What would you do if your sister ran off with a man whom you didn't trust? Explore a scenario based on Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Once kids work though the problem, they read the appropriate chapters from the book and write...

Students become more aware of cultural differences by reading a variety of multicultural books about social issues. They assess various Haiku's by Lee Bennett Hopkins, Kamishibai stories by Dianne Clouet and snapshots from Japan by Peter...

Students examine the characteristics of tall tales and how exaggerations are used. They create a character that is larger than life, they brainstorm attributes for their character, before writing a Tall Tale. They plan out their story,...

Using Mark Twain's The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg, invite your learners to consider the concept of virtue in a democratic society devoted to gain and self-interest. This stellar resource guides your class members through a close...

What are the strengths and weaknesses of American individualism and independence? Explore these principles through a close reading of Jack London's To Build a Fire, and engage in high-level discussion with your class by analyzing the...

Have your class explore active reading strategies! In this guided reading instructional activity, learners make personal connections to characters having a bad day as a prior knowledge activation discussion. After reading Gettin' Through...

Combining a close reading of a classic American text with the study of history can be a very powerful strategy, and this is most certainly the case with this resource using Edward Everett Hale's The Man without a Country. Consider themes...

Eighth graders take a stand on a variety of controversial topics with a lesson on argumentative writing. As they view an informative presentation and work with collaborative groups, they decide which side of each argument they want to...

Go over digraphs, vowel sounds, and affixes with a series of decoding and spelling lessons. Each lesson guides learners through a different reading and phonics skill, building on the lesson before, and challenging them with each step.

Even for one of the most accomplished men in American history, there was room for improvement. Challenge high schoolers to use Benjamin Franklin's Project for Moral Perfection to analyze text, make inferences, connect to historical...

Students think about the characteristics of a hero so they can later evaluate which historical figures on the heroes chart meet the criteria.

Are you teaching a unit on the Wild West and need a good book suggestion that ties in? You've just found an extensive book list that includes titles for both juvenile and advanced readers. Each title is about some aspect of the Wild West...

Students explore different news angles relating to a local sporting event, then create a detailed treatment of the story prior to reporting it.

Learners identify general business terms such as entrepreneur, corporation, marketing, demographic, promotion and distribution. They identify many Black music industry leaders and their contributions.

First graders write facts about the Earth. In this Earth lesson, 1st graders discuss natural resources, recycling, and how to keep the Earth clean. They work in groups to create a small book with 3-5 facts about the Earth's environment.

Students examine the life of Jackie Robinson and how he opened the door for other African American athletes. They identify how one person can make a difference by their actions. They write about the responsiblity of citizens to end the...

Third graders discover what independence means to different individuals. They write two paragraphs. In the first paragraph they describe how they are independent. In the second paragraph they describe how they are still dependent.

Students analyze the attitudes, ideas and beliefs of characteristics that assist humans in living a positive, proactive life that values self, family, community, nation and world. Students identify their own strengths as individual....

Students reflect on characteristics of good citizens, examine democratic symbolism, create an award and choose an individual to receive the award as part of this lesson on citizenship. Lesson ties together social studies, language arts,...

Students practice reading and rereading in order to increase their fluency with speed and accuracy. They review how to decode words and to reread selections so that they become more familiar with reading. Next, they read "James and the...

Fourth graders investigate the style of diary writing as its own genre of literature. They read Harriet The Spy in order to have a text for this literature study. Students use the skill of prediction to preview the story, and then...

Third graders write to themselves or to known audiences, share news, explore new ideas, and record notes. They identify that holidays are days that people set aside to recognize a person or event that has made a great impression....

Students describe how the brave word of one female Quaker served as a lifeline for fugitives before the Civil War. In this research lesson, students research several examples of the philanthropic work of individuals and organizations...

Students examine nature by creating their own animals. In this animal adaptation lesson plan, students define scientific vocabulary terms dealing with adaptation such as sea stars, sea cucumbers and exoskeleton. Students utilize their...