In this lesson, students compare the novel Something Wicked This Way Comes to an episode of the TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer entitled "Hush." Both texts feature mysterious, silent men who come into a town and create literal and figurative nightmares for its residents. Students complete a chart and take notes from a powerpoint on the similarities and differences between the two.

Students are guided through the process of learning about the Harlem Renaissance and specific artists who contributed to this period of American history. Students are further guided to share their findings by collaborating and producing a Renaissance Fair.

This lesson is designed to guide students through the process of learning about the Harlem Renaissance and specific artists who contributed to this period of American history. Students are further guided to share their findings by collaborating and producing a Renaissance Fair.

This lesson encourages students to get in touch with their softer side by writing a letter to their parents. At a time in their lives when teenagers tend to argue with their parents, this letter helps reconcile their feelings while also giving them strong practice with the writing process.

A teachers guide for Hole in my Life by Jack Gantos, including a summary of the book, a pre-reading activity, discussion questions, and ways to relate the story to other aspects of education and deepen understanding.

This Random House for High School Teachers teacher's guide includes historical background, plot summary, questions, discussion topics, comparison to other texts, and an author biography designed to aid students in exploring Louis L'Amour's novel, Hondo.

In this lesson, students work to find a general and specific topic about which to write a research paper. The lesson guides them through the process of narrowing their focus to a more specific topic that can be more easily researched.

In this lesson, students practice writing strong hook sentences to start their writing. Students take notes on some effective strategies for writing strong hook, then practice by picking a topic and writing five hooks for it.

In this TED Ed lesson focused on humor in writing, students will explore techniques and strategies for adding humor to their writing. Discussion questions and additional resources available in the sidebar.

In this TED Ed lesson focused on writing, students will explore tips for using language to make fiction really come alive. Discussion questions and additional resources available in the sidebar.

In this lesson, students practice writing strong paragraphs after reviewing some of the things that make for a strong body paragraph. Students work in small groups to add paragraphs to articles in newspapers or magazines.

This lesson teaches students how to write an effective thesis statement. Students first discuss what makes a good thesis statement and what form they should take, then write thesis statements and evaluate each others' work.

In this lesson, students read an article and write a graded review of the article. Students choose an article on a library trip before following specific instructions to write a review of the article in question.

This lesson plan walks students through writing two types of introduction paragraphs for essays. Students also learn what not to do and practice writing introductions for various types of essays.

Students analyze the work of winners of the Learning Network's 2014 Student Editorial Contest as well as professional models from the Times editorial pages to learn how writers effectively introduce and respond to counterarguments. Then they write their own position pieces, incorporating counterarguments to strengthen their claims.

In this lesson, students will identify how Common's rap song "A Dream" and Walter Dean Myers's short story "Monkeyman" reinterpret Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream of nonviolence. Students will delve into a text-based discussion on characterization and conflict, as well as compose an essay on the Six Principles of Nonviolence (rubric available).

In this lesson, students will identify the literary elements of plot, theme, and character in a work and use indirect characterization and psychoanalytic criticism to analyze a character and explain how the character contributes to plot and theme. Final assessment inclues an analytical essay.

This lesson alerts students to the fallacies that surround them every day. In this lesson, students deconstruct fallacious images and messages in advertisements and demonstrate their understanding of the fallacies through multimedia presentations.

This lesson looks at the song lyrics of Bruce Springsteen as lyrical poetry. Students analyze his use of imagery, hyperbole, and vivid language in his songs, then write lines of their own lyrics that use similar language.

In this lesson, students learn some of the basics of rhythm in poetry by writing haiku. Students select from a variety of photos of nature, then write about their chosen photo.