Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Potawatomi Prairie [Pdf]
"Potawatomi Prairie" is a one page, fictional, reading passage about the Potawatomi tribe and what their life may have been like during the different seasons of the year. It is followed by questions which require students to provide...
Better Lesson
Better Lesson: Unit: The Author's Point Is
Students will focus on Main Idea, Author's Purpose, Identifying supporting details and Organizing details. Students will read a variety of Informational Text (non-fiction) to understand how stated and implied main idea effect the...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: American Explorers [Pdf]
"American Explorers" is a one page, non-fiction, reading passage about the Lewis and Clark Expedition. They traveled from St. Louis to the Pacific Ocean with the help of Native Americans and made maps along the way. It is followed by...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Chicago: Deval Patrick [Pdf]
"Chicago Is a City of Possibilities" is an inauguration speech by Deval Patrick given as he became governor of Massachusetts. It is followed by questions which require students to provide evidence from the story; it includes determining...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: The Boy Who Cried "Wolf!" [Pdf]
"The Boy Who Cried 'Wolf!'" is a one page, folktale about a boy who got bored while watching his sheep. He cried, "Wolf" and when the village people came to help him, he laughed. He repeated this a few days later, but then when he really...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Soldier's Letter [Pdf]
"Soldier's Letter" is a one page, fictional, letter from a young soldier at Valley Forge during the Revolutionary explaining how hard conditions are there. It is followed by questions which require students to provide evidence from the...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: The Turtle and the Ducks [Pdf]
"The Turtle and the Ducks" is a one page fairy tale/fable a turtle who wants to fly south with the ducks. They develop a plan, but the turtle will have to keep his mouth shut. It is followed by constructed-response questions which...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Nature's Violet Children [Pdf]
"Nature's Violet Children" is a one page, folktale about violets who were sad because a little girl picked them and took them home. It is followed by open-ended questions which require students to provide evidence from the story; it...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: The Cloud [Pdf]
"The Cloud" is a one-page, folktale about a cloud who moved closer to the earth, despite warnings that it would die, to save the drought-stricken plants and animals. It is followed by questions which require students to provide evidence...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: The Red Apples [Pdf]
"The Red Apples" is a one-page, fictional, reading passage about a little girl who wants to buy an apple for her sick mother but has no money. She returns a wallet when a man dropped it; he gives her a dollar. The store owner gave her an...
CommonLit
Common Lit: Themes: Fate & Free Will: Can We Control Our Fate?
This is a collection of Grade-Leveled texts (3-12) to address the question, "Can we control our fate?" Select a grade level and a collection of on grade-level reading passages on the topic comes up. [Free account registration required...
CommonLit
Common Lit: Themes: Social Change & Revolution: Why Do People Resist Change?
This is a collection of Grade-Leveled texts (3-12) to address the question, "Why do people resist change?" Select a grade level and a collection of on grade-level reading passages on the topic comes up. [Free account registration...
CommonLit
Common Lit: Themes: Morality: What Is Good and How Do We Know?
Collection of Grade-Leveled texts (3-12) to address the question Morality: What is good and how do we know? Select a grade level and a collection of on grade-level reading passages on the topic comes up. [Free account registration...
CommonLit
Common Lit: Themes: Men & Women: How Do We Define the Roles of Men and Women?
This is a collection of Grade-Leveled texts (3-12) to address the question, "How do we define the roles of men and women?" Select a grade level and a collection of on grade-level reading passages on the topic comes up. [Free account...
CommonLit
Common Lit: Themes: Power & Greed: How Does Power Corrupt?
This is a collection of Grade-Leveled texts (3-12) to address the question, "How does power corrupt?" Select a grade level and a collection of on grade-level reading passages on the topic comes up. [Free account registration required for...
CommonLit
Common Lit: Themes: Morality: Why Do People Do Bad Things?
This is a collection of Grade-Leveled texts (3-12) to address the question Morality: Why do people do bad things? Select a grade level and a collection of on grade-level reading passages on the topic comes up. [Free account registration...
CommonLit
Common Lit: Themes: Social Change & Revolution How Do People Create Change?
This is a collection of Grade-Leveled texts (3-12) to address the question, "How do people create change?" Select a grade level and a collection of on grade-level reading passages on the topic comes up. [Free account registration...
CommonLit
Common Lit: Themes: Revenge & Betrayal: Is Revenge Ever Justified?
This is a collection of Grade-Leveled texts (3-12) to address the question, "Is revenge ever justified?" Select a grade level and a collection of on grade-level reading passages on the topic comes up. [Free account registration required...
CommonLit
Common Lit: Themes: Revenge & Betrayal: What Drives a Person to Betray?
This is a collection of Grade-Leveled texts (3-12) to address the question, What drives a person to betray?" Select a grade level and a collection of on grade-level reading passages on the topic comes up. [Free account registration...
CommonLit
Common Lit: Themes: Resilience & Success: Why Do People Succeed?
This is a collection of Grade-Leveled texts (3-12) to address the question Why do people succeed? Select a grade level and a collection of on grade-level reading passages on the topic comes up. [Free account registration required for...
CommonLit
Common Lit: Themes: Resilience & Success: How Does a Person Overcome Adversity?
This is a collection of Grade-Leveled texts (3-12) to address the question, "How does a person overcome adversity?" Select a grade level and a collection of on grade-level reading passages on the topic comes up. [Free account...
CommonLit
Common Lit: Themes: Prejudice & Discrimination: How Does Prejudice Emerge?
This is a collection of Grade-Leveled texts (3-12) to address the question, "How does prejudice emerge?" Select a grade level and a collection of on grade-level reading passages on the topic comes up. [Free account registration required...
CommonLit
Common Lit: Themes: Prejudice/discrimination: What Are the Effects of Prejudice?
This is a collection of Grade-Leveled texts (3-12) to address the question, "What are the effects of prejudice?" Select a grade level and a collection of on grade-level reading passages on the topic comes up. [Free account registration...
CommonLit
Common Lit: Technology, Progress & Industry: What Should the Future Look Like?
This is a collection of Grade-Leveled texts (3-12) to address the question, "What should the future look like?" Select a grade level and a collection of on grade-level reading passages on the topic comes up. [Free account registration...