This product is a POWER POINT that contains 30 MENTOR SENTENCES from famous classic writers to model key literary terms, rhetorical devices, and syntactical structures for students. For each sentence, students are to: 1. Copy the sentence. 2. Make observations about the sentence. 3. Imitate the sentence. 4. Learn about literary devices. 5. Answer questions about how the devices are used for rhetorical and literary effect. 6. Revise an essay with a new sentence modeled after that of the famous writer. 7. Reflect back on the new added sentence. 8. Share with a partner. These MENTOR SENTENCE activities will take students through the process of not only using literary and rhetorical devices in action but will integrate them into writing workshop as mini-lessons for making their writing more powerful. This POWER POINT is fully editable and is suitable for Advanced Placement and modifiable for other levels of HIGH SCHOOL English. ========================== Devices included in this set include: Parallel Structure Antithesis Anaphora Asyndeton Parataxis Polysyndeton Paradox Irony Chiasmus Balanced Sentence Epistrophe Rule of Three Tricolon Analogy Personification Metaphor Simile Metonymy Synecdoche Loose Sentence Hypotaxis Apostrophe Allusion Alliteration Consonance Assonance Rhetorical Question Litotes The Dash Hyperbole Understatement Semi-colon Colon Repetition Contrast Periodic Sentence Simple Sentence Amplification Antimetabole Anadiplosis Balanced Sentence Zeugma Epithet Epanalepsis PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS ZIP FILE CONTAINS THREE VERSIONS OF THIS PRODUCT. IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO EMBED FONTS INTO POWER POINT WITH MAC, SO I HAVE INCLUDED A .PDF VERSION AND AN UNEDITABLE .PNG VERSION (ON POWER POINT) THAT YOU CAN USE TO PRESERVE THE ORIGINAL FONTS AS DESIGNED. THIS FILE ALSO INCLUDES THE ORIGINAL POWER POINT THAT IS EDITABLE BUT WILL OPEN WITH DEFAULT FONTS FOR POWER POINT UNLESS YOU OWN THE SAME FONTS AS IN THE PRESENTATION.

This product contains a close reading activity for the "Declaration of Independence." This close reading activity will target comprehension and analytical skills while exposing students to historical non-fiction. Skills assessed in this close reading include: Context Clues Non-fiction Structure & Purpose Rhetorical Devices & Effect Textual Evidence Have your students try it individually and then with a group to compare answers. For teachers in the states still taking the PARCC exam, it is important that students practice reading the diction and style of American "foundational texts" and authors because they are included on the "Simulated Research" portion of the exam. The "Declaration of Independence" can be a challenging read and is accompanied by 18 multiple-choice close reading questions that use Common Core/ PARCC question stems. Answer key included.

In this mega Beowulf Bundle, you will find 25 lessons and activities that include very thorough answer keys with textual evidence where applicable to take your Beowulf unit to the next level. This bundle includes the following items: 1. Beowulf Anticipation Guide: Heroism 2. Beowulf Cultural Discovery: An Introduction to the Anglo-Saxons 3. Beowulf WebQuest and Wordle Poem 4. Anglo-Saxon History Notes 5. Anglo-Saxon History Quiz 6. Anglo-Saxon Values and Vices Chart 7. Beowulf Journal Prompts 8. Beowulf Reading and Discussion Questions 9. Beowulf Reading Checks 10. Beowulf “Connecting the Dots” Graphic Organizers 11. Beowulf vs. the Epic Hero Cycle 12. Beowulf Rhetoric Activity 13. Bias and Propaganda in Beowulf 14. Intertextuality Activity: Beowulf and Wilbur’s Poem 15. Beowulf and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen 16. Beowulf Agree/ Disagree Activity 17. Beowulf Debatable Statements Activity 18. Beowulf Essay Brainstorming Activity— Topics/ Themes Chart 19. Beowulf Essay Thesis Statements 20. Literary Criticism: “Subversive Female Power in Beowulf” 21. Beowulf Essay Prompts + Outline Form and Rubric 22. Beowulf Kenning Activity 23. Anglo-Saxon Boast Writing Assignment 24. Beowulf Comic Book Project 25. Beowulf Skills Application Test

This packet is designed to support the writing process for a Macbeth literary analysis essay. INCLUDED: Macbeth Topics & Themes List Brainstorm Guide Commentary Brainstorming Outline Form Sample Outline Sample Essay Rubric Task To write an essay analyzing how literary elements and techniques create thematic meaning in a text Objectives • To use the writing process in order to produce a publishable essay draft • To construct a logical argument supported by textual evidence and sound reasoning • To edit/revise essay writing for academic vocabulary and style • To select textual evidence that effectively supports and demonstrates the argumentative claim • To analyze how a theme is developed across a text through literary elements and techniques

This listing is for a characterization activity entitled "Magic Mirror" in which students analyze how a character's perceptions of himself/herself reveal character traits. This mini-lesson is part of the Mega Characterization Bundle of over 15 characterization mini-lessons that get your students working with all literary devices and techniques. You can find it listed separately in our store. Bundle and save over $15.00! For this mini-lesson: "Magic Mirror" Task To analyze the similarities and differences among a protagonist’s view of himself/herself versus how other characters view the protagonist Objectives To develop criteria for analyzing character To assess comprehension of character development across a text To select appropriate academic vocabulary for literary analysis To support analysis with textual evidence Common Core Standards R1, 3, 6, 11/ W1-4, 9-11/ SL 1, 4, 6/ L1-3 Instructions Oftentimes, the disparity in perception between how a protagonist of a story sees himself/herself and how other characters view the protagonist causes the protagonist to make a mistake—sometimes a very tragic mistake. In “Magic Mirror,” students are to consider how the protagonist views himself/herself as compared to how other characters view him/her. By looking at the protagonist through this lens, students can begin to see the imperfections of the protagonist that bring about conflict in the story. The lead activity, “Magic MIrror,” asks students to brainstorm adjectives to describe how the protagonist sees himself/herself. It also asks students to brainstorm adjectives to describe how other characters view the protagonist. Then, students can complete any or all of the follow-up activities to analyze the information from the “Magic Mirror” Activity including the “Magic Mirror” Chart, “Magic Mirror” Venn diagram, or the “Magic Mirror” Writing Task. All of these activities lend themselves to sharing/ discussing either in small groups or as a whole class, so consider ways for students to interact throughout these activities.

This listing is for a characterization activity entitled "What's in a name?" in which students analyze how a character's name reveals character traits. This mini-lesson is part of the Mega Characterization Bundle of over 15 characterization mini-lessons that get your students working with all literary devices and techniques. You can find it listed separately in our store. Bundle and save over $15.00! For this mini-lesson: Task To research the meaning of a character’s name and analyze how the meaning of names helps to create characterization Objectives To develop criteria for analyzing character To assess comprehension of character development across a text To select appropriate academic vocabulary for literary analysis To support analysis with textual evidence To conduct research from multiple sources and use that research to support analysis Common Core Standards R1, 3, 6, 11/ W1, 2, 4, 7, 9-11/ SL 1, 4, 6/ L1-3 Instructions Many modern literary critics argue that researching a character’s name in a piece of literature is a necessary part of conducting character analysis. In this activity, students will research the meaning behind a character’s name from a piece of literature. Students can either select the character, or you can assign each individual student or student groups to a particular character. Students will then visit several websites to conduct research on the meaning behind the name and compile their findings onto the Research Activity Sheet. After students have conducted the name research, there are three optional follow-up activities that involve discussion (“What’s in a name?” Pair Discussion), exploration (“What in a name?” Chart), and writing (“What’s in a name?” Analytical Paragraph)—all are attached below. These optional activities will allow students to compare/ contrast their findings from their name research and discuss how this research informs character analysis.

This listing is for a characterization activity in which students analyze the three dimensions of character. This mini-lesson is part of the Mega Characterization Bundle of over 15 characterization mini-lessons that get your students working with all literary devices and techniques. You can find it listed separately in our store! Bundle and save over $15.00! Task To assess the three dimensions of character Objectives To develop criteria for analyzing character To assess comprehension of character development across a text To support analysis with textual evidence To work effectively with others to produce a product To produce a piece of argumentative writing in an organized, coherent way using textual evidence Common Core Standards R1-3, 6, 10, 11/ W1, 2, 4, 10-11/ SL 1, 4, 6/ L1, 2, 3, 6 Instructions “Characters in 3-D” addresses the three dimensions of characters. Like real life people, characters have different aspects that create our life experiences. These dimensions are: physiology (physical makeup), sociology (life experiences), and psychology (behaviors & attitudes). When compiled together, we can begin to see a cause/ effect relationship emerge between the three different dimensions of character. In this series of activities, students will consider the three dimensions of a character and analyze how they interact to produce an entire character. In the Lead Activity, students are introduced to the three dimensions of character and then asked to apply them to their favorite character. Then, students move on to assessing the three dimensions of a protagonist of a piece of literature and collect evidence to put into an analytical paragraph in which they discuss how the physiology and sociology of a character lead to his/her psychology. Finally, students can work in groups to create a brand new SUPERHERO character in which they practice mapping out the three dimensions of character to present to the class. Students will have LOTS of fun creating a new SUPERHERO and sharing it with the class! This creative activity provides an interactive and entertaining way to assess students’ understanding of the three dimensions of character.

This listing is for a characterization activity entitled "Relationship Rectangle" in which students analyze how a character's relationships work to develop character traits. This mini-lesson is part of the Mega Characterization Bundle of over 15 characterization mini-lessons that get your students working with all literary devices and techniques. You can find it listed separately in our store. Bundle and save over $15.00! For this mini-lesson: "Relationship Rectangle" Task To analyze how character relationships contribute to character development Objectives To develop criteria for analyzing character To assess comprehension of character development across a text To select appropriate academic vocabulary for literary analysis To support analysis with textual evidence To communicate and defend an argument through class discussion Common Core Standards R1, 3, 6, 11/ W1, 2, 4, 10-11/ SL 1, 4, 6/ L1-3 Instructions For this activity, students will consider how the protagonist’s relationships in a story develop characterization. The “Relationship Rectangle” asks students to focus on the protagonist’s key relationships, including the protagonist’s most important relationship, most difficult relationship, the relationship that provides the protagonist with the most help and support, and finally the antagonist that acts against the protagonist throughout the story. Student’s selections for these relationships may vary, but students are asked to support their relationship selections with textual evidence and then discuss their findings with a group. Through this discussion, students will begin to agree/ disagree with each other’s relationship selections as a means of synthesizing how relationships in a story serve to characterize the protagonist. Students are then asked to develop an analytical paragraph that asks them to analyze how one particular relationship constructs the characterization of the protagonist. I have provided a shaping sheet for this analytical paragraph; however, you may wish to use it only for differentiation, with all of your students, or not at all (depending upon your students’ skill levels and needs).

This listing is for a characterization activity entitled "Debate Time!" in which students debate on various topics relating to characterization using textual evidence. This mini-lesson is part of the Mega Characterization Bundle of over 15 characterization mini-lessons that get your students working with all literary devices and techniques. You can find it listed separately in our store. Bundle and save over $15.00! For this mini-lesson: "Debate Time!" Task To debate different aspects of characters using textual evidence to support character analysis Objectives To develop criteria for analyzing character To support analysis with textual evidence To use rhetorical skills for constructing and supporting an oral argument To construct an effective argument supported with logical reasoning and textual evidence Common Core Standards R1, 3, 6, 11/ W1, 2, 4, 10/ SL 1, 3, 4, 6/ L1-3 Instructions One of the most engaging and interactive ways to get students involved in class discussion is through a debate. For the FIVE debate activities included in this listing, you will assign your students to a specific character from a specific piece of literature. Then, students will answer the yes or no “focus question” for the debate activity by providing textual evidence, reasons, and character traits to support each side of the debate for the assigned character. Each debate activity also includes an optional “Post-Debate Write-up” that students can complete after they have debated the question in class. This writing activity will help students to synthesize the class debate and arrive at their own character analysis. If you would like to assess the quality of student responses as well as create a more independent debate, consider using the rubric included here in this packet. This rubric requires students to speak a certain number of times, and students are assessed on the quality and depth of what they say—not just for merely speaking. There are also ways for students to earn bonus points during the discussion according to this rubric. The checks and symbols on the rubric are how I notate student credit during the debate. Overall, these discussions will get your students involved in analyzing literature on a deeper level and using textual evidence to support arguments.

This listing is for a characterization activity entitled "Subtext Submarine" in which students analyze how subtext reveals character traits. This mini-lesson is part of the Mega Characterization Bundle of over 15 characterization mini-lessons that get your students working with all literary devices and techniques. You can find it listed separately in our store. Bundle and save over $15.00! For this mini-lesson: Task To assess how subtext reveals character traits Objectives To develop criteria for analyzing character To assess comprehension of character development across a text To support analysis with textual evidence To use inference to analyze character To present findings to the class in an effective, organized, and compelling way To work effectively with others to produce a product Common Core Standards R1-4, 6, 10, 11/ W1, 2, 4, 10-11/ SL 1, 4, 6/ L1-6 Instructions Subtext is a difficult skill for students to comprehend because it requires students to look beyond what they see and to use their inference skills to draw conclusions about character. For this reason, I have developed the metaphor of the submarine to help students visualize this concept. In the “Subtext Submarine” activities that follow, students are introduced to the concept of subtext and then asked to apply that concept to character analysis. The Lead Activity contains an introduction to subtext using the metaphor of a submarine—the idea being that text exists on the surface (above the water), and subtext exists below the surface (under the water). Students are then asked to analyze a series of silly conversations for subtext and then to create their own. They will not only enjoy analyzing the silly conversations (“Ten Ways to Say NO!”) but also inventing their own (“Ten Ways to Say YES!”). The follow-up activities ask students to find examples of subtext in a piece of literature and explain how the subtext reveals character traits. Students can refer back to the list of Characterization Adjectives at the beginning of this packet in order to select appropriate academic vocabulary as they assign character traits to each example of subtext. Finally, students will then create a skit in which they use subtext to reveal character in order to synthesize their understanding of the concept. Once students have a grasp of the concept of subtext, they will enjoy working with it and using it to analyze character.

This product contains 26 pages of items to support a unit on nonfiction, or informational texts. You will find graphic organizers to assess the three more common text structures: descriptive, cause/effect, and compare/contrast. These graphic organizers are accompanied by writing tasks that are great tools to use for beginning an essay analyzing a nonfiction text. You will also find question stems to use for your nonfiction unit that include questions about text features, text structures, and rhetorical devices & appeals. These question stems are excellent tools for targeting Common Core skills and for preparing for standardized tests. In addition, there are two graphic organizers for addressing the 5W's of a nonfiction text as well as comparing/contrasting nonfiction texts. Overall, this is an excellent resource to enrich your next nonfiction unit!

As English teachers, we ask our students to edit and revise their peers' essays. However, students do not always know how to give constructive feedback. It's important that students are able to give constructive feedback about targeted writing skills while also maintaining the dignity of the writer. This product contains a handout with five tips for writing effective comments during peer revision and coaches students on how to go about giving thoughtful, quality feedback on academic essays in a supportive and encouraging manner. Then, there are "Comment Cards" that are divided according to targeted writing skills that give students a menu of options for giving positive comments and constructive criticism. Students are given models for writing criticism in a way that gives student an editing and revision task instead of simply marking something as incorrect. Writing criticisms as actionable items gives students a clear direction for editing and revising the essay. The Comment Cards are clustered according to the following targeted writing skills: Thesis Statement Introduction Paragraph Conclusion Paragraph Topic/ Concluding Sentences Body Paragraphs Organization Grammar & Punctuation Style & Word Choice Credibility MLA Format Following Directions Evidence Commentary & Analysis Students are also allowed to add their own comments to these cards in order to give themselves a bank of high-quality comment options. The Comment Cards are presented in two formats. The first format presents the comments clustered with their "sister" skills such as evidence and commentary. Following these pairings, each individual targeted writing skill is printed on a page of its own. You can decide how you want to give them to students as part of your writing workshop. These comments can also be used by teachers to give students feedback when they turn in essays. They can be easily converted into a checklist to accompany the essay rubric.

In this set of debate activities by Bespoke ELA, students will participate in a series of debates in response to "yes/no" questions about Shakespeare's play Macbeth. There are 10 debate questions in all. Students will collect evidence to support both sides of the argument and then debate a side with their peers in order to practice constructing logical arguments supported by textual evidence. Each debate chart is followed by an argumentative writing assignment as a culmination of the class debate. The teacher page included gives some suggestions for how to run a debate in your classroom, and I have also included my Debate Guide & Rubric for scoring your students' participation. These debate activities are excellent starter activities for an essay on Macbeth. Use them to facilitate the writing process and/or have students create "oral argument" presentations in which they share their interpretations with the class.

This activity has students making connections between Shakespeare's play Macbeth and the real world through the topic of corruption. In this scavenger hunt activity, students are to locate three Real World Macbeth figures who became corrupt as a result of their ambition. Students are then to write paragraphs that explain their connections using textual evidence from the play and from nonfiction articles. Included in this product you will find: The Scavenger Hunt Assignment Page with Common Core Standards & Objectives Real World Macbeth Comparison Chart Scavenger Hunt Rubric This is an excellent way to connect literature to the real world while targeting Common Core Standards.

Product Description In this Thanksgiving activity by Bespoke ELA, students will study Lincoln's Thanksgiving Proclamations in order to assess the relationship between language and persuasion while targeting the Common Core. First, students will read an editorial from The New York Times in order to understand better the relationship between Abraham Lincoln and Thanksgiving. Then, they will analyze the rhetoric of Lincoln's two Thanksgiving Proclamations-- from 1863 and 1864. Thanksgiving became a national holiday as the result of the Civil War. While other presidents had called for a day of "thanksgiving," it was not nationalized as an American holiday until Lincoln saw the need to unite the nation as our country was being ravaged by war. The article from The New York Times also reveals how Thanksgiving had nothing to do with pilgrims and Indians but later became intertwined with the "Founders Day Celebration" of New England. Originally, Thanksgiving came from our leaders' desire to recognize progress in our country. This activity is an excellent Thanksgiving activity that targets non-fiction Common Core skills while also targeting close reading skills and rhetorical analysis. As a final step in this activity, students will write their very own Thanksgiving Proclamations including rhetorical devices and appeals to entreat their audience to adopt Thanksgiving using their own reasons to be thankful. Great activity for grades 9-12, including Honors and Advanced Placement. Answer Keys Included

Product Description This lesson by Bespoke ELA contains an assignment for explicating a Shakespearean sonnet. It's tailored specifically for Shakespearean sonnets rather than poems in general. The Shakespearean Sonnet Explication Assignment includes: 1. Explication Essay Assignment 2. Explication Rubric 3. Sample Explication Essay of "Sonnet 18" 4. Sonnet Analysis Guide/ Explication Preparation Guide Use this assignment as a summative assessment for your next Shakespearean sonnet unit. It's a great way to assess both reading and writing skills using Shakespeare's sonnets! Pair this with the Bespoke ELA Pop Sonnet Assignment to engage students with Shakespeare's work! Click here! Common Core Standards R1-6, 11/ W1-2, 4-5, 10/ L1-6

This question set was RECENTLY UPDATED in 2018! This discussion activity contains level one (plot), level two (interpretation), and level three (universal) questions and also asks students to create their own questions for each level. There are 20 questions total that will take students to a deeper level analysis of Chaucer's story. This is an excellent way to get students involved with the "Pardoner's Tale" in an interactive way that makes the story relevant to today's world.

This reproducible sheet contains all of the Common Core College Readiness Standards for ELA for grades 9-12. This sheet is designed to give to students as a handout and put the power of the Common Core into their hands. The sheet contains two reflection questions at the bottom for students to answer. They are to identify the standards for a given assignment and then reflect upon their performance on those standards. This will help make the Common Core a "common" language in your classroom and enable students to track their own progress throughout the year. And, not to mention-- this sheet is a HUGE TIME SAVER for teachers because it makes students responsible for identifying and tracking standards. Give it a try!

This anticipation guide asks students to consider the modern-day, American concept of heroism. Students will brainstorm examples of heroism in today’s world as a means of studying the epic hero and the Anglo-Saxon concept of heroism. This activity establishes student anticipation of reading the poem Beowulf and provides an interesting platform for class discussion and debate. This guide is included in my MEGA Beowulf Bundle, which includes 25 lessons and activities to take your Beowulf unit to the next level! Find the entire bundle in our store, sold separately. BUNDLE AND SAVE!

This is an excellent, jigsaw-type, collaborative activity to use as an introduction to the epic poem Beowulf. Essentially, students break into groups to look at only the Prologue and Parts 1 and 2 of the epic poem. Each group takes on the part of an anthropologist/archaeologist "digging" back into the past to learn about the world of the Anglo-Saxons. Each group receives a different set of questions about Anglo-Saxon culture to respond to by seeking out answers from the Beowulf text. Students then report their findings/ discoveries about Anglo-Saxon culture to the class. This is an excellent way to get students involved in active inquiry into a text. I typically do this activity BEFORE I give them any notes at all on Anglo-Saxon culture because I want them to see what they can discover on their own first. This activity is easily followed with a writing assignment in which students describe their findings using textual evidence. Included here are questions for 8 different groups per class (of course, in reality, you may have more groups per class, so you can simply repeat some of the questions amongst groups-- it's perfectly fine to see how two different groups approach the same questions because they will undoubtedly make different observations). Great way to get into the Beowulf story! This item is part of my MEGA BEOWULF BUNDLE that includes 25 lessons and activities with answer keys! You can find the ENTIRE bundle in our store, sold separately. Bundle and SAVE! Positive feedback is appreciated for FREEBIES :)