Activity
Read Works

Read Works: Becoming a Doctor

For Teachers 8th
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about the steps involved in becoming a doctor. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Lesson Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Units: Teaching Units

For Teachers 9th - 10th Standards
Complete teaching units (12) by grade level. CommonLit units are crafted to be both engaging and rigorous, featuring a variety of literary and informational texts from diverse sources. Reading, writing, and discussion are prioritized in...
Lesson Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Units: 6th Grade Thematic Unit: Growing Up

For Teachers 6th
Complete teaching unit for 6th Grade Thematic Unit: "Growing Up." Students will read eight texts that speak to the theme of growing up. They will revisit the essential question: "What does it mean to grow up?," read thematically-paired...
Lesson Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Units: 6th Grade Thematic Unit: Outside Looking In

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Complete teaching unit for 6th Grade Thematic Unit: "Outside Looking in." Students will read seven texts that speak to the theme of being an "outsider." They will revisit the essential question: "What makes someone an outsider?" Students...
Lesson Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Units: 6th Grade Poetry Unit: Identity

For Teachers 6th Standards
Complete teaching unit for 6th Grade Poetry Unit: "Identity." Students will read 6 poems that speak to the theme of creating an identity. They will revisit the essential question: "How do we forge an identity?", read thematically-paired...
Lesson Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Units: 5th Grade Author Study: Shel Silverstein

For Teachers 6th
Complete teaching unit for 5th Grade Author Study: Shel Silverstein. Students will read 6 poems by Shel Silverstein that speak to the theme of how we should live our lives. Students will revisit the essential question "According to Shel...
Lesson Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Units: 7th Grade Thematic Unit: Heroes

For Teachers 7th
Complete teaching unit for 7th Grade Thematic Unit: "Heroes." In this unit, 7th graders will read seven texts that explore why people act heroically. Throughout this unit, students will revisit the essential question: "Why do people act...
Lesson Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Units: 9th Grade Thematic Unit: Education

For Teachers 9th Standards
Complete teaching unit for 9th Grade Thematic Unit: "Education." Students will read six informational texts focusing on the essential question: "How can education be used to create change?" They will gather information from their...
Lesson Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Units: 8th Grade Argumentative Writing Unit: Improving Society

For Teachers 8th Standards
Complete teaching unit for 8th Grade Argumentative Writing Unit: "Improving Society." Students will read six texts about problems in society. Throughout the unit, 8th graders will gather information from their readings in a graphic...
Lesson Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Units: 7th Grade Thematic Unit: Happiness

For Teachers 7th Standards
Complete teaching unit for 7th Grade Thematic Unit: "Happiness." Students will read 6 texts that speak to the theme of happiness. Students will revisit the essential question "How we can achieve happiness?" throughout the unit. They will...
Lesson Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Units: 6th Grade Informational Unit: Success

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Complete teaching unit for 6th Grade Informational Unit: "Success." Young scholars will read six informational texts focusing on the essential question: "What does it take to be successful?" Students will gather information from their...
Lesson Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Units: 12th Grade: Thematic Unit: Morality

For Teachers 12th
This is a complete teaching unit for 12th Grade Thematic Unit: "Morality." In this unit, 12th graders will read eight texts that speak to the theme of morality. Students will revisit the essential question "How do we evaluate what's...
Lesson Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Units: 9th Grade Thematic Unit: Love

For Teachers 9th Standards
Complete teaching unit for 9th Grade Thematic Unit: "Love." In this unit, 9th graders will read six texts that speak to the theme of love. They will revisit the essential question "What is love, and how does it change us?" throughout the...
Lesson Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Units: 11th Grade: Thematic Unit: Values and Beliefs

For Teachers 11th Standards
Complete teaching unit for 11th Grade Thematic Unit: "Values and Beliefs." Students will read 8 short stories that examine how values and beliefs are shaped. They will analyze these stories, and the short story form, while considering...
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Excerpt From "Where Lovers Dream"

For Students 11th - 12th
A learning module that begins with an "Excerpt from 'Where Lovers Dream'" by Anzia Yezierska, accompanied by guided reading questions, assessment questions, and discussion questions. The text can be printed as a PDF or assigned online...
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: "What Fear Can Teach Us" by Karen Thompson Walker

For Students 10th - 12th
A learning module that begins with "What Fear Can Teach Us" by Karen Thompson Walker, accompanied by guided reading questions, assessment questions, and discussion questions. The text can be printed as a PDF or assigned online through...
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Japanese Relocation During World War Ii

For Students 9th - 10th
A learning module that begins with "Japanese Relocation During World War II" by The National Archives, accompanied by guided reading questions, assessment questions, and discussion questions. The text can be printed as a PDF or assigned...
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: The Story of David and Goliath

For Students 7th - 8th
A learning module that begins with "The Story of David and Goliath" from the Book of Samuel, accompanied by guided reading questions, assessment questions, and discussion questions. The text can be printed as a PDF or assigned online...
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Village Schools and Traveling Soldiers

For Students 9th - 10th
A learning module that begins with "Village Schools and Traveling Soldiers" by Arthur Henderson Smith, accompanied by guided reading questions, assessment questions, and discussion questions. The text can be printed as a PDF or assigned...
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: "The 16th Street Baptist Church Bombing" by Jessica Mc Birney

For Students 5th - 6th
A learning module that begins with "The 16th Street Baptist Church Bombing" by Jessica McBirney, accompanied by guided reading questions, assessment questions, and discussion questions. The text can be printed as a PDF or assigned online...
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: The Farmer and the Viper

For Students 5th - 6th
A learning module that begins with the fable "The Farmer and the Viper" by Aesop, accompanied by guided reading questions, assessment questions, and discussion questions. The text can be printed as a PDF or assigned online through free...
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" by Aesop

For Students 5th - 6th
A learning module that begins with the fable "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" by Aesop, accompanied by guided reading questions, assessment questions, and discussion questions. The text can be printed as a PDF or assigned online through free...
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: A Retrieved Reformation

For Students 9th - 10th
A learning module that begins with "A Retrieved Reformation" by O. Henry, accompanied by guided reading questions, assessment questions, and discussion questions. The text can be printed as a PDF or assigned online through free teacher...
Lesson Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Units: 5th Grade Author Study: Gary Soto

For Teachers 5th
Complete teaching unit for 5th Grade Author Study: Gary Soto. Students will read 4 short stories and 2 poems by Gary Soto that examine romantic and family love. Students will analyze these texts while considering the essential question:...