In order to read and respond to Toni Morrison's A Mercy in this figurative-language lesson, students discuss the differences between a literal and a figurative interpretation of a text.  They explore figures of speech using a...

Review decoding strategies to read a chosen text. Readers tape themselves reading out loud, listen to the recording, and mark where they have misread words or phrases. They then discuss which words were misread and review how to correct...

Racist, independent, conflicted? Readers of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn brainstorm words that describe the traits of characters in Twain’s novel and then rate these qualities in several of their favorite characters. Individuals...

The format of a formal paper, according to the Modern Language Association (MLA) Style Guide, is the focus of a text-heavy presentation that cites the rules but offers few examples. Consider adding additional slides or including a...

If you're looking for copious background information to support study of the human heart, here it is! You can find photos of hearts, and text about the development, structure, systems, and monitoring that support heart function. Also...

Students read a Japanese Noh play and discuss its structure and traditional characters. They choose a short myth and write a Noh play based on it.

In this reading comprehension worksheet, students read a one paragraph text about Bryce Canyon. Students answer one multiple choice question.

Build the skills your budding authors need to develop to compose well-structured paragraphs. Give them the topic sheet (included here), and have them write a cohesive paragraph using the ideas listed. Consider having them include two...

As guided practice, class members work together to revise a model persuasive paragraph. Then they practice independently with their own writing. The included rubric looks at prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, nonfiction text...

Go over how to read complex sentences. Learners work on identifying key ideas, examining sentence structure, looking up new vocabulary, and paraphrasing. An overview of methods to help class members read difficult texts, half of the...

With throngs of Americans out of work and hungry, Franklin D. Roosevelt made the bold move to establish a social safety net with programs such as Social Security. The move was—and still is—controversial. Using documents from the 1930s,...

Learners review the results of the November 2006 mid-term election. Using their text, they read the history of the balance of power and examine recent news articles. They present their findings to the class and may even hold a debate.

Hit all the basics with this lesson, focusing on weather, greetings, and dates! Start by singing a weather related song ("Quel temps fait-il by Barbara MacArthur is suggested), and then read a story about getting ready for school. The...

Second graders observe the teacher model writing a letter to the author of the book, COPS AND ROBBERS. They then compare the story structure of the book to those of FUNNYBONES and identify the setting, characters and theme.

Young scholars read The Train Ride Home by Robin Solomon. In this literature response lesson plan, students will inspect the writing of Solomon to determine how she established a certain tone through her word choice...

Learners study invention steps and design their own invention. In this invention lesson, students discuss inventions and the process of inventing. Studnets write in an inventor's journal and study various types of inventions....

Although biochemistry of the human body is a vital topic, it doesn't have a chapter dedicated to it in many biology textbooks. If that's the case with your text, you can use this resource as a guide for designing your own lecture and as...

During a series of four activities, class members examine and deconstruct advertising that features famous athletes. They determine target audiences, analyze ads, explore "emotional climate," and role play a meeting between a sports...

Introducing or need to review literary devices and terms for a study of poetry? Though text heavy, the explanations and examples of key poetic devices will provide learners with the vocabulary they need to discuss and craft poems.

Students explore the parts of the cell. In this cell lesson plan, students use foods to create cell models that represent the nucleus, cytoplasm, cell membrane, mitochondria, ribosomes, vacuoles, endoplasmic reticulum, and Golgi bodies...

Tenth graders use the novel To Kill a Mockingbird to analyze relationships in society. In this literature analysis instructional activity, 10th graders participate in a shoe activity where they bring in one shoe belonging to someone they...

Students examine and research the parts of a cell, their functions, and life processes. They simulate how cells receive nutrients using coffee filters, water, and coffee, and construct cells using pudding, cookie dough, and candy.

Students explore a "table of contents." In this book researching lesson, students identify common elements of a "table of "contents" and complete a worksheet with questions about this topic.

Second graders practice using punctuation in run-on sentences. In this punctuation mini-lesson, 2nd graders listen to the book Punctuation Takes a Vacation. They read their own sentences and try to find where they end.