The Round Table
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McGaheysville, Virginia, United States
About the store
The Round Table offers a variety of collaborative and engaging ELA activities designed primarily for grades 9-12. Here you’ll find in-depth plans for research, close reading, critical analysis, creative writing, performance and external exam prep on classic plays, novels, poetry and non-fiction.
I taught English 10 and 12 and sponsored the Drama Club and Gifted Program in Virginia public schools (USA) for 8 years before going abroad in 1983. For most of my career, I have taught in American International schools in Europe, the Dutch Caribbean, South and East Asia and Africa. I am a highly experienced AP English Language/Literature and Composition teacher. I have also taught in the International Baccalaureate program (English Literature Higher Level, English Literature and Language Higher Level, and Theory of Knowledge.
• 38 years teaching secondary English in international and U. S. schools
• Highly successful in preparing students for AP English Language/Literature, IB English A1 SL/HL exams, Extended Essays and TOK assessments
• Extensive experience developing and writing curriculum (Atlas Rubicon, UbD)
• IB Diploma Examiner, TOK prescribed title papers, Paper 1 and 2 IB English Literature
• Literary Magazine Judge, National and Columbia Scholastic Press Associations
• Adviser to top-award winning scholastic yearbooks and literary magazines
• Service Learning coordinator
• Habitat for Humanity: sponsored and participated in 30 international builds (China, Korea, Mozambique).
• 10 years writing and editing educational materials for Knowledge Platform and Green Guardians (Singapore) with focus on Environmental Literacy (Grades K-5)
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Oedipus the King (Oedipus Rex) Tragedy Unit for close reading, writing, projects
If I had to choose only one classic piece of literature that everyone should study, it would be Sophocles' Oedipus the King (Oedipus Rex). This ancient Greek tragedy is the model against which all other tragedies are compared, from Shakespeare onward. Aristotle himself lauded it as the quintessential example of the genre. Today, the play raises questions about the place of tragedy in modern life. This in-depth unit plan is based on the various activities I created when teaching Oedipus in diff
11th - 12th
Drama, English Language Arts, Literature
CCSS, VA SOL
RL.11-12.1
, RL.11-12.2
, RL.11-12.3
+21
Othello Complete Unit: Close reading, Creative & Analytical Writing, AP Prep
This complete unit plan focuses on close textual analysis for students in grades 10-12, especially those taking Pre-AP, AP English Literature or IB HL/SL English Literature. Like all of Shakespeare’s plays, Othello was meant to be performed before an audience. Therefore, a key component of this unit emphasizes comparing key scenes as interpreted by such iconic actors as Laurence Olivier, Kenneth Branagh, Laurence Fishburne and others. Links to key scenes are listed for easy reference. Incl
10th - 12th
Close Reading, English Language Arts, Literature
CCSS, VA SOL
RL.9-10.2
, RL.9-10.3
, RL.9-10.4
+25
King Lear: a complete unit for close reading, analysis, writing & exam prep
Do you want to excite your students about King Lear as literature and performance while preparing them for the rigours and requirements of external exams at the same time? These resources will capture your students' interest and relate the play to their own lives. Whether your students are in the AP or IB programs or in any other challenging English or Drama course, this plan is for you. The tension between parents and children is immediately apparent as the play opens, and so is grappling with
10th - 12th
Close Reading, English Language Arts, Literature
CCSS, VA SOL
RL.11-12.1
, RL.11-12.2
, RL.11-12.3
+17
Also included in: King Lear BUNDLE: Teaching Unit & Escape Room Review
Once & Future King Bk1: The Sword in the Stone: Close Reading, Writing, Projects
This resource helps students develop their literary analytical skills through close reading questions and related activities. When used in conjunction with The Once and Future King Unit Resources and Activities, these academic materials offer a nice balance of textual analysis with research, performance, creative writing and more. The aim of the entire set of close reading questions (Books 1-4) is to aid in preparing students for success on the AP English Literature and Composition exam. INCLUD
8th - 10th
Close Reading, English Language Arts, Literature
CCSS
RL.9-10.1
, RL.9-10.2
, RL.9-10.3
+10
A Tale of Two Cities Novel Study: Close Reading, Writing Prompts, Answer Keys
This resource includes close reading activities, creative and analytical writing prompts, answer keys, rubrics and detailed responses to discussion questions. The focus is on critical thinking and project-based learning. To place the story in context, your students will ground themselves in the key events of the French Revolution (1775-1793). As they engage in close reading and analysis of Dickens’ writing style, themes, and purpose, they will craft creative and critical responses to the work.
9th - 10th
Close Reading, Literature, Writing
CCSS, VA SOL
CCRA.R.1
, CCRA.R.2
, CCRA.R.3
+24
How to Write an EXCELLENT College Letter of Recommendation: Guidelines, Samples
How important are the letters of recommendation? Very! The way you showcase a student’s academic performance in your class is crucial to the college application process. But is it okay to refer to a student's racial or ethnic background, especially in light of the Supreme Court's ruling on affirmative action? What is the most effective language to use when describing a student's character and work ethic? This resource answers these questions. It includes guidelines and numerous examples from my
11th - 12th
For All Subjects, School Counseling, Writing-Essays
Julius Caesar Unit 10-12: close reading, AP Eng Lang & Lit, rhetorical analysis
While Julius Caesar is often taught in MS or English 9-10, I have regularly included it in my AP English Language and Composition course. Just about every major speech is a rhetorical tour de force. This resource focuses on analysis of the language of persuasion, its uses, its effects and its consequences. Julius Caesar is timely for its comment on the power of political rhetoric to sway an audience. This Julius Caesar unit includes Pre-reading engagement activityReference material on Ari
9th - 12th
Close Reading, English Language Arts, Literature
CCSS, TEKS, VA SOL
RL.9-10.1
, RL.9-10.2
, RL.9-10.3
+51
ESCAPE ROOM The Once & Future King for Review
This Escape Room provides a comprehensive review of T.H. White's Arthurian epic, The Once and Future King. Students join Tom of Warwick on a quest to fulfill a promise he made to King Arthur before the Last Battle: to ensure the story of the Round Table survives for future generations. While searching for information, students discover Nimue's enchanted cave, where Merlyn has been imprisoned for many years. The wizard has been expecting them! He enlists students' help to organize his writings a
9th - 12th
Close Reading, Literature, Novel Studies
CCSS
RL.11-12.1
, RL.11-12.2
, CCRA.R.2
+6
Oedipus the King (Oedipus Rex) Escape Room for Review and Writing
This Escape Room is an engaging way for teams of students to review the plot, characters, themes and other textual features in Sophocles’ classic Greek tragedy, Oedipus the King. It culminates in cracking a coded message from the text which then serves as the prompt for a short writing exercise in critical analysis. Highlights: Solving the puzzles fosters collaboration. Students can play to their strengths. It’s a fun way to present a thorough review of key aspects of the play. Overview of
9th - 12th
Drama, English Language Arts, Literature
CCSS
RL.11-12.1
, RL.11-12.2
, RL.11-12.3
+6
Once & Future King Complete Plan: close reading, writing, research, projects
Decades before Harry Potter, T.H. White enchanted readers with his modern retelling of King Arthur legends in The Once and Future King. Just as Rowling followed Harry from childhood to young adulthood, White begins Wart's coming-of-age story in Book I, followed by Arthur's finding his way as a more enlightened kind of monarch in Book II. The relative light-heartedness and humour of the first half of the book contrasts with the seriousness of the second half (Books III and IV) as Arthur's idea o
9th - 11th
Close Reading, Literature, Writing
CCSS, VA SOL
CCRA.R.1
, CCRA.R.2
, CCRA.R.3
+23
Once & Future King BUNDLE: Complete novel unit for critical analysis
The Once and Future King is a high interest novel that is perfect for teaching close reading, textual analysis, creative writing, and much more. INCLUDEDannotation guides400+ close reading questions for discussion and/or writingwriting prompts for textual analysiscreative writing optionsresearch and projectsliterary terms, key vocabulary and background materialAP English Literature and Composition exam prepanswer keys (detailed suggested responses) for all discussion questionsbonus activitiesFo
10th - 12th
Close Reading, English Language Arts, Literature
CCSS, TEKS, VA SOL
CCRA.R.1
, CCRA.R.2
, CCRA.R.5
+15
Teaching Poetry Through Sports: close reading, comparative analysis, writing
Do you struggle to teach poetry analysis without tying “the poem to a chair” and torturing “a confession out of it” (apologies to Billy Collins)? Have you ever tried approaching poetry through sports? Did you know that the late Kobe Bryant of the LA Lakers was a skilled poet, among his many other talents? Students embark on this poetry study with Kobe Bryant’s “Dear Basketball” (2015) whose language is easily accessible and will engage even the most reluctant readers. Then they continue their in
9th - 10th
Close Reading, English Language Arts, Poetry
King Lear ESCAPE ROOM: review plot, character, theme, close reading
This King Lear Escape Room is a fun and engaging way for students to review plot, characters, themes and other literary features in the play . Students also practice close reading by responding in writing to a theme they have uncovered throughout the game. Highlights: Solving the puzzles fosters collaboration and problem-solving; Students can play to their strengths and learning styles; The game format offers new approaches to literary analysis.Overview of King Lear Escape Room The game ca
10th - 12th
Drama, English Language Arts, Literature
CCSS
RL.11-12.1
, RL.11-12.2
, RL.11-12.10
+9
Also included in: King Lear BUNDLE: Teaching Unit & Escape Room Review
No Man is an Island: close reading & writing guide on John Donne's Meditation 17
The focus of this guide for John Donne's sermon Meditation 17 (No man is an island...) is literary analysis. The resource provides practice in close reading and analytical writing of the sort demanded in any high-powered high school English class, especially those that prepare students for AP or IB English Literature and Language exams. INCLUDEDwarm up activity on “meditations”“big picture” analysis questionsbiographical sketch of Donne with timelinedefined vocabulary and literary terms pertine
11th - 12th, Higher Education
Close Reading, English Language Arts, Literature
CCSS, TEKS, VA SOL
CCRA.R.1
, CCRA.R.2
, CCRA.R.4
+13
Hamlet Questions for Analysis
These analytical questions on each act of Shakespeare's tragedy, Hamlet, were created for senior college English/AP English Literature students. They may be used as journal topics, test items, paper topics and/or discussion prompts. At the end of the document is a list of poems that either allude to the play directly or share a related theme.
11th - 12th
Drama, Literature, Writing
CCSS
CCRA.R.1
, CCRA.R.2
, CCRA.R.4
+2
Once & Future King Bk2 Queen of Air & Darkness: Close Reading, Writing, Projects
In this detailed guide to Book 2 of T.H. White's The Once and Future King, you will find dozens of close reading questions and strategies for analysis of selected passages in each chapter. Students will improve their literary analytical skills by actively engaging with the text. They will draw connections between characters, themes and motifs in Book 2 and relate these to Book 1. A running list of selected vocabulary and key literary terms (defined) plus suggested responses to all questions ar
9th - 11th
Close Reading, English Language Arts, Literature
Also included in: Once & Future King BUNDLE: close reading, writing, projects, activities
The Mayor of Casterbridge: textual analysis, writing, projects, AP prep
Although the trappings of society change dramatically over the centuries, the human condition stays remarkably the same. Love, loss, fate, and free will are universal themes, and tragedy is ever possible. The Mayor of Casterbridge is a modern tragedy. Michael Henchard, a lowly hay trusser who makes good but who harbors a secret that will precipitate his downfall, is part Greek, part biblical, and part Shakespearean tragic hero. His story is timeless and universal. Teaching this novel is an exce
11th - 12th, Adult Education
Close Reading, English Language Arts, Literature
CCSS, VA SOL
RL.11-12.1
, RL.11-12.2
, RL.11-12.3
+16
Once & Future King Bk4 Candle in the Wind: close reading, writing, exam prep
For each chapter in Book IV there is a passage for close reading and textual analysis. Key vocabulary, historical context and literary terms are defined and included on each page for easy reference. Discussion questions address the passage as well as other important aspects of the themes of the novel as a whole. Suggested responses are provided for all close reading questions. AP English Literature and Composition practice covers Essay 2 (Prose Fiction Analysis) and Essay 3 (Literary Argument).
10th - 12th
Close Reading, English Language Arts, Literature
CCSS
RL.11-12.1
, RL.11-12.2
, RL.11-12.3
+17
Also included in: Once & Future King BUNDLE: close reading, writing, projects, activities
Once & Future King Bk3 The Ill-Made Knight: Close Reading, Writing, Projects
These close reading questions will guide your students through Book 3 (The “Ill-made Knight”) of The Once and Future King. It is the longest and most involved section of the novel with a large cast of characters and their many quests. For each chapter there is a suggested passage for close reading. Questions address the selected passage as well as other important aspects of the chapter and the novel as a whole thus far. Book 3 is structured by two intertwined themes: the journey (secular and
10th - 12th
Close Reading, English Language Arts, Literature
CCSS
RL.9-10.1
, RL.9-10.2
, RL.9-10.3
+3
Also included in: Once & Future King BUNDLE: close reading, writing, projects, activities
The Sword in the Stone ESCAPE ROOM: review plot, character, theme, close reading
This Escape Room engages students in reviewing plot, characters, themes and other literary features in The Sword in the Stone (Book 1 of T.H. White’s novel, The Once and Future King). They practice close reading by answering questions about a passage to reveal a code. The game culminates in cracking a “secret message” from the text which then serves as a writing prompt. Highlights: Solving the puzzles fosters collaboration. Students can play to their strengths. It’s a fun way to review key
8th - 10th
English Language Arts, Literature, Reading
CCSS
RL.8.2
, RL.8.4
, RL.8.5
+3
Showing 1-20 of 22 results
About the store
Experience
The Round Table offers a variety of collaborative and engaging ELA activities designed primarily for grades 9-12. Here you’ll find in-depth plans for research, close reading, critical analysis, creative writing, performance and external exam prep on classic plays, novels, poetry and non-fiction.
I taught English 10 and 12 and sponsored the Drama Club and Gifted Program in Virginia public schools (USA) for 8 years before going abroad in 1983. For most of my career, I have taught in American International schools in Europe, the Dutch Caribbean, South and East Asia and Africa. I am a highly experienced AP English Language/Literature and Composition teacher. I have also taught in the International Baccalaureate program (English Literature Higher Level, English Literature and Language Higher Level, and Theory of Knowledge.
• 38 years teaching secondary English in international and U. S. schools
• Highly successful in preparing students for AP English Language/Literature, IB English A1 SL/HL exams, Extended Essays and TOK assessments
• Extensive experience developing and writing curriculum (Atlas Rubicon, UbD)
• IB Diploma Examiner, TOK prescribed title papers, Paper 1 and 2 IB English Literature
• Literary Magazine Judge, National and Columbia Scholastic Press Associations
• Adviser to top-award winning scholastic yearbooks and literary magazines
• Service Learning coordinator
• Habitat for Humanity: sponsored and participated in 30 international builds (China, Korea, Mozambique).
• 10 years writing and editing educational materials for Knowledge Platform and Green Guardians (Singapore) with focus on Environmental Literacy (Grades K-5)
Teaching style
Inquiry and project-based
Why "the ROUND TABLE"? In my classrooms, whenever the furniture and design of the room allowed, I would immediately move the tables or desks out of "rows" and into a circle or square so that students and I faced each other. This arrangement created a collaborative environment and encouraged discussion. I thought nothing of moving tables each period, depending on the size of my class, to encourage a free and equal exchange of ideas. I liked to think that King Arthur originated the idea; since there was no "head" at a round table, all his knights were equal, no matter who they were or where they hailed from.
Awards & shining teacher moments
JOURNALISM AWARDS/ HONORS: AISGuangzhou 2009: Literary Magazine Artistic License: rated All American with distinction in content; writing/editing; photography, art, graphics and typography (National Scholastic Press), awarded Silver Crown (Columbia Scholastic Press) and Superior (National Council of Teachers of English). 2008: First Class, distinction in content; writing/editing; photography, art, graphics and typography (NSPA), Superior award (NCTE). 2007: First Class with distinction in concept; writing/editing; photog, art, graphics, typography. (NSPA).
AIS/Dhaka 2001: CNN aired our CNN Student Bureau story on The Sundarbans Mangrove Forest (August 3, 2001); 1998: Yearbook awards: Pacemaker for book and CD (NSPA); All American (CSPA); 1997: Gold Medal, All American (CSPA) Multicultural Staff Award, (NSPA/Journalism Education Association), Sweepstakes Award for Theme Development, Quill and Scroll. 1996: Gold Medal, All American (CSPA). 1995: Gold Medal, Silver Crown (CSPA).
PERSONAL HONORS
• Chosen as the graduation speaker for the class of 2006 and 2009 (AISG)
• Appointed English Department Head (2008-2009) (AISG)
• Published student yearbook work in A Novel Approach to Copy Writing (1998) (Hall and Puntney)
• Published article in Applying NCTE/IRA Standards in Classroom Journalism Projects (2002) (Bowen and Tantillo)
• Member, ECIS Standing Committee on English (1986-1989) and Journalism (Co-founder) (1993-1996)
My own education history
James Madison University BA (1973), MA (1975)
Lesley University M.Ed (2000)
I taught English 10 and 12 and sponsored the Drama Club and Gifted Program in Virginia public schools (USA) for 8 years before going abroad in 1983. For most of my career I have taught in American International schools in Europe, the Dutch Caribbean, South and East Asia and Africa. I am a highly experienced AP English Language/Literature and Composition teacher. I have also taught in the International Baccalaureate program (English Literature Higher Level, English Literature and Language Higher Level, and Theory of Knowledge.
• 38 years teaching secondary English in international and U. S. schools (grades 7-12)
• Highly successful in preparing students for AP English Language/Literature, IB English A1 SL/HL exams, Extended Essays and TOK assessments
• Extensive experience developing and writing curriculum (Atlas Rubicon, UbD)
• IB Diploma Examiner, TOK prescribed title papers, Paper 1 and 2 IB English Literature
• Literary Magazine Judge, National and Columbia Scholastic Press Associations
• Adviser to top-award winning scholastic yearbooks and literary magazines
• Service Learning coordinator
• Habitat for Humanity: sponsored and participated in 30 international builds (China, Korea, Mozambique).
Additional biographical information
INTERESTS: writing, literature, travel, photography, scuba diving, weight training, hiking, reading, cooking, gardening. Extensive travel in Europe, Latin America, Asia, Africa. I serve on a committee in my community to promote ecology and install a pollinator garden for all to enjoy! Languages: Intermediate Spanish, Beginning Italian.
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