Scholars learn about the Hero's Journey as they read Ray Bradbury's "The Drummer Boy of Shiloh." They analyze the story's structure and narrative techniques. Finally, they write summaries of the text's central idea and use their...

Want to improve your students' reading skills? This is a good place to find the types of directed activities, using a definition text, reconstruction/analysis activities, and advantages of using DARTs.

This essay resource teaches students how to select the type of evidence that best lends weight and credibility to their topics and how to organize the evidence effectively. A chart is provided as a quick reference. Click on pages 2-4 at...

This is a fun, hands-on lesson from AtoZteacherstuff! Students go through a study of frogs while learning how to interpret and restate factual information.

This resource from Kim's Korner for Teacher Talk defines various patterns of text organization and provides a brief essay example of each pattern.

Using a famous quote from Maya Angelou as inspiration, students learn and practice writing informative essay related to hisotric events.

Slideshow examines the five most common text structures used by authors to organize nonfiction writing.

Full text of Edward Taylor's poem, "Meditation 1." Includes links to other information about Puritans and their writing.

This Center for Urban Education resource provides a downloadable graphic organizer for students to use when analyzing the evidence that authors use to support a claim. RI.9-10.5 ideas/claims developed. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.8

Information that can be read or listened to that discusses two methods of how to write effective summaries as well as how to avoid plagiarism when summarizing informational texts. Finally, examples of literary summaries are provided....

In this lesson, students will write an informational paper by comparing fictional text and a non fiction text about boa constrictors.

This resource provides guided research teaching units for all levels of learners.

Links to 12 lessons and activities that build student skills in standard W.3.2b: Develop the topic with facts, definitions, and details.

In this reading comprehension lesson plan unit, students are guided in learning how to find the main theme or idea of a text and understanding how details in the text convey that. Includes lots of exercises and examples, as well as...

As Alma explores, she appreciates all the great things about her neighborhood. How can we make observations and celebrate our communities? Students will use a printable Alma's Way My Neighborhood Notebook to observe the people, places,...

This lesson focuses on prewriting and planning a personal narrative. The information can be used in all types of writing. It discusses brainstorming ideas, narrowing the focus, and developing the central idea. W.9-10.5 Writing Process,...

An excellent tip sheet on how to document sources while writing and creating a research paper. Includes in-depth information and examples.

Provides the full text of Patrick Henry's moving speech, "Give me Liberty, or Give me Death!" Content also includes background information on the circumstances facing the American colonists at the time.

This lesson focuses on reading strategies including scanning, skimming, SQ3R, High-5 Reading Strategies, technology, and rhetorical context. It includes text information and videos.