Victorian poetry regularly makes the top ten poems in public surveys, and much of our conception of what makes ‘good’ poetry was shaped by poets like Tennyson, Browning, Rossetti, and Arnold. This period formed the emotional and social attitudes which linger today – even in post-modern texts which claim to have moved beyond them. While the Romantics were read by the literati, the Victorian poets in this unit formed the core of public poetry consumption. An understanding of this period is essential for students who will read Edwardian and Modernist literature in later terms, by showing them what these writers and artists reacted against. This activity comprises two poems by Lear and Carroll with questions which require students to make a close analysis and interpretation suggestions for extension reading to extend their knowledge of the poets a creative writing task which helps them to engage laterally and personally with the ideas in the poetry.

HSC Module C: The Craft of Writing offers students complex texts from which to draw for their own writing. Because of their complex construction and ideas, students can be at a loss for ‘ways in’ to the text, and teachers can often struggle to break down these complex texts in the time available. This product contains questions for Peter Carey’s short story, ‘A Report on the Shadow Industry’ and links to online resources which explain the Platonic allegory of the cave. It is designed to lead students to writing their own brief and creative allegory of life.

Ray Bradbury’s seminal novel is a perennial favourite for middle schoolers. This 49-page unit of work has been tested successfully with a mixed-ability Year 9 (age 13-15) class and provides material for a full school term. This unit focuses on close textual analysis. There is a mixture of tasks which gets students writing analytically, personally, and creatively, helping them to build up their own unique interpretation of the work, and eventually to express this in a formal essay. Commentary of each overarching section is given, and 70+ writing tasks cover the whole novel. The tasks cover a variety of levels from comprehension to complex inference and personal response. There is a brief, student-friendly explanation of what a close reading actually is and how to perform it, followed by a sample close reading of a short passage. Texts of Blake’s poem, ‘The Tyger’ and Matthew Arnold, ‘Dover Beach’. Practice assessment task based on short-answer questions, a close reading of a passage, and a creative question Five research tasksheets which can be done by groups during the novel study, as extension work for Gifted and Talented students, or as closure to a unit of study. The Atomic Bomb Memory Phoenix Railroads Rivers Each task comprises four sections, following Bloom’s taxonomy, and requires students to complete: a piece of contextual research, a close reading of a nominated passage, a free-form writing at length, and a creative piece. Five middle-school appropriate essay questions. There is also a presentation on book-burning which can be used with this unit.

This is a three-part resource for students undertaking the NSW HSC Common Module Texts and Human Experience. A generic essay plan shows students how to compose an essay suitable for Stage 6, progressing them from the simpler PEEL/TEAL models of Stage 4 and 5. A sample essay for the prescribed text, Orwell’s 1984, answers a NESA question for this module. There is also a second copy of the essay, marked up to show how it follows the plan, and with five short questions which require students to engage critically with the essay and its form.

This is a three-part resource for students undertaking the NSW HSC Advanced English Module A: Textual Conversations. A generic essay plan shows students how to compose an essay suitable for Stage 6, progressing them from the simpler PEEL/TEAL models of Stage 4 and 5. A sample essay for the prescribed text-pairing Richard III and Looking for Richard, and answers the 2019 HSC question: Everything is being dismantled, reconstructed, recycled. To what end? For what purpose? To what extent is this true of the texts you have studied for this module? There is also a second copy of the essay, marked up to show how it follows the plan, and with five short questions which require students to engage critically with the essay and its form.

A unit of work on seven poems by John Keats: On First Looking Into Chapman’s Homer When I have fears that I may cease to be Bright star, would I were stedfast as thou art Ode on a Grecian Urn Ode to a Nightingale To Autumn La Belle Dame sans Merci This unit is suitable for senior students in Years 10-12. It introduces them to the forms Keats used, and seven of his most famous poems. A research task with suggested reading and viewing gets students across Keats’ life and influences. ‘What is analysis?’ encourages them to think about exactly what literary analysis is, and how to go about it Explanation of the sonnet, ode, and ballad forms Explanation of Negative Capability Foray into critical reading Seven poems included with questions structured according to Bloom’s taxonomy Selection of senior-suitable essay questions

Short stories are a vital part of English literature. These short story studies can be used to build a short story unit, to supplement other texts, or as a standby lesson. [Use this with our FREE Introduction to Short Stories two-page handout.]https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12564488) Each classic story is copyright free in Australia, the U.K. and U.S. Paragraphs are numbered for ease of reference. Activities correspond to Bloom’s taxonomy of lower- to higher-order tasks. A comprehension question checks knowledge and understanding Application questions ask students to apply their knowledge of literary or rhetorical technique Analytical questions interrogate the story’s effect, mood, and construction-strategies. Creative writing tasks use an aspect of the story as a springboard to write creatively, discursively, or persuasively. Hemingway’s acute psychological study has been successfully used with a Stage 5 / Year 10 class ( 15 years).

This is a three-part resource for students undertaking the NSW HSC Advanced English Module B: Close Study of a Text. A generic essay plan shows students how to compose an essay suitable for Stage 6, progressing them from the simpler PEEL/TEAL models of Stage 4 and 5. A sample essay for the prescribed text, An Artist of the Floating World, answers the 2019 HSC question: An exploration of unreliability, ambiguity, and contradiction. To what extent does this view align with your understanding of An Artist of the Floating World? There is also a second copy of the essay, marked up to show how it follows the plan, and with five short questions which require students to engage critically with the essay and its form.

Shakespeare’s tragedy about madness and family is an established favourite for senior students. Since the bulk of English literature units focus on close textual analysis, the ability to perform ‘close readings’ is essential for students of literature. This handout provides a a brief, student-friendly explanation of what a close reading actually is and how to perform it, followed by a sample close reading of the opening passage.

Wilde’s Gothic novel about vanity and perdition is an established favourite for senior students. Since the bulk of English literature units focus on close textual analysis, the ability to perform ‘close readings’ is essential for students of literature. This handout provides a a brief, student-friendly explanation of what a close reading actually is and how to perform it, followed by a sample close reading of the opening passage.

Wilde’s Gothic novel about vanity and perdition is an established favourite for senior students. Many students regard essays as memorizable activities; they may disregard the question and continue to provide the same pieces of textual evidence paired with the same analytical remarks regardless of the question that evidence should address. This activity presents students with a brief piece of textual evidence and shows how it must be differently handled when answering three different questions. Students are then given another piece of evidence with which to practice, using it to answer three different questions.

Fitzgerald’s novel about ‘careless people’ and avarice in the modern era is an established favourite for senior students. This is a brief, student-friendly explanation of what a close reading is and how to perform it, followed by a thoroughly detailed sample close reading of the opening passage which models the principles of close reading.

Short stories are a vital part of English literature. These short story studies can be used to build a short story unit, to supplement other texts, or as a standby lesson. Use this with our FREE Introduction to Short Stories two-page handout. Each classic story is copyright free in Australia, the U.K. and U.S. Paragraphs are numbered for ease of reference. There are four activities, corresponding to Bloom’s taxonomy of lower- to higher-order tasks. A comprehension question checks knowledge and understanding A close reading task assists development of textual analysis A writing at length task involves considering the story’s effect, mood, or technical strategies. A choice of two creative writing tasks use an aspect of the story as a springboard to write creatively, discursively, or persuasively. This monologue-style short story, ‘The Gate of 100 Sorrows’, by Rudyard Kipling is around 2600 words and has been successfully used with a Year 10 class (age 15-16).

Short stories are a vital part of English literature. These short story studies can be used to build a short story unit, to supplement other texts, or as a standby lesson. Use this with our FREE Introduction to Short Stories two-page handout. Each classic story is copyright free in Australia, the U.K. and U.S. Paragraphs are numbered for ease of reference. There are four activities, corresponding to Bloom’s taxonomy of lower- to higher-order tasks. A comprehension question checks knowledge and understanding A close reading task assists development of textual analysis A writing at length task involves considering the story’s effect, mood, or technical strategies. A choice of two creative writing tasks use an aspect of the story as a springboard to write creatively, discursively, or persuasively. This character-study short story, ‘The Use of Force’, by William Carlos Williams is around 1550 words and has been successfully used with a Year 7/8 class (age 11-13).

Short stories are a vital part of English literature. These short story studies can be used to build a short story unit, to supplement other texts, or as a standby lesson. Use this with our FREE Introduction to Short Stories two-page handout. Each classic story is copyright free in Australia, the U.K. and U.S. Paragraphs are numbered for ease of reference. There are four activities, corresponding to Bloom’s taxonomy of lower- to higher-order tasks. A comprehension question checks knowledge and understanding A close reading task assists development of textual analysis A writing at length task involves considering the story’s effect, mood, or technical strategies. A choice of two creative writing tasks use an aspect of the story as a springboard to write creatively, discursively, or persuasively. This short story about the supernatural, ‘August Heat’, by William Fryer is around 1800 words and has been successfully used with a Year 7 class (age 11-13).

Shakespeare’s tragedy about madness and ambition is an established favourite for senior students. Since the bulk of English literature units focus on close textual analysis, the ability to perform ‘close readings’ is essential for students of literature. This handout provides a a brief, student-friendly explanation of what a close reading actually is and how to perform it, followed by a sample close reading of the opening passage.

Shakespeare’s tragedy about madness and family is an established favourite for senior students. Ten senior-level essay questions offer a choice of arguments about character, theme, language, and context, and a sample essay responds to the question: King Lear is enduringly relevant because it shows us that when we suffer from distorted perception we need others’ care, not their exploitation. Does this satisfactorily explain the relevance of the play?

Shakespeare’s tragedy about race and manipulation is an established favourite for senior students. Since the bulk of English literature units focus on close textual analysis, the ability to perform ‘close readings’ is essential for students of literature. This handout provides a a brief, student-friendly explanation of what a close reading actually is and how to perform it, followed by a sample close reading of the opening passage.

Shakespeare’s tragedy about race and manipulation is an established favourite for senior students. Ten senior-level essay questions offer a choice of arguments about character, theme, language, and context, and a sample essay responds to the question: The existence of an Outsider is one of the most enduring narratives that shape our world. We need outsiders to help us define ourselves – and if they don’t exist, we create them.’ How is this the case for Othello?’

Wilde’s Gothic novel about vanity and perdition is an established favourite for senior students. Ten senior-level essay questions offer a choice of arguments about character, theme, language, and context, and a sample essay responds to the question: ‘It is only the sacred things that are worth touching.’ How does Wilde’s novel explore this idea?