Often, science fiction makes a lot of connections to real life. An educator's guide for the novel Charisma by Jeanne Ryan, has readers discuss many of the real-life issues that come in the text. A brief summary helps garner interest...

A superb interdisciplinary approach highlights this lesson which incorporates space science knowledge and narrative skills. After reading The Magic School Bus, two excellent poems, and watching a video, all about our solar system, young...

Mean girls and bully packs are favorite topic for films and TV shows that focus on the destructive power of cliques. High school freshmen are asked to reflect on both the positive and negative aspects of cliques by reading a short...

Add some writing to your class's reading of Cold Sassy Tree! With this plan, readers assume the role of journalist and create a segment of a paper with their peers. Suggested segments are included, and a worksheet dividing the text into...

If forced to move and give away almost everything you own, what five non-essential things would you take with you?  Prior to reading about Mrs. Bentley in chapter 15 of Dandelion Wine, individuals are asked to respond to this...

Open the eyes of young mathematicians to the patterns that are found everywhere in the world around them. After a shared reading of I See Patterns by Linda Benton, children complete a series of hands-on activities that teach them...

Reading comprehension is the name of the game! After listening to the teacher model and share personal prior knowledge about small children and what they do with food, the class discusses how they too can use prior knowledge to...

Master Jane Austen's language from A to Z with an activity based on Pride and Prejudice. As kids read the novel, they find (or are assigned) words that begin with each letter of the alphabet, and create one-page documents that show...

Building on young mathematicians' prior knowledge of three-sided shapes, this lesson plan series explores the defining characteristics of different types of triangles. Starting with a shared reading of the children's book The Greedy...

Our uniqueness should be celebrated, not teased. The story Chrysanthemum addresses having a distinct name and dealing with different perceptions. Pre- and post-reading questions are listed to help your learners understand...

The courage of Las Mariposas, the Mirabal sisters, is the focus of a series of activities designed to accompany a reading of In the Time of the Butterflies that ask readers to consider what it means to be courageous. Beautifully crafted...

There was an old lady who swallowed some leaves? Little learners read a new version of the old swallow story with a fall twist as they try to answer the big question; Why is that lady swallowing all that weird stuff? The teacher's guide...

What motivated Europeans to explore the New World, and what effects did their exploration have on Native American populations? The second installment of a 16-part American Passages series prompts pupils to watch a video and read several...

In this language arts worksheet, students read a story called The Doorbell Rang. Students cut out 12 cookies and paste them under each character's picture so that each character gets an equal share.

Second graders perform a variety of activities with a dynamic, ever-changing classroom word wall as outlined in these lessons. They become less dependent on the word wall as the school year progresses.

Students investigate reading, cooking, and planting activities that teach that a carrot is the root of a plant. In this early childhood science lesson plan, students explore the world around them as they read The Carrot Seed and complete...

Students construct and interpret a "favorite classroom books" graph. In this literacy and math graphing lesson, students choose a reduced size copy of the book cover that corresponds with the book(s) they chose to read during their...

In this book activities learning exercise, students read a paragraph about the book Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse, use sentence starters, write a song, use idioms, complete a spelling game, and complete a writing pattern. Students...

In this home/school activity worksheet, learners use a phrase from a book they read in normal daily conversation while their family partner attempts to catch them doing it. They have the family partner guess which book it is from. They...

Students appreciate independent reading through learning about authors and genre.

In this reading contract worksheet, students write the title of a book they will read, how many pages they will read each day and how they will share what they've read. Both the teacher and student sign this agreement. Two reading...

Before reading The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis, take part in this thought-provoking, pre-reading activity that invites discussion about the story's theme using universal adages.

Start with the question in mind with a discussion activity on Louisa May Alcott's Little Women. With four focus questions, note-taking prompts, and discussion points, readers practice answering thematic questions based on textual evidence.

An activity promotes reading comprehension. Readers analyze a text of their choice while activating prior knowledge and asking and answering questions. Scholars enforce multiple strategies to improve comprehension.