Unit Plan
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Pigeon Express [Pdf]

For Teachers 4th
"Pigeon Express" is a one page, fictional, reading passage about a man who had carrier pigeons and sent messages to his sister on the other side of town everyday. It is followed by constructed-response questions which require students to...
Unit Plan
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Summer [Pdf]

For Teachers 4th
"Summer" is a one page, fictional, reading passage about a mother and her two children traveling from the city to the country to visit her parents for the summer. They discuss the modern conveniences they have now like cell phones and...
Unit Plan
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Our Streets [Pdf]

For Teachers 2nd
"Our Streets" is a one page, nonfiction passage about how streets are designed, built, signed, and maintained. It is followed by an open-ended question which requires students to provide evidence from the story; it includes underlining...
Unknown Type
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: I Like Plants [Pdf]

For Students 4th - 5th Standards
"I Like Plants" is a one page, realistic fiction, reading passage about a person who loves plants and became a botanist; now she teaches her college students about plants and ecology. It is followed by constructed-response questions...
Unknown Type
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Making Progress [Pdf]

For Students 4th - 5th Standards
"Making Progress" is a one page, fictional, reading passage about students clearing the trash from a vacant lot near the school and planting a garden to beautify the neighborhood and show they care. It is followed by constructed-response...
Unknown Type
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Mama's Happy Christmas [Pdf]

For Students 4th - 5th Standards
"Mama's Happy Christmas" is a one page, fictional, reading passage about children creating a play for their sick mother on Christmas day. It is followed by constructed-response questions which require students to provide evidence from...
Unknown Type
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: My New Brother [Pdf]

For Students 4th - 5th Standards
"My New Brother" is a one page, fictional, reading passage about child whose mother has just had new baby boy. It is followed by constructed-response questions which require students to provide evidence from the story; it includes:...
Website
Other

I Pathways: Language Arts: Stated Versus Implied

For Students 7th
Learn about the difference between a stated main idea and an implied main idea. Then, practice finding the stated and implied main ideas in two short texts.
Unknown Type
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: My First Baseball Game With Q&a [Pdf]

For Students 4th - 5th Standards
"My First Baseball Game" is a one page, fictional, reading passage about a boy and his sister going to their first baseball game and learning what it means to be Chicago Cubs fans. It is followed by constructed-response questions which...
Unit Plan
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: My First Baseball Game With Q & a Key [Pdf]

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
"My First Baseball Game" is a one page, fictional, reading passage about a boy and his sister going to their first baseball game and learning what it means to be Chicago Cubs fans. It is followed by constructed-response questions which...
Unknown Type
Quia

Quia: Reading: Finding the Main Idea

For Students 3rd - 8th Standards
Students read forty short texts and choose the main idea of each text. Correct answers are provided for any missed, and the score is tallied along the way.
Handout
ACT360 Media

Writing Den: Essay Writing Tips

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
All you want to know about writing essays, from prewriting to editing. Click on the tip-o-matic and find tips on anything dealing with grammar or writing.
Lesson Plan
Better Lesson

Better Lesson: Writing Our Sloppy Copies and Peer Editing

For Teachers K - 1st Standards
Students will write a sloppy copy and help a peer to edit their writing. They will use a kid-friendly checklist (included)to help each other find their mistakes. Videos of students engaged in the lesson plan are provided, along with a...
Lesson Plan
Better Lesson

Better Lesson: Writing Our Sloppy Copies and Peer Editing

For Teachers 1st - 2nd Standards
Students will write a sloppy copy and help a peer to edit their writing. They will use a kid-friendly checklist (included)to help each other find their mistakes. Videos of the lesson in action are provided, along with a teacher's grading...
Interactive
Annenberg Foundation

Annenberg Learner: Literature: Analyzing Theme

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Article explains how to find the theme in a piece of literature by asking yourself a series of questions as you read. RL.9-10.1 Analyzing Theme. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.2
Interactive
Beacon Learning Center

Beacon Learning Center: Get the Idea

For Students 2nd - 3rd Standards
Learn about and practice finding the main idea in short reading passages.
Unknown Type
University of Houston

University of Houston: Atlantis: Main Idea Story 1

For Students 4th
An exercise in finding the main idea. Read a short nonfiction paragraph about Texas, and click on the correct main idea.
Unknown Type
University of Houston

University of Houston: Atlantis: Main Idea Story 2

For Students 4th Standards
An exercise in finding the main idea. Read a short nonfiction paragraph about pollution, and click on the correct main idea.
Unknown Type
University of Houston

University of Houston: Atlantis: Main Idea Story 3

For Students 4th Standards
An exercise in finding the main idea. Read a short nonfiction paragraph about the solar system, and click on the correct main idea.
Unknown Type
University of Houston

University of Houston: Atlantis: Main Idea Story 4

For Students 3rd - 4th Standards
An exercise in finding the main idea. Read a short nonfiction paragraph about where different animals live, and click on the correct main idea.
Unknown Type
University of Houston

University of Houston: Atlantis: Main Idea Story 7

For Students 4th Standards
An exercise in finding the main idea. Read a short nonfiction paragraph about computers, and click on the correct main idea.
Interactive
Wisc-Online

Wisc Online: Identifying the Main Idea

For Students 3rd - 8th Standards
This resource defines main ideas and is an interactive way to assess a student's ability to correctly find main ideas from paragraphs.
Unit Plan
TES Global

Blendspace: Main Idea Activities

For Students 3rd - 6th Standards
A learning module that includes six links to videos, images, graphic organizers, and websites that reinforce the reading skill of finding the main idea.
Unit Plan
TES Global

Blendspace: Main Idea

For Students 2nd - 4th Standards
A five-part learning module with links to videos and images about finding the main idea of a text.