Ninth Grade - ELA
1: Semester 1
Unit 1: Lord of the Flies
Lesson 1
The Call
Students are prompted to discuss broad questions (e.g., What makes someone likely to survive in a dystopian setting? Is a utopian society possible?) and to be "prepared to discuss" these ideas. In Option 1 students record dystopian titles and answer guided questions about settings, plot ideas, and central struggles, then anticipate which elements will appear in Lord of the Flies, linking specific examples to larger themes. In Option 2 students create utopia/dystopia lists and are instructed to ask someone else to do the same and compare lists, which requires incorporating another person's perspective into the activity.
Lesson 2
Life on the Island
Students are prompted to discuss larger ideas with prompts such as "What makes an individual powerful?" and "How does individual power change in relationships with others?" The "Questions to Discuss" section asks students to compare leaders (Ralph vs. Jack) and to anticipate plot developments, which asks them to relate character actions to broader outcomes. Review activities ask students to respond to teacher prompts (identify characters from descriptions or describe actions), requiring students to speak and respond in discussion.
Lesson 3
Paths in the Jungle
Students are prompted to discuss thematic questions (e.g., "How do fear and desire for acceptance influence human behavior?" and "What are the implications for contemporary society?") and to respond to guided discussion prompts in the "Questions to Discuss" section. Students annotate articles, fill a two-column organizer listing the author's thesis and key supporting points, and then review the organizer to form and evaluate their own opinions about the author's claims. The plan notes that students may debate priorities (shelter vs. food) and asks students to explain their character-choice and insights when discussing perspective shifts.
Lesson 4
Images from Paradise
The lesson provides several open-ended prompts that require student response, including "Ideas to Think About" (e.g., "Do groups control individuals or do individuals control groups?" and "How does a society maintain order? Are laws necessary?") and "Questions to Discuss" (e.g., why Golding emphasizes the littluns' nightmares; how older boys treat younger boys). These prompts ask students to respond to broader thematic issues such as society, order, and group dynamics.
Lesson 5
Not Hunting, But Hunted
Students are prompted to discuss broad issues in the "Questions to Discuss" section (e.g., whether laws are necessary and what will happen if the boys do or do not have a system), which asks them to connect the novel to early civilizations and modern societies. Students are asked to complete Option 1 or Option 2 and to be "prepared to discuss" and "defend their points of view," requiring them to present and explain their ideas about drafting laws or designing a law-adoption system. Students are also directed to "Think about what you have learned about world history," which encourages linking the specific discussion to larger historical and societal ideas.
Lesson 6
Symbolism, Part 1
The lesson includes a "Questions to Discuss" section with teacher-facing prompts (e.g., the changing importance of the conch; nature sustaining or trapping the boys; Piggy's survival) that require students to discuss symbols in relation to larger themes. Activity 1 asks students to choose interpretations for symbols and to write text-based explanations, and Activity 2 asks students to write a journal considering characters' priorities and impacts on the group, which connects details to broader ideas about society and human nature. The wrapping up and review prompts explicitly encourage students to think critically and adjust interpretations as the novel unfolds.
Lesson 7
Bowed and Bowed Again
Students are prompted with broad, thematic prompts under "Ideas to Think About" (e.g., how fear and desire for acceptance influence behavior; do individuals control groups) that connect discussion to larger ideas. The lesson includes explicit "Questions to Discuss" (e.g., Is Robert in real danger? Can you think of another example of dramatic irony?) that ask students to relate events to themes and provide reasons. Activity 1 asks students to predict characters' responses from both the characters' perspective and the reader's perspective, requiring students to compare viewpoints and consider implications for behavior.
Lesson 8
Defects of Human Nature
Students are asked to respond to open-ended discussion prompts (e.g., "What does it mean to have power?" and "Is retaining personal power more important to Ralph or to Jack?"). Students choose three minor themes that support the major theme and must support those choices by referring to specific details from the novel (Option 1 and Option 2 require 3–4 sentence explanations). Vocabulary and comprehension questions also require students to explain and justify textual evidence, which prompts linking specific scenes to larger ideas about human nature and society.
Lesson 9
Symbolism, Part 2
The lesson provides several thematic discussion prompts (e.g., "How does individual power change in relationships with others?" and "How do fear and desire for acceptance influence human behavior?") that invite students to connect plot details to larger ideas. The Activities include Student Activity Pages and a "Questions to Discuss" section that ask students to describe archetypes and allegorical meanings and to answer open-ended discussion questions about character motives and choices. Students are asked to fill out charts (e.g., "Recognizing Archetypes" and "Allegory Analysis") that require them to relate characters and settings to broader societal concepts.
Lesson 10
Which Is Better?
Students are prompted to connect the novel to broader themes via the 'Ideas to Think About' prompts (e.g., How does a society maintain order? What are the implications for contemporary society?). The 'Questions to Discuss' section asks students to debate what it means to be civilized and whether violent leadership can coexist with building shelters, prompting students to relate chapter events to larger ideas about civilization and power. The Student Activity Page asks students to record similarities and differences between the boys and early peoples, requiring students to relate the specific text to broader historical and societal themes, and the journal entry task asks students to analyze Jack's leadership in contrast to Ralph and pre-island society.
Lesson 11
The Film
Students are asked to watch the 1963 film and complete a "Movie vs. Book" chart comparing characters, setting, theme, and plot, which requires them to discuss similarities and differences. The lesson includes explicit discussion prompts and "Ideas to Think About" questions (e.g., "How does a society maintain order? Are laws necessary?" and "How do fear and desire for acceptance influence human behavior?") that direct students to connect particulars of the film/book to broader themes. The "Questions to Discuss" section lists prompts students will address aloud (e.g., which scenes were most important, why boys accepted Jack's authority, what will happen to the boys now), indicating student responses will relate plot details to larger ideas.
Final Project
Now You Have the Conch
Students are invited to "challenge and debate the different interpretations of Golding's ideas" and are told they can "debate the book with a friend or family member" as they develop opinions. The materials include "Ideas to Think About" that connect discussion to broader themes (e.g., power in relationships; implications for contemporary society). The peer-review steps ask students to "share the draft with a family member for feedback" and provide "You Are the Editor" sheets that prompt students to ask questions about thesis clarity, support, organization, and to write comments that could clarify or challenge ideas.
Unit 2: Short Stories
Lesson 2
The Necklace
Students are prompted to respond to directed discussion prompts in the "Questions to Discuss" section, such as analyzing how characterization develops the theme of envy and debating causes of the Loisels' hardship. In Activity 1, students record a central theme and answer guided questions on a theme web about how the theme is developed and what textual evidence supports it. The homework and journal tasks require students to respond to thematic questions and support their ideas with evidence, which could feed into classroom discussion.
Lesson 3
Literary Response
The lesson instructs students to use the APE method by turning an assertion into a question and then answering it, which has students pose and respond to analytic questions about the texts. A "Questions to Discuss" section lists prompts (e.g., "Were you surprised at how many similarities you found...?") that asks students to discuss their ideas aloud. The Brainstorming and Details & Support activities require students to generate questions (e.g., "How are Jim and Monsieur Loisel similar?") and to provide answers and evidence.
Lesson 4
Characterization
Students read Langston Hughes's "Thank You, Ma'am" and answer text-dependent questions (Q1–Q4) that require them to state opinions and provide evidence. Students are asked to "think about how the author's characterizations of Mrs. Jones and/or Roger advance the plot or theme" and to "be prepared to discuss your ideas." The "Questions to Discuss" section prompts students to relate character behavior and author choices to broader ideas such as lessons, motivation, and moral character.
Lesson 5
Edgar Allan Poe
Students are given explicit discussion prompts (Ideas to Think About; Questions to Discuss) that ask them to connect story elements to broader themes (e.g., why Poe uses an unreliable narrator; what other goals the story accomplishes). Students answer open-ended questions (Reading and Questions; homework about narrator reliability) that require relating textual details to larger ideas such as guilt, madness, and thematic purpose. Students are prompted to review and discuss foreshadowing and Gothic characteristics, which creates opportunities to explain and justify interpretations aloud or in writing.
Lesson 6
The Lottery
Students are prompted to discuss broad thematic questions in the "Questions to Discuss" section (for example, connecting the story to aspects of society and asking what the story reflects back). The Controversy activity directs students to compare "The Lottery" with another book or movie and to answer questions about thematic similarity and public controversy. The Student Activity Pages ask students to record and categorize textual evidence about the box and to consider how the symbol contributes to plot or theme, which can serve as material for group discussion.
Lesson 8
Harrison Bergeron
Students are asked to watch a video and "be prepared to discuss your own thoughts," and they complete journal responses to prompts about equality, excellence, and societal choices. The lesson includes multiple teacher-provided discussion prompts and "Questions to Discuss" (e.g., comparing Harrison's speeches, why the filmmaker changed the execution scene, preference for film vs. written version) that students will respond to in class. Students also complete an activity page comparing the short story and film, which asks them to analyze changes and explain reasons, providing opportunities for classroom discussion of broader themes.
Final Project
Writing a Short Story
Students are asked to give their draft to a reviewer who completes the "Short Story Reader Review" sheet, answering focused questions about plot, characterization, point of view, and theme. Students read over the reviewer comments and fill out a section listing changes to be made, which requires them to respond to peer feedback. The lesson also includes explicit "Questions to Discuss" prompts that require students to talk about choices (e.g., narrator choice, which brainstormed ideas were used) with others.
Unit 3: Grammar, Part I
Lesson 1
Parts of Speech
Students are given a specific 'Questions to Discuss' prompt that asks them to answer and talk about which grammar terms were new, which parts of speech are most challenging, and why being able to identify parts of speech matters for reducing writing errors. The parent plan also instructs students to read their Mad Libs-type paragraph aloud to a parent and to discuss whether phrases make sense grammatically, which prompts students to respond and explain their reasoning.
Lesson 2
Subject-Verb Agreement
Students are prompted to discuss guided questions in the Parent Plan section (e.g., reflect on prior problems with commonly confused words, what they learned, and acceptability of informal spellings), which requires talking with a parent or partner. Option 2 asks students to create a short quiz, use an online quiz maker, and ask a friend or sibling to take the quiz and report whether explanations were helpful, which brings another person into the activity and requires students to solicit feedback.
Lesson 3
Pronoun Problems
The lesson includes a 'Questions to Discuss' section where students are asked to explain pronoun-reference problems and correct sentences, which requires students to respond and clarify ideas aloud. Activity 2 asks students to create a poster or slideshow and then "share their poster or presentation with the family," with explicit direction to "encourage family members to ask questions," which requires students to explain, verify, and respond to others. The presentation task requires students to teach someone else using their own words and provide examples and correction strategies, prompting students to incorporate an audience into the explanation.
Lesson 4
Commas
The Parent Plan includes a "Questions to Discuss" section that prompts students to discuss topics such as why pauses are not a good guide for commas and what a parenthetical expression is. Several activities ask students to "ask a parent to check" journal entries and to "discuss" opinions about the Oxford (serial) comma after watching a video. The lesson also encourages students to "add their own notes or examples" to the comma guide, which could be shared with a parent or teacher.
Lesson 6
Colons and Semicolons
Students prepare and deliver oral opening statements for the semicolon and colon in the Great Punctuation Trial, including written examples that demonstrate rules. During the courtroom hearing, a judge (teacher/parent) asks questions and students must answer using examples, revise unclear explanations, and defend their reasoning. The parent guide lists specific follow-up questions the judge should ask (e.g., Why can't a semicolon join a sentence with a fragment?) and instructs the judge to prompt for additional examples when explanations are unclear.
Lesson 7
Spelling
Students are prompted to discuss questions with a parent or partner in the "Questions to Discuss" section (e.g., ways to figure out correct spelling, why spelling is important, and which mnemonic devices are helpful). In Activity 3 students engage in one-on-one interactive rounds with a parent where the parent reads clues and students must say the word, spell it aloud, write it, and use it in a sentence. Several activities require students to respond to prompts and check answers using an answer key, providing opportunities for back-and-forth verification with an adult.
Final Project
Wrapping Up
The lesson includes 'Questions to Discuss' that ask students to explain what concept or trick they learned and to reflect on how their visual aid or quiz results will be helpful to others, prompting students to talk about their work and its usefulness. Option 2 requires students to have a friend or relative take their commonly confused-words quiz and then assess the person's work and 'explain any missed words,' which has students clarify and verify language choices with another person. The mini-project options also invite students to create resources that 'will benefit a friend or sibling' and to consider how their product will help others, which encourages bringing others into the activity.
Unit 4: Poetry
Lesson 1
Introduction to Poetry
Students are asked to brainstorm a personal definition of poetry, read multiple poets' quotations on the "What Is Poetry" page, and be prepared to discuss how their definition differs from the poets' definitions and which appealed to them most. The lesson includes prompted discussion questions (in the Parent Plan and Activity 1) and "Questions to Discuss" that ask students to compare dictionary definitions and consider how a poem adds to their understanding of poetry. Homework requires students to mark a poem and answer questions about meaning and the speaker's suggestions, which students then discuss with others.
Lesson 2
Sound and Rhythm
Students are prompted to listen to recordings and then answer and discuss questions such as "Did you notice that the two versions of the poem were different? What do you think accounts for those differences?" and "Ask students what musical qualities the poem has." The lesson includes a "Questions to Discuss" section that asks students to compare stanzas in "The Tyger," consider the effect of meter, and reflect on why iambic pentameter is common. Several activities require students to respond in journals and answer guided discussion questions about rhyme, sound devices, and meter.
Lesson 5
What Does It Mean?
Students are prompted to read poems aloud and to answer open-ended questions about images, tone, symbols, and themes on the Student Activity Pages, which supports speaking and responding about texts. The lesson includes explicit "Questions to Discuss" (e.g., factors affecting a poem's meaning; why we use allusions) that students can use in teacher-led or group discussions. Activity prompts ask students to explain how references and allusions help understanding and to record opinions, which requires students to respond to ideas and relate details to larger themes.
Lesson 6
Fooling with Words
The lesson includes explicit discussion prompts under "Questions to Discuss" (e.g., "Which poets did you enjoy? Why?", "What relationship do you see between music and poetry?", "Were there any other common threads to their writing?") and a Wrapping Up section asking students "What did you think of the video(s)?" and whether they prefer listening or reading. Students are asked to watch the poets and "decide which poets you like best and why," and to research a chosen poet and record reflections on why they chose that poet on the Poet Profile page.
Lesson 7
Analyzing Poetry
The lesson includes explicit discussion prompts such as the "Questions to Discuss" (e.g., "How does annotating a poem help you find a deeper meaning?", "Would they still apply to a modern city?") and the "Ideas to Think About" questions that ask students to reflect on how annotation and explication deepen understanding. The Historical Note and homework (Poetry Puzzle) ask students to connect poem language to historical context and modern problems, which asks students to relate the poem to larger ideas. Several student pages prompt students to summarize, state themes, and record their reactions, which can serve as material for group discussion.
Lesson 8
Types of Poems
Students are given multiple teacher-provided discussion prompts and short-answer tasks (e.g., "Ideas to Think About," journal questions for Billy Collins and Whitman, and the "Questions to Discuss" section) that require them to respond to questions linking poem features to larger ideas (e.g., why free verse is still a poem; what makes the sonnet difficult). Students also complete paired/group activities such as the Ekphrasis Analysis chart and Sonnet Identification activity page that ask them to compare poems and artworks and to answer interpretive questions about structure, theme, and meaning.
Lesson 9
The Crossover
The lesson includes a "Questions to Discuss" section that asks students to talk about Jordan's relationship with Alexis, the effectiveness of text-message poems, and how Jordan uses basketball to cope with grief, prompting responses that connect the text to larger themes. Homework Option 1 asks students to examine how the meaning of "crossover" changes across poems, and Option 2 asks students to evaluate whether basketball rules are good rules for life, both prompting students to relate discussion to broader ideas. The Reading and Questions and vocabulary activities require students to answer and reflect on specific questions from the text.
Lesson 10
Poems and Poets
Students are given explicit discussion prompts in the Parent Plan Section (e.g., "What poem did you enjoy the most...? Why?" and "How might a translation change a poem?") that ask them to discuss poems and cultural/translation issues. The lesson also tells students to "discuss what they found interesting or unusual about the poet" and includes "Ideas to Think About" prompts linking poems to time, place, and culture. Students prepare a one-page biographical sketch and journal responses that could be used as the basis for group discussion.
Unit 5: Nonfiction
Lesson 2
Pakistan
The lesson includes open-ended prompts such as the "Ideas to Think About" questions (e.g., "Why are freedom and equality worth fighting for?", "Why is conflict often necessary to achieve peace or justice?") and a "Questions to Discuss" section that asks students to consider themes (advantages/disadvantages of living in Swat Valley; symbolism of the magic pencil; interpretation of the earthquake chapter title). The wrapping-up prompt asks students to report "What did you learn about Pakistan..." and multiple discussion questions require students to relate details of the text to larger historical and cultural ideas.
Lesson 4
Dear Diary
The lesson includes open-ended prompts that invite discussion of broader themes, such as the "Ideas to Think About" prompts (e.g., "How can young people advocate for what they believe in?" and "What can ordinary people do to protest injustices?"). The Parent Plan's "Questions to Discuss" section lists discussion prompts that students can respond to aloud (e.g., why Malala's parents allowed interviews, why colleges take plagiarism seriously, and what diary topics might interest readers). Several reading questions are open-ended (e.g., whether speaking up was a good decision) that could be used in group discussion.
Lesson 5
Displacement
The Parent Plan Skills list explicitly names initiating and participating in collaborative discussions as a targeted skill. The lesson provides several discussion prompts and higher-order 'Ideas to Think About' questions (e.g., why education and literacy are important; how war and transportation make education difficult) that students can respond to. Option 2 instructs students to read an article and 'discuss the article with you,' and the 'Questions to Discuss' section gives prompts for students to talk about classroom pictures and homeschooling laws.
Lesson 6
A Day Like Any Other
The lesson requires students to use the APE strategy, including an "Extend" step that asks students to give their own opinion, explanation, or connection to the world, and provides an example modeling Answer, Prove, Extend. Students are asked to complete an activity page and "be prepared to discuss your opinion about whether you think their decision was a good one and why." The Parent Plan instructs students to discuss their answers with the teacher and to explain their opinions, and the Wrapping Up section includes discussion prompts that ask students to relate events to broader experiences (e.g., "What would it be like if...?").
Lesson 7
Life in England
Students watch an 11-minute documentary excerpt, take notes on guided prompts, and are asked to be prepared to discuss differences between the book and video. The lesson provides specific discussion prompts that connect the immediate topic to broader themes (e.g., media influence on Malala's public image, cultural customs affecting her family, and responsibility of the media or father). The parent-plan language also directs students to "prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations," and teachers are instructed to "discuss these questions with them."
Lesson 8
Civil Rights
Students watch multiple Freedom Riders and Birmingham videos and then record answers in journals, showing they respond to content-based questions. Students cut out timeline excerpts and arrange them chronologically together, indicating a collaborative activity that connects events to larger themes of progress and backsliding. Students read portions of King's "Letter from Birmingham Jail," identify the four steps of nonviolent campaigns, analyze persuasive arguments, and complete a double-entry diary on just and unjust laws, which asks them to articulate and evaluate moral claims.
Lesson 10
Learning from the Past
Students are prompted to discuss and reflect verbally in Activity 2 where they read an excerpt of Dr. King and are told to "Be prepared to discuss these differences" between reading and hearing a speech. The "Questions to Discuss" section lists open-ended prompts (e.g., barriers to people in war-torn areas telling their stories; how audio/video would change understanding) that students are expected to answer in discussion. Activity 3 asks students to find a universal truth in Wiesel's speech and draft a paragraph relating it to Malala, MLK, or Thoreau, which requires students to connect the immediate text to broader themes and ideas.
Lesson 11
A Boy's Story
Students are prompted to consider broad themes with the "Ideas to Think About" prompts (e.g., "Can learning about the horrors of the past help prevent future conflicts..." and "Is war ever justified?"). The lesson includes open-ended reading questions (e.g., why the RUF continued fighting and why the civil war lasted so long) that require students to reason about larger causes and effects. The "Questions to Discuss" section asks students to share impressions and compare this memoir with Malala's, which invites linking the text to larger ideas about perspective and voice.
Lesson 12
Running from War
Students are asked to discuss interpretive prompts in the "Questions to Discuss" section (e.g., whether the author's memory explanation is believable; whether narrow escapes are believable) and to "wrap up" by considering accuracy of memories and discussing relatives' feedback. The memory activity asks students to share their work with a parent, grandparent, or older sibling and to discuss differences in recollection, which requires students to respond to others' perspectives. The lesson includes teacher-led discussion prompts and opportunities for students to answer and explain their views using quotations (APE homework) that connect text details to larger ideas about trauma and memory.
Lesson 13
Child Soldier
Students are asked to write a journal response about the memoir controversy and consider whether inaccuracies matter, which prompts them to evaluate claims and form responses. In Activity 2, students complete a "Different Accounts" page for the book and a video and are told to "be prepared to discuss your answers," prompting comparison and oral discussion of differing perspectives. The lesson includes explicit discussion prompts (e.g., "What do you think will be the most difficult parts of his transition...?") and asks students to record advantages/disadvantages of child soldiers and to discuss differences between accounts.
Lesson 14
Rehabilitation
Students work in groups to evaluate whether the government army committed war crimes (Activity 1) and complete a comparative "RUF vs. Government Soldiers" activity that requires them to cite examples or quotations from the text. Students are given broad discussion prompts and "Ideas to Think About" (e.g., rehabilitation, avoidability of war crimes) and are asked to choose conclusions and support them with textual evidence (Option 2). Students also respond to Wiesel's quotations and explain how those larger ideas relate to Beah's memoir on the Wiesel's Words page.
Lesson 15
A New Life
Students are asked to answer the Comparing Memoirs activity page and "be prepared to discuss" their answers, which asks them to connect the books to broader themes such as education, audience, and purpose. The lesson includes a "Questions to Discuss" list (e.g., how the hunter and monkey story relates to the author's experience; why the memoir ends where it does) that students will respond to in group discussion. The Comparing Memoirs page prompts students to analyze broader community and policy-level questions (e.g., which educational opportunities should be improved to equalize access).
2: Semester 2
Unit 1: Ender's Game
Lesson 1
Born to Genius
The Activities ask students to rate and later discuss their positions on broad issues (Activity 2: "Your Views on the Issues") and to "be prepared to discuss your answers," which requires students to respond to discussion prompts. The "Questions to Discuss" section gives prompts that connect personal reaction to larger societal themes (e.g., leadership, military control, apocalyptic threat) and asks students to explain reasoning. The Parent Plan explicitly lists the collaborative-discussion skill as a lesson objective.
Lesson 2
We're People, Not Thirds
The lesson includes "Ideas to Think About" prompts (e.g., privacy from government; preemptive attack vs. self defense) that connect the text to broader themes. The "Questions to Discuss" section asks students to respond to open-ended questions about Ender's actions and character (e.g., whether Ender should have beaten Stilson; why Stilson says "We're people, not Thirds"). The Planned Procreation activity asks students to brainstorm reasons across multiple perspectives (religious, environmental/ethical, personal/financial, governmental/legal), which invites students to relate discussion to larger social issues.
Lesson 3
Science Fiction
Students are given 'Ideas to Think About' prompts (e.g., difference between preemptive attack and self defense; whether violence can solve a problem) that invite discussion of broader ethical themes. Students are asked in the 'Questions to Discuss' section to react to Graff's pronouncements, point out misinformation, and debate his claims, which requires students to challenge or clarify ideas and connect them to human nature and manipulation. The 'Questions to Discuss' items include suggested student responses that model challenging assertions and verifying claims.
Lesson 4
Divergence
Students are given explicit discussion prompts in the "Ideas to Think About" and "Questions to Discuss" sections (e.g., "How does competition affect friendship?" and prompts about Bernard and the author's word choice) that direct them to talk about character motivations and thematic issues. Students are asked to answer discussion questions about Chapter 7 as homework, which requires them to explain and justify interpretations (e.g., why Ender picks his battles, why the author used a charged word). The lesson includes teacher-led discussion items and invitations to review and ask students about alternative uses of objects, which can prompt group sharing and comparison of ideas.
Lesson 5
Movement and Time
Students are given explicit discussion prompts in the 'Things to Think About' and 'Questions to Discuss' sections (e.g., How does competition affect friendship? Do you think Dink is right when he tells Ender the buggers have been destroyed?). The lesson asks students to discuss authorial choices about flashbacks and to answer activity-page questions that require explaining and comparing examples, which can lead students to relate specific details to larger themes. An optional partner activity asks students to lend pipe-cleaner figures to a friend and narrate the friend's movements, which involves actively incorporating another person into an oral task.
Lesson 6
Performance Is Personal
Students are given thematic discussion prompts (e.g., How is individual competition different from team competition? How does competition affect friendship? What is the difference between an authority figure and a leader?) that connect chapter events to larger ideas. The "Competing Commanders" activity asks students to choose evaluation criteria, compare commanders, and justify rankings, requiring them to organize and defend a point of view. The "Questions to Discuss" section prompts classroom conversation on controversial language and Dink's beliefs, inviting students to debate and evaluate broader implications. The Text Structure activity asks students to identify foreshadowing and analyze how early conversations create tension, linking specific text details to plot and theme.
Lesson 7
Leaders Motivate
Students are asked to respond to guided discussion prompts such as "How can you determine whether the things authority figures tell you are true?" and other "Ideas to Think About" questions, which ask them to relate authority, power, and leadership to broader themes. In Activity 1 students read background material, reflect, write a journal entry linking Peter and Valentine to historical figures, and then "discuss what they wrote," indicating students answer and discuss ideas. In Activity 2 students match leadership quotes and then apply them to three novel characters, explaining their choices and thereby connecting text-specific details to larger ideas about leadership and authority.
Lesson 8
Flies and Self-Loathing
The lesson includes explicit discussion prompts (e.g., 'Ideas to Think About' questions about competition and leadership and 'Questions to Discuss' about Ender's self-evaluation and comparisons with Bean). Activity 2 directs students to use a graphic organizer to compare themes, leadership, settings, and consequences between Lord of the Flies and Ender's Game, which asks students to connect specific details to larger themes. The guidance that 'students should be encouraged to separate the way Ender sees himself from the way they see Ender' asks students to evaluate and question a character's perception.
Lesson 9
Conflict Within and Without
Students are asked to respond to teacher-provided discussion prompts (e.g., management/trust, pushing people to breakdown, physiological vs. mental exhaustion) that connect the novel to broader themes and real-world issues. The Activity 2 journal prompt asks students to explain why the author chose the allusion "Veni, vidi, vici" and how it foreshadows plot developments, requiring students to relate a textual detail to larger ideas. The Conflict in Literature chart requires students to identify conflicts and write a paragraph addressing how the conflict impacts relationships, plot development, and character change, which asks them to connect specific events to thematic conclusions.
Lesson 10
View from Valentine
The lesson includes open-ended prompts under "Ideas to Think About" (e.g., questions about authority, leadership, and governments using fear) and a "Questions to Discuss" section that asks students to talk about fairness, unfair authority figures, and changing opinions. These prompts implicitly require students to participate in group discussion and to connect aspects of the chapter to larger themes such as authority and fairness. The wrapping-up question asks students to consider how adults used Valentine to motivate Ender, which encourages linking events in the text to broader ideas about influence and motivation.
Lesson 11
Thud, Whump, Huut
Students are asked to discuss their notes with a parent after comparing a book scene to the movie or comic, and the lesson provides explicit "Questions to Discuss" that connect the text to larger themes (e.g., authority vs. leadership, responsibility after being used). The adaptation activity requires students to decide whether omissions in the comic/movie compromised the original meaning and to explain which version they find more effective, prompting them to respond to and evaluate others' interpretations. The Reading and Questions and Wrapping Up sections ask students to answer and debate thematic questions about manipulation, truth, and consequences, which situates discussion in broader ideas.
Lesson 12
Campbell's Comparisons
Students are asked to respond to broad, thematic prompts in the "Ideas to Think About" (e.g., government gaining power by stoking fear; trade-offs between fear and freedoms) which connect the novel to larger ideas. Activity 2 directs students to retake an issues survey and "be prepared to discuss" how and why their answers changed, including providing examples from Ender's Game. The "Questions to Discuss" section lists specific analytic questions (about Dink, Mazer, the buggers) that students are expected to consider and discuss with others.
Lesson 13
The Enemy's Gate Is Down
Students are asked to respond to teacher-provided discussion prompts that connect plot elements to larger ideas (e.g., "How can you determine whether the things authority figures tell you are true?" and "Can a government gain power by stoking a fear of foreign enemies in citizens?"). The lesson requires students to be "prepared to answer" questions comparing how subplots support themes and to consider what themes would be missing if a subplot were removed. The Forbes activity asks students to link leadership lessons from the text to an aspect of their own lives, prompting connections between the discussion and broader real-world applications.
Unit 2: Grammar, Part II
Lesson 4
Modifier Errors
Students are prompted with specific discussion prompts under "Questions to Discuss" (e.g., How can you prevent modifier errors?; How can understanding grammar improve your writing?), which asks them to explain differences and reasons. The lesson asks students to have a friend or sibling take the modifier quiz (Option 2), prompting peer interaction and use of an answer key. The "Ideas to Think About" and wrapping-up sections encourage students to look, listen, and discuss modifier errors in other texts and media.
Lesson 5
Hyphens and Apostrophes
Students are given explicit discussion prompts in the lesson (e.g., "Ideas to Think About" asking how punctuation understanding can improve writing and how to use outside resources). A Parent Plan section includes a "Questions to Discuss" list with items such as "What is an en dash and when is it used?", "Explain how 'sit' and 'set' are similar to 'lie' and 'lay.'", and "Provide a sentence that uses a suspended hyphen." These prompts require students to articulate explanations and give example sentences aloud or in writing.
Lesson 6
Word Choice
The Parent Plan includes a "Questions to Discuss" section that asks students to discuss differences between idioms and clichés and to reflect on word-choice tips, prompting verbal exchange. The College Essay Editor activity asks students to share both the original and edited paragraph with a parent and explain the changes they made, requiring students to articulate and justify revisions. Several Parent Plan notes encourage discussing answers and reviewing mistakes with a parent, implying some one-on-one discussion and explanation practice.
Lesson 8
Parallelism
The Parent Plan includes a "Questions to Discuss" section that asks students to discuss whether a sentence with a correlative conjunction is parallel and why errors with "their/there/they're" are common, which requires students to respond orally. The Parent Plan also instructs teachers to "encourage" students to add notes, examples, and discuss missed exercises, implying opportunities for group discussion. Several activities reference a homeschool group scenario (the Hidden Plan Puzzle) that frames items in a collaborative context and could prompt conversational responses.
Unit 3: Informational Texts
Lesson 1
What Are Informational Texts?
Students are instructed to watch Gladwell's TED talk and "be prepared to discuss the following questions," which ask them to reconsider the traditional David and Goliath narrative and explain Gladwell's claim that Goliath's strength was also a weakness. The "Questions to Discuss" section directs students to discuss familiarity with the story and whether Gladwell's interpretation affects views of David's faith or bravery. The Student Activity Page asks students to predict the author's background and to describe elements that seem more literary than informational, prompting evidence-based discussion about the text and author.
Lesson 2
Outliers
Students are asked to answer and justify questions on the "What Is an Outlier?" activity page (e.g., explain whether a given data point or response is an outlier and why), which requires them to explain and defend ideas. The lesson includes broader prompts such as "What factors help determine a person's success?" and discussion prompts about how Gladwell's approach differs from other books on success, linking specific examples (Roseto study, Matthew Effect, hockey cutoff dates) to larger themes. The "Questions to Discuss" and homework comprehension questions require students to relate concrete examples from the chapter to the overarching theme of success.
Lesson 4
The 10,000 Hour Rule
Students are presented with specific discussion prompts in the "Questions to Discuss" and "Wrapping Up" sections that ask them to explain Gladwell's view on talent versus preparation, the role of luck, and historical timing. The Activity 1 "Looking Closely" page requires students to summarize sections and answer analysis questions about how Gladwell develops points about Bill Joy and the 10,000-hour rule, which can be used for class discussion. The Parent Plan notes instructors may share an answer key and discuss varied responses, implying students will respond to questions about broader chapter ideas.
Lesson 5
Harlan, Kentucky
Students are given broad discussion prompts such as the "Ideas to Think About" questions (e.g., How much control do people have over their own success? What factors influence people's values and behaviors?) and the "Questions to Discuss" (e.g., How would you have reacted in the Michigan experiment? Why focus on a small town?). The homework asks students to research settlers in their area, take notes on stereotypes, and share their findings with their family, which requires them to discuss the chapter's themes with others. The lesson also instructs students to reflect in an informal journal and to share that reflection with family.
Lesson 6
The Ethnic Theory of Plane Crashes
Students are asked to prepare a short oral explanation summarizing the blog author's objections to Gladwell and then answer and discuss a set of questions with a parent (Activity 5, Option 1). The lesson asks students to read a critical article and Gladwell's response, then fill out a chart noting criticisms, responses, and effectiveness (Activity 5, Option 2), which requires students to evaluate and challenge ideas and conclusions. The Parent Plan includes a skill bullet that students should "come to discussions prepared, having read and researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence from texts and other research..." and the Wrapping Up section lists discussion questions connecting the chapter to broader themes like culturalism and PDI.
Lesson 7
Rice Paddies and Math Tests
Students are asked to discuss specific, thematic questions with a parent (e.g., whether their opinions about math ability have changed, how the 10,000-hour rule alters the American Dream, and whether Gladwell intended to inform or persuade). Students must present findings from the Counting in Chinese activity to a parent and share or demonstrate their knowledge (e.g., having a parent call out numbers for them to say). The homework and wrap-up include prompts that ask students to relate the chapter to broader ideas about success, talent, preparation, and cultural attitudes toward effort.
Lesson 8
With Malice Toward None
The lesson provides guided discussion prompts (Ideas to Think About and Questions to Discuss) that ask students to connect Lincoln's speech to broader themes such as persuasion, trust in information, and the historical significance of the war's outcome. Students are asked to describe the speech's tone and to consider how the speech's impact might differ under different historical circumstances, which requires relating the text to larger ideas. The homework and activities ask students to analyze the speech's structure and rhetorical devices, which can serve as material for group discussion about broader themes.
Lesson 9
Writing about History
Students compare secondary-source claims to supporting primary-source excerpts in the "Firsthand Accounts" activity and complete a graphic organizer that requires them to verify secondary claims with primary evidence. Students examine Col. Chivington's testimony in the "Primary Falsehoods" activity and select quotes and reasons, which engages them in evaluating and challenging eyewitness statements. The "Questions to Discuss" prompts and wrapping-up prompts ask students to discuss why sources differ and how bias shapes interpretation, encouraging analysis and critical responses.
Lesson 10
Science Writing
The lesson includes a "Questions to Discuss" section that asks students to discuss why science writing is necessary and whether the text is a good example of science writing, which prompts students to connect the text to broader themes about public understanding of science. The homework asks students to watch a video and discuss with a parent which explanation (video or text) made the concept more understandable, requiring students to verbally compare and defend perspectives with another person. The Investigating Claims activity asks students to explain how the author supports claims and to evaluate audience appropriateness, which has students clarify and evaluate ideas in writing.
Lesson 11
Technical Writing
Students are instructed to brainstorm topics and organize tasks on the "Guide Planning" page, which asks them to manage tasks, develop rules, and assign responsibilities, implying group planning and collaboration. Students must have a friend, sibling, or parent use their finished guide while the student observes without intervening, then conduct a follow-up interview asking about missing instructions, unclear wording, or needed definitions. The lesson includes class "Questions to Discuss" prompts (e.g., most challenging part, usefulness of how-to guides, learning preferences) that require students to talk about their experiences and reflect with others.
Lesson 12
Logical Fallacies
Students are given explicit discussion prompts under "Questions to Discuss" that ask them to analyze intent and consequences of misleading arguments (e.g., whether a false argument is intentionally misleading and whether intent matters). In Option 2 of Activity 2, students must read Andrew Jackson's speech, highlight at least three fallacies, and be prepared to discuss and verbally defend their selections. Several activities require students to identify and explain rhetorical appeals (ethos, pathos, logos) and to explain how examples support or undermine claims, which involves responding to and evaluating ideas.
Unit 4: Drama
Lesson 1
What Is Drama?
The lesson includes explicit discussion prompts under "Questions to Discuss" (e.g., challenges of using a thrust or arena stage; favorite genre; reactions to clips) that require students to discuss and respond to questions with peers. Activities ask students to "watch the following videos" and "record your guesses in your journal," and to "see if you can name the type of stage used," which asks students to respond to prompts about genre and staging. The lesson repeatedly directs students to review terms and to "note the types of stages used when you watch plays live or on film," implying opportunities for group conversation and comparison.
Lesson 3
Life and Times
Students are given specific discussion prompts (e.g., "What changes occurred in Chicago..." and "Why do you think that Hansberry's play was so revolutionary?") and are asked to watch a Civil Rights Act video and be ready to answer questions about it. The lesson instructs students to answer guided questions about the introduction, setting, and the biographical homework, which requires relating details of the play to historical and thematic contexts. The Parent Plan lists preparing for and participating in conversations as a skill target.
Lesson 4
A Raisin in the Sun
Students are asked to "be prepared to discuss your findings" after listening to five dialect samples and to "Discuss the following with them," which prompts group discussion about dialect differences and impressions. The lesson includes a "Questions to Discuss" section (e.g., which character do you like, what did you learn from the infographic and videos, why Hansberry includes the rat story) that requires students to respond and connect details to meaning. The "Act It Out" option requires students to direct peers or family members, instructing where to stand and how to deliver lines, which involves coordinating and incorporating others in a performance.
Lesson 5
Act II
Students are given specific discussion prompts (e.g., "What is the American dream to you?" and "Why does George call Walter Prometheus?") that ask them to connect events and characters to larger themes. In the "Hansberry Quotes" activity students must read excerpts and explain which characters or themes they describe, linking text to broader ideas about ghetto life and identity. The Reader Response Paragraph requires students to Answer, Prove, and Extend (APE), prompting them to use textual evidence and to connect their answers to wider interpretations.
Lesson 6
Act III
Students read Langston Hughes's poem "Harlem" and answer guided questions linking the poem's images to themes in A Raisin in the Sun, including a prompt that asks them to choose a character and explain how that character's dream has been deferred. The activity page asks students to analyze similes and the final image "Or does it explode?" and to relate those images to characters' experiences, which connects the immediate discussion to broader themes about dreams and the human condition. The Parent Plan's "Questions to Discuss" section gives students prompts for group discussion about Mama's emotions, Walter's development, and the Lindner encounter.
Lesson 8
Shakespeare
Students are asked to discuss explicit prompts such as "How does Shakespeare remain relevant?" and "If Shakespeare were writing today, what would influence his work?", which require relating the topic to broader themes and contemporary ideas. Students are directed on the activity sheet to "Consider how the passage relates to the play's theme" and to summarize passages in their own words, which has them connect specific text to larger ideas. Students analyze dialogue using guided questions (identify speaker, meaning, desires, actions) that can provide material for classroom discussion.
Lesson 9
Romeo and Juliet
Students are asked to "be prepared to discuss the following questions with a parent," including prompts about challenges of performing at the Globe and what was most interesting about the theater, which requires them to respond orally. The lesson includes several open-ended prompts (e.g., "Do you think people should always be able to choose the person they will marry? Explain.") that ask students to connect Romeo and Juliet to broader social practices like arranged marriage and dowries. Students are also directed to discuss answers in the Parent Plan and to summarize important events in their journals, implying opportunities to explain and relate ideas.
Lesson 10
Figurative Language
Students complete a Spouse Survey and then compare their answers with a parent, discussing similarities, differences, and surprising responses. Students respond in journals to prompts that ask them to compare play situations to their own lives and to imagine what they would say to Friar Lawrence, which could be shared and discussed. The curriculum includes explicit "Questions to Discuss" (e.g., What did you learn about your parent's expectations for your spouse? Is Friar Lawrence a good influence?) intended for student-parent or group conversation.
Lesson 11
Nuanced Meaning
Students are given explicit discussion prompts under "Questions to Discuss" (e.g., "Why do words change?", "Why does Romeo go to Friar Lawrence when he is hiding?", "Do you think Lord Capulet's harshness with Juliet is realistic?"). Students must summarize scene events in their journals and answer guided comprehension questions about Act III, which requires them to respond to text-based prompts. The Text Messaging activity asks students to rewrite a six-line exchange and to "show you the original scene and compare it to the text exchange," which requires students to explain connections between the modern version and the original dialogue.
Lesson 14
Modern Retelling
Students are prompted to turn chosen comparison areas into questions (e.g., "How do the film and theatre production differ in their portrayal of Friar Lawrence?") using the APE method and then answer, prove, and extend those questions in their written paragraphs. A "Questions to Discuss" section lists teacher-led discussion prompts such as "Why did the director of Romeo + Juliet choose to make it as he did?" and "What would you change about the movie?", which students may respond to aloud. The Two Versions activity page asks students to note specific differences between productions, which can be used as material for discussion or to formulate questions.