Curated OER
Cruise Ship Capsizes
The newspaper offers many different types of stories about a variety of topics. Today, your class can read about the cruise ship Costa Concordia that capsized in 2012. They'll read the New York Times article, then answer each of the 10...
Curated OER
"Every Block, Every Borough"
From the New York Times Learning Network series, this activity poses 10 questions on an article entitled, "Leaving His Footprint on the City" about a man planning to walk every street in all five New York boroughs. The prompts...
Curated OER
Massive Tornado in Missouri
The New York Times published an article on the tornado that hit Joplin, Missouri in 2011. Learners read the article then answer each of the 11 who, what, when, where, and why questions. Hint: This article and ones like it link to a...
Curated OER
Doors Open for Female Marines
What do your kids think about female Marines? They can explore this idea by reading the related New York Times article and by answering each of the seven comprehension questions. A learner-driven blog is located at the bottom of the...
Curated OER
The Start of a New Era for Roman Catholics
Read all about it! Check out this article from the New York Times. Kids read about changes made to the wording used in Catholic Mass. They consider these changes by responding to each of the 10 related questions that ask, who, what,...
Curated OER
Taken by Storm
Extreme weather can be frightning and as young readers find out, deadly. They read the New York Times artcle Taken by Storm and then answer eight comprehension questions. Note: Learners can post their thoughts about the article on...
NPR
Is There Really an Immigration Line?
If you've ever looked at the US immigration system, you know that it is complex and a source of controversy. An insightful lesson plan encourages learners to conduct their own analyses of the US immigration system by asking them to...
Curated OER
Trade Secrets
Young analysists explore how global trade and free market policies might personally affect them. They read an article, view a series of documenteries, and engage in a class discussion. Great lesson!
Curated OER
Non-Fiction Texts
Third graders examine different types of non-fiction texts. In this non fiction lesson, 3rd graders use different types of texts to gather information. Students work in groups to analyze the texts for author's purpose, common...
Curated OER
Imagining Back Story: Creating an Artifact for an Extra-Extended Text
Students create a "back story" for a character from Measure for Measure. In this Measure for Measure lesson, students read the text closely as they look for clues about where the character came from and how he or she became what...
Curated OER
Bridging the Centuries: Teaching the Nineteenth Century English Novel Today
Students compare and contrast the elements used in the 19th century British novel and those novels in American society today. In groups, they brainstorm what it might have been like to be a teenager growing up in England during the 19th...
Shmoop
ELA.CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.11-12.3
Make analyzing the sequence of events in an informational text easy. Ask readers to craft a one-sentence summary of each paragraph in a document and create a text map. To demonstrate their understanding of the process, participants read...
Shmoop
ELA.CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.11-12.10
Assess whether your class members can comprehend complex informational text with a series of drills based on selections from Emerson, Thoreau, and G.K. Chesterton. The exercises could also be used for group work or a full-class discussion.
Shmoop
ELA.CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.9-10.6
What does the author believe about his topic? Why did he write in the first place? Challenge your class to figure out the answers to these questions as they read through informational texts. The resource provides a breakdown of the...
Curated OER
Reading With Fluency And Expression
Practice makes perfect, and this lesson provides a rubric to prove it! To improve their ability to read with fluency and expression, readers listen to a series of online stories in order to hear how a well-read story should sound. They...
Curated OER
A Novel Study Unit for The Cay
Novelly written questions are perfect for a novel study guide unit on The Cay. The well-rounded resource contains an anticipation guide for scholars to complete before reading, a variety of questions per chapter of the book, and a post...
Prezi
Freyja-"THE CAY" by Theodore Taylor
Use this Prezi to demonstrate how to put together a Prezi about The Cay by Theodore Taylor. This Prezi, created by a student, is made up of six slides that include information about the characters, setting, and plot of the story....
Curriculum Corner
Fiction Organizer
Teach your youngsters about the elements of plot with this handy graphic organizer. Pupils note down the main character, the setting, the problem, and the solution of any fictional story they read.
EngageNY
Synthesizing Information: Writing an Apprentice Wanted Ad
Fourth graders view examples of help-wanted ads as they plan and create their own writing in the fourteenth instructional activity of this unit on colonial trade. The engagement of the class is captured when the teacher shares an actual...
Constitutional Rights Foundation
If Men Were Angels: Teaching the Constitution With the Federalist Papers
Much like the methods of group work, the writers of the Federalist Papers worked together to advocate for their viewpoints against the anti-federalists. The resource enables learners to break into small groups and conduct research before...
Core Knowledge Foundation
Second Grade Skills Unit 3: Kids Excel
The unit offers second graders skills practice in tricky spelling and words, grammar—nouns and punctuation, reading decodable texts, and writing a personal narrative. Lessons begin with a warm-up and go into a concept review, word work,...
Curated OER
Reading Comprehension Worksheet: Plants
In this reading comprehension about plants learning exercise, students study an informative text about the medicinal use of plants. Students answer 4 short answer questions.
US Mint
Desert Dwellers
What can a quarter possibly teach young learners about desert ecosystems? More than you might think. After displaying and discussing the included picture of the Arizona state quarter, the class participates in a series of...
EngageNY
Writing Narratives from First Person Point of View: Imagining Meg Lowman’s Rainforest Journal
I spy with my little eye! Learners observe page 23 in The Most Beautiful Roof in the World and practice what they would add to a field journal. They discuss how details from the text help add to their thoughts. To finish,...