Authors Lesson Plans

With a graphic organizer to guid them, your middle schoolers can compare and contrast two books by the same author. They concider setting, genre, and themes, then create a computer slideshow presentation or brochure about the author and the two books. Cool lesson.

First graders explore the work of Dr. Seuss. In this Dr. Seuss lesson plan, 1st graders determine the attributes of authors and then research the life of Dr. Seuss in order to write his biography.

Working in groups, middle schoolers read young adult literature focusing on the points of views of characters experiencing ntolerance and prejudice. They maintain reading journals and meet periodically to discuss their reactions to their reading. When they finish their books, they design a website that includes a summary of the book, author information, a story map, a diagram showing the relationship among characters, and links to related websites.

Students explore Asia as they read a fiction or no-fiction book. In this English Literature lesson plan, students read the book of their choice and then create a book folder to be used in an East Asian Book Display for the library. This book display can be created to coincide with East Asian Awareness Month in May.

Students examine Jewish immigration of the late 19th century and analyze Jewish contributions to popular American culture. In this Jewish immigration activity, students explore primary sources to study the Jewish immigration experience and further to analyze and interpret the birth of the comic book.

Learners create a book report using a cereal box. In this book report lesson plan, students cover the outer parts of a cereal box representing a book they red. They create an original cover on one side, and use the other sides to report on the setting, characters, problem, solution, theme, and anything else they want to include. Then they present their cereal box to the class.

Young scholars write book review using the five step writing process. In this book review lesson plan, students choose a book from a previous lesson plan to write a review of. They review the five step writing process by watching a PowerPoint presentation, and research the Internet for examples of book reviews. They word process the final draft of their book reviews.

Students engage in a lesson that is concerned with the creation of a unique type of book report. They read a book in its entirety and then decorate a shoebox with the theme of the book and then students write a summary of the book.

Students identify all the important details in the story Mr. Smart's Big Dog Book and create summaries.  In this summarizing lesson plan, students pay close attention to the details within the story.  Students then orally summarize the events and then make written connections to their own lives. 

Fourth graders research a country using assigned websites using a research worksheet or template. They work in groups to design a book about the country using a software publishing tool.