Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduce Vocabulary: Cross a Bridge (Hunter)

For Teachers K - 3rd
What does suspension mean? Learn this and other bridge-related vocabulary as scholars listen to Ryan Ann Hunter's nonfiction book, Cross a Bridge. This strategy can be applied to any book. Before reading, acquaint pupils...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduce Vocabulary: Firefighters (Mitten)

For Teachers K - 3rd
Your budding readers know what it's like to get to a word and think, "What does that mean?" Expand their vocabulary in context using Christopher Mitten's nonfiction picture book Firefighters. Get them ready by pre-teaching the new...
Activity
Curated OER

Express Yourself Lesson Seed 19: Synthesis

For Teachers 6th Standards
Wrap up your unit on The Cay with an engaging argumentative writing assignment. Writers must decide if they believe The Cay should be banned. The resource includes links to several articles, which have been addressed and examined in...
Organizer
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1
Polk Bros Foundation

Meet the Nonfiction Main Idea Challenge

For Students 3rd - 8th Standards
Help your class develop the ability to determine a main idea with a packet of materials that you can introduce and use over a period of time. The packet includes some information for the teacher and rationale for the exercises. There are...
Organizer
Polk Bros Foundation

A Way to Analyze Paragraphs to Figure Out the Main Idea of a Nonfiction Text

For Teachers 5th - 10th Standards
Shrink up a section by asking pupils to write down the main idea for each of seven paragraphs. There is a space provided for each main idea. When students have completed this portion, they write down what they think to be the central...
Lesson Planet Article
Curated OER

Diary of a Dinosaur: Making Writing Lessons Meaningful

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Writing about dinosaurs unleashed one student's desire to keep a journal, and led to an exploration of a variety of subjects.
Unit Plan

Building Evidence-Based Arguments: Grade 9

For Teachers 9th Standards
High schoolers investigate the dilemma of a proportional response with a lesson about the history of terrorism and militant extremists in the United States. As they examine memos from the FBI and speeches from President Bush and Obama,...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Nonfiction Books: Table of Contents and Index

For Students 1st Standards
How do you find what you're looking for when reading a nonfiction book? Even first graders can learn how to use a table of contents and an index. They use the provided images of each to locate information and answer nine questions.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Genre Lesson: Autobiography

For Teachers 4th - 6th Standards
Start kids thinking about point of view and autobiographies by telling them a short story about your morning (first person), and then asking a volunteer to re-tell the story to you (second person). There are tips to help you tie this...
Interactive
Curated OER

Student Opinion: What Small Things Have You Seen and Taken Note of Today?

For Students 7th - 12th
An interesting and unusual topic for a news article, this resource from the New York Times website asks learners to take a moment and consider all the things they notice during a typical day. Based of the editorial piece "Things I...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Writing to a Specific Topic

For Teachers K - 2nd
After a class discussion where learners make predictions about what will happen in a book based on its cover illustration, pupils are asked to compose a written response about an aspect of the story and include some of their own...
Unit Plan
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Curated OER

Women in History: Research for Expository Writing

For Teachers 6th - 8th
After reading an excerpt from Amelia Earhart's autobiography, The Fun of It, learners explore various nonfiction resources about her life and write a short newspaper article on a specific event. They then develop a longer piece of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Prepare to Read Nonfiction

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Learners get an introduction to using KWL Charts as tools for reading nonfiction. They study unfamiliar words and share what they already know about the topic of the non-fiction selection and use this knowledge to help prepare to read.
Study Guide
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PBS

To Kill a Mockingbird Teacher's Guide

For Teachers 8th - 12th Standards
If you're planning a unit on To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, don't pass this resource by! It includes thorough discussion questions and vocabulary from the novel, research opportunities, and writing prompts to extend learning...
Lesson Plan
Pennsylvania Department of Education

Comparing Key Ideas and Details in Fiction and Nonfiction

For Teachers K - 4th
Students recognize the differences between fiction and nonfiction texts. In this genre study instructional activity, students discuss what nonfiction means and write the definition. Students listen to a read aloud and vote whether the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Text Elements of Fiction and Nonfiction

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders examine the text elements associated with fiction and nonfiction texts. In this text elements instructional activity, 2nd graders listen to Anansi and the Moss Covered Rock by Eric A. Kimmel. They take formative...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A History of Journal Writing

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students articulate their prior knowledge concerning the purposes of journal writing. They explore what function journal writing has fulfilled for various cultures and peoples. Students read and analyze various journal entries by famous...
Organizer
1
1
Curriculum Corner

I See a School

For Students K - 1st Standards
Enthusiastic readers report on a book detailing what it's about and their favorite part with a picture-based writing template. A nonfiction version takes a step further to highlight what the pupil learned, and a fiction version showcases...
Unit Plan
Louisiana Department of Education

Out of the Dust

For Teachers 6th Standards
The Grapes of Wrath may be the most famous novel set during the Dust Bowl, but what other stories cover the same time? The unit focuses on the Karen Hesse novel Out of the Dust. Learners keep a timeline of the Dust Bowl, maintain a...
Lesson Plan
American Press Institute

In the Newsroom: The Fairness Formula

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Reporting the news is easy, right? Think again! Show young scholars the difficult choices journalists make every day through a lesson that includes reading, writing, and discussion elements. Individuals compare the language and sources...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Navigating Nonfiction

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders explore the arrangement of nonfiction. In this library skills instructional activity, 3rd graders examine Dewey Decimal classification as they collaborate to locate nonfiction materials in the library/media center.
Unit Plan
Curated OER

The "Write" Stuff: Strategies and Conventions for Expository Writing

For Teachers 6th
Students develop their expository writing skills while integrating various other subjects. In this writing skills lesson, students complete 4 multiple activity lessons to improve their expository writing skills.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fact or Fantasy Writing

For Teachers 1st
First graders see that some written text is for pleasure and enjoyment while some is for relaying information. They get to experience both types during the lesson. They brainstorm ideas for a story about a new kid in school to write about.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Narrative Writing

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students complete activities to learn narrative writing. In this narrative writing lesson plan students are given writing prompts in order to better understand how to write in a narrative format.

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