Curated OER
Writing Organizers
Eight graphic organizers to choose from? That's right! Each of these organizers relates to writing or reading. From narrowing a writing topic, to responding to literature, to planning a writing project, you'll find many purposes for...
Fluence Learning
Writing About Literature: Comparing and Contrasting Characters in Heidi
Scholars read excerpts from the story, Heidi, in a three-part assessment that focuses on comparing and contrasting characters. Each part contains three tasks that challenge learners to discuss, answer comprehension...
Curated OER
A Persuasive Writing Project That Aligns to Common Core Standards
Create a writing project that focuses on the Common Core ELA Standard for writing an argumentative essay.
Curated OER
Reader Response
Fifth graders reflect upon different concepts of Language Arts while reading literature. In the novel Tuck Everlasting, by Natalie Babbitt, the characters discover a spring of eternal youth. After reading the first several chapters of...
Curated OER
Literature-based Skill Building: Holes by Louis Sachar
In this literature response worksheet, students answer 7 essay questions about Chapter 11 of the book called Holes by Louis Sachar.
Novelinks
The Lightning Thief: Problematic Situation Strategy
In the novel, Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan, Percy is faced with a major decision. After reading, chapter 19, discuss the decision-making process Percy took, what he decided to...
Curated OER
Michelle Kwan: Heart of a Champion
Who is a champion to your class? Elementary and middle schoolers think of a role-model from their lives. Then, in their journals, they write evidence of that person's perseverance. They identify the character trait of perseverance with...
Curated OER
Literature-based Skill Building: Holes by Louis Sachar Chapter 14
In this literature response worksheet, students answer 20 short essay questions about Chapter 14 of the book called Holes by Louis Sachar.
Curated OER
Analyzing Literature Through Book Projects
Here are ideas for book projects to help students analyze literature.
Curated OER
A Year of Reading
Utilize literature books for youth as a means to engage new readers and celebrate reading accomplishments.
Curated OER
Lesson Ideas for Comparing and Contrasting Content
Here are three lesson ideas to help students learn how to compare and contrast information in any content area
Curated OER
Author In The Spotlight
Complete an in-depth study of the works or a specific author. Working in pairs, students read at least four works by the same author. After completing the reading, they create an essay comparing and contrasting the works and create an...
Curated OER
Coming to America
Students read one book together about the immigrant experience. Teacher asks students to identify some of the themes around immigration contained in the book (example: prejudice).
Gwinnett County Public Schools
Analysis of the Tuck Everlasting and The Birchbark House Text Exemplars
Looking to introduce some text-based questions into your ELA lessons? Practice the kinds of skills the Common Core demands with the seven text-based questions and the essay prompt provided here. Designed to be a three-day lesson, day one...
Curated OER
Developing Listening Skills With Folktales
Students answer questions about a folktale that is read to them. For this listening skills lesson, students practice listening to folktales and answering questions about what they hear. They listen to repetitive readings of the same...
Curated OER
Nonfiction Lessons That Motivate
Incorporating nonfiction lessons into literature instruction can be interesting and engaging for all students.
Curated OER
Reading About Children from Other Places in the World: Structured Research Project
Students read about children in Ghana, Sri Lanka and Haiti. They compare these children to themselves in a structured lesson that focuses on note taking and research skills. Students work in groups to write a short essay about the...
Curated OER
The Aerial Age
Students infer America's attitude towards aviation in the early 1900s. In this The Aerial Age lesson, students analyze early 1900s literature, music, advertisements, and popular culture in reference to aviation. Students represent their...
Curated OER
Narrative Writing Outline
Students explore the elements of a narrative for its purpose, type of audience, mood, main character, minor characters, setting, and conflicts in the story. A story outline is developed and a five paragraph essay composed in this lesson.
Curated OER
In The Eye Of The Beholder
Students, in groups, research Rembrandt's life and works. They find critiques of his work, as well. Each group reports their findings back to the rest of the class. Finally, they create abstract drawings and write interpretations about...
Curated OER
Hyper for Expository Writing!
Fifth graders use the internet to research a plant or animal they read about in "The Talking Earth". Using notes, they develop a graphic organizer and use the main topics to create a HyperStudio stack. Using all of this information,...
McGraw Hill
Glencoe Literature Library: "Where the Red Fern Grows" Study Guide [Pdf]
Great reading guide for "Where the Red Fern Grows" by Wilson Rawls. Provides pre-reading material, including an author bio, book introduction, background articles, and journaling activities, as well as charting and brainstorming ideas...
McGraw Hill
Glencoe Literature Library: "Missing May" Study Guide [Pdf]
A great resource for students reading "Missing May," complete with a brief biography of author Cynthia Rylant, pre-reading material, diagramming activities, personal response and analysis questions, and an essay prompts for students who...