Students work to develop comprehension strategies. Through modeling and guided practice they develop a series of questions as they read Where the Wild Things Are. They apply these questions to find answers about the text and make...

Eighth graders use creatures created from their imaginations to practice hyperbole, simile, metaphor, and alliteration in association with creative writing. They utilize a worksheet imbedded in this plan to guide their writing.

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.

First graders compare fictional and real pigs. In this pig comparison lesson, 1st graders read a fiction text then a non-fiction text on pigs. Students complete a K-W-L chart  and fill out a Venn Diagram. 

Fourth graders read stories and pick one with characters they find interesting. Then students create a dialogue of writing a letter from one character to another. The letter must relate to the original story in some way that can easily...

Seventh graders read a book of poems called "Out of the Dust". In groups, they research the Dust Bowl and how it affected people living through the Great Depression. Using the text, they identify the theme and key turning points and...

In this inference skills worksheet, learners read a short passage, then pick two words that describe the passage. Next they explain why they chose that word. Students choose another word related to the passage and write it on a 3x5 note...

Students watch the movie Shrek and compose a text that displays an understanding of the film. Also, they create writing that reflects a critical analysis of content and a personal interpretation of the film's meaning.

Learners are introduced to the definition of a hero. As a class, they compare and contrast the difference between non-fictional and fictional hereos they have read about. They read a story, create a story map of one of the heroes and...

Pupils compare and contrast fiction and non-fiction selections. In this writing skills lesson, students use different forms of graphic organizers to compare "The Three Little Pigs," to Wiesel's Night.

Students create board games out of pieces of literature they have read. They work together to develop rules and elements of the game. They are to use as many elements of the story as possible. They play each game as a class.

Students discuss creative writing—what makes something creative writing? Each learner starts writing a story and after 15 minutes, they pass their story to another who adds to it. After another 15 minutes of writing, the story is passed...

Young scholars read and discuss Chinua Achebe's novel Things Fall Apart. Students are guided to analyze the text through consideration of the author's use of 6 literary devices. Young scholars also evaluate the text according to their...

Sixth graders discover the exploration of the United States by participating in a class activity.  In this U.S. History lesson, 6th graders research the Lewis and Clark expedition and participate in a game of Jeopardy based on the...

Fifth graders compare characters of stories using venn diagrams. The use of technology is integrated into the lesson to meet a standard and engage learners.

Fifth graders compare biodiversity in their neighborhood and in the rainforest. In this biodiversity lesson plan, 5th graders read stories and gather information about the diversity of life found in their area and in the rainforest. As a...

Students participate in several activities using a reading partner. They plan and organize reading meetings with their partner, and then review story elements by retelling the stories orally. The partners question each other and make...

Students listen to The Rainbow Fish and select the correct meaning of the story from three examples presented by the teacher. They use a paper sclae to write three descriptive words about themselves.

Students read Pinckney Benedict's "The Sutton Pie Safe" to learn about family symbols and social commentary. In this close reading lesson, students read four journal prompts for the story and answer the listed questions for each section.

Seventh graders read and discuss a short story. They complete an outline of the story. They pair and share to evaluate each other's outlines.

Young scholars work to improve their oral expression while reading aloud. They read and record an entire story with a partner and listen to the playback of the readings. They evaluate their expressive language using a given checklist.

Students identify the theme of "The Monkey's Paw" and relate it to prior knowledge.  In this "The Monkey's Paw" lesson plan, students discuss fate and coincidence and debate which one controls destiny.  A test is chosen as the...

Students list criteria to evaluate credible historical sources and defend their criteria in an essay. In this historical sources lesson plan, students review information of historical sources as well as the facts and pictures.

Students listen to the story I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie. They predict what will happen next as they listen to the story. They sequence pictures and words to desribe a story.