Logical fallacy identification, evidence evaluation, and natural language argument construction. Develops critical thinking skills through the analysis of everyday reasoning and rhetorical strategies.
An 8th-grade ELA lesson focused on deconstructing digital media messages through the lens of rhetorical appeals (ethos, pathos, logos) and identifying bias in various online formats. Students transition from passive consumers to critical analysts of news clips, social media, and advertisements.
A set of literacy stations designed to build comprehension, argumentative analysis, and theme identification skills through six diverse reading passages.
A comprehensive lesson exploring Tanith Lee's 'Awake,' a subversion of Sleeping Beauty, focusing on structural choices and source material transformation (RL.5 and RL.9). Students will analyze character conflict and the concept of 'the gift of time.'
A summative assessment package focused on middle school ELA standards (RL.6/RI.6) through the lens of a persuasive text regarding NASA funding and its historical impact.
A comprehensive exploration of the Space Race, highlighting the technological competition between the US and USSR, the essential contributions of African American women at NASA, and the international agreements that keep space a peaceful frontier.
A creative story outline and character guide for a high-interest, low-readability (Hi-Lo) novel featuring an elderly protagonist in a fantasy world.
An 8th-grade ELA lesson where students become 'theme weavers' to uncover universal truths in literature. They will learn to distinguish between topic and theme, identify thematic statements, and support their findings with textual evidence.
A diagnostic mini-assessment focused on NC Standard RI.4.1 and RI.5.1, requiring students to find the strongest textual evidence to support explicit points and inferences using North Carolina-themed nonfiction passages.
A 60-minute ELA lesson focused on analyzing author's diction and drawing logical inferences using excerpts from the Grade 7 Interim Assessment. Students will explore how specific word choices shape meaning and tone through guided and independent practice.
This lesson equips 8th-grade students with the tools to identify and analyze propaganda techniques across various media formats. Students will investigate the 'Big 7' propaganda devices, evaluate source credibility, and practice 'unmasking' persuasive rhetoric in real-world examples.
An 8th-grade ELA lesson connecting Howard Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences to the story 'Flowers for Algernon'. Students explore media analysis, vocabulary, and literary characterization through a differentiated choice board and a self-assessment of their own learning strengths.
An explicit instruction lesson for 3rd graders on locating text evidence to answer text-dependent questions using an 'I Do, We Do, You Do' model. Students learn to identify keywords in questions and find matching evidence in the text using a five-step checklist.
