Use the title of a book to determine the main idea. Readers will view the cover of The Wedding and predict what the story will be about. Graphic organizers help chart important information and build new vocabulary. Other stories are...

As scholars begin identifying stories as realistic fiction, its important they see many examples to solidify their concepts of this genre. Readers begin with a personal connection, thinking of television shows they like and determining...

Three great graphic organizers guide readers to see how the elements of plot and main idea can be charted to reveal the theme of a story. Model the process on the provided Direct Teaching Teacher Graphic Organizer using Aesop’s The...

Explore making predictions as a reading strategy. As a class, read "Blue Light, Green Light," stopping to make a prediction. After recording a prediction on the graphic organizer, discuss the thoughts behind your idea. Then, continue...

Learners respond to the text Riding Freedom. They will compare and contrast two settings by filling in a graphic organizer. They explore different settings, discuss the reasons why settings change, and draw conclusions using descriptive...

Start kids thinking about point of view and autobiographies by telling them a short story about your morning (first person), and then asking a volunteer to re-tell the story to you (second person). There are tips to help you tie this...

Encourage more pun-derstanding of word play in your literary scholars as they explore Brian P. Cleary's book Rhyme and Punishment: Adventures in Wordplay. Although this isn't suggested, consider beginning this study by simply showing...

Practice making informed predictions. Have your class create a paper fortune-teller and ask questions about the future. They compare the fortune-telling process to the more informed kind of predictions they make while reading. They...

Help your class identify story elements. They will discuss character, setting, problem, and solution after reading a story. A graphic organizer will help them to identify various elements with guided practice and independent practice...

Your readers explore plot patterns in mysteries by identifying problems first in Two-Minute Mysteries by Donald J. Sobol and then in  The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin. To gain access to the worksheets, graphic organizers and...

First graders discover how to retell problems and solutions in a story in chronological order. For this chronological order lesson, 1st graders use graphic organizers to record information. Students then use this information to sequence...

Second graders identify the events in a story using story elements. In this story elements instructional activity, 2nd graders review the story elements and read Dav Pilkey's book, Dog Breath: The Horrible Trouble with Hally Tosis....

Third graders compare and contrast. In this compare and contrast lesson students find similarities and differences between two characters from a fiction book. Students use a graphic organizer.

Students read historical fiction.  In this drawing conclusions lesson, students learn how to draw conclusions from text, specifically historical fiction.  Students read Molly's Pilgrim and complete a graphic organizer where...

Third graders understand how to find the theme of a fable. In this theme lesson, 3rd graders use graphic organizers to record the events of a fable. Students use that information to determine the lesson of the story. Students do a guided...

Students explore the plot of mystery books. In this genre study lesson, students read the book, Sammy Keyes and the Hollywood Mummy and listen to a read aloud of a chapter from the text. Students fill in a graphic organizer that helps...

Demonstrate how to track the elements of plot in a story. After watching you mark down the rising action, problem, climax, falling action, and resolution for Stone Soup by Jon J. Muth, pupils complete a graphic organizer for Sweet...

Second graders explore story elements. In this language arts lesson, 2nd graders identifying characters, setting, and plot in familiar stories. Students listen to a story and complete a graphic organizer.

Keep reinforcing the concept of author's purpose with a practice activity. After discussing the three purposes of writing, third graders will complete a graphic organizer intended to help them pin point textual evidence that proves...

Rising and falling actions are big parts of how a plot moves through the course of a story, narrative, or novel. Youngsters use examples from their texts as they examine where the action rises and falls in the book, How My Parents...

Third graders read the book How the Fox Tricked the Tiger and determine the theme based on the events in the story. In this theme lesson plan, 3rd graders list the events in a graphic organizer.

Students explore relationships between story characters. In this story elements and reading comprehension lesson, students generate character traits of the characters in Bridge to Terabithia, by Katherine Paterson. Students describe...