The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - Literature Kit Gr. 9-12


Book Description

Travel down the Mississippi on an adventure that deals with themes of freedom, society and social prejudices. Before reading and after reading questions, along with suggested writing activities, help to fully engage students in the book. Students brainstorm the differences and similarities between Huck and Jim before predicting the outcome of their interaction. Explain how Huck tries to help the gang on the shipwreck. Put events from the story in order as they happened when Huck meets King and Duke. Find the synonym of the vocabulary words found in the text. Students reflect on the relationship between Huck and Jim as it progresses through the novel. Compare the friendships between Jim, Huck and Tom in a three-circle Venn Diagram. Aligned to your State Standards and written to Bloom's Taxonomy, additional crossword, word search, comprehension quiz and answer key are also included. About the Novel: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, written by Mark Twain, is the classic story of a young boy who travels down the Mississippi on a raft with a runaway slave. The story begins with Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer, who have each earned themselves $6,000. Feeling restless, Huck yearns for the freedom he once had before finding himself under the care of the Widow Douglas. He is then taken away by his estranged father, who sets his sights on Huck's newfound fortune. Huck soon runs away, setting off down the Mississippi River, where he befriends a runaway slave named Jim. During their journey, they encounter many characters and hardships that threaten their freedom.




Animal Farm - Literature Kit Gr. 9-12


Book Description

Experience the corruption of power and downfall of rebellion with this allegorical story of the Russian Revolution. This resource is great to use as a stand-alone resource, as well as a starting point for bigger activities. Predict whether old Major’s words will inspire any action from the animals. Explain how life for the animals changed immediately following the rebellion. Answer multiple choice questions that reference life on the farm under the leadership of the pigs. Get into the minds of the animals who continue to confess in the face of executions to determine their motivations. Research the concepts of propaganda and historical revisionism and how they connect to Napoleon’s actions in the novel. Discuss some of the instances of foreshadowing that can be found within the novel and how they influenced perceptions going forward. Aligned to your State Standards and written to Bloom's Taxonomy, our worksheets incorporate a variety of scaffolding strategies along with additional crossword, word search, comprehension quiz and answer key. About the Novel: Animal Farm is an allegorical satire that recalls the Russian Revolution, in which the unhappy animals of Manor Farm rise up against humanity. In Willingdon, England, Mr Jones runs the neglected Manor Farm. His animals are not happy with their living conditions. One night, old Major calls on the other animals to overthrow the humans. He teaches them a revolutionary song called ‘Beasts of England’. When he dies, conditions on the farm continue to deteriorate, to the point where the animals decide to rise up. They chase the humans off the farm and rename it Animal Farm. Two pigs, named Snowball and Napoleon take control and immediately adopt a set of seven commandments they call Animalism. The farm runs smoothly until bit by bit these commandments are broken by the pigs. Through propaganda, the pigs continue to keep control over the farm, even when the other animals start to question their actions. The story continues down a rabbit hole that inevitably shows the pigs are no different than the humans.




Julius Caesar - Literature Kit Gr. 9-12


Book Description

Travel to ancient Rome to experience power, corruption and greed among the ruling class. This resource helps to focus and guide classroom discussions. Imagine alternatives to dealing with disagreeing parties in a peaceful manner. Put yourself in the mind of Brutus to determine how he convinces himself to betray his friend. Answer questions about the events that take place surrounding Caesar’s death. Look inward to identify your own values and what you would do to see them realized. Keep track of your dreams in order to decipher their meanings. Complete a timeline of the real Julius Caesar and his accomplishments. Aligned to your State Standards and written to Bloom's Taxonomy, our worksheets incorporate a variety of scaffolding strategies along with additional crossword, word search, comprehension quiz and answer key. About the Novel: Julius Caesar imagines the true events surrounding the titular character’s downfall. Beware the Ides of March! A warning given to Caesar, but not followed. Caesar has risen to power. Rome is prospering. However, some of the other senators are not happy. They believe Caesar is drunk with power. They believe Rome would be better with someone else in charge. Their greed leads to the formation of a plot to overthrow Caesar. Led by Cassius, the conspirators know they need Brutus on their side. With manipulation they succeed, and the horrible deed is done. What happens after this betrayal is a struggle for power between two sides. One side that of the conspirators. The other of Marc Antony and Octavius, who have managed to turn the Romans against Brutus and the others. This struggle culminates into a war, where only one ruler will rise to control Rome.




To Kill A Mockingbird - Literature Kit Gr. 9-12


Book Description

Experience prejudice during the Great Depression in this classic example of modern American literature. Great for mature lower level readers, offering grade-appropriate vocabulary and comprehension activities. Students are asked to describe what they already know about life during the Great Depression. Describe the light and dark imagery surrounding the scene out front of the jail. Describe the editorial by Mr. Underwood, and explain why the characters compare his death to that of a songbird. Complete sentences from the story with their missing vocabulary words. Explore the choice of having Scout act as narrator in the story, and what advantages and disadvantages come with first person point of view. Analyze the character of Atticus by using a T-Chart for match characteristics with proof from the text. Aligned to your State Standards and written to Bloom's Taxonomy, additional crossword, word search, comprehension quiz and answer key are also included. About the Novel: To Kill a Mockingbird is a Pulitzer Prize-winning story about a young girl and her family living in Maycomb, Alabama during the Depression. Six-year-old Scout Finch lives with her older brother Jem, and lawyer father Atticus. Scout and Jem befriend a boy named Dill who stays with his aunt each summer. The three children become fascinated with their neighbor, Boo Radley, who stays hidden in his home. One summer, Atticus is appointed by the court to defend a black man named Tom Robinson, who is accused of raping a young white woman. Atticus receives much disapproval from the townspeople, which leads to Scout, Jem and Dill saving their father and Tom from an angry mob.




The Grapes of Wrath - Literature Kit Gr. 9-12


Book Description

Take the journey to California with the Joad family, in hopes of a better life during the Great Depression. Study questions can be used as discussion starters, as well as a way to monitor student reading. Identify industries other than farming that may be affected negatively by drought. Students put themselves into the story and imagine traveling along with the Joads, and what it would be like to live in the encampments. Create a handbill advertising the many jobs, good wages, and great living conditions being offered out west. Match vocabulary words from the text to their meanings. Determine the parallels between the expositional and narrative chapters in the book, and identify plot elements for each in a Structure Graphic Organizer. Aligned to your State Standards and written to Bloom's Taxonomy, additional crossword, word search, comprehension quiz and answer key are also included. About the Novel: The Grapes of Wrath is a Pulitzer Prize-winning story about an impoverished family making their way to California in hopes of a better future. Set in the Great Depression, the Joad family travel from Oklahoma to California after their farm is destroyed in the Dust Bowl. Along the way, the family meets others on their way to California. While talking to those coming back from California, the Joad's are forced to confront the possibility that their lives may not be bettered by going to California. Aware that nothing remains for them in Oklahoma, the family continue on. Reaching California, the family is met with hard labor, unions, protests, and finally murder.




Practical Life Skills - Independent Living Gr. 9-12+


Book Description

Students gain the skills to live independently. Understand the difference between renting and buying a home. Then, become familiar with the expenses associated with living alone. From there, get to know bus routes to determine the fastest way to get around. Be prepared in case of fire with your own fire route plan. Find out how saving energy will save money. Finally, get to know who to contact in case of injury. Comprised of reading passages, graphic organizers, real-world activities, crossword, word search and comprehension quiz, our resource combines high interest concepts with low vocabulary to ensure all learners comprehend the essential skills required in life. All of our content is reproducible and aligned to your State Standards and are written to Bloom's Taxonomy.




Practical Life Skills - Employment & Volunteering Gr. 9-12+


Book Description

Give students the tools they need to get a job. Prepare students with tips on filling out a job application and writing a resume. Get to know what kind of questions to expect at an interview and how to prepare for them. Gain the skills needed to thrive on the job and properly communicate with peers and supervisors. Find out the benefits of volunteering and know what your rights are as employees. Comprised of reading passages, graphic organizers, real-world activities, crossword, word search and comprehension quiz, our resource combines high interest concepts with low vocabulary to ensure all learners comprehend the essential skills required in life. All of our content is reproducible and aligned to your State Standards and are written to Bloom's Taxonomy.




Nineteen Eighty-Four - Literature Kit Gr. 9-12


Book Description

Visit a dystopian society to see what an alternate 1984 could have looked like. The variety of engaging activities can easily be broken up for students over several weeks to coordinate with assigned reading. Use what you know about Winston’s memory of his mother to describe what family relationships are like in Oceania. Predict what will happen to Winston based on what you know of the world he lives in and the consequences of his actions. Identify statements about Winston and Julia’s first meeting as true or false. Use what you have already read about room 101 and predict how Winston will react to his experiences there. Describe what the word “betrayal” means to you, and how it relates to the events in the novel. List events from the book that connect to the plot’s major themes. Aligned to your State Standards and written to Bloom's Taxonomy, additional crossword, word search, comprehension quiz and answer key are also included. About the Novel: Nineteen Eighty-Four is the year of an alternate dystopian era in which there are three ruling nations: Oceania, Eastasia and Eurasia. The former are partnered together in a war against the latter, and that’s how it’s always been. Or has it? Winston Smith works for the Ministry of Truth office. His job is to alter the history books so they line up with whatever the Party wants its citizens to believe. Everything is controlled by the Party, including language. Those that dare to have free thought are dealt with severely. Winston begins to question the Party and how things are run. He starts to rebel by purchasing a diary to write his thoughts in, beginning a relationship with a mysterious dark-haired woman, and seek out the Brotherhood who would like to see the Party taken down. But with the unseen eye of the Party leader Big Brother always watching, it’s only a matter of time before Winston is caught.




The Great Gatsby - Literature Kit Gr. 9-12


Book Description

Experience the rise and fall of mankind through a series of events that ultimately lead to a tragic end. Encourage students to make connections between the novel and real life through discussion questions and writing prompts. Students brainstorm the different themes that may be presented prior to reading the novel. Use evidence from the text to explain how Nick describes Myrtle's sister. Complete sentences from the story with their missing vocabulary words. Research the real-life scandal of the 1919 World Series touched on in the novel, and explain the social and cultural impacts this event had in the United States. Pick up Nick's story five years after the events in the novel and discuss where Nick would be and what he would be doing. Aligned to your State Standards and written to Bloom's Taxonomy, additional crossword, word search, comprehension quiz and answer key are also included. About the Novel: The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is a story about a man prospering from the Jazz Age, and his inevitable downfall. Told through the eyes of Nick Carraway, we are introduced to his mysterious neighbor—Jay Gatsby—who spends every evening throwing lavish parties. One such night, Nick is extended an invitation. There, we learn of Gatsby's intention of using Nick to facilitate a reunion between Gatsby and his lost love, Daisy Buchanan. Daisy, who lives across the lake in the house with the green light at the end of the dock, also happens to be Nick's cousin. Daisy and Gatsby's reunion leads to a tragic love affair that changes the lives of each character forever.




Of Mice and Men - Literature Kit Gr. 9-12


Book Description

Learn about life during the Great Depression while learning about friendship, survival and prejudice. Our versatile resource allows large group interaction or independent work as an assessment. Become familiar with tricky words from the novel prior to reading by using them in a sentence. We include examples from the text that show characters exploiting the weaknesses of others. Draw a picture of George's ideal piece of land as he describes it to Lennie and Candy. Imagine the story taking place today, and rewrite the beginning to reflect this change. List the essential themes of the novel on a bindle organizer. Aligned to your State Standards and written to Bloom's Taxonomy, additional crossword, word search, comprehension quiz and answer key are also included. About the Novel: Of Mice and Men is the controversial novella by John Steinbeck that follows two migrant workers as they look for work during the Great Depression. Located in California, ranch workers George Milton and Lennie Small move on to look for work. George is lean and intelligent, while Lennie is large and strong. The pair share a dream of one day owning their own land. Lennie's part of the dream is to be able to touch soft rabbits, as he likes to touch soft things. George and Lennie find themselves on a ranch with Candy, an old-aged ranch hand and Slim. Candy offers to give $350 for George and Lennie to buy their land if Candy can live with them. Unfortunate events at the ranch make sure that dream never takes place.