Authors Lesson Plans

Students read two chapter books by the same author and research the author. They compare and contrast the characters, setting, genre, and themes of the two books using graphic organizers, and create a computer slideshow presentation or brochure about the author and the two books.

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

Students work in groups to select and read young adult literature focusing on characters that are experiencing the effects of intolerance and prejudice. Students maintain reading journals and meet periodically to discuss their reactions to their reading. When they finish their books, students design a website that includes: an introduction and summary of the book, author information, a story map, a diagram showing the relationship among characters and links to related websites.

In this lesson 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 lesson, students explore primary sources to study the Jewish immigration experience and further to analyze and interpret the birth of the comic book.

In this lesson learners create a book report using a cereal box. In this book report lesson plan, learners 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.

Learners write book review using the five step writing process. In this book review lesson, learners choose a book from a previous lesson 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.

This lesson has learners 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 learners write a summary of the book.

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

This lesson has students explore cause and effect. In this literacy writing lesson, students listen to several books by Laura Numeroff and make a list of cause and effect examples from the books. This lesson has students write their own cause and effect book using text from  If You Give a Mouse a Cookie as a pattern.