Ninth Grade - ELA
• Literacy
1: Semester 1
Unit 1: Early Civilizations and Migration (600 BCE)
Lesson 1
Preshistory
Students are asked to complete a map activity that requires shading regions according to time periods and using a map key, which has students organize chronological and spatial information with a graphic. The "Your Own Environment" worksheet provides a table with column headings (e.g., "Strategies for: Finding," "What I see that I could use," "Potential problems I anticipate," "How would I use it") for students to record and organize observations and strategies. The "A Day in the Life" activity asks students to write a descriptive narrative explaining how an early human would meet needs (shelter, food, water, protection), prompting them to organize details about tasks and resources in prose.
Lesson 2
Early Agriculture
Students organize ideas and make distinctions using a Venn diagram activity that compares pastoral and agricultural lifestyles, directly practicing connections and contrasts. Students complete a tabular graphic organizer about domesticated animals that requires them to list uses, benefits, and challenges (format: table). Students map and chronologically list early farming locations and analyze geography and rainfall, using maps and figures to support explanatory conclusions. The lesson also offers optional multimedia (Crash Course and Big History videos) for students to view as supporting information.
Lesson 3
Early Civilizations
Students are asked to "define the term 'cultural hearth' in your own words" and complete a Cultural Hearths chart that requires organizing geographic features and advantages for each hearth. The Urbanization activity asks students to create an Urbanization Flow Chart or their own visual representation that explains stages (Farming -> Villages -> Towns -> Cities -> Civilizations) and to explain relationships among behaviors, problems, and solutions. The Elements of Civilization activity requires students to write descriptive phrases/sentences comparing how elements (food supply, protection, communication, etc.) function in small villages versus complex civilizations, and the Social Organization activity has students fill a pyramid describing roles and distinctions in Sumerian society. The lesson also provides multimedia and web links (atlas, video, resource list) and explicitly allows use of graphics, flowcharts, and visual mapping apps.
Lesson 4
Mesopotamia
Students are asked to complete a multi-page booklet with explicit labeled sections (Geography & Natural Resources; Economic Development; Political Development; Social Distinctions; Cultural Characteristics; Religious Beliefs), requiring them to organize information under headings. The student activity pages include graphics and formatting tasks (shade and label a map, a table of economic questions, a diagram for social classes, space to paste or draw a ziggurat) and Option 2 explicitly allows multimedia reports (podcast or video blog) with a provided resource link. Instructions ask students to read source material and fill discrete sections or numbered lists (e.g., list four inferences from Hammurabi's Code), which guides organization of ideas and use of visuals.
Lesson 5
Egypt
Students are asked to create a mini-project (booklet or WebQuest) that is organized into six labeled sections: Geography & Natural Resources, Economic Development, Political Development, Social Distinctions, Cultural Characteristics, and Religious Beliefs. The booklet templates provide formatted pages and graphic organizers (a map to trace and shade the Nile/cultivated areas, two labeled boxes with an arrow for trade goods, a large box for a governmental-structure diagram, and a quadrant table for gods). The WebQuest option requires students to identify websites, write a short guiding statement ("One thing I think students should understand"), and explain why the site was selected, which involves choosing multimedia and documenting it for comprehension.
Lesson 6
Trade and Empire Building
Students complete a filled-in chart (table) for Mesopotamia and Egypt that requires organizing imports and exports into a formatted graphic. Students respond to structured activity prompts that ask them to list examples, explain connections (for example, how military technologies became civilian), and compare reasons for expansion, which requires making distinctions and connections. The lesson includes multimedia resources (Big History Project and Khan Academy videos) and clearly labeled activity pages and headings that students use to support their work.
Lesson 7
New Beliefs and Technologies
Students are asked to complete the "Comparing World Religions" chart, filling headings such as "When and where did it originate?", "Gods & Goddesses", "Scriptures & Key Beliefs", and "Religious Practices," which requires organizing ideas and making distinctions across traditions. The Inventions activity directs students to use a table with explicit headings (Political, Economic, Military, Social/Cultural) and to consider multiple applications of each innovation, prompting connections across domains. Option 2 requires students to write a voice-over script that covers where/when a tradition originated, key beliefs and texts, and requirements of the faithful, then record it as multimedia.
Lesson 8
Historical Essay
Students are asked to outline their essay, develop a rough thesis statement, and write an introduction, specified body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Students must summarize main points of each paragraph, reorder paragraphs, and revise transitions to improve organization. Option 2 requires students to describe similarities and differences between two civilizations, and the rubric explicitly requires a strong introduction, clear thesis, and well-organized body paragraphs with smooth transitions.
Final Project
Flow Chart
Students are instructed to create a flowchart that organizes events and stages of development on individual pages assembled on poster board, with lines or arrows showing relationships between ideas. The template and option directions provide labeled headings (e.g., Hunter Gatherers, Pastoralism, Agriculture; Food Production, Government, Technology, Specialization, Religion), require a title, and ask students to include an image, an approximate date, and a 2-3 sentence description for each element. The lesson allows use of software or online diagram tools (multimedia) and the rubric explicitly evaluates the clarity of relationships, relevance/accuracy of images, and quality of the explanatory descriptions.
Unit 1: Lord of the Flies
Lesson 1
The Call
Students are asked to create two columns in their journals labeled "utopia" and "dystopia" and list characteristics, which requires them to organize ideas and make distinctions. The Option 1 activity asks students to record titles and respond to guided questions about settings, plot ideas, and central struggles, prompting connections across works. Multiple Student Activity Pages use grids and graphic organizers for vocabulary and analysis, and a TED-Ed video link is provided as multimedia support.
Lesson 2
Life on the Island
Students are asked to create and maintain STEAL character pages that are organized as tables with headings (e.g., "Learning about Ralph: Character Page") and labeled sections (Speech, Thoughts, Actions, Looks) where they record notes and page numbers. The student activity pages include graphic-organizer formatting and small illustrative graphics (conch shell, glasses, silhouettes) that students use while collecting and comparing character information. The Parent Plan explicitly directs students to return to these charts as they continue reading to track character development and to check examples against characterization elements.
Lesson 3
Paths in the Jungle
Students are asked to identify the author's thesis and record it in a labeled space on the "Dystopian Fiction" activity page, and to list key supporting points in a left-hand column while recording their reactions in a right-hand column. Students use a top-hat graphic organizer to organize their responses and form an opinion, and an annotated image is provided as a model for marking up text. Students write a one-paragraph character journal entry that requires organizing details about a character's situation and perspective.
Lesson 4
Images from Paradise
Students complete the 'Five Senses' chart by placing quotations into a four-column table (Sense; Quotation; Positive or Negative Description; Explanation) and marking each example as 'paradise' or 'dystopia,' which requires them to organize examples and make distinctions. The directions ask students to include the original and an embellished sentence when necessary and to explain how each example serves as imagery, using the table format to aid comprehension. In the 'Types of Clauses' activity, students identify clause types in sentences and write three sentences about the book, each containing a different clause type, practicing sentence-level composition.
Lesson 6
Symbolism, Part 1
Students are asked in Activity 1 to select interpretations for symbols (e.g., Piggy's glasses, the conch, the signal fire) and to write text-based explanations supporting their choices, which requires connecting evidence to ideas. Students must write a two- to three-sentence explanation for each chosen interpretation on the Student Activity Page, practicing organization of reasons and textual support. In Activity 2, students write a one-page journal entry from a character's point of view that requires them to record actions, quotes, priorities, fears, and relationships, organizing character information and making connections among characters and events.
Lesson 7
Bowed and Bowed Again
Students complete a graphic organizer titled "The Beast" with columns for Jack, Piggy, and Ralph and rows for Characters' Knowledge vs Reader's Knowledge, requiring them to organize information and make distinctions between perspectives. Students use STEAL character pages to record characters' actions and thoughts, and they fill a Prepositional Phrases activity page that includes headings, directions, and an island illustration to aid comprehension. Journal prompts ask students to write sentences that contain specified phrase types, which has them produce focused written responses tied to specific topics.
Lesson 8
Defects of Human Nature
Students are prompted to state the topic by copying one of the listed themes (introducing the topic) and then to record supporting details from the novel. Students organize ideas in three large boxes for notes or illustrations and then write a 3–4 sentence explanation linking the chosen minor theme to the major theme. The Parent Plan also directs students to provide an objective summary and to analyze how themes develop and connect to details from the text.
Lesson 9
Symbolism, Part 2
Students complete a "Recognizing Archetypes" activity page that is divided into four labeled sections (The Villain, The Hero, The Innocent, The Mentor) with illustrations and blank lines where students write examples and descriptions. Students also complete an "Allegory Analysis" chart that asks them to describe what Ralph's tribe, Jack's tribe, Piggy, Simon, and the island might represent, with separate labeled response spaces. The activity pages use headings and simple graphics that students interact with as they organize ideas into categories.
Lesson 10
Which Is Better?
Students complete a two-column "Developing Civilization" activity page in which they record similarities and differences between the boys and early peoples, organizing ideas into a formatted chart that requires making connections and distinctions. Students write a one-page journal entry from a character's point of view that asks them to analyze and contrast Jack's leadership with Ralph's and with pre-island civilized life, requiring them to introduce and develop a focused topic. The lesson provides a figure (Colosseum and aqueduct illustration) and a linked Crash Course video for students to use as multimedia/graphics to aid comprehension.
Lesson 11
The Film
Students watch the 1963 film (multimedia) and use the provided "Movie vs. Book" activity page, a chart with categories for characters, setting, theme, and plot, to record similarities and differences. Students complete the chart and answer journal questions comparing omitted or altered scenes and visuals, which requires organizing observations to highlight connections and distinctions. The activity directs students to focus on key differences beyond simple omissions, prompting them to sort information by category and relevance.
Final Project
Now You Have the Conch
Students are asked to craft a clear thesis and introduction (hook, thesis statement) and to organize ideas using either a traditional outline (Roman numerals, topic sentences, supporting examples, transitions, conclusion) or a guided Essay Organizer. The Essay Checklist and Brainstorming pages direct students to plan topics, develop thesis statements, list supporting points, and create outlines before drafting. Editor and revision pages prompt students to check logical order, transitions, topic sentences, and to explain how examples support points. The Review/Checklist step explicitly tells students to check headings, spacing, and indentation before submission.
Unit 2: World Religions (600 BCE - 600 CE)
Lesson 1
Rise of Religions
Students are directed to produce organized outputs: a two-column chart titled "Religion and Government" with headings (Civilization | Role of Religion in Politics or Government) and space for two examples from each civilization. Students must fill structured activity pages for the "Religions and Conflict" news-article task that include labeled fields (Article title, Author, Newspaper, Date, Summary, What role has religion played). Students are asked to convert free-writing into a formal 3–4 sentence paragraph and to create a poster using images or online tools, and the lesson includes links to multimedia resources and explicit headings like "Ideas to Think About" and "Things to Know."
Lesson 2
Shamanism, Animism, Ancestor Veneration
Students are directed to fill a multi-page "Dimensions of World Religions" booklet with labeled sections (practical/ritual, narrative/mythic, doctrinal, etc.), which requires organizing ideas and information under headings. The lesson gives specific activity pages that are tables/charts for comparing folktales (Animism chart) and for summarizing holidays (Ancestor Veneration chart), so students must use tabular formatting to organize comparisons and distinctions. The plan includes a 2-page world map with a key and instructions to color-code regions, and it provides web links and suggests videos, allowing students to use graphics and multimedia as resources.
Lesson 3
Hinduism
Students read and summarize the Ramayana slideshow and answer analytical questions that require organizing plot summary and connections to Hindu beliefs. Students write multi-paragraph perspective pieces about village incidents that require organizing information from at least three castes. Students create a 4-page storyboard for a festival section that pairs written explanatory text with sketches/graphics and are asked to use an archived slideshow (multimedia) and online research to complete their Dimensions of World Religions booklet.
Lesson 4
Buddhism
Students are asked to write a short (1–2 page) reaction paper that requires summarizing biographical information and reflecting on central teachings, with links to writing-center outlines to support organization. Students are asked to create an illustrated or narrative timeline that requires selecting key events and writing paragraphs explaining what happened and why it was important. Students are given a chart/table handout (Activity 1) to fill in key differences among Theraveda, Mahayana, and Vajrayana, and a "Dimensions of World Religions" booklet (Activity 2) that asks them to fill in maps and dimensions, implying use of graphics.
Lesson 5
Daoism and Confucianism
Students are asked to fill in the Daoism and Confucianism section of a "Dimensions of World Religions" booklet, which requires them to organize information into the booklet's predefined categories and map. Students compare Daoism and Confucianism in reading questions (e.g., Question #2) and are asked in Option 2 homework to list related quotations and write 1–2 paragraphs analyzing similarities and differences, practicing making connections and distinctions. In Option 1 students create a motivational poster or meme using an image and must explain their choice, which requires using graphics/multimedia to aid comprehension.
Lesson 6
Judaism
Students are asked to create an educational slideshow with explicit slide headings (Title Page, Basic Description, Religious Meaning, Faith Practices, Personal and Family Traditions, Interesting Facts), which requires organizing ideas into labeled sections and using images with citations. Students complete a "Dimensions of World Religions" booklet that directs them to fill distinct dimensions (organized headings) and may use online research to populate sections. Students complete a labeled map of the Jewish diaspora using colors, arrows, and a key, practicing use of graphics to convey information.
Lesson 7
Christianity
Students are asked to read primary and secondary sources (Matthew 5-7, One-Stop Guide, Almanac) and write summaries and answers to guided questions about Jesus' life and teachings. Students choose between researching historical/archaeological articles and summarizing two sources or reading the Sermon on the Mount and summarizing key points and contextualizing them. Students fill in the Christianity section of a Dimensions of World Religions booklet and may use an online map or other online resources to complete it. The homework directs students to watch a Crash Course video (multimedia) and read a Pew report and then reflect on the spread of Christianity.
Lesson 8
Islam
Students are asked to create a timeline of Muhammad's life with one clear, well-organized paragraph for each date explaining the event and its significance, which requires organizing ideas and explaining connections. Students complete a "Two Versions" Venn-diagram activity that directs them to summarize shared elements and note key differences between Bible and Qur'an versions, explicitly practicing making distinctions and connections. Students are offered formatting and multimedia options (PowerPoint, Prezi) for the timeline and a suggested Venn-diagram graphic organizer, and they fill in a "Dimensions of World Religions" booklet that requires organizing concepts and information.
Final Project
Dimensions of World Religions
Students are asked to complete a multi-section "Dimensions of World Religions" booklet and may add illustrations or images found online to the booklet. The rubric explicitly evaluates that "any illustrations used are appropriate and enhance the booklet," and that all parts of the booklet are complete and neat. For the unit test, students must write a 5-7 paragraph essay that directs them to first describe each faith and then explain similarities, which requires organizing information and making connections/distinctions between belief systems. The homework advises students to review headings and major sections of the readings as part of studying.
Unit 2: Short Stories
Lesson 1
The Gift of the Magi
Students record and organize story elements using a labeled graphic organizer that separates Characters, Setting, Plot (conflict, climax, resolution), and Theme. Students complete a structured "Same Story, Different Place" organizer with distinct text boxes for setting, character descriptions, gifts, explanation of irony, and responses. Students research allusions using provided web links and videos and write journal entries explaining historical references and how those connections affect understanding of the story.
Lesson 2
The Necklace
Students are asked to write a one-paragraph objective summary that begins with the title and author and focuses on central ideas and main plot points, which requires them to introduce a topic and organize information. Students use journalistic prompts (who, what, where, when, why, how) to plan and organize ideas and to show how theme emerges. Students complete a theme web graphic organizer (center circle and outer circles) to connect textual details to a central theme, and they are directed to watch a linked "How to Find a Theme" video (multimedia) to support comprehension.
Lesson 3
Literary Response
Students are directed to introduce the topic by naming both stories and their authors and to end the introduction with a thesis that identifies two similarities. Students are taught to organize ideas into a four-paragraph structure (introduction, two body paragraphs each focused on one similarity, and a conclusion) and to use the provided Informal Outline and Details and Support pages to arrange evidence and explanations. Students use a graphic organizer (the three-column 'Brainstorming Similarities' grid) to collect details and textual evidence from each story, and the rubric and activities require use of transitional words to clarify relationships between ideas.
Lesson 4
Characterization
Students complete a labeled "Characterization" graphic organizer that separates information into headings/categories (Speech, Appearance, Thoughts, Actions, How Others Respond) and require labeling examples as direct or indirect. Students also complete a "Character Portrait" page with explicit sections (Character Name, Physical Appearance, Actions, Quote, Thoughts, How Others Respond, Direct/Indirect Characterization) that organizes ideas into discrete, formatted fields. The activities ask students to record observations, highlight examples, and think about how characterization advances plot or theme, encouraging connections and distinctions among categories.
Lesson 5
Edgar Allan Poe
Students complete the "Crazy Like a Fox?" two-column activity where they list evidence in a "Rational and Trustworthy" column and an "Irrational or Insane" column, practicing organization of information into contrasting categories. Students fill out the "Characteristics of Gothic Fiction" activity page that is divided into five titled sections (Gloomy Settings, Melodrama, Insanity/Madness, Terror/Horror, Decay/Death) and record specific textual examples under each heading. Students create a 6–8 panel storyboard that requires them to organize a scene visually and place corresponding quoted text beneath each panel, and they are given the option to use an online storyboard tool (multimedia) to aid comprehension.
Lesson 6
The Lottery
Students use a Student Activity Page with a graphic of an open wooden box that has three labeled sections (physical description, how others react, connections to the town's history) and are instructed to record and categorize textual evidence into those sections. Students complete a Controversy activity page that asks focused, ordered questions prompting them to compare themes, identify differences (how one work is darker), and report whether controversies occurred. For homework, students write a paragraph in a journal supporting an opinion with evidence from their own reading/viewing experiences.
Lesson 7
Everyday Use
Students complete an "Author's Biographical Data Sheet" where they record place of birth, birth date, interesting facts, and parallels between Alice Walker's life and the story, which requires gathering and organizing biographical information and making connections. Students complete the "Quilted Heritage" activity where they describe a quilt panel and are given the option to print and paste a quilt image, which allows inclusion of a graphic. Students rewrite a scene from a different character's point of view and write a brief paragraph reflecting on how the change altered the story, which asks them to produce a focused explanatory paragraph that makes distinctions about perspective.
Lesson 8
Harrison Bergeron
Students are asked to compare and contrast the printed short story and its film adaptation by listing scenes added/altered/deleted, changes in characters, and concepts emphasized, requiring them to organize observations and make distinctions between mediums. Students will write journal responses to several open-ended questions about equality, excellence, and the society in the story, which asks for explained answers rather than yes/no replies. Students will watch a video and a film as multimedia resources and take notes to inform their written comparisons and reflections.
Final Project
Writing a Short Story
Students complete a "Brainstorming a Story" activity and fill out a "Plot Diagram" to organize exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. The lesson asks students to follow a "Writing Tips" checklist (including choosing a narrator and crafting an engaging opening line) and to use graphic organizers to record settings, characters, plot, and themes. Students are required to format the final typed draft (one-inch margins, 12-point font) and to use activity pages (graphic organizers) while planning and revising.
Unit 3: Rise of the Empires (600 BCE - 600 CE)
Lesson 1
Persian Empire
Students are asked to complete Activity 2, a three-column chart explicitly labeled Politics, Religion, and Culture with prompts under each heading, which requires them to organize information under clear headings. In Activity 1 students create and color-code a map and construct a multi-page timeline, drawing modern boundaries and color-coding empire spans to produce graphics that support comprehension. The instructions tell students to save these pages and to use them to compare and contrast empires, prompting connections and distinctions across topics.
Lesson 2
Greek Empire
Students use Activity 2 to organize information about politics, religion, and culture by color-coding entries for Greece, Athens, and Sparta and are instructed to write those labels at the top of the page (a heading). In Activity 1 students create and format a map key, shade original and expanded territories in different colors, draw modern boundaries, and add the Greek empire to a timeline. Students are directed to complete a chart-like activity page and to save their pages for later comparative analysis, which supports making connections and distinctions.
Lesson 3
Qin and Han Empires
Students create and label a chart for politics, religion, and culture and are instructed to use different colored pens to mark information specific to Qin, Han, or both, including writing "China," "Qin," and "Han" in those colors at the top of the page. Students build a map (shading territories, drawing modern boundary lines, and labeling countries) and add the Qin and Han empires to a timeline, which organizes information chronologically and geographically. Students are asked to save and compile these pages for later comparative use, reinforcing organized record-keeping of ideas and connections.
Lesson 4
Roman Empire
The lesson directs students to create and annotate a map of the Roman Republic and Empire (Activity 1), requiring them to shade territories, draw modern country boundaries, and label those countries. Activity 2 asks students to complete a chart distinguishing politics, religion, and culture for the Republic and the Empire, using three colors to mark information unique to each and information relevant to both, which prompts organization and making distinctions. Students are also instructed to add the Roman Empire to a timeline, integrating chronological organization with their other materials.
Unit 3: Grammar, Part I
Lesson 3
Pronoun Problems
Students are asked to create a poster or a short slideshow presentation that includes a title/heading, an explanation of the chosen topic in their own words, two example sentences, and strategies for correcting the errors. The slideshow option specifies at least four slides (title, explanation, examples with highlighted words/arrows, and correction strategies), and the poster option requires an attractive heading and use of colors/arrows to show connections. The lesson also directs students to explain the topic using their own words and to use graphics or effects to highlight pronouns and antecedents, and it offers a multimedia option (PowerPoint/Google Slides/Prezi).
Lesson 4
Commas
Students are asked to create a comma guide (poster, booklet, or slideshow) that must include the name of each rule, a short description, an explanation, and at least one example. The activity pages and graphic organizers provide labeled sections (Rule; Explanation and Examples; Items in a Series; Between Coordinate Adjectives; Separating a Compound Sentence) that require students to organize information under headings and use graphic aids or colors. Students use external websites and a video as resources, and they must write journal responses and explain punctuation choices for selected sentences, which incorporates multimedia and explanatory writing.
Lesson 6
Colons and Semicolons
Students are asked to write formal opening statements for both the semicolon and the colon in the Great Punctuation Trial activity, using the listed claims and including specific examples (e.g., joining independent clauses, conjunctive-adverb construction, complex lists; introducing a list, a quotation, and an explanation). Students must organize those ideas into well-developed paragraphs and then present and defend them orally to a judge, answering targeted questions that require clear distinctions between the two punctuation marks. The homework and examples also show use of formatting: the lesson models colons introducing bulleted/numbered lists and gives a bulleted recipe demonstrating how a colon signals a list or steps.
Final Project
Wrapping Up
Students are asked to create a visual aid (Option 1) that "graphically explains the tips or tricks" for a chosen grammar rule and may use design or slideshow tools (e.g., Canva, Google Drawings, PowerPoint), which involves organizing information visually and using multimedia. Option 2 requires students to write a short paragraph in which "all of your sentences work together as a paragraph to tell a story, give advice, make an observation, etc.," and to produce an answer key and explain missed items, which asks students to organize ideas into a coherent explanatory paragraph. The Skills section also tells students to "produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience."
Unit 4: Poetry
Lesson 1
Introduction to Poetry
Students set a two-minute journal to list words/phrases and write a definition of poetry, then read poets' quotations and revise their definitions, which requires introducing a topic and organizing ideas. Students complete structured activity pages (Denotation and Connotation worksheet and Poem Response page) that break responses into labeled sections (Line #, Word, Denotation, Connotation(s), Similar Word(s), Effectiveness), guiding organization of information and distinctions. The lesson provides a web link to a poem (multimedia) and includes decorative graphics and clearly labeled student activity pages that model formatted presentation.
Lesson 2
Sound and Rhythm
Students listen to and follow along with multimedia recordings (links to audio/video for "Lord Randall," Frost, Marlowe) and use those recordings to analyze sound and rhythm, showing use of multimedia to aid comprehension. Students use and refer to graphic organizers and charts (the metrical feet chart, activity tables, and student pages decorated with tables/illustrations) to mark and identify patterns in poems. Students write short responses and journal reflections explaining the effects of rhyme, sound devices, and meter after marking up poems with colored pencils.
Lesson 3
Figurative Language
Students complete a titled activity page with labeled sections (Personification, Symbolism, Imagery, Similes/Metaphors) where they identify lines/stanzas and provide explanations, which guides them to organize information about figurative devices. Instructions ask students to record stanza and line numbers and explain comparisons and symbol meanings, requiring students to connect textual details to interpretive claims. The lesson provides an image ("Earth") and web links to poems, so students use graphics and multimedia resources as part of their analysis.
Lesson 6
Fooling with Words
Students watch a one-hour video (multimedia) of poets speaking and are directed to revisit specific timestamps to gather information. Students complete a structured "Poet Profile" worksheet that provides labeled sections (Poet Name, Favorite Poem, Additional Poems, Questions About the Poet, Personal Reflection), which organizes biographical and bibliographical information. Homework directs students to research their chosen poet online using sites like Poetry Foundation and Poets.org, integrating content from diverse media and formats.
Lesson 7
Analyzing Poetry
Students are directed to use a "Poetry Map" graphic organizer with labeled boxes (Word Choice, Imagery, Symbols or Allusions, Tone, Sound Devices, Speaker, Summarize, Theme) to organize analysis of "Blackberry-Picking." The student activity pages include headings (Title, Poet, Word Choice, Imagery, etc.) that students fill in, and the lesson explicitly suggests using images and a web link to the poem (multimedia) and to "find images that appeal to each of the five senses" for the organizer. The sample annotated image of "Ozymandias" shows marked-up text with labels for rhyme, theme, vocabulary, and structure, modeling use of notes and visual markings to aid comprehension.
Lesson 8
Types of Poems
Students use structured templates (the sonnet template with labeled quatrains and couplet) that require organizing lines and rhyme schemes. Students complete an ekphrasis analysis chart (a table) to compare artworks and poems, asking them to record subject, what the poem says, emotions, and how the poem changes the artwork. Students watch and respond to multimedia (Billy Collins reading, Whitman animators) and answer guided questions about how the media interpret the poems. The free-verse activity includes a table of senses and a brainstorming/organization page to plan imagery and strong verbs.
Lesson 10
Poems and Poets
Students complete a labeled "Poetry Map" activity that directs them to organize word choice, imagery, symbols/allusions, tone, sound devices, and a summary, which requires organizing ideas and making connections among poem elements. Students fill in "Poet Biography Boxes" (headed fields for Known For, Influences, Biographical Details, Interesting Facts) and are instructed to record information as sentences or bullet points, explicitly organizing biographical information under headings. Students prepare a one-page biographical sketch using presentation software that must include the poet's name, country, language, images of country/poet, dates, and at least three cultural facts, and they are encouraged to use images and digital tools (multimedia) and to include statistics from a provided site when useful. Students write a journal response linking cultural references in a poem to the poet's background, practicing making important connections and distinctions between cultural information and textual meaning.
Final Project
Poetry
The Poetry Explication choice directs students to present their analysis digitally using presentation software, placing poem text on slides and highlighting examples (e.g., tone words in one color, alliteration in another) to demonstrate organization of ideas. The Director's Notebook and Ekphrastic Poem choices require students to produce both words and images (or a slideshow/webpage) and to arrange artwork and poem side-by-side, which calls for use of graphics and digital formatting. Multiple choices (Visual Interpretation, Set a Poem to Music) explicitly invite students to use multimedia tools (animation/video, audio, music-notation software) to create and display their final products.
Unit 5: Nonfiction
Lesson 1
Types of Nonfiction
Students use the "All About a Person" activity to categorize a book as a biography, autobiography, or memoir by examining catalog records, front matter, and back matter and by writing definitions in their own words. Students compare books and write comparisons that cite specific examples about themes, viewpoints, character identity, and evidence of accuracy. Students identify formatting and graphic features in texts (map, table of contents, glossary, timeline, photographs) and read an online interview to evaluate author contribution and classification.
Lesson 2
Pakistan
Students are instructed to use the book's map, the timeline (pp. 219-235), and provided web links (Wikipedia and a languages page) to complete a Student Activity Page about Pakistan. The Student Activity Page includes a map graphic and numbered prompts that require students to gather geographic, historical, and cultural information and write responses. The Skills section specifies integrating and evaluating content presented in diverse media and formats.
Lesson 3
The Taliban
Students are instructed to "start your paragraph with a strong introductory sentence that introduces the topic and main idea," to use transitional words and phrases to link thoughts, and to end with a concluding sentence, which teaches how to introduce a topic and organize ideas. The paragraph task also asks students to synthesize answers to multiple specific questions (locations, composition, beliefs/goals, late-1990s effects), requiring them to organize concepts and make distinctions (e.g., how the Taliban helped vs. what people disliked). Option 2 directs students to create slideshow slides using visual aids (images, maps, diagrams) and to use tools like PowerPoint or Prezi, explicitly asking for multimedia and graphics to communicate information.
Lesson 4
Dear Diary
Students are asked to produce a one-page journal/diary entry as homework, which requires selecting a topic and writing about it. The Parent Plan lists a skill to "produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience," indicating attention to organization. The lesson includes a linked video (How to Paraphrase in 5 Easy Steps) and a Student Activity Page with headings and labeled parts, showing use of multimedia and formatted materials to aid comprehension.
Lesson 5
Displacement
Students are instructed to create a photo report or a mini-book that requires them to paste or print images, put a title/cover, and record the school's name, location, and grade level. The activity pages ask students to write three assumptions based on the picture, record research-based information about school conditions, and list advantages and disadvantages of transportation types. The lesson provides web links to image galleries and articles, and templates with labeled sections (e.g., "School name...," "Write three assumptions...," "Advantages/Disadvantages") that structure student responses.
Lesson 6
A Day Like Any Other
Students are instructed to use the APE strategy where the 'Answer' step requires them to restate part of the question in a complete sentence, which prompts them to introduce the topic. The Student Activity Page organizes responses under the explicit headings Answer / Prove / Extend and asks students to provide quotations or examples for 'Prove' and explanations or connections for 'Extend', requiring organized presentation of ideas and evidence. The lesson includes a graphic organizer image (the APE graphic and an illustrated student page), showing the use of formatting and a visual to aid comprehension.
Lesson 7
Life in England
Students are asked to watch an 11-minute documentary and take guided notes comparing the filmmaker's account with Malala's book, explicitly using multimedia to analyze differences. The lesson provides specific comparison prompts (e.g., father's role, filmmaker's focus, portrayal of Malala's mother) that require students to organize ideas and make distinctions between sources. The unit culminates in a journal prompt and a final research paper project idea, which prompt students to gather and begin organizing information about an issue they care about.
Lesson 8
Civil Rights
Students arrange timeline excerpts chronologically by cutting and pasting chart pieces in the "Civil Rights Overview" activity, which requires them to organize historical information and note steps forward and backward. Students complete a pros/cons graphic organizer ("Students in Action") and a double-entry diary ("Just and Unjust Laws") to record and compare arguments, demonstrating practice in organizing ideas and making distinctions. Students watch multiple video clips and read primary-source excerpts, using multimedia and tables/graphic activity pages to support comprehension and analysis.
Lesson 9
Civil Disobedience
Students use a three-column comparison table labeled Thoreau / Overlapping Ideas / King and are prompted to mark phrases with a highlighter and fill the middle column to identify similarities and distinctions. In Activity 2, students read opposing quotes on topics (America, role of government, voting) and write which thinker they agree with and explain how their views align, practicing organization of ideas and distinctions in writing. Multiple Student Activity Pages include headings and graphics (e.g., an illustration of blindfolded justice, a Great Seal emblem, government building and ballot box) that structure information and support comprehension.
Lesson 10
Learning from the Past
Students draft a paragraph comparing a universal truth in Wiesel's speech with quotes from other advocates, which requires them to introduce a topic and organize supporting ideas. Students create a model museum wall that asks for at least one image plus one- to two-sentence explanations and a clear, formal description of the point they want to make, which requires combining graphics/multimedia with organized text. Students watch and listen to speeches (multimedia) and annotate/complete organized activity pages (vocabulary, matching, short-answer sections) that scaffold collecting and arranging information.
Lesson 12
Running from War
Students are taught the APE strategy (Answer, Prove, Extend) and asked to Answer the question using part of the question wording, Prove with a quotation introduced using one of the taught methods, and Extend by explaining connections or making a prediction. Activity 1 explicitly teaches ways to introduce quotations (complete sentence + colon, short phrase + comma, or integrate a snippet) and directs students to use a colon to introduce a quotation. The materials include a short video link to reinforce methods and a Student Activity Page with labeled parts and illustrations that students use while practicing introduction of quotations.
Lesson 13
Child Soldier
Students complete the "Different Accounts" activity by filling "Book" and "Video" columns to compare and contrast information, which requires organizing ideas and making distinctions. Students fill a "Child Soldiers" chart listing advantages and disadvantages, using a graphic organizer to categorize information. Students watch the linked video "Eye to Eye: Ishmael Beah" and incorporate multimedia evidence into their responses and discussions.
Lesson 14
Rehabilitation
Students complete a comparative "RUF vs. Government Soldiers" activity that requires them to categorize actions (yes/no boxes) and highlight items that apply to one or both groups, which asks them to organize information and make distinctions. In Option 2 students write a journal response stating a conclusion about conduct of the two sides and provide examples or quotations from the text to support that conclusion, which requires organizing ideas and drawing connections. The lesson provides a linked author interview video and a "Wiesel's Words" worksheet that asks students to choose a quotation and explain how it relates to the memoir, incorporating multimedia and a formatted activity page.
Lesson 15
A New Life
Students are asked to create a flyer or a web page that requires them to gather and organize background information, describe how the organization helps others, and list accomplishments; the flyer/webpage directions require an appealing layout, inclusion of text and images, and offer online tools for publishing. The parent-plan Skills section tells students to use technology to produce and publish writing products, and the webpage option explicitly lets students use links, images, and online creation tools. The Comparing Memoirs activity asks students to answer structured questions that require organizing ideas and making distinctions between the two memoirs.
Final Project
Expository Essay
Students are guided to introduce a topic and develop a focused thesis that answers a research question and lists three supporting points. Students plan and organize ideas using the K-N-S chart, APE paragraph structure, audience/purpose activities, and rubric criteria that require clear organization and transitional words and phrases. Students are given explicit formatting requirements (title, 1" margins, 12-pt font, double spacing, paragraph indents) and directions for creating a properly formatted Works Cited page; the curriculum also directs students to use technology and provides web links (research-question video, citation builder).
Semester Exam
Semester Exam
Students are asked to write extended responses in Part IV: Discussion where they must provide thorough paragraph-form answers, revise them, and may type them on a computer. Part V: Quoting and Paraphrasing requires students to introduce and smoothly integrate quotations into their own writing, and to paraphrase source material. The Parent Plan skills list expects students to "produce clear and coherent writing" and to "write routinely over extended time frames," implying practice in composing organized informative/explanatory texts.
2: Semester 2
Unit 1: Ender's Game
Lesson 2
We're People, Not Thirds
Students complete the Planned Procreation activity sheet by brainstorming and recording reasons in four labeled categories (Religious, Environmental/Ethical, Personal/Financial, Governmental/Legal), which requires organizing information into distinct sections. In Option 1, students create a collage that uses text, images, quotes, and other multimedia to explore the topic of "three," explicitly asking them to assemble visual and textual materials. Option 2 asks students to research eugenics and record ten facts, which requires gathering and listing topic-specific information.
Lesson 3
Science Fiction
Students read an article and are asked to fill out a graphic organizer on the "Science Fiction" page, which requires them to collect and categorize information (definition, themes, historical eras, authors). The Student Activity Pages present clearly labeled sections and prompts (e.g., "What is a good definition of science fiction?", "What are some common themes?") that guide students to sort ideas and make distinctions such as hard vs. soft science fiction. The materials are visually divided with graphics and patterns, and the lesson directs students to use the article along with the introduction to complete the organizer.
Lesson 4
Divergence
Students are asked to write a definition of science fiction, which requires them to introduce a topic in a concise way. Students label examples as science fiction or fantasy and complete a matching exercise linking terms (soft/hard science fiction, anachronism, romanticization) to illustrative sentences, which requires organizing ideas and making distinctions. Students also produce sketches in circles and generate alternative uses for common objects, practicing classification and organization of varied ideas.
Lesson 5
Movement and Time
The Student Activity Page asks students to define a flashback, name functions, locate an example in Chapter 5, and explain how the flashback provides insight and increases tension, requiring organized written responses and connections between ideas. Activity 1 directs students to choose an action sequence, analyze the motions through close reading, and (optionally) narrate the movements using strong descriptive phrases, which practices organizing observations into coherent explanations. The lesson includes instructional images (pipe-cleaner diagrams) that students use to recreate and interpret motion, showing graphics used to aid comprehension.
Lesson 6
Performance Is Personal
Students select three criteria and record them in labeled columns on the "Competing Commanders" activity sheet, assign numeric scores, sum totals, and create a leaderboard—organizing information to compare and distinguish commanders. Students use the structured activity page (with headings, columns, and rows) to present their evaluations visually. In the "Text Structure" activity, students review chapter openings and answer focused questions that require them to identify how the author orders and arranges information to create effects such as foreshadowing and tension.
Lesson 7
Leaders Motivate
Students are asked to write a journal entry describing the links between the personalities of Peter/Valentine and the historical figures Locke and Demosthenes, which requires them to introduce a topic and make connections. The lesson provides multimedia sources (web links and a short video presentation) that students consult as part of their writing. Student activity pages include a graphic organizer table labeled "Character, Quote, Reason" and cut-and-paste matching worksheets that require students to organize ideas and match quotes to characters, making distinctions about leadership and authority.
Lesson 8
Flies and Self-Loathing
Students complete a hexagonal graphic organizer labeled with categories (Setting, Leadership, Theme, Power, Responsibilities, Fears, Consequences) to compare and contrast Lord of the Flies and Ender's Game, which requires them to organize ideas and make distinctions. Students design a logo for an army, choosing colors and symbolic elements, which asks them to work with graphics and visual choices. The activity pages include clear headings and labeled spaces (e.g., ARMIES, (ARMY NAME)) that model formatted presentation of student work.
Lesson 9
Conflict Within and Without
Students sort specific examples of internal and external conflicts into a provided chart/table by cutting and pasting text boxes, and they use that graphic organizer to distinguish character vs. self, character vs. character, character vs. society, and character vs. nature. Students write a journal paragraph answering three questions about a conflict's impact on relationships, plot development, and character change, and they select and justify which conflict they see as central to the novel. The lesson includes an image/table labeled "Conflict in Literature" that students use to organize and compare ideas about conflict types.
Lesson 11
Thud, Whump, Huut
Students are asked to compare a scene from the book to the movie or to compare text passages to Marvel's comic adaptation and to "take notes on the differences," which requires organizing information about omissions and changes. The Comic Adaptation activity page provides columns for listing omitted or changed narration/dialogue and judging whether the comic communicated the omitted material, which prompts students to make distinctions and connections between mediums. The lesson directs students to use multimedia (movie or comic) as part of their analysis.
Lesson 12
Campbell's Comparisons
Students watch a video summarizing Campbell's 12 "hero's journey" steps and record the steps in their journals, providing multimedia input. Students choose six steps and use a provided "Hero's Journey" activity sheet (a graphic organizer with six labeled boxes) to describe parallels between those steps and Ender's Game, organizing ideas into corresponding boxes. The activity sheet is explicitly described as a graphic organizer, and the lesson includes a linked Forbes article for later reading.
Lesson 13
The Enemy's Gate Is Down
Students complete a "Discovering Subplots" activity table with separate columns for Graff and the I.F., Ender's story, and Peter and Valentine, organizing unanswered questions and contrasts across plots. Students label and summarize four leadership lessons in the "Forbes Four" activity, writing one- to two-sentence summaries in numbered boxes and placing a personal application in a central "My Life" circle. Students prepare answers to discussion questions that ask them to compare the structure of the Graff subplot with the Peter/Valentine subplot, making connections and distinctions among ideas.
Final Project
Think-Tac-Toe
Students are asked to write two to three paragraphs comparing and contrasting military and civilian leadership (Box 5), which requires introducing a topic and organizing ideas to show connections and distinctions. In Box 8, students research NATO and the Warsaw Pact, color and sort countries on a chart, and list two similarities and two differences, directly asking them to organize information and make distinctions. Box 6 asks students to create a six-frame storyboard in a presentation tool or PowerPoint and export it as a video, and Box 1 asks students to design a science fiction book cover—both activities require use of graphics and multimedia formatting to aid comprehension.
Unit 2: Grammar, Part II
Lesson 2
Capitalization and Numbers
Students record rules, examples, and distinctions on organized activity pages (Commonly Confused Words sets VIII–XV) that use headings and two-column tables labeled "Words" and "Notes, tips, and examples." Students complete a "Writing Numbers" page that is divided into labeled sections (e.g., NUMBERS THAT BEGIN SENTENCES, FRACTIONS, COMMAS WITH LARGE NUMBERS) and are instructed to write a rule and example for each section. Students check capitalization choices and then write the rule that explains each correct choice, and they are directed to web links and an online quiz for additional multimedia support and practice.
Lesson 7
Verb Voice and Mood
Students are asked to create a creative explanation of the subjunctive mood (e.g., a colorful poster, short slideshow, comic strip, or card game), which requires them to organize ideas and present definitions and examples for a younger audience. The student rubric requires that the project "clearly shows what the subjunctive mood is using definitions, examples, and/or context," be "neat, colorful, and attractive," and that the "message is clear and cohesive," which prompts use of visuals and presentation elements.
Final Project
Wrapping Up
Students are asked to create explanatory products (slideshow, poster, guide, or song/skit) that require them to define a topic, provide examples, and plan content before creating the product. The slideshow option explicitly requires text and graphics and allows audio/video/animations, and the explanatory guide instructions require students to organize content for a teen/adult audience and use graphics/design to enhance usefulness. The project rubric requires each mini-project to clearly explain the topic and present information appropriate for the target audience.
Unit 3: Informational Texts
Lesson 1
What Are Informational Texts?
Students are directed to examine Outliers to locate and analyze informational text features such as table of contents, headings and subheadings, charts/graphs, diagrams, indexes, bibliographies, footnotes/endnotes, glossaries, sidebars, appendices, and formatting aids. The Student Activity Page asks students to compare how the book's Contents is formatted, check off which features appear, identify rare features, and note elements that seem more literary than informational. Students also watch a Malcolm Gladwell TED talk (multimedia) and journal before and after viewing to connect multimedia to comprehension.
Lesson 3
The Matthew Effect
Students are asked to convert the book's table of player birth months into a new chart (bar chart, pie chart, or pictograph) and to label the chart with a title, accurate counts, and clear labels. Students are asked to sketch or design a graphic to represent the TIMSS study findings so the graphic could replace or supplement a written paragraph. The plan also directs students to translate quantitative information into visual form and to review features of informational texts, and students brainstorm and prioritize factors affecting sports success in a journal.
Lesson 4
The 10,000 Hour Rule
Students are asked to summarize the focus of Sections 1–3 and to analyze how Gladwell arranges and develops ideas (Activity 1 "Looking Closely"), which requires organizing ideas and making connections between details and the chapter's central claims. The homework directs students to take their notes about The Beatles or Bill Gates and "communicate it in visual form" (flowchart, infographic, diagram, PowerPoint, etc.), explicitly asking them to organize information visually and to show how the example ties to the chapter's bigger ideas. The Parent Plan skills also list translating information into visual form and determining a central idea and summarizing, supporting practice in organizing concepts and using graphics.
Lesson 5
Harlan, Kentucky
The Skills section explicitly lists producing clear and coherent writing in which development and organization are appropriate, which signals a writing task. The homework directs students to do brief research about local settlers, take notes on stereotypes and influences, and write an informal journal reflection sharing findings with family. The Student Activity and Parent Plan describe students recording and organizing vocabulary and notes, which involves selecting and compiling information related to a focused topic.
Lesson 6
The Ethnic Theory of Plane Crashes
Students are asked to analyze how Gladwell structures Chapter 7 and to respond in a journal about why the author orders sections the way he does, which requires identifying topic introduction and connections across sections. Students prepare a short oral explanation summarizing the blog article's main objections and fill a chart (criticism, response, effectiveness) when analyzing Gladwell's reply, which asks them to organize ideas and evidence into labeled columns. The lesson includes and refers to a comparison table of cultural scores and invites students to use a comic-strip tool or sketches for the "Appropriate Speech" activity, providing opportunities to use graphics and multimedia to aid comprehension.
Lesson 7
Rice Paddies and Math Tests
Students are asked to take a concept from the reading and "turn it into a diagram or infographic" and to "use digital media to enhance your audience's understanding," including embedding audio files or pictures. The Skills list explicitly includes "Translate quantitative or technical information ... into visual form (e.g., a table or chart)" and "Make strategic use of digital media ... in presentations to enhance understanding." Activities require students to take notes, organize findings (Option 1) and present or share their graphic with a parent (Options 1 & 2), which involves selecting and arranging information for an audience.
Lesson 8
With Malice Toward None
Students analyze how Lincoln organizes ideas and uses tone and rhetoric, as shown by tasks to identify rhetorical strategies and to analyze how the author unfolds a series of ideas. The homework asks students to choose three sentences that map to a persuasive-speech structure (background, main message, forward-looking statement) and to write them as a three-item bulleted list, which practices organizing information and basic formatting. The student activity page and answer key require completing a chart that identifies quotes, literary devices, and intended effects, which has students organize information in a table-like format.
Lesson 9
Writing about History
Students complete a two-column graphic organizer ("Secondary Source Claim" / "Supporting Primary Source") that requires them to connect claims from secondary accounts to specific primary-source evidence. Students answer a homework question that asks them to list the subtitles in an article and explain why the author organized information that way, which makes them attend to headings and organizational structure. In Option 1 students produce a split-perspective magazine cover and are allowed to use images or online poster-creation tools, and in Option 2 students write an editorial using facts from sources to support a position, requiring them to organize reasons and evidence.
Lesson 10
Science Writing
Students read and analyze excerpts from a middle-school science booklet and complete an "Investigating Claims in Science Writing" activity that asks them to identify the methods the author uses (highlighting, explanation, example, illustration) to explain terms. The lesson explicitly lists "logical structure" as a characteristic of good science writing and names formatting/graphics/multimedia (e.g., highlighting, illustrations, video) as methods that aid comprehension. Homework asks students to compare the written text with a short video, prompting reflection on the role of multimedia versus text in aiding understanding.
Lesson 11
Technical Writing
Students are asked to write a brief introduction to their how-to guide that explains the skill and its benefits and to support that introduction with an outside source (Homework Day 1 / Sample Introduction). Activity 1 directs students to reorganize a block of text by adding a title, headings/subheadings, highlighted vocabulary, and bulleted/numbered lists. The Guide Checklist and Activity 6 require students to include formatting (headings, glossary), graphics/infographics (Activity 5), and a Works Cited section; students are instructed to insert or create a diagram and to add navigation aids and final glossary entries to the document.
Lesson 12
Logical Fallacies
Students identify the main point (thesis) and supporting examples when they analyze Lou Gehrig's speech and answer questions about ethos, pathos, and logos. Students write their own short speech (or prepare a persuasive essay later) and are asked to note where they appealed to ethos, logos, and pathos, which requires selecting and arranging supporting ideas. Students watch four short videos and complete activity pages, showing explicit use of multimedia to aid comprehension.
Final Project
Argumentative Research Essay
Students are guided to introduce a clear thesis and organize ideas using the classical argument structure (introduction/narration, confirmation, concession/refutation, conclusion) and to produce a five-paragraph essay that establishes relationships among claims, reasons, evidence, and counterclaims. The Parent Plan and activity pages explicitly instruct students to ‘Introduce a topic; organize complex ideas, concepts, and information to make important connections and distinctions' and to use in-text citations and MLA formatting. Students are also required to create a slideshow with a title slide, slides for thesis/major points/counterargument, and at least two visual aids (charts, graphs, photographs) with source credit, and to adapt content for multimedia oral presentation.
Unit 4: Drama
Lesson 2
How to Read Drama
Students complete an "Applying Aristotle's Six Elements of Tragedy" activity page that is organized with clear headings (Plot, Character, Thought, Diction/Language, Melody, Spectacle). The lesson provides multimedia and graphics for student use, including a performance video link, the play script link, and an image of Aristotle, and it asks students to use the video and script to support their answers. Students answer guided questions and write one-sentence responses in labeled blocks, which requires them to place information under topical headings.
Lesson 3
Life and Times
Students read introductory material, cast and setting information and answer comprehension questions that require them to identify the setting and date range of the play. Students watch a History Channel video about the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and are prompted to jot down major points in a journal and answer guided questions about the video. The parent plan explicitly lists that students will 'integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats,' indicating practice with synthesizing textual and multimedia sources.
Lesson 4
A Raisin in the Sun
Students complete a graphic organizer ("Characters and Their Dreams") where they record ages, adjectives, and each character's dreams, demonstrating organization of ideas and connections across characters. Students write a one-paragraph summary of Act I that asks them to introduce the setting, main characters, and plot—requiring them to organize information for an informative purpose. Students also listen to linked multimedia (audio dialect samples and videos) and view an infographic, using these graphics and media to aid comprehension of dialect and college/earnings data.
Lesson 5
Act II
Students are instructed to write a focused paragraph using the APE (Answer, Prove, Extend) graphic, which directs them to state the answer (introduce the topic), provide evidence, and make connections. The Character Analysis activity provides explicit headings (Biographical Information, Physical Characteristics, Psychological Profile) that require students to organize ideas and information under labeled sections. Homework asks students to listen to linked songs (multimedia) and record title, date, and what each song says about the American Dream, integrating multimedia to aid comprehension.
Lesson 6
Act III
Students read Langston Hughes's poem "Harlem" and use the "A Dream Deferred" activity to identify similes, analyze imagery, and explain what a "dream deferred" means. Students answer questions that ask them to relate the poem's images to specific characters and explain which comparison best describes a character's deferred dream, thereby making connections and distinctions between texts. The activity page includes an illustration of Langston Hughes, and the next lesson plans to show a movie, indicating a graphic and multimedia presence in the unit.
Lesson 7
Fences
Students complete a Comparison student activity page that divides analysis into labeled sections (Theme, Characters, Plot, Setting) and are instructed to fill out charts comparing Fences and A Raisin in the Sun. Students watch multimedia sources (the Fences movie and a recorded interview with Denzel Washington and Viola Davis) and are asked to write at least two sentences about similarities/differences and a short paragraph of insights from the interview. The activity pages and prompts direct students to organize observations about characters, plot, theme, and setting in discrete categories.
Lesson 8
Shakespeare
Students are asked to create a Shakespeare timeline using the book, a video, and web resources and to place dated event boxes in order on a provided vertical timeline graphic organizer, which requires organizing information chronologically. The Student Activity Pages include a labeled timeline and a Globe-Theatre graphic with text boxes for annotating events, and the homework explicitly directs students to use multimedia (a mini-biography video and online sites) to gather information. The "How to Read a Shakespeare Play" activity asks students to summarize passages in their own words, answer focused questions about speaker, meaning, actions, and desires, and to write responses in provided spaces.
Lesson 9
Romeo and Juliet
Students are asked to write journal summaries of the most important event in multiple scenes, which requires them to produce brief explanatory text. Students answer guided comprehension questions that require selecting and organizing relevant details from Act I. The lesson provides a character map graphic and directs students to watch a Globe Theatre video and take a virtual tour, supplying multimedia and figures to support understanding.
Lesson 10
Figurative Language
Students fill out a two-column "Spouse Survey" (physical traits, character qualities, other qualities) and then compare their answers to a parent's answers, which requires organizing information in a table and making connections/distinctions. Students cut out and unscramble sonnet lines, paste them in order, and mark the rhyme scheme, which has them organize textual elements into a coherent structure. Students watch Act II (multimedia) and complete activity pages that include headings, illustrations, and charts, so they use graphics and media to support comprehension.
Lesson 11
Nuanced Meaning
Students are asked to summarize the most important event in each scene in their journals, which requires them to identify and organize key ideas from Act 3. Part III of the vocabulary activity asks students to find synonyms with positive and negative connotations and use them in sentences, prompting students to make distinctions between meanings. The Text Messaging activity asks students to rewrite a six-line exchange as modern text messages and allows use of emojis, and the lesson assigns watching video scenes as multimedia support.
Lesson 12
Time and Tension
The Student Activity Page is titled "Time and Tension" and directs students to search the play for specific time-related words and record how many times each appears. Students are guided to analyze Act IV scene by scene with targeted questions for Scene 1, Scene 2, Scene 3, and Scene 5, which organizes work around discrete sections of the text. The materials include a web link to an online text (MIT: Romeo and Juliet) and a clock-tower illustration, providing multimedia and a graphic for student reference.
Lesson 13
Tragic Hero
Students complete a "Timeline and Character Development" chart, filling act/scene rows with actions and using that table to decide and justify whether a character is static or dynamic and round or flat. Students complete a "Pyramus and Thisbe" comparison activity that asks them to note similarities between the poem and Romeo and Juliet in side-by-side columns. Students watch provided videos (TedEd and character-type videos) and answer focused journal questions that require organizing ideas about types of heroes and explaining how Romeo/Juliet meet criteria; students also write a brief journal summary of the most important event in Act 5.
Lesson 14
Modern Retelling
Students are directed to compose a thesis statement placed above three paragraphs and to begin each paragraph with a topic sentence that answers a focused comparison question, which requires introducing a topic and organizing ideas. The lesson teaches use of the APE method (Answer, Prove with examples, Extend) and requires specific examples from both productions, guiding students to make important connections and distinctions. Students complete a "Two Versions" Student Activity Page designed as a two-column comparison chart (a table with headings) and watch the film (multimedia) while taking notes, demonstrating use of graphics and multimedia to aid comprehension.
Final Project
Drama
Students are asked to create a news webpage with a masthead, article headlines, and four-to-five sentence article leads that answer who/what/when/where, which requires them to introduce topics and organize information. Several project templates (Comic Strip/Storyboard, Set Design Template, Costume pages, Playlist page) prompt students to label panels/headings, provide summaries/descriptions, and include drawings or graphics. Multiple projects (podcast, commercial, news webpage, playlist) require students to produce or incorporate multimedia and to cite outside sources with parenthetical references and a Works Cited page.
Semester Exam
Semester Exam
Students are asked to review the Informational Texts unit and to understand various types of informational writing (history, science, technical) and common features of informational writing. The skills list asks students to "produce clear and coherent writing" and to "write routinely over extended time frames," which implies practice with organization and development. In the discussion and short-answer tasks, students must write 1–3 paragraph responses that require explanation, comparison, and use of evidence. The answer key and one discussion prompt explicitly ask students to consider formatting aids (headings/subheadings, charts, bulleted lists) when evaluating Gladwell's Outliers.