Curriculum Corner
Informational Text Graphic Organizers
Accompany informational text reading—independent or whole class—with a worksheet that challenges scholars to examine the text's main idea, details, take notes, and record vocabulary words and their meanings.
Curated OER
Introducing Synonyms to Early Writers
Upper elementary schoolers examine the concept of synonyms and how using a variety of vocabulary through synonyms can expand their writing skills. They revise a paragraph using synonyms located on the Visual Thesaurus and participate in...
Curated OER
Latin Roots Dict, Vent, Duct: Beginning Quiz
Learners fill in the blanks for 12 sentences with words derived from the Latin roots dict, vent, and duct in an interactive online quiz. A word bank provides choices from the beginning level at MyVocabulary.com. Alert quiz takers that...
Curated OER
Making an Argument: Effective use of Transition Words
Work on using transition words in context by prompting elementary and middle schoolers to write their own persuasive essays using transition words. They explore new forms of transition words and examine how they are used in an editorial...
Novelinks
Maus: Bingo Vacabulary Strategy
The definitions for unfamiliar words drawn from Art Spiegelman graphic novel memoir, Maus, provide the clues for a vocabulary bingo game.
Curated OER
Contextual Clues
Students observe and interpret images of artifacts in different contexts in order to recognize importance of leaving artifacts in original context to correctly understand their meaning, and observe what is surrounding object to interpret...
Curated OER
Latin Roots fin, sed, fer: True/False quiz
An interactive online quiz checks mastery of the Latin roots fin, sed/sid/sess, and fer with 12 true/false items. Pupils agree or disagree with the usage of intermediate level vocabulary in context. Part of MyVocabulary.com which offers...
Secondary Solutions
Of Mice and Men: A Literature Guide
Whether you are planning on using Of Mice and Men for whole-class reading or as a selection for literature circles; whether you are new to John Steinbeck's novel, or it has long been a part of your curriculum, you...
Compton Unified School District
How Can We Locate Places?
How can we locate places? Maps, of course! Expose second graders to the tools available in maps and discuss how these tools can help people find locations. Students also look at communities, including what makes a community and the...
EngageNY
Building Background Knowledge: Jigsaw to Build and Share Expertise about the 2010 Haiti Earthquake, Part 1
Using the Jigsaw protocol, scholars study chunks of text from a speech given by former US presidents following a devastating 2010 earthquake in Haiti. As they read the speech in small groups, they build background knowledge and share...
Curated OER
Welcome to Renaissance England
Prepare your seventh through ninth graders for their first Shakespearean experience. This slide show provides a series of vocabulary words in context and a brief history of one of the world's most prolific playwrites, William...
Curated OER
Cloze Passage: Skateboard
Reinforce vocabulary and context clues with this Cloze activity. After reading a short passage about skateboarding, second graders fill in ten missing words. This worksheet contains an answer key.
Curated OER
The Fisherman and His Wife
Engage conversation and explore the journey as you challenge young readers to interpret the german folktale, "The Fisherman and His Wife" written by literary brothers Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm.
Curated OER
Close and Shut
Open and closed - or open and shut? Using context clues in ten multiple choice questions, students choose whether they should use "closed" or "shut" to fill in the blank. This activity could be great addition to a vocabulary lesson in a...
Curated OER
Fun With -ing Verbs 4
In this recognizing -ing words in sentences worksheet, students read sentences with two boldfaced -ing words, use context clues, and underline the correct word. Students identify 15 answers.
Curated OER
Fun With -ing Verbs 3
In this recognizing the appropriate -ing words in context worksheet, students read sentences and choose the bold faced words that correctly complete the sentences. Students underline 15 answers.
For the Teachers
Cause and Effect Matrix
Study cause and effect in both literature and informational text with a lesson plan designed for several different reading levels. After kids review the concept of cause and effect, they read an article or story and note the causes and...
California Department of Education
Name That Job!
Can you name the job that involves scholars, classes, and grades? If you guessed teacher, you just won a round of Name That Job! The second activity in a five-part college and career readiness unit has career seekers team up and go head...
EngageNY
Mid-Unit Assessment: Comparing and Contrasting Two Texts: Simulated Research
Shoo fly. Scholars read DDT Spray Scares Mosquitoes Away, Study Finds and You Think You Have It Tough? to complete a mid-unit assessment. The learners compare and contrast author presentation and conduct a credibility check on each...
Curated OER
Latin Roots Grad, Mot, Cad: Interactive Puzzles
Three short puzzles emphasize Latin roots grad, mot, and cad in English spelling and vocabulary. Learners choose words from a list and complete spellings in boxes with definitions for clues. A reading passage using the words is included....
Curated OER
Latin Roots spect, sta, vert: True/False Quiz
Secondary etymologists assess their mastery of words derived from the Latin roots spect/spec, sta/sist, and vert/vers. Using true/false format, learners agree or disagree with how the words are used in context sentences. Handy for SAT...
Curated OER
Building Relationships in a High School Classroom
High schoolers explore building new friendships during the first week of school. They participate in a variety of getting to know each other activities. Students work cooperatively and develop collegial relationships with their classmates.
Curated OER
The Glorious Whitewasher
Young readers can be exposed to the literary works of Mark Twain as they interact with challenging text and gain experience by reading the complex passages of chapter two "The Glorious Whitewasher" from his famous book, The Adventures of...
Curated OER
Taking a picture Walk
First graders use question words to answer comprehension questions. In this reading strategies lesson, 1st graders use picture cues and predict events in a story. Students use context clues to understand unfamiliar words....