading, writing, research, public speaking, and social-emotional learning.

This bundle includes lessons for all stories in the book Flying Lessons and Other Stories edited by Ellen Oh. The stories are not included in this resource. Lessons are focused on the following stories:

- How to Transform an Everyday, Ordinary Hoop Court into a Place of Higher Learning and You at the Podium by Matt De La Peña

- The Difficult Path by Grace Lin

- Sol Painting, Inc. by Meg Medina

- Secret Samantha by Tim Federle

- The Beans and Rice Chronicles of Isaiah Dunn by Kelly J. Baptist

- Choctaw Bigfoot, Midnight in the Mountains by Tim Tingle

- Main Street by Jacqueline Woodson

- Flying Lessons by Soman Chainani

- Seventy-Six Dollars and Forty-Nine Cents by Kwame Alexander

- Sometimes a Dream Needs a Push by Walter Dean Myers

Each lesson includes WORKSHEETS and a PRESENTATION. Worksheets come in color and b/w. Presentations include answer keys.

Each lesson contains:

- Pre-reading journal prompt

- Story vocabulary (except Main Street)

- Tiered reading questions

- Questions focused on one particular ELA standard

- Answer keys

BONUS ESSAY WRITING PROMPTS ARE INCLUDED!

If you teach 90 minute block classes, you would likely get through one lesson per day. If you teach 50 minute classes like I do, each lesson could take two days. This bundle could last from 2 weeks to 4 weeks depending on your schedule.

Fall Halloween Bundle

Over 150+ activities included in 9 packets for Fall and Halloween fun!

Descriptions:

Activity Packet 1: Halloween Coloring Sheets

40 pages

Halloween fun with 40 coloring sheets (nothing scary!) of:

pumpkins
scarecrows
friendly ghosts
haunted trees
haunted house
Dracula
Frankenstein
and more...

Non-controversial and with lesson plan ideas to encourage coordination, multi-tasking skills, writing, listening, reading, storytelling, puppet theater, and more. Great for introducing Halloween as a friendly holiday.

Activity Packet 2: Eerie Writing Prompts

21 pages

Eerie story starters to get your students in the mood for writing scary stories! Great visuals with one liner story starters. Colorful and imaginative prompts for creative writing practice and peer workshopping.

Includes:
Perhaps we could become friends...
Two eyes peered back at me...
I've had a very interesting life!
Come closer...
Let me tell you how I ended up here...
C'mon out...there's nothing to be afraid of!
Meet my new friend
The eerie glow of the pumpkin...
I know what you did!
Have a seat and let me tell you my story!
The howl of the wolf scared me.
Something went bump in the night
I started up the winding road...
The blaze lit up the night's sky...
Let me show you my castle!
"Help!" screamed the principal.
We found the shipwrecked boat...

Great Halloween writing prompts for practicing creative writing, storytelling, and peer workshopping skills!

Activity Packet 3: Get Fit Action Story: Frank N. Stein’s Haunted Horse

15 pages

Get students exercising and moving as they follow along with Frank N. Stein's move to a new neighborhood, where he finds new friends to help make his house a home. Action words include:

looked around
moped
juggled
skipped rope
frown
blow
shivered and shook
dropped to the ground
ran
slammed
quiver
danced
stood still
knock
jump
shook hands
waved
stepped to the right
boogied to the Monster Mash
shouted,
“Happy Halloween!”

Practice/assess coordination, comprehension, fitness, following directions, listening, and sight words with Get Fit Action Stories. Use for daily warm-ups, rainy day indoor activities, PE, reading, and learning styles. Fun and enjoyable for all!

Activity Packet 4: Write a Scary Story with Word Banks and Coloring Images

16 pages

16 Halloween coloring images with holiday word banks that include:

Cats
Bats
Dracula
Frankenstein
Ghosts
Pirate
Pumpkins
Trick or Treat
Witches
Zombies
and more...

Includes: Suggestions For Use sheet and template to create your own vocabulary word bank. Upper levels can use for poetry and contest writing. Fun way to assess writing skills in an ELA classroom. Grab a blanket and flashlight, turn on the lighted pumpkin, and have a classroom read-around of Halloween stories.

Activity Packet 5: Wacky Wayne’s Halloween I-Spy

11 pages

10 I-Spy Halloween pictures and items to help students with basic letters, hand-eye coordination, and matching skills. Can be colored and displayed. Includes:

Ghost
Frankenstein (2)
Bat
Haunted House
Mummy
Dracula
Scary Tree
and more...

Fun matching activities for early elementary students.

Activity Packet 6: Wacky Wayne’s Fall I-Spy

11 pages

10 I-Spy handouts with fall themes. Find and match basic letters and shapes. Includes:

Scarecrows
Farm
Farmer
Pumpkins
Squirrels
Leaves
Shapes
Basic Letters
and many more...

Handouts can be colored and displayed.

Activity Packet 7: Halloween Color, Count and Match Activities

22 pages

22 Halloween themed handouts for early learners to practice math skills, such as:

coloring/motor skills
counting
holiday
matching
numbers 1-10
sight words
themes
(No controversial or scary images!)

Find the correct Halloween symbol sheet to match the handout then cut, color, and paste. Practice basic numbers and sight words recognition, as well as matching symbols. Can be used for assessment. Includes extra activities and ideas for use of handouts.

Activity Packet 8: Fabulous Fall Activities

26 pages

25 fall themed creative writing handouts, poetry sheets, coloring activities, and more for elementary grades:

Includes:
Fall Scavenger Hunt
Classmate Scarecrow (Facebook page with Scarecrow)
"F is for"
My Pumpkin Poem (writing & craft activity)
Fall Acrostic Poem
What I love about fall
Create a Fall Feast party invitation
Write a Fall Story (with fall vocabulary word bank)
Write a tongue twister (with fall vocabulary word bank)
Draw a fall scene in the camera's lens
How many words can you make from "corn and oats"
Quack! Quack! If I were a duck...
Design a sign to sell your veggies/photos
My Fall Message for You
My Favorite thing to do in Fall
Fall interview
Fall newspaper
Fabulous Fall Recipe
Fall word search
& more...

Lots of creative and engaging handouts and activities for fall fun!

Activity Packet 9: Falling Leaf Spelling Activities

18 pages

15 Fall themed scenes that provide sight word/consonant and vowel practice. Falling leaves contain letters which can be written on the lines to make as many words as possible using consonants and vowels. Color the scenes, put together letters to make words, compare answers, small team game included.

Includes:

Fall scenes: trees, scarecrows, farm, farmer, pumpkins, squirrels, and more...
Basic alphabet letters: vowels and consonants
Directions with Optional Play and Use

Great for consonants, vowels, spelling, vocabulary, and writing practice, as well as assessments.

Fall Halloween Bundle includes over 150+ fun activities!

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

Included in this Bundle:

⭐ Introduction to Dystopia Powerpoint & Crossword

This resource features an engaging, interactive, editable PowerPoint Presentation for introducing or reviewing Dystopian Fiction to your students! The PowerPoint Presentation runs through an entire lesson from warm-up to explanation, application, and summarizer. Also included are 2 pages of "guided notes" so that you may differentiate your lecture for all levels of students. Recently, a fun dystopia crossword puzzle has been added to help reinforce knowledge of the lesson. Since utopias and dystopias are intrinsically motivating for students, this lesson is always a fun one and gets students excited about the upcoming unit on Divergent.

⭐ Divergent "Silent Conversation" Quote Pass Activity

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

⭐ Tattoos of Divergent Character Symbolism Lesson Plan

This powerpoint explores the symbolism behind the character's tattoos. It is a fantastic opening mini-lesson to an activity in which students choose their own "symbolic" tattoos. My students LOVE this activity - just be prepared to share what symbolic tattoo you would get - they WILL ask!

⭐ Divergent Faction Acrostic Poem Assignment

This product contains an assignment for students to create their own acrostic poem for their favorite faction from Divergent. This is the perfect assignment to give after conducting a mock ceremony in your classroom.

⭐ Divergent Fear Landscape Assignment

This resource contains two separate assignments for creating a fear landscape so that you may differentiate among your figurative and literal thinkers. The first is more appropriate for students who can think symbolically (typically end of eighth grade and above) while the second is better suited for your literal thinkers (sixth-seventh grade). No matter which assignment you give, this is an engaging project that will urge students to consider their deepest fears and connect with Tris and her Dauntless friends in Divergent.

⭐ Divergent Mock Choosing Ceremony

This product contains everything you need to conduct your very own true-to-the-book Choosing Ceremony for Divergent in your classroom! This is one of my favorite activities I do with my students all year as I truly get insight into who they are and what they believe. The Choosing Ceremony will be an emotional challenge for some but very well-worth it!

⭐ Divergent Worksheet Bundle

This product includes a crossword puzzle, faction knowledge worksheets, a Freytag's Pyramid worksheet for entire novel, character review worksheet, and full answer keys.

⭐ Divergent Socratic Seminar Lesson Plan and Materials

Socratic Seminars are higher order ways of assessing whether your students are able to understand and react to your class text. These seminars rely on the power of inquiry and allow students to take the lead in their learning and discussion. The only problem? They require a great deal of preparation. Fortunately, with this resource, the work has been done for you. This packet includes everything you need to conduct a structured and formal set of Socratic Seminars in your classroom surrounding the novel.

⭐ Divergent Final Project - Long Lost Sixth Faction

This project instructs students to create their own faction. They must create everything from faction name, symbol, jobs, and manifesto to a propaganda poster, initiation process and more! This comprehensive project takes students about 1 week to complete. Because it is such an incredibly engaging activity, it truly runs itself and is the perfect way to conclude your study of Divergent.

⭐ Divergent Unit Test

This comprehensive test includes 46 well-written questions: character matching, plot-level multiple choice, faction knowledge chart, vocabulary, and short answer along with full answer key.

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Click to Follow Language Arts Excellence

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

Included in this Bundle:

⭐ The Alchemist "Silent Conversation" Quote Pass Activity

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

⭐ The Alchemist Anticipation Guide & Lesson Plan

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

⭐ The Alchemist Bell Ringer Journal Prompts

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

⭐ The Alchemist ESCAPE ROOM

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

⭐ The Alchemist Quote Posters

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

⭐ The Alchemist Socratic Seminar Materials

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

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Click to Follow Language Arts Excellence

This 30-page EDITABLE curriculum has everything you'll need to help students write write phenomenal college application essays! This is the PREMIERE bundle for any English teacher, college counselor, or tutor working to help students master the Common App essay!

The materials in this bundle were designed by a Ph.D. who has taught English at top-ranked high schools and colleges for over 20 years. He has worked closely with former college admissions officers from Harvard, Brown, and NYU. This 30-page unit features all the wisdom he's gathered over a decades-long career in secondary and higher education. The unit is packed to the brim with writing tips and formatting advice that will help your students craft truly remarkable college essays!

Here are some highlights from the 30-page curriculum:

• How to Get Started (Handout #1): Tips for how to get started on one's college essay and overcome writer's block. (1 page)

• Strategies for Crafting Vivid & Lively Prose (Handout #2): While the question of what students choose to write about will be important, the question of how they write will be equally important since a writer's style can reveal a lot about their personality. This handout features advice on how students can write essays using vibrant and virtuosic prose that will enamor any admissions officer. (2 pages)

• The Opening Line: Attention-Grabbing Hooks (Handout #3): The opening paragraph is the single most important part of a college essay. How will your students capture the interest of admissions officers? How will they make a memorable first impression? This handout offers several suggestions for how to focus an opening paragraph, followed by concrete examples of opening paragraphs by top essayists like Annie Dillard, Frank McCourt, Louise Erdrich, Naomi Shihab Nye, and others. (4 pages)

• How to Format a College Essay (Handout #4): This handout offers advice for the structural organization of college essay, with tips on what should be included in each paragraph. The strategy offered here will enable students to showcase their skills at descriptive writing, narrative writing, informational writing, and reflective writing — all in less than 650 words! (1 page)

• Sample Essays: Show your students eight successful college essays written by students who were recently admitted to top-ranked colleges and universities. These were the favorite essays that wowed admissions committees at Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University, Cornell University, Hamilton College, New York University, and Tufts University. (18 pages)

• Writing Assignment: This carefully scaffolded writing assignment will help students to get practice at writing narrative essays in response to actual prompts on the Common App from 2023-2024. (1 page)

• Writing Rubric: Use this rubric to evaluate the narrative essays that your students write in response to to the prompts from the Common App of 2023-2024. (1 page)

This resource packet will come to you in two separate formats: Word doc and PDF. Because the Word doc is editable, you'll be able to customize the materials 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 materials in PDF format, which is easy to navigate and quick to print!

Because I believe that teachers should be able to see what they're getting before they make a purchase, the preview for this resource provides access more than a dozen actual pages from the resource. 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!

Feel free to check out these other resources on writing:

How to Write an Analytical Essay

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

How to Frame Quotations or Embed Evidence

Figurative Language Stations