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.

Product Description This product contains TEN brainstorming guides for students to brainstorm new movie ideas and concepts. You can find these brainstorming guides as part of the Bespoke ELA Screenplay Unit, sold separately HERE. These brainstorming guides will put movie writing at your students' fingertips. Screenplay writing is a high-interest type of writing because all students love movies. It's a great way to target COMMON CORE skills while tapping into student interests. In this product packet, you will find the following "lenses" through which to brainstorm new movie ideas: 1. Traditional Plot Generator 2. When Two Worlds Collide 3. The BLANK from Hell 4. Odd Couples 5. Fish out of Water 6. Fairy Tales, Fantasy, Myths, Legends, and Updated Stories 7. Lesser-Known Facts 8. "True" Stories 9. Unintended Consequences 10. Extreme Measures Even if you don't have your students complete the entire screenplay unit, these brainstorming exercises will help students think outside the box to create something new! Pair this activity with a literary analysis activity, and students can go forwards and backwards through the writing process-- construct art and take art apart. The Screenplay Unit by Bespoke ELA is a great project for second semester-- especially after standardized testing. Students can put into action all they have learned about story!

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 "Mind Jump" in which students analyze how point of view affects characterization. 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: "Mind Jump" Task To write from the point of view of characters from a piece of literature in order to assess how point of view shapes characterization Objectives To understand what motivates characters to take action To develop criteria for analyzing character To assess comprehension of character development across a text Common Core Standards R1, 3, 6, 11/ W1-4, 10/ L1-3 Instructions Understanding a character’s point of view is necessary in determining a character’s motivation to take action. In this activity, students will explore the point of view of a specific character and attempt to write from that character’s perspective. After completing the “Mind Jump” Activity, students can complete the following post activities that are also included: the “Mind Jump” Pair Discussion, the “Mind Jump” Character Chart, and/or the “Mind Jump” Post Write-up in order to analyze the traits of the character from the initial “Mind Jump” Lead Activity.

This product contains a self-revision and peer-revision activity for the literary analysis essay followed by FIVE mini-lessons for editing the essay for "Academese" language. These editing mini-lessons include editing for powerful verbs, varying sentence structure, and adding rhetorical devices for persuasive power, among others. Each mini-lesson includes specific editing tasks followed by reflection questions to encourage students to make conscientious revisions and edits to their writing. This is a MUST HAVE for the writer's toolbox and the writing process! Purchase the entire Literary Analysis Bundle and SAVE! Sold separately.

Find this mini-lesson as part of our Literary Analysis MEGA BUNDLE, sold separately! Bundle and save! This mini-lesson introduces students to blending quotations using the TCS method. This method asks students to integrate quotations into their own sentences with a transition that smoothly moves the reader into the evidence and then also includes the context/ speaker for the quotation to help the reader recall the quotation from the original text. I use this method with my students throughout the year to guide their revisions. My students bring their drafts to class, and they take turns labeling the "TCS" for each quotation. This method is very approachable and an essential tool for the Writer's Toolbox.

This listing is for Mini-lesson #1 of my Literary Analysis Essay book-- sold separately. For this activity, students read and analyze three sample student literary analysis essays using a ratiocination guide. They ratiocinate for the parts of the essay along with higher level vocabulary. They then answer reflection questions aimed at introducing students to the literary analysis essay. This is an excellent activity for introducing students to the literary analysis essay. Students need to be exposed to a variety of sample essays before they begin writing one. These essays can serve as models for students throughout the writing process. Answer keys included!

This is a series of four challenge activities for a F451 book club. These activities engage students in active discussion and debate within the group and with the entire class. I used these with my freshmen classes and set up the book club groups as teams. Each group formed a team name, and we turned each challenge into a competition that I would score. The winning team or teams would earn points, and at the end of the novel study, the winning team received bonus points on the test. This is a great way to get students involved with literature in a fun, competitive atmosphere. My students ask me all the time when "our next challenge is going to be."

This mini-lesson series can be found as part of the Literary Analysis Essay Mega Bundle-- sold separately. Bundle and SAVE! In this mini-lesson series, students will brainstorm options for textual evidence to support their thesis statements for the literary analysis essay. They will also learn about selecting the evidence that best supports or shows the argument in action. Afterwards, students decide whether or not to organize their evidence in chronological order or by power. This is an excellent mini-lesson to use during the writing process before students have written a completed rough draft!

This activity challenges students to consider Beowulf as a work of propaganda. Students are to document examples of propaganda and bias in the poem by looking for specific propaganda devices and tone words in action. After gathering evidence, students synthesize their findings in a piece of writing to use as reference during a class discussion on how Beowulf exists as a piece of propaganda. Answer key included! This activity is also included in my MEGA Beowulf Bundle (25 lessons and activities with answer keys!). You can find the entire bundle in our store, sold separately. BUNDLE AND SAVE!

Characterization is a literary element that can be used as a lens to analyze all other literary elements and devices. This bundle contains 13 mini-lessons centered on analyzing characterization that are ready to print and use with any text. These mini-lessons include acting skits, writing poetry, creating timelines, drawing comic strips, and much, much more! They are great activities for facilitating the writing process. This bundle also has great ideas to use for emergency lesson plans in grades 6-12. Find this bundle as part of the Bespoke ELA MEGA CHARACTERIZATION BUNDLE, sold separately. Bundle and SAVE!

These graphic organizers are a nice supplementary item for a Beowulf unit. They give basic definitions of epic conventions, epic hero traits, archetypes, and major characters from the poem and allow space for students to write in textual evidence plus explanations for these items as they find them in the text. These are excellent tools to keep students organized when analyzing key concepts in the poem-- great for students of all levels! Thorough answer keys included with textual evidence and explanations! Graphic Organizer #1: Epic Conventions Graphic Organizer #2: Traits of the Epic Hero Graphic Organizer #3: Main Characters Graphic Organizer #4: Archetypes These items are included in my MEGA BEOWULF BUNDLE (25 lessons and activities with answer keys!). You can find the ENTIRE BUNDLE in our store, sold separately.

In this assignment, students become a modern-day Chaucer and create a stereotype poem based upon a contemporary figure in society. They must write a poem that describes this modern-day pilgrim, including imagery and rhetorical devices, that reveals a clear tone either approving or disapproving of the figure. After creating the poem, students are asked to write a paragraph explanation of their stereotype poem that includes the effect of their rhetorical devices. This is an excellent way to make Chaucer's work relevant to today's society and even an effective writing task for students to complete BEFORE reading Canterbury Tales. Students will LOVE sharing their stereotype poems with the entire class! This assignment includes a student sample of a stereotype poem about politicians as well as a rubric to grade the final product.

Task Teacher Page To analyze writing style by comparing and contrasting two different styles of poetry Objectives • To use close reading annotation skills to assist poetry analysis •To identify and analyze literary elements and techniques in poetry in order to arrive at a thematic interpretation • To craft valid, logical arguments supported by strong, relevant textual evidence • To work collaboratively in a group in order to produce a high-quality product • To classify poems by style • To understand the differences in style of the Imagists and Romantics • To revise poems in the style of the Imagists and the Romantics • To construct a well-formed, logical,and thorough style analysis essay of two poems • To compare/contrast styles of poetry Common core objectives L1-6, 9, 11/ W1-2, 4-6, 10-11/ SL1, 4, 6/ L1-6 Poems included Romantics “Romance” by Edgar Allan Poe “The World is Too Much with us” by Wordsworth “She Walks in Beauty” by Lord Byron Imagists “In a Station of the Metro” by Ezra Pound “Oread” by H.D. "The Red Wheelbarrow" by William Carlos Williams Procedure This lesson includes three poem pairings. The poems are not necessarily thematically related. Each pair of poems contains one Romantic poem and one Imagist poem. They are juxtaposed so that students can compare their styles side-by-side. Students are to read and annotate each pair of poems, one set at a time, and then complete the follow-up discussion questions and writing task. Students will compare and contrast the style of Romantic poets and Imagist poets and then write their own original poems in the style of either the Romantics or the Imagists. They will then write a style analysis essay in which they compare and contrast the traits of the Romantics vs. the Imagists. ------------------------------------------------- This lesson makes a great addition to any poetry unit in the secondary ELA classroom!

This packet contains the following items to use with your students when preparing for an essay on the epic poem Beowulf: Beowulf Agree/ Disagree Activity a. This student handout contains five thematic statements that are relevant to the Beowulf story. Students either agree or disagree with each statement and then briefly explain their reasoning. This handout taps into students' prior knowledge on life themes relevant to the poem in order to establish a framework for thematic ideas they will observe in the story. I typically use this activity as an Anticipation Guide at the beginning of the Beowulf unit; however, it can also be used as an essay brainstorming guide or a classroom debate guide. These statements really get students interested in the story as they begin to think about why they believe what they believe and discuss/disagree with their peers. Beowulf Debatable Statements Activity a. This essay brainstorming activity contains 16 debatable thematic statements that relate to the Beowulf story to help students generate ideas for a Beowulf essay. Students are to think about how each statement applies to the Beowulf story (apart from their own personal opinions) and then briefly explain how each statement is true or false in the story. Students can complete this activity on their own or in small groups, and it is a terrific means of organizing whole class discussion and debate prior to beginning the writing process. After discussing the themes presented, students can then select one theme as the focal point for a theme analysis essay on the epic poem. Beowulf Essay Brainstorming Activity— Topics/ Themes Chart Beowulf Essay Thesis Statements Literary Criticism: “Subversive Female Power in Beowulf” Beowulf Essay Prompts + Outline Form and Rubric ALL of these items are included in my MEGA BEOWULF BUNDLE (25 lessons and activities/ 108 pages with keys)! The entire bundle can be found in our store, sold separately. Bundle and SAVE!

This mini-lesson teaches students how to craft the topic and concluding sentences of body paragraphs-- specifically for the literary analysis essay-- by using key words and phrases that connect to the thesis statement. You can find this mini-lesson as part of our Literary Analysis Mega Bundle. Bundle and save!

This multiple-choice/ matching test includes two pieces of "new material" that connect to the epic poem Beowulf ("The Seafarer" and "Ulysses" by Tennyson), a few historical questions about the Anglo-Saxon Period, a matching section of epithets to characters, a matching section of Anglo-Saxon traits to examples from the epic poem, a series of interpretation/ analysis questions, and a written response/ essay question. This test does NOT test rote memory-- it is a challenging skills application test that is 40 questions long and will truly assess your students' understanding of skills rather than plot. The two pieces of "new material" can be used as taught pieces as well. This test is a great way to align your assessments of Beowulf with the Common Core standards because it involves transferring skills rather than just memorization. Answer key is included!

In light of recent tragedies that continue to occur in our nation and around the world, I have created a series of Diversity Lessons to increase cultural awareness within our classrooms. All of these lessons are FREE resources for teachers to use. Positive feedback is always appreciated! In this activity, there are a series of quotations about diversity to read with your students. After viewing the quotations, give each student a piece of paper and have them create their own quotations about the importance of diversity and then hang them around the classroom. This activity also makes an excellent icebreaker activity at the beginning of the school year!

In this FREE 21-page booklet, find information on how I use the Writer's Notebook as an Interactive Notebook in my secondary English classes. This freebie includes explanations of how I have my students organize the notebook as well as the charts, handouts, graphic organizers, rubrics, etc. that my students use with the notebook throughout the school year. Positive feedback is always appreciated for FREEBIES!

These Task Cards by Bespoke ELA are to be used at the end of a Writer’s Workshop during the last ten minutes to emphasize with students that any part of the essay can be edited and revised at any time. The purpose of these Task Cards is to communicate to students that writing is a continual, recursive process, not a linear process. Students often ask if they are “allowed” to go back and change something about an essay draft. These Task Cards will help students see that they are, in fact, “allowed” change anything about their essays throughout the writing process. Allow students to select one of these cards and complete the revision or reflection task of their choice at the end of a writer’s workshop session. This will also enable students to take ownership of their own learning and writing. Included in this FREE bundle: 16 Task Cards Ppt. Version-- editable PNG Power Point Version PDF Version ============================================= You might also like: Literary Analysis MEGA BUNDLE 30 MENTOR SENTENCES for Literary & Rhetorical Devices with Writing Application Poetry Bundle: 20 Short Poems to Teach Rhetorical Relationships & Explication Macbeth Bundle: Supplementary Materials for Any Macbeth Unit Nonfiction Resource Bundle Nonfiction Practice with The Gettysburg Address Nonfiction Practice with The Declaration of Independence Nonfiction Practice with Alexander Hamilton Sample Essay Pack: TEN Literary Analysis Essays Argument Essay Revision Forms: TEN Activities for Success Grammar Editing Mini-lessons for Essay Writing Editing the Essay for "Academese" The Conclusion Paragraph for Literary Analysis Crafting Commentary for Literary Analysis Selecting & Organizing Textual Evidence for Literary Analysis Topic & Concluding Sentences for Literary Analysis The Body Paragraph for Essay Writing The Thesis Statement for Literary Analysis: SIX Mini-lessons for Success Blending Quotes Using the TCS Method The Literary Analysis 10-POINT RUBRIC The Introduction Paragraph for Literary Analysis