Quoted Text

Epic Poems
http://www.webenglishteacher.com/epics.html
The Aeneid, the Iliad, the Odyssey, Beowulf, and Paradise Lost:
they're poems, but they don't really fit into a traditional poetry lesson;
they're mythology/folklore, but they don't really fit there, either. I
finally gave epic poems their own page.

Kathryn Lasky
http://www.webenglishteacher.com/lasky.html
Lesson plans and support materials for Dear America books, Royal
Diaries books, and others.

Virgil
http://www.webenglishteacher.com/virgil.html
Resources for teaching the Aeneid. (And apologies to those who spell
his name "Vergil," as I, too, was taught in high school. Times - and
spellings - have changed.)

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2. Sites to Check Out

Finding Inspiration in Literature and Movies (FILM)
http://www.youthfilmproject.org/programs.htm
Curriculum materials to support a variety of movies, including
Charlotte's Web, Because of Winn-Dixie, Prince Caspian, and Freedom Writers.
Materials emphasize literacy skills, character development, and community
service: use the parts that best fit your classroom.

Law and Order: Edgar Allan Poe
http://fayette.k12.in.us/~cbeard/inACCESS/poe/poe.html
Students read "The Tell-Tale Heart" and "The Cask of Amontillado."
They analyze the narrators as the narrators see themselves and as the
reader sees them. They then write the script of an interrogation of one of the
narrators in the style of a popular TV series. Includes guidelines and rubric.

Nixa Mythology
http://teacherweb.nixa.k12.mo.us/~zhamby/index.html
Follow the link to Teacher Resources for some outstanding resources
for teaching classical mythology from teacher Zak Hamby. (For sheer
creativity, my favorite is the Trojan Find-it, but Mythological Barbie runs a close second!)

Poetry Everywhere
http://www.teachersdomain.org/exhibits/pe08-ex/index.html
Can't bring the poet to your classroom? Here's the next best thing:
videos, background essays and lesson plans that help teachers and students
explore the power of language and build reading and writing skills.

Turning the Pages
http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/ttp/ttpbooks.html
Follow the link on this page from the British Library to see William
Blake's notebook, Lewis Carroll's original Alice in Wonderland, juvenilia by
Jane Austen, sketches from Leonardo da Vinci, and more. Give the site time
to load before trying to "turn the page" virtually.

Verb Busters
http://www.verbbusters.com
Verbbusters is designed for ELL students and offers fun interactive
exercise for the practice of the irregular verbs with cues in English or other
European languages. It offers dynamic ranking and quick search
functions as well as bilingual verb lists and audio. It's free and no registration
is required. (This site might also be valuable to help elementary
students master irregular verbs.)

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3. Teaching English with Technology Workshop - a few spots still available!
http://thwt.org/workshops.html

Tom Daccord has invited me to join him again this summer for his  excellent Teaching English with Technology <http://thwt.org/workshops.html> workshop.
This intensive three-day workshop will offer "hands-on" opportunities for English and Language Arts teachers and professors to explore practical ways to use technology to enrich the study of literature, poetry, grammar
and writing.
The workshop will explore innovative ideas, effective  techniques, and ready-made plans for incorporating Web-based resources, desktop software packages and new and emerging technologies into classroom instruction
of English and Language Arts.
Each participant will be supplied with a computer for the duration of the workshop and have extended "hands-on" time to master the information and skills presented. Join us in Boston July 14-16!

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4. Demolition Call
http://www.goear.com/listen.php?v=a045638

"Becky" wants her school torn down. Listen as she phones a Dublin demolition company and asks for an estimate.