Curated OER
Little House in the Big Woods
Strengthen your learners' relationship with Laura Ingalls Wilder's classic novel of a pioneer family with these materials. Multiple choice comprehension questions and a set of reflection prompts are provided for each pair of chapters in...
Curated OER
Book Talk: Holocaust
Students prepare and deliver book talks. In this Holocaust lesson, students read a book regarding the Holocaust, take notes on it, and give a book talk based on the book. Students respond to the book talks by email.
Curated OER
Connector Literature Circles
For this writing worksheet, students are asked to select a passage from a piece of literature and connect this piece to their own life within their school and/or community. Students work in small groups to share and relate their...
Curated OER
New Picture Books to Complement Your Curriculum
These picture books are for primary learners and older students alike.
Facing History and Ourselves
Literature Circles: Preparing for Literature Circles through a Fishbowl Discussion
Young scholars examine the attributes of productive conversations. For this fishbowl discussion lesson, students observe a modeled discussion of a literature circle. Young scholars watch a discussion of "The Bear That Wasn't" and note...
Free Library of Philadelphia
Resources for Ghost Boys
Jewell Parker Rhodes, the author of Ghost Boys, wanted to bring the historical legacy of Emmett Till and the current topic of racial prejudice into today's young readers' mindsets. Use a reading guide and set of discussion questions to...
Curated OER
Top Ten Thought-Provoking Teen Books
Teen Read Week is a time to explore books that get everyone thinking and talking.
Mary Pope Osborne, Classroom Adventures Program
Mummies in the Morning Egyptian pyramids, hieroglyphics
Visit the Magic Treehouse and take your class on a trip through time with a reading of the children's book Mummies in the Morning. Using the story to spark an investigation into Egyptian culture, this literature unit engages...
Curated OER
One Person Makes a Difference
Students discuss how a person can make a difference. In this peace lesson, students read books in literature circles about characters that made a difference. They get together in groups and discuss what it means to make a difference and...
Power Show
Out of the Dust: Book Introduction
Introduce young readers to historical fiction with Karen Hesse's novel, Out of the Dust. They'll view photos taken during the Dust Bowl years, meet the author, and even hear an excerpt from the book. A plot summary and three book talks...
Curated OER
African Novel Study
Seventh graders participate in literature circles as they read African novels. They read, work on word studies, and complete comprehension activities. They share their reading with other literature circle groups in the class.
Indiana University
British Literature Restoration Unit: The Pillow Book – Sei Shonagon
First drafted in the year 996, The Pillow Book contains reflections of those met by a lady-in-waiting in the Japanese court. A brief summary, historical context, and discussion questions are provided on the first two pages. Then, two...
Small Planet Communications
Planet Book Club: Number the Stars
Planning a novel study of Lois Lowry's Number the Stars? Then look no further. A 16-lesson unit guides students through a reading of this awarding-winning novel. Complete with a synopsis of the novel, analysis of its literary themes,...
Lee & Low Books
First Come the Zebra Teacher’s Guide
Accompany a reading of First Come the Zebra written and illustrated by Lynne Barasch with a teacher's guide equipped with before reading, vocabulary, and after reading activities. Additional social studies,...
Curated OER
Creating a Talk Show
Students practice interviewing and answering questions by creating a mock talk show. In this communications lesson, students view a classic clip of an older T.V. talk show and plan an outline of material for their own talk show....
Curated OER
Immigration to the United States
Middle schoolers discover the implications of immigration. For this immigration lesson, students read fiction based on immigration experiences as well as non-fiction on the topic. Middle schoolers write and share book reviews of the...
Curated OER
Book Talk
Students create journal reflecting upon a Holocaust themed book, and discuss Holocaust themed book and personal response to it with others using e-mail.
Curated OER
Texas Kid Writes Book About Presidents
Arranged into small groups, learners read a paragraph of the news story "Texas Kid Writes Book About Presidents." As one reads, others mark the text (underlining important information and writing notes in the margin of the story). After...
Curated OER
The Crayon Box that Talked: Welcoming Indviduality
Just like a box of crayons, every child has a special way of contributing to the greater picture.
Curated OER
Banned Book Week Lessons
Students are surprised when they discover how many books are challenged each year.
Curated OER
Moving West With Pioneers
Fifth graders read a book written by Laura Ingalls Wilder to examine the hardships that were endured by pioneers traveling during the Westward Expansion of the US. They predict, summarize and participate in literature circles. They visit...
Curated OER
Researching Using Books
Young scholars investigate researching techniques by exploring their library. In this literature references activity, students identify the different types and genres of books that are readily available at their local library as well as...
Curated OER
Conflict Resolution Trade-book
Learners discover ways of dealing with conflicts at school by reading a guide. In this psychology instructional activity, students identify how conflicts are started with fellow classmates by reading a trade-book with their...
Curated OER
Let the Phone Get Them Talking! Using the Yellow Pages as a Teaching Resource
Students categorize information in the Yellow Pages. In this Let the Phone Book Get Them Talking! lesson, students find pictures in the Yellow Pages and thus gain a better understanding of how the book is organized. Students locate local...