Assist your pupils with literary analysis by discussing and exploring theme. This plan, the twelfth in a series of fourteen, builds in some time to explore theme as a class. Learners also blog about the main event in their stories and...

What does it mean to be alone and isolated? What would you do if you were all alone in a strange place? Kids ponder these questions as they prepare to read Douglas Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

Compare and contrast the characters in John Boyne's The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. Using a Venn diagram, kids write in different traits to describe each person, and note their shared characteristics in the middle section.

Learners create a KWHL chart as a pre-reading strategy. In this graphic organizer lesson, students communicate their background knowledge before reading A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Learners continue to construct their KWHL chart as they...

Eighth graders practice reading a nonfiction selection. They read for details, read for cause and effect, and practice the process of elimination. They use these strategies when answering multiple choice questions in tests.

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...

A carefully crafted, logically organized, 128-page packet is an excellent addition to your unit on expository writing.

Cement comprehension skills using the strategies in this activity. After reading the story, Juan Verdades by Joe Hays, learners use context clues to answer questions, identify main ideas and details, and sequence events.

Language arts learners don't need a lecture about poetry; they listen to poetry every day on the radio! Apply skills from literary analysis to famous songs and beautiful lyrics with a lesson about literary devices. As...

Fifth graders use context clues to help them understand unknown words. For this context clues lesson, 5th graders practice identifying context clues on a worksheet, then work with a peer to write their own story. Stories are peer edited...

Students write a report about infectious diseases where they demonstrate their understanding of new terminology. In this writing lesson, students analyze the effect of disease in their lives and and make scientific inquiry about the...

First graders listen to the story "The Real Tooth Fairy and explore the concept of mental images. In this mental image lesson, 1st graders create a mental image of what the tooth fairy looks like. Students listen to the teacher model...

Students explore Visual Thinking Strategy as a way to examine art and photography. They discuss the strategies, and analyze and discuss photographs using the Visual Thinking Strategies techniques.

Fifth graders discuss what narrative writing represents. In this language arts lesson, 5th graders review the ten strategies for engaging reader. Students listen to and read good examples of each strategyand write engaging beginnings in...

Second graders make predictions about reading.  In this remedial reading lesson, 2nd graders read a favorite author's story, and read about an animal or favorite hobby or how-to.  Students discuss the various purposes for...

Students use the comprehension strategy question-answer to improve reading comprehension. They read a passage out of their textbook, and the teacher models the question/answer strategy by asking about key points mentioned in the reading.

Students observe and demonstrate how to read silently. They discuss the "Cross-Checking" strategy, select a book for independent reading, and demonstrate silent reading. Students write a summary of what they have read in their reading...

Students read patterned sentences. In this guided reading lesson, students use one to one matching and picture clues to aid comprehension. Cross-curricular activities are provided.

Young scholars blend phonemes to decode words. In this guided reading instructional activity, students evaluate different comprehension strategies to aid reading.  Young scholars make predictions based on picture clues and use...

Students practice reading silently decodable texts in this lesson. They discuss the importance of being able to read silently. They then practice silently reading "Wemberly Worried." An assessment/checklist is included in this lesson.

Students discover basic concepts of print. In this early literacy lesson, students discover basic high frequency words. Students make predictions as they read. Cross-curricular activities provided.

Learners explore the concept of compound words. In this compound word lesson, students use dolch word cards to create compound words.

Young scholars blend phonemes. For this guided reading lesson, students create words by blending isolated phonemes. Young scholars read a book discussing families.

Students practice sight words. In this dolch word lesson, students use dolch word cards to form grammatically correct sentences.