For English Language Arts and Literature Classes (Including the traditional curriculum, Media Literacy, and Multimodal Literacy)

For Shakespeare and other dramatists, see Drama (Stage) Subject Index.


• Animal Farm (Literature/England & Literary Devices; World/Russia; SEL: Rebellion; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Trustworthiness) [6+; Literary genre: Allegory]
  
  
• Emma (Literature/England; World/England; SEL: Romantic Relationships; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Respect; Caring) [12+]
  
  
• Great Expectations (Literature/England; World/England; SEL: Romantic Relationships; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Trustworthiness) [10+]
  
  
• The Old Curiosity Shop (Literature/England; SEL: Gambling Addiction; Parenting; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Responsibility) [11+]
  
  
• Oliver! (Drama/Musicals; Literature/England; World/England; SEL: Spousal Abuse; Crime; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Caring) [8+]
  
  
• Oliver Twist (Literature/England; World/England; SEL: Spousal Abuse; Crime; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Caring) [10+]
  
  
• A Passage To India (World/India & England; Literature/England; SEL: Friendship; Romantic Relationships; Justice; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Trustworthiness; Respect) [12+]
  
  
• Persuasion (Literature/England; World/England; SEL: Romantic Relationships; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Responsibility) [12+]
  
  
• Pride and Prejudice (Literature/England; World/England; SEL: Romantic Relationships; Sisters; Humility; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Respect) [12+; Literary devices analyzed: theme; foils, contrasting characters; character development; subplot; irony; and use of letters read by a character.]
• Sense and Sensibility (Literature/England; World/England; SEL: Romantic Relationships; Sisters; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Responsibility; Caring) [12+]
• Tale of Two Cities (Literature/England; World/France & England; Char. Dev: Alcohol and Drug Abuse; Rebellion; Addiction; Romantic Relationships; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Caring) [12+]

B.   Lesson Plans from Movies Based on the Literature of the United States

For traditional curriculum in English Language Arts and Literature Classes but also stressing Media Literacy, and Multimodal Literacy

For Arthur Miller, Tennessee Williams and other dramatists, see Drama (Stage) Subject Index.


• The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (U.S./1812 - 1860, Diversity & Missouri; Literature/U.S.; SEL: Breaking Out; Running Away; Friendship; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Responsibility) [6+]
• All The King's Men (U.S./1913 - 1941, Politics & Louisiana; Literature/U.S.; SEL Ambition; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Responsibility; Fairness) [13+]
• Beautiful Dreamers (Biography/Whitman; Literature/U.S.; World/Canada; Medicine; SEL: Male Role Model; Mental Illness; Breaking Out; Friendship; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Respect) [12+; useful for getting students to read and appreciate the poetry of Walt Whitman]
• The Chosen (Literature/U.S. & Literary Devices: Theme, Symbol, Irony; Religions/Judaism; U.S.: 1941 - 1945 & New York; SEL Parenting; Father/Son; Friendship; Breaking Out; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Respect; Caring) [10+]
• The Color Purple (Literature/U.S. & Literary Devices: motif, theme, symbol, characterization; U.S./1865 - 1913, 1913 - 1929; & Diversity/African-American; SEL: Breaking Out; Self-esteem; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Respect) [15+]
• Cross Creek (U.S./1865 - 1913 & Florida; Literature/U.S.; SEL: Female Role Model; Parenting; Friendship; Suicide; Running Away; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Responsibility) [14+; the events that inspired The Yearling]
• For Whom the Bell Tolls (Literature/U.S.; World/Between World Wars & Spain; SEL: Courage in War; Romantic Relationships; Rebellion; Ethical Emphasis: Trustworthiness; Citizenship) [12+]
• The Grapes of Wrath (U.S./1929 - 1941; Oklahoma & California; Literature/U.S.; SEL: Families in Crisis; Female Role Model; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Fairness) [12+]
• Little Women (U.S./1860 - 1865 & Massachusetts; Literature/U.S.; SEL: Female Role Model; Families in Crisis; Parenting; Sisters; Coming of Age; Talent; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Responsibility; Caring) [6+]
• Moby Dick (Literature/U.S.; Seafaring; U.S./1812 - 1860 & Massachusetts; SEL: Revenge, Humility; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Responsibility) [10+]
• Native Son (U.S./1945 - 1991, Diversity & Illinois; Literature/U.S.; Literature/U.S.; SEL: Justice; Friendship; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Respect; Responsibility; Fairness) [15+]
• The Outsiders (Literature/U.S. & Literary Devices; U.S./1945 - 1991; SEL: Brothers; Coming of Age; Courage; Fighting; Friendship; Peer Pressure; Redemption; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Caring) [11+; Literary devices analyzed: expository phase; flashback; symbol; foreshadowing; Bildungsroman; irony; protagonist/antagionist confusion and theme.]
• The Red Badge of Courage (U.S./1860 - 1865; Literature/U.S.; SEL: Redemption, Coming of Age; Courage in War; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Responsibility) [10+]
• The Scarlet Letter (U.S./1629 - 1750 & Massachusetts; Religions/Christianity; Literature/U.S.; SEL: Redemption; Romantic Relationships; Revenge; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Trustworthiness; Responsibility) [12+]
• To Kill A Mockingbird (U.S./1929 - 1941, the Law & Diversity; Literature/U.S. & Literary Devices; SEL: Justice; Male Role Model; Courage; Mental Illness; Parenting; Disabilities; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Trustworthiness; Respect; Responsibilility; Fairness; Caring; Citizenship) [11+; Literary devices analyzed: symbol; flashback; irony; humor.]
• Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives (U.S./1812 - 1865; 1865 - 1913; and African Americans & the Civil Rights Movement; Literature/U.S. (Narrative Writing); SEL: Human Rights; Courage; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Respect; Fairness) [10+]
• The Yearling (U.S./1865 - 1913 & Florida; Literature/U.S.; SEL: Male Role Model; Coming of Age; Running Away; Father/Son; Mother/Son; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Responsibility; Caring) [8 - 12 ]

C.    Other Countries -- Lesson Plans from Movies Based on the Literature of Other Countries

English Language Arts, Literature Classes, Media Literacy, and Multimodal Literacy

• Gulliver's Travels (Literature/Ireland; World/Enlightenment; SEL: Peace/Peacemakers; Courage in War; Humility) [7+]
• The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Literature/France; World/Middle Ages & France; SEL: Disabilities; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Respect) [10 -12]
• Les Misérables (Literature/France; World/France; SEL: Redemption; Suicide; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Fairness, Caring) [8+]
• The Life of Emile Zola (Biography; World/France; Literature/France; SEL: Justice; Talent; Ethical Emphasis: Trustworthiness; Fairness) [10+]
• The Odyssey (World/Ancient Greece; Mythology; Literature & Literary Devices; Seafaring; SEL: Humility; Surviving; Marriage; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Trustworthiness; Responsibility) [14+ for the movie; 11+ for the book. Literary devices analyzed: simile, metaphor, flashback; symbol.]
• The Swiss Family Robinson (Literature/England; World/Indonesia; Science-Technology; SEL: Families in Crisis; Brothers; Surviving; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: General) [6 - 12]
• War and Peace (World/Russia; Literature/Russia) [10+]

D.    Movies Analyzed for Their Use of Literary Devices and Lesson Plans Relating to English Language Arts.

For traditional curriculum in English Language Arts and Literature Classes stressing Media Literacy, and Multimodal Literacy

• Behind the Sun (World/Brazil & Albania; Literature/Literary Devices; SEL: Revenge; Breaking Out; Brothers; Romantic Relationships; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Caring; Responsibility) [12+; Literary devices analyzed: symbols, subplot, flashback, foreshadowing and irony.]
• Cast Away (U.S./1945 - 1991 and Tennessee; Literature/Literary Devices: expository phase; motif; symbol; theme development; dramatic irony) [13+]
• Cast Away -- Set-Up-the-Sub to keep your English Language Arts classes learning while you are absent (Literature/Literary Devices: expository phase; motif; symbol; theme development; dramatic irony) [13+]
• The Chosen (Literature/U.S. & Literary Devices: Theme, Symbol, Irony; Religions/Judaism; U.S.: 1941 - 1945 & New York; SEL Parenting; Father/Son; Friendship; Breaking Out; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Respect; Caring) [10+]
• The Color Purple (Literature/U.S. & Literary Devices: motif, theme, symbol, characterization; U.S./1865 - 1913, 1913 - 1929; & Diversity/African-American; SEL: Breaking Out; Self-esteem; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Respect) [15+]
• Edward Scissorhands (U.S./1945 - 1991; Literature/Literary Devices SEL: Friendship; Disabilities; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Respect; Caring) [13+; Literary devices analyzed: expository phase, setting, character; development, theme.]
• Fly Away Home (Health (Grieving); Literature/Literary Devices: theme, characterization, back story, allusion, complication; Science(Biology); the Environment; World/Canada; SEL: Grieving; Parenting; Father/Daughter; Caring for Animals; Teamwork; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Responsibility; Caring) [10+]
• High Noon (U.S./The Frontier & the West, 1865 - 1913 and 1945 - 1991 (the Red Scare); Cinema; Literature/Myths of the Western genre; Literary devices: symbol; motif; foil; and expository phase; SEL: Marriage; Leadership; Courage; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Responsibility; Citizenship) [11+]
  • High Noon — Snippet Lesson Plan on the Expository Phase Literature/Literary Devices: Expository Phase [12+; snippet: 15 minutes, 20 seconds; lesson: one to two class periods]
• In Her Shoes -- Snippet Lesson Plan on the Analysis and Explication of Poetry [14+; snippet: 10 minutes; lesson: two class periods plus time to write a concluding essay]
• The Ladykillers — Introducing the Poetry of Edgar Allan Poe Using The Raven (from "The Simpsons") and To Helen (from "The Ladykillers") [14+; snippets: 8 minutes; lesson: from one to three 45 - 55 minute classes, depending on the assignments given]
• Les Choristes (Music; World/France; Literature/Poetry Analysis; Literary Devices: theme;SEL: Self-esteem; Talent; Education; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Caring) [10+; in French with English subtitles]
• Lord of the Flies (Literature/Literary Devices; U.S./1945 -1991; SEL: Peer Pressure; Surviving; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Responsibility; Caring) [13+; Literary devices analyzed: symbol, character development, theme, irony.]
• Man on Fire -- Snippet Lesson Plan to The Child Savior Myth and Literary Archetypes - An Introduction [14+; snippet: 22 minutes; lesson: one class period]
• Pink Floyd: The Wall — Snippet Lesson Plan on Determining Theme [10+; snippet: 15 minutes, Lesson: three 45 - 55 minute class periods]
• Roxanne (Drama; Literature/Literary devices: irony; characterization; SEL: Romantic Relationships; Self-esteem; Moral-Ethical Emphasis Respect) [12+]
• The Searchers (U.S./1865 - 1913; Literature/Literary Devices SEL: Revenge; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Responsibility; Caring) [13+; Literary devices analyzed: expository phase, character development, theme.]
• The Simpsons - The Raven section of the Second Season, Treehouse of Horrow Episode — Introducing the Poetry of Edgar Allan Poe Using "The Simpsons" and "The Ladykillers" [14+; snippets: 8 minutes; lesson: from one to three 45 - 55 minute classes, depending on the assignments given]
• Stand and Deliver (U.S./1941 - 1996, Diversity & California; Mathematics; Literature/Literary Devices; SEL: Male Role Model; Self-esteem; Education; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Trustworthiness; Responsibility; Citizenship) [12+; Literary devices analyzed: character, symbols, subplot, foils and irony.]
• Swan Lake (Dance/Performance; Literature/Literary Devices; SEL: Romantic Relations; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Caring) [10+; Literary devices analyzed: metaphor; symbol]
• War of the Buttons - Using Characterization in Literary Analysis (Literature/Literary Devices: characterization; World/Ireland; SEL: Fighting; Friendship; Leadership; Parenting; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Trustworthiness; Caring) [10+]
• Water (World/India; Religions/Hinduism; Literature/Literary Devices; SEL: Human Rights; Suicide; Breaking Out; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Respect; Caring; Fairness) [12+; Literary devices analyzed: character, symbols, subplot, foils and irony.]
  
  
• Whale Rider (World/New Zealand; Literature/Literary Devices, including characterization, symbol and foil; SEL: Breaking Out; Female Role Model; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Respect) [12+]
• Writing Narratives: Teaching Students to Write a Narrative; English Language Arts -- secondary school level.
  
  

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