Designed for teachers who plan on using Markus Zusak's  The Book Thief, this packet includes background information about the author, themes addressed in and issues raised by the novel, a list of research and project ideas, and...

Looking to introduce some text-based questions into your ELA lessons? Practice the kinds of skills the Common Core demands with the seven text-based questions and the essay prompt provided here. Designed to be a three-day lesson, day one...

Whether or not you are new to using The Odyssey with your classes, this publisher-produced teaching guide deserves a place in your curriculum library. The packet includes background information, chapter by-chapter summaries, study...

Designed for teachers, this resource provides an overview of Pearl S. Buck's Pulitzer Prize winning novel, The Good Earth. Information about the organizational pattern of the story, issues and themes addressed, historical background on...

Considering using Nancy Taylor's award-winning science fiction novel The House of the Scorpion as an option for book circles or as a whole-class reading? Check out this packet that includes background information, information about the...

New to using Bronte's Wuthering Heights in the classroom; check out this overview of themes, characters, settings, and project suggestions.

Considering including Juliet Marillier's young adult novel, Wildwood Dancing as part of your language arts curriculum? Check out an overview that examines some of the themes and issues presented by the novel. 

As part of a study of how writers structure their text so that readers understand events, class members do a close reading of "Is It Lawful to Make Slaves of Others Against Their Will?" a chapter in Aronson and Budhos' Sugar Changed the...

It doesn't take a lecture on economics to convince teenagers that one's wants often exceed one's means, but this presentation will hopefully help them to understand the discrepancy. Using an example of pizza and robot arms, the slides...

Cover the vocabulary and thematic concepts from Lois Lowry's The Giver with an extended reference guide. It includes relevant plot elements, discussions on themes and motifs, and any possible issues arising from your class's...

What is the connection between the spread of ideas and the expansion of the sugar trade? Class members continue their reading of Sugar Changed the World and use an analysis tool to identify how critical ideas in the chapters are...

This nine-page biotechnology resource contains six pages of questions regarding DNA technology. Questions cover cloning, restriction enzymes, the polymerase chain reaction, different techniques, the human genome project, and more. The...

Here is a general chemistry worksheet that incorporates practical applications. Four questions employ critical thinking about solutions, boiling and freezing points, and molar mass. Your class will practice what they learn in class by...

Designed as a resource for teachers who use Man's Search for Meaning, this seven-page packet includes a list of related informational texts, research issues and project ideas, central questions, background information on World...

This overview of Theodore Taylor's The Cay is designed as an introduction for teachers who are considering using Theodore Taylor's novel for whole-class and/or book circle study. 

Considering The Scarlet Pimpernel as part of your curriculum? Check out this overview that provides a brief summary of the plot of Baroness Orczy's novel and a discussion of some of the issues presented by her tale of the french...

Much has been made of the differences between Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X. But was there any common ground between them? Class members reconsider what they think they know about these two civil rights leaders with...

What does an ad reveal about a culture, or about the values of its intended audience? Class members examine a series of runaway slave ads—one of which was written by Thomas Jefferson—and consider what these primary source documents...

Keeping readers on track while reading the 64 chapters in Charles Dickens's David Copperfield can be a challenge. If readers are punctual and diligent, and respond to the worksheet questions in order with determination, they can be the...

Delve into The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling with a helpful study guide. Crossword puzzles, comprehension questions, character descriptions, chapter summaries, and vocabulary exercises connect readers with the classic text of a boy...

Fourth graders research and write an author report on Roald Dahl, including books written by him, birthplace, family life, and other information on his writing. Students read aloud chapters in the book. Students create a newspaper...

Students read and complete literary analysis activities for Maya Angelou's I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. In this literary analysis lesson, students complete reading check questions, vocabulary sentences, and chapter reviews for...

In this probability and statistics worksheet, students work with a family member to construct graphs based on real life data. The two page worksheet contains three questions. Answers are not included.

Students complete QAR activities for Maya Angelou's I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. In this literary analysis lesson, students read chapters 2 and 3 and complete reading check questions. Students discuss chapter highlights and the QAR...