Curated OER
Stanley's Story
Young scholars create a newspaper story based on the events that occur in the novel Holes. They recall the basic facts of Stanley's story using the 5 W's plus H. Students write a fact based news story based on the information presented...
Curated OER
Cinderella: A Story Found in Many Cultures
First graders explore, discuss and examine fairy-tale and make-believe stories. They assess two different types of Cinderella stories to surface a broader look at cultural diversity. Students construct a Venn Diagram or a chart of the...
Curated OER
"The Padlocked Chest"
In this writing scenario instructional activity, learners read a short introduction to a story about a padlocked chest and then finish the mystery of the story on the lines provided.
Curated OER
Short and Sweet
Learners summarize nonfiction text. After reviewing the process for reading in order to summarize, students independently read a nonfiction article. They write a summary paragraph using the checklist outlined by the instructor during...
Curated OER
Secret Stories: Exploring the Elements of Folktales and Fables
Students are introduced to the characteristics of fables and folktales. In groups, they read and identify the various elements in the stories they read from around the world. For each story, they analyze the setting and the various...
Curated OER
Six Trait Writing with Twain and Doyle
Students explore the traits of writing in this six lessons unit. Poems, fiction, and drama are evaluated to identify writing strategies. Utilization of vocabulary and writing rubrics help students judge the effectiveness of their own...
Curated OER
Write a Myth
Students explore myths in ancient times. In this mythology lesson, students read or view a video production of a myth to determine specific characteristics of myths. Students work in groups to write a myth that explains an occurrence...
Starfall
My Pet!
Furry friends are a big part of kids' lives, and here, they can be immortalized in pictures and stories. Give your students a chance to draw and color their pets - real or pretend - and then write a short sentence about them.
Curated OER
"The Old Lamp"
In this writing prompt activity, students read a short scenario about an old lamp being found in the dirt and then finish the story prompt on the lines provided.
Curated OER
Compare and Contrast Creation Stories
Learners compare and contrast creation stories. In this Bible studies lesson, students work in groups to read and summarize creation myths and share with their peers. The class goes on to create a chart to compare and contrast these...
Curated OER
Writing Worksheet
In this writing worksheet, students answer five questions relating to plot, write about a character and how they develop in four chapters, and answer questions about four characters. Students complete twenty short answer questions.
Curated OER
Writing for the Real World: Get Well and Sympathy Card
In this writing worksheet, students follow read about features of a get well/sympathy card, then follow directions to make a card, and choose another occasion and make an appropriate card.
Curated OER
Report Writing in Primary Grades
Young scholars learn how to read a short section and parepare a sentence to share with the group. Students listen to the reading of expository text, restate, in sentence format, one fact learned from that text, and produce a report.
Curated OER
How to Write a Summary of a Book
Students explore ways to write book summaries. For this summary writing lesson, students discover the steps for writing summaries of fictional books.
Curated OER
ESL Writing Practice:Letters A-J
In this ESL writing practice worksheet, learners trace upper and lower case letters A-J. A reference web site for additional activities is provided.
Curated OER
Writing Sparks
In this writing sparks worksheet, students write a short essay giving reasons for liking/disliking stormy days and then tell a story of how they would pass the time on a stormy day.
Curated OER
Using Prominent Personalities With Identifiable Social Causes to Stimulate Writing
Students write a friendly letter to a Maya Angelou, describing their response to her poetry and short stories.
Cleveland Metro School District
Novel Lesson for The Giver
Lois Lowry's The Giver is one of the most engaging and thought-provoking works of literature in the middle school curriculum. Round out your novel unit with a collection of reading activities, comprehension questions, memoir and journal...
Curated OER
Pretend Memoirs
Elementary schoolers explore the concept of a memoir. The teacher tells a story from his/her childhood as an example of what a memoir is; a written account of one's past. The kids are asked to pretend that they are now adults, and are...
K5 Learning
Androclus and the Lion
Kindness is never a standalone act. Fourth graders read the classic tale of Androclus and his act of service to the lion, which is repaid to him by the lion in a Roman colosseum. After reading the passage, they answer four comprehension...
K5 Learning
Liza's First Spelling Bee
Learners read about Liza's first spelling bee before answering six reading comprehension questions. Skills include identifying similarities, making inferences, drawing conclusions, and answer questions based on explicit information in...
K5 Learning
Robert Fulton – Steamboat Inventor
Examine the life of steamboat inventor, Robert Fulton, through reading comprehension instructional activity that includes both multiple choice and short answer questions. Then, take part in a word search and write definitions, words, and...
Novelinks
The Hobbit: Directed Reading - Thinking Activity
An in-class reading of Shel Silverstein's The Missing Piece Meets the Big O introduces class members to the journey motif that forms the basis of The Hobbit.
Curated OER
Passive Voice Exercises
What is the difference between the active voice and the passive voice? Focus on the latter with your middle schoolers to help them strengthen their writing. First, they identify which sentences are written in the passive. Then, they...