Lesson+Plans

= Methods to Engage Students in the Language Arts =

English Companion English teachers Ning: where teachers meet to help each other Lesson Plans 4 Teachers Comprehensive lesson plan website Learning Page Professional lesson plans Assign each student a vocabulary word from the class list. The students must create a cartoon of the word by utilizing a similar word (i.e. rhyming word) For example, if the vocabulary word is 'mustered', the student could use the word 'mustard' to help draw a depiction. Each student could then take a picture of the cartoon with a digital camera or laptop webcam. The student would then be required to insert the picture on a PowerPoint slide along with the vocabulary word and its definition. Have the students email each slide to you (the instructor). Compile the slides into a unified slideshow and email to the class as a tool for review.
 * Sample Lessons :**

Create a wiki. Have students write and post reviews of books they have read. This will help students to be analytical of what they are reading while showing others what they have learned.

Utilize Etherpad to start a discussion of main characters in a work of literature. Assign specific characters to students or have an open debate on the characters of the work.

Have students create a word collage of character traits that self-identify. This can be done using the Wordle website. Hang the finished collages on a bulletin board and have students guess which description matches the student. This is a great icebreaker for the beginning of the year or semester.

Divide the class in to small groups. Have each group of students create a video of a major event in a work of literature. Play the clips for the class and have each group discuss the importance of the event assigned them.