"A New Day" is a one-page, fictional reading passage about children who learned about civil rights marches while visiting their grandfather in Mississippi. They helped people register to vote before President Obama was elected for the...

"Columbus and the Egg" is a one page, historical fictional passage about Christopher Columbus's return to Spain after discovering America. Some people said anyone could sail the seas. Columbus used an egg to make a point. It is followed...

"Community Progress" is a one page, realistic fiction passage about how students created a mural for their school, which generated lots of attention from the press, parents, and other schools. It is followed by constructed-response...

"How the Firefly Got Its Light" is a one page, myth about the fly who wanted to be special; he made a deal with the moon to be his friend and, in return, the moon shared the secret of shining. It is followed by constructed-response...

"Grant Park" is a one page, nonfiction passage about Chicago creating a landfill by putting the trash from the Chicago fire in 1971 into the lake, on which they built Grant Park. It is followed by an open-ended question which requires...

"Economic Connections" is a one-page nonfiction passage about the economics of importing and exporting goods among countries to get what people need. It is followed by an open-ended question that requires students to provide evidence...

"Harold Washington's Acceptance Speech" is a one page, excerpt from a speech given by Harold Washington after being elected as mayor of Chicago on April 12, 1983. It is followed by constructed-response questions which require students to...

"What is Your Own Big Plan?" contains excerpts from a speech by President Barack Obama, Arlington, Virginia, September 8, 2009, concerning the need for a good education regardless of vocational plans. It is followed by a writing...

"The Gettysburg Address" by Abraham Lincoln is one page, non-fiction speech given at the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, on November 18, 1963. It is followed by an assignment asking students to...

"His First Dollar" is a one-page, historical fiction passage in which Abraham Lincoln tells his Secretary of State Seward when and how he had earned his first dollar. It is followed by constructed-response questions which require...

"Columbus and the Egg" is a one page, historical fictional passage about Christopher Columbus's return to Spain after discovering America. Some people said anyone could sail the seas. Columbus used an egg to make a point. It is followed...

"A Good Student" is a one page, fictional reading passage about a freshmen going to a large high school on the first day of school. It is followed by constructed-response questions which require students to provide evidence from the...

"George Washington Carver" is a one page, biographical passage about George Washington Carver, an African American professor who taught farmers and students better methods for farming, including planting peanuts to improve the soil. It...

"George Washington Carver" is a one page, biographical passage about George Washington Carver, a famous African American, who taught farmers better farming methods including planting peanuts to improve the soil. It is followed by an...

"Community Progress" is a one page, realistic fiction passage about how students created a mural for their school, which generated lots of attention from the press, parents, and other schools. It is followed by constructed-response...

"A Proud Flight" is a one page, Greek myth about Icarus and Daedelus. The father and son were imprisoned, and in order to escape, Daedelus made wings using bird feathers covered with wax. He warned Icarus not to get too near the sun or...

"Chicago's First Leader" is a one page, biographical passage about Jean Baptiste Point DuSable, the first non-native American to settle in Chicago. He started a trading post around which the city grew. It is followed by an open-ended...

"City Mouse: A Fable" is a one- page fable about a city mouse and a country mouse. The city mouse visits the country mouse where food is limited. The country mouse visits the city where the food is great, but there is constant danger. It...

Click a room, then the poetry book and find a thorough study of Shelley's famous poem, "Ozymandias," including an audio file, synopsis, games for close reading and more.

This curriculum unit guides students in a deep investigation of the characters in The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, and in developing an appreciation of Shakespeare's talent for language and his insightful understanding of human...

In this science-themed literacy lesson, middle school students read about an exotic bug and integrate qualitative and quantitative information through close reading and viewing of diagrams.

In this curriculum unit, learners will consider William Faulkner's "The Sound and the Fury": Narrating the Compson Family Decline and the Changing South. Worksheets and other supporting materials can be found under the Resources tab....

Read and fill in the blanks of this passage explaining natural resources. Each blank has a dropdown menu with choices. When you finish, click CHECK MY ANSWERS. If you pick a wrong answer, the right answer will be displayed along with...

Read and fill in the blanks of this passage explaining the history of movies and filmography. Each blank has a dropdown menu with choices. When you finish, click 'Check my answers.' If you pick a wrong answer, the right answer will be...