Sixth graders explore and analyze Newbery Medal books. They view a Powerpoint presentation on the Newbery Medal book of that current year, select a book, read and analyze the book, and prepare a multimedia book report presentation.

Students study the criteria used to select notable book awards, including the Caldecott Medal and the Newbery Medal. Then they develop their own Class Book Awards to bestow upon favorite books in the classroom library. They decide on...

Here’s the meatball in the bowl of spaghetti. Readers build a Lunatic Mystery Case Book, collecting evidence to support their prediction about the identity of the lunatic in Walk Two Moons, Sharon Creech’s Newbery Medal winning novel....

Fifteen questions cover nine Newbery-winning novels from the 1990s in this interactive quiz. Voracious individual readers can test their memory and comprehension, or groups can pool knowledge and work together to complete the quiz....

Students identify the basic freedoms of citizens in the United States.  In this Bill of Rights activity, students act out scenarios about the Bill of Rights.  Students create a picture book describing the rights they've acted out.

Pairs use desktop publishing software, as well as digital video and camera equipment, to craft a book review. These reviews are then shared with others in the school community through the class or school website.

Students create a class book award. For this book award lesson, students review the book awards already created (Caldecott or Newbery) and look at books that have received these awards. They come up with their own award and nominate new...

Explore the impact a narrator's point of view has on a story with a reading of the children's book, Voices in the Park by Anthony Browne. Written in four different voices, the story is told and retold from different perspectives to...

An astronaut, a fashion designer, a Secretary of the Interior, an actor, and an Olympic Gold Medal winner! Teens and tweens have an opportunity to be changemakers as they research modern Native Americans and their many accomplishments...

Is your class reading Out of the Dust? If they are, or if this is your first time teaching Karen Hesse's Newbery Medal winning novel, check out the ideas in a presentation that outlines what you and your class can do while reading about...

Second graders identify Caldecott Medal winners. In this library media lesson, 2nd graders view an overhead transparency of Caldecott Medal winners from 1987-2004 and answer questions based on the data that is displayed.

Students investigate positive female role models. In this Women's History Month lesson plan, students read the book Mama Went to Jail for the Vote and think about how the character was a role model for other women. Students brainstorm a...

Learners explore types of awards for children's books. They design a new award. Students review books and select one to receive the newly designed award. Learners create a "medal" for the book jacket. They write an explanation of the award.

No more summer reading lag! Give young readers a set of graphic organizers and worksheets to keep track of the books they read over the summer and to keep reading comprehension skills fresh. The graphic organizers include identifying...

Learners of all ages read and discuss books about Asian America. In this Asian-America lesson plan, different books for every age group are listed and various teaching strategies are suggested. Great tips cover virtually every grade level!

The odds that readers will enjoy a summer reading project will be in your favor if you choose Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games as the anchor text. The richly detailed plans included in this resource make it easy to volunteer...

A thorough lesson plan takes your first grade class through Jane Yolen's beautiful Owl Moon. It crafts the unit with clear objectives, high-level guiding questions, cloze activities and sentence frames, and extension...

Enhance a reading of the Caldecott Medal-winning children's book Joseph had a Little Overcoat by Simms Taback with this collection of learning activities. Starting with general background information about the book and author,...

First graders examine the significance of the Louisiana Purchase and the journey of Lewis and Clark. They listen to a story, analyze a map, compare/contrast the Jefferson Peace Medal and the Peace Medal nickel, and design a peace and...

Students demonstrate racial awareness. In this diversity activity, students read the book Heroes by Ken Mochizuki. Students participate in a discussion about how the character was discriminated against. A follow-up reading of How...

The Summer of the Swans, by Betsy Byars, is a 160-page chapter book about a family going through a difficult time. Complement your reading of Byars' book with this detailed outline of each chapter. Every section includes comprehension...

The mini Reading Adventure Pack takes a close look at the Olympics. After reading a fiction and nonfiction story, scholars research facts about the host country or a country of their choice participating in the games. The research...

Help readers understand the roles of authors and illustrators and why they have been recognized by medals of excellence. Your class will discuss and then create illustrations for a book. When they have finished, you can hold your own...