Listening is a skill, and with the help of the communication activities in this packet, class members improve their active listening skills. 

Students explore critical thinking strategies. For this critical thinking lesson, students evaluate multiple choice answers. Students note similarities between incorrect answers and discover how to compare and contrast incorrect and...

First graders explore the genre of fables. In this fables lesson, 1st graders use various reading strategies to raise comprehension skills. Students make prediction and complete a prediction journal. Students understand that fables have...

Students practice techniques and strategies for understanding the parts of a story to help them remember what they've read. They review and analyze the elements of a story and how to find them first in a paragraph and then in a book.

Students apply specific reading strategies to answer questions about the selection Freedom on the Menu. In this reading comprehension lesson, students read a selection called Freedom on the Menu and use specific reading strategies to...

Primary learners complete pre reading, writing, during reading, and interdisciplinary activities for the book First Day of School. They will  complete journal entries, answer short answer questions, have discussions, and much...

Fairy tales seem like quick, fun children's stories, but asking compelling questions about characters, plot elements, and literary themes can transform them into rich and complex tales. Use a series of eight lessons on Hans Christian...

Students study strategies that aid comprehension. They focus on the main ideas of a passage and eliminate unnecessary and repetitive information. They substitute super ordinate terms for a list of items and create a topic sentence.

First graders use prior knowledge and reading strategies for the story (Julius).  In this reader's workshop lesson, 1st graders use elbow buddies to discuss parts of the story during guided reading.  Students review reading...

In this vocabulary worksheet, students and parents examine the strategies for increasing vocabulary through word recognition strategies. They mark off the strategies they use and, along with a parent, sign the worksheet.

Students practice the techniques and strategies to become more fluent readers through visualization. They read and construct mental images from the reading of a text. The book, "Charlotte's Web," by E.B. White is read in class and then...

First graders read two stories.  In this literary elements lesson, 1st graders read The Hat by Jan Brett, notice patterns of prediction, identify the setting, problem and solution and compare the story to the book The Mitten.

First graders explore reading comprehension by reading Curious George books in class. In this vocabulary expansion lesson, 1st graders read the book Curious George Takes a Job and analyze the easy vocabulary terms as well as "tier 2"...

Learners practice their reading comprehension by reading a story in their class. In this story map instructional activity, students read the Marc Brown book Arthur's Tooth and discuss the story, characters and setting. Learners create a...

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...

This packet, the third in the series of support materials for the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt thematic units on animal adventures, contains skill-building activities designed for learners who need extra support mastering the...

Practice who, what, where, when, and why with a series of activities designed for forming and answering questions. Kids work on choosing the correct wh- word to ask the question they want with a word chart,...

Even pirates know not to steal stuff you can make yourself! Read The Pirate's Parrot Stole the King's Carrot to engage your class. Then, plant carrots with your class. If this isn't possible with your kiddos, consider cutting out paper...

Students explore the advantages of being able to read silently. They then review a "stuck on a word" strategy using context clues to determine meanings of unknown words. They then practice reading silently and the teacher assesses for...

First graders read a story about polar bears and make observations as they read. In this observations lesson plan, 1st graders listen carefully and sing a bear chant.

Students increase their reading fluency through the use of various strategies. After reviewing chunking, decoding, and rereading, students complete an initial read of a novel text. Working with the instructor, they read complete a timed...

Students increase their reading fluency through the use of various strategies. After reviewing chunking and rereading, students complete an initial read of a novel text. They record their word count on a progress chart after timed read.

Students, through teacher modeling and independent practice, discover the concept of silent reading. They read a selection aloud, in a whisper, silently, but with lips moving and finally silently without lips moving. They answer...

Learners practice a variety of techniques and strategies for mastering the skills for reading fluently with expression and emotion utilizing timed readings. They read and reread, "Arthur's Reading Race," by Marc Brown and "James and the...