Christopher Duryea

Graphic organizer for students to identify examples of the different types of irony in Vonnegut's classic story. Also prompts students to draft an analysis paragraph using the "I3" method of quote incorporation.

This little worksheet can be used to compare any book to its film adaptation. More than simply asking for a compare/contrast, this worksheet asks students to watch carefully, to reflect thoughtfully on how the film adapts the original material, to evaluate the film based on their own expectations, and to identify any new insights they have about the book as a result of watching the film.

This post-reading activity for teaching Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher" asks students to work in groups to create a visual representation of the shocking ending of this classic tale of the macabre! It is followed by a closure prompt asking students to reflect on what Poe called the "singular effect" created by the story.

This form allows students to keep track of what they learn--and suspect--about each of the "guests" in Agatha Christie's classic mystery. I use a Google Docs of this worksheet and ask my students to complete their forms on line, but this can easily be done as a hard copy handout as well (although you will want to make the grid boxes bigger).

This activity divides the class into five groups, each one analyzing a brief passage from Act Two of Miller's play. Each group paraphrases the passage, analyzes what it reveals about the characters, and connects it to Miller's definition of tragedy (Miller's essay "Tragedy and the Common Man" is part of out prereading for the play). Each group prepares and delivers a talk while the audience takes notes. This could easily be modified into a differentiated writing prompt as well.

This PowerPoint details a four-step process for drafting introductory paragraphs for expository writing. The model assumes an English class setting, but can easily be applied to other subjects. During the presentation I have students draft practice paragraphs in Google Drive and share, but this can obviously also be done in the old school style.

This PowerPoint slideshow defines subtext as it relates to drama, then looks at the opening of Act Two of The Crucible and examines the emotional subtext beneath the apparent small talk between John and Elizabeth Proctor. It is followed by a prompt asking students to find their own examples of subtext within the play and gives instructions for drafting a paragraph on their findings.

This activity divides the class into four groups to paraphrase, analyze, and make connections, using passages from the final chapters of Fitzgerald's novel. They create a brief talk and the class takes notes as groups present. Can be easily modified into a jigsaw or a writing prompt.

I use this as part of a Dystopian SF unit, in which my students choose from several books in the genre. This cooperative activity asks students to work in same-book groups to teach aspects of their book to the rest of the class. The questions require analysis of literary elements, connections between the books' dystopian content and the real world, and a link to booklamp.org--a fascinating resource for researching thematically similar books. I teach in a 1:1 classroom so online work and use of G

I use this as an introduction to the major tenets of Transcendentalism, its historical and cultural context, and a brief overview of Emerson and Thoreau.

This activity asks students to rank the characters in Steinbeck's novel according to their place on the ranch's social structure. They then write an analysis paragraph.

Three assessment components for Romeo and Juliet: 15 character matching questions, 5 quote analysis, and 3 short answer or essay prompts. These could easily be used together as a test, separately as quiz items, or merged with other material.