We all know what it feels like to read a book and see some aspect of ourselves reflected. It’s powerful. It makes us feel seen. Of course, we want to give that to our students. 

But too many educational institutions are recycling the same curriculum from fifty years ago. Or longer. I know in my first year of teaching, the only textbook we had was the same edition from when I was in high school. And that textbook was outdated when I was using it as a student. 

The world has changed, and so, too, must our curriculum.

This doesn’t mean abandoning the classics. It means expanding our course materials and teaching practices to reflect the modern world and the different perspectives our students will encounter in higher education and beyond.

In this post, I’m going to how diversifying the curriculum can benefit students with some tips for updating your own curriculum.

Why Diversify the Curriculum?

There are many reasons to make sure your English curriculum is a diversified one. (Honestly, the real question should be: why keep the traditional canon?)

How Does Diversifying The Curriculum Boost Minority Voices?

When we include a wider range of resources in our English literature classrooms, we’re doing more than just checking a box. We’re making sure students see the often-ignored contributions of marginalized people.

That might mean adding novels from the Global South. It could be adding poetry by Black authors. You could teach essays from minority ethnic writers whose voices are too often missing from the national curriculum.

For many young people, exposure to a diverse curriculum is their first real chance to engage with texts that align with their own experiences. This kind of inclusive content helps students feel validated, especially ethnically diverse students and those from underrepresented backgrounds.

When students see themselves reflected in the subject matter, they recognize that their stories and communities are worth studying. They see that their voices are just as valuable as those of Shakespeare or Fitzgerald.

When students–all of our students–see themselves represented in the classroom, it gives them confidence. It also boosts engagement and buy-in.

How Does Diversifying The Curriculum Help Students With Personal Growth?

At the same time, a diverse curriculum nurtures empathy in all students. (And don’t you think the world needs more empathy right now?)

Reading about lives that are different from their own shows students different perspectives outside of their their daily routines. Whether it’s a memoir from a refugee, a coming-of-age novel set in southeast Asia, or a poem rooted in Black history, these texts encourage students to consider the human experience more broadly.

When students encounter the voices of others, students develop compassion, critical thinking, and cultural awareness. These are crucial skills they’ll need not only in college but also as citizens in the modern world.

Reading more diverse voices makes our students better people. What more could we want?

How Does Diversifying The Curriculum Benefit Students Academically?

There are also measurable academic benefits. When students engage with diverse representation in their reading lists, teachers often notice:

• Higher engagement: Students are more invested in reading when the characters or themes feel relevant to their lives.
• Stronger writing: Exposure to a wider range of resources and styles helps students expand their own writing voices.
• Improved discussion skills: Debating complex issues of social justice, identity, or cultural difference often sparks deeper conversations and better critical thinking than sticking with a narrow canon.

Research in academic publishing supports these benefits. For example, Nguyen et al. (2022) found that diversifying reading lists at the University of Kent not only increased student engagement but also helped foster an inclusive learning environment that recognized the often-ignored contributions of marginalized people. 

In other words, the texts we assign shape more than just students’ grades—they shape how students think about belonging, justice, and whose voices deserve space in academic programs.

How Does Diversifying The Curriculum Make Students Better Citizens?

And let’s not ignore the cultural context.

The Black Lives Matter movement, debates over social sciences, and conversations on social media have made students more aware of inequality. They want to see those issues reflected in the course materials we teach.

If we don’t give students a space to discuss important issues, how will they learn to think through them? In the classroom, we can guide students to think critically, ask questions, and communicate with one another with respect. We can challenge them to question a source’s biases.

If we don’t do this in the classroom, we leave students to navigate the world on their own. And where will they turn for answers? Social media. Poor sources. Uninformed friends and family, maybe.

As Nguyen et al. remind us, schools must keep pace with the recent changes in society if they want to remain relevant. A diverse curriculum doesn’t just reflect the past; it prepares students for the future.

Start by Auditing Your Curriculum

Before making changes, it’s worth doing an honest review of your current course design. A curriculum audit helps you see where you’re already strong and where you may be missing opportunities for diverse representation.

(I would grab a copy of your syllabus and a couple of highlighters.)

Here are some questions to guide your audit:

• What percent of authors on your reading list are from underrepresented backgrounds? (Go ahead and highlight those name/texts.)
• Are there units that include inclusive content or do they mostly focus on white male voices?
• Does your subject matter reflect both academic knowledge and the own experiences of your students? (In other words, is there space in your units for students to connect and reflect?)
• Do your course materials highlight the often ignored contributions of marginalized people?

This process doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. Even little things—like noting gaps in black history coverage or identifying where social justice themes could be layered in—are good starting points.

By reflecting on what’s currently in your curriculum, you’ll have a clearer vision for how to build an inclusive curriculum that serves today’s high school students.

​Don’t forget to check for female voices in your curriculum. Sometimes we focus so much on race, we forget there are other marginalized voices to boost. 

If your audit shows you a curriculum with almost no diverse voices, don’t beat yourself up. Many curriculums are similar. It’s not about being perfect. It’s about doing better. And now that you know the weak spots in your curriculum, you can focus on doing better.

What If You Have a Strict Curriculum?

Many of us teach in settings where the national curriculum or district-mandated syllabi limit our flexibility. Maybe your academic programs already require a specific focus on canonical texts. Perhaps your school is cautious about course design, or you’re a first-year teacher worried about deviating too much from expectations.

You might work in a district or state in which getting a new text approved is onerous at best, and, at worst, could you get you doxed by niche parent groups.

The good news? Little things can still make a big difference.

Even if your core texts are locked in, you can bring inclusive content to your classroom through supplemental materials. School staff across primary school, high school, and even higher education institutions are finding creative ways to work within constraints while still offering students diverse representation.

Think of it this way: Shakespeare can stay. But let’s read him alongside a writer from India or a poet from Harlem.

Dickens can stay. But let’s also show students a short story highlighting the struggles and triumphs of ethnically diverse students in a modern world.

And if even this feels risky, don’t despair. How you talk about the books on your curriculum–and not on it–can be powerful, too. Even if you can’t actively teach certain voices, you can let students know they exist. We can hope the students that need those texts find their way to them.

So, How Can You Diversify The Curriculum?

So how do we actually make this happen? Here are some good starting points that don’t require reinventing your entire syllabus:

Diversifying The Curriculum Tip #1: Pair Canonical Texts with Diverse Short Works

You don’t have to get rid of your main texts entirely. Instead, supplement them with short, diverse works.

If you’re teaching Of Mice and Men or The Great Gatsby, add in a short story, poem, or essay by an author from a minority ethnic or underrepresented background. These little things enrich the subject area by providing different perspectives while still keeping your course materials manageable.

Examples:

• Pair The Great Gatsby with poetry from Langston Hughes to highlight the often ignored contributions of marginalized people during the Jazz Age.
• Teach Macbeth alongside a short story that also deals with ambition and morality like “The Prophet’s Hair” by Salman Rushdie.

Diversifying The Curriculum Tip #2: Add Full Novel Studies by Diverse Voices

Add one new novel study to your year-long curriculum. Even one new text per year can shift the culture of your English literature class.

A unit on Born a Crime by Trevor Noah, Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, or Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi can introduce students to voices often missing from academic programs. This creates a more inclusive curriculum that better reflects our students’ realities and the diverse enrollment in our schools.

You can find a new text that teaches the same skills or focuses on the same essential questions. 

Want some ideas for diverse novel studies? Grab my World Literature curriculum–full of global voices–for free by signing up below (or check out my done-for-you class right here.)

Diversifying The Curriculum Tip #3: Encourage Diverse Texts During Independent Reading

Independent reading is an excellent way to bring in inclusive content without needing administrative approval (probably, anyway). At the very least, it won’t require you to get a new text approved for your curriculum.

Curate a classroom library or further reading list that highlights authors from underrepresented backgrounds. Encourage students to explore academic publishing lists, award winners, or even recommendations from universities. Be sure to promote minority voices during your book talks and let students see you reading texts from diverse authors.

Not every student will pick up a text about black history or racial justice, but making these books available ensures students at least see that these voices are valued and included in course design.

Final Thoughts on Diversifying the Curriculum

As English teachers, we hold incredible power in shaping how students understand the world. By making intentional choices in our course design and teaching practices, we can foster classrooms that reflect inclusive learning environments.

Diversifying the curriculum isn’t about discarding the past. It’s about broadening our lens to include the often-ignored contributions of marginalized people while giving students tools to navigate the modern world with empathy and academic knowledge.

Start with little things—a paired text, a diverse novel study, a thoughtful independent reading list. These changes add up to a classroom where every student, regardless of background, feels seen.

The post Diversifying the Curriculum in High School English: Practical Tips for Teachers appeared first on It's Lit Teaching.

That’s where this post comes in!

Running literature circles in a high school English class can be magical… or messy. On their best day, they’re a great way to get small groups of students engaged in meaningful discussion while practicing critical thinking and deep reading skills. On their worst day, they dissolve into off-topic conversations and uneven participation.

So, how do you make sure your literature circle meetings land closer to magical? By using literature circle role worksheets.

These aren’t just busy work or another grade for the gradebook. Done well, they are simple teacher resources that provide specific roles, clear expectations, and a consistent structure—so every student knows exactly how to contribute to the group.

In this post, I’ll talk about why you should use literature circle role worksheets, how to use them, and offer some suggestions for what they should look like.

If you happen to be leading a graphic novel literature circle, you can find done-for-you literature circle role worksheets inside my Graphic Novel Literature Circles Unit.

What Are Literature Circles?

Never tried a literature circle before? Literature circles are small, student-led discussion groups where each member reads the same text and takes on a specific role to guide the conversation.

They combine the structure of assigned reading with the freedom of collaborative exploration, giving students ownership over their learning.

Instead of the teacher leading every discussion, students prepare ahead of time and come ready to share insights, ask questions, and connect ideas. This makes literature circles especially effective for engaging reluctant readers and fostering critical thinking skills.

If you’re looking for a way to give students more responsibility for their learning but aren’t ready to remove all of the structure yet, literature circles are the perfect mix of teacher-led and total student independence!

While the approach can be adapted for any age group, in high school, literature circles work best when paired with purposeful role assignments, clear expectations, and texts that students are genuinely interested in reading.

If you want to learn more about literature circles themselves, check out this blog post.

Why Literature Circle Role Worksheets Are Essential

If you’ve ever told your class, “Okay, get into groups and discuss the chapter,” you probably already know what happens: a couple of students dominate, a few quietly check out, and the rest offer a sentence or two before drifting off-topic.

Literature circle role worksheets fix that problem by giving each student an assigned job, written job descriptions, and a recording sheet where they prepare their contributions.

Instead of vague instructions, students know:

• What to look for in the text
• How to prepare for their role
• When and how to share with group members
• How their work fits into the group’s success

If you want students engaged during their discussion, literature circle role worksheets are essential. 

Besides engagement, they can guide students to dig deeper. Advanced students can narrow their focus so that they can go deeper instead of broader. Struggling students feel less overwhelmed with a singular job to do. Every student wins, and every student feels like they’ve contributed.

Whether you teach older students in high school, struggling readers in middle school, or even dabble in book clubs with short stories, literature circle role worksheets work at every grade level. They give structure without stifling student voice, and they make your literature circle discussions far more productive.

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Common Literature Circle Roles to Include in Your Worksheets

One of the best parts of using literature circle role worksheets is that you can assign a wide variety of student roles. 

I recommend choosing roles based on the skills you want to highlight during your unit OR based on the strengths of the text.

For example, if you really want students to work on analyzing character during your unit, be sure to include a “Character Captain.” For graphic novels, you might want to include a “Visual Analyst” who dives deeper into the images to find meaning and symbolism.

Here are some various roles to consider, along with a brief description of the literature circle role for each:

• Character Captain – Tracks character development, relationships, and important moments of change.
• Connector – Links the text to real-world events, social studies topics, personal experiences, or other media.
• Dialogue Decoder – Analyzes key lines of dialogue, explaining their meaning, tone, and impact on the story.
• Discussion Director – Creates open-ended questions for the group meeting to spark a meaningful way of looking at the text.
• Literary Luminary – Selects an important moment or short passage for close reading and discussion.
• Panel Tracker – Follows the sequence of panels in a graphic novel, noting layout, pacing, and visual storytelling choices.
• Prediction Expert – Makes predictions for the next section of the book using evidence from the text.
• Researcher – Brings outside context, such as information on the time period, the author’s life, or relevant topics like Native Americans or physical science concepts.
• Summarizer – Delivers a concise recap of the main idea and key events from the section of the book.
• Super Story Illustrator – Produces a visual arts representation of the reading for the rest of the group.
• Super Story Teller – Retells an event in their own words, sometimes creatively, to engage class members.
• Theme Tracker/Seeker – Identifies recurring themes, symbols, or motifs and explains how they develop across the text.
• Tone & Mood Monitor – Notes shifts in tone and mood, offering constructive feedback about how language shapes emotion.
• Visual Analyst – Examines illustrations, page design, and artistic style to explain how visual choices affect storytelling.
• Vocabulary Enricher / Word Wizard – Finds unfamiliar words, defines them, and shares how they shape meaning.

Look, I know some of the roles sound cheesy. You don’t have to give every role a cutesy name! And, in fact, if you’re teaching in high school, you may not want to.

It doesn’t matter what you name the role. All that matters is that students have a clear understanding of their purpose while reading. Choose a title for each role and provide a short description for students. 

You can rotate specific roles every week so students get to try a new role and build different skills.

How to Use Literature Circle Role Worksheets in Class

Here’s a step-by-step approach to making the most of literature circle role worksheets:

1. Assign the Roles – At the start of a reading cycle, hand out role cards or role pages so every group member knows their responsibility.
2. Explain the Job Descriptions – For the first time, model what a completed recording sheet looks like. Walk through a sample text so students see the process.
3. Give Preparation Time – Offer enough time in class or as homework for students to gather notes, quotes, and ideas for their role.
4. Run the Literature Circle Meeting – During the group meeting, have each student share from their role worksheet while others listen and respond.
5. Rotate Roles – Switch student roles each week or every section of the book so students experience different ways of contributing.
6. Follow Up with Reflection – Have students jot down what they learned from other group members and set goals for next time.
7. Extend the Learning – Use the content from literature circle role worksheets as inspiration for final projects—like a movie trailer, graphic arts poster, or a vocal music performance based on the text.

Rotating roles is important. If you choose every role based on a skill you want to cover, then students will have practiced four different skill in-depth over a month! When else do you get to have students practice a single skill set that deeply?

It will also help balance the workload. Some roles are going to feel a little easier or a little harder to certain students; by having students rotate through roles, you’re making your literature circle “fairer.”

What Students Can Do on Literature Circle Role Worksheets

The beauty of literature circle role worksheets is that they’re adaptable. Again, the job you have students do on their worksheets should focus on the skills you want them to practice. 

Depending on the role, your worksheets can prompt students to:

• Write down important quotes from the reading and explain their significance
• Sketch big ideas or scenes (great for Super Story Illustrator roles)
• Jot down questions for discussion—both comprehension and deeper thinking questions
• Highlight unfamiliar words and define them in their own words
• Record page numbers for moments they want the group to revisit
• Map character relationships as they change over time
• Summarize the main idea of the section of the book in a few sentences
• Make personal or real-world connections to events in the text
• Note patterns or symbols they see emerging
• Predict what will happen next and explain why
• Respond to conversation starters or prompts you provide
• Reflect on how their role helped them understand the text better

By tailoring the worksheet prompts to each literature circle role, you make sure students are always prepared to contribute something meaningful to their literature circle discussions.

Troubleshooting Literature Circle Roles

Sadly, no matter how well you plan your literature circles and how much prep you do, you’re bound to run into some problems. Here are some of the most common issues and suggestions for how to handle them.

• If a student is chronically absent:
  • Consider assigning that student a flexible role that can be completed independently and submitted digitally, such as Visual Analyst, Word Wizard, or Illustrator. 
  • You can also rotate roles less frequently so their absence impacts the group less.
  • Another option is to add an extra, “less important” role to the group that the student will do every week. For example, groups might be able to do without a Summarizer (although their presence would help). A chronically absent student could be the Summarizer for the whole literature circle. Yes, that student receives less practice with essential skills, but at least the rest of the group doesn’t suffer for his or her absence.
• If groups are uneven:
  • Some students can take on two smaller roles in one session (for example, Summarizer and Word Wizard) or split a bigger role (like Plot Mapper) into separate responsibilities. 
  • You can also have one role “float” between two groups to fill gaps.
  • I recommend always having a “back-up” role you can fall back on. For example, if your class is twenty-one students, you might have three groups of four and one group of five. If you have a backup role, you can just give the group of five the extra role. (Make sure you have extra literature circle role worksheets to fall back on.)
• If a student finishes their role too quickly:
  • Have them prepare two examples or extend their role into the next meeting. For instance, a Connector could prepare an extra connection to an outside source, or a Dialogue Decoder could explore how the same conversation might change in a different setting.
  • You might also just have to check their work. For example, if a Researcher claims she’s done early, look over her worksheet. Could she research more topics? Cite her sources? Make connections between the text and history? Students that finish quickly may have only done surface-level work. Encourage them to go deeper.
• If students are struggling with their role:
  • Provide role-specific sentence stems, guiding questions, or example notes. 
  • You can also model the role during a full-class discussion before assigning it to small groups. (For example, maybe you read the first chapter of a book or a short text as a whole class so you can model each role.)
• If a student is too quiet or dominating a conversation:
  • Consider establishing discussion norms, such as “no one speaks twice until everyone speaks once,” before the weekly group meetings to keep the conversation balanced. 
  • You could also rotate discussion leaders to give quieter students more opportunities to guide the group.
  • If you really need to intervene you could also “rig” the students roles and tell them what they’ll be doing. Maybe a quiet student is suddenly the Vocabulary Enricher, so he has to share his findings. Or a talkative student becomes the Super Story Illustrator so her contribution has to be mostly visual.

Why I Recommend Graphic Novel Literature Circle Role Worksheets

Graphic novels are a meaningful way to reach struggling readers, visual learners, and even reluctant participants. They’re accessible without being “too easy” for older students, making them perfect for mixed-ability literature circle groups.

My Graphic Novel Literature Circle Bundle includes:

• Literature circle role worksheets with clear job descriptions
• ​Group discussion logs
• Group discussion prompts
• A final project (a visual theme poster)
• Rubrics for both the project and the group discussions
• And more!

If you’ve been hesitant to try literature circles for the first time, or you’re looking for a more effective way to structure literature circle activities, this resource is a great way to get your feet wet. It takes hours of prep out of the equation, allowing you to dive right into your reading groups. 

It also includes a comprehensive teaching guide with tips, suggestions for literature circle themes and titles, and so much more.

You can learn more about the resource and grab it today right here.

Conclusion

Literature circles can be an engaging and empowering way to help students take ownership of their reading and learning. By rotating roles, providing clear expectations, and offering diverse texts, you give students the chance to practice collaboration, critical thinking, and analytical skills in a student-led format.

​These roles are critical for encouraging engagement, skill development, and important classroom discussions.

Whether you choose a theme like banned books or graphic novels, or let students select their own texts, the key is fostering a space where every voice matters and every perspective adds value. With a little planning and flexibility, literature circles can transform your classroom into a vibrant community of readers who challenge, inspire, and learn from one another.

Need a done-for-you unit? Grab my Graphic Novel Literature Circle Unit right here!

The post Literature Circle Role Worksheets Made Simple: Roles, Tips, and Themes appeared first on It's Lit Teaching.

In this post, I’ll walk you through how to teach theme with clarity, offer theme sentence examples you can use in class, and explain the key difference between thematic ideas and thematic statements.

If your students are struggling to write a theme sentence that’s more than just “love is important,” you’re not alone. “Theme” is a complex idea; our students aren’t going to get it right on their first try. 

In this post, I’ll cover theme basics and include some tips for teaching it. I’ll also talk about the purpose of theme, how to help students find theme in a text, and how popular films can be used to teach universal themes.

I hope the examples and tips in this post help you make your next theme lesson a successful one!

And if you want to make teaching theme really easy, you can save yourself a ton of time and stress by grabbing my Literary Theme Lesson! This lesson helps students understand how to write a strong thematic statement. It also includes materials like a student handout and a graphic organizer that you and your student can use with any text. So, regardless of the novel you’re teaching, this theme will fit perfectly into your unit!

The Purpose of Theme

First, why should we bother teaching theme at all? Because understanding theme helps students find the deeper meaning of a story. It teaches students how to think critically about not just books, but all media in their lives.

Themes are how writers explore the human condition, ask big questions, and share a universal message.

When students learn to identify underlying messages, they develop empathy, critical thinking, and the ability to articulate complex ideas—skills that matter far beyond the final chapter of any book.

Whether students are writing a thesis statement for a research paper or reflecting on their favorite books, understanding theme helps them engage with different human perspectives.

Thematic Ideas vs. Thematic Statements

Honestly, this is a concept I’ve even seen teachers themselves debate! But here is how I teach and approach theme. 

Thematic ideas vs. thematic statements is one of the biggest things students get wrong. They’ll identify popular themes like love, identity, or justice, and then stop there. But while thematic ideas are single words or abstract concepts, thematic statements make an original statement about those ideas.

Here’s how to break it down for your students:

I like to tell students that a thematic idea is a concept or idea explored in the text. The thematic statement is the lesson the author wants the reader to take away about that topic, idea, or concept. 

(And I point out that these thematic statements should be grounded in the text. There should be plenty of textual evidence available to support their interpretation!)

Another way to think about thematic statements or theme sentences is to view them as an answer to a question. For example, if the thematic question is, “What does this story suggest about the power of love?” the thematic idea is love. But the thematic statement might be something like, “Love conquers all.”

Once students make that shift, their theme work becomes more meaningful—and more aligned with the expectations of academic writing. 

It also better prepares them for thematic discussions or essays, if you have your eyes on a bigger thematic assignment.

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Common Thematic Ideas and Sample Theme Sentences

Once students understand the difference, give them some scaffolding. These theme examples can help them move from abstract central concepts to meaningful insights:

These theme sentence examples offer students concrete models for writing about the human condition, the main message of a text, and the central theme of a work of literature.

Theme Sentence Examples from Favorite Books

If you’d like some more specific theme sentence examples, here are some ready-to-use theme statements based on common high school texts:

• The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald: The relentless pursuit of the American Dream can lead to disillusionment and self-destruction.
• To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee: Empathy is essential to combating injustice and understanding the complexity of human nature.
• 1984 by George Orwell: Totalitarianism thrives when citizens surrender critical thinking and privacy.
• Lord of the Flies by William Golding: Without societal structure, the human spirit is vulnerable to chaos and savagery.

These examples link plot points, main characters, and literary devices to powerful, full-sentence themes—making them great mentor texts for student writing.

Themes in Popular Films

Before having students find a theme in a 300-page novel, you can scaffold by giving them a quicker and easier-to-digest text to analyze. This could be a shorter piece of writing, like a short story or a poem. But it could also be a film.

If you’re struggling to get students to care about them, try starting with movies. Many blockbusters tackle universal themes that high schoolers recognize—making them perfect entry points.

Here are a few examples:

• The Hunger Games: Survival often demands the loss of innocence and moral compromise.
• Star Wars: The battle between good and evil is often internal as well as external.
• The Truman Show: Freedom requires truth, even when truth is painful.
• The Pursuit of Happyness: Perseverance and love can overcome even systemic injustice.
• Mean Girls: Fitting in can come at the cost of personal integrity.

Discussing the underlying theme of the film first can make the theme of a story easier to analyze later—especially when transitioning into more complex texts.

How Students Can Find Theme in a Text

Teaching students to find the theme of a story doesn’t have to be vague. Here’s a process you can give students:

1. Look at the main conflict: What challenge do the main characters face? What’s at stake?
2. Pay attention to character change: Do characters evolve? What do they learn (or fail to learn)?
3. Track recurring ideas or motifs: Watch for literary devices like symbolism or repetition that highlight the central theme.
4. Ask thematic questions: What is the author saying about love, identity, freedom, or power?
5. Draft and revise a theme sentence: Use a thematic statement formula like:[Author] suggests that [thematic idea] [commentary on it] through [how it plays out in the story].

You can provide scaffolds for students who are new to finding theme or who struggle to analyze texts. Offer a thematic question that students have to answer. (This will help students narrow their focus while reading.) You can differentiate by asking several thematic questions and letting students choose one for which to write a response.

You can also provide graphic organizers to help them track any textual evidence that might help them parse out the thematic ideas later. (I include one in my Literary Theme Lesson!)

Just like with any writing, encourage students to write a second draft of their thematic statements. They can create one, discuss it with partners or with a group, and then refine their ideas. 

Teach Theme the Easy Way

If you want to make teaching theme as easy on yourself as possible, grab my Literary Theme Lesson. It includes everything you need to teach theme. Here’s a quick overview of the lesson and everything else inside:

1. ​The completely editable slideshow walks students through theme, including the difference between thematic ideas and thematic statements. Use it for direct instruction.
2. Give students the included theme handout. It can serve as a reference for the rest of the year–and eliminate the need for time-sucking notetaking during the lesson.
3. After the lesson, you can use the included exit tickets to make sure students “get it.”
4. Lastly, pair the included graphic organizer with a text of your choice and let students attempt to identify theme and create a thematic statement. 
5. The included lesson plan guides you through the whole lesson and provides some teaching tips along the way.

Grab the complete, done-for-you Literary Theme Lesson right here!

How to Assess Students’ Understanding of Theme

Once students can identify thematic ideas and write full thematic statements, it’s time to assess their understanding—and that doesn’t always mean a multiple-choice quiz. (Although no shade if you use one–I’m a big fan.)

Here are two powerful, flexible options for checking student mastery:

1. Class Discussion or Socratic Seminar

A class discussion is a great way to gauge students’ understanding of a work of literature and its central theme in real time. Try framing the conversation around thematic questions like:

• What is this text saying about the human condition?
• Which universal themes show up in the story, and how do we know?
• Which specific characters and plot points reveal the theme of freedom, power, or true love?

Encourage students to support their ideas with character development, literary devices, and specific examples. You’ll quickly see who can move beyond a main idea and articulate a strong thematic statement.

For example, I teach The Hate U Give thematically. At the beginning of the unit, I give my students five thematic ideas and five correlating thematic questions. Their job while they read is to look for textual evidence that will help them answer those questions.

Throughout the unit, they complete short response writing tasks in response to other questions related to each thematic idea.

At the end of the unit, students participate in a discussion in which they argue their answers to each thematic question. This serves as their summative assessment (you can get that assignment here!).

2. Thematic Essay or Short Response

For more formal academic writing, assign a short thematic essay. Ask students to develop a theme statement and support it with evidence from the text—similar to a thesis statement in a research paper.

Prompts could include:

• Write a theme sentence that captures the central message of the text. Then, explain how the author develops this message through key moments and characters.
• Choose one of the popular themes discussed in class (e.g., survival, prejudice, identity). How does the author explore this theme across the entire work?

This kind of assessment works especially well at the end of a unit when students have seen the full arc of the story and can reflect on how the dominant theme plays out.

An example of this would be the final assessment in my Born a Crime unit.

At the end of the unit, students have to choose one thematic question to answer. They must then craft an essay response. Their thematic statement serves as the thesis for the paper. (You can get that essay assignment here!)

Final Thoughts on Teaching Theme Sentences and Statements

Helping students craft clear, meaningful theme sentences equips them to read more deeply and write more thoughtfully. It prepares them for everything from literary essays to break-out novels of their own one day.

Whether you’re diving into the Harry Potter series, examining Great Expectations, or discussing themes of love in short stories, your students can move beyond generic statements and connect with the universal themes of the human experience.

With a little careful attention, a few good theme examples, and the right tools, your students will be ready to tackle any given work—and walk away with a clearer understanding of literature, and themselves.

The post Theme Sentence Examples That Go Beyond “Love is Good” appeared first on It's Lit Teaching.

In this blog post, I’m going to share some ideas and resources you can use to put together your unit.

Want to skip the prep work of creating your Born a Crime unit plan from scratch? Grab my complete Born a Crime by Trevor Noah Unit Bundle here!

What Is Born a Crime About?

Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood is Trevor Noah’s first book—and it’s just as sharp, funny, and powerful as his comedy. The memoir follows Noah’s life growing up as a mixed-race person during and after apartheid in South Africa, a time when his very existence was considered illegal under the law.

Through short narrative scenes and vivid storytelling, Noah reflects on his childhood with his fiercely independent black Xhosa mother, his struggles with identity, and his experiences navigating white areas, black neighborhoods, and everything in between. During this exploration, he examines themes like institutional racism, poverty, language, and unconditional love—with plenty of humor and heart woven throughout.

While the book covers serious topics like the Immorality Act, apartheid South Africa, and the legacy of colonialism, it also highlights moments of resilience, family bonds, and the importance of laughter in the face of injustice. It’s a perfect text for high school and advanced middle school students looking to understand history through a personal lens.

It’s important to note that there are two versions of this book. 

There is the original, unabridged version. And there is a young reader’s version. 

The young reader’s version is censored (no swearing!) and has been condensed. Some sections are shortened, and an entire chapter was removed.

If you’re teaching students in a more conservative district, or have struggling students, or just don’t have much time for this unit, the young adult version may work better for you. (My Born a Crime Unit includes versions for both book formats.)

For more information about why you should teach Born a Crime​, check out this blog post.

Start with the Free Born a Crime Pacing Guide

Before I dive in with some teaching ideas, I just wanted to let you know that I have the pacing guide for my own Born a Crime unit right here. 

Sometimes a big, long blog post isn’t what you need. Sometimes, you just want to see examples of how others did it. 

Use this free pacing guide to help map out your own Born a Crime unit from the first chapter to the end of the memoir.

It includes:

• Suggested reading pacing
• Related YouTube videos to add to your classroom for enrichment
• Options for homework assignments, assessments, and final projects
• Day-by-day plan for a nine-week quarter

Whether you’re teaching in high school or adapting it for advanced middle school readers, this guide can help you get a feel for structuring your own unit, OR it can serve as a preview if you’re interested in grabbing my done-for-you unit. 

Check it out here for FREE. Use what you like, and change what you don’t.

Born A Crime Unit Plan Must-have #1: Background Building Lessons

Before diving into Noah’s story, start with a few lessons on the historical context.

Most students in the United States haven’t learned much about apartheid South Africa, so this part is essential.

Whether you do a mini-lesson, stations, Webquest, or some other lesson structure, cover the history of racism in South Africa. (Bonus points if you can include how it connects to institutional racism and the world today.)

In my Apartheid Introduction Lesson, I include a slideshow presentation with the history of apartheid and two activities. After (or during) the lesson, students answer questions using a timeline of apartheid legislation. For the second activity, students do a close reading of an excerpt from Mandela’s “I Am Prepared to Die” speech and answer questions.

In addition to historical context, you should talk a little bit about the book itself–the genre, the author, etc.

In my Born a Crime Introduction Lesson, I include a presentation that covers some basic information about Trevor Noah and his book. I also include some guided notes to help students stay on task.

If students have heard of him before, make sure to play some of his Comedy Central or stand-up clips.

If you want to create your own lessons, consider having students read primary sources before a class discussion. 

These activities provide the necessary understanding of the text before you even crack open page one.

Born A Crime Unit Plan Must-have #2: Thematic Ideas

Because Born a Crime is written by a South African comedian and host of The Daily Show, students expect it to be all jokes. But this book delivers so much more: reflections on unconditional love, the importance of language, and life lessons that feel painfully relevant to young adults today.

For this reason, I encourage you to take a thematic approach to teaching Born a Crime. 

Here are some of the pivotal moments worth analyzing:

• Noah’s experience navigating life as a mixed-race person in white areas
• The dynamic between his black woman mother and white Swiss father
• Structural choices in the memoir, like the short narrative scenes and anecdotal format
• His insight into the cycle of poverty, institutional racism, and surviving as an outsider

If your students have never studied theme deeply before, you may want to find time to teach this concept in your class. (You can grab my Theme Lesson to help you do this right here.)

I also recommend narrowing down the themes or giving your students thematic questions to ponder during their study.

Theme is an essential part of my Born a Crime unit plan. Students track thematic ideas as they read using a graphic organizer (in this resource). They write short responses to thematic questions in their reading journal and workbook here. Then, at the end of this unit, they write a thematic essay.

You could use your own methods, however, to weave theme throughout your unit.

Consider using identity charts, small groups, and close reading strategies to explore how these larger themes affect a reader’s understanding of both the memoir and the world today.

Writing a Thematic Essay

Students’ thematic essays are based on a central theme. (I give students a selection of thematic questions to choose from. You could let students pick any theme they want.) They gather evidence (quotes from the book) to support their analysis of key concepts from the memoir.

Go through each step of the writing process:

• Gathering textual evidence from throughout the memoir (my Born a Crime Thematic Essay resource includes a graphic organizer to help students do this)
• Then, outlining an argument using claims, evidence, and reasoning
• Practicing thorough textual evidence and clear analysis
• Using mentor texts and peer feedback for support
• Conducting a peer review before the final draft

Of course, if you don’t want students’ summative assessment to be an essay, you can create whatever final project you’d like.

You can even tie in a summative Socratic seminar as a pre-writing activity or offer creative options like a news report, short narrative scene, or crime lesson plan presentation.

Whatever you choose should build off of the skills and topics you teach throughout your unit.

Born A Crime Unit Plan Must-have #3: Comprehension Checks

I would love to assign reading and be able to assume that students actually, you know, read. 

But in my experience, that rarely happens. 

So make sure you have some assignments built in to keep students engaged and on task.

I always assign reading questions for students to complete while reading any class novel. Are they innovative? No. But they work. 

If you need some, you can grab my Born a Crime Reading Questions right here. 

I also always assign short, multiple choice questions or quizzes along the way. (I like to call them quizzes when I assign them, but I don’t put them in the grade book as high-stakes points. Students never notice.)

Alternatively, you could assign a study guide (or have students create their own).

Born A Crime Unit Plan Must-have #4: Activities to Help Students Connect

So far, your Born a Crime unit plan includes background-building lessons and activities, thematic lessons, and comprehension checks. Now it’s time to add in some ways for students to connect with the novel. 

​In what ways do you want your students to dig into the text?

You could have discussion questions for students to work through in small groups after each chapter or section. Maybe you want students to make connections to nonfiction texts or discuss Noah’s structural choices. 

My Born a Crime unit includes a complete student workbook. Inside this workbook are journal reflections, quote analyses, and a character list. It also includes fun activities like a crossword, word search, and plan a podcast worksheet. (Plus, there’s a digital version for remote teaching.)

Another idea to help students connect more to the novel is to have them connect to the author–maybe even seeing Trevor Noah as a modern role model. 

You can spend a day or two discussing satire (I have a Satire Introduction Lesson to help you here) and watch some Trevor Noah clips. 

Want some more information on Born a Crime activities? Check out this blog post.

Resources to Help

If you’re not up to creating your entire Born a Crime unit plan from scratch, check out my Born a Crime unit bundle. Inside you’ll find:

• Apartheid Introduction Lesson
• Born a Crime​ Introduction Lesson
• Born a Crime Chapter Questions
• Quizzes
• Student Workbook and Reading Journal
• Theme Lesson
• Thematic Essay

It’s a great way to support young readers while addressing key language arts standards.

Don’t forget that you can check out the pacing guide for free right here.

Final Thoughts on Teaching Born a Crime

If you’re looking to create a Born a Crime unit plan that honors Trevor Noah’s unique experiences, connects to world history and the world today, and encourages growth in reading, writing, and critical thinking—make sure you’ve checked off all of the boxes.

Whether you’re teaching Born a Crime in 9th grade, using it in a world history or language arts course, or checking it out from your local library, I hope these ideas help you put together a unit that gives your students deeper understanding.

Ready to teach Born a Crime?
Grab the free pacing guide here and get started with a plan that supports your students every step of the way.

The post A Born a Crime Unit Plan Your Students Will Actually Love appeared first on It's Lit Teaching.

Regardless of why you might feel called to teach your students about fascism right now, I’m going to offer some tips and ideas for how to do it in this blog post.

Whether you’re planning your World War II or interwar years unit, or you’re reading a holocaust novel, this fascism lesson plan is the perfect prep lesson to build context.

By introducing students to the characteristics of fascism, including Benito Mussolini’s Fascist State, Adolf Hitler’s rise, and the broader rise of totalitarianism, you’ll help them understand the why behind some of the darkest major events in world history.

Designed for high school English classrooms, this rigorous lesson is packed with metacognition, collaborative work, and historical analysis to support critical thinking and a deep understanding of how fascist governments took hold in European nations.

If you’d like to skip the prep work entirely, you can grab my What is Fascism? Lesson, complete with lesson plan, gallery walk activity, slideshow, guided notes, and more, right here.

A Fascism Lesson Plan Step #1: Pre-Thinking

We know that metacognition–getting students to think about their thinking–is so important, so try to build some pre-thinking into your fascism lesson plan. 

In my What Is Fascism? Lesson, I ask students to brain dump everything they associate with the word “fascism.” Some students may have studied this in depth in history class. Others may have never heard the word. Some may have heard it thrown around on the news, on social media, or at home.

This kind of pre-thinking helps get your students to start making connections. It also serves as a kind of preassessment for you, letting you know where your students are at.

Of course, there are other ways to build pre-thinking into your lesson.

You could kick things off by asking students to brainstorm: What makes a government oppressive? How does a leader gain total political power? This pre-thinking task encourages personal reflection and sets the stage for exploring fascist regimes as a new kind of dictatorship.

Provide a graphic organizer to help students compare their initial thoughts with the key learning points they’ll gather throughout the lesson. (In my lesson, I provide a brain map for students to fill out.) 

This is a great opportunity to tie in historical thinking skills and make connections to the United States, Soviet Union, and European democracy in the 20th century. (This is especially true if you know from your school or district’s curriculum that your students would have studied these things previously.)

A Fascism Lesson Plan Step #2: Gallery Walk

If you want to create a strong fascism lesson plan, include some kind of hands-on or movement activity. 

In my Fascism Lesson Plan, I continue students’ independent thinking by having them do a gallery walk. During this gallery walk, students examine posters with information on two historical fascist governments. They then use this information to answer some questions and create their own definition of fascism. 

(It’s nice when you can get students thinking and working instead of sitting back for the answers!)

Transform your classroom into a museum-like space with a gallery walk introducing two examples of fascist leaders, Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler. Include other information and features of life in German national socialism and Italian fascism. 

My Fascism Lesson includes six posters to help you do this. The posters include a timeline of the rise of fascism in Italy and Germany; interesting facts about education, propaganda, and more from each fascist government; and more.

You could create your own posters for a gallery walk (or add information to my lesson). You might include lesser-known primary sources like speeches, propaganda posters, or even excerpts from the Beer Hall Putsch trial.

As students move around, have them jot down observations and pose questions on a worksheet or even sticky notes on the posters themselves.

A Fascism Lesson Plan Step #3: A Lesson on the Characteristics of Fascism

Once students have had a chance to examine some historical examples of fascism and do their own thinking, it’s finally time for you to teach a lesson!

In my What is Fascism? Lesson, I include an editable slideshow and guided notes for this part of the lesson. You could, of course, create your own lesson using a Google Classroom product, pdf format handout, or even interactive whiteboards.

Unless you are specifically teaching a history lesson for a social studies class, I recommend focusing on the characteristics of fascism in your lesson.

This way, students are learning about fascism as a type of government that can still exist today instead of thinking about fascism as a relic of the past. Students must see history as a tool for understanding the present and the future. 

Students can fill out guided notes, a graphic organizer, or take their own notes as you teach.

A Fascism Lesson Plan Step #4: Writing Activity

Now it’s time for students to apply what they’ve learned! 

In my Fascism Lesson, I include an optional extension activity that asks students to write whether or not they believe that the United States is in danger of becoming fascist.

This question might be controversial in some schools or districts, so definitely skip this activity if it makes you nervous. However, I think students will have interesting thoughts on the topic. The question is also highly engaging and relevant, which makes it teaching gold. 

If, however, this question feels a little dangerous, and you still want students to write, just change the question. You can have students analyze one of the fascist governments discussed and choose from several prompts:

• What were the methods Mussolini used to gain and maintain power?
• How did Hitler’s lessons from the Beer Hall Putsch shape the Nazi Party’s success?
• Compare and contrast Mussolini’s Fascist State and Hitler’s regime.

Encourage students to use evidence from the slide deck and gallery walk to support their arguments. If you really want to turn this into a major writing assignment, you could even have students do more research and pull from primary sources. 

This task builds toward instructional objectives related to historical analysis, personal reflection, and understanding the human cost of fascist dictatorships.

When to Teach This Fascism Lesson Plan

This fascism lesson plan fits seamlessly into multiple units in social studies, world history, and even high school ELA if you’re doing cross-curricular instruction:

• As front-loading for a Holocaust novel unit
• During a World War II unit
• As part of an interwar years deep dive
• While teaching about totalitarian regimes alongside the Soviet Union
• During Black History Month, when discussing the global response to fascism and the experience of Native Americans and African Americans during WWII
• As a standalone history lesson on the rise of fascism and its warning signs
• To answer the question, “What is fascism?”

Final Thoughts for English and History Teachers

As English and history teachers, our job isn’t just to cover major events—it’s to help students develop the tools to recognize the warning signs of dangerous ideologies. This fascism lesson plan does exactly that.

It’s more than just a prep lesson—it’s a conversation starter, a challenge, and a window into a turbulent past that continues to echo today.

If you need a done-for-you fascism lesson plan, grab my What is Fascism? Lesson here! 

The post The Fascism Lesson Plan Your High Schoolers Will Never Forget appeared first on It's Lit Teaching.

If you’re looking for a grab-and-go unit plan, you can see my FREE The Alchemist Pacing Guide right here. Use it to get an idea of how one educator set up her The Alchemist Novel Study Unit.

And if you really want to save some time, you can grab all of my The Alchemist resources right here.

What Is The Alchemist?

This philosophical novel follows the story of Santiago. He’s a shepherd boy with a recurring dream about treasure near the Egyptian pyramids. Along the way, he encounters a gypsy woman, the king of Salem, a crystal merchant, and the alchemist’s apprentice. Each of these characters guides him toward his own personal legend. 

It’s a wonderful book to teach–and not just because there are so many literary terms to dive into! It’s also a perfect novel for struggling readers, ELLs, and other students who might have a hard time with grade-level reads. There is enough rigor to teach this book in high school. But the actual Lexile level is low enough that you could cover this book in middle school, too. 

If you’re not sure yet whether you should teach this book, I go into all the reasons you should over in this blog post. 

But how do you turn this best-selling book into an engaging novel study that fosters class discussion and personal growth?

The Alchemist Unit Plan: Creating a Strong Introduction

Setting the stage before diving into The Alchemist can help students connect with the novel from the start. 

Providing background information on Paulo Coelho and the novel’s themes can build anticipation. 

The Alchemist is probably a little different than what your students would normally pick up on their own. There will be ideas and places mentioned that your students have no familiarity with. 

Make sure you build up their background knowledge first.

I have a The Alchemist Introduction Lesson here that can help you do this. This lesson introduces ideas like The Hero’s Journey and allegories. It also covers the main settings and offers some background on the author.

I also recommend introducing important literary terms to students before starting the book.

Exploring the concept of the Hero’s Journey is a great way to introduce Santiago’s quest. It helps students see how his story fits into a larger narrative tradition.

If you need a fun lesson for introducing the Hero’s Journey, you can grab mine right here. 

Alternatively, you might want to use your The Alchemist unit plan to help students master the idea of an allegory. My Allegory Lesson can help you introduce this concept and break down the symbols in The Alchemist.

(You can learn more about teaching allegory in this post.)

A structured introduction lesson can ensure students have the necessary context while sparking curiosity about the journey ahead.

The Alchemist Unit Plan: Creating a Understanding

Luckily, The Alchemist is pretty easy to understand–at least at a surface level. This is one reason I recommend it for struggling readers, ELLs, or other reluctant students. 

However, that doesn’t mean your students won’t need a reading guide or comprehension tool at all. 

Close reading strategies are essential to keep students focused on the text. As students move through the novel, guiding them with thoughtful questions about key passages and character development will enhance their understanding of The Alchemist​. For basic comprehension, I’m a fan of reading questions (like these The Alchemist Reading Questions). 

If your students, like mine, need an external reason to do the reading and pay attention, you can also give some quick, surface-level quizzes (like these The Alchemist Quizzes) to motivate them to keep up with the reading.

Don’t forget to provide other basic scaffolds, like graphic organizers, when necessary. (I include graphic organizers in my Hero’s Journey and Allegory Lessons, for example.)

Once students understand the surface-level meaning of The Alchemist, you can challenge them more.

To get students to go deeper, you can have them complete a writing assignment (like responding to these The Alchemist Writing Prompts).

Small group discussions about the Hero’s Journey, the wisdom of the alchemist, and the role of fate versus free will can make abstract ideas more tangible. Mix up your daily lessons by having students sometimes work independently, sometimes in small groups, and even sometimes as a whole class.

The Alchemist Unit Plan: Creating a Connection

In my opinion, the best way to make Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist engaging is by helping students connect Santiago’s journey to their own.

Creating a thematic unit can work wonders—encouraging students to reflect on their dreams, life goals, and fears of failure. Assignments that allow for personal reflection, such as journaling or creative writing, can deepen their engagement.

Engaging activities, such as discussing personal legends or mapping their own life goals, can get students thinking about the novel’s themes before they even start reading.

I actually really like The Alchemist for 12th grade because students are thinking about their lives after high school.

You can use this to draw a parallel between Santiago’s journey and the journey your students are about to embark on–what comes next after they graduate? (This is really great if you struggle to keep your seniors engaged during the last quarter of the school year!)

Personal Legend Activities

To do this, I like to focus on having students identify their own Personal Legend (a prominent idea throughout The Alchemist) during the unit.

First, I have students map out the essential steps to achieving their Personal Legend on a life map or legend map. (You can get this Legend Map activity right here.)

Then, throughout the unit, I have students work on and complete a research essay.

For this research essay, students identify three key steps to achieving their Personal Legend and support these steps with evidence.

(For example, if a student wants to become a lawyer, they should have concrete evidence about the required LSAT score they’ll need or statistics about the law school they’ll need to attend. A student who wants to become a professional basketball player might have quotes from NBA players who “made it” or statistics on the hours of practice each NBA player does.) 

You can create this essay assignment yourself or you can get my Personal Legend Research Essay here.

​I have students work on their essays on the days that we don’t read. 

Creative Approaches to Teaching The Alchemist

To keep students engaged, consider incorporating visual and performing arts into your lesson plans. Storyboarding Santiago’s journey, analyzing symbolism through art projects, or even acting out pivotal moments can bring the novel to life.

Connecting the story to social studies by exploring the historical and cultural context of ancient Egypt or the desert landscapes can also add depth.

Writing assignments that mirror Santiago’s quest—such as a research essay where students explore their dream job—make the novel feel more relevant. Encouraging students to map out their own personal legends can be a powerful exercise in self-discovery.

Don’t forget the simple power of incorporating video, too.

One of the perks of teaching a more modern novel is that the author is still alive. This means that there is a wealth of content on YouTube you can use. Check out videos from Oprah Winfrey’s network in which Coelho discusses his best-selling books, ideas, philosophies, and personal background.

Structuring Your Unit for Success

A well-paced unit plan ensures that students stay engaged without feeling overwhelmed. Breaking the novel into manageable sections, using guided reading activities, and incorporating a mix of independent work and group discussions will create a balanced approach. A variety of assessment types—from short essay questions to creative projects—can accommodate different learning styles.

For those looking for extra support, having ready-to-go materials like reading guides, quizzes, and structured writing prompts can save valuable planning time. A strong foundation of resources can help facilitate deeper analysis without the stress of starting from scratch.

You can see my unit plan here for free if you want to see one educator’s ideas for getting through the text while keeping students working on their writing skills. I tend to alternate reading the text with working on their final essays. 

I also focus on teaching the Hero’s Journey throughout the unit, so there’s time built in for analyzing Santiago’s quest. Because The Alchemist is a shorter text, you have even more freedom to add in other literary lessons (like teaching allegory, perhaps?), add writing lessons, or even squeeze in two novel studies in a single quarter.

Conclusion

Teaching The Alchemist can be a transformative experience for students, helping them explore big ideas about destiny, perseverance, and personal growth.

Whether you use structured materials or create your own step-by-step lesson plans, the key is to foster meaningful connections between the novel and students’ lives.

With thoughtful discussion, engaging activities, and opportunities for self-reflection, your students will walk away from this unit with a deeper understanding of The Alchemist—and maybe even their own path forward.

If you want to save a ton of time, grab my The Alchemist Novel Study Unit. This bundle of resources contains step-by-step plans, fun activities, and lesson ideas you can use in the classroom or as homework assignments. 

The post The Alchemist Unit Plan: Teaching Coelho In High School appeared first on It's Lit Teaching.

Teaching the concept of allusions can be tricky. After all, it requires students to recognize an indirect reference to an external thing—like a famous person, a historical event, or even a biblical story—without the writer spelling it out for them.

But don’t worry! With the right scaffolding (and a good allusions worksheet), your students will be analyzing literary allusions with confidence across different grade levels.

Whether you teach 6th grade, 8th grade, or even high school ELA, these allusion teaching tips are sure to help.

Ready to teach allusions but just don’t have the time or bandwidth to create the lesson from scratch? I have a done-for-you Allusions Lesson right here you can grab!

Why Teach Allusions?

Allusions might seem like just another literary device on a long list, but they do a lot of heavy lifting when it comes to developing your students’ reading and thinking skills.

By learning to identify and interpret allusions, students build cultural knowledge and gain insight into the deeper meanings behind what they read. Allusions often tie a story or poem to a larger idea—whether it’s a moment from history, a scene from a biblical story, or a famous line from William Shakespeare.

When students can connect a literary allusion to its original source, they’re no longer just decoding a text—they’re analyzing it.

Even more importantly, recognizing allusions helps students understand how authors communicate complex ideas through brief references. This skill is especially valuable in high school ELA and higher education, but it can start as early as 6th or 7th grade.

Plus, allusions pop up everywhere: in political speeches, music lyrics, social media captions, TV shows, and everyday speech. 

In short, analyzing allusions helps our students to make connections while deepening their critical thinking.

Teach Allusions Step #1: Start with the Basics of Allusions

Teaching allusions is tricky because students today don’t have a deep, foundational knowledge of the world. When we were kids, we had all read Harry Potter. We had all seen the same movies, played the same video games, and seen the same pop stars on TV.

But the internet has allowed individuals to go deep into their niches and interests–accessing nearly anything at any time. So there just aren’t as many worldwide, generational fads and pop cultural references to use as examples.

​Never mind trying to start with literary or biblical examples. 

So, your biggest challenge will probably be finding examples of allusions that resonate with your students.

(If you want to skip this headache, grab my Allusions Lesson–I did the hard parts for you!)

A good introduction should explain that an allusion is an indirect reference to something famous—like a historical event, mythological figure, work of art, popular culture moment, or work of literature.

For example:

• Referring to someone as having the “Midas touch” alludes to Greek mythology.
• Mentioning a “Trojan Horse” might allude to an ancient war tactic from different myths and historical contexts.

Building this background knowledge is critical for helping students recognize allusions in fiction stories, short stories, and even everyday speech.

(And yes—these connections build essential cultural literacy too!)

Go over the five different kinds of allusions–historical, mythological, biblical, literary, and pop cultural. Give examples of each. (Remember, in any lesson, there’s no such thing as too many examples.)

​You can use video clips or text examples. Honestly, using both isn’t a bad idea. Try to show students that allusions pop up everywhere–from ancient texts to Simpsons episodes.

Teach Allusions Step #2: Scaffold Deeper Learning

I’m a sucker for good student reference handout. (My Allusions Lesson comes with a few!)

To scaffold your lesson, consider providing your students with a handout they can reference again and again. This could be a list of definitions with allusion examples.

Usually, I stick to just one handout per concept when I create lessons. But allusions are so complex–and so many common allusions are to text and events students haven’t studied yet–that I actually provide another one, too.

Consider giving your students a list of common biblical, mythological, or historical allusions. These lists should include the allusion phrase itself (“Achilles’ heel”), a general idea of the origin, and a quick breakdown of its meaning. 

In my Allusions Lesson, I include a list of common biblical and mythological allusions. 

​This way, students can still catch these concepts when they read–even without having studied the source material.

Teach Allusions Step #3: Practice with an Allusions Worksheet

Once students have the basics, it’s time for close reading and analysis.

If your class is analyzing a whole-class read, this would be the perfect text with which to practice. 

Of course, students don’t have to analyze text. You could use a movie as practice, too (Shrek could be a fun one).

While students are reading or watching the practice text, have them fill out a graphic organizer or practice worksheet.

A simple chart might include:

• The allusion itself
• The external thing it references
• The deeper meaning in the text

This visual tool helps students strengthen their reading comprehension, critical thinking, and analytical skills. It’s also a great support for occupational therapy and physical education teachers working on visual processing skills in cross-curricular lessons.

(Need a ready-to-go allusions worksheet? My Allusions Lesson includes one!)

Teach Allusions Step #4: Assess Understanding

Every lesson needs an assessment. 

After working with allusions worksheets and completing their own work with the organizer, I always wrap up with a quick write or exit ticket.

Here are some examples of tasks you could use to make a quick exit ticket:

• Identify an allusion from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet or another literary work
• Explain what historical event, mythological figure, or well-known person is being referenced
• Describe how the allusion deepens the meaning of the passage

Encouraging students to use allusions in their own sentences is a great way to blend in writing skills and even some creative writing! 

A short exit ticket is ideal for middle school, high school students, and even adult education or vocational education classes needing a boost in cultural knowledge and figurative language awareness.

My Allusions Lesson includes two exit tickets that give students an allusion example and then ask them to analyze it. You could use this before or after having students fill out the graphic organizer allusions worksheet. 

Bonus Ideas: Build a Full Allusions Unit

Once students master individual practice with allusions worksheets, you can expand the unit.

Ideas include:

• A full Greek mythology allusions unit (perfect for connecting ELA with social studies)
• Analyzing allusions across short stories or works of art
• Exploring mythological allusions from Native American storytelling traditions
• Comparing biblical stories to modern popular culture references
• Creative projects tying allusions to graphic arts, vocal music, or even physical science phenomena
• Track allusions through a longer work like The Alchemist

Building a solid foundation in recognizing allusions is essential for success in higher education and adult education settings.

Conclusion

Teaching the concept of allusion helps students connect different myths, historical contexts, biblical stories, and works of art to the modern world around them.

Through lesson plans that scaffold prior knowledge, support close reading, and encourage literary analysis, you’ll empower your target audience—whether they’re in middle school, high school, or adult education—to decode literary devices with ease.

Need an allusions lesson, like, yesterday? This one includes an editable slideshow (with examples!), student handouts, exit tickets, a graphic organizer worksheet, and more!

The post Here Are The Allusions Worksheet and Lesson That Actually Work appeared first on It's Lit Teaching.

The first time you teach World Literature, you might feel a little (a lot?) overwhelmed. How do you go about picking the novels? How do you connect units when each focuses on a different part of the globe?

And, unless you love reading foreign literature, you might not have a clue where to start.

Not to worry. While starting to plan your World Literature class might feel like, well, a lot–it’s totally worth it! (And it can even be fun–promise!)

A World Literature class gives high school students the opportunity to explore great works of literature from different cultures and historical periods.

This course goes beyond American and British literature, immersing students in the global cultural landscape today. It can even foster a deeper appreciation of literature. 

In this post, I’m going to talk about how to make your World Literature class a successful one. 

If you’re looking for a World Literature class that works for all of your students–even those whose skills might be a little behind–check out my complete World Literature Curriculum here!

Designing Your High School World Literature Course

If you’re mapping out your World Literature curriculum, you might be wondering what is typically on a World Lit syllabus. 

​Most World Literature courses provide a survey of world literature, covering major works from ancient times to the modern era. 

Students often read literary texts from Ancient Greece, such as The Odyssey or Antigone. They might also study epics and oral traditions from various cultures.

Common in World Literature curriculums include medieval works like The Green Knight, Renaissance and Enlightenment literature, and sometimes modern classics like Things Fall Apart, One Hundred Years of Solitude, or Persepolis. 

I’ve also seen Shakespeare frequently on World Literature curriculums.

Units might focus on themes like the hero’s journey, allegory, satire, and colonialism, incorporating both primary texts and secondary sources for historical context. Through these works, students engage in literary analysis, comparative literature discussions, and research projects that develop critical thinking skills.

A strong World Literature class should provide a survey of world literature from the earliest periods to modern times. Incorporating literary works from ancient cultures, the Middle Ages, and beyond helps students see the deep roots of today’s global cultures.

(You can check out this post for more ideas on structuring your World Literature class.)

What About Struggling Learners?

Now, if you’re trying to plan a class for readers who aren’t reading or writing at grade level, the above section might sound terrifying and impossible. I know that’s how I felt.

There’s no way my struggling students were going to be able to read Antigone or The Inferno. At least, not without spending a ton of time breaking the texts down for comprehension.

I also knew that getting engagement from a high school student on what is predominantly a bunch of “old, white” texts would be difficult. 

For students who struggle to read at grade level, lean into modern English translations. For many of the classics, you can find scaffolded texts and use targeted reading strategies to bridge comprehension gaps. 

YA and Modern Texts for Struggling Readers

I, personally, love using modern and young adult texts to make World Lit more accessible.

I know it’s sometimes hard in public schools to add new texts without risking some controversy. If this is your concern, check out The Alchemist. In this blog post, I discuss why it’s a great novel to teach, but it’s also super-low controversy (in my opinion). 

Born a Crime by Trevor Noah is also a great pick. I go into more detail about why Born a Crime is a great novel to teach right here. It’s available in a young reader’s edition with the swearing removed.

I love that it discusses heavy themes like injustice that are relevant today but in the context of an outside country. That might make discussing these ideas easier if you find yourself teaching in a very conservative area. 

With engaging narratives and relevant themes, these novels help struggling students connect with literature. They’re easier to read and comprehend, which means you can skip defining individual words for students and move on to having deeper discussions and getting analytical. 

This blog post talks all about World Literature books for struggling readers.

Comics and Other Scaffolding Tips

And don’t sleep on graphic novels!

More and more World Literature-friendly comics are being published. These texts are perfect for struggling readers and ELL students; their format makes them naturally scaffolded.

But they still offer plenty of rigor and lots of detail to analyze for more advanced students.

My favorites for World Literature are Persepolis and The Complete Maus. I talk about the merits of Persepolis in this post and why you should teach Maus here.

Whether you use traditional or more modern texts, scaffold, baby, scaffold! Guided reading strategies, annotation exercises, and vocabulary support ensure that high schoolers engage with texts meaningfully, strengthening close reading and literary analysis skills. 

Using structured assignments and discussion questions at different learning levels helps students build analytical confidence. Remember, any scaffolds you offer will help not only your struggling learners but your advanced ones too!

Incorporating Various Literary Texts and Genres

​An ideal World Literature curriculum includes varied artistic modes, from oral traditions to tragic drama and short stories. By reading great writers from different time periods, students see how literature reflects the universal human experience and major issues that transcend national literature.

When you choose your big reads for your World Literature, don’t forget to support those texts with others. Try pairing some poetry with your novel choice. Or watch a foreign film if it works with one of your units.

You might take a comparative literature approach, analyzing texts from Ancient Greece alongside biblical worldview influences. For example, students could explore The Green Knight or historical reference books that provide insights into historical periods and cultural contexts. 

These readings spark discussion questions and short essays that refine research and writing skills.

And for your struggling learners, accessible literary texts with engaging themes and audio versions of readings can make a big difference. 

Planning Your Assessments

As your students explore the world through their reading, you’re going to need to assess what they learn. 

As I discuss in this post, I prefer to make my units skill-based rather than solely based on a text or essential question. For each unit of study in your World Lit class, make sure you know what skill you’ll be teaching so that you know what to assess at the end of it.

We all know literary analysis and short essays are essential. In my Born a Crime unit, I have students gather textual evidence as we read. At the end of the unit, they use that evidence to write a thematic analysis essay on the text. 

For my The Alchemist unit, students research and write a paper on their “Personal Legend” or lifelong dream.

However, literary analysis is the only way to assess your students’ learning.

Using Creative Projects to Enhance Learning

Creative writing and projects deepen students’ understanding of literary production. 

A final project might have students reimagine a classic work through digital media, illustrating how ancient world themes resonate in modern literature.

In my Persepolis unit, I have students create their own comic book memoir stories. While students read Maus, they research and create a World Genocide Research Project. Don’t be afraid to mix up your essays with some other projects or high-level tasks. 

For struggling students, creative projects offer different ways to demonstrate understanding. Instead of a traditional essay, students might create visual summaries, storyboards, or video presentations analyzing themes, figurative language, or historical context. 

My satire unit using “A Modest Proposal” is a great way to introduce literary devices while engaging students creatively. You might also have students design a world history course that complements their study of literature, helping them explore the connections between historical context and literary works.

​Work backward–picking the skills you want students to master first–and get creative when it comes to your assessments and final projects!

Teaching Essential Skills Through World Literature

A World Literature class isn’t just about reading—it’s about building essential academic skills. Think about how you can weave in literary terms, writing practice, and skill-building throughout your units. 

Assuming your World Literature class spans an entire school year, students will have a great opportunity to develop analytical writing skills. I scaffold and sequence these throughout my World Literature Curriculum.

In my Persepolis unit, students learn about writing claims, evidence, and reasoning. Later, in my Born a Crime unit, students put these skills to use by writing an essay. In the next unit (Maus), students learn to research. Finally, in the last unit on The Alchemist students put all of these skills together in a research essay. 

(You can see my entire pacing guide for free here.)

You could easily build up students speaking skills using discussions, debates, and speeches. 

And don’t forget your literary skills! In each of my World Lit units, I try to focus on at least one literary term for my students.

Satire in my “A Modest Proposal” unit is the most fun. Born a Crime spend a lot of time on theme. I also teach allegory and allusion. Some World Literature syllabi have entire units on The Hero’s Journey, which I cover when teaching The Alchemist. 

You could also do a deep dive into figurative language or rhetorical devices. Students practice their analytical skills when analyzing allegory in Maus and The Alchemist in my curriculum.

If you’re not following a mandated curriculum, make a list of everything you want your students to learn in your course. Where can you fit in these lessons? Which lessons tie in seamlessly to one of your projects, assessments, or texts?

The Value of a World Literature Class

In today’s interconnected world, understanding global cultures through literature is more important than ever. Top universities recognize the value of comparative literature, and online courses such as the HarvardX course on World Literature emphasize its significance.

It’s so important for our students to experience the world beyond America; a World Literature class can help them start thinking more globally. It can open their minds to different ways of thinking, living, and being. 

Teaching a high school World Literature class is about more than just reading—it’s about opening students’ eyes to the broader world, its historical background, and the distant regions that have shaped today’s global cultural landscape.

For struggling readers, World Literature provides an opportunity to develop academic skills, improve literacy, and experience literature in different ways. With the right approach and resources, you can make this course an unforgettable journey for your students.

If you’re struggling to put together a World Literature class that will work for all of your students, even the ones whose skills are behind grade level, check out my complete World Literature Curriculum here.

The post How to Teach a Successful High School World Literature Class appeared first on It's Lit Teaching.

However, its dense language and historical context can make it challenging for high school students. With the right approach, you can help students not only understand Swift’s masterpiece but also appreciate satire’s role in driving societal change.

In this post, I’m going to walk you through teaching “A Modest Proposal,” so both you and your students can enjoy it!

Want to skip all of these steps? Grab my done-for-you “A Modest Proposal” Satire Mini-unit for prep-free teaching!

Teaching “A Modest Proposal” Step 1: Teach Satire

The number one issue I ran into while teaching “A Modest Proposal?” Students didn’t get that it was satire.

Even if I told them before reading that we were going to read satire, students just didn’t get it. 

But these were also students who brought me The Onion articles as facts, so, that was on me.

The truth is, if you’re going to teach “A Modest Proposal,” you really, really need to spend some time teaching satire first. 

This blog post dives deep into actually teaching satire. But you’ll want to make sure to define it and give students tons of examples. 

Introduce terms like irony, exaggeration, and parody, and discuss how satire uses humor to critique serious issues. Framing satire as a form of activism can make it more engaging and relatable for students.

This done-for-you Satire Lesson can help you set the stage for your “A Modest Proposal” unit.

Teaching “A Modest Proposal” Step #2: Provide Context

Before diving into the text, students need to understand the world Swift was criticizing. Ireland in the 18th century was plagued by poverty, British exploitation, and widespread hunger.

Swift wrote “A Modest Proposal” as a scathing critique of British policies and societal apathy. Spend time discussing these issues so students can see how they shaped Swift’s writing. Your students probably aren’t up on the history of English-Irish relations.

This “A Modest Proposal” Introduction Lesson can help you cover all of the relevant background information students need to understand in order to “get” the layers to the proposal.

Teaching “A Modest Proposal” Step #3: Read Slowly

“A Modest Proposal” reads a little differently than an Instagram caption. Your students are going to need time and help to get through it.

Don’t rush the actual reading portion of your lesson. 

Students will need to understand the surface-level writing first. The older syntax, new vocabulary, and complex sentence structure will make comprehension challenging.

This “A Modest Proposal” resource comes with an annotated version of the text that will make reading the essay a little easier for your students.

Only then can students move on to the next step…

Teaching “A Modest Proposal” Step 4: Analyze Swift’s Argument

Breaking the text into manageable sections helps students focus on Swift’s key rhetorical techniques. Point out how Swift exaggerates logical reasoning to absurd extremes, creating his grotesque “modest proposal.” For example, his cold, mathematical tone makes his outrageous suggestion feel disturbingly plausible.

Students should also analyze how Swift uses irony to reveal the inhumanity of his argument. Have them track his word choice, tone, and appeals to logic, and connect these devices to his deeper criticism of societal neglect. This close reading builds their understanding of both the text and satire as a genre.

Teaching “A Modest Proposal” Step 5: Connect to Modern Satire

Satire isn’t just a historical artifact—it’s alive and thriving today. To make A Modest Proposal relevant, connect it to modern examples.

Discuss political cartoons, satirical news programs, or online humor that critiques social and political issues. This comparison helps students see the timelessness of satire and its power to influence public opinion.

You can also encourage students to write their own satirical pieces. Ask them to choose a current issue, exaggerate it to absurdity, and craft their own “modest proposal.” This exercise reinforces their understanding of satire while sparking creativity.

Teaching “A Modest Proposal” Step 6: Engage Students Through Active Learning

Interactive activities bring Swift’s satire to life. For example, hold a mock debate where students argue for or against the proposal, taking on the roles of Swift’s contemporaries or modern audiences. Alternatively, let them create infographics or memes summarizing the text, combining humor with analysis.

These activities make the text more accessible and help students see how satire works in practice. They also provide opportunities for collaborative learning, encouraging students to discuss and deepen their understanding of the text.

Simplify Your Planning with Ready-to-Use Resources

Teaching “A Modest Proposal” doesn’t have to mean starting from scratch. My “A Modest Proposal” Satire Unit provides everything you need to engage your students and meet your teaching goals. This comprehensive resource includes:

• Detailed lesson plans
• Activities for analyzing rhetorical devices and satirical techniques.
• Guided questions and an annotated version of the text
• Background-building lesson

With these resources, you can focus on helping your students enjoy and understand the text rather than worrying about lesson prep.

Conclusion

Swift’s satirical masterpiece challenges students to think critically about societal issues and the power of language. By teaching “A Modest Proposal”, you’re equipping your students to analyze literature, understand rhetorical strategies, and connect historical texts to modern issues.

Ready to simplify your planning and engage your students? Check out my “A Modest Proposal” Satire Unit!

The post Teaching “A Modest Proposal” to High School Students Made Simple appeared first on It's Lit Teaching.

No offense to Shakespeare (I love him, personally), but my school’s curriculum would never have worked for my students.

It took a ton of research and reading to find World Literature books that were actually accessible for struggling readers. But in this post, I hope to introduce some World Literature books that are not only accessible but bring new voices and perspectives to your classroom.

(If you want some more tips on structuring your World Literature curriculum, check out this post.)

Below, I’ve organized a list of titles by continent. Each listing highlights why that book is a great choice for students who need accessible and compelling reads. For some of the titles below, I’ve written reviews. If you can click on a title, you’ll learn more about that book.

If you’re here because you need to put together a World Literature curriculum for struggling readers QUICKLY, let me save you hours–if not days or weeks–with my complete World Literature class here. 

Introducing World Literature Books

First, before I offer any text suggestions, let’s address one issue with World Literature classes: they task you, the teacher, with covering the entire globe in far too little time. 

You cannot possibly cover the entire globe in a year, let alone a semester. This means that many voices and viewpoints will be left out of your curriculum entirely. 

This point is an important one to make to your students. Before diving into any text, make sure students understand that one novel is only one voice. A single novel cannot represent an entire country or continent.

I really recommend my lesson Why Study World Literature?: “The Danger of a Single Story” for introducing your World Literature class. 

World Literature Books By Continent

I broke down this list by continent because I know covering as much of the globe as possible is important to any World Literature teacher. Look over this post if you want some ideas for other ways to choose and organize your classroom texts. 

Africa

• Buried Beneath the Baobab Tree by Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani: Based on real-life accounts of girls kidnapped by Boko Haram, this book provides an accessible yet powerful narrative that captures resilience and hope.
• A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah: Beah’s memoir of being a child soldier in Sierra Leone is written in a straightforward style that connects deeply with readers.
• Born a Crime by Trevor Noah: This memoir blends humor with historical insight about apartheid South Africa, offering engaging and relatable storytelling. There is a young reader’s version of this book that might be better for some groups of struggling readers. Grab a done-for-you Born a Crime unit right here.

Asia

• I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai: This inspiring memoir of a young girl who fought for education in Pakistan is accessible and motivational. For struggling readers, I recommend using the abridged version.
• Sold by Patricia McCormick: This novel in verse tells the heartbreaking story of a young girl trafficked into slavery, written in a simple yet poetic style.
• Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi: A graphic novel about growing up during the Iranian Revolution. Its visual format supports comprehension while addressing complex themes. This is a great one for starting off your World Literature class. Grab my complete Persepolis unit here. 

Europe

• The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka: This classic novella is short and accessible, with a surreal yet gripping narrative that lends itself well to struggling readers.

Holocaust Novels

Many World Literature curriculums require a holocaust novel. (You can get some ideas for how to introduce your holocaust unit here.) Here are some of the holocaust novels that I think are best for struggling readers. 

• The Complete Maus by Art Spiegelman: A graphic novel that uses illustrations to convey the complexities of the Holocaust in a visually engaging format. Grab everything you need to teach The Complete Maus here. 
• Night by Elie Wiesel: A succinct and poignant memoir of surviving Auschwitz, written in plain yet powerful prose.
• The Book Thief by Markus Zusak: Narrated by Death, this unique take on a Holocaust story is highly engaging and features an accessible style. Note that this book is long for a text you might be reading in class. It is, however, engaging, which is why I added it to this list.

North America

• Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck: A short and poignant story about friendship and dreams during the Great Depression, written in simple yet evocative language. (Personally, I cannot stand Steinbeck. But this is a title that would work for struggling readers, so, reluctantly, I leave it here for your consideration.)
• The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie: This semi-autobiographical novel includes humor and illustrations to explore life on a Native American reservation. Definitely do your research before including this one. Sherman Alexie has proven a problematic author and has fallen out of favor with English teachers over the last decade. There are also parts of this novel that might have parents or admin raising their eyebrows. Still, many teachers have had good luck with this novel–especially with struggling students–so I left it on this list. 
• Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan: A story of resilience during the Great Depression, written at a level approachable for struggling readers. This novel is often recommended for middle school students. Double-check that this novel isn’t already something your students read in their earlier years, and read it yourself before assigning. Unless your students are really behind, this one is probably “too young” for high schoolers. 
• Seedfolks by Paul Fleischman: A series of interconnected stories about a diverse urban community coming together to build a garden.

Australia/Oceania

• The Rabbits by John Marsden and Shaun Tan: A visually stunning picture book allegory of colonization that combines simple text with intricate illustrations.
• Deadly, Unna? by Phillip Gwynne: A coming-of-age story that deals with racism and friendship in rural Australia, written in an engaging and straightforward style.

South America

• Eva Luna by Isabel Allende: While slightly more advanced, the engaging storytelling and vivid characters can captivate readers willing to explore magical realism.
• The House of the Spirits (abridged versions available): Another title by Allende that intertwines history and magical realism, with family drama that keeps readers engaged.
• The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho: A philosophical tale set in North Africa and the Middle East that uses simple, lyrical language to explore universal themes like destiny and perseverance. While the story takes place in Spain in Egypt, the author is Brazilian, so I categorized it under South America. Save yourself time with this The Alchemist unit. 

Conclusion: World Literature Books Open Doors to the Globe

World Literature has the power to captivate and inspire even the most reluctant readers. These stories provide a window into different cultures, histories, and perspectives, while also offering approachable formats and compelling narratives.

By introducing these books into your classroom, you can help struggling readers build confidence, discover new favorite authors, and gain a deeper appreciation for the global human experience.

Still overwhelmed trying to plan your World Literature class? Let me do it for you! You can grab my complete World Literature Class here and start teaching immediately!

The post World Literature Books for Struggling Readers: A Global Journey appeared first on It's Lit Teaching.