Category Archives: English Language Arts

This category contains domain-specific material–reading and writing expository prose, interpreting literature etc.–designed to meet the Common Core standards in English language arts while at the same time being flexible enough to meet the needs of diverse and idiosyncratic learners.

Rival Brothers

“Cain and Abel * Jacob and Esau * Isaac and Ishmael * Romulus and Remus

The story of Cain and Abel, the two sons of Adam and Eve, warns us of the jealousies that exist between brothers. Abel was the first shepherd, Cain the first tiller of the soil. But the murderous envy of Cain was inflamed when he saw that his brother’s offering to God was deemed more acceptable as a sacrifice, so he killed Abel. Jacob and Esau did not murder each other, though Jacob tricked his firstborn brother of his birthright by selling him ‘a mess of pottage’ when he was hungry. The story of Ishmael and Isaac has its own tone, for the brothers were friends, but the elder would be driven from out of the tent of his father, Abraham, by his stepmother. Remus would be murdered by his brother Romulus during the foundation ceremony for the city of Rome.”

Excerpted from: Rogerson, Barnaby. Rogerson’s Book of Numbers: The Culture of Numbers–from 1,001 Nights to the Seven Wonders of the World. New York: Picador, 2013.

Book of Answers: Primo Levi

“How old was Primo Levi (1919-1987) when he was sent to Auschwitz? Twenty-four. The Italian Jewish writer tells the story of his captivity in Auschwitz from 1944 to 1945 in Sequesto e un uomo (tr. If This Is a Man, 1947). In the United States, the book is entitled Survival in Auschwitz (1958).”

Excerpted from: Corey, Melinda, and George Ochoa. Literature: The New York Public Library Book of Answers. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1993.

Term of Art: Hebrew

“Hebrew: West Semitic, spoken in the interior of Palestine; the language of the Jewish Bible (Old Testament), progressively influenced and replaced by Aramaic from the 8th century BC. Last attested in the 2nd century AD; thereafter a written and liturgical language, until revived in its modern form, especially from the 1920s, as a progressive official language of Jewish settlers in what is now Israel. Written in a Semitic alphabet whose modern form (‘square Hebrew’) can be traced back to the 3rd century AD.”

Excerpted from: Matthews, P.H., ed. The Oxford Concise Dictionary of Linguistics. New York: Oxford University Press, 2014.

A Lesson Plan on the Israelites and the Jews

Moving along to lesson number three in a eleven-lesson global studies on the origins of religion and philosophy, here is a lesson plan on the Israelites and the Jews. I open this lesson with this context clues worksheet on the adjective consecutive; for the second day of this lesson, if there is one, here is another another context clues worksheet on the adjective ethnic. Finally, here is the reading and comprehension questions that are at the center of this lesson on the origins of Judaism.

If you find typos in these documents, I would appreciate a notification. And, as always, if you find this material useful in your practice, I would be grateful to hear what you think of it. I seek your peer review.

Mosaic

“Mosaic: The technique of decorating walls, floors, etc., with designs formed by embedding small cubes (tesserae) of glass, ceramic, or marble in a fine cement. Though known by ancient artists, it was fully developed only in Byzantine and Roman art.”

Excerpted from: Diamond, David G. The Bulfinch Pocket Dictionary of Art Terms. Boston: Little Brown, 1992.

A Lesson Plan on Moses and Monotheism

As below (and above) here is a lesson plan on Moses and Monotheism, the second in a unit of eleven global studies lessons.

I open this lesson with this context clues worksheet on the noun covenant, the inclusion of which in this lesson I assume is obvious. In the event this lesson goes into a second (I’m fairly certain I intended that it would), then here is another context clues worksheet on the verb assimilate, which is used both intransitively and transitively. Finally, here is the reading and comprehension questions on Moses and the origins of the Judaism.

If you find typos in these documents, I would appreciate a notification. And, as always, if you find this material useful in your practice, I would be grateful to hear what you think of it. I seek your peer review.

Brewer’s Curious Titles: The Magic Flute

“The Magic Flute (German title: Die Zauberflote). An opera by Mozart (1756-91), with a libretto by Emanuel Shikaneder, first performed in 1791. In this mystical (and quasi-masonic) quest opera, the magic flute is bestowed on Tamino to protect him as he goes through various rites of passage, such as ordeal by fire and water. The story is based on one found in Christoph Wieland’s collection of oriental folk tales (1786).

‘The opera [The Magic Flute]…is the only one in existence that might conceivably have been composed by God.’”

Neville Cardus: in the Manchester Guardian, 1961

Excerpted from: Crofton, Ian, ed. Brewer’s Curious Titles. London: Cassell, 2002.

A Lesson Plan on Polytheism and Monotheism

Alright, this post begins a series of eleven documents posts (twenty-two posts in all, in other words, with the usual interstitial quotes between documents posts) above it, that comprise an entire global studies unit from my days teaching in New York City. This unit reflects my best understanding, the year I wrote it, of what would appear on the New York State Global History and Geography Regents Examination. Therefore, you may find elsewhere on this blog one or more versions (I rewrote several of these almost every year) of each of the lessons in this unit. Also, please bear in mind that this lesson was written with building literacy in mind as well.

So, here is a lesson plan on polytheism and monotheism. I opened this lesson with this context clues worksheet on the noun sect, which fits nicely, I submit, with the topic under study. If the lesson continues into a second day (given the length of the worksheet, I feel confident I meant it to), then here is another context clues worksheet on the verb unite, (used both intransitively and transitively), which is what both the polytheistic and monotheistic religions do. Finally, here is the reading and comprehension questions at the center of this lesson.

If you find typos in these documents, I would appreciate a notification. And, as always, if you find this material useful in your practice, I would be grateful to hear what you think of it. I seek your peer review.

Term of Art: Complement

“Complement: A word or phrase (especially a noun or adjective) that completes the predicate. Subject complements complete linking verbs and rename or describe the subject: Martha is my neighbor. She seems shy. Object complements complete transitive verbs by describing or renaming the direct object: They found the play exciting. Robert considers Mary a wonderful wife.”

Excerpted from: Strunk, William Jr., and E.B. White. The Elements of Style, Fourth Edition. New York: Longman, 2000.

The Weekly Text, July 24, 2020: Four Context Clues Worksheet on Account (n), Account (vi/vt), Accountable (adj), and Accountability (n)

This week’s Text is a set of four context clues worksheets that familiarizes students with several words related to the noun account distributed across the parts of speech. First up is the noun account, then account as a verb, followed by the adjective accountable. Finally, here is the noun accountability. Obviously, one could add accountant and accounting to this mix. These are commonly used words in English. In any case, they offer an opportunity to take students on an excursion through the parts of speech.

It’s high summer here in Vermont. As I look out my window on this beautiful morning, the world looks like a David Hockney painting. I hope you’re enjoying your summer.

If you find typos in these documents, I would appreciate a notification. And, as always, if you find this material useful in your practice, I would be grateful to hear what you think of it. I seek your peer review.