Don't judge a book—or a toy—by its cover. Omri, a main character in The Indian in the Cupboard, quickly judged his plastic toy figures as boring. However, once placed in the cupboard, Omri's toys became something he never imagined....

Some people believe that no matter how hard a man works, the American dream will always remain out of reach. A study guide for The Great Gatsby explores the themes, such as the illusory American dream, and elements of F. Scott...

Are witches like lions in sheep clothing? A boy and his grandmother in The Witches thinks so. They have even discovered the secret to recognizing these evil beings that disguise themselves as sweet ladies. Scholars use the resource to...

What doesn't break you makes you stronger. Katy, in What Katy Did, learns this lesson the hard way. After a terrible accident and a long recovery, Katy becomes what she always wanted to be—good and kind. Scholars learn about Katy's...

Socratic seminars are a great way to encourage the development of critical thinking, speaking, and listening skills. And Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol is a perfect text for such a seminar. Use the questions in the packet to...

As part of their exploration of the American dream, class members examine primary source materials to compare immigrant experiences of those arriving early in our country's history to those arriving in the US after World War...

Students explore how to summarize a reading passage. They read non-fiction books. Students use a Venn Diagram to compare and contrast the two animals they read about. They write a summary using the information in their Venn Diagram.

Students compare and contrast translations of Greek literature. For this dramatic literature lesson, students read and perform passages from four different translations of Euripides's Hecuba. Students discuss how the translations...

Students investigate the building of the first warships of the Civil War. They conduct research using a variety of resources. Students compare and contrast two battleships of the era using a graphic organizer. They also compose a journal...

Students apply problem solving techniques to answer a question. After reading a passage, they compare and contrast three species of whale in a quantitative fashion.

Students use poetry to compare and contrast humans and frogs.

Learners compare and contrast a perceived view of life in Australia with the reality. In groups, they identify examples of stereotypes and how they can lead to misconceptions about a group of people. In groups, they complete a...

Students explore westward expansion in the United States as it relates to Native Americans and the novel Holes. Students read a passage from Holes and discuss how westward expansion affected the Native Americans. Students compare and...

Fourth graders use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast various versions of the story The Three Little Pigs. They write a Cinquain, and then act out their version of the Three Little Pigs in a skit.

In this unique lesson plan on autobiographical writing, students compare and contrast three types of writing: narrative, poetry and newspaper. Students prepare to produce a short autobiographical writing based on the framework of one of...

In this plant kingdom worksheet, students will review the characteristics of the 12 divisions of the plant kingdom, comparing and contrasting their structures and life cycles. This worksheet has 17 matching, 5 short answer, and 5 fill in...

In this mammals worksheet, students compare and contrast the three types of mammals: placental, marsupial, and monotreme. This worksheet has 4 short answer, 12 matching, and 8 fill in the blank questions.

Students compare and contrast the two creation stories of Genesis 1-2:3 and Genesis 2:4-5.  In this creation accounts activity, students work in small groups to outline the two stories, noting similarities and differences. ...

In this reading worksheet, students read different passages of text and fill out graphic organizers for each one. Students read 6 texts total.

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...

Learners identify main idea and supporting details from a short reading selection using a two-column note taking process. In this literacy lesson, students work in groups of three to four, then compare their papers with the other groups'...

Students discuss the purpose of the President of the United States giving an inaugural address. They describe their impressions of any inaugural speaches they have heard or read. Students research events leading up to Washington's first...

Learners read and interpret four documents George Washington wrote regarding his slaves. They analyze why George Washington was conflicted over the issue of slavery. They discuss the evolution of Washington's attitude toward slavery.

Young scholars examine the use of the Hindu Kush mountains by explorers and traders. Using Afghanistan as an example, they research how different events can effect human settlerment patterns. They discuss how the physical...