In pairs or on their own, fourth graders read the poem, "The Rabbit." They then answer eight critical-analysis questions, requiring them to make inferences, and interpret the poem's meaning and use of language. The reading passage,...

Your scholars will be hooked after reading the cryptic narrative poem "The Listeners." They explain why it is so mysterious, then use the poem to learn about pronouns. Learners read an excerpt from the poem that has been altered to...

Practice literary analysis with your poetry pupils using the mysterious narrative poem "The Listeners." They examine the archaic language and answer 12 comprehension and analysis prompts. Foster creativity with these referential...

This festive winter poem incorporates rhyming using the oa sound. Readers examine the words to find examples that use that sound. This is good phonics exposure to words that have the same sound but are spelled differently....

When two vowels take a walk, the first one does the talking! Scholars see this motto put to use as they study the /ee/ sound in various spelling patterns. Learners read a short introduction on this concept before reading several example...

These letter sets all make the /oo/ sound; learners sort single-syllable words into four spelling patterns, writing each. This visual instructional activity has all the words inside a moon and the various spelling patterns inside...

Explore spelling patterns with this multi-step worksheet featuring the /oa/ sound. Learners read a brief introduction explaining that this sound can be achieved by three different vowel combinations. They complete a different...

Focus on the vowel sounds /oa/, /oy/, and /ow/ in this spelling patterns worksheet. The sounds are split into three sections, with learners observing how each can be spelled differently in familiar words. They write words beneath...

Join Ug the Bug for some vowel sound practice focused on the short /u/ sound. Scholars examine six images and label each with a CVC word that has this as its medial phoneme. Next, they complete two rhyming sentences about Ug, using a...

Are your scholars interested in bugs? Get future entomologists excited about vocabulary through Joanne Oppenheim's colorful book Have You Seen Bugs? They use the informational text (although this strategy is useful for any book) to...

Dinosaurs don't go to school...but what if they did? Use Jane Yolen's book How Do Dinosaurs Go To School to explore vocabulary in context. Find this on YouTube if you don't have the text on hand. These in-text words give some...

As budding readers learn about the ocean, they'll get practice with the alphabet and new vocabulary words (cling, nab, prey, slumber, and thrive) in context. Read Deborah Rose's book Into the A, B, Sea, which includes a...

If your class is reading Jane Yolen's Letting Swift River Go, explore these vocabulary words in context: faint, quench, remain, and sacred. Before reading the story aloud, acquaint learners with these words briefly....

Learning new vocabulary words is best done in the context of an engaging story like David Kirk's Miss Spider's Tea Party. New readers (or almost-readers) focus on any of 12 new words: conceal, courtesy, demand, descend, dread,...

Explore the dancing prodigy and Depression-era African-American icon Bill Robinson as scholars learn new vocabulary words in context. As you read Leo Dillon's Rap a Tap Tap they listen for six new words: clatter, greet,...

It's the classic story of Little Red Riding Hood retold by James Marshall; scholars listen for six new words as you read: bouquet, charming, escort, horrid, tarry, and wicked. Introduce the words before reading so they can...

Mr. Snowman wants to help emerging readers understand compound words, so he segments some familiar words to help them see that they are made of two distinct words. Learners repeat the words, both segmented and blended, and observe them...

Explore literary devices and figurative language using higher level examples. The 33 slides here define common types of figurative language (like simile, metaphor, personification, etc.), and then focus on specific examples in...

What a skillful way to incorporate Shel Silverstein, a wonderful author, into the classroom. Composed of three tasks, children are led through a series of text-dependent questions that force them to unveil the meaning of Silverstein's...

The second lesson of a pair about Paul Laurence Dunbar, this plan focuses in particular on his poem, "We Wear the Masks." After a short historical introduction, class members conduct a series or readings, marking up the text and...

Not dreadful, but mighty, this worksheet for “Divine Sonnet X” (aka “Death Be Not Proud”) models for individuals how to recognize John Donne’s argument for why Death should not be proud and how to recognize the sonnet structure and rhyme...

In this rhyming worksheet, 1st graders draw a line from each word on the left to t he word that rhymes with it on the right. The objective is to increase students' understanding of rhyming words.

Students complete activities for the nursery rhyme 'Humpty Dumpty.' In this nursery rhyme lesson, students recite the rhyme and act it out. Students discuss the rhyme and make up their own. Students bring and discuss hard boiled eggs,...

Learners read a story. In this rhyming lesson, students define the word rhyme and brainstorm words that rhyme with hat. Learners read The Great Pancake Escape and practice reciting each of the verses. Students are given a list of words...