In this personal essay by Isaac Asimov, the author relates his journey of becoming a science fiction writer. Asimov explains discovering science fiction through magazines despite his father’s objections. He also recounts publishing his first science fiction story at the age of eighteen and the challenges of being an immigrant. In this CCSS lesson, students will explore this history through text dependent questions, academic vocabulary, and writing assignments.

This selection provides an overview of two laws dealing with fugitives from slavery. The Fugitive Slave Act of 1793 establishes monetary penalties for protecting fugitives. The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 addresses the same topic but is more detailed. In this CCSS lesson, students will explore this history through text dependent questions, academic vocabulary, and writing assignments.

This lesson capitalizes on a student's love of jokes to understand how word context and inference are used in everyday language to create humor.

Harriet Tubman's first journey to Canada on the Underground Railroad is fraught with danger, harsh conditions, and uncertainty. In order to keep her disillusioned party of runaway slaves safe during the long journey, she bolsters their spirits by telling stories of freedom and singing spirituals. In this CCSS lesson, students will explore this history through text dependent questions, academic vocabulary, and writing assignments.

These excerpts from Maya Angelou’s autobiography describe important points in her childhood. First Angelou describes the importance of her Grandmother’s store. Later, when she becomes withdrawn and unhappy, Mrs. Flowers takes an interest in her and encourages her to read aloud and share her thoughts. In this CCSS lesson, students will explore this history through text dependent questions, academic vocabulary, and writing assignments.

In this video resource from PBS Learning Media, students will explore the types of humor that exist, such as Irony, Satire, Farce, and Parody. They will research and find examples of humor that appeal to them. Next, they will choose a passage written by Mark Twain and analyze it to determine what type of humor is used.

This worksheet uses 26 quotes from Lord of the Flies by William Golding to teach students to identify simile, metaphor, personification, and hyperbole.

This worksheet contains 23 examples of figurative language from O. Henry's short stories for students to identify and explain.

Worksheets and activities with answer keys to help students of differing levels identify and/or determine the types of irony used in selected passages.

This resource contains idiom worksheets with text-based questions and answer keys for each.

In this lesson, students study the use of symbolism in poetry and examine how symbolism can be used to explain their own lives and emotions.

In “Invocation” from John Brown’s Body, Stephen Vincent Benet calls on the muse of America to inspire him. He invokes the varied American landscape and the many kinds of people who have contributed to American culture and life. In this CCSS lesson, students will explore this story through text dependent questions, academic vocabulary, and writing assignments.

In this lesson students will analyze idioms in order to comprehend their literal meanings through illustrations and paraphrasing.

Students will read an explanation and examples of verbal irony. Students will then read paragraphs to write and justify the examples of verbal irony they find in the paragraphs. This resource supports English language development for English language learners.

Students will read an explanation and examples of puns. Students will then read sentences, identify the puns, and write to explain the meanings of the puns. This resource supports English language development for English language learners.

Students will read sentences, identify the use of onomatopoeia, complete sentences using onomatopoeia, and write sentences that include onomatopoeia. This resource supports English language development for English language learners.

In this lesson, students explore how to create their own metaphors for life.

In this lesson, students practice thinking abstractly to write a "Life Is..." poem.