High schoolers are asked to consider the connections between food, culture, and identity. They read articles and share what they learned in a jigsaw activity, read a short story, and make a claim about the story's theme, backing up their...

Learn the art of quilting with this lesson plan that can be connected to a history lesson on quilts in Ancient Egypt, China, and modern art. After studying a general history of quilts, its uses, and the history of different patterns,...

Read Dangerous Minds with your language learning disabled pupils to identify characteristics and connect to literature. This is a specific activity intended for use with the suggested book. The class uses a character map  as a way...

“There is no story that is not true.” And Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, uses proverbs (“. . .the palm-oil with which words are eaten”), a compelling tragic hero, and historic events, to engage readers in the truth of his story of...

"What my father had anticipated was now actually happening." The Chosen explores the complicated relationships between parents and their children. Readers make personal connections to Chiam Potok's story, set in Brooklyn's Hasidic...

John Ford's 1940 film version of John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath is the subject of a 23-question worksheet designed to accompany a viewing of the film. The questions not only focus viewers on events, but also ask them to make...

First graders participate in sequencing activities. In this sequencing lesson plan, 1st graders read the book the Three Billy Goats Gruff. Students retell the story and act out the scenes in groups. Students create a mural of the story...

Fill your classroom with grand conversations about emotions and the healthy ways to express them. Your scholars will create a collage, play a feelings game, read stories, and reflect on their daily feelings.  

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is one of the best-known pieces of American literature. An eBook from the Library of Congress provides access to an early edition of the text. Original layout and illustrations are preserved within.

Second graders explore sequencing by drawing events of a story in order.  In this sequence of events lesson, 2nd graders are read a story such as "The 3 Little Pigs", they recall the events from the fairy tale in order, visit an...

First graders write a time book. For this writing and telling time lesson, 1st graders learn about the concept of time using a Judy clock. Students read a book about a ladybug and look closely at the time on the clock.  Students...

First graders read nursery rhymes and celebrate Mother Goose. In this drawing conclusions and predicting lesson, 1st graders create new ending for the nursery rhymes. Students gather data and make a graph showing their favorite rhyme.

Second graders practice their reading comprehension by analyzing stories they read in class. In this children's literature lesson, 2nd graders are assigned to read a book for 20 minutes each day in class and also reflect on it in their...

Students are introduced to classical music. They listen to Beethoven's Fifth Symphony. They interview each other in regards to their feelings about the music and the paintings they produced while listening to the piece.

In this Just Let Me Draw worksheet, students read a one-page story about a student who loves to draw. Next, students answer a question that checks for comprehension, one that connects the story to their lives, and another that requires...

Small groups learn about a present-day nomadic culture in Mongolia and the threats to its existence by exploring a photo essay. The resource includes thoughtful discussion and writing prompts about cultural sustainability, the...

One picture but a thousand stories. As a part of a case study of how the death of Michael Brown was reported by professional news sources and on social media class members examine the reactions of various groups to a photograph taken by...

“There is no story that is not true, . . .” And uncovering the truths in Things Fall Apart is the focus of a 68-page resource packet designed to provide instructors with a wealth of materials that enhance understanding of Chinua Achebe’s...

Philip Pullman's The Golden Compass provides the text for a study of how writers bring characters to life. Using the provided character mapping worksheets, readers respond to questions and then write a short character sketch.

Students create a personal experience by writing and illustrating. They make a writing connection to family (or other thematic unit) and use descriptive words in writing. They write using a different perspective.

Students decide if items are real or make-believe. In this lesson plan on reality, students listen to the book Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak and discuss the difference between items that are real and items that are...

Students read and analyze the twelve short stories in the novel "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes." They create their own detective that has to solve a new kind of crime, and write and edit a short story with their original detective as...

Young scholars recognize the elements of a fable and write an original fable. They make connections with morals and other law-related concepts.