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Unlocking Literary Analysis with The House on Mango Street | Unit Overview & Pacing Guide
Complete figurative language and analytical writing unit for The House on Mango Street.
Intro & Guided Close Reading Lesson
Introduce the House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros with a guided close reading and figurative language analysis lesson.
Build a Strong Thesis Statement Worksheet (Print & Digital)
A free, classroom-ready worksheet that helps students build clear, specific, analytical thesis statements for any text. Includes a printable PDF and a Google Docs digital version.
The Babadook — Complete Film Analysis Unit
Introduce film analysis with this complete film unit and pacing guide.
Frankenweenie: Full ELA Film Unit & Pacing Guide
3 week pacing guide for teaching and analyzing Frankenweenie, includes links to all lessons (essentially a unit bundle).
Frankenweenie & Frankenstein: Characterization Comparisons
Comparative Analysis of Victor, his father, and his mentor/teachers in Frankenweenie and Frankenstein. Scaffolded and ready to differentiate.
Coraline Film Analysis Practice Pack
Five scaffolded practice activities build film vocabulary, character analysis, and theme development.
Parallel Film Frame Analysis Practice for Into the Spider-Verse
A high-impact visual literacy + writing activity for high school ELA or Film & Media Studies classrooms in school or homeschool.
Opening Sequence Film Analysis Practice Activity with It Follows
Conduct a shot by shot breakdown of the first 4 minutes of It Follows to explore suspense, POV, and more.
Chapter 4: What Does It Mean to Be American? in When the Emperor Was Divine
Explore identity and assimilation in Chapter 4 of When the Emperor Was Divine with a freewrite and close reading activity on what it means to be “American.”
Chapter 3: Memory, Identity & the Camp Experience in When the Emperor Was Divine
Close reading questions for Chapter 3 of When the Emperor Was Divine. Analyze memory, identity, and motif development through independent literary practice.
Divining Deeper Meaning: Themes & Motifs in Chapter 3 of When the Emperor Was Divine
Literary analysis toolkit for Chapter 3 of When the Emperor Was Divine: explore symbols, motifs, and themes through guided close reading and reflection.
Chapter 2 Analysis Toolkit: POV Shifts & Symbolism in When the Emperor Was Divine
Chapter 2 analysis toolkit for When the Emperor Was Divine: POV shift chart + symbolism annotation activity. Ideal for student-led literary analysis.
Close Reading and Symbolism Practice for Chapter 1 of When the Emperor Was Divine
Lit & Lens Society practice for When the Emperor Was Divine Chapter 1: analyze character, mood, and symbolism through close reading and guided questions.
Film Analysis Assignment Sheet & Rubric for Coraline
A Thematic + Visual Analysis Project for Middle & High School Students
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If you can't beat 'em, lean in and teach them
Lesson for members
Poe, Coraline, and Autumn Atmosphere
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How to Engage Students When Teaching Analytical Writing
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What If She’s Not “Unmotivated”?
Why I Created a House on Mango Street Novel Study for Homeschool Families
If you’re a homeschooling parent trying to get your daughter to care about literature
Why the Analytical Paragraph Still Matters in a World of Scrolls and Soundbites
When I first started teaching high school English in a wealthy, high-achieving public school district, I was surprised by how often students would argue over a single
How to Write a Strong Analytical Thesis Statement in High School and IB English
Lesson for members
Why So Many Students Struggle with Literary Analysis—And How The House on Mango Street Can Help
“Why can’t I get above a B on my English essays?”
I hear this question all the time from students—and I understand their frustration. They want
How to Use ChatGPT to Turn a Film Analysis Model into Scaffolded Writing Instruction (with Into the Spider-Verse)
Help students analyze theme and character growth in Into the Spider-Verse with this scaffolded film analysis activity. Includes thesis + outline worksheets.
Film Analysis for Students: Visual Framing & Emotional Distance in Into the Spider-Verse (pt. 4)
Learn how to analyze film scenes with this breakdown of framing, distance, and symbolism in Into the Spider-Verse. Perfect for students, teachers, and visual storytelling enthusiasts.
Teaching Visual Literacy with Into the Spider-Verse (pt. 1)
Teach film analysis without a film degree! Use Into the Spider-Verse to build students’ visual literacy, critical thinking, and ELA writing skills.
Make it to Summer Break with the Into the Spiderverse ELA Survival Pack
I’ve taught both freshmen and seniors, and when May hits, their energy couldn’t be more different.
Seniors?
Erratic but energized. They're leaning into the
Transforming Student Engagement with The House on Mango Street
I taught Sandra Cisneros's The House on Mango Street once, and quickly realized I needed to rethink my approach. In this post, I'll explain
11: Final Paragraph Assessment
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10: Theme
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09: Reasoning & Analysis
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08: Quotation Integration
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07: Analysis
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06: Analytical Writing Building Blocks
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05: Mood, Tone & Imagery
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04: Simile, Metaphor & Personification
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03: Symbolism & Imagery
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02: Reading Pre-Assessment
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01: Paragraph Pre-Assessment
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