Learn how to apply visual and meaning cues to reading unknown words. Readers will explore what to do when they come to a word they do not know as they watch the teacher model the use of these cues and then participate in guided and...

You're as cute as a bug. But are you really as cute as a bug? Bugs aren't cute! Idioms are fun nonliteral phrases that mean something different than the words they contain. Second graders learn about idioms as they read the book, More...

Before sending your third graders to the library, help them build a solid foundation for their research with this plan. Following the "I do, we do, you do" method, the teacher starts by modeling how to create a research question and...

Young learners explore the antagonist. They retell Hansel and Gretel and identify the witch and the stepmother as antagonists. They then brainstorm common character traits of an antagonist, and then write a paragraph describing...

Have your class read the story "The Magic Lake," retold by Liana Romulo, from Filipino Children's Favorite Stories. Guide them to identify the problem, solution, and universal theme. They compare the theme of this story to the theme of...

Determining a theme is one of the most difficult and most important standards in the Common Core. Use this plan to help your learners identify the message that an author is sending to the reader. The lesson is based around the book Dogs...

By sharing a summary about their favorite book or movie, your young readers can then discuss the main ideas of their beloved stories. The concept transitions to finding the main idea in poetry. Class members use textual clues in various...

Leaf by Leaf: Autumn Poems by Barbara Rogasky is the foundation of this lesson on theme identification. Critical thinkers read three different poems from the book then attempt to find the message the author is sending her readers. They...

After looking at pictures of trees, discussing tree growth, and identifying the parts of a tree, lead your class on a nature walk and have them collect samples and record their observations. They then work in pairs to polish the...

Encourage more pun-derstanding of word play in your literary scholars as they explore Brian P. Cleary's book Rhyme and Punishment: Adventures in Wordplay. Although this isn't suggested, consider beginning this study by simply showing...

Here is a 19-page sample lesson that uses an interesting format. It starts with an appetizer or activity to make reading the book James and the Giant Peach fun. Then it dives into the main course or core content instruction which...

A silent discussion? Indeed. Readers engage in a silent conversation about Victor Martinez's award-winning novel by recording questions, insights, and comments on the board.

Learners read and respond to the book, Dear Mrs. Parks. In this African-American literature lesson, students read the text and examine several vocabulary words from the text. Learners answer 11 discussion questions and participate in...

Students read facts about dolphins and background about the book Dolphin Song. In this Dolphin song lesson plan, students also answer short answer questions about the book after reading it.

Third graders use a scavenger hunt worksheet to look through classroom books and resources and identify facts and opinions. In this fact and opinion lesson plan, 3rd graders look through non fiction and fiction books.

Fourth graders identify the theme based on the main events of the book A Picture Book of Anne Frank. In this themes worksheet, 4th graders discuss the themes of biographies and also read Sojourner Truth.

Students investigate clues in mystery novels. In this genre study lesson, students read the book Sammy Keyes and The Hotel Thief and use the 5 W's to answer questions about the mystery. Students draw conclusions using the details from...

An important concept for youngsters to learn is that there is a difference between facts and opinions. Use Kirsten Hall's Animal Touch to introduce the idea that an opinion is how one feels or thinks about something and that others are...

Kirsten Hall's animal books provide learners with an opportunity to practice forming statements of opinions and factual statements. Using sentence starters such as "I learned. . ." and "I think. . ." class members craft sentences cite a...

Students discover the concept of a biography. In this biography lesson, students read, A Picture Book of Amelia Earhart by David A. Adler. They see how biographies tell a story and then work together to identify the beginning,...

Explore fact and opinion through higher level thinking and literacy. Kids listen to the beginning of A Picture Book of Helen Keller by David A. Adler and identify facts in the text. They follow along as the teacher models how to form an...

Students listen to the teacher read a book about a police officer and his trained dog and make connections to their own personal safety habits. In this safety lesson, students create a classroom bulletin board of safety tips, and then...

Learners explore the Civil War by reading a children's book in class. In this underground railroad lesson plan, students read the story Henry's Freedom Box and discuss the plot, settings and characters. Learners create their own "freedom...

Just a heads up: this lesson is based on a book, Dinosaur Eggs Discovered! Unscrambling the Clues. If you do not have or do not want to purchase the book, you may still find the other activities and worksheets useful in your earth...