You walk each day over 20 blocks to school as a 9-year old because the color of your skin does not allow you to attend a school in your own neighborhood. Scholars use the 1954 Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education to investigate...

What, where, how? Readers hone their analysis skills as they determine the narrator's point of view in Eight Days. They complete a literary analysis chart and essay to describe what and where events take place. Individuals then discuss...

An activity focused on tolerance encourages class members to consider how they might respond when they or someone else is the target of oppression and discrimination. After researching how some key figures responded to the...

Learners use a six step process to write a summary of a provided paragraph. The steps include: delete unimportant information, delete repeated information, substitute easy terms for a list of items, add a series of events with an easy...

Students create podcasts of Measure for Measure. In this Measure for Measure activity, students decide which lines are the most important and edit scenes to create a shorter version of the play that includes the important...

Learners study pictures and artifacts of the one-room schoolhouse. For this compare and contrast lesson,students list similarities and differences in schools of today and one-room schoolhouses. Then learners use this analysis to...

In this reading comprehension worksheet, learners read a biographical story about Rosa Parks. Students answer 4 questions and then summarize the story.

Second graders explore the Puerto Rican culture. In this cultural exploration lesson, 2nd graders discover the culture of Puerto Rico. Students read Puerto Rican folktales and make food. After reading the folktales, students...

Middle schoolers read short stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and write summaries. In this summary writing lesson, pupils discuss how to write a summary. Middle schoolers then select a topic and practice writing using skills discussed.

Students explore Fellowship of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien. In this literature lesson plan, students read the book and paraphrase information about the different references to hobbits. Students write an essay about hobbits, including Bilbo.

Twelfth graders define cloning in their own words and examine the different types of cloning. After reading an article, they summarize it in their own words and use the internet to research the history of cloning. In groups, they...

In this comprehensive reading comprehension lesson, students complete an indepth look at the introductions and history of cell phones. Students research, analyze and determine the answers to twenty two questions regarding what a cell...

Fourth graders read "Habitat: What Animals Need to Live" then create a Venn diagram for herbivore, omnivore, and carnivore. In this animal survival lesson plan, 4th graders determine where different animals need to live depending on what...

Students examine marine archaeology. In this archaeological data lesson, students see how archaeologists use data to make inferences about shipwrecks. Students read data and make their own inferences, write about marine life and...

A timely and provocative lesson inspires high schoolers to tackle the Syrian refugee crisis. They analyze a compelling photo essay before discussing and writing about it.

Eighth graders design and compile a booklet of published and original poems reflective of a specific theme.

Learners review the meaning of a summary and why they are important. They silently read the book, So You Want To Be President thinking about the main points in the story. When finished, each child summarizes a page from the book which...

Students are introduced to informational text. Students explore nonfiction as a genre. They identify the components and text structure of text nonfiction. Students read a nonfiction passage and write a summary of the passage.

Students explore language arts by completing a graphic organizer in class. In this story structure lesson, students read the poem "Sick" by Shel Silverstein and discuss the different elements in the piece which make it an effective...

Students will learn to use outlines as a comprehension strategy. Summarization is the most important comprehension strategy, and should be taught to maturing readers. During this activity learners use the story of a reptile to practice...

Fourth graders are introduced to expository texts. They dwell to formulate the comprehension and gain the main ideas. Students encounter explicit comprehension strategies to help them transition into this new type of text.

Students practice summarizing information from a reading using their own words. They take notes while reading using a guided worksheet. For the written summary they have a budget of two dollars with each word used costing ten cents.

Fifth graders determine the meaning of author's purpose. In this author's purpose lesson, 5th graders apply the PIE (persuade, inform, entertain) strategy to determine why an author wrote a piece of writing. They examine passages and...

Eleventh graders study the Kansas Territory.  In this American History lesson, 11th graders read ten biographical cards and summarize the main ideas.  Students create cards to play Who am I?