Skim, reread, and then take notes. The step-by-step procedure outlined in this resource can be used to help pupils write a summary of a reading passage. Using their notes, class members then draft a summary focusing on the main idea and...

Incorporate sensory details into a piece of descriptive writing. First, elementary and middle schoolers improve a piece of writing by using precise, vivid language, as well as appropriate word choice. They then listen to a variety of...

Young readers assume the role of Genre Sleuths to investigate the characteristics of folktales, fantasies, and mysteries. For this session you will need to collect a variety of books on a topic you have been studying. Groups then examine...

Work on using transition words in context by prompting elementary and middle schoolers to write their own persuasive essays using transition words. They explore new forms of transition words and examine how they are used in an editorial...

Elementary writers practice writing descriptive paragraphs by adding adjectives and sensory words to their writing. They use a picture of a monster for their descriptive paragraph. This 12-page lesson should increase your charges...

Your learners talk to each other every day, but are they really listening? Use a lesson plan based on listening skills to ensure that class members feel heard and respected. It includes games, discussion topics, and self-assessment...

If not the best, then certainly one of the better grammar resources designed for language learners, this packet focuses on comparatives and superlatives.

Finish or launch your unit on the solar system with a jigsaw project covering major celestial concepts such as the Milky Way Galaxy, asteroids, meteors, comets, Earth's moon, and, of course, all the planets. Learners start by...

Who is telling the story? Readers take a look at the text Eight Days to determine if the story is told in first or third person. They then discuss in groups and complete a shared writing activity to describe how the narrator's point of...

Does your class or do individual learners need more practice determining the main idea of a passage of informational text? Here is a worksheet containing seven exercises that asks kids to read short paragraphs, summarize the passage in...

After reading an informational or biographical text, have learners fill out this worksheet to check for basic understanding. Pupils write down the title of the text, the topic, a brief description, and the purpose.

An interactive introduces English learners to William Shakespeare's comedy Much Ado About Nothing.  Pupils watch a short animated version of the play, match character names with images from the video, and put sentence strips in order.

Students create a web with the writing topic in the center of the web. They extend three branches from the center of the web, write the main ideas that support and develop the topic. They draw three branches that extend from each main...

Fifth graders explore mystery stories.  In this reading and writing lesson, 5th graders complete a planning guide for an original mystery.  Students use the writing process to create a mystery story. 

For this diabetes worksheet, students read the article, answer true and false questions, complete synonym matching, complete phrase matching, complete a gap fill, answer short answer questions, answer discussion questions, write, and...

Students create a paragraph about a subject of their chosing that is informative.  In this paragraph writing lesson, students use graphic organizers and work together in groups to create a full, organized...

Fifth graders research a topic of their choice using the internet, magazines, and books. For this research lesson plan, 5th graders are graded on their research and delivery skills of their presentation.

In this writing learning exercise, students fill out an outline about a plant that will lead them to writing a 3-paragraph summary. Students include a topic sentence and 4-5 details for each paragraph.

Reflection is the best teacher. Using the resource, scholars complete the final part of their end of unit assessment, the fourth section of their storyboard about an invention. Next, they track their progress using a self-reflection...

Celebrate sean-nós, céilí, and the lilting music of the Emerald Isle with a set of language arts activities! Learners complete word puzzles, vocabulary exercises, and comprehension questions about traditional Irish music.

Use the Internet, write an expository text, and have students share their knowledge of the planets in our solar system. They compose an expository writing piece and publish it to a web page.

As a follow-up from the previous lesson, young environmentalists discuss the benefits of water filtration and whether or not it's the best option. Other alternatives including air stripping, bioremediation, and phytoremediation are...

Students work in groups to paraphrase an article.  In this paraphrasing lesson, each group is assigned a paragraph to paraphrase in one sentence.  Other groups critique the sentences to make sure each is effective. ...

Young scholars brainstorm animals with unusual characteristics such as a giraffe with a short neck or a zebra without stripes. They write paragraphs about their animals and work in peer editing groups to refine their stories.