O. Henry's "The Gift of the Magi" is the classic example of irony in literature. Teach young writers about the ways irony can engage their readers with an activity in which they write scripts using dramatic irony, situational irony, and...

There's no need to run around trying to plan a unit for the book Maniac Magee, the work has already been done for you. Through a series of whole class, small group, and independent lessons and activities, students practice...

Using a Venn diagram, class members generate similarities and differences between narratives and summaries. Next, pupils co-create an anchor chart to capture their thinking about how an author zooms in on a particular part of a story. 

Enrich a primary grade unit on fairy tales with this printable version of the classic story "The Princess and the Pea." With a simple story structure and a blend of short and long sentences, this is a great resource for developing the...

Eighth graders investigate philanthropy. In this service learning lesson, 8th graders read human rights literature and use information gleaned to discuss children's rights around the world. Students discuss scenarios meant to prompt...

For this literature response worksheet, students complete all or some of the 6 comprehension activities related to Chapter 2 of Freak the Mighty.

Determine the author's point of view in a text. Young readers read Dr. Seuss' The Sneeches and identify the author's purpose in the story. They identify persuasive techniques in writing, asking and answering questions to better...

Use your tablets to participate in a culture-sharing project with a class in a foreign country. Your class can communicate and share ideas with a class in another country, swapping information regarding language and culture. Together you...

Explore this story involving prejudice and racism to enhance learners' comprehension skills. The story The Jacket by Andrew Clements involves an African American boy who is falsely accused of stealing someone's jacket. This teacher's...

Few topics engage young mathematicians as much as learning about money. Through a series of shared readings and hands-on activities, children explore the US currency system, learning how to count money and calculate change as they create...

Youngsters listen to the story of Gregory the Terrible Eater and write a similar story using the same pattern. In the new book, Herman is requested to eat things that are nouns. They must supply the correct part of speech for the class...

Engage young learners in reading classic folk tales with this printable version of The Little Red Hen. The simple language and repetitive structure of the story make it perfect for children working on developing their fluency. Two...

Engage young learners in developing their reading fluency with their very own copy of The Three Little Pigs. Including a series fun illustrations, children will have a hard time putting this book down.

Slow and steady wins the race to fluent reading with this printable version of "The Tortoise and the Hare". Presenting children with fun illustrations and a repetitive story structure, this resource is perfect for developing...

Students analyze classic children's stories by creating story maps.  In this children's literature lesson, students read Goldilocks and the Three Bears, and practice retelling the story with picture cards that need to be put into...

Family traditions are the focus of a lesson that explores the lives of children in India and those in your classroom. Scholars examine their own family roles and traditions, then respond to an informative text detailing a young...

Has everyone heard the news about the herd of antelope? Scholars explore homonyms with the novel study for Superfudge by beloved children's author Judy Blume. Additionally, they answer text questions and engage in language activities....

Ideal for a college-level children's literature class or in a story-writing unit, this presentation defines not only the archetypal characters in literature but provides ample examples from fairy tales to modern films. The slideshow...

Author E.B. White once had a dream about a small boy who acted like a rat, and that is how he conceived of his classic children's novel, Stuart Little. Using the novel study, scholars answer some questions based on their reading....

Winnie the Pooh lands in a gorse-bush plant in chapter one of A.A. Milne's beloved children's novel, Winnie-the-Pooh. With the novel study, scholars research three interesting facts about the plant. They also compose a four-line poem...

Who would have thought to explore the concept of race through children's literature?  After reading Bell Hooks' picture book, Skin Again, and chapter sixteen of Jerry Spinelli's Maniac Magee, class members...

Are there secret worlds? The four children in The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe answer the imaginative question when they discover a magical land in a wardrobe. Scholars read the first chapter to match vocabulary words and...

Do our eyes play tricks on us? The Little Prince narrator begins with a discussion of the difference in what grown-ups and children see. Scholars read how he puts this to the test using a drawing and find synonyms to vocabulary...