Julilly dreams of freedom after being taken from her mother by a slave trader. Will she ever be free again? A resource focuses on the first chapter of Barbara Smucker's book Underground to Canada, and includes 10 vocabulary...

What a joy to see the world through the eyes of a child. When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit allows readers to see a child's perspective of fleeing Germany due to having a father the Nazis wanted. Scholars read about the adventures of the...

Rita Williams-Garcia's One Crazy Summer describes three girls who go looking for their mother who ran out on them. Scholars complete a novel study guide with vocabulary exercises, character descriptions, and comprehension poems.

Clearly written as an assignment for a higher-level education class, this formal lesson plan contains some fun and well-researched strategies for teaching the novel Tuck Everlasting  by Natalie Babbitt. Among the best ideas...

Many dream of a place of refuge to escape from the harsh world. That is exactly what Redwall is for the creatures of the forest. Redwall is a fantasy novel that tells of the trouble that comes to a quiet and peaceful forest....

How do cultural and historical background impact thought? To explore this essential question, class members view of portion of the film, The Passage to India, read an excerpt from The Magician’s Nephew, and Nissim Ezekiel’s...

Although the work Americans do has changed over time, the plight of the American worker has largely remained the same. Facilitate a class discussion aboutAmerican workers using Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's "The Village Blacksmith" and...

Ask learners to focus on one scene in Mark Twain's The Adventures of Tom Sawyer in order to write an analytical essay about Twain's ideas surrounding childhood. The final assignment in a unit, this writing prompt requires learners...

Considering using Robert Cormier's young adult novel, Tunes for Bears to Dance to for book circles or as a whole-class anchor text? Check out this overview of the key concepts and issues raised by the novel.

Students watch and respond to a Bill Moyers Now video on the Chilean author, Isabel Allende. They brainstorm a list of recent events that might inspire writers and choose one to write about in poetic, diary, or short story form.

Get the most out of your guided reading lessons with this collection of literacy materials. Offering a system for using color-coded tags to mark pages while reading books, as well as an assortment of comprehension and grammar...

The design of this two-day activity eloquently exposes learners to the topic of social justice for people with disabilities. The plan is built off the reading of Are You Alone on Purpose? by Nancy Werlin. The activity introduces...

High schoolers study Greek literature. In this Greek tragedies lesson, students explore the dance-dramas of Martha Graham. High schoolers study the choreography that brings ancient Greek literature to life.

Is your advanced Spanish class reading Spanish literature? Give them this graphic organizer to help them sift through the story. Where does it take place? When? What happens in the story? 

Are you working on an Outsiders unit? Use this list of activities to deepen your middle schoolers' understanding of the novel. After reading S.E. Hinton's novel, young readers work on three required activities, including participating in...

Villainy, parricide, ambition, abuse of power, and some of the most famous lines in English literature—Richard III has it all. Instructors using the play for the first time and those who list it as one of their favorites will find...

Have your class explore active reading strategies! In this guided reading lesson, learners make personal connections to characters having a bad day as a prior knowledge activation discussion. After reading Gettin' Through Thursday, class...

A three-day assessment challenges scholars to read a passage from an informational text then complete two activities that lead to a writing assignment. Day one and two begin as readers independently read a passage and tag the most...

Students read and act out myths. In this world mythology lesson, students read and analyze myths from various cultures and then recognize their attributes as they prepare presentations of myths that explain natural phenomena.

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.

Students are read The Magic Pumpkin. In this reading comprehension lesson, students practice their sequencing skills and listening skills. They participate in various activities after the story to promote their ability to recognize the...

Students practice previously learned skills to the theme of "Dr. Seuss books".

Students learn folk tales from many different cultures and retell them using the medium of their choice. They write about the cultural indications found in these tales.

As part of their exploration of the American dream, class members examine primary source materials to compare immigrant experiences of those arriving early in our country's history to those arriving in the US after World War...