Ninth graders create and analyze analogies and infer word meanings from these relationships. Words can be taken from selection(s) or topics currently being read in class. These exercises strengthen student reading comprehension.

Students prepare a chart with four columns: things we know, things we think we know but need to check, things we wonder about, and new things we have learned. Each group is given a case study and they discuss the three cases of "honor...

Ninth graders analyze the relationships for pairs of words in analogical statements to infer word meanings. For this word meanings lesson, 9th graders complete an analogy pre-assessment, study a chart for using analogies to improve...

Sixth graders read from the book, "Nothing to Fear," and discuss living in New York during the Great Depression. They write entries and summaries in their learning logs to share with the class. They work in groups to create a database...

Celebrate Eric Carle’s beloved children’s books, especially those about animals. Teachers and readers alike engage in Carle’s books as they explore the art and color in each of his stories, and how these elements support comprehension.

Students examine and draw conclusions from an excerpt from a slave narrative. They analyze excerpts from two recently discovered slave narratives. They draw connections among the narrative excerpts and historical texts by investigating...

Young scholars create Mexican Pottery Clay project. In this natural history/art lesson students construct their own clay bird. Young scholars make connections between visual arts and reading to follow directions. Students...

Fourth graders work in groups in order to motivate one another to develop reading comprehension and literacy skills. The skills are built through the sharing of fine literature. They maintain a reading log to keep accountable for the...

Engage your learners in a cross-cultural study by having them read, compare, and contrast various Cinderella stories from different cultures around the world. From this exercise, they will learn that plot element can seem...

Youngsters work to build empathy, cultural understanding, and a sense of self as they uncover the story behind their own names. They read the book, The Name Jar, discuss immigration and how it feels to be in a new place. Then, they...

Explore literature through the completion of reading comprehension worksheets in class. After reading the classic book, The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, middle schoolers review each chapter by completing study questions and story webs....

As your class finishes the novel Dragonwings, use these culminating projects. A vocabulary list is given for chapters eleven and twelve and either an epitaph or letter activity concludes the book. The final project consists of creating a...

Tired of giving the same old multiple-choice tests, and have the urge for a new assessment? Then bring the precision of a Socratic seminar into your classroom. Even if you did not read Cold Sassy Tree the organization and explanation on...

Define the word perseverance to have learners understand why it is important in reaching goals. Young scholars research how Martin Luther King needed perseverance to accomplish his goals. They write acrostic poems using the word...

In this The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis worksheet, students read the story, define six key terms using only one or two words and answer ten comprehension questions.

First graders participate in listening to the book, The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant. They practice comprehension by making text-to-self- connections while reading. They collaborate with a small group in order to participate in a...

Young scholars examine racism and how it relates to self-deception. They identify the effect of racism on society. They reflect on the lesson by writing a paragraph about discrimination and racism.

Students encounter the fluency formula that states that it is important for kids to read and reread decodable words in a connected text. They must become effortless decoders in order to read fluently, and fluency in reading allows the...

Explore philosophy and religion by researching Gandhi. Lead your young students to investigate the life and accomplishments of Mahatma Gandhi by reading the assigned text. Your class will define sustainability and create a sustainable...

Compare and contrast two pieces of literature with this lesson. With the use of a Venn diagram, pupils make connections between literature and real-life situations. They practice skills of surveying a text looking for important details,...

Discuss movies and movie enjoyment with your middle school language arts class. They interpret movie review information, determine appropriate movies, and then write film reviews to share with the class. Focus on using context clues to...

Help your class create collective poetry following a simple, engaging model from Teaching Tolerance (tolerance.org). Each young poet writes five things on an index card: sayings from others, favorite sound, favorite place, favorite...

Students complete a character study using a database to compile information from a novel. They design a five slide presentation highlighting the character's reaction to different situations in the book. They write an acrostic poem using...

Develop readers’ awareness of the visual power of language with a guided imagery exercise. Set the stage and create the mood with dim lights, soft music and potpourri. Then read the provided section of Bud, Not Buddy. Next, invite...