Prestwick House
Speak
Speaking your mind and standing up for yourself is the message of Laurie Halse Anderson's novel Speak. Readers review key details about characters, setting, and plot points with a crossword puzzle all about Speak.
Curated OER
Using Text Features
Fourth graders read a nonfiction story that is presented to them with graphic features, and presented to them with only the text. In this text features activity, 4th graders decide what the benefits of text organizers are and...
Curated OER
Everyday Heroes
Students research how Ernie Pyle's descriptive narratives and "every man's" perspective of the war allow them to examine personal traits such as courage and heroism. The instructional activity can be extended to include more examples to...
Curated OER
Fitness and Literature
Students participate in a dual challenge: to read a set number of books and also to exercise a number of minutes. They record the number of books they read, and also the number of minutes they are physically active. After a given period...
Curated OER
Recreation Book- Book Report
In this literature worksheet, student read a non-fiction book about a recreational activity that includes the rules and regulations. They write a dictionary of terms, teach others how to play, make a "play safe" poster, videotape the...
Curated OER
Creating an Anthology
Student compile a poetry anthology. In this literature lesson, students examine notable poetry anthologies. Students then select a theme to build their anthologies of 10 poems pertaining to their chosen theme.
Curated OER
Making Good Decisions
Learners examine the "Little Planet Times" and discuss how to solve the town's problem. In this literature/problem solving lesson, students record the opinion of each of the council members and role play their position. Learners...
Curated OER
Weekend by Fay Weldon Reading Guide
In this literature worksheet, students first read the short story Weekend by Fay Weldon. Students complete all or some of the comprehension activities on ten pages of worksheets that pertain to this story. The entire text is not provided...
Curated OER
Bears' House Vandalized, Witnesses Say Blonde Girl Spotted Fleeing from the Scene
Students explore journalism. In this expository writing lesson, students read several newspaper articles and note common features. After reading Goldilocks and the Three Bears by Jan Brett, students work with a partner to write a news...
Curated OER
Swimmy
Students explore the themes of the book Swimmy by Leo Lionni. In this literacy lesson, students dramatize a character from Swimmy and identify common themes such as cooperation and caring. Students create a new ending to the story.
Curated OER
A Visit to the Rain Forest
First graders preview "The Great Kapok Tree" by discussing the cover and the tree. They read the book and acknowledge the animals. They play a sequencing game in groups to identify the order the animals appeared in the book.
Curated OER
Caps For Sale
Learners read the story Caps For Sale and read companion stories, predict in a chart, work with rhyming and word families, answer short answer questions, and more. In this reading lesson plan, students take 5 days to read the...
Curated OER
Boilermaker Geography
Fifth graders investigate the geography of central Indiana with an emphasis upon finding the location of Purdue. They make a connection to literature with the reading of a newspaper article to create the context for the lesson while...
Curated OER
Reading Bingo
In this reading bingo worksheet, students play bingo through identifying which books are folk literature, historical fiction, modern fantasy, sports, biography, and other forms of literature.
Curated OER
"A Closet Full of Shoes" and Picture Puzzle Piece" by Shel Silverstein
Students explain the concept of simple probability.
Curated OER
A Separate Peace: Quiz
In this A Separate Peace activity, learners answer 12 multiple choice questions about plot, characters, and theme of A Separate Peace by John Knowles.
Curated OER
Weaving a Story of Cooperation: The Goat in the Rug
Weaving is an important part of Navajo culture. Read The Goat in the Rug to your fourth and fifth graders, and give them a glimpse into the process of rug making from the point of view of a goat! They will learn new vocabulary words and...
Curated OER
The News Behind the Story
What a fun way to analyze plot, setting, and character. Learners review story elements, read a short fictional story, then turn the events of that story into a headlining news paper article. Not only does this lesson plan engage critical...
Curated OER
A P Literary Terms
Is a list of literary terms found frequently on AP English exams of value to test takers? Now there's a rhetorical question. Here's a list that provides definitions for everything from allegory to vernacular. To say the list is...
Curated OER
"World Enough, And Time"-Andrew Marvell's Coy Mistress
Young scholars read and analyze the poem, "To His Coy Mistress," by Andrew Marvell. They identify the theme of each stanza, complete a worksheet, take an online quiz, and write about a single metaphor or image from the poem.
Hawaiʻi State Department of Education
Picture Poetry
What a fun idea! The class discusses, and then writes free-verse poems using sensory detail. They get into small collaborative writing teams to compose their poems. Next, they pantomime the actions from the poem while their teammates...
Candlewick Press
The Odyssey: A Graphic Novel by Gareth Hinds
Using the graphic novel version of The Odyssey? Here' s just the thing. A teacher's guide complete with background information, discussion questions, and activities.
Bolton Healthy Schools
Deal with Poetry
The stated goal of this unit is to use poetry to "improve the emotional health of young people." Budding poets read and then supply their own lines for poems that deal with alienation, loneliness, and rejection.
Curated OER
Follow Your Dreams: Career Goals
It is so important for impending high school graduates to start thinking about their potential careers. Here, they discuss the persistence of Blondie Hasler and his impressive transatlantic trip. They follow various routes on a map and...