Lesson Series - ELA

Lesson One:

Literary Voice & Personal Truth: Narrative Writing for Authentic Expression

Students will explore personal voice, narrative structure, and sensory language, and then write original short narratives that reflect real experiences, emotional truth, or imagined realities.

Implementation:

Students explore narrative techniques such as character development, setting, conflict, dialogue, and pacing through guided instruction, mentor texts, mini-lessons, and collaborative writing workshops. After core skills are introduced, students draft an original narrative using journals, Google Docs, or notebooks. They’ll sketch story arcs, build character profiles, experiment with figurative language, and revise through peer and teacher feedback. Think of it as “storytelling as identity work.”

Differentiation:

• Narrative templates, graphic organizers, and sentence starters

• Writing conferences and guided small-group support

• Speech-to-text tools and audio drafting options

• Flexible length requirements and pacing guides

• Advanced students can experiment with nonlinear timelines and unreliable narrators

• Struggling students can complete stories through illustrated storyboards or guided paragraphs

Literacies Developed:

• Narrative Literacy

• Emotional Literacy

• Foundational Writing Skills

• Communication Literacy

• Creative Thinking Literacy

Common Core Alignment: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.3, W.11-12.3, RL.9-10.3

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Lesson Two:

Language, Power & Identity: Propaganda and Truth in 1984

Students will analyze themes of surveillance, censorship, and propaganda in 1984, and then create analytical written responses exploring how language is used as a tool of power and control.

Implementation:

Students examine key passages from 1984 through close reading, guided annotation, class discussions, and short video context pieces. After core comprehension, students write a literary analysis essay exploring how Orwell uses language, symbolism, and structure to communicate political and psychological control. They’ll track motifs like “Newspeak,” “doublethink,” and surveillance, draft thesis statements, and build evidence-based paragraphs supported by textual citations. Think of it as “reading power through language.”

Differentiation:

• Guided reading questions and annotation models

• Chunked reading assignments with audio book support

• Collaborative discussion groups and sentence frames

• Graphic organizers for thesis and evidence planning

• Advanced students can write comparative essays with modern media or news sources

• Struggling students can complete paragraph-by-paragraph scaffolded responses

Literacies Developed:

• Critical Literacy

• Political Literacy

• Media Literacy

• Textual Evidence Skills

• Analytical Writing Literacy

Common Core Alignment: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.1, RL.11-12.2, W.9-10.2

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Lesson Three:

Fear, Reputation & Moral Courage: Power and Consequences in The Crucible

Students will explore themes of hysteria, reputation, integrity, and social pressure in The Crucible, and then write a structured argumentative piece examining how fear shapes individual and collective behavior.

Implementation:

Students read selected acts and scenes from The Crucible through dramatic read-alouds, partnered reading, and short performances. After comprehension is established, students develop an argumentative essay responding to a focused prompt (e.g., “Is fear the most powerful force in the play?”). They’ll collect quotes, develop claim-based paragraphs, practice counterarguments, and refine their reasoning through peer review and teacher conferences. Think of it as “argument through empathy and ethics.”

Differentiation:

• Argument writing templates and claim-evidence-reasoning charts

• Simplified scene summaries and vocabulary banks

• Role-play discussions for kinesthetic learners

• Choice of essay prompts for student interest

• Advanced students can write modern parallels to social media or political movements

• Struggling students can complete guided paragraph frames and oral response options

Literacies Developed:

• Argument Literacy

• Historical Literacy

• Ethical Reasoning Literacy

• Civic Literacy

• Oral Communication Literacy

Common Core Alignment: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.3, W.9-10.1, SL.9-10.1