Curated OER
How Do Adjectives Improve Writing?
Using adjectives to create vivid descriptions is the focus of exercises in this resource. A cloze reading activity asks class members to add missing adjectives to passages from Mark Teague's The Lost and Found. They then read...
Curated OER
Review of a Novel Project
This review of a novel project is a great way to ensure accountability for independent reading. The assignment sheet, templates, samples, and rubrics are all part of the packet materials.
Scholastic
Midnight Magic Discussion Guide
This discussion guide accompanies the fiction book Midnight Magic written by Avi, enforces story elements, inferences, and theme/plot. Have the class work on it over time, it will engage even your reluctant readers.
Read Works
Trading Pumpkins
Can you imagine a pumpkin patch without pumpkins? Learners read how Tammy's family solves their problem in a cooperative way, followed by a set of 10 reading comprehension questions.
Penguin Books
A Teacher’s Guide to the Penguin Edition of John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath
The dry Oklahoma landscape in America's Dust Bowl sent many farmers in search of the promised land. A teacher's guide to John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath discusses the characters' desire for a better home along with other themes...
All for KIDZ
Building Relationships: The Orphan of Ellis Island
Family and friendship are two very important themes of the historical fiction novel The Orphan of Ellis Island by Elvira Woodruff. From video clips and writing prompts to reader's theater and family interviews, this resource...
NET Foundation for Television
1850-1874 Homestead Act Signed: The Challenges of The Plains
Start a whole new life in a land known as the Wild Wild West! Learners analyze maps, personal accounts, the Kansas-Nebraska Act, songs, and video clips to uncover life under the Homestead Act. Using their new skills, class members role...
Arizona State University
Journalism Lesson
Engage your pupils in a seres of journalism activities. For this journalism lesson plan, learners practice with AP style, analyze an article, practice writing leads, work with organizing information, and take a stab at writing headlines....
Curated OER
The Red Badge of Courage: Story Grammar
After finishing The Red Badge of Courage, readers complete a grammar worksheet to identify the chain of events in the plot, the enduring issues, and major themes of Stephen Crane's novel.
Curated OER
Inferring Character Traits
Here is a lesson which is "flexible," and can operate as an individual or whole class activity. After reading a book of their choosing, with the use of a semantic map, learners identify character traits. They infer how their feelings...
Curated OER
Vocabulary Strategy: Call of the Wild
Here is a strategy for groups to contribute to whole class vocabulary development. Teams (based on seating rows) work together to look up dictionary definitions of words from upcoming sections of the book (though previous sections seem...
Curated OER
Breaking up a Poem
Seventh graders break down the barriers in reading, speaking, listening, writing and understanding poetry. As a whole group, they establish their own criteria for line breaks by discussing questions and taking notes on a PowerPoint...
Curated OER
Irregular Word Accuracy, Class Challenge
Irregular words are so...irregular! Participate in an activity to reinforce the reading of these tricky words. They take turns reading an irregular word card and then attempt to read the word in their head and say it out...
Curated OER
Speak a Little Clearer!
What are the characteristics of effective public speaking? Emerging orators choose a fairy tale to present orally to the class. After modeling yourself, divide the class into small groups, having them critique each others' oral...
Curated OER
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer: Anticipation Guide
Start off your study of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer with a lesson spent exploring some of the concepts that will be present in the novel. This anticipation guide focuses on honesty and lying. After learners decided if they agree or...
Curated OER
Long Vowel Phoneme - ai
Kindergarteners identify the long vowel sound /ai/ in speech and writing. The whole class shares the book, Daisy the Snail, then brainstorms as many /ai/ words as they can. The class constructs a word wall with the /ai/ words.
Curated OER
Quirky Quatrain Poetry Lesson
Middle schoolers discover what a quatrain is, and are taught the three poetic devices: alliteration, hyperbole, and onomatopoeia. Everyone chooses a favorite hobby or activity, then attempts to write a poem about it. They must write two...
K12 Reader
Metaphor Hunt
“Mom said I was a sheepdog…” After reading a brief definition of metaphor, readers are directed to underline all the examples of this type of figurative language found in a short passage about getting a haircut. An answer sheet is included.
K12 Reader
Repeated Subtraction Is Division
Here's a reading comprehension instructional activity that not only provides a skill building opportunity but also introduces readers to the idea of repeated subtraction.
Curated OER
Bog Child
You are destined for an engaged and happy class as they read Siobhan Dowd’s Bog Child because there is nothing missing from this study guide, seriously. This might be the easiest novel to teach because you don’t have to do a thing in...
Poetry Society
Simile and Metaphor
Young poets use word cards to prompt a metaphor poem comparing to very dissimilar items.
Curated OER
The Whole World in Our Hands
Students discover the concept of "tikkun olam," or "repairing the world." For this service learning lesson, students identify skills that they possess which may be used to help those in need.
Curated OER
Using Wordless Comics To Help Create Meaning in Reading
Use picture cues as a tool in order to create meaning along with text. With a wordless comic, young illustrators discuss the main idea and character traits, and independently write a summary for a page of a wordless comic. This strategy...
Curated OER
Colonial Newspaper Template
Partners produce a colonial newspaper that includes news articles, advertisements, want ads, and more using this handy template.