Students examine the novel's societal setting, which is also fraught with division. Crime and Punishment is more than just a demonstration of the idea that crime does not pay, it is a vivid depiction of societal injustice. For example, Dostoyevsky's mid-nineteenth century Russia offered women narrowly circumscribed roles, most often resulting in their dependence on men and/or a life of poverty. The negative effects of several other societal divisions raise additional questions.

Lesson 3 involves distinguishing between a literary topic and a literary theme. It articulates a variety of William Golding's themes implicit in the novel "Lord of the Flies" and has students recognize the dominant theme of human nature's propensity for destruction.

In this lesson, students explore the use of multiple voices in narration and examine the character of Addie Bundren in Faulkner's "As I Lay Dying."

The third chapter of "The Sound and the Fury" is told from the perspective of Jason Compson, now the patriarchal head of the family, after his father's death, Quentin's suicide, and Caddy's abandonment of her own daughter (also named Quentin). His leadership does not bode well for keeping intact the remnants of the Compson family, ultimately indicating the passing of both the Old South at large and its one-time aristocratic families such as the Compsons.

Guide to planning assessments for specific learning objectives, including establishing validity and reliability.

This online resource offers extensive ideas and support for teachers looking to integrate literature circles into their curriculum. The “first steps, next steps, and later steps” chart provides ideas for those just beginning to integrate literature circles as well as those with experience who are seeking to refine and improve the literature experience.

Introduce middle school students to reading through the use of graphic novels. Students will follow different themes in the novel citing quotes to support the different themes in the book.

This blog post on the University of Washington Center for Educational Leadership website offers a concise and clear overview of how to read and analyze a text in preparation for unit plan design.

This book and website include resources for teachers to motivate and engage students. The Book Whisperer includes a list of books recommended for developing a high interest classroom library. Reading in the Wild was written as a follow-up to The Book Whisperer and is based in part on survey responses from adult readers, teachers and students. The book provides advice and strategies for developing, encouraging, and assessing five key reading habits that cultivate a lifelong love of reading.

This practitioner resource includes 45 mini-lessons to help teachers teach students how to engage and participate in literature circles.

Cornelius Minor identifies tools, attributes, and strategies that can augment our listening, allowing us to make powerful moves toward equity by broadening access to learning for all children.

In Cultivating Genius, Dr. Gholdy Muhammad presents a four-layered equity framework-one that is grounded in history and restores excellence in literacy education.

Describes a study that integrates grammar into the teaching of writing. Provides a good review of other articles and titles that will help explain the research base for this approach.

The purpose of this document is to provide a research-based resource for media, policymakers, and teachers that acknowledges the complexities of reading as an ongoing, developmental process and addresses the needs of secondary (adolescent) readers and their teachers.

Assessment definitions and principles for literacy assessment adopted by the National Council of Teachers of English.

This short and practitioner-based text offers a thoughtful discussion about challenges students encounter with reading as well as book lists of recommended texts. The author–a noted YA librarian and enthusiast–also includes practical strategies for helping students engage with texts.

This position statement from the National Council of Teachers of English defines the components of effective reading instruction and cites research to support these ideas. It provides a comprehensive overview of the teaching of reading in the 21st century as well as recommendations for teaching reading for teachers and guidelines for policy makers.

This text provides an overview of the components of effective vocabulary study for middle grades readers. It includes meaningful supports for selecting words, word study, vocabulary development, and assessment.

This Teaching Channel resource includes a video that models how to use observation and anecdotal notes to assess students’ ability to participate in academic discussions about texts as well as classroom resources such as participation protocols.

American author Pearl S. Buck spent most of her life in China. She returned to America in 1934, "an immigrant among immigrants"¦in my native land." In this lesson, students will explore American attitudes toward immigration in the 1930s through Pearl S. Buck's essay, "On Discovering America." They will explore the meaning of the term "American" in this context and look at how the media portrayed immigrants.