Let's learn about bats! Those flying creatures of the night inspire a lesson about non-fiction books. They start by charting characteristics commonly found in informational texts, specifically charts, diagrams, and labels. They look at...

Second graders practice using photos to support the main idea. In this reading comprehension lesson, 2nd graders read and explore the photos in the book, Amazing Tigers! Students examine the photos to identify and support the main idea....

Second graders identify nouns and pronouns from a story. In this nouns and pronouns activity, 2nd graders review the definition of these words. Students then locate nouns and pronouns in the book they are reading. Students list these...

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie is a perfect book to use when your class is ready to learn about cause and effect. They consider the meanings of the words cause and effect as you read the story. Working together you'll...

Things usually don't happen without a reason; usually any event has a cause that got the ball rolling. The book, If You Give a Mouse a Muffin is used to help learners understand the concept of causes in literature. Examples from the...

The Gunniwolf is a book full of events that get kids asking why and what. They note several events on a chart, and then discuss how they think the instructor is able to determine the causes and effects they find. They continue...

Want to see the best lesson is the entire universe? Who doesn't love to exaggerate now and then? Get your class cozy with hyperbole as you read the story My Dad by Anthony Browne. During the reading you'll chart and analyze the...

Examining life events is a great way to learn about chronological order. Sequencing and time order are analyzed after reading a book about Rosa Parks. With a chart, the class works together to put the events from Mrs. Parks' life in the...

Discuss what makes a myth with your class as you read two titles that exemplify the genre. Two myths that explain events in nature are read and charted, focusing on details from the text. The lesson culminates in a practice activity...

Students practice making and supporting a prediction with proof from a story. In this reading comprehension lesson, students read the book No Roses for Harry and make a prediction about the next event. Students use evidence from the text...

What does that word mean? I can sound it out, but it just doesn't make sense. Teach your class a sure fire strategy to combat those pesky unknown words. You'll introduce the concept of context clues through metacognitive modeling,...

Second graders identify the events in a story using story elements. In this story elements lesson, 2nd graders review the story elements and read Dav Pilkey's book, Dog Breath: The Horrible Trouble with Hally Tosis. Students practice...

Learners explore beginning research skills. In this nonfiction comprehension and research lesson, students generate possible research questions to answer when given the book title of Animals of the Sea and Shore by Ann O. Squire....

Third graders compare and contrast. For this compare and contrast lesson students find similarities and differences between two characters from a fiction book. Students use a graphic organizer.

Third graders compare various voices. In this author's voice instructional activity students read poems from two books, Spooky ABC and Where the Sidewalk Ends. Students choose words that indicate the voice of the author.

Predict what will happen next in Katherine Paterson's book, Bridge to Terabithia. After discussing the steps used to make a prediction as a class, provide some guided practice and then allow individuals to make predictions based on their...

Fifth graders read Katherine Paterson's book, Bridge to Terabithia, and find two plot conflicts in chapters 5 and 6. In this plot conflicts lesson plan, 5th graders identify the conflicts of character vs. character and character vs. self.

Predict what will happen next in The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson. Class members can use their prior knowledge of the story and other experiences to determine what will happen next. Active readers make predictions as...

Learners identify the author's purpose in various poems from the book Words with Wings: A Treasury of African-American Poetry and Art. In order to determine the purpose, pupils first observe as the teacher completes a PIES char...

Sixth graders chart a story. In this plot elements lesson plan students chart and then retell a story from the rising action until the resolution. Students use stories from the book America Street.

Students recognize that mysteries contain a problem that needs solving at the beginning of the book.  For this mystery plot lesson, students become the detectives finding the problems and minor problems in a mystery story. ...

Students identify the characteristics of the genre of mystery.  In this genre activity, students discover the elements of a mystery story and begin recording the elements on a class chart of the book entitled Two-Minute Mysteries:...

Sixth graders determine a character's motive while reading a text. In this motive lesson, 6th graders discuss motivation and how that can impact a character's actions. Students read passages about suspects and try to solve a crime while...

Have your middle schoolers write a short story about themselves with an autobiography unit about Rosa Parks. They learn the difference between biographies and autobiographies, define the different types of autobiographies and determine...