Handout
Colorado State University

Colorado State Writing Center: Critical Reading

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
In-depth instructions on critical reading with lots of links to more reading guides and activities. A good site to help improve reading skills to become a better writer.
Lesson Plan
Lumen Learning

Lumen: Critical Reading: Identifying Thesis Statements

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
This lesson focuses on identifying thesis statements including explicit and implicit thesis statements, "How to Identify the Thesis Statement" (video), topic sentences, paragraph parts graphic, and a self-check activity.
Article
Other

Gcc: Reading Better and Faster

For Students 6th - 8th
Tutorial site for students that teaches them strategies so they can read faster. This then makes the student a more effective reader.
Lesson Plan
Lumen Learning

Lumen: Rhetorical Reading: Strategies for Active Reading

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
This lesson focuses on strategies for active reading such as annotating your texts, reading multiple times, and using your prior knowledge.
Professional Doc
Other

Learning Enrichment:reading Skills in the Social Studies

For Teachers 9th - 10th Standards
Discussion of the critical reading skills needed in Social Studies, although the skills discussed can apply to a variety of areas. This is part of a larger site containing numerous lesson plans for Social Studies, and this page is really...
Professional Doc
National Health Museum

Access Excellence: Integrating Critical Thinking Skills

For Teachers 9th - 10th Standards
This site from Access Excellence explores how, as an educator, you can incorporate critical thinking skills into the classroom. Content focuses on how to cover content so that students can grasp information, engage with the teacher, read...
Lesson Plan
ReadWriteThink

Read Write Think: Id, Ego, and Superego in Dr. Seuss's "The Cat in the Hat"

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Contains plans for seven lessons that use Dr. Seuss's "The Cat in the Hat" to teach the literary elements of plot, theme, and character to high school students. It also teaches about psychoanalytic criticism concepts such as the Id, Ego,...
Activity
Ohio State University

Ohio State University: Beyond Penguins and Polar Bears: Reader of the Rocks

For Teachers K - 1st
A nonfiction article where students read about Julie Codispoti, assistant curator at the United States Polar Rock Repository, located at Ohio State University's Byrd Polar Research Center. The article provides an overview of Antarctic...
Lesson Plan
ReadWriteThink

Read Write Think: Using Word Storms to Explore Vocabulary and Encourage Thinking

For Teachers 3rd - 5th Standards
Contains plans for seven lessons about working dogs that teach critical thinking skills and a vocabulary strategy called Word Storms. In addition to objectives and standards, this instructional plan contains links to sites used in the...
Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

Neh: Edsit Ement: Dramatizing History in Arthur Miller's "The Crucible"

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Critical analysis of both the historical documents and the literary texts connected with the Salem trials is key to this lesson, which includes a number of activities and some wonderful resources.
Lesson Plan
Alabama Learning Exchange

Alex: Reading, Writing, and Sounder

For Teachers 6th - 8th
The activities included in this lesson plan require the reading of William Armstrong's Sounder. This technology-based lesson fosters critical thinking and includes journal writing, student-led discussions with another class via video...
Lesson Plan
ReadWriteThink

Read Write Think: Corduroy Lesson Plan

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st
This ReadWriteThink lesson features an opportunity for students to respond to literature through writing journals about "Corduroy," by Don Freeman. This idea could be used with other books as well.
eBook
Department of Defense

Do Dea: Improve Your Study Skills

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Having trouble studying for tests or comprehending new material? This in-depth guide provides a multitude of ways to help you acquire reading and critical thinking skills necessary for understanding new material.
Lesson Plan
Library of Congress

Loc: Teachers: Personal Stories and Primary Sources

For Teachers 2nd - 8th Standards
Young scholars will explore the value of personal stories and first-hand accounts when exploring history, in this case, the events of the early twentieth century, which included World War I and the Great Depression. Through this...