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This Rhetorical Analysis Research Paper Unit was designed to be used in an 11th grade AP English Language and Composition class, but it could be used in any English class in which students are studying literature, rhetoric, literary criticism and the research process. This assignment gives students the opportunity to develop and demonstrate their literary analysis, research and writing skills. Students have reported that these research papers became important parts of their college application

This essay prompt gives Advanced Placement English Language and Composition students the opportunity to develop their close textual reading, rhetorical analysis and timed writing skills. It identifies a specific passage from The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne for rhetorical analysis. The prompt was designed to be used for an in-class writing assignment (within a 45 minute class period), but it could also be given as an out-of-class writing assignment. This prompt does not come from the

This project provides students with the opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of the plot, mystery elements, setting and characters of The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in a cooperative learning activity. Included are an assignment sheet with specific criteria for the game board, questions and rules and also a grading rubric for the project. In completing this project, students develop their group work, literary analysis, critical thinking, writing and artistic

This essay prompt gives Advanced Placement English Language and Composition students the opportunity to develop their close textual reading, rhetorical analysis, and timed writing skills. It identifies a specific passage from The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald for rhetorical analysis. The prompt was designed to be used for an in-class writing assignment (within a 45 minute class period), but could also be given as an out-of-class writing assignment. This prompt does not come from the Col

This essay prompt gives Advanced Placement English Language and Composition students the opportunity to develop their close textual reading, rhetorical analysis and timed writing skills. It identifies a specific passage from Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston for rhetorical analysis. The prompt was designed to be used for an in-class writing assignment (within a 45 minute class period), but it could also be given as an out-of-class writing assignment. This prompt does not come

This essay prompt gives Advanced Placement English Language and Composition students the opportunity to develop their close textual reading, rhetorical analysis and timed writing skills. It identifies a short story --"The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin--for rhetorical analysis and references her novel The Awakening. The prompt was designed to be used for an in-class writing assignment (within a 45 minute class period), but it could also be given as an out-of-class writing assignment. This p

This rhetorical analysis group presentation assignment was designed to be used in an AP English Language and Composition class in preparation for the AP Exam. This assignment gives students the opportunity to develop and demonstrate their rhetorical analysis, critical thinking and presentation skills. It identifies six specific passages for analysis from the novel Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston and also provides a list of literary devices frequently used by the writer. This

This Controversial Issue Research Paper Unit was designed to be used in an 9th grade English Language Arts class, but it could be used in any English class in which students are studying writing skills, information literacy, organizational and study skills and the research process. This assignment gives students the opportunity to develop and demonstrate their information literacy, research and writing skills. Be sure to see the Controversial Issue Research Paper Assignment Sheet (free downloa

This assignment introduces Advanced Placement English Language and Composition students to literary criticism and gives them the opportunity to develop their close textual reading, critical analysis, writing skills and presentation skills. It requires students to analyze an article of literary criticism on the novel Pride and Prejudice. In compliance with copyright law, the literary criticism articles are not included here. However, the titles, ISBNs and publication information for three books

This rhetorical analysis group presentation assignment was designed to be used in an AP English Language and Composition class in preparation for the AP Exam. This assignment gives students the opportunity to develop and demonstrate their rhetorical analysis, critical thinking and presentation skills. It identifies five specific passages for analysis from the play Othello by William Shakespeare and also provides a list of literary devices frequently used by the playwright. This assignment does

This essay prompt gives students the opportunity to develop their close reading, literary analysis and writing skills. It identifies a specific passage from “Bartleby the Scrivener” by Herman Melville for textual analysis. The prompt was designed to be used in Advanced Placement English Language & Composition as an in-class writing assignment (within a 45 minute class period), but it could also be given as an out-of-class writing assignment. This prompt does not come from the College Board.

This essay prompt gives students the opportunity to develop their close reading, literary analysis and writing skills. It identifies a specific quote from Nature by Ralph Waldo Emerson and requires textual analysis of that essay and of Walden by Henry David Thoreau. The prompt was designed to be used in Advanced Placement English Language & Composition as an in-class writing assignment (within a 45 minute class period), but it could also be given as an out-of-class writing assignment. This pr

This contextual research presentation assignment was designed to be used in an AP English Language and Composition class studying The Crucible by Arthur Miller. This assignment gives students the opportunity to develop their research, writing and presentation skills. It includes a list of specific historical and biographical topics to be researched as well as a grading rubric for the assignment. Teachers may use this assignment to provide contextual background for the ‘Contextual Analysis of

This activity helps students develop a better understanding of symbols as literary devices in the novel The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. Included are seven charts that specify the location (page numbers) of seven different symbols in Chapters 1-15 of the novel and require students to analyze their significance. This assignment gives students the opportunity to develop their close reading, critical thinking, literary analysis and writing skills.

This essay prompt gives Advanced Placement English Language and Composition students the opportunity to develop their close reading, rhetorical analysis, critical analysis and writing skills. It requires students to analyze a particular passage from one of the following novels: The Awakening by Kate Chopin, The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston or Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. The prompt was designed to be used as an out-of-class wr

This assignment introduces students to the elements of the thesis-driven five paragraph essay form – introduction, three proofs and conclusion. It includes an essay prompt based upon Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck that requires students to think critically about the novel in order to formulate their thesis statement and proofs. This assignment could easily be adapted to other works of literature by modifying the essay prompt while keeping all of the guidelines for the five paragraph essay t

This assignment requires students to choose a character from a work of literature, analyze that character through close reading of the text and prepare a PowerPoint presentation for the class. This assignment is very flexible because it can be used in conjunction with any novel or play. It is especially useful as a method for assessing supplemental readings completed outside of class. Included are detailed requirements for the character analysis and PowerPoint presentation as well as a gradi

This assignment introduces Advanced Placement English Language and Composition students to literary criticism and gives them the opportunity to develop their close textual reading, critical analysis, writing skills and presentation skills. It requires students to analyze an article of literary criticism on the novel The Awakening. In compliance with copyright law, the literary criticism articles are not included here. However, the titles, ISBNs and publication information for three books of li

This essay prompt gives Advanced Placement English Language and Composition students the opportunity to develop their close reading, rhetorical analysis and writing skills. It requires students to analyze a particular passage from A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce. The prompt was designed to be used as an out-of-class writing assignment. This prompt does not come from the College Board.

This project provides students with the opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of the plot, setting and characters of Great Expectations by Charles Dickens in a cooperative learning activity. Included are an assignment sheet with specific criteria for the game board, questions and rules and also a grading rubric for the project. In completing this project, students develop their group work, literary analysis, critical thinking, writing and artistic skills.