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.

The Algonquin Wits: Robert Benchley Reflects on His Career

Posted on August 9, 2018 | Leave a comment

“It took me fifteen years to discover that I had no talent for writing, but I couldn’t give it up because by that time I was too famous.”

Robert Benchley

Excerpted from: Drennan, Robert E., ed. The Algonquin Wits. New York: Kensington, 1985.

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Currency (n)

Posted on August 9, 2018 | Leave a comment

Because I work in an economics-and-finance-themed high school, I found it necessary to write this context clues worksheet on the noun currency. Perhaps it will have some utility in your classroom.

If you find typos in this document, 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.

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Term of Art: Grapheme

Posted on August 9, 2018 | Leave a comment

“A minimal unit of grammar into which a sentence or a word within a sentence can be divided. E.g. Come inside can be divided into the minimal units come, in, and side; distasteful into dis, taste, and ful.”

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

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Independent Practice: Roman Law

Posted on August 9, 2018 | Leave a comment

Because it is the basis of most Western legal codes, I wrote this independent practice worksheet on Roman law to reinforce the conceptual understanding in the students I serve.

If you find typos in this document, 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.

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The Septuagint

Posted on August 9, 2018 | Leave a comment

“The Septuagint is the name for the Greek translation of the Hebrew Testament made in Alexandria in Egypt in the fourth century BC. Believed to be either a miraculous harmony of scholars working separately to produce an identical textual translation, or a body of seventy scholars working together to produce a single agreed text—which is arguably an even more miraculous occurrence.”

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.

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Cusp (n)

Posted on August 9, 2018 | Leave a comment

Here is a context clues worksheet on the noun cusp that might be of use in you classroom. It’s a solid abstract noun that has a foot in the concrete world, which may make it suitable for teaching the difference between concrete and abstract nouns.

If you find typos in this document, 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.

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Rotten Rejections: The Dragon of Wantley

Posted on August 9, 2018 | Leave a comment

[This refers to the novel by Owen Wister, which is available as a free e-book from Project Gutenberg.]

“A burlesque and grotesque piece of nonsense…it is mere fooling and does not have the bite and lasting quality of satire.”

Excerpted from: Bernard, Andre, and Bill Henderson, eds. Pushcart’s Complete Rotten Reviews and Rejections. Wainscott, NY: Pushcart Press, 1998.

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Cultural Literacy: Alexandria

Posted on August 9, 2018 | Leave a comment

If you teach world history or global studies (or whatever your school, district or state calls this subject), you might find this Cultural Literacy worksheet on Alexandria useful.

If you find typos in this document, 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.

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Egyptian Revival Style

Posted on August 9, 2018 | Leave a comment

“In American architecture, this style occurred twice: ca. 1830-1850 and 1920-1930. Used mostly for public monuments and commercial buildings, the forms are heavy, often pylon-like. Reeded columns, palm capitals, and other ornaments are distinctively Egyptian.”

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

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Marshall (n) and Marshal (vt/vi)

Posted on August 9, 2018 | Leave a comment

Here are five worksheets on the homophones marshall and marshal used, respectively, as a noun and a verb. The verb, particularly, strikes me as something high school students should know, particularly if teachers are assigning research papers and asking students to marshal evidence to support arguments.

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.

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Posted in English Language Arts, Independent Practice, Worksheets

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