Novel hooks

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A Christmas Carol Stations Activity That Brings Dickens’ World to Life

Teaching A Christmas Carol can bring just the right amount of magic into the holiday season while still maintaining rigor. Dickens’ story is packed with social criticism, powerful lessons, a sprinkle of spookiness, and one of literature’s most iconic character transformations. But before students can appreciate Scrooge’s journey, it’s helpful for them to understand the …

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A Step-by-Step Guide for How to Conduct Reader’s Theater with 12 Angry Men

Reader’s theater is an engaging read-aloud strategy that can engage every member of the classroom! Use this step-by-step guide to use 12 Angry Men as an anchor text with your high school students. Each activity will draw your students into the critical conversations this engaging script. What is Reader’s Theater? Reader’s theater is a literacy …

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3 Powerful Ways to Hook Your Students at the Beginning of a Play or Novel Unit

Novel units are the bread and butter of the high school English experience, but introducing a new novel or play can be met with trepidation or groans from students who carry the baggage of struggling with reading. That’s why using a powerful pre-reading activity to hook your students can actually get them excited about the …

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Just Mercy Anticipation Guide

When you start teaching a book (whether fiction or nonfiction) an anticipation guide can be very helpful; this Just Mercy anticipation guide can truly work to grab your students’ attention at the beginning of the unit.  Why Teach Just Mercy  When I read Just Mercy several years ago I found it gripping and sobering. It …

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