ReadWriteThink
Sonic Patterns: Exploring Poetic Techniques Through Close Reading
Robert Hayden's poem "Those Winter Sundays" serves as the anchor text in a five-part instructional activity that takes the mystery out of poetry analysis by modeling explicit strategies for pupils to employ to conduct a close reading of...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Courage “In the Time of the Butterflies”: A Common Core Exemplar
The courage of Las Mariposas, the Mirabal sisters, is the focus of a series of activities designed to accompany a reading of In the Time of the Butterflies that ask readers to consider what it means to be courageous. Beautifully crafted...
Mr. Roughton
The Maya Files
Class members adopt the role of Law and Order history investigators and examine primary source documents to determine the legitimacy of Marco Polo's claim that he traveled to and traded in China. A cleverly crafted...
Federal Reserve Bank
Credit Reports—and You Thought Your Report Card Was Important
Get the facts about credit and take a close look at what factors into a consumer credit report with this fantastic lesson plan. Your pupils will read informational texts, read sample financial documents, and discuss the...
ReadWriteThink
A High-Interest Novel Helps Struggling Readers Confront Bullying in Schools
Paul Langan's novel The Bully is the core text in a six-session unit plan that engages high schoolers in an in-depth examination of bullying and its effects on bullies, victims, and bystanders. The richly textured and carefully...
University of North Carolina
Religious Studies
What is the difference between religion and religious studies? Readers find out after reading an online handout. It outlines common assignments in religious studies classes, such as critically evaluating religious texts and writing...
K20 LEARN
OPTIC - A Reading Strategy Recipe: Visual Literacy
A visual literary lesson provides learners with OPTIC (Observations, Predictions, Themes, Inferences, Conclusions), a reading strategy to help them understand and interpret visual and written texts. Scholars practice the strategy with a...
Utah Education Network (UEN)
Hamlet Soliloquy Artwork
Though this assignment may be thought madness, there is an actual method. Scholars perform a close reading of the original text of the soliloquies in Hamlet and modern translations to ensure they understand the speeches. They then select...
Core Knowledge Foundation
Unit 1: Contemporary Fiction - They Call Me Güero: A Border Kid’s Poems by David Bowles
They Call Me Güero: A Border Kid's Poems by David Bowles is the focus of a five-week language arts unit unit. Fifth graders listen to various poems and participate in thoughtful discussions, examining vocabulary and learning new words in...
Media Education Lab
Propaganda in Context
"Board Game Helps Fight Real World Ebola," a video produced by Voice of America, provides the text for a guided instructional activity that asks viewers to analyze the propaganda techniques used in the video. Groups then select a example...
Curated OER
An Introduction to Nonfiction
Examine the elements of nonfiction writings in this instructional activity. Learners list common features of nonfiction and compare nonfiction and fiction books on the same topic. Create a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting the two...
Curated OER
Using Non-Text Features
Second graders examine graphs and charts from their local newspaper. As a class, they discuss what the data means and how it relates to the article. In groups, they are shown two sets of graphs or charts and they practice explaining...
Curated OER
The Sun Also Rises: Concept Analysis
Considering using The Sun Also Rises as a whole-class or book circle choice? Check out this overview and interesting interpretation of Hemingway's tale.
Polk Bros Foundation
I Can Sequence Important Events
After reading any short informational or fictional text, ask your class to analyze the important events. They note down three important events on a short timeline, describing the events with either words or drawings. After this, pupils...
Novelinks
The Wednesday Wars: Concept Analysis
The Wednesday Wars is the focus of this resource designed for first-time teachers of Gary Schmidt's Newbery Award winning novel.
Curated OER
Recognizing that One Text Can Generate Multiple Interpretations - The Double V
Students research African American involvement in World War II and the Double V campaign. In this African American history lesson, students review Jim Crow and watch a related video. Students complete the Double V image graphic organizer...
Curated OER
Analyzing Verb Use: Part 2
With the Wordle ap in one hand, and their favorite writing piece in the other, 3rd graders analyze their verb usage. They select a piece they have written, type it into Wordle, then analyze their word choices and alter them using synonyms.
Curated OER
Welcome to Flimibuff!!!
In this novel analysis lesson, students read the short script about Lord of the Flies related activity. Students then complete a survival activity relating to the story.
Curated OER
The Importance Setting and Mood in Fiction
Seventh graders examine the setting in pieces of fiction. In this story analysis lesson, 7th graders investigate the setting in fictional stories and the importance it has. Students discover new vocabulary terms applying to...
Curated OER
Understanding Clues from the Past: School Days
Third graders read primary and secondary sources as the study about schools in the early years of Kansas. For this primary and secondary source lesson, 3rd graders examine how historians use primary source documents to tell about the...
Curated OER
A "CCC Youth Refuses to Fan Flies Off Officer"
In this primary source analysis worksheet, students analyze a historical article about a CCC youth who was dishonorably discharged. Students then respond to 3 short answer questions about the photograph.
Curated OER
A Utah Observer Praises the CCC
In this primary source analysis worksheet, students examine a letter from to a Civilian Conservation Corps recruitment center. Students respond to 3 short answer questions based on the content of the letter.
Curated OER
A Bracero Enters the United States
In this primary source analysis worksheet, students analyze an interview with a bracero who entered the U.S. as an illegal worker and then became a bracero. Students respond to 3 short answer questions based on the interview.
Curated OER
Earthquake Epicenter
Students use chart data to determine the location of the epicenter of an earthquake. This task assesses students' abilities to generalize and infer, organize data, interpret data, and apply mathematical concepts.