Unit Plan
Read Works

Read Works: Passages: A Playground Problem

For Teachers 2nd Standards
[Free Registration/Login Required] Students read a nonfiction text about building a model for a new playground and answer questions about comprehension, supporting details, main ideas, vocabulary, and more. Links to a paired text and...
Activity
Annenberg Foundation

Annenberg Learner: Interactives: Historical and Cultural Contexts

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
This interesting interactive website explains kinds of primary sources and gives you the chance to identify them in some games.
Activity
Read Works

Read Works: The Battle of the Bagel

For Teachers 9th - 10th
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about the differences between Montreal and New York style bagels. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Primary
Other

New York State Library: Student Activity: Primary Versus Secondary Sources

For Students 6th - 8th Standards
Read about the Railroad Strike of 1877 using three excerpts from textbooks and three original newspaper articles. Compare and contrast the information in the primary and secondary sources.
Professional Doc
Reading Rockets

Reading Rockets: Building World Knowledge: Informational Text

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st Standards
Before, during, and after-reading ideas for introducing students to informational texts in the early-elementary grades in order to boost reading achievement through the upper-elementary grades.
Activity
Read Works

Read Works: Growing Up in Darfur: Sudanese Children Struggle to Survive

For Students 5th
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about a girl named Sumaya and her life in a refugee camp in Darfur. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Activity
Read Works

Read Works: China Today: China's Biggest Cities

For Teachers 3rd
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about Beijing and Shanghai, two large cities in China. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Activity
Read Works

Read Works: First Ladies

For Teachers 5th - 7th
[Free Registration/Login Required] This informational passage contains biographical information about various first ladies throughout the world. This passage is a stand-alone curricular piece that reinforces essential reading skills and...
Activity
Read Works

Read Works: The Harmonica

For Teachers 1st - 3rd Standards
[Free Registration/Login Required] This informational text passage shares facts about the harmonica. This passage is a stand-alone curricular piece that reinforces essential reading skills and strategies and establishes scaffolding for...
Activity
Read Works

Read Works: Desert or Rain Forest?

For Teachers 1st
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text comparing and contrasting a desert and a rain forest. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Unit Plan
Thinkport Education

Thinkport: Multiple Sources: Climate Change and Mummies

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
In this science-themed literacy lesson, students learn how to identify the central idea and key details in an article about ancient mummies.
Handout
ibiblio

Ibiblio: Web Museum: Expressionism

For Students 9th - 10th
This article describes the Expressionist movement. It compares and contrasts expressionism and impressionism. The article includes links to information on some of the artists of this era. Also check out the "timeline" link.
Website
Other

Copyright Coalition: Piracy More Serious Than Burglary, Fraud, Bank Robbery

For Students 9th - 10th
This article compares and contrasts piracy to other forms for theft in an attempt to determine the true threat of piracy.
Activity
South Carolina Educational Television

Etv: Artopia: Sculpture Critic: Bird by Alexander Calder

For Students 9th - 10th
One-page article explainshow Alexander Calder uses humor in this hanging art piece called Bird, describes how the mobile is constructed, and gives a short biography of the artist. Students can then answer questions about the sculpture,...
Handout
Michael Blaber, PhD

Florida State University: Intermolecular Forces: Structures of Solids

For Students 9th - 10th
Article from Michael Blaber and Florida State University. Amorphous and crystalline solids are compared and contrasted. The unit cell arrangements and the packing of unit cells into crystalline solids is explained and colorfully...
Activity
Read Works

Read Works: Recycling

For Students K - 1st Standards
[Free Registration/Login Required] Read and/or listen to the following paired texts on the subject of recycling. Use the guided question set to assess students understanding of the topic. Students can write their answers, respond orally,...
Activity
Read Works

Read Works: The Rain Forest

For Students K - 1st Standards
[Free Registration/Login Required] Read and/or listen to the following paired texts on the subject of the Rain Forest. Use the guided question set to assess students understanding of the topic. Students can write their answers, respond...
Article
Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Australian Broadcasting Corporation: News in Science: Chimp Dna Sheds Light on Humanity

For Students 9th - 10th
From ABC News in Science, Richard Ingham's article sheds light on scientific research comparing and contrasting the DNA of Chimpanzees with the DNA of humans.
Activity
ACT360 Media

Writing Den

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
The WritingDEN includes feature articles with associated words, sentences, and paragraphs to aid in the writing process. Interactive features include pronunciation guides and content quizzes. The Tips-o-matic section offers grammar...
Activity
Read Works

Read Works: Hidden Habitats

For Students 6th
[Free Registration/Login Required] A literary text about an endangered species of bats found in a cave in Oklahoma. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Activity
Read Works

Read Works: The Shocking Truth

For Teachers 5th
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about Ben Franklin's discovery of electricity. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Activity
Read Works

Read Works: It's All in the Mind

For Teachers 3rd Standards
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text debating whether or not psychics are real. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Activity
Read Works

Read Works: The United States Constitution

For Teachers 1st - 3rd Standards
[Free Registration/Login Required] Intended for early elementary students, ReadWorks provides a brief history of The United States Constitution. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Activity
Read Works

Read Works: Acrobats

For Students 2nd Standards
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about the stars of the circus, the acrobats. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.