Homeschool Poetry Lesson

NEW IN 2021: Rigorous! Thought-provoking! Discussion-Based! This 45-page EDITABLE mini-unit promises to elicit dynamic engagement from all students without compromising on intellectual rigor. The discussion questions, quizzes on poetic devices, and analytical writing assignment will challenge your students to dig beneath the surface of Dickinson's poems and generate profound interpretive insights!!

Here are some highlights from this 45-page mini-unit on Dickinson's poetry:

• 10 Poems by Emily Dickinson: The 10 poems in this mini-unit feature Emily Dickinson's best works of poetry. The packet includes a representative sampling of riddle poems ("It sifts from Leaden Sieves"), nature poems ("There's a certain Slant of light"), death poems ("Because I could not stop for Death"), feminist poems ("I'm ceded — I've stopped being Theirs"), ars poetica ("I dwell in Possibility"), and more. The 10 poems are split between two Homework Packets, with each packet containing 5 poems. (12 pages)

• Discussion Questions: This bundle features a list of discussion questions for two poems from 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. (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. (4 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)

• 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)

• 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 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 all of the materials in 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 20 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!

This 50-page EDITABLE poetry unit promises to elicit dynamic engagement from all students without compromising on intellectual rigor. The 12 poems in this unit pivot on the use of FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE: metaphor, simile, personification, hyperbole, etc.

Teach your students how to analyze figurative language through a series of engaging lessons on poems that students are guaranteed to love. The literary device 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 50-page curriculum:

• Homework Packets with Poems: The two homework packets contain a total of 12 poems by award-winning poets such as Emily Dickinson, Langston Hughes, Elizabeth Bishop, Richard Wilbur, Sylvia Plath, Maya Angelou, Julia Alvarez, Mark Doty, Sharon Olds, and others. The poems in each homework packet derive their meaning from the deft use of sensory images. These carefully selected poems will set the stage for your class to have fascinating and profoundly productive discussions!! (12 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 found in poems from the packet: metaphor, personification, symbolism, imagery, alliteration, etc. The digital versions of the quizzes on Google Forms will grade every student's work and generate a list of their scores. Answer keys included. (4 pages).

• Discussion Questions: This bundle features a list of discussion questions for two poems in each of two homework packets. The discussion questions will ensure that your class discussions get off to a productive start. 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. (16 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. (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)

This entire 50-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! Finally, as a free bonus, I'm including links to digital copies of every document in user-friendly platforms like Google Docs and Google Forms.

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

This 40-page EDITABLE poetry unit promises to elicit dynamic engagement from all students without compromising on intellectual rigor. The 10 poems in this unit all pivot on vivid and evocative SENSORY IMAGERY.

Because even our strongest students often have difficulty analyzing poetic imagery, I designed this unit to help students learn to "unpack" images and to explain how images deepen a poem's meaning. 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 40-page curriculum:

• Homework Packets with Poems: The two homework packets contain a total of 10 poems by award-winning poets such as Emily Dickinson, Robert Hayden, Mary Oliver, Gary Soto, Sharon Olds, Mark Doty, Yusef Komunyakaa, Tony Hoagland, and others. The poems in each homework packet derive their meaning from the deft use of sensory images. These carefully selected poems will set the stage for your class to have fascinating and profoundly productive discussions!! (10 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: metaphor, personification, symbolism, imagery, alliteration, etc. The digital versions of the quizzes on Google Forms will grade every student's work and generate a list of their scores. Answer keys included. (4 pages).

• Discussion Questions: Lists of discussion questions for the first poems in each homework packet. The discussion questions will ensure that your class discussions get off to a productive start. 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. (8 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. (2 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 40-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! Finally, as a free bonus, I'm including links to digital copies of every document in user-friendly platforms like Google Docs and Google Forms.

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

This 38-page EDITABLE poetry unit promises to elicit dynamic engagement from all students without compromising on intellectual rigor. The 10 poems in this mini-unit all focus on different kinds of ethical dilemmas.

Because teenagers are genuinely intrigued by ethical dilemmas, these poems will set the stage for your class to have authentic discussions that inspire a whole new depth of reflection. 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 38-page curriculum:

• Homework Packets with Poems about Ethical Dilemmas: The two homework packets contains a total of 10 poems by a diverse range of award-winning poets such as Robert Frost, William Stafford, Ada Limón, Jan Beatty, Ross Gay, and others. Every poem focuses on some kind of ethical dilemma. Because teenagers are genuinely intrigued by ethical dilemmas, these poems will set the stage for your class to have fascinating and profoundly productive discussions!! (10 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 nightly homework packets: metaphor, personification, symbolism, imagery, alliteration, etc. The digital versions of the quizzes on Google Forms will grade every student's work and generate a list of their scores. Answer keys included. (4 pages).

• Discussion Questions: This bundle features a list of discussion questions for the first poem in each of two nightly homework packets. The discussion questions will ensure that every class discussion starts on a productive foot. 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. (7 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 38-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! Finally, as a free bonus, I'm including links to digital copies of every document in user-friendly platforms like Google Docs and Google Forms.

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

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!

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

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!

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

This 45-page EDITABLE poetry curriculum promises to elicit dynamic engagement from all students without compromising on intellectual rigor. The 12 poems in this mini-unit all focus on the complex nature of family dynamics and parent-child relationships.

Because teenagers are caught up in complex relationships with their parents, these poems will set the stage for your class to have authentic discussions that inspire a whole new depth of reflection. 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:

• Homework Packets with Poems about Parent-Child Relationships: The two homework packets contain a total of 12 poems by a diverse range of award-winning poets such as Sylvia Plath, Theodore Roethke, Sharon Olds, Audre Lorde, Li-Young Lee, Galway Kinnell, Tony Hoagland, Ada Limón, and others. Every poem focuses on a different kind of parent-child dynamic. Because teenagers have a lot to say about relationships with parents, these poems will set the stage for your class to have fascinating and profoundly productive discussions!! (12 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. The digital versions of the quizzes on Google Forms will grade every student's work and automatically generate a list of their scores. Answer keys included. (4 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 foot. 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. (10 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. (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)

This entire 44-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! Finally, as a free bonus, I'm including links to digital copies of every document in user-friendly platforms like Google Docs and Google Forms.

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

NEW IN 2021: Rigorous! Thought-provoking! Discussion-Based! This 40-page EDITABLE mini-unit promises to elicit dynamic engagement from all students without compromising on intellectual rigor. The discussion questions, quizzes on poetic devices, and analytical writing assignment will challenge your students to dig beneath the surface of Elizabeth Bishop's poems and generate profound interpretive insights!!

Here are some highlights from this 40-page curriculum:

• 10 Poems by Elizabeth Bishop: The 10 poems in this mini-unit feature Elizabeth Bishop's best works of poetry: "The Fish," "In the Waiting Room," "One Art," "The Man-Moth," "Sestina," and more. The 10 poems are split between two Homework Packets, with each packet featuring 5 poems. (12 pages)

• Discussion Questions: This bundle features a list of discussion questions for one poem from 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. (10 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. (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)

• 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)

• 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 40-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 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 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 20 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!

NEW IN 2021: Rigorous! Thought-provoking! Discussion-Based! This 35-page EDITABLE mini-unit promises to elicit dynamic engagement from all students without compromising on intellectual rigor. The discussion questions, quizzes on poetic devices, and analytical writing assignment will challenge your students to dig beneath the surface of Gwendolyn Brooks's poems and generate profound interpretive insights!!

Here are some highlights from this 35-page curriculum:

• 10 Poems by Gwendolyn Brooks: The 10 poems in this mini-unit feature Gwendolyn Brooks's best works of poetry: "The Sonnet-Ballad," "A Song in the Front Yard," "The Boy Died in My Alley," "We Real Cool," and more. The 10 poems are split between two Homework Packets, with each packet featuring 5 poems. (12 pages)

• Discussion Questions: This bundle features a list of discussion questions for one poem from 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. (7 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. (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)

• 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)

• 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 35-page unit 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 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 15 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!

Celebrate Black History Month with this engaging lesson on Maya Angelou's stunningly poignant poem of injustice, "Caged Bird."

This dynamic lesson plan on Angelou's poem is the perfect addition to your poetry unit. In this lesson, students will analyze the figurative language within the poem and respond to its powerful theme through independent work, paired activities, and full class discussion. The lesson plan even includes a unique way to read the poem as a class that will have your students engaged from the start. The meticulously laid-out materials will prompt your students to think, speak, read, draw, and write all in one class period and interacting deeply with one of the most celebrated works of American poetry.

Product Includes:

- Comprehensive lesson plan with warm-up, explanation, application, and synthesis

- Student packet: copy of the poem, notes on Maya Angelou, chart and drawing activity, open response question

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Also, check out these great resources for your poetry unit by Language Arts Excellence:

⭐ Poetry ESCAPE ROOM

⭐ Poetry Unit Anticipation Activity

⭐ "Still I Rise" (Angelou) Lesson Plan & Materials

⭐ Harlem (A Dream Deferred) Lesson Plan & Materials

⭐ Black History Month Poetry {{BUNDLE}}

⭐ Figurative Language Challenge Game

⭐ Sonnet 130 Valentine's Day Lesson Plan

⭐ Sonnet 18 Valentine's Day Lesson Plan

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⭐Click to Follow Language Arts Excellence⭐

Celebrate Valentine's Day with this Shakespearean Sonnet Analysis and Creative Writing Activity!

In this creative and engaging lesson plan, students will analyze one of Shakespeare's most famous love sonnets and create their own original poetry inspired by the Bard. This resource provides step-by-step instructions using a format of warm-up, explanation, application, and synthesis with the aim to engage students from beginning to end. A teacher cheat sheet is also included with full notes on Sonnet 130 so no preparation is needed. Your students will thank you for offering such a fun way to learn about and practice writing poetry!

Product Includes:

- Comprehensive lesson plan

- Copy of Sonnet 130

- Teacher's notes

- Meticulous assignment directions

- Rubric

This lesson is Common Core aligned and appropriate for grades 9-12.

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Save 20% off this resource when you purchase as part of a bundle of Shakespeare products:

⭐ Shakespeare Resource Bundle

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Also, check out these great Valentine's Day resources from Language Arts Excellence:

⭐ Valentine's Day Collaborative Writing Activity

⭐ Valentine's Day Figurative Language Practice

⭐ Valentine's Day Figurative Language in Love Songs PowerPoint

⭐ Valentine's Day Figurative Language in Love Songs Task Cards

⭐ Valentine's Day Love Song Figurative Language BUNDLE

⭐ Shakespeare Valentine's Day Lesson Plan

⭐ Sonnet 18 Valentine's Day Lesson Plan

⭐ Valentine's Day Mad Libs

⭐ Valentine's Day "Love Talk" Lesson Plan

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⭐ Click to Follow Language Arts Excellence⭐

Celebrate Black History Month with this dynamic lesson on pursuing your dreams in Langston Hughes' provocative poem, Harlem (A Dream Deferred).

This differentiated lesson plan on Hughes' poem is the perfect addition to your poetry unit. In this lesson, students will analyze the figurative language within the poem and respond to its powerful theme through independent work, paired activities, and full class discussion. These meticulously laid-out materials will have your students thinking, speaking, reading, drawing, and writing all in one class period and interacting deeply with one of the most breathtaking works of American poetry.

Product Includes:

- Comprehensive lesson plan with warm-up, explanation, application, synthesis, and differentiated extension activities

- Student packet

- Copy of the poem

- Notes on Langston Hughes

- Drawing Activity

- Open Response Question

- Extension Activity for Forging Original Poetry

This lesson plan is Common Core Aligned.

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Also, check out these great resources for your poetry unit by Language Arts Excellence:

⭐ Poetry ESCAPE ROOM

⭐ Poetry Unit Anticipation Activity

⭐ "Still I Rise" (Angelou) Lesson Plan & Materials

⭐ Caged Bird (Angelou) Lesson Plan & Materials

⭐ Black History Month Poetry {{BUNDLE}}

⭐ Figurative Language Challenge Game

⭐ Sonnet 130 Valentine's Day Lesson Plan

⭐ Sonnet 18 Valentine's Day Lesson Plan

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Click to Follow Language Arts Excellence

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

Example of a prompt:

All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players… and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages” ~ As You Like It

What types of roles do you play in your own life? How do these roles differ and to what audience(s) are they played? Why do we find ourselves playing different roles for different people within our lives?

Enjoy using these bell ringers during your study of any Shakespearean play or any time throughout the year when you just need to hear a few wise words from the Bard!

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We've gone digital! Check out the paperless version to support distance learning:

⭐ Shakespeare Digital Bell Ringer Journal Prompts

Save 20% off this resource when you purchase as part of a bundle of Shakespeare products:

⭐ Shakespeare Resource Bundle

Also, check out these great products to add to your Shakespeare unit by Language Arts Excellence:

⭐ Shakespeare ESCAPE ROOM

⭐ Shakespeare Scavenger Hunt

⭐ Introduction to Shakespeare Powerpoint

⭐ Shakespeare Crossword Puzzle

⭐ Shakespeare's "Death Lines" Activity

⭐ Shakespeare Valentine's Day Lesson Plan

⭐ William Shakespeare Quote Posters

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Click to Follow Language Arts Excellence

Celebrate Valentine's Day with this Shakespearean Sonnet Analysis and Creative Writing Activity!

In this creative and engaging lesson plan, students will analyze one of Shakespeare's most famous love sonnets and create their own original poetry inspired by the Bard. This resource provides step-by-step instructions using a format of warm-up, explanation, application, and synthesis with the aim to engage students from beginning to end. A teacher cheat sheet is also included with full notes on Sonnet 18 so no preparation is needed. Your students will thank you for offering such a fun way to learn about and practice writing poetry!

Product Includes:

- Comprehensive lesson plan

- Copy of Sonnet 18

- Teacher's notes

- Meticulous assignment directions

- Rubric

This lesson is Common Core aligned and appropriate for grades 9-12.

___________________________________________________________________________

Also, check out these great resources to complement your unit on Shakespeare:

⭐ Shakespeare Resources by Language Arts Excellence

______________________________________________________________________________________

Also, check out these great Valentine's Day resources from Language Arts Excellence:

⭐ Valentine's Day Collaborative Writing Activity

⭐ Valentine's Day ESCAPE ROOM

⭐ Valentine's Day Figurative Language Practice

⭐ Valentine's Day Mad Libs

⭐ Sonnet 130 Valentine's Day Lesson Plan

___________________________________________________________________________

⭐Click to Follow Language Arts Excellence⭐

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Hey educators, this is something special for the upcoming US Elections! Let's find out what this file includes and the benefits it brings to you all...

What you will be downloading: 
Poem focused on US Election 2024.
Follow-On Activity Sheet: "First Impressions" – Students reflect on how the poem made them feel.
Freebie: Poetry Postcard Instruction & Creative Activity Sheet.

Benefits of this Resource:
Engages Students with an exciting poem about voting and elections.
Enhances Emotional Awareness by reflecting on feelings through the "First Impressions" activity.
Boosts Creativity with the fun Poetry Postcard exercise.
Perfect for Classroom Use to teach about civic engagement and elections

Easy to Use:
Download, print and let the fun start!

Note on Digital Product:
No refunds available 

Resource Information

• Pages: 6 (Includes one TOU page, and engaging content of course!)
• Ideal for Ages: school students
• Teaching Duration: 1 concise class, depending on depth of exploration
• Download Now: This digital product is ready for immediate classroom use!

Reminder: This resource is for single-classroom use only. Please refrain from sharing outside your class. Feel free to reach out with any questions before downloading. No refunds available on digital products.

Your Feedback matters!
If you enjoyed this resource, we’d be thrilled if you left a kind review! Your support helps us continue creating more educational content that makes learning exciting and meaningful for students. Thank you!

This digital Google Slide lesson is the perfect way to introduce all of the basic elements of poetry: stanza, meter, line, prose, literary devices and multiple forms of poetry

GOAL

To show examples of all unique elements of poetry

AUDIENCE

Whole class, small group, ELL, Special Education, Virtual classrooms

Google Slides:

12 slides including live links to supporting videos

What is poetry?

What is prose?

What are the elements of a poem?

Example poem

What is Free Verse?

What are common poetry formats?

Why is poetry hard to understand?

What are poetic devices?

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT OUR POETRY ANALYSIS LESSON AS WELL!

This lesson is also available in PowerPoint!

PURPOSE: of this GOOGLE SLIDE lesson is to clearly express, define and model LITERARY SYMBOLISM. The Classic literature of Edgar Allan Poe's poem, THE RAVEN is used as a catalyst for learning. The lesson provides digital resources from which students will gain the ability to uncover the hidden meaning of literary symbolism, grasp why it is used in writing, and present fine contextual examples of this literary device.

GOAL: to prepare students to read rigorous literature by front-loading literary elements critical to comprehension of grade-level text and aligned to standards

AUDIENCE: whole group, small group, regular ed, learning support, ESL, virtual or homeschool classrooms

DIGITAL USES IN THE CLASSROOM

introduce Literary devices

introduce SYMBOLISM

introduce poetry

introduce Edgar Allan Poe

prepare for standardized testing

standard for creative writing using symbolism

This lesson is also available in PowerPoint!

This POWERPOINT lesson clearly expresses, defines, and models LITERARY SYMBOLISM. The Classic literature of Edgar Allan Poe's poem, THE RAVEN is used as a catalyst for learning. The lesson provides digital resources from which students will gain the ability to uncover the hidden meaning of literary symbolism, grasp why it is used in writing, and present fine contextual examples of this literary device.

GOAL: to prepare students to read rigorous literature by front-loading literary elements critical to comprehension of grade-level text and aligned to standards

AUDIENCE: whole group, small group, regular ed, learning support, ESL, virtual or homeschool classrooms

DIGITAL USES IN THE CLASSROOM

introduce Literary devices

introduce SYMBOLISM

introduce poetry

introduce Edgar Allan Poe

prepare for standardized testing

standard for creative writing using symbolism

This lesson is also also available in Google Slides!

This introductory Unit 4 Week 5 Google Slide lesson provides digital pre-reading information. Bold photo visuals and engaging video clips support the story details. The lesson includes an in-depth vocabulary study, practice, assessment, and printable organizers for the following poems:

Swimming to the Rock

The Moondust Footprint

This standard-aligned material is for use with whole group, small group, or independent work for regular ed, learning support, ESL or virtual/homeschool classrooms

Google Slides:

1.**Bold Photos: ** Visual learners will thrive with our visually appealing slides, featuring bold and relevant images that help reinforce vocabulary concepts and make learning more engaging.

2. **Vocab with Concise Definitions and Part of Speech: ** Our lesson provides clear and concise definitions for challenging vocabulary words, ensuring that students understand the meaning of each word in context. Understanding the parts of speech is crucial for effective language comprehension. Our lesson includes sections dedicated to identifying the part of speech for each vocabulary word.

Vibrant Vocab slides (dangling, hovering, tranquility, mission control)

3.**Quizlet Practice Link ** Reinforce learning and encourage self-assessment with Quizlet practice tailored to the vocabulary words covered in the lesson. This interactive tool allows students to review and quiz themselves.

4. **Fun Fact Images and Videos** These features highlight unique elements of the text to aid comprehension (Narrative Poem, picture and sound recording of the loon, Neil Armstrong, and first moon landing)

5. **Get your students hooked on other popular narrative poems** list and descriptions

PDF FILE.

Plus, each ZIP file comes with a PDF folder containing printable worksheets to be used with the lesson!

**Grammar Sort**

Strengthen language skills with integrated grammar review sections, ensuring students can apply the vocabulary words correctly in their own writing and communication.

**Connotation Sort**

Dive deeper into vocabulary nuances by exploring the connotations of words, helping students grasp the subtle shades of meaning and usage.

**Context Clues Sentences, Word Bank and Key: **

Our lesson includes carefully curated sentences that employ context clues, enabling students to decipher word meanings from surrounding text. This fosters independent comprehension skills. These worksheets can be used for practice or assessment.

**Vocabulary Organizer**

This worksheet allows the students to infer the meaning from the animated vocabulary slide. After students complete the organizer, it is a great reference sheet.

**Synonym and Antonym Word Study**

The graphic organizer allows the students to explore the variations in meaning of the new vocabulary word.

DIGITAL USES IN THE CLASSROOM:

· Introduce new story

· Provide backstory to text

· Stimulate group discussion

· Create predictions about text

· Use as distance learning resource

· Post on webpage for review

· Add to electronic notebooks

· Provide test review

· Prompt Writing or Research assignments

· Grammar study / parts of speech

· Discuss Word Connotation

Please be sure to view the preview and watch the video for detailed images and descriptions of the lesson.

This lesson is also available in PowerPoint.

Enjoy!

-From Kiwious About Vocab!

WONDERS GRADE 4 introductory Unit 2 Week 5 Google Slide lesson provides digital pre-reading information for the poems. Fun facts, photo visuals, and video clips support the poetry details. The lesson also includes vocabulary study, practice, and assessment for:

The Sandpiper

Bat

The Grasshopper Springs

Fireflies at Dusk

This standard-aligned material is for use with whole group, small group, or independent work for regular ed, learning support, ESL or virtual/homeschool classrooms

Google Slides:

1.**Bold Photos: ** Visual learners will thrive with our visually appealing slides, featuring bold and relevant images that help reinforce vocabulary concepts and make learning more engaging.

2. **Vocab with Concise Definitions and Part of Speech: ** Our lesson provides clear and concise definitions for challenging vocabulary words, ensuring that students understand the meaning of each word in context. Understanding the parts of speech is crucial for effective language comprehension. Our lesson includes sections dedicated to identifying the part of speech for each vocabulary word.

Vibrant Vocab slides (brittle, outstretched, drowse, eaves, forage, dusk)

3.**Quizlet Practice Link ** Reinforce learning and encourage self-assessment with Quizlet practice tailored to the vocabulary words covered in the lesson. This interactive tool allows students to review and quiz themselves.

4. **Fun Fact Images and Videos** These features highlight unique elements of the text to aid comprehension

5. **Lyric, Haiku, rhyming couplets, similes and metaphor descriptions and video links** Teaching poetry genres, similes, and metaphors helps students appreciate diverse literary forms and express ideas vividly. These concepts improve reading comprehension, expand vocabulary, and enhance creativity.

PDF FILE.

Plus, each ZIP file comes with a PDF folder containing printable worksheets to be used with the lesson!

      **Grammar Sort**

Strengthen language skills with integrated grammar review sections, ensuring students can apply the vocabulary words correctly in their own writing and communication.

**Connotation Sort**

Dive deeper into vocabulary nuances by exploring the connotations of words, helping students grasp the subtle shades of meaning and usage.

**Context Clues Sentences, Word Bank and Key: **

Our lesson includes carefully curated sentences that employ context clues, enabling students to decipher word meanings from surrounding text. This fosters independent comprehension skills. These worksheets can be used for practice or assessment.

    **Vocabulary Organizer**

This worksheet allows the students to infer the meaning from the animated vocabulary slide.  After students complete the organizer, it is a great reference sheet.

   **Synonym and Antonym Word Study**

The graphic organizer allows the students to explore the variations in meaning of the new vocabulary word.

DIGITAL USES IN THE CLASSROOM:

· Introduce new story

· Provide backstory to text

· Stimulate group discussion

· Create predictions about text

· Use as distance learning resource

· Post on webpage for review

· Add to electronic notebooks

· Provide test review

· Prompt Writing or Research assignments

· Grammar study / parts of speech

· Discuss Word Connotation

Please be sure to view the preview and watch the video for detailed images and descriptions of the lesson.

This lesson is also available in PwerPoint.

Enjoy!

-From Kiwious About Vocab!