This lesson with paired texts encourages students to explore themes of love through close readings of the O.Henry story “The Gift of the Magi” and Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s poem “How Do I Love Thee? Let Me Count the Ways.” Students synthesize their understanding of the texts, consider and compare themes, and complete a prose constructed response.This 27-page resource includes the following: -explicit lesson plan with identified Common Core ELA Anchor Standards -anticipation guide-journal-co