Elementary schoolers develop an awareness of the literary form known as the fable. They explore how authors write fables to pass along moral lessons. After reading and discussing many famous fables embedded in the plan, learners attempt...

Use Langston Hughes's poem, "Words Like Freedom," to explore the concepts of freedom and liberty. Learners read the poem, determine the theme, and use the provided graphic organizer to examine the connotative and denotative meanings of...

Inspire your investigators with fun stationery. On the page is colorful, detective-related clipart, lots of lines for writing, and a space to write in a title.

After reading any short informational or fictional text, ask your class to analyze the important events. They note down three important events on a short timeline, describing the events with either words or drawings. After this, pupils...

Eighth graders retell stories to peers and the entire class. In this storytelling lesson plan, 8th graders research short stories and select a short story to retell. Students rewrite the stories in their own words and tell it aloud.

Students participate in hands-on, computer activities to demonstrate the addition and subtraction of mathematical situations. Given a story problem, students determine when to add or subtract. Using word processing technology, students...

First listen to the story The Meanest Thing to Say and then answer question regarding when the story takes place. Using evidence from the text, text clues and pictures to order events and find the time frame of the story is what this...

Seventh graders read Cinderella stories and complete graphic organizers for the various versions. In this story analysis lesson, 7th graders read versions of the story Cinderella. Students organize the story's information using a variety...

Students explore Indian marriage customs and culture.They connect and compare their own experiences with the experiences of characters from the short story Diamond Dust and rewrite a scene from the story from another point of view.

Fifth graders recall the major plot points of a chapter book. After reading the chapter book "Stone Fox," they students describe the plot framework through use of a worksheet. Students are then divided into group to act out selected...

In this Hajj and Eid-ul-Adha book review worksheet, middle schoolers respond to the Islam text - Hajj and Eid-ul-Adha by completing an in-depth review. The review should be written to reveal personal opinions for or against the book in...

Students investigate Native American culture reading and writing about early Native American authors. They listen to an expert to extend their understanding of the culture.

Is your class reading Out of the Dust? If they are, or if this is your first time teaching Karen Hesse's Newbery Medal winning novel, check out the ideas in a presentation that outlines what you and your class can do while reading about...

Examine character in depth. Over the course of these six lessons, learners explore their own character traits, determine the traits of characters in the books they read, practice comparing and contrasting, and collaborate in small...

Writing teaches us so much. One can identify the many characteristics of a newspaper, use the Internet to gather information, and communicate with others. Primary students create a class newspaper for publishing and dispersal.

Learners write a friendly letter. They write a friendly letter to author, Cynthia Rylant, after reading a number of her books, and watch a presentation by the teacher that describes how to write the letter. They word process their...

Study historical events by combining the study of historical fiction and non-fiction. Learners read about true past events in historical fiction novels and then research non-fiction accounts of the same events. What are some differences...

“Anyone who thinks small towns are friendlier than big cities lives in a big city.” Mary Alice, the fifteen-year-old narrator of A Year Down Yonder, is forced to leave Chicago and spend a year with her Grandma Dowdel in a small rural...

Three of Emily Dickinson's poems, "I like to see it," "Because I could not stop for Death," and "We grow accustomed to the Dark," provide instructors with an opportunity to model for class members how to use close reading strategies to...

Through character trait graphic organizers, a vocabulary sorting activity, class discussion, and a civil rights movement slide show, your young historians will be introduced to the amazing story of Ruby Bridges and her experiences as the...

Who doesn't love music? Poems and songs will engage your high school class in a discussion about irony. Use songs like "Rockin' in the Free World" or "Born in the U.S.A." to illustrate the ironic point of view. Print the lyrics so...

Dive into a class reading of the book George Washington's Socks with the help of this guide. Including a vocabulary list and series of comprehension questions for each chapter, this resource provides an excellent foundation for...

Students create Japanese scroll art that represents a familiar folktale in this elementary school lesson that can be adapted for small group, or individual projects depending on ability.

In this order of events worksheet, students read a story about a boy joining a baseball team the correctly order a series of given events from the story. Worksheet contains a link to additional activities.