Eighth Grade - ELA
1: Semester 1
Unit 1: Abigail Adams
Lesson 1
Getting to Know Abigail Adams
Students are asked to read chapter titles and answer whether the author chose them well and whether they seem relevant to the book's theme, which prompts consideration of theme. Students complete activities analyzing the foreword, chronology, family tree, and chapter contents, and they answer discussion questions about how individuals' lives interact with historical events and expectations for women, connecting character and setting. The wrapping-up section asks students to summarize what they learned in the first two chapters, prompting a brief objective summary of those chapters.
Lesson 3
Unrest and War
Students are prompted to consider thematic connections by the 'Ideas to Think About' question about how individuals' lives interact with and are transformed by their time and place. The discussion prompts ask students to evaluate how the author balances Abigail Adams's personal life with the historical events unfolding around her, which asks students to relate character and historical context. In Activity 2 students must use primary and secondary sources to write a first-person account of the Boston Tea Party or Massacre, which requires them to synthesize events from texts into a coherent narrative.
Lesson 5
Remember the Ladies
Students are asked to consider overarching questions such as "How do the lives of individuals interact with, influence, and become transformed by the events of the time and place in which they live?" which prompts consideration of broad ideas across the reading. In Activity 2 (Exploring Roles) students list John's and Abigail's responsibilities, note shifts when John was away, and answer how those shifts may have influenced Abigail, connecting character actions to historical context. In Activity 1 students summarize the main topics of a primary letter (Summary Section) and analyze how the biographer used that letter, practicing summarizing and evidence-based analysis of a text fragment.
Lesson 8
Genre
Students are asked to "write a paragraph that summarizes the scene you chose based solely on known facts -- do not add any details," which requires them to produce an objective summary of a portion of the text. The "Ideas to Think About" prompts (e.g., how lives interact with time and place; the purpose of biography) ask students to consider broad, thematic relationships between individuals and historical context. A discussion question asks students to consider "How did John Adams's European appointments influence Abigail's life?", prompting students to connect events to a character's experience.
Lesson 9
The Vice Presidency
Students read Chapters 17–18 and primary letters and are asked to consider and write about how Thomas Jefferson influenced Abigail Adams (Activity 1 prompts: "How do you think Thomas Jefferson might have influenced Abigail Adams and how might she have influenced him?" and "What was the value of their friendship in Abigail Adams's life?"). The "Ideas to Think About" section asks students to consider how individuals' lives interact with and are transformed by the events of their time and place, which encourages thinking about overarching ideas connecting character and historical context.
Lesson 10
Presidential Politics
Students are prompted to consider how individual lives interact with and are transformed by their historical context in the "Ideas to Think About" question, which invites thematic reflection. Students read Chapters 19–20 and answer questions that require them to identify characters' beliefs and actions (e.g., John and Abigail's views on the French Revolution, Abigail's activities as First Lady). Activity 2 asks students to compare Federalists and Republicans and to relate those political differences to Abigail's life, encouraging connections between character and historical setting.
Lesson 12
Remembering Abigail Adams
Students read Chapters 23 and 24 and answer focused comprehension questions that require recounting key events and outcomes (e.g., family tragedies, correspondence, financial management). Students write a 6–8 sentence eulogy or obituary or design a memorial that asks them to draw on "important themes in her life," which requires selecting and summarizing central ideas about Abigail Adams. Students prepare a final project performance that asks them to present ways Abigail was influenced by her world and how she influenced others, prompting consideration of relationships between her life and historical context.
Final Project
A One-Person Play
Students plan and write a three-scene one-person play that requires them to choose a historical event that influenced Abigail Adams, a person who influenced her, and a person she influenced, and to state dates and explain impacts in each scene. Students must include at least one direct quotation from a primary source and provide summaries for each planned event on the provided planning pages. The unit test includes paragraph-analysis questions that ask students to identify Abigail Adams's stance on education and to analyze her influence on John Adams and others, requiring use of supporting evidence.
Unit 2: Animal Farm
Lesson 1
What Is a Theme?
Students read explicit definitions that distinguish topic, plot, and theme (e.g., "A theme is an idea that is important in a work of literature...") and practice identifying themes by sorting example phrases into Topic/Plot/Theme columns. Students complete a pre-reading activity that has them examine book covers, introductions, and back-cover materials and answer questions about what they learn and expect from Animal Farm. The activity pages include explicit theme examples (e.g., "Appearances can be deceiving") and ask students to add their own example.
Lesson 2
Major's Dream
Students read Chapter 1 of Animal Farm and answer comprehension questions asking how Major characterizes farm life, where he places blame, and what he sees as the animals' answer, which connects to early thematic material. Students complete Activity 2 by choosing adjectives for characters and providing textual examples of events that reveal those traits, linking character evidence to possible thematic development. Students are prompted by the 'Ideas to Think About' questions to consider how authors use characters, settings, and plots to develop themes, and the Parent Plan lists determining and analyzing a theme as an expected skill.
Lesson 3
The Rebellion
Students are asked to explore the theme of leadership and government through Activity 2, where they compare characters' leadership qualities (Option 1) and are instructed to cite specific examples from the novel to support claims. Students compare the Seven Commandments to the Bill of Rights (Option 2) and answer analytical questions about which document restricts leaders or citizens and whether the commandments could fail. Reading prompts and discussion questions ask students to consider concerns about the farm and whether the Seven Commandments will be a useful guideline, which directs students to think about thematic implications.
Lesson 4
Work on the Farm
The Parent Plan explicitly lists the skill "Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary of the text." Activity 1 directs students to compare Manor Farm and Animal Farm using specific examples from Chapter 3, asking who did the work, how jobs were completed, and who benefited, which requires analysis of characters, setting, and plot changes. Reading questions ask students to explain symbolism (the flag), character motives (why pigs took the milk and apples), and character traits (Boxer's motto), prompting students to link character actions and symbols to larger ideas.
Lesson 5
The Battle of the Cowshed
Students are asked to consider how authors use characters, settings, and plots to develop themes (Getting Started). In Activity 1 students reconstruct the sequence and locations of the Battle of the Cowshed, showing beginning, middle, and end events, and in Option 2 students write a speech that explains a character's role, highlights qualities, and explicitly asks them to provide a lesson the audience can draw from the battle. The Wrapping Up paragraph prompts students to think about how leaders influence the memory and meaning of events across upcoming chapters.
Lesson 6
Comrade Napoleon
Students read Chapter 5 and answer targeted questions about events and characters (Mollie's departure, Snowball vs. Napoleon, factions, and how Napoleon seized power), which requires them to analyze character actions and plot outcomes. Students complete a research activity linking Animal Farm characters to Russian Revolution figures and create a timeline, explicitly making connections between characters and historical roles. Students are prompted by "Ideas to Think About" and discussion questions to consider themes such as who should have power and how power corrupts, and to reflect on what Orwell is trying to say about leadership.
Lesson 7
Changes on the Farm
Students are prompted to consider how authors use characters, settings, and plots to develop themes in the "Ideas to Think About" section. Students complete a three-part graphic organizer that tracks changes in leadership (Mr. Jones → Napoleon and Snowball → Napoleon), asking them to note effects on work, sacrifice, productivity, happiness, power, and fairness, which connects character and plot changes to larger ideas. Students answer guided questions that ask them to interpret Orwell's intentions about leadership and its connection to broader themes, and the Wrapping Up section asks students to think about what Orwell might have been saying about government, power, and leadership.
Lesson 8
The End of the Rebellion
Students read Chapter 7 and answer targeted questions that ask them to explain characters' motivations and plot events (e.g., why animals wanted to hide the food shortage, why the hens protested and how their protest was suppressed, why animals were killed after confessing). In Activity 1 students summarize advice Napoleon might give and describe his leadership from his point of view, which asks them to analyze Napoleon's character and persuasive tactics. The lesson prompt "How can power corrupt those who wield it?" explicitly invites students to consider a thematic idea related to character and power.
Lesson 9
The Battle of the Windmill
Question #1 directs students to analyze how animals close to Napoleon reinforced his leadership through protection, titles, speeches, and praise, which connects character actions to the plot. Question #2 asks students to evaluate the credibility of reports and recognize misinformation, prompting analysis of how propaganda affects understanding of events. The parent discussion prompts ask students to consider what Orwell might say about the abuse of power, which invites students to infer an authorial message or theme from events and character behavior.
Lesson 10
Boxer's Fate
Students read Chapter 9 and answer specific comprehension questions about plot incidents (e.g., Boxer's fate). Students create a plot diagram identifying setting, rising action, and climax and are asked to write 1-2 sentences stating a main theme beneath the diagram. Students identify at least two incidents that support provided themes or develop their own theme and explain how those incidents connect to the theme using a bubble-map style organizer.
Lesson 11
The Farmers Pay a Visit
Students finish reading the novel and return to a Plot Diagram to complete and revise their ideas about theme, prompting them to determine a central idea and track its development. Students fill in a "Seven Commandments, Revisited" table documenting how the commandments changed over the course of the book, connecting those changes to characters' actions (e.g., pigs wearing clothes, walking on two legs, executions). Students write a paragraph applying a theme to historical or modern situations and must cite at least two specific incidents from the book, which requires analysis of plot and character examples that support the theme.
Final Project
Animal Farm Letter
The Skills list explicitly names the standard, telling students to "Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary of the text." Activity prompts require students to write a letter that "shares your insights about a central theme of the novel" or address a theme in a character-to-character letter, asking for supporting examples from the text. The Sample Outline and letter options direct students to cite specific events (Napoleon breaking commandments, lying, changes in living conditions) and to explain how the situation became worse over Napoleon's reign, which asks students to connect theme to characters and plot development. The rubric's Ideas category evaluates students' understanding of plot and themes and their use of appropriate textual evidence.
Unit 3: Einstein Adds a New Dimension
Lesson 3
The Curies' Discoveries
The Parent Plan Skills section explicitly lists "Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; provide an accurate summary of the text," and the note-taking activities ask students to read, identify "the most important points," and put information in their own words. The note-taking sample and answer key show students identifying central ideas across chapters (e.g., main ideas about radioactivity, light, and molecular movement) and instruct students to summarize complex points. The reading questions and guidance to "explain or summarize" sections provide direct student practice with extracting and restating main ideas.
Lesson 4
Process Writing
Students are asked in Option 2 to "write 1-2 paragraphs describing the highlights of the sequence of events you chose" and to "summarize the process for a reader who has not read the book," which requires producing an objective summary of events. The Planning and Organization graphic organizer includes boxes for Event 1–Event 4, sections for people/dates/terms, and a Conclusion, guiding students to organize and condense key events. The Wrapping Up step has students let a peer read their sequence to see if the reader "can clearly understand what happened and why it was important," reinforcing summary and clarity of events.
Lesson 8
Comparison and Contrast Writing
The Parent Plan skills list explicitly tells students to "Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; provide an accurate summary of the text distinct from prior knowledge or opinions." Students read Chapters 33–35 and answer targeted comprehension questions (e.g., the twin paradox; why Einstein rejected instantaneous gravity; how scientists tested Einstein's theory) that require identifying key ideas from the text. The planning/organization pages and wrapping-up guidance ask students to re-read bolded points and analogies to understand core concepts, which supports identifying main ideas.
Lesson 9
Avoiding Plagiarism
Students are asked to write a summary of Chapter 36 with a prompt that begins "Chapter 36 is about ..." and space to record key ideas. The activity includes a worked example summary of Chapter 39 that highlights main points and shows how to condense chapter content into a brief objective summary. The Parent Plan explicitly lists as a skill: "Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; provide an accurate summary of the text distinct from prior knowledge or opinions."
Final Project
Research Paper
The lesson's Skills list explicitly states that students will "Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; provide an accurate summary of the text distinct from prior knowledge or opinions." Activity 1 has students identify a paper's thesis statement and topic sentences, and the KWS chart and Research Notes pages guide students to record main ideas and summarize source information. The Research Rubric and unit test items (short answer prompting reflection on learned content) require students to state main points and produce concise summaries.
Unit 4: Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Lesson 1
Introduction to Mark Twain and the Novel
The Parent Plan Skills list explicitly states that students will "Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary of the text." Students are directed to keep a journal "throughout the unit to collect information and quotes and to analyze the story, characters, plot, and theme." Activity prompts (Activity 5 and Wrapping Up) ask students to consider what attitudes Twain reveals through characters and themes and to trace Huck and Jim's journey on maps, linking setting and plot to thematic questions.
Lesson 4
What is Narrative Writing II
Students read Chapters 12–15 and answer comprehension questions about plot events, and they analyze multiple dialogue excerpts to determine what dialogue reveals about characters and how it propels action. Parent notes ask students to scan parts of the novel to identify places where the author shows that "luck is important" and state that the theme of civility "appears throughout the novel and will appear clearly at the end." The activities require students to explain how dialogue connects to character development and plot movement.
Lesson 5
Expository Writing
Students are asked to compare and contrast Huck and Jim (Activity 2) using a Venn diagram and then write a paragraph that includes supporting evidence from the novel. The activity explicitly directs students to "think about the themes of freedom and slavery" and to use quotes/dialogue or events from the story as support. Reading Question #3 asks students to analyze the quote about feeling "free and easy and comfortable on a raft," prompting students to compare life on the raft to life with other characters.
Lesson 7
Persuasive Writing
Students read Chapters 22–25 and answer text-dependent questions that ask them to explain how Huck's view of Jim changes (Question #2) and to support their answer with a quote. Students also answer why Huck is "ashamed of the human race" in response to the Duke and King's behavior (Question #3), which asks them to analyze characters' actions and moral implications. These tasks require students to analyze character development and draw inferences about human behavior from specific passages.
Lesson 8
Hiding the Money
Students are asked to consider what the raft and the Mississippi River symbolize and how the raft and river have meaning for Jim and Huck (Activity 2 and Wrapping Up). The Parent Plan prompts students to discuss what the Mississippi River and raft represent and gives an explicit example linking them to freedom and Huck's desires. Reading questions require students to explain Huck's motives for hiding the money, connecting character decisions to plot events (Chapters 26-28 questions).
Lesson 11
Mark Twain's Influence
Students are asked in Activity 1 to consider the theme or lesson of the novel and to explain in 3–4 sentences what Hemingway meant by his quote, which requires identifying a central idea. In Activity 2 students take notes comparing a real slave narrative to the character of Jim, including comparisons of dialect and figurative language, which asks them to relate character details to broader ideas. The Student Activity Page includes a Story Map with a labeled Theme box, prompting students to identify a central message when analyzing or creating a story. Additionally, reading questions and chapter work require students to recall plot events from Chapters 37–40, providing grounding in plot details.
Lesson 12
The Movie Adaptation
Students are asked to finish reading Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and answer specific questions about plot and character, including whether Huck is ever civilized and what happened to Huck's father, which requires attention to character change. One question and its answer note Huck's changed recognition that Jim is a human being, connecting character development to plot outcomes. The activities direct students to take notes comparing and contrasting character, plot, language, setting, and dialect between the novel and a film adaptation, prompting analysis of relationships among those elements.
Final Project
Cultural Biography
Students are asked to reflect on big ideas in prompts such as "What did you learn about life during this time in America's history by following the adventure of Huck and Jim?" and to compare how "Huck and Jim are similar" or different. The story-blocks option explicitly allows students to "reflect the theme of each block," and projects require students to represent character, point of view, symbolism, and include quotes that illuminate character and context. The Life Application question ("What makes a person?") and rubric items (expository sentence about slavery or dialect) prompt students to connect character and social context to broader ideas.
Unit 5: Elijah of Buxton
Lesson 1
Introduction to the Novel
Students read Chapters 1 and 2 and answer targeted comprehension questions about Elijah, Cooter, Elijah's mother, and the Frederick Douglass visit, which connect character actions to plot events. Students investigate the historical setting of Buxton and the Underground Railroad through web research and mapping activities, linking setting to the story context. Students respond to prompts and discussion questions that ask about ideas such as "What is the nature of courage?" and analyze the use of flashback to reveal character background.
Lesson 2
The Preacher
Students read Chapters 3 and 4 and answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., what Elijah does after school, what he finds at night), which asks them to summarize plot details. Students are asked to summarize the flashback at the start of Chapter 4 and explain its purpose, and to list incidents that create suspicion about the Preacher, prompting character and plot analysis. Students discuss the Buxton Settlement Creed and imagine what newly freed people would need to adjust, connecting plot/setting details to larger ideas about community and change.
Lesson 3
Creating a Character
Students discuss the meaning of Mr. Leroy's remark and whether they agree, which asks them to interpret a thematic idea (positive thinking). Students are asked to explain the proverb "familiarity breeds contempt" and give examples, connecting a general theme to characters and situations. The Parent Plan lists as a skill that students should "Analyze the effects of elements such as plot, theme, characterization," and students complete questions about settlement rules that connect setting and community practices to purpose.
Lesson 6
Symbolism
The lesson explicitly directs students to read Chapters 11 and 12 and discusses a recurring idea: "Even when freedom had been achieved, former slaves were deeply affected by their difficult experiences in bondage," which students can use as a thematic insight. Students analyze symbols (Elijah as a symbol of hope; identical houses representing equality) and complete a Student Activity Page that asks them to explain the symbolic value of the Liberty Bell, Emma's doll, and Mr. Taylor's dagger. Discussion prompts ask students to explain character actions (how Emma, Elijah, and others showed kindness) and to interpret the Frederick Douglass quote, linking ideas about freedom and fear to character and community responses.
Lesson 7
The Importance of Education
Students read Chapters 13 and 14 and answer focused questions that require summarizing events (e.g., describing the letter Mrs. Holton receives and summarizing Elijah's mother's story) and identifying character development (e.g., how Elijah shows growing maturity). In Activity 2 students explicitly consider the theme of education by discussing the implications of forced illiteracy, comparing Buxton's schooling practices, and reflecting on the importance and privilege of education. Option 2 asks students to write a scene in which characters explain why they risk so much to receive an education, which connects the idea of education to characters' motivations.
Lesson 8
Transitions and Characters
Students read Chapters 15–17 and answer specific plot questions (Q1–Q4) that require recounting events and consequences. Students compare and contrast two characters using a graphic organizer (Elijah vs. Huck or Cooter) and assign descriptive words to main characters in discussion prompts. The 'Ideas to Think About' and discussion questions prompt students to consider themes implicitly (e.g., "The promise of freedom is compelling enough to make people take big risks") and to evaluate characters' motives and responsibilities.
Lesson 9
Transitions and Humor
Students read Chapters 18–19 and answer specific plot and character questions (e.g., what Elijah planned, how Mr. Leroy encountered Elijah, and Elijah's feelings). The parent-discussion prompts ask students to evaluate Elijah's blame and to compare and contrast the responses of the community, Mr. Leroy, and Elijah, which requires relating character actions and plot events to larger ideas. The "Ideas to Think About" section lists thematic statements (decisions have unexpected consequences; emotions can blind people; humor interspersed with tragedy) that students are invited to consider.
Lesson 10
Allusions and Authors
Students are prompted with "Ideas to Think About" that state theme-like ideas (courage vs. violence; respect for persons) and are asked discussion questions about Elijah's courage and reactions to the slaves, which direct them to consider thematic meaning connected to characters and plot events. The Parent Plan lists a skill to "Analyze how a modern work of fiction draws on themes, patterns of events, or character types," and Student Activity pages require students to explain how specific allusions connect to the book, which supports connecting textual elements to larger meanings.
Lesson 11
Story Reflections
Students are asked to create a theme web for the theme of "freedom," recording examples from different parts of Elijah of Buxton that support and develop that theme. Students complete a plot diagram that requires identifying the main conflict, the climax, seven rising-action events, three falling-action events, and the resolution, which asks them to trace how the conflict develops over the course of the story. Students answer discussion questions about how Elijah shows both fragility and courage, connecting the development of theme to character actions and plot events.
Final Project
Personal Narrative
Students are asked directly to identify a theme and provide two examples of how that theme was developed in the story (Story Structure question 3). Students plan and diagram plot elements — main conflict, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution — which requires students to track development of events over the course of the text. The parent answer key and rubric reinforce identifying themes (e.g., freedom or courage) and citing examples from the text.
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 about plot and character (e.g., identifying Eduardo's likely experiment, describing Matt's life, noting that Matt is a clone, and explaining people's reactions). The lesson's "Ideas to Think About" and Wrapping Up discussion prompts invite students to consider thematic topics (e.g., cruelty and kindness, community, whether a clone is fully human) and to make connections between the cloning topic and the first four chapters. Several comprehension questions ask students to infer motives and cite textual clues (e.g., embryos failing to develop, petri dishes), which supports initial thematic inference tied to plot and character evidence.
Lesson 2
Revising and Editing
Students are given explicit thematic prompts in the "Ideas to Think About" section (e.g., enduring horrors; power used for good or ill) that orient them to possible central ideas. Discussion questions ask students to link ideas to characters and events (e.g., how El Patrón uses power, examples of love/loyalty and corruption/betrayal), and comprehension questions require students to describe characters, settings, and plot developments in Chapters 5 and 6. The wrapping up notes and parent prompts encourage students to reflect on Matt's changes and coping, which connects character and plot to larger ideas.
Lesson 3
Cast of Characters
Students are prompted to consider thematic ideas in the "Ideas to Think About" section (e.g., family relationships, access to resources, free will). Students answer discussion questions in the Parent Plan that ask them to analyze the tragedy of the eejit and Tam Lin's comments about how others view Matt, connecting events to character motivations. Students create a family tree and write brief descriptions of characters, which requires identifying relationships among characters and linking them to plot details.
Lesson 4
Rhetorical and Logical Fallacies
Students are directed to read Chapters 10–12 and to "pay special attention to the ethical dilemmas exposed and to the use of power among the characters," which directs them to consider a central idea about power and ethics. Parent Plan discussion questions ask students to explain how Matt uses power, how El Patrón wields power, and what results occur, tying those ideas to characters and plot events. The Reading and Questions section requires students to recount specific plot events (e.g., Tom, Furball, the clone), which supports linking plot details to thematic discussion.
Lesson 5
Arguing the Issue
The lesson prompts students to consider thematic questions such as "What makes a human being?" and "Can a person truly be possessed by another?", which invites reflection on central ideas. Parent discussion prompts ask students to explain how Tam Lim treated Matt and to cite evidence about El Patrón's possessive behavior, linking character actions to thematic ideas. The reading questions require students to recount plot events in Chapters 13–15, so students practice summarizing specific incidents and character reactions.
Lesson 6
Societal Comparisons
Students are asked directly, "What warning do you think The House of the Scorpion offers?" and to discuss the dystopian commentary, which prompts identification of a central message. The lesson's 'Ideas to Think About' states that setting and events contribute to themes, and questions about Matt's hospital incident and the lives of the eejits prompt students to connect character and plot details to that message. Activities ask students to compare Opium and the United States and to consider who holds power, linking setting and social structure to thematic commentary.
Lesson 7
One-Act Play
The lesson includes thematic prompts such as "Ideas to Think About" that state "Speaking out for the rights of others can bring about important changes," and parent discussion questions that ask why the author chose the name Esperanza and what her role is, prompting interpretation of hope and advocacy. The Parent Plan and "Questions to Discuss" ask students to consider characters' roles and motivations (e.g., Celia and Tam Lin's plan to help Matt), and "Things to Review" directs students to discuss character, setting, and dialogue and explain their importance. The one-act play activity asks students to make clear protagonist/antagonist relationships and to convey mood and conflict through dialogue and action, which supports analysis of how elements interact.
Lesson 8
Family Crest
The lesson prompts students to consider thematic ideas (e.g., "People can use power to love and protect or to deceive and destroy" and "Power can be overt or quiet and subtle"). Students answer comprehension questions about plot events in Chapters 22–24 and respond to discussion prompts that ask them to compare how El Patrón, Celia, Maria, and Tam Lin use power and how Tam Lin's statement about clones relates to Matt's experience. The family crest activity requires students to choose a character trait for El Patrón and justify colors, symbols, and a motto to represent that trait, linking character and theme choices to symbolic representation.
Lesson 9
Science Fiction
Students are prompted to think about the idea that "Sometimes the rights of individuals and the good of society are in conflict with each other." They answer discussion questions asking whether El Patrón lives on in Matt and whether the Keepers' values have merit, which require students to consider characters' beliefs and their implications. Reading questions ask students to describe Matt's impressions of Aztlán and his situation in the orphanage, tying attention to setting and character actions.
Lesson 10
Opium and Aztlán
Students are given thematic prompts in the "Ideas to Think About" section (power and control, resistance, love and loyalty) and are asked to consider these as they read Chapters 28–30. In Activity 1 students list descriptive words for Opium and Aztlán and complete a Venn diagram comparing Matt's life in the two settings, connecting setting to Matt's experiences. The Parent Plan discussion questions ask students to analyze Jorge's use of confession and Matt's resistance and to consider the author's environmental comment, prompting connections among theme, characters, setting, and plot.
Lesson 11
Wisdom and Love
Students are prompted to consider explicit thematic statements in the "Ideas to Think About" section (for example, "The love and wisdom taught in childhood can affect decisions made later in life"). Students analyze quoted passages of Celia's and Tam Lin's teachings and write journal reflections about how those teachings shaped Matt, directly connecting theme to character development. Students respond to discussion questions asking how friendship, conscience, and wise voices influence Matt's choices and survival in the plankton factory, tying theme to specific plot events.
Lesson 12
El Día de los Muertos
Students are presented with explicit thematic prompts in the "Ideas to Think About" (e.g., honoring memories after death; power not dependent on physical size). Students answer comprehension questions about plot events (rescue, hospital scene) and attend a cultural activity connecting the Day of the Dead to honoring deceased loved ones. Discussion prompts ask students to consider how Esperanza exercises power and how Consuela's name fits her character, linking character behavior to thematic ideas.
Lesson 13
Unit Test and Essay Reflections
The lesson explicitly defines theme in "Ideas to Think About," telling students that a theme is an idea developed throughout a story and that authors use setting, characters, dialogue, and other features to develop theme. The Parent Plan lists the exact standard as a skill to be practiced. Student activities ask extended-response questions about characters' power and the author's choice to have Tam Lin die, and include reflective essay prompts about cloning that invite consideration of the book's ideas over the course of the novel.
Unit 2: Watership Down
Lesson 2
Foreshadowing
The Parent Plan Skills section explicitly lists the standard, naming "Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary of the text." The lesson asks students to read Chapters 1–8 and complete character cards recording descriptions, actions, quotes, and others' reactions, which supports analysis of characters and their roles. Discussion questions prompt students to consider Fiver's intuition and the Threarah's leadership, and the "Ideas to Think About" section suggests thematic ideas (e.g., leadership responsibility, listening to seemingly unimportant voices).
Lesson 3
An Epic Journey
Students are asked to record examples of genre characteristics on a graphic organizer that explicitly includes a prompt for a "serious theme." Students add information to character cards and create "travel tracker" postcards that require them to record the settings the rabbits pass through. Students respond to discussion questions that prompt them to consider Fiver's premonition and the unusual nature of Cowslip's warren, which invites interpretation of meaning tied to characters and setting.
Lesson 4
Comparing Rabbits
Students read Chapters 14–17 and complete a Venn-diagram activity comparing Hazel's group and Cowslip's group, identifying character traits and behaviors. Discussion prompts ask students to explain Pipkin's comparison, what Fiver discovered about Cowslip's warren, and why the two groups respond differently to the Story of El-ahrairah. The Wrapping Up and parent notes highlight the "dark secret" and the rabbits' denial, guiding students to infer connections between characters, setting, and the social dynamics described.
Lesson 5
Quotes and Creatures
Students are asked in Activity 1 to research the chapter-opening quotations and "explain how the quote relates to the events and theme of the chapter," which requires identifying a chapter-level theme and linking it to plot events. Students are instructed to add to character cards as they read, recording traits, actions, quotes, and reactions, which supports connecting themes to characters. Discussion prompts ask students to explain how leaving Cowslip's warren changed Hazel's group and to interpret Holly's comment about men spoiling the earth, prompting analysis of theme in relation to character actions and authorial commentary.
Lesson 6
Dramatic Irony
Students are asked to take on the literary role of Questioner and develop 3–5 questions about the "big ideas" in Chapters 22 and 23, which prompts consideration of overarching ideas. The "Ideas to Think About" section explicitly suggests a thematic idea: "Leadership involves taking initiative to plan ahead for the future needs of a group." The "Questions to Discuss" (e.g., Hazel's reason for saving the bird and how the rabbits move on) prompt students to consider character motivations and group responses that relate to thematic issues.
Lesson 7
Rabbit Societies
The Parent Plan Skills section explicitly lists the standard, saying students will "Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development...; provide an objective summary." The Introducing the Lesson and Ideas to Think About prompt students to "explore the themes of society and leadership" and to consider strengths and weaknesses of rabbit societies and leaders. Activity 2 (Rabbit Societies) has students identify and record positive and negative traits of each rabbit group and their leaders, and Options 1 and 2 ask students to synthesize community values (slogans, symbols, flags) that reflect those themes. The Passage Practitioner task and Discussion Questions require students to pick passages, record reasons, and discuss character motivations and plot events related to leadership and society.
Lesson 8
Folktales and Fantasy
The Parent Plan Skills section lists the standard verbatim and directs students to 'Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development...' and to 'Cite the textual evidence...' Students are assigned the literary role Summarizer and directed in Activity 1 to write a summary of Chapter 31 and identify key events and ideas. Activity prompts ask students to read summaries of El-ahrairah tales, state the lesson each story taught, and explain how each story contributed to the rabbits' understanding and common identity, which requires identifying themes and linking them to characters and cultural context.
Lesson 9
Characters
Students read Chapters 32–34 and answer discussion questions that require analysis of character actions and plot (e.g., explaining Bigwig's impulsive dash, Hazel's response, and the result). Students consider foreshadowing and make predictions about characters' plans and chances, tying character motivations to plot development. Students create and describe 2–3 characters, specifying personalities, strengths, weaknesses, and quotes, which engages them in thinking about how character traits influence events.
Lesson 10
Setting
Students compare and contrast the physical settings of Efafra and Watership Down using a Venn diagram or artwork and write a 2–4 sentence reflection explaining how setting details give clues about the kinds of places they are. Students draw and label a map for their own fantasy story and are prompted to consider how the setting will tie into characters' personalities and actions and how it will aid the plot. Students take on the literary role of Questioner to develop 3–5 big-idea questions about Chapters 35–37, and teacher prompts ask students to discuss leadership, Bigwig's character, and why the author set a chapter during an approaching storm (linking setting to mood).
Lesson 11
Conflict and Escape
The Parent Plan skills section explicitly lists the standard, asking students to "determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary of the text." The Getting Started and Activity 2 sections direct students to consider the theme of caring for the environment and ask them to identify "what evidence of the theme of environmentalism" they encounter and "how the author communicates his ideas through the characters, setting, and plot." The Reading role (Travel Tracker) and Activity 1 require students to map settings and create a plot diagram, prompting attention to setting, plot, and character relationships.
Lesson 12
Dramatic Enactment
Students read Chapters 41–45 and are asked to update character cards with physical descriptions, traits, important actions, memorable quotes, and reactions of other characters, which directs them to track character development. The lesson includes explicit discussion prompts asking students to provide examples of Hazel's leadership, describe the critical juncture between Hazel and Woundwort, and explain what those moments reveal about the characters and stakes of the plot. The "Ideas to Think About" statement ("In a moment of crisis, a leader's true character will show") frames a thematic idea for students to consider as they analyze character choices during the climax.
Lesson 13
A Fantasy Story
The study guide explicitly instructs students to focus on "Leadership Development" and how the theme of leadership is developed within the book. Parent prompts ask students to discuss how characters have changed, how major conflicts were resolved, and what themes or messages they found most meaningful. The unit test includes a long-response item asking students to choose a rabbit leader, describe his leadership style, and give two examples of how he exercised leadership and how others responded, which asks students to connect theme to character and events.
Unit 3: The Book Thief
Lesson 2
Similes and Metaphors
The lesson includes prompts that ask students to consider thematic ideas, e.g., "How do relationships help overcome adversity?" in the Ideas to Think About section. Discussion questions ask students to explain character motivations and reactions ("Do you think Rudy is a good friend for Liesel?", "Why do you think Hans took the time to teach Liesel to read?", "Describe the range of reactions to the parade"), which links characters, setting, and plot. The lesson also defines symbolism and asks students to create symbols for vocabulary, supporting interpretation of meaning tied to elements of the story.
Lesson 5
The Accordion Player
Students are prompted to think about thematic ideas via the "Ideas to Think About" prompts that ask how relationships help overcome adversity and why standing on morals matters. Discussion prompts ask students to compare the friendships of Hans/Erik and Max/Walter, which directs students to connect character relationships to larger ideas. Reading comprehension questions require students to identify plot events and character actions (e.g., how Erik saved Hans, how Walter helped Max), giving concrete material students can use to support thematic thinking.
Lesson 6
The Standover Man
Students are asked to think about theme-like questions in the 'Ideas to Think About' section (e.g., how relationships help overcome adversity; standing on your morals). The parent/teacher discussion prompts explicitly ask students to analyze how the meaning of 'standover man' changes from the beginning to the end of Max's book, and to evaluate effects of shared nightmares and Max's motives — tasks that connect theme to character and events. The activity also invites students to re-tell and illustrate a scene from The Book Thief in their own words, which can require summarizing events.
Lesson 8
The Thief Strikes Again
Students are asked explicit thematic questions in the "Ideas to Think About" (e.g., how relationships help overcome adversity; why it is essential to stand on your morals in the face of adversity). Students analyze symbolic imagery and character actions in guided reading questions (e.g., explaining Max's drawings and why Liesel steals the book) that connect events and characters to larger ideas. The discussion prompts ask students to consider the effect of Part Five beginning and ending with the river scene and Death's commentary, which links plot structure and narrator perspective to broader meaning.
Lesson 9
Close Calls
Students are asked to consider thematic ideas in the "Ideas to Think About" section (e.g., "Why is it essential to stand on your morals in the face of adversity?"). Question #4 asks students to analyze why Death opens Part Six with extensive descriptions of death and how that relates specifically to Liesel's story, prompting connection between author choices, tone, and character/plot. Discussion prompts (Wrapping Up and Parent Plan Questions) ask students to discuss motivations and implications of character actions and scenes, which can surface thematic interpretation.
Lesson 10
The Trilogy of Happiness
The lesson explicitly names an important theme—"what constitutes 'family'"—and asks students to complete a Relationship Web connecting Liesel to other characters and to "describe the significance of the relationships". The "Ideas to Think About" prompts (e.g., how relationships help overcome adversity; standing on morals in the face of adversity) guide students toward thematic interpretation. Several comprehension questions ask students to identify key events and Liesel's "trilogy of happiness," which can support identification of central ideas about the character's experiences.
Lesson 11
The Word Shaker
Students are asked to record examples of propaganda from Part Eight and to consider what Max's story "The Word Shaker" may have to say about propaganda. The Allegory section directs students to identify what Hitler is "planting," interpret the conveyor-belt image as indoctrination, and explain how Liesel differs as a "word shaker." Discussion prompts ask students to explain the meaning of a "nation of farmed thoughts" and to connect that idea to characters' choices (for example, whether the Steiners should have let Rudy go to the special school).
Lesson 12
The Teddy Bear
Students are asked in Activity 1 to "explore the concept of a journey," identifying how characters "grow in wisdom," "change emotionally or spiritually," and note realizations they come to. Option 2 directs students to create a map or diagram of Max's physical and emotional journey, explaining the significance of each stop and how his emotional state changed. The provided flowchart example of Liesel's journey and the Journey Interview prompts require students to identify important events, decisions, and lessons learned along a person's journey.
Unit 4: To Kill a Mockingbird
Lesson 1
Historical Context
Students create a mind map of "Alabama in the 1930s" and answer a journal question connecting historical context to the book, which prompts them to relate setting to events and characters. The "Things to Know" section explicitly names the atmosphere of injustice and inequality as a central theme that influences characters' experiences and morality. Students read the first two chapters and answer targeted questions about Scout, Jem, Dill, the Radleys, and Scout's first day of school, linking character and plot details to the historical setting. Discussion prompts ask students to identify evidence of the historical period in the chapters and to consider how psychological control affected Boo, encouraging analysis of theme as it appears in those chapters.
Lesson 2
Home and School
Students read chapters 3–4 and are asked to write a literature response that requires referring to specific examples from the book. Students answer discussion questions that ask how Atticus and Calpurnia treat Walter Cunningham and what those attitudes reveal about their values, prompting analysis of character actions and values. The skills statement requires students to cite textual evidence to support analysis, and the wrap-up notes that Scout is absorbing important lessons about family and community values, which directs students' attention to recurring ideas.
Lesson 3
The Mystery of Boo
Students are asked to consider thematic ideas explicitly (Ideas to Think About lists "Mystery can be a powerful motivator" and "Kindness does not require riches"). Activity 1 directs students to compare information about Boo from chapters 1 and 5, classifying hearsay versus personal experience and developing a hypothesis about who Boo really is. Activity 2 has students create and give an inexpensive, thoughtful gift, connecting the text's example of small acts of kindness to their own actions. The Parent Plan notes that students should "cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis," prompting use of evidence to support interpretations.
Lesson 4
Snow and Fire
Students are prompted with thematic ideas (e.g., "Racism was deeply embedded in American society"; "Attempts to rise above the conditions of racism could have great personal cost") in the "Ideas to Think About" section. Students complete a Character Line-Up chart as they read chapters 8–9, recording descriptions, quotes, and memorable actions, which supports connecting character development to larger ideas. Students write a literature response that must include at least one quotation and an explanation of its meaning and importance, and discussion questions ask about Atticus's motives and foreshadowing of future events.
Lesson 5
Surprising Talent
Students read chapters 10–11 and are asked to continue adding information to character Line-Up charts as they learn more about characters. Discussion prompts ask students to explain Miss Maudie's reason that killing a mockingbird is a 'sin,' interpret Atticus's statement about conscience, and evaluate whether Mrs. Dubose exemplifies courage. The Wrapping Up paragraph and Questions to Discuss prompt students to consider hidden talents, admirable aspects of characters, and moral choices, which relate to thematic ideas.
Lesson 6
Separate
The lesson explicitly states that "issues of race are a major theme" and includes Activity 2 that asks students to connect images of segregation to the story and characters. The "Wrapping Up" section and the "Questions to Discuss" prompt students to analyze contrasts (e.g., Calpurnia vs. Aunt Alexandra, Jem's growth) and how these tensions relate to characters and setting. Activity 1 and the "Things to Know" provide direct practice with summarizing (and distinguishing quotation/paraphrase/summary).
Lesson 7
A Moral Dilemma
Students read chapters 14–15 and answer comprehension questions that require them to recount key events (Aunt Alexandra and Calpurnia, Dill's reappearance, the lynch mob scene). Students analyze a moral dilemma by comparing Atticus's choice and by role-playing modern dilemmas, which connects ethical themes to character decisions and consequences. Discussion prompts ask students to identify Jem's growing maturity and to analyze mob mentality and alternative outcomes of the jail scene, linking theme-like ideas to characters, setting, and plot.
Lesson 8
Identity
The Parent Plan explicitly lists the skill: "Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development…" and students are assigned chapters 16–17 to read. In Activity 2 students are asked to consider the theme of identity, relate it to Scout and Jem, and explain how values, roles, and community shape identity. The Wrapping Up and discussion questions ask students to connect courtroom placement, Atticus's behavior, and Jem's comments to community roles and prejudice, tying theme to characters, setting, and plot elements.
Lesson 9
Order in the Court
Students read chapters 18–20 of To Kill a Mockingbird and answer targeted questions about testimony, character actions, and courtroom events (Questions #1–#4). The lesson includes an "Ideas to Think About" section that foregrounds thematic ideas (e.g., justice, fairness, kindness vs. selfish accusation) and a "Wrapping Up" paragraph that links jury decision-making to community prejudice. Discussion prompts ask students to consider characters' reactions and whether the jury will accept Atticus's version of events, which connects plot and character to those thematic ideas.
Lesson 10
Equal Rights?
The Parent Plan explicitly lists the RI.8.2-aligned skill and directs students to read chapters 21–23 and write a 7–9 sentence objective summary of those chapters, which practices providing an objective summary. Multiple discussion prompts and "Ideas to Think About" (e.g., whether the law guaranteed justice, and questions about the jury's decision and community reactions) prompt students to reflect on justice, prejudice, and community responses, connecting events to thematic ideas. The Jim Crow activity asks students to read real examples of segregation laws and create found poetry from that text, which asks students to connect historical setting and social context to the text's ideas.
Lesson 11
The Mockingbird
Students read chapters 24–26 and answer questions about Tom Robinson's death and the town's reaction, linking plot events to character responses. Students analyze the mockingbird symbol: the lesson quotes Atticus's line about it and Mr. Underwood's editorial likening Tom's death to killing a songbird. Students complete a graphic organizer that asks them to list examples from the book where innocence is threatened or destroyed, and the parent notes provide specific examples connecting characters (Tom, Boo, Scout, Atticus) and plot events.
Lesson 12
Wise Words
Students are asked to explain the meaning of five quotes and restate them in their own words in the "Wise Words" activity, which prompts them to articulate big ideas. In "Someone Else's Skin" students write diary entries or create Venn diagrams to analyze how specific characters perceive scenes, practicing point-of-view analysis and connections between character perspectives and events. The parent-plan skills list asks students to analyze how lines of dialogue or incidents propel action and reveal character and to analyze differences in points of view and their effects.
Lesson 13
Text and Film
Students are given explicit theme prompts in the "Ideas to Think About" section (e.g., protecting the weak; people are full of surprises; people capable of harm). Wrapping-up discussion questions ask students to interpret the mockingbird symbol and explain how Scout's actions show what she has learned, connecting theme to character behavior. Option 1 asks students to design a poster that "encapsulates the important themes" and to include a sentence of summary, prompting students to state theme and produce a brief summary.
Final Project
Oral Book Presentation
Students are asked to create a "Themes" slide that requires them to "Explain at least two central themes, detailing how they are presented." The unit test (Part V) asks students to name the most compelling theme and "Give three examples from the book of how this theme is developed." The project also requires a "Plot" slide that tells students to "Summarize the most important events in the story concisely" and a "Characters" slide that asks students to "describe [a character] and explain their development throughout the story." The study guide lists main themes and instructs students to "provide book examples."
Unit 5: Great American Poets
Lesson 2
Early American Poetry
Students are asked to identify what the poet is celebrating in "The Day Is Done" (Question #2), which asks them to state a central idea. Students are directed to read narrative poems aloud, mark phrases or lines that are effective, and to reread Longfellow's "Paul Revere's Ride" while marking memorable images. In the Comparing Texts activity students complete a Venn diagram comparing Longfellow's poem and Paul Revere's first-person account, noting similarities and differences in content, use of literary language, and details (answer key lists plot- and character-related differences and similarities).
Lesson 6
Meaning in Poetry
Students are asked to summarize a poem's literal meaning, including stanza-by-stanza summaries (see the 'Literal and Symbolic Meanings' section and the worked example for "O Captain! My Captain!"). Students complete a Student Activity Page that directs them to record a poem's literal meaning and its symbolic meaning. The lesson asks students to connect symbolic meanings to author purpose and historical context (for example, mapping the captain to Abraham Lincoln and the ship to the United States) and to notice how the Civil War influenced poets' subject matter and tone.
Lesson 7
Poetry Analysis
Students are prompted in Part V (Meaning) of the Poem Analysis page to write the poem's literal meaning and any symbolic meaning, and they are instructed to read a chosen poem several times including aloud to deepen understanding. The lesson asks students to identify poem types and, for narrative poems like "Casey at the Bat," to recognize that the poem tells a story with characters, plot, rising action, and a climax. Students are also asked to consider what made narrative poems effective at telling a story and to write their own narrative poem, which requires attention to plot and characters.
Lesson 8
Robert Frost
Students answer Question #3 asking for the poem's symbolic meaning of "The Road Not Taken," which has them determine a central idea beyond the literal narrative. Students analyze imagery and mood in Question #2 by identifying effective images in "After Apple-Picking," practicing how details support meaning. Students compare form and meaning in discussion prompts about "Susie Asado" and Cubist art, linking poetic techniques and images to interpretation.
Lesson 9
Memorizing Poetry
Students answer focused questions that ask them to summarize and compare meanings (Question #1 asks how Sandburg's "Chicago" is similar to Whitman's poems; Question #2 asks what is happening in "Euclid" and compares its idea to Whitman's poem). Students analyze narrator perspective and interpretation (Question #3 asks how knowledge of a narrator's possible insensitivity changes understanding). The Student Activity Page asks students to judge whether a poem is an elegy and to identify the action urged by the speaker in "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night," which requires interpreting a poem's central concern.
Lesson 10
Poems about Poetry
Students are asked to infer character traits from text details (QUESTION #1 asks what adjectives describe J. Alfred Prufrock), which requires drawing meaning from the speaker's lines. Students analyze meaning in specific sections of poems (Activities ask them to read the last stanzas of "Poetry" and the last two lines of "Ars Poetica" and explain what the authors mean). Students connect background and setting to meaning when they explain how Claude McKay's Jamaican background informs the nostalgia in "The Tropics in New York."
Lesson 11
Editing Your Work
Students are asked to interpret meaning in context (Question 2 asks them to look up "deferred" and explain the final line of "Dream Deferred"), which requires inferring thematic implications. Students compare themes directly (Question 4 asks how "Sympathy" and Angelou's "Caged Bird" are similar and different, noting both address the caged bird's longing for freedom). Question 3 has students analyze techniques and narrator memory in "Incident," which engages with how poetic elements and perspective shape a poem's emotional impact.
Lesson 12
Reciting Poetry
Students read multiple linked poems and answer Question #3 asking them to describe what a poem was about and what the poet was trying to communicate about family relationships, which requires identifying a theme or central idea. Students answer Question #1 by explaining why Ginsberg's imagined meeting in a supermarket is an odd honoring of Whitman, which asks students to analyze the effect of setting on meaning. Students plan and write a final poem in Activity 1 that asks them to help readers understand the significance of an ordinary object or experience, practicing how to create and convey a central idea.