Curated OER
What’s your Name?
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...
Curated OER
The Summer of the Swans
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...
Curated OER
Teaching "A Week in the Woods"
The book, A Week in the Woods is the focus of the very interesting language arts lesson plan presented here. After the book has been read, learners engage in study of certain parts of the book in order to gain a better understanding of...
Curated OER
My Antonia: Anticipation Guide
Making predictions is an important skill that experienced readers tap into when tackling a difficult text. Prepare your pupils to read My Antonia by Willa Cather with an initial prediction activity and this anticipation guide, which...
Curated OER
Counteracting Media Stereotyping
Discuss media stereotypes with your emerging consumers. They view a television program to identify gender bias. After discussing the clip as a class, each learner writes a story showing more equitable roles. Or consider having them...
Curated OER
Unit Lesson on The Gingerbread Man (Elementary, Reading/Writing)
Students sequence the main events of the story, The Gingerbread Man, into chronological order and rewrite the story changing characters and settings.
Curated OER
The No Thanksgiving Read Aloud
First graders investigate a story with the theme of The Thanksgiving holiday. The teacher reads the story to the class. The story is meant to help students to think of things they are thankful for. Students share the ideas in either...
Curated OER
Duck for President
Second graders listen carefully to the story, "Duck for President" and then write and illustrate a new ending to the story; focusing on spelling sight words correctly and use complete sentences. They also work on forming letters...
Curated OER
Friday and Friends: A Journey with Else Holmelund Minarik's Little Bear Stories for the Young Child
Students are read a series of stories with the use of puppets. For each story, they write their reflections and share them with the class. They discuss why it is important to be social with others and create their own invitation to...
Curated OER
Reading Puzzle
Twelfth graders examine the elements of literature. They each read a chapter of a novel, sequentially list the main ideas, present a summary of the chapter to the class, sequence the events, and review the novel by summarizing the timeline.
Curated OER
Movie Cloze
In this movie worksheet, students fill in the blanks to sentences with movie vocabulary. Students fill in the blanks for 24 sentences about movies.
Curated OER
Words to Warm the Winter: Characters Count!
Fifth graders take part in a mini-lesson on characterization, discuss roles for Literary Circles and meet for the first true session of their Literary Circles.
Curated OER
Nonfiction Genre Mini-Unit: Persuasive Writing
Should primary graders have their own computers? Should animals be kept in captivity? Young writers learn how to develop and support a claim in this short unit on persuasive writing.
Bierbaum Elementary School
Practicing Patience
As teachers, we have a lot of patience. Our scholars, on the other hand, may need some support. Give your pupils the emotional intelligence instruction they desire with a lesson designed to teach patience through grand conversation,...
Primary Resources
Drama Warm Ups and Circle Games
Circle games, energetic games, calming games, exit games. Whether used as ice breakers, warm ups, or exit strategies, or used in drama classes or content areas, the 28 games detailed in this packet deserve a spot in your curriculum...
Curated OER
Hatchet: Concept Analysis
Take an in-depth look into Gary Paulsen's Hatchet with a concept guide. With a list and explanation of thematic motifs, types of conflicts, and vocabulary in the novel, learners will engage with the text in a whole new way.
Prestwick House
Star Wars and the Hero's Journey
Is Luke Skywalker the archetype of a literary hero? Follow the path of the Hero's Journey with an engaging instructional activity that details the plot structure, applies it to Star Wars: A New Hope, and invites class members to...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Elements of the Epic Hero Cycle
Here's a handy worksheet applicable to any study of epic heroes, including those in epic poetry. Readers record examples from their text that identify the quest, the tests, helpers and companions, as well as the low point, the...
Curated OER
Characterization
Students read the book Sylvester and the Magic Pebble. For this character traits lesson, students read the book and identify character traits. Students draw pictures of a character from the book and describe the character traits.
Curated OER
Let's Retell a Story
In this retelling a story worksheet, students review and discuss all the components involved in retelling a familiar story. Students choose a favorite story/book and fill out a graphic organizer retelling it in their own words. Students...
Curated OER
Miss Nelson is Missing / Miss Nelson Is Back- Lesson 2
Students read and analyze a story. In this compare and contrast lesson, students re-read Miss Nelson is Missing and use a Venn Diagram to compare and contrast Miss Nelson and Miss Viola Swamp. Students write about their...
Read Works
Textual Analysis Lesson: Boys vs. Girls: It's Not Just in Your Head
The main characters in Bridge to Terabithia do no quite live up to their gender expectations. Explore this idea with a reading passage called "Boys vs. Girls: It's Not Just in Your Head." Included in the plan are detailed...
Curated OER
Alternative Assessments for Novel Units
Students can be assessed on novel units using alternative/performance assessments.
Curated OER
The Gingerbread Man
Have your class review the main events in the story The Gingerbread Man. This presentation provides a list of comprehension questions relating to the story. While just a quick review, this resource could be used as part of a unit.