Here are some of my best assignments from 40+ years of teaching. Contact me if you have questions or comments. (Email or Home Page.) You may also be interested in copies of the various Handouts available on another page.

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Kind Description of Unit Approximate Time
icon All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr -- Reviews, discussion questions, audio and video links, and recipes for a Book Club approach to this deftly researched historical novel. 1 to 2
weeks
generic Advanced English Genre Packets, Focused Presentations, Useful Links, and More -- Developed as reference materials or one-hour focused workshops.
Reference
Keep calm Advanced World History Resources -- Includes Suggested Reading and Movies, John Green’s Crash Course History videos, Epic Rap Battles of History, and Amy & Herb’s History Teacher Music Video Parodies.


Reference

Journal Autobiography Portfolio -- 50+ autobiographical writing assignments (originally designed for sophomores) cover exposition, description, narration, and argument. Each one is short, non-intrusive. Individual assignments can also be used as character autobiographical activities for litarary works. For example, Holden’s Personal Alphabet.

1 a day
& 1 week for final format

Beowulf -- This page includes Reader Response Journals for specific sections of the full epic and extra credit assignments for the desperate. Extensive links for further study and images from the graphic novel are also provided.

6 class periods

Billy Budd Billy Budd by Herman Melville -- Assignments for both regular and Advanced Placement classes. Activities for the movie emphasize civil disobedience and the law. Enrichment includes Britten’s opera, Charles Fuller’s A Soldier’s Play, and contemporary songs.
2 weeks
bio Biography Projects-- Adapted from a yearlong research project, this unit offers that full set of assignments or individual projects that can be used for less extensive research. Includes directions and rubrics.
varies
Cover The Book of Qualities -- J. Ruth Gendler’s book inspires student writing by personifying abstract qualities. Includes an assignment handout and samples from the book.
2 class periods
Calligraphy Calligraphy Projects -- general guidelines, several special projects, alphabet sentences to practice, links, and student samples. These projects focus on language in a new way -- ah, synthesis!
ongoing
chaucer The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer -- Short unit focused on the “The Prologue” and characterization can be expanded by study of various tales. Activities include journals, creative projects, and analytical essays.
1 to 3
weeks
Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger -- One to two weeks to read. Activities included might take a week of classtime. Use the links provided to help enrich your reading experience.

3 weeks

Mortarboard Career Workshop -- Career exploration project based upon PSAT and PLAN test results. Includes signing up for My Roads, taking the ORA Personality Profile, completing Career and College surveys, writing and researching a Career Essay, and preparing a resumé.

5 class hours

Catalog Using Catalogs-- Don’t Throw that Away: Using Free Catalogues to Teach Almost Everything English (Fall 2010 OCTE Presentation).
1-2 class hours
Classical Literature -- Several online activities for studying classical literature and art. (Special instructions and samples for the Coat of Arms and the Postcard Project.)

Semester
Course

news Current Events -- Links and handouts for a year-long ongoing project.
ongoing
Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand -- Activities for Cyrano de Bergerac itself and for the adaptation Roxanne. Page includes poster illustrations, creative projects, study guides, links to theater guides, handouts, and video links.
10 class
hours
Faustus Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe -- Intense Study Guide for the Christopher Marlowe play. My all-time favorite play to teach -- even over any Shakespearean play!
2 weeks
Everyman by Anonymous -- This page includes links to online versions of the play, study questions, composition assignments, and creative writing options. Teacher's Guide includes links to other medieval plays and their performance.

3 class periods

Child Fairy Tales: Literary Analysis for All Ages -- Brainstorming, freewriting, theme statement, synopsis, classification, analysis, application, evaluation, and creative writing, too.

5 to 10
class hours

Film Reel Film Studies -- Teach essay writing, internet search strategies, research skills, parenthetical notation, and critical analysis through film review. Focuses on classic film genres and how to view them.

Semester Course

book frame Great Books Great Art -- A Discovery activity that instructs student groups to select and justify their choice of five major scenes from a literary work, choose great art to illustrate each scene, and write a rationale for each choice. (Large file)
1 week

Grendel by John Gardner -- A critical overview, chapter-by-chapter study questions on the novel, links to John Gardner's famous letter, critical articles, and astrology references. Includes information about Julie Taymor’s production of Grendel the Opera.

2 weeks

hardy
Thomas Hardy Poetry & Novels -- Activities for Far from the Madding Crowd, The Return of the Native, The Mayor of Casterbridge, Tess of the D’Urbervilles, Jude the Obscure, and numerous poems. Includes three previous AP Literature Exam prompts.
Varies
Heart of Darkness updated Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad -- Best of the Best. Literary Analysis section covering five major critical stances as small group research and writing appropriate to fourth week study. Includes activities for Apocalypse Now.
3-4 weeks
Six Glasses The History of the World in Six Glasses by Tom Standage -- Study Questions, Map Activity, and Projects for recommended DoDEA Honors 9 and 10 Integrated Social Studies and English summer reading. Also includes directions for annotations, reading response journals, and alternative reading assignments.
Summer
How to Read Literature like a Professor -- Short writing assignments for each chapter. Your responses may be informal and you may also use films for your examples. Written assignments will be due the first day of class, so see the Taboo List to avoid any formatting penalties. Do not waste time and effort re-writing for neatness; use proofreading marks for corrections. Now updated for the second edition.

Summer

IM updated Invisible Man Online -- Includes teacher materials, notes, motif strands, art, music, sound clips, critical articles, links to background resources, assignments, and handouts. Focuses on major motif -- dreams, family, music, significant objects, oratory, paper, power, sex, violence, and vision. Also links to student sample webpages, PowerPoints, and decorated pages (Humament style).

5 weeks

“The Lady of Shalott” by Alfred, Lord Tennyson -- More Than You Ever Wanted to Know about teaching this poem. Includes links to artwork, criticism, and derivative writing. Check out the links to additional allusive artwork. 2 class periods
look Look Magazine’s “They Made Our World Series” by Leo Rosten -- I remember reading these as a sixth-grader. Seductive opening lines immersed me in Rosten’s powerful 1000-word biographies, subtly crammed with content, evocative, memorable. Better known for his Yiddish tales, Rosten rocks prose. Almost impossible to find today.
Whenever
macbeth Macbeth by William Shakespeare is my favorite play for all levels of English. Worksheets, daily assignments, major essayss, creative projects, and a controlled research paper. 2 to 3
weeks
markings Markings -- A pre-writing strategy based upon Dag Hammarskjöld’s autobiographical fragment, Markings. Arbitrary restrictions on a brainstorming list force such critical thinking that it almost always produces thoughtful writing topics.


2 class periods

Movie Monuments Men is a contemporary movie based upon historical events of World War II, with an excellent opportunity to open discourse on what art is, what art is worth saving, and at what costs. Excellent primary resources are available to construct a synthesis question for AP Literature or a DBQ for AP US History.

1 week

Compass The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway -- Links, reviews, centennial perspectives, style assignments, an essay assignment, and a sample essay

5 class hours  

Poem-a-Day: National Poetry Month and Online Resources are used for Poetry Immersion in preparation for the AP Literature exam. Using a carefully selected daily poem to foster deep reading and prompt focused writing, students can review major poetic techniques and forms.

1 a day for
April

Poetry & Paintings -- This website, captured and re-posted here, from Emory University offers connections to Ekphrastic Poetry. In modern usage, the vivid literary description of a specific work of art, such as a painting, sculpture, tapestry, church, etc.

Varies

Poetry Presentations -- Using LOVE poems, students apply poetic terms and analyze the effect of poetic elements. Directions, handouts, and student web pages.

5 class hours & lab time

  Poet Research Project -- A research project on the life, the works, and the time period in which a significant poet lived. Includes directions, links, and handouts. See also the Advanced English Senior Research Project, an analysis of a major literary work. 

Six Weeks Ongoing 

Prince The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli -- Non-fiction analysis appropriate to history and government, as well as a background for study of later Shakespearean works. Some of my personal best assignments!
1 week
Projects for Reports -- Creative projects for any subject, with grading checklists. My old “50+ Ways of Sharing Knowledge” improved by collaboration (developed with Sandy Bahan, Linda Kramer, and Walt Shaw). Homework
3 or 4 days
Tree
Root Words: Getting to the Root of Vocabulary -- Covering two or three roots a day, all year, students improve their ability to figure out the meanings of words in context. Tests are given every ten roots until 120 roots are covered. Derivative lists included.

All Year

Best of Shakespeare -- Shakespeare’s life and times, theater performance guides, best sites, infographics, PowerPoints, movie guides, Shakespearience poster, fun (including the famouus Twitter Shakespeare), and more. Materials to help teachers introduce any of Shakespeare’s plays. Varies
sherlock Why the Mystery? Why Sherlock? -- From one story to several, from the original to myriad adaptations, from theses to analyses. Worksheets, powerpoints, videos, an extensive extended reading list, and general genre activities. Some fun, too. Varies
Logo Six-Word Memoirs -- Assignments based on Smith magazine’s books and website. Includes links, assignment sheets, grading checklist, examples, and adaptations for novels and historical figures. 3 or 4 days
Bellwork updatedWriting the Synthesis Essay -- A collection of prompts for the synthesis essay and instructions for students to research a topic, create a packet, write their own and develop a grading rubric. Now includes scoring guides, samples, commentary. Varies
apple Think Different -- Based on the 1998 Apple series of posters, three brief biographical research activities. 3 or 4 days
Globe Travel: You Deserve a Break Today -- Research and composition unit that includes 14 activities. 2 weeks
true west True West by Sam Shepard -- Two diabolically-opposed brothers, the myth of the American West, Hollywood, dysfunctional families, coyotes and toast. So much fun to teach! 1-2 weeks
dude Zoot Suit by Luis Valdez -- From the moment El Pachuco glides on stage, we are drawn into a jazzy savvy world of rebellion. Valdez weaves music, slang, dance, and fashion into a compelling tale of cultural pride, creative spirit, self-determination. Movie version fascinates with its use of creative staging. 1-2 weeks

If an activity uses the internet as a teaching resource, I have provided links, so please let me know if any links are incorrect. Updated 10 March 2024.

If you download or print anything from this site, please consider making at least a $10.00 donation through PayPal. I can maintain and expand this website only with your help.

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