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Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Potawatomi Prairie [Pdf]

For Students 5th Standards
"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...
Lesson Plan
Better Lesson

Better Lesson: Unit: The Author's Point Is

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
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...
Unit Plan
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: American Explorers [Pdf]

For Teachers 2nd - 4th Standards
"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...
Unit Plan
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Chicago: Deval Patrick [Pdf]

For Teachers 8th
"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...
Unit Plan
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: The Boy Who Cried "Wolf!" [Pdf]

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd Standards
"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...
Unit Plan
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Soldier's Letter [Pdf]

For Teachers 5th
"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...
Unit Plan
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: The Turtle and the Ducks [Pdf]

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
"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...
Unknown Type
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Nature's Violet Children [Pdf]

For Students 4th - 5th Standards
"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...
Unknown Type
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: The Cloud [Pdf]

For Students 4th - 5th Standards
"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...
Unit Plan
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: The Red Apples [Pdf]

For Students 7th
"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...
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Themes: Fate & Free Will: Can We Control Our Fate?

For Students 9th - 10th
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...
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Themes: Social Change & Revolution: Why Do People Resist Change?

For Students 9th - 10th
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...
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Themes: Morality: What Is Good and How Do We Know?

For Students 9th - 10th
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...
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Themes: Men & Women: How Do We Define the Roles of Men and Women?

For Students 9th - 10th
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...
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Themes: Power & Greed: How Does Power Corrupt?

For Students 9th - 10th
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...
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Themes: Morality: Why Do People Do Bad Things?

For Students 9th - 10th
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...
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Themes: Social Change & Revolution How Do People Create Change?

For Students 9th - 10th
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...
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Themes: Revenge & Betrayal: Is Revenge Ever Justified?

For Students 9th - 10th
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...
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Themes: Revenge & Betrayal: What Drives a Person to Betray?

For Students 9th - 10th
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...
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Themes: Resilience & Success: Why Do People Succeed?

For Students 9th - 10th
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...
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Themes: Resilience & Success: How Does a Person Overcome Adversity?

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
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...
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Themes: Prejudice & Discrimination: How Does Prejudice Emerge?

For Students 9th - 10th
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...
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Themes: Prejudice/discrimination: What Are the Effects of Prejudice?

For Students 9th - 10th
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...
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Technology, Progress & Industry: What Should the Future Look Like?

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
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...