Jumpstarting Journeys
Vowel Digraph Activities for au and aw
It can be awfully hard teaching young children how to read, but this phonics resource will make the job a little easier. Focusing on the au and aw vowel digraphs, this collection of engaging activities teaches beginning...
ESL Holiday Lessons
Mardi Gras
Take a trip to Mardi Gras with a festive reading packet! After class members read an informational article about the history and celebration of Mardi Gras, they think about the structure of the passage...
University of Texas
Alphabetic Understanding, Phonics, and Spelling
Have your youngsters reading in no time with with collection of literacy activities and lessons. Starting with a basic understanding of the alphabet, this unit progressively builds students' phonemic awareness and ability to decode...
Prestwick House
A Christmas Carol
Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol may begin with the reminder of Marley's death, but it doesn't have to end with the last page of the book. Extend the reading into a crossword puzzle that includes clues about Jacob's accessories,...
Harper Collins
The World of Ramona
Bring the fun and whimsy of Beverly Cleary into your classroom with a teaching guide created to accompany the Ramona series. The guide offers several ideas for classroom use, including independent reading, reading aloud, and literature...
McGraw Hill
Study Guide for Tuck Everlasting
Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt is a classic novel that readers have enjoyed for years. Resources within the study guide such as discussion and guided reading questions, extension activities, and graphic organizers aid...
Curated OER
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas: Questioning Strategy
Asking questions about the text is a great way for kids to become self-sufficient readers. Use the question-and-response strategy (QAR) to get them thinking about John Boyne's The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. After they read select...
Penguin Books
A Teacher's Guide to The Gingerbread Man Loose in the School
What if the Gingerbread Man was trying to catch you, rather than the other way around? Pupils can find out what happens by reading the story The Gingerbread Man Loose in the School by Laura Murray and enrich their experience with the...
Curated OER
What? You want me to read AND enjoy it?
Students appreciate independent reading through learning about authors and genre.
Curated OER
Beginning of the Year Activity Using The Rainbow Fish
Students are read "The Rainbow Fish Big Book". They discuss how each one of them are unique in some way. They decorate their own fish to show their characteristics and shares it with the class so they are able to learn about each other.
Curated OER
Chinese New Year: Lai-See Envelopes Lesson Plan
Students are introduced to the purpose behind the Chinese New Year celebration. As a class, they examine different traditions focusing on the Lai-See envelopes. After watching a PowerPoint presentation, they make their own envelopes...
Curated OER
Shhh!!! I'm Reading!
Learners practice reading silently decodable texts in this lesson. They discuss the importance of being able to read silently. They then practice silently reading "Wemberly Worried." An assessment/checklist is included in this lesson.
Curated OER
New Year's Resolution Flags
Students make New Year's Resolutions. In this resolution instructional activity, students listen to the story Peace Begins with You by Katherine Sholes. They discuss different ways they can help make their world more peaceful and...
Curated OER
Chinese New Year
Third graders discuss with the teacher what they know about the Chinese New Year and then watch a video on the topic. They then discuss what they learned about Chinese New Year and then they refer to their January booklet to cut out a...
Curated OER
Celebrating Chinese Culture: Legends & Myths, Chinese New Year, Customs & Traditions
Pupils read books about other cultures and explore their customs and traditions. They discuss the meanings of myths and legends and then brainstorm examples of stories that fit the description. Students experience hands-on activities to...
Curated OER
Chrysanthemum - Read Aloud
First graders participate in active read aloud of Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes. In this read aloud instructional activity set, 1st graders practice the "turn and talk" technique as they listen to Chrysanthemum. They listen to the story...
Curated OER
The Classroom Library
Youngsters visit the classroom library to complete various reading activities, pushing their motivation to read! They will discuss different library books and read two specific books that use "Building Block" reading skills. They also...
Manchester University
Where The Forest Meets The Sea
Join a father and his son as they explore an isolated location off the coast of Australia in the children's book Where the Forest Meets the Sea by Jeannie Baker. Engage young learners in reading this fun story with this series of...
Curated OER
Ten Tips for Building Classroom Community
Start the school year on a strong note with one or more of these ideas for fostering camaraderie in your classroom.
McGraw Hill
Phonics Teachers Resource Book
Looking to improve your classes literacy program? Then look no further. This comprehensive collection of resources includes worksheets and activities covering everything from r-controlled vowels and consonant digraphs, to the...
Center for Civic Education
Orb and Effy Learn About Authority
Simplify the teaching of the US Constitution with this primary grade social studies lesson. While reading a fun story about an imaginary place called Bubble Land, children learn about the concept of authority and the importance of...
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Nuclear Synthesis
Start this lesson with a bang! The eighth in a 13-part series of lessons explains the origin of elements beginning with the Big Bang Theory. The reading describes the formation of elements hydrogen through uranium.
Curated OER
Directions Test
Have your pupils really been reading the directions? Find out with this tricky little test. The first instruction is to read all of the directions quickly, but you'll find that quite a few pupils start acting rather funny just a few...
Curated OER
I Pledge Allegiance
What does showing respect look like? What behaviors show disrespect? After modeling such behaviors, primary graders create a flag that they hold up while demonstrating respectful behavior as they recite the Pledge of Allegiance. The...