Students discover journalism by writing about themselves.  In this non-fiction writing lesson, students discuss the outline of a personal narrative and write a paper about an experience they've had.  Students reflect on the...

Students examine the text features of non-fiction. In this literacy lesson, students practice reading graphs and discover the authors intent for using them in primary and secondary sources.

Students examine the text features of non-fiction. In this literacy activity, students read editorial samples provided by their instructor and analyze the texts for word choice, details, and organization.

Second graders explore the topic of nature. In this detective instructional activity, 2nd graders review non-fiction materials on nature and identify text, headings, diagrams, graphs, to establish the theme of the book.

Analyze the symbols in the book, Only You Can Save Mankind in a fun science fiction lesson plan. After investigating the symbols from the book, middle schoolers jot down any details they recall about objects or idea. Next, they...

Learners explore language arts by reading a non-fiction story in class. In this three tiered vocabulary lesson, students read the book Frida and discuss the real life Frida and her story.  Learners identify vocabulary terms in the...

Students listen to the reading of a book about the area of science they are currently studying.

Learners identify the key features of printed non-fiction texts.  In this deciphering texts lesson, students watch a video clip of a news program and a children's program to compare presentations. Learners also identify...

Fourth graders create fictional stories and demonstrate the use of various writing techniques. After selecting their main ideas, they find appropriate graphics to use as illustrations. In groups, 4th graders apply Hyperstudio in...

Time for a story! Learners of all ages enjoy listening to stories, so read them some common fables and have them work cooperatively to create a fable.  Differentiate for varying ability levels by providing sentence frames, graphic...

Students obtain a clearer understanding of their knowledge about alcohol, recognize that their attitudes, beliefs, & knowledge about alcohol may be different from their peers, and gain experience with scientific methods.

Students compare and contrast the society in Orwell's 1984 with modern society. In this 1984 lesson plan, students research the historical climate in which Orwell wrote the novel. Students create a comparison chart of privacy issues in...

Predict what will happen next in Katherine Paterson's book, Bridge to Terabithia. After discussing the steps used to make a prediction as a class, provide some guided practice and then allow individuals to make predictions based on their...

Start out with a general scenario to get your class warmed up. Have individuals guess what will happen next and then apply that skill to Maniac Magee. Provide guided practice and then break your class off into partners to fill out a...

Predict what will happen next in The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson. Class members can use their prior knowledge of the story and other experiences to determine what will happen next. Active readers make predictions as...

Students read historic or contemporary fiction that is set in and around castles. Then they build castles and characters to use in retelling stories, demonstrating their understanding of fiction texts and period architecture. Students...

Explore how lack of access to water impacts peoples' lives in poor countries. Through text reading and discussion, middle schoolers are presented with the story of a young girl who lives and functions with limited water resources. They...

Identify main events in a text. Readers will read The Kissing Hand and discuss the main events of the story. They will use sentences strips to write down events and place them in order. Alternative books are suggested.

Centered on the short story "The Tenth Man" by Polish Holocaust survivor Ida Fink, here is a solid one-day resource to support study of World War II or Nazi history, short stories, or to complement any ELA unit on The Diary of Anne Frank...

Considering a study of science fiction, speculative fiction, and/or dystopian fiction? Check out this concept analysis of Sonia Levitin's The Cure. The guide provides enough information to let you know if her novel would fit your...

To better understand early American literature, which was usually written by Puritans coming to the new world, learners pretend they have just landed on Mars. They compose a letter home describing their experiences, the new landscape,...

Kindergarteners practice new words through listening to and reading the science book Butterfly by Jenny Feely. The teacher will first choose words that are essential for understanding the text. Then, using pictures in the text,...

Young language arts learners write and illustrate a short fantasy story based on the book Corduroy. First, learners need to develop a character. Then, through their writing and illustrations, they take their characters on adventures...

Class members create a PowerPoint presentation showing artifacts they would include in a time capsule. The artifacts and explanations reflect personal hobbies, grooming choices, school life, etc. A great way for class members to...