Eighth Grade - ELA
1: Semester 1
Unit 1: Abigail Adams
Lesson 1
Getting to Know Abigail Adams
Students read Chapters 1–2 and answer targeted questions that ask them to interpret particular lines and impressions (e.g., Q1 asks what Abigail's grandmother meant by "wild colts make the best horses," Q3 asks about John and Abigail's first impressions, and Q4 asks what John meant by needing "ballast"). Discussion prompts also ask students to consider what John saw in Abigail and how expectations for women shaped behavior, which requires using lines and incidents from the text to infer character traits.
Lesson 2
John and Abigail Adams
Students analyze individual sentences in paragraphs (Options 1 and 2) by labeling topic sentences, background information, examples, and concluding thoughts, including a paragraph that shows Abigail's mother's displeasure and a sentence that gives specific examples of her objections. Students complete a "John Adams, The Suitor" activity in which they list positive and negative attributes of John Adams and reflect on why a family's choice of husband matters, which requires them to weigh character traits and how those traits influence a decision. The reading and questions direct students to note incidents from the chapters (e.g., parental reaction, correspondence, colonists' anger at writs) that are used as evidence in activities.
Lesson 4
Continental Congress
Students read Chapters 7 and 8 of Abigail Adams: Witness to a Revolution and answer targeted questions that ask them to explain motives and actions (e.g., why John Adams wanted Abigail to save their correspondence; what challenges Abigail faced; what role faith played; how Abigail supported the patriot effort). Several comprehension questions require students to identify Abigail's decisions and actions and to describe causes and effects in her life. The activity pages ask students to refer to specific sentences from the reading when identifying verb moods, which directs attention to particular lines in the text.
Lesson 5
Remember the Ladies
Students read and closely examine Abigail Adams's letters (including the "Remember the Ladies" letter) and answer questions about what aspects of Abigail's life the letter illuminates and what points the biographer was attempting to convey using selections from the letter. Question 3 asks students to analyze Abigail's shift from writing about "your" affairs to "our" affairs, prompting students to infer how taking on responsibilities changed her viewpoint. Activity 2 asks students to list duties John and Abigail performed and to explain how the shift in Abigail's duties while John was away may have influenced her.
Lesson 6
Separation
Students read Chapters 11 and 12, which describe the reading of the Declaration and the progress of the war, and answer comprehension questions about those incidents (Question #1 asks how people around Abigail reacted when the Declaration was read). Students infer Abigail's thoughts and feelings about John being dispatched to France (Question #3) and explain how letter-writing helped her cope with his absence (Question #4). These tasks require students to interpret incidents and Abigail's responses and to draw conclusions about her feelings and actions.
Lesson 8
Genre
Students answer comprehension questions that require them to infer character traits and motives (e.g., explaining why Royall Tyler was unsuitable and why Nabby broke off her engagement), which asks them to connect incidents and character behavior to decisions. Activity 2 directs students to choose a scene or incident from Chapters 15–16 and summarize it based on facts, requiring identification and description of specific incidents. Option 1 asks students to rewrite a scene in a different genre (with an example that turns a missing rosemary incident into a motive for investigation), which engages students with how an incident can lead to action or decisions in a retelling.
Lesson 9
The Vice Presidency
Students read chapters of a biography and original letters between Abigail Adams and Thomas Jefferson and answer questions about motives and impressions (e.g., why John Adams feared he might not be elected and what Abigail and her sisters exchanged). Students are prompted to evaluate the letters by answering prompts such as "What impression do you get of each letter writer?" and "How do you think Thomas Jefferson might have influenced Abigail Adams," and to write a diary entry from Abigail's point of view describing the influence of Jefferson on her life. The correspondence activity requires students to identify topics of the letters and describe how the friendship fills a role in Abigail's life.
Lesson 12
Remembering Abigail Adams
Students read Chapters 23 and 24 and answer focused questions that ask them to identify specific incidents (personal tragedies, Nabby's cancer and death, deaths in the family) and explain Abigail's responses (renewing correspondence with Jefferson, managing finances). Students are asked to summarize Abigail's late-life commentary about women's roles, which requires them to connect statements to character beliefs. Students also create a eulogy/obituary or design a memorial that asks them to select important themes and incidents from her life to represent her legacy.
Final Project
A One-Person Play
Students plan and write three separate scenes for a one-person play and are instructed to write lines that explain each scene, state dates, and explain impacts, which requires crafting dialogue/monologue that reveals events and character. Students must include at least one direct quotation from a primary source in a scene, and a sample play with dialogue and stage directions is provided as a model. The unit test includes a paragraph-analysis question asking students to evaluate the role of a quoted sentence (the "Remember the Ladies" line) in the passage, requiring students to analyze how a specific line functions in a text.
Unit 2: Animal Farm
Lesson 2
Major's Dream
Students read Chapter 1 and answer targeted questions asking how Major characterizes life on the farm, where he places blame, and what he proposes as the solution, which requires identifying content of Major's speech and its call for rebellion. Students answer how the meeting ends (Mr. Jones is awakened and fires a gun), which requires identifying an incident that affects immediate action. In Activity 2, students choose an adjective for each character and provide examples of events or author descriptions that led them to that choice, requiring them to connect incidents or descriptions to character traits.
Lesson 3
The Rebellion
Students answer a comprehension question asking how the rebellion came about, requiring them to identify the incident (Mr. Jones's neglect and the animals breaking into the food shed) that propels the plot. In Option 1, students evaluate specific characters as leaders and are prompted to list specific examples from the novel to support assertions about each character's strengths and weaknesses, which requires attending to actions that reveal character. In Option 2, students compare the Seven Commandments to the Bill of Rights and consider circumstances under which the commandments might fail, asking them to reason about how rules and incidents affect decisions and outcomes.
Lesson 4
Work on the Farm
Students read Chapter 3 and answer targeted questions that require them to identify character roles and motivations (e.g., Question 1 asks what work the pigs did; Question 2 asks for Boxer's motto; Question 4 asks how the pigs justified having the milk and apples). The Parent Plan and activities ask students to analyze how central characters' qualities influence the farm (parent plan skill list) and to compare farm work before and after the rebellion using specific examples from the text (Activity 1). The business/friendly letter activities are separate but the reading questions and Activity 1 require students to cite textual evidence about characters and events.
Lesson 5
The Battle of the Cowshed
Students read Chapter 4 (the Battle of the Cowshed) and answer comprehension questions that ask about specific incidents and character reactions (for example, Snowball's response to Boxer's regrets). In Option 1 students reconstruct the order of events and map characters' starting points, movements, and major events from the battle, requiring them to track how incidents unfolded. In Option 2 students write a speech that must explain an individual's role in the battle, highlight qualities revealed by that character's actions, and draw a lesson from the Battle of the Cowshed.
Lesson 6
Comrade Napoleon
Students answer questions that require them to explain how events and speech affect the plot: Question 2 asks how Snowball's stirring speeches and Napoleon's private persuasion differ, linking Snowball's dialogue to influence over other animals. Question 4 asks how Napoleon won out, and students must explain the incident of Napoleon's trained dogs chasing Snowball off and how that action changed leadership. Question 3 asks students to identify factions and the windmill debate, asking them to connect that incident to decisions about the farm's future.
Lesson 7
Changes on the Farm
Students read Chapter 6 and answer questions that require them to identify specific incidents (e.g., how work changed under Napoleon, including 60-hour weeks and Sunday labor). Students identify and recall a particular line of dialogue when they note Boxer adding the slogan "Napoleon is always right." Students explain why Squealer often has dogs with him, interpreting that incident as a physical threat that reveals aspects of character and power.
Lesson 8
The End of the Rebellion
Students read Chapter 7 of Animal Farm and answer targeted questions that ask them to explain causes and effects of incidents (e.g., why animals wanted to hide the food shortage, what caused the hens' protest and how it was put down, and why many animals were killed). Students are asked to evaluate Snowball's alleged visits versus Napoleon's possible fabrication, requiring them to consider incidents and motives. In Activity 1 students describe Napoleon's leadership and list advice (prompts include how to squelch dissent, how to deal with traitors, how to hide weaknesses), which requires using episodes from the chapter to characterize Napoleon.
Lesson 9
The Battle of the Windmill
Students are asked to explain how animals close to Napoleon reinforced his leadership (they protected him, announced his presence, created titles, gave speeches, and composed a poem), which requires identifying incidents that reveal character and influence others. Students are prompted to evaluate claims about Frederick and Pilkington, noting that numbers and stories are seldom backed by evidence and that reassurances and the dogs encourage belief, which asks them to analyze how misinformation affects the animals' decisions. Questions ask students to identify key incidents (Frederick paying with forged banknotes; the windmill being blown up), which requires recognizing events that change the course of the story.
Lesson 10
Boxer's Fate
Students are asked to diagram the plot by listing key events in order and deciding which events are most important, which has them analyze how incidents build the action. In Activity 2 (Developing a Theme and Analyzing Theme), students identify specific incidents from Animal Farm and explain how those incidents support a theme, which requires them to use incidents to reveal character traits and thematic consequences. The reading questions require students to recall and consider the significance of particular incidents (e.g., Boxer's expected retirement vs. being sent to the slaughterer; special rules for pigs; the Spontaneous Demonstration; the sham election).
Lesson 11
The Farmers Pay a Visit
Students are asked to finish the novel and return to their Plot Diagram to "complete it," which requires identifying key events and their effects on plot and theme. In Activity 1 students fill a table documenting how the Seven Commandments changed and answer reflective questions about the process (the parent notes say the pigs begin doing something and then the commandments are changed to match). Question 3 asks why the sheep changed their slogan and other questions ask students to compare pigs' and dogs' lives to other animals, prompting analysis of incidents that reveal character and decisions. Activity 2 requires students to identify at least two specific incidents from the book and explain connections to historical or modern situations.
Final Project
Animal Farm Letter
The Sample Outline and letter prompts require students to identify specific incidents (e.g., Napoleon breaking the seven commandments, lying about resources, and sending Boxer away) and to explain their significance when composing a letter. The rubric and Skills list ask students to determine a theme, analyze its development in relation to characters, setting, and plot, and to cite textual evidence to support analysis. An activity option explicitly asks students to write a letter from one character to another addressing themes and using examples of character behavior as evidence.
Unit 3: Einstein Adds a New Dimension
Lesson 4
Process Writing
Students answer questions about chapters that require identifying incidents and character traits (for example, QUESTION #2 asks students to explain how Niels Bohr behaved differently and QUESTION #4 asks how Compton's x-ray experiments settled the Einstein–Bohr debate). Option 2 asks students to write 1–2 paragraphs summarizing a sequence of events from the book and the accompanying planning pages include boxes labeled Event 1–Event 4 for organizing incidents. The activity asks students to describe people, important dates, and highlights of the process, which requires noting specific incidents in a narrative of scientific discovery.
Lesson 6
Cause and Effect Writing
Students are asked to explain the significance of Niels Bohr bringing news about German fission experiments and the uranium export stoppage (Question #1), which requires them to analyze how that incident could propel action. Students trace the series of events from Leo Szilard's alarm through his consultation with Einstein and delivery of a letter to President Roosevelt that led to government action (Question #2), which asks them to analyze how incidents provoked decisions. The cause/effect writing activity and planning pages require students to state causes or effects in a thesis, support each point with specific examples from the assigned pages, and include page-number citations to justify how events produced outcomes.
Unit 4: Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Lesson 1
Introduction to Mark Twain and the Novel
Students answer questions that ask them to identify motivations and reactions (e.g., "What is Huck Finn trying to escape?" and describing Tom's practical joke and Jim's reaction), and they trace and sequence Huck and Jim's journey on a map to follow incidents in the narrative. Activity 4 asks students to analyze dialect with prompts such as "What does Jim's dialect reveal about his life? Find an example in the novel," and journal tasks require recording and later analyzing specific quotes (e.g., the Hemingway quote and passages about being "civilized"). Vocabulary and quote-finding tasks require students to locate lines in the text and consider their meaning and impact on characterization.
Lesson 2
Point of View
Students are asked to interpret a specific line of dialogue—Tom's quote "I've seen it in books; and so of course that's what we've got to do"—and explain what it reveals about Tom's worldview. Students are prompted to identify how Huck and Jim show they are superstitious by citing incidents (throwing salt, using a "hair-ball" to tell a fortune) to support conclusions about their shared point of view. Students complete activities that require determining characters' points of view from what characters say or do (questions about Pap's view on education, Widow Douglas's view of civilized life) and compare perspectives via the sketching exercise.
Lesson 3
What is Narrative Writing I
Students are asked to complete the "And You Can Quote Me on That" activity in which they review specific quotes from the story and record what each quote shows about the characters, directly practicing analysis of lines. The lesson notes and activities state that "Dialogue helps to drive a story" and instruct students to use dialogue to reveal emotions and point of view, linking dialogue to plot and character. Reading questions (e.g., "Why does Jim run away from Miss Watson?") require students to analyze an incident and its cause, asking them to connect events to character decisions.
Lesson 4
What is Narrative Writing II
Students are asked to examine 2–3 sections of dialogue and incidents from Chapters 12–15 and to consider what those passages reveal about characters, how they propel the action, and how they might provoke a decision. Activity 1 directs students to analyze specific quoted passages (the "Miss Watson" and "Speaking French" scenes) with explicit questions: "What does the dialogue reveal about the characters?" and "How does the dialogue propel the action?" The writing task (Activity 2) requires students to compose a one-page narrative that uses dialogue to propel the plot and show character, reinforcing application of analysis in their own writing.
Lesson 5
Expository Writing
Students read Chapters 16–18 and answer targeted questions asking them to identify how Huck convinces men not to search the raft (using the smallpox claim) and to explain what Huck's response to Jim's plan reveals about his morality. Students are asked to analyze a quoted line about freedom on the raft and compare it to other living situations, explicitly connecting that quote to character experience. In Activity 2 students are directed to use quotes/dialogue or events from the novel as evidence when comparing and contrasting Huck and Jim and to write a paragraph supported by that textual evidence.
Lesson 6
The Power of Persuasion
Students read Chapters 19–21 and answer targeted questions about plot and character: they explain how the Duke and King join Huck and Jim (plot incident), why Huck conceals the fraudulence of the Duke and King (a character decision and motive), and why Sherburn kills Boggs and avoids punishment (an incident that reveals character and affects the crowd). These tasks require students to explain causes and consequences of incidents and to articulate characters' motivations.
Lesson 7
Persuasive Writing
Students read Chapters 22–25 and answer targeted comprehension questions. Question #2 asks students to explain how Huck's perception of Jim changes after noticing Jim "moaning and mourning" and after hearing Jim's story, and requires support with a quoted line. Question #3 asks students to explain Huck's reaction to the Duke and King's behavior, connecting incidents in the text to Huck's moral response.
Lesson 8
Hiding the Money
Students read Chapters 26–28 and answer a question asking why Huck decides to hide the money, requiring them to identify Huck's motive and the decision he makes (he hides it because he sees the daughters as honest and undeserving of deception). Students identify where Huck hides the money (in the casket with Mr. Wilkes) and whom he blames, which requires locating an incident and a character response. Students are also asked to consider what the raft and the river symbolize for Jim and Huck, prompting interpretation of character meaning and motivations.
Lesson 9
Irony
Students read Chapters 29–32 and answer a question asking why Huck doesn't write the letter, which requires them to identify Huck's internal conflict and the decision to stay loyal to Jim. In Option 1 students cut out and sort specific ironic incidents from Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (e.g., Widow Douglas's hypocrisy, Pap's sarcastic complaint, the Duke and King pretending to be the Wilkes brothers, Jim already being free) into categories. In Option 2 students must find one example of each type of irony in the novel, analyze whether each example fits the definition of irony, and create their own ironic examples, applying interpretation to text incidents.
Lesson 10
Figures of Speech
Students read Chapters 33–36 of Huckleberry Finn and answer comprehension questions that require interpretation of character actions (Question #1 asks who Huck and Tom are pretending to be and what Tom will help Huck do; Question #2 asks why Tom refuses Huck's workable plan). Students also identify incidents (the planned rescue) and list concrete items related to that incident (Question #3).
Lesson 11
Mark Twain's Influence
Students read Chapters 37–40 and answer targeted questions about incidents (what is missing, Tom's ideas for Jim, and how Tom is injured), which requires attention to specific events. Students are asked to consider Twain's techniques and to write 3–4 sentences interpreting Hemingway's quote, prompting them to think about dialect, dialogue, and techniques that make the novel engaging. Students compare slave narratives to Jim, making notes about dialect and figurative language, which requires them to connect character portrayal across texts. The wrap-up and parent prompts instruct discussion of narrative techniques including dialogue and how those techniques make stories engaging.
Lesson 12
The Movie Adaptation
Students are asked to finish the novel and answer questions that require explaining incidents (e.g., what happened to Huck's father, Jim's freedom, and Jim's prediction), which prompt them to connect events to character outcomes. Students are instructed to take notes while watching the film, observing changes the director or actors made regarding character, plot, language, setting, or dialect. Students are asked to compare and contrast the novel and film and to evaluate whether directors and actors made good choices, including changes to scenes, dialogue, or plot.
Final Project
Cultural Biography
Students are asked to include important quotes/dialogue on Story Block 1 and to include a quote on the cultural biography poster that "shows something about his or her character." Students write 2–3 sentences describing a character's point of view on the poster and complete a bio poem that details feelings, fears, and goals. The unit materials also ask students to provide examples of situational, dramatic, and verbal irony and to answer reflective questions about Huck's decisions and how Huck and Jim are similar or different.
Unit 5: Elijah of Buxton
Lesson 1
Introduction to the Novel
Students read Chapters 1 and 2 and answer comprehension questions that focus on specific incidents (the prank with the toady-frog and the snake-in-the-cookie-jar punishment; the visit from Frederick Douglass and Elijah's reaction). Students complete a Flashback activity in which they highlight the flashback passage, explain whether the flashback was used effectively, and state what the flashback reveals about the narrator. The activities ask students to explain meanings of character descriptions (e.g., "fra-gile") and to describe characters' actions and responses.
Lesson 2
The Preacher
Students answer comprehension questions that identify incidents (e.g., Elijah giving fish to the Preacher who tricks him, finding the riderless white horse, and the Preacher's mysterious pistol). Students are prompted in discussion to list incidences that create suspicion about the Preacher and explain what those actions reveal about his character (e.g., bragging, sneaking, tricking Elijah). Students summarize a flashback and explain its purpose in the story, relating the incident to the ongoing sense of danger in Buxton.
Lesson 3
Creating a Character
Students are asked to record textual evidence for categories that include "Character quotes" and "Thoughts and actions of others towards the character," prompting them to analyze lines of dialogue and reactions. A discussion question asks students to interpret a specific quotation from Mr. Leroy and explain what he is trying to communicate. Question #4 asks students to explain what Elijah and Cooter believed Mr. Travis would teach them and what he actually wanted to teach, engaging them with an incident and its meaning.
Lesson 4
Tone and Mood
Students answer comprehension questions about the incident in Chapter 7 (what Mr. Leroy did to Elijah and why) and explain Mr. Leroy's explanation of the word's offensiveness. Students analyze tone and mood for specific events (including "Elijah getting in trouble with Mr. Leroy (ch.7)") by identifying words and quoted lines that create Elijah's tone and the reader's mood. Students discuss Elijah's choice to go to the carnival and respond to prompts about whether that decision was wise and what consequences might follow. The "Accounts of Slavery" activity asks students to read quoted passages from Mr. Leroy and Elijah's father and write what those lines reveal about the experience and character of enslaved people.
Lesson 5
Colorful Language
Students answer questions that ask about specific incidents and character motives (e.g., Questions 1 and 2 ask why the Preacher took Elijah to the carnival and why he did not follow through, and what that says about him). Discussion prompts ask students to cite evidence from incidents (e.g., why the conjurer's act was a flimflam, why MaWee was replaced by Jimmy) and to use those incidents to support opinions. Activities require students to explain characters' actions and outcomes (for example, describing how the Preacher protected Elijah and how MaWee came to Buxton).
Lesson 6
Symbolism
Students answer comprehension questions asking why newcomers were hiding and how Emma coaxed them out, which requires explaining how that incident revealed character traits and affected the scene. Question prompts ask about the Liberty Bell tradition and the community greeting newcomers, which asks students to connect an incident to the community's response. Parent-plan discussion questions ask students to explain how Emma, Elijah, and others showed kindness and sensitivity, requiring analysis of actions that reveal character and influence interactions.
Lesson 7
The Importance of Education
Students read Chapters 13–14 and answer comprehension questions that require analysis of incidents (e.g., Question #3 asks students to explain how Elijah shows growing maturity by reading the letter without crying). Students summarize Elijah's mother's story and describe how the community responds when bad news is delivered, which asks them to connect incidents to character actions. In Option 2, students write the remainder of a play scene in which characters explain why they risk so much to receive an education, prompting students to articulate motivations that drive decisions.
Lesson 8
Transitions and Characters
Students read Chapters 15-17 and answer comprehension and discussion questions that require them to analyze incidents: they describe the Preacher taking Mr. Leroy's money and Theodore Highgate's shooting (Q3) and report Mr. Leroy's reaction to the theft (Q4). Students evaluate Mr. Leroy's decision to trust the Preacher and justify their view using evidence of the Preacher's past faults (Q2 and Discussion questions). Students compare and contrast character traits and assign descriptive words to characters based on their actions during the events, which asks them to infer character from incidents.
Lesson 9
Transitions and Humor
Students read Chapters 18 and 19 and answer comprehension questions that target incidents and decisions (e.g., how Elijah encountered Mr. Leroy, what Mr. Leroy wanted, and what Elijah planned to do). Discussion prompts ask students to compare and contrast the responses of the community, Mr. Leroy, and Elijah and to evaluate whether Elijah is to blame for the Preacher's actions. Wrapping-up questions and Question #4 ask students to judge Elijah's decision to go with Mr. Leroy, which connects incidents to characters' choices.
Lesson 10
Allusions and Authors
Students answer comprehension questions that connect incidents to outcomes (e.g., they state that Mr. Leroy died and that Elijah promised to get the money back or shoot the Preacher). Students explain how Elijah's actions (rock-chunking to knock the guard dog unconscious; entering the stable and finding slaves) move the plot forward and lead to his plan to help slaves escape. Discussion prompts ask students to cite several examples of Elijah's courage and to explain how encountering slaves in chains changes his willingness to play the slaver/abolitionist game, tying incidents to character change.
Lesson 11
Story Reflections
Students create a plot diagram that requires identifying the main conflict, the climax (turning point), seven rising-action events that lead to the climax, and falling-action events, which asks them to show how incidents develop and propel the story. Guided questions ask students to explain why Elijah gave up his plans, why he returned to the stable, and how the book ends, prompting analysis of incidents that provoke decisions and move the action. The parent guidance explicitly identifies the climax as Elijah turning his horse around because of Mrs. Chloe's request, and wrap-up questions ask students to explain how Elijah shows fragility and courage, prompting analysis of incidents that reveal character.
Final Project
Personal Narrative
Students are asked to create a plot diagram that includes the main conflict, the climax, 4–5 rising-action events, 2–3 falling-action events, and the resolution. The Story Structure student page asks students to identify the main conflict and the climax of Elijah of Buxton and to give examples of how a theme is developed. The rubric and composing activities require students to sequence events, use a flashback, and explain how the climax and turning point function in the narrative.
2: Semester 2
Unit 1: The House of the Scorpion
Lesson 1
Cloning
Students read Chapters 1–4 of The House of the Scorpion and answer targeted questions that require inference from incidents and clues (e.g., Question #1 asks what Eduardo is trying to do and cites cells in petri dishes, DNA references, failed embryos, and the resulting baby). Students identify events that move the plot (e.g., Matt injures himself breaking a window and is taken to the Big House) and describe consequences (eviction, being called an "animal"). Discussion prompts and questions ask students to explain people's reactions to Matt and why Maria reacts differently, which requires using incidents to reveal character traits and social attitudes.
Lesson 2
Revising and Editing
Students read Chapters 5 and 6 and answer targeted comprehension questions that ask them to explain character reactions and impressions (Question #2 asks how Matt reacts to Celia and Maria and why; Question #3 asks Matt's impression of El Patrón). Question #4 asks students to identify what provisions El Patrón makes for Matt, which connects an incident to subsequent plot details. Parent discussion prompts ask students to analyze El Patrón's position, how others respond to him, and examples of love, loyalty, corruption, and betrayal.
Lesson 3
Cast of Characters
Students answer targeted comprehension questions that ask them to identify what compels Matt to speak ("What finally compels Matt to talk?") and to describe his relationships and discoveries (questions about Tam Lin, the house, and Matt's abilities), which require linking incidents to character traits and actions. A parent-discussion question asks students to explain why the death of an eejit haunts Matt, prompting analysis of how that incident reveals Matt's values and emotional response. Activity 1 asks students to produce character descriptions for members of the Alacrán family, which requires noticing traits revealed through events and interactions.
Lesson 4
Rhetorical and Logical Fallacies
Students read Chapters 10–12 of The House of the Scorpion and answer targeted questions about specific incidents (e.g., Tom pretending to look for Furball, Matt forcing Maria to kiss him, Tom leading them to the clone). The parent/teacher discussion prompts ask students to explain how Matt uses a moment of power, what results from his action, and what he learns, and to describe how El Patrón and Tom wield power. The questions and prompts require students to identify actions and link those incidents to character traits and consequences.
Lesson 5
Arguing the Issue
Students answer questions about Matt taking Maria's dog that require them to identify his motive, plan, and the outcome, which connects an incident to its consequences. Students explain reactions at El Viejo's funeral (the priest's comparison and Maria's defense), asking them to interpret dialogue/reactions that reveal character attitudes. Parent-plan discussion prompts ask students to explain how Tam Lim treats Matt and to cite Celia's evidence about El Patrón, which requires students to analyze incidents and evidence that reveal aspects of characters.
Lesson 6
Societal Comparisons
Students answer questions that ask them to identify incidents and reactions (e.g., they state that Maria learns Felicia killed Furball and that she is sad about Matt's apology). Students describe discoveries that reveal plot elements and character context (e.g., they record that Matt and Maria find secret cameras and that Matt learns about the eejits' miserable lives). A parent-plan question asks students to summarize the hospital incident and infer what being taken there suggests about Matt's role and life, prompting students to connect an incident to its implications for character and plot.
Lesson 7
One-Act Play
Students are asked to turn a scene from The House of the Scorpion into a one-act play and to limit their scene to 20–30 lines of dialogue, which requires them to choose dialogue that communicates meaning to an audience. The directions tell students to make clear which character is protagonist or antagonist using words or physical location and to write the scene so that the conflict is evident through words, movements, and facial expressions. The guidance and sample scene point out how contrast in dialogue (the children's chatter vs. Matt's silence) and a physical incident (shattering glass) can highlight important plot moments and reveal character.
Lesson 8
Family Crest
Students read Chapters 22–24 and answer targeted questions that ask them to explain how specific incidents affect the plot and characters (Question 1 asks how Maria's rescue plan fails; Question 3 asks what Celia did to save Matt; Question 4 asks how Tam Lin helps Matt escape). A discussion prompt quotes Tam Lin's line, asking students how that line conflicts with Matt's experience and how it might change him. Another prompt asks students to compare and contrast how El Patrón, Celia, Maria, and Tam Lin use power, which directs students to analyze incidents that reveal character and purpose.
Lesson 9
Science Fiction
Students answer questions that ask them to analyze events and advice in the text (for example, QUESTION #3 asks how El Patrón's advice helps Matt, with the answer noting that Matt gains respect by acting confident). Students discuss and analyze a specific quoted line from Matt about El Patrón still being alive and whether that idea is true, which requires interpreting how that incident/line relates to character identity. The Parent Plan skills list instructs students to cite textual evidence that supports analysis, indicating students are expected to locate and use passages to support their interpretations.
Lesson 10
Opium and Aztlán
Students answer comprehension questions that require them to identify the incident that causes Matt to relent to Jorge and describe how the boys react (Question #4). Students identify dialogue/commands from authority figures that enforce confession (Question #2) and note what comforts Matt after accusations (Question #3), which connects incidents to character feelings. A parent/discussion prompt asks students to explain why Jorge's demands for confession are effective and how Matt resists, prompting analysis of how incidents and dialogue reveal power dynamics and character.
Lesson 11
Wisdom and Love
Students read Chapters 31–33 and answer targeted questions that require them to connect incidents to character and action (e.g., how Matt's opinion of Ton-Ton changes; why Matt and Chaco attack Jorge; what the tattoo reveal means; how they are punished). In Activity 1 students analyze specific lines/quotes from Celia and Tam Lin and write journal reflections about the religious symbols and moral teachings and how these lines and teachings shape Matt's development and choices. Discussion prompts ask students to explain consequences of friendship and conscience and how those relationships limit or motivate Matt's decisions, linking incidents and moral voices to actions.
Lesson 12
El Día de los Muertos
Students are asked to explain Ton-Ton's rescue plan (Question 1), which requires them to describe an incident that propels the action of the plot. Students answer how the truth is revealed when Esperanza asks Ton-Ton to explain the story and he communicates it (Question 3), linking an incident and dialogue to a turning point. In discussion prompts, students consider how Esperanza exercises power with her words and how Consuela's name fits her character, prompting analysis of how dialogue or behavior reveals character.
Lesson 13
Unit Test and Essay Reflections
Students answer questions about specific incidents: they explain how Matt's status changes after El Patrón's death (Q1) and analyze El Patrón's arranged poisonous-wine funeral (Q2). Students evaluate Tam Lin's conscious decision to drink the wine and discuss its significance (Q3 and unit-test question on Tam Lin's death). Unit-test prompts ask students to explain how characters attained and exercised power, which requires linking actions/incidents to character purpose.
Unit 2: Watership Down
Lesson 2
Foreshadowing
Students are assigned to read Chapters 1-8 and complete character cards that require them to record 'Physical Appearance,' 'Character Traits,' 'Actions,' 'Quotes,' and 'Others' reactions to the character.' The Parent Plan lists skills including citing textual evidence and determining theme and its relationship to characters and plot. Discussion prompts ask students to consider Fiver's intuition, the Threarah's leadership, and why Hazel asked Dandelion to tell a story—questions that invite thinking about how incidents and choices reveal character and influence decisions. The wrap-up states students 'discovered the problem that propelled a small group of rabbits to leave their home,' linking incidents to plot movement.
Lesson 3
An Epic Journey
Students read Chapters 9–13 and add to character cards, which asks them to record information about characters. Students take on the Travel Tracker role and draw postcards of settings, tracking incidents of the rabbits' journey. Discussion questions ask students to interpret Fiver's premonition and to consider unusual aspects of Cowslip's warren, prompting students to link incidents to meaning and possible consequences. The fantasy/epic activity asks students to record examples of characteristics in Watership Down, including naming Hazel as an amazing hero and identifying the long journey.
Lesson 4
Comparing Rabbits
Students are asked to interpret a specific line when the Questions to Discuss ask what Pipkin meant by "They all seem terribly sad…" and to describe that comparison. Students are prompted to analyze incidents and character motives when they answer how Fiver explained Cowslip's warren, how the rabbits adapted, and why Strawberry joined Hazel's group. Students practice revealing character traits and motivations through the Option 1/Option 2 Venn diagram activities that have them list characteristics of Hazel's group versus Cowslip's group. The Parent Plan skills also direct students to cite textual evidence that supports their analyses.
Lesson 5
Quotes and Creatures
Students are asked to record quotes, actions, and reactions on character cards as they read Chapters 18–21, providing explicit opportunities to gather lines of dialogue and incidents tied to characters. The discussion prompts ask students to explain why Hazel communicates with the mouse and to predict what will come of that episode, which requires analyzing an incident that influences later action. Another prompt asks students to interpret Holly's line about men spoiling the earth, asking them to explain what he means and what the author may be criticizing, which requires analyzing dialogue that reveals character viewpoint and theme. Activity 1 asks students to connect chapter-opening quotations to the events and themes of each chapter, prompting analysis of lines that foreshadow or relate to plot developments.
Lesson 6
Dramatic Irony
Students read Chapters 22–23 of Watership Down and are asked to add to character cards and generate discussion questions, focusing on big ideas. Students complete a Dramatic Irony activity page that asks them to state "What the reader knows," "What the characters believe," and the "Effect on the reader" for specific passages (including quoted dialogue). A parent/skills note explicitly instructs analyzing differences in points of view created through dramatic irony and lists effects such as suspense or humor, and discussion prompts ask students to explain Hazel's reasons and the rabbits' responses to Kehaar's news.
Lesson 7
Rabbit Societies
Students are assigned the role of Passage Practitioner, where they locate two special sections or quotations in Chapters 24–27, record why they chose each passage, and discuss each passage with a parent. Parent discussion questions ask students to analyze Hazel's motivations for raiding the barn and how Fiver talks to him about those reasons, and to explain how Holly and his party escaped Efrafa (analyzing an incident that affects the plot). Activity 2 (Rabbit Societies) asks students to record positive and negative traits of groups and leaders and to compare Hazel's strengths and weaknesses with other leaders, which requires students to infer character from incidents and behavior.
Lesson 8
Folktales and Fantasy
Students are instructed to update character cards by adding descriptions, traits, actions, memorable quotes, and reactions of others, which requires gathering lines of dialogue and evidence about characters. In Activity 1 students read summaries of El-ahrairah stories and record why each story was important, what lesson it taught, and how it contributed to rabbits' understanding and identity, which asks them to analyze incidents and their effects on character values. A discussion prompt asks students to explain how Hazel's leadership was strengthened by events at Nuthanger Farm and why the rabbits trust him, prompting analysis of how particular incidents influenced character reputation and the group's decision to follow him.
Lesson 9
Characters
Students read Chapters 32–34 and are asked discussion questions that require analyzing a specific incident (Bigwig's impulsive dash toward the fox), its result, and characters' reactions (How does Hazel feel? What was its result?). The parent discussion also directs attention to a remembered line of dialogue from Bigwig ('It's sudden... I wasn't expecting it tonight...') and asks why that moment was remembered, which asks students to connect a line of dialogue to later action/foreshadowing. Character Planning asks students to record quotes for their created characters, linking lines of dialogue to personality traits.
Lesson 10
Setting
Students are assigned Chapters 35–37 and given a Questioner role that asks them to develop 3–5 discussion questions about big ideas in the reading, encouraging textual discussion. Parent-plan discussion prompts ask students to analyze Captain Chevril's line about cooperation and to evaluate Bigwig's determination to take Blackavar, which requires students to interpret dialogue and an incident to reveal character. The wrapping-up language asks students to consider how increasing tension and Woundwort's awareness complicate Bigwig's escape plan, prompting students to think about incidents that affect plot.
Lesson 11
Conflict and Escape
Students read Chapters 38–40 and take the role of Travel Tracker, making a map of settings encountered during the rabbits' escape, which requires attention to incidents that move the plot. In Activity 1, students choose a central conflict and create a plot diagram outlining the conflict, rising action, climax, and falling action, linking incidents to plot movement. Discussion questions ask students to explain how Woundwort showed leadership in pursuing the fugitives and to identify Efafran values that affected the escape, prompting analysis of incidents that reveal character.
Lesson 12
Dramatic Enactment
Students read Chapters 41–45 and are instructed to add memorable quotes and reactions to character cards, which requires attention to particular lines of dialogue. Discussion prompts ask students to provide examples of Hazel's leadership, explain the critical moment when Woundwort chooses between visions of leadership, and analyze consequences of decisions, which direct students to link incidents to character and action. The dramatization activity asks students to write a 3–5 minute script considering the actions characters take and the words they speak and to decide what to add or omit, requiring students to use dialogue and incidents to propel action onstage.
Lesson 13
A Fantasy Story
Students are prompted to discuss the book's ending, including how the characters have changed and how the major conflicts were resolved, which asks them to analyze incidents and outcomes. The Questions to Discuss ask students to explain Bigwig's actions in defending the warren and to identify who the "dea" is and how she saves the day, prompting analysis of incidents that reveal character and affect resolution. The unit test prompts students to choose a rabbit leader and give two examples of how he exercised leadership and how others responded, requiring students to cite incidents that reveal aspects of character and consequences. The parent plan also asks students to note how the sample story "uses dialogue to move the story along," encouraging attention to dialogue's role in advancing action.
Unit 3: The Book Thief
Lesson 1
The Author and Narrator
Students read the Prologue and Part One through Chapter 3 and answer comprehension questions that connect an incident to characterization (Question #3 asks why the narrator calls Liesel "the book thief," with the answer pointing to the incident in which she takes a dropped book). Students examine the narrator's choices and personification in Activity 3, thinking about how making Death the narrator affects story perspective. Students analyze color imagery and tone in Activity 4, selecting colors to represent emotions and writing sentences that explain those associations.
Lesson 2
Similes and Metaphors
Students answer comprehension questions that describe incidents and character traits (e.g., questions asking what happened when Liesel read aloud and what happened after her failed reading; a question asking what Rudy is like). One question asks students to describe Rudy's father's mixed feelings about the Nazis' treatment of Jewish merchants, which requires students to infer and explain aspects of a character. Parent discussion prompts ask students to explain why Hans taught Liesel to read and to evaluate Rudy as a friend, which asks students to consider motivations and character.
Lesson 3
Burning Books
Students answer text-based questions about character motives and decisions (e.g., Question #1 asks why Liesel didn't steal books and Question #4 asks about the conflict between Papa and his son). Students identify and record incidents from the reading (e.g., the book-burning event, the passionate speech before the burning, and the Molching Express article) on the Propaganda activity page. The Historical References activity asks students to research references that clarify characters' speech and actions, and the Propaganda poster task asks students to analyze persuasive elements that reveal attitudes of groups and individuals.
Lesson 4
The Value of Books
Students answer comprehension questions that connect incidents to behavior (Question 1 asks why Liesel avoided the mayor's house, linking the incident of stealing a book to her actions). Students describe character through incidents (Question 4 asks for a description of Ilsa Hermann based on her conduct and the narrator's comment). A parent discussion prompt asks students to evaluate Rudy and Liesel's plot to cause Otto Strum to wreck and steal food, prompting consideration of motives and decisions driven by incidents.
Lesson 5
The Accordion Player
Students answer comprehension questions that require them to explain incidents and character actions (e.g., how Erik saved Hans and what Hans did to keep Max secret). Students discuss and evaluate Hans's threats to Liesel in the parent-plan discussion prompts, which asks them to judge whether frightening Liesel was justified. Students are asked to record examples of propaganda and consider how propaganda may have influenced characters' actions (e.g., pressure on Hans to join the Nazi Party).
Lesson 6
The Standover Man
Students answer focused text-dependent questions asking why Hans and Rosa decide to let Max come upstairs (an incident that provokes a decision) and how Rosa has changed since Max's arrival (revealing aspects of character). Students explain similarities between Liesel and Max and why Max draws himself as a bird, which require them to identify incidents and descriptions that reveal character. Parent-discussion prompts ask students to explain how the meaning of "standover man" changes and whether conversations about nightmares affect the characters, prompting analysis of incidents and their effects.
Lesson 7
The Seven-Sided Die
Students are directed to read Part Five (pages 240–277) and to write various question types including 'Think and Search' and 'Author and You,' which require them to connect events and author-provided information across the text. The 'Questions to Discuss' ask students to consider whether there will be consequences of Liesel's treatment of Ilsa and why Death interrupts the story to tell the reader about Rudy's death—prompts that ask students to interpret incidents and narrative choices. The lesson also asks students to record examples of propaganda and specific moments from the reading, encouraging attention to particular incidents in the story.
Lesson 8
The Thief Strikes Again
Students answer questions that require analysis of incidents and their effects: Question 2 asks students to explain why Liesel refuses the book when offered but is willing to steal it (analyzing a decision and character motivation). Question 3 asks which of Rudy's acts of stupidity may have paid off, linking an incident to its consequence and how it propels action. Question 4 asks how Liesel actually gets the name "book thief," tying a specific incident to character labeling; Question 1 asks students to interpret Max's drawings, revealing aspects of character and propaganda.
Lesson 9
Close Calls
Students answer comprehension questions that require analysis of incidents: Q1 has students explain that Rosa staged a public scolding to whisper that Max was awake, showing how an incident reveals character motivation. Q2 asks students to explain how Liesel caused an accident at a soccer game so Rudy would fetch Papa, linking an incident to how it propelled the plot. Q3 asks students to evaluate the effect of Liesel's reading and gifts on Max, connecting actions to changes in a character. Q4 asks students to analyze Death's extended descriptions of 1942 and how those incidents/depictions set tone and foreshadow effects on Liesel's story.
Lesson 10
The Trilogy of Happiness
Students are asked to explain Rudy's deliberate disqualification (Question #2) and to analyze the consequences of Hans giving bread to a dying man (Parent Plan discussion), both of which require linking incidents to outcomes. The Parent Plan highlights specific lines and incidents showing propaganda (Liesel instinctively saying "heil Hitler," soldiers calling the march a "parade," and the crowd's response to Hans), prompting students to consider how those lines/incidents reveal character and influence behavior. Question #4 asks students to interpret Max's phrase about the stars "setting fire to [his] eyes," which requires analyzing the meaning of a line to reveal character experience and reaction.
Lesson 11
The Word Shaker
Students are asked to explain why the Gestapo were interested in Rudy (Question 1), which requires them to identify how that incident reveals Rudy's intelligence and athletic traits. Questions about Alex Steiner and Hans being forced to join the army (Questions 2–4) ask students to connect incidents to consequences and punishments. Activity 2 and the allegory questions prompt students to interpret Max's "The Word Shaker" scenes (e.g., conveyor belt with swastikas, Hitler planting words) and to explain who the "word shakers" are and how Liesel differs, which reveals motives and character roles.
Lesson 12
The Teddy Bear
Students answer targeted comprehension questions that ask them to explain how specific incidents affect characters and outcomes (e.g., why Rudy kept a teddy bear in his toolbox; how Hans avoided death and how the truck accident changed his life). The Journey activities require students to map and describe characters' physical and emotional changes over time, noting important events and decisions at each stop. The parent/discussion prompts explicitly ask students to analyze a line of dialogue from Death ("No person was able to serve the Führer as loyally as me") and to consider why Death introduces the downed plane/teddy bear scene early, prompting analysis of how an incident and a line reveal character and thematic purpose.
Unit 4: To Kill a Mockingbird
Lesson 1
Historical Context
Students read the first two chapters of To Kill a Mockingbird and answer targeted questions that require them to identify character details (e.g., Scout's family situation, Dill's uniqueness, the Radley mystery, and Scout's first day of school). Parent discussion prompts ask students to interpret particular lines and incidents (for example, Atticus's comment about making people into ghosts and Scout's line about loving to read) and to explain how those lines reflect character and psychological control. The wrapping-up question asks students to note historical evidence in the chapters, linking incidents in the text to character circumstances.
Lesson 2
Home and School
Students read chapters 3–4 and are asked to write a literature response that can include predictions about what will happen as a result of events, which requires linking incidents to future action. The example response and parent discussion explicitly ask students to reflect on Atticus's line about "climbing into someone's skin and walking around in it," and to consider the mysterious gifts in the knothole and predict their effect on the story. Parent discussion questions ask students to analyze how Atticus and Calpurnia treat Walter Cunningham and what those incidents reveal about their values and relationship with Scout.
Lesson 3
The Mystery of Boo
Students are asked to recount and explain specific incidents (Question #2: delivering a note with a fishing pole, peeking in the window, Jem losing his pants) and to infer outcomes of those incidents. Activity 1 directs students to list what Jem and Scout think about Boo based on hearsay versus personal experience and to develop a hypothesis about who Boo really is, which requires using incidents and gifts from the knothole as evidence. Question #4 and the Parent Plan discussion prompts ask students to consider who mended Jem's pants, who hid things in the knothole, and why Jem cried when the knothole was filled, prompting students to connect incidents to character motives and emotional responses.
Lesson 4
Snow and Fire
Students are asked to fill a Character Line-Up chart that includes columns for quotes or dialogue, memorable descriptions, and memorable actions, prompting them to connect dialogue and incidents to character details. The reading assignment requires a literature response that includes at least one quotation from Chapters 8–9 and an explanation of its meaning and importance. Discussion questions prompt students to explain why Atticus refuses to let Scout use the slur, why Atticus must defend Tom Robinson (a decision he makes), what Uncle Jack learns from Scout (revealing character), and what Atticus's line about Scout "keeping her head" foreshadows (propelling future action).
Lesson 5
Surprising Talent
Students read chapters 10–11 and answer questions that require identifying incidents that reveal character (Q1 asks how discovering Atticus was a marksman changed Scout and Jem's view; Q3 asks why Jem lost his temper with Mrs. Dubose and the resulting punishment). The Wrapping Up and discussion prompts ask students to explain how Mrs. Dubose's death and Atticus's remarks show aspects of character and to respond to Atticus's quote about conscience, prompting reflection on decisions.
Lesson 6
Separate
Students read chapters 12–13 of To Kill a Mockingbird and are asked to write a literary response that refers to specific examples from the text. Discussion prompts and the example response ask students to explain what Scout and Jem learn from the visit to Calpurnia's church and to describe how Aunt Alexandra's arrival creates tension, which requires students to identify incidents that reveal aspects of character. The wrapping-up paragraph highlights contrasts (e.g., Calpurnia vs. Aunt Alexandra, Jem as teen vs. child) that students are prompted to notice and discuss in relation to characters and upcoming events.
Lesson 7
A Moral Dilemma
Students read chapters 14–15 and answer questions that require them to explain character reactions and consequences (for example, describing Aunt Alexandra's response to the children attending church and Atticus's stance). Students identify how Dill's reappearance and Scout's description reveal aspects of his character. Students explain how the jailhouse incident was resolved, noting that Scout's friendly conversation with Mr. Cunningham persuaded the lynch mob to disband, connecting that incident to character behavior and resulting action. The discussion prompts ask students to consider whether Scout's actions saved her father and to analyze mob mentality in the scene.
Lesson 8
Identity
Students read chapters 16–17 and answer questions that ask them to compare Aunt Alexandra's and Atticus's attitudes toward Calpurnia and explain what those attitudes reveal about underlying beliefs. Students identify courtroom incidents—where the children sit in the balcony, the town atmosphere on trial day, and Atticus's questioning to discredit Mr. Ewell—and describe how those incidents relate to characters and events. Discussion prompts ask students to evaluate the mob scene and Atticus's affect in court, prompting analysis of how incidents influence behavior and perceptions.
Lesson 9
Order in the Court
Students read chapters 18–20 and answer questions that require them to extract and interpret testimony (Question 1 asks what details about Mayella's life are learned from her testimony; Question 2 asks for Tom Robinson's version of events; Question 4 asks how Atticus explains Mayella's actions). Discussion prompts ask students to evaluate Dill's reaction and whether the jury will believe Atticus, and activities ask students to place trial events in sequence and fill in blanks such as what happened after Mayella's testimony.
Lesson 10
Equal Rights?
Students are asked discussion questions such as "Why did Revered Sykes tell Scout to stand up when her father was passing by? What does that indicate?" which directs them to analyze an incident that reveals community respect for Atticus. The parent/sample summary and reading task require students to recount chapters 21–23, including specific incidents (for example, Bob Ewell confronting Atticus) that reveal character reactions. Discussion prompts about the jury verdict and Jem's division of Maycomb ask students to consider why characters behave as they do and whether the verdict was inevitable.
Lesson 11
The Mockingbird
Students read chapters 24–26 and answer questions about specific incidents (Tom Robinson being shot; community reaction) and Scout's response to the Ladies Missionary Society, which requires them to describe feelings and reactions that reveal character. In Activity 1 students identify examples of the mockingbird symbol and list incidents where the innocent are threatened (e.g., Scout shamed at school, Atticus scorned, Tom falsely accused and shot). The discussion prompts ask students to explain Miss Maudie's remark about Atticus and the quote about Atticus using every tool available, which asks students to interpret dialogue and incidents in relation to character and community attitudes.
Lesson 12
Wise Words
The Parent Plan Skills section explicitly lists the target skill of analyzing how particular lines of dialogue or incidents propel action, reveal character, or provoke decisions. In the Wise Words activity, students choose specific quotes (lines of dialogue) and rewrite or explain them in their own words and select one to memorize and display, which requires them to interpret what speakers mean and imply. The Reading questions and discussion prompts ask students to identify foreshadowing in chapter 27 and to explain how Jem's actions show change, and the Someone Else's Skin activity asks students to re-create a scene from a chosen character's point of view (diary or Venn diagram), prompting analysis of how incidents are perceived and how characters react.
Lesson 13
Text and Film
Students answer questions about who saved the children and why Sheriff Tate fabricated the story, requiring them to explain how the incident (Bob Ewell's death) led to Tate's decision to protect Boo Radley. Students respond to prompts asking what Scout's actions (leading Boo inside but not outside) show about her character and to interpret Scout's line, "It would be like killing a mockingbird," relating that line to her understanding. The compare-and-contrast and discussion questions also ask students to evaluate how portrayals and specific scenes/line choices align with character portrayals.
Final Project
Oral Book Presentation
Students are asked to choose a main character, describe them, and explain their development for the "Characters" slide, which requires citing the character's changes across the story. The unit test asks students to read a passage, choose a powerful quotation, paraphrase an underlined sentence, summarize the passage, and explain how Scout's identity is challenged, prompting textual analysis of incidents and character perspective. The study guide lists "Moral Dilemma" as a literary term and the theme question asks students to give three examples from the book showing how a theme is developed, which requires linking events or incidents to thematic effects.
Unit 5: Great American Poets
Lesson 2
Early American Poetry
Students compare Longfellow's poem "Paul Revere's Ride" to Paul Revere's first-person account by rereading both texts and completing a Venn-diagram style comparing page that asks them to note similarities and differences in content, use of literary language, and details. Students are instructed to mark phrases or lines they find especially effective because they create memorable images or evoke particular emotions. The answer key and parent notes explicitly state that both texts contain dialogue and that students should note events included in one account but omitted in the other (for example, Revere's capture appears in his account but not in the poem).
Lesson 5
Edgar Allan Poe
Students analyze specific lines and endings of poems: Question #1 asks students to identify the irony at the end of "Alone," requiring them to interpret the poem's final lines and imagery. Question #2 asks students to reread the last two stanzas of "The Conqueror Worm" and describe the mood those lines evoke. Question #3 has students mark end rhyme and describe internal rhyme patterns in the first two stanzas of "The Raven," requiring close examination of particular lines.
Lesson 7
Poetry Analysis
Students read and identify narrative poems (e.g., the question that labels "Casey at the Bat" as a narrative poem with characters, plot, rising action, and a climax). Students are asked to "think about what made each of those poems effective at telling a story" (referring to narrative poems like "Paul Revere's Ride" and "John Henry") and to write their own narrative poems, planning rhythm, rhyme, and stanza structure. The Poem Analysis student page asks students to reread poems, note literal and symbolic meanings, pick a favorite line, and analyze figurative language, imagery, tone, and mood.
Lesson 8
Robert Frost
Students are asked to analyze the incident in "The Road Not Taken" (Question #3), identifying the literal choice at a fork in the road and explaining the poem's symbolic meaning about making a life decision. Question #2 asks students to identify images in "After Apple-Picking" that suggest a drowsy or dream-like state, prompting analysis of how images reveal the speaker's internal state. The hyphens and dashes activity asks students to analyze how punctuation (a feature of lines) affects pause and emphasis in poems, which can influence characterization or tone.
Lesson 9
Memorizing Poetry
Students are asked to explain what is happening in the narrative poem "Euclid" and to compare its incident to Whitman's "When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer," which has them analyze an incident and its effect. Students are prompted to consider how labeling the narrator of "Gubbinal" (as "stupid and insensitive") changes understanding, which makes them analyze how a speaker's lines reveal aspects of character. The Student Activity Page asks students to identify the action urged by the speaker in "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night," which asks them to analyze lines that provoke a decision or action.
Lesson 11
Editing Your Work
Students read Countee Cullen's poem "Incident" and answer Question #3 asking what techniques Cullen uses to make the poem memorable and sad or shocking. The sample answer points out that students identify the narrator's initial "heart-filled, head-filled with glee" state and how the sudden racist incident and the final stanza (the narrator remembering only that scene) create shock and lasting impact. These tasks require students to analyze the specific incident in the poem and how it reveals the narrator's experience and emotional reaction.