Real People as Characters

A cohesive lesson and drill series designed to help students master the connection between explicit literary devices and the central themes of literary texts.

A foundational set of four reading comprehension sheets, split between Grade 9-10 (focusing on core inference and vocabulary) and Grade 11-12 (emphasizing rhetorical analysis and synthesis).

An English 1 lesson focused on comparing and analyzing paired persuasive texts about the use of AI writing assistants. Students learn to evaluate contrasting arguments, identify rhetorical devices, and synthesize opposing viewpoints using text-based evidence.

Students compile their four-sentence creative stories into a comic strip layout, add simple illustrations, and celebrate their storytelling accomplishments.

Students resolve their story's problem, writing their fourth sentence using "Then, ..." and selecting a happy resolution symbol.

Students introduce a simple conflict or surprise for their character, writing a sentence with "Suddenly..." and problem-based action icons.

Students choose a creative setting (such as outer space or a magic forest) and write a sentence using "They are in..." with visual setting prompt cards.

Students invent a fictional character (such as a superhero or friendly animal) and write a sentence describing them using "This is..." and physical descriptors with visual symbols.

Students present their informational posters to peers using verbal or non-verbal communication supports, celebrating their factual discoveries.

Students assemble their key fact, evidence sentence, and concluding statement into a coherent, illustrated informational poster.

Students conclude their informational piece by writing a third sentence that summarizes their topic using a "Now you know about..." sentence starter and visual symbols.

Students locate visual evidence or supporting clues (such as food or habitat icons) to back up their first key fact, writing a second sentence using "It has..." or "It lives..." frames.