ReadWriteThink
Exploring Plagiarism, Copyright, and Paraphrasing
Plagiarism, copyright, and fair use are the focus of a three-part instructional activity designed to inform scholars of how to properly cite others' work. First, pupils use a KWL chart to begin thinking and discussing plagiarism. They...
Achieve3000
Figurative Language
Similes and metaphors make writing more beautiful and detailed, but can be a little harder to decipher during a first reading. Use a passage from The Man Who Loved Words to show young readers how to think through passages that contain...
Curated OER
Spelling Detective
Put on your Sherlock Holmes hat and become a spelling detective! Scholars hunt down the spelling errors in a short passage of a high-interest current events text. Here is a great way to develop editing and reading skills.
Curated OER
Ella y Él
Take a trip to Costa Rica with th popular song "Ella y Él" by Ricardo Arjona. After listening to the song (and possibly reading the lyrics) the class discusses the general message of the song, the political nature, and other US bands...
Curated OER
Antonyms, synonyms and homophones
Shed light on what antonyms, synonyms, and homophones are. In this lesson, upper elementary schoolers create pairs using an antonym, a homophone, and/or a synonym. Then they play an antonym matching game.
Curated OER
Double-Entry Journal Writing
Introduce your learners to the concept of a double-entry journal. Talk about how to connect with the text and model an example for them. Using whatever literature you are working with, have scholars choose a quote and make their own...
Curated OER
Frankenstein Anticipation Guide
Before your high schoolers embark on the journey of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, provide them with this prereading activity. Independently, they respond to seven statements that connect with the novel. For example, they must decide if...
Curated OER
Summary and "The Fallacy of Success"
Suggested to accompany a class reading of The Great Gatsby, this plan begins with a discussion emphasizing the reputation of Vanderbilt University. Then, after the class has a working knowledge of the wealth associated with the school,...
Shmoop
ELA.CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.9
As the saying goes: there are no new stories. Standard 9 for reading literature in the Common Core addresses this fact and requires that students be able to analyze how authors use the themes, stories, and characters of earlier works....
Curated OER
Oliver Twist Goes to Hollywood
How does Oliver Twist, the novel written by Charles Dickens, compare with its screenplay adaptation? Although the activity doesn't require learners to have read the novel, the similarities and differences of the highlighted passages...
Curated OER
Practicing Smarter Not Harder is Best!
Students increase their reading fluence through repeated reading of a selected, leveled passage. Working in pairs, students read a grade level appropriate text in one-minute intervals. After reading they determine their fluency through a...
Curated OER
Simon Says: Mother May I?
Student increase their reading fluency through the use of various strategies. After discussing the importance of fluency, students complete an initial read of a novel text. Working with the instructor, they read complete a timed...
Curated OER
What Can We Do Today?
Students practice rereading selected passages to improve their reading fluency. Working in pairs, students read and reread decodable, leveled passages fluently and with expression. They are assessed by their partner, using a fluency...
Curated OER
Zoom Zoom Zoom
Student increase their reading fluency through the use of various strategies. After reviewing good reader strategies, students complete an initial read of a novel text. Working with a partner, they read complete a timed assessment of...
Curated OER
Express Yourself
Students practice reading with expression and improved fluency. After discussing how reading with fluency and expression can enhance the text, students listen as their partner reads a story with expression. Individual students read...
Curated OER
Express Yourself
Students practice reading with expression and improved fluency. After discussing how reading with fluency and expression can enhance the text, students listen as their partner reads a story with expression. Individual students read...
Curated OER
Hanukkah
Celebrate the traditions of Hanukkah with a festive party. After reading a short background passage about Hanukkah, learners design a Hanukkah party and dance to Hanukkah songs, taste latkes, create menorahs with marshmallows and...
Curated OER
Reading: Introductions
Students get to know each other, build relationships with each other and their communities as well as practice introductions. They read a biography together out loud and with a partner and then explain where they came from and a little...
Curated OER
Don't Despise, Summarize!
Students are introduced to strategies that they can use to summarize text. After reading an article, they use five steps to accurately summarize the material to share with the class. They also review what it means to comprehend what...
Curated OER
A Separate Peace - T Analysis
Reading A Separate Peace? Readers analyze important quotes that appear in John Knowle's classic novel using the provided graphic organizer. Learners record a passage and provide an accompanying analysis for each entry. Consider having...
Curated OER
The Future
This teacher guide provides several ideas for how to structure a unit on the futur simple. Start by having your class read the short passage provided about Google. As they read, pupils should categorize verbs by type to highlight verbs...
Curated OER
Choosing Words Carefully
Use literacy tools to select precise vocabulary. High schoolers respond to discussion questions that require them to consider the denotation and connotation of words. They then read non-fiction passages and identify words in the passages...
Curated OER
Bible Lesson
Take a creative approach to teaching about community in a religious context. Learners read Acts 2:42-47 and choose the verse they feel exemplify the importance of community. They then pair share, write journal responses, and then...
Curated OER
Understanding the Compass
Young geographers view an excellent description of how compasses work, then work in partners to make a compass of their own. There is a heavy religious component in this lesson; for example, as closure, the teacher reads a verse from the...