In the methodology called "literature-driven integrated language arts," the words "literature-driven" describe an instructional approach that uses entire pieces of literature (short stories, novels, poems, etc.) as the stimuli for a language arts program. The aim of literature-driven instruction is to engage the affective character of the text, as…

This document contains student and school system performance data on North Carolina's grade 3 pretest, end-of-grade tests, high school comprehensive test, and end-of-course tests. Results were generated from tests administered statewide in the 2000-2001 school year. The grade 3 pretest was administered in reading and mathematics, and the…

Preparing and telling stories in the classroom is fun for both teacher and student, and stories have great value as motivational tools to enhance instruction. Students who have difficulty recalling facts from the textbook easily remember the concepts that are contained within a story. Stories seem to provide frameworks that aid understanding and…

Student progress, in terms of achievement gain, in reading, language, and spelling was studied for students in these elementary reading programs in the Los Angeles Unified School District: Open Court, Collections for Young Scholars, High Achievement/Waiver Schools, and Success for All. The study included only second graders with at least 1 year of…

This book offers countless practical ideas for student activities in the areas of literature, reading, writing, and thematic units, from the exploration of ghostly themes, to the writing of resumes for heroes, to devising yearbook entries or Web pages for famous literary characters. The book provides the middle school or secondary school classroom…

The first volume in a series and the foundation on which future volumes will build, this book explains the goals of the "Kids InSight" series, then highlights the threads that will run throughout all the books in the series. The goals of the book are to: encourage teachers to reflect on and reconsider their instruction; change their…

Providing a description of what Mississippi students should know and do in English, language arts, and reading classrooms from kindergarten through twelfth grade, this curriculum framework addresses the interrelatedness of reading, writing, speaking, listening, and viewing with the intent to raise expectations for student performance in the…

Too frequently textbooks used in class are criticized heavily by educators. In and of itself, a textbook is neither good nor bad. If the text has been carefully chosen, there may be reasons for criticizing its use. Textbooks should always be carefully evaluated when new basals are chosen so that the very best one(s) are selected for a class.…

The borders that separate and connect different cultures often come into sharpest relief when the focus is on themes and motifs found in the literature or the visual arts of several lands. With the Internet, students can discover such points of intercultural contact for themselves, crossing borders that can lead them to a broader perspective on…

This lesson plan highlights one episode in the "Divine Comedy" to provide students with an introduction to Dante's poem. After a brief introduction to the opening of the "Divine Comedy," which portrays Dante as a pilgrim guided by the poet Virgil on a journey through the Christian afterlife toward God, students read Canto 5 of…

Monsters have haunted the literary imagination from earliest times (e.g., the Cyclops, Grendel, etc.), but a particular interest in horror and the Gothic form dates back to the 18th and early 19th centuries. Taking their name from the Gothic architecture that often served as a backdrop to the action, these novels present supernatural events in…

This lesson plan complements study of plot and characterization in "Romeo and Juliet" by focusing on Shakespeare's use of lyric forms and conventions to spotlight moments in the drama and thereby heightens the impact of the action on the stage. Students look first at the sonnet in which Romeo and Juliet meet, analyzing the imagery to…

Anthologists and editors prepare the way for poetry readers, selecting works that reward close reading and assisting interpretation through annotation. But on the Internet people can return to poetry in its native state--one set of words among many others competing for appreciation--and read with fresh eyes. The learning objectives of this lesson…

This book brings new life to the study of social studies by integrating the tools of creative drama and theater tools like pantomime, movement, improvisation, scripted drama, oral interpretation, debate, public speaking, readers theater, storytelling, and the many other ways the body or voice can be used to creatively communicate ideas to others.…

This paper elaborates on using picture books in the classroom--not just for young students' recreational reading, but also as a creative method for introducing complex concepts to the middle school adolescent. The paper contends that the language arts classroom needs to become a secure community where students are "pulled into" literacy…