Build understanding of theme with an activity designed for The Cay and the Common Core. Small groups or pairs use graphic organizers to determine themes, find and record related details from the text, and formulate theme statements. In...

In this reading response worksheet, learners complete 10 questions or activities about Chapters 4 and 5 of Holes by Louis Sachar.

Create a simulation of acid rain in your classroom with lemon juice and bean plants to help kids study the effects of pollution on plants. In addition, learners will listen to a story and write responses based on guiding questions.

Students are read the book "Uncle Jed's Barbershop". After the story, they complete an anticipation guide to label each statement as either a positive or a negative. In groups, they try to come to a concensus on each statement. They...

Students create a class book award. In this book award instructional activity, students review the book awards already created (Caldecott or Newbery) and look at books that have received these awards. They come up with their own award...

Prepare your class to read Number the Stars, by Lois Lowry, with these prereading activities. This resource lists three ideas to ready your readers. Learners explore the historical context, connect to the book, and preview the book....

A set of explorations for the two scenes of Act 2 of Hamlet. The inquires cover the essentials of the plot. The answers could be found by reading a detailed summary or Cliffsnotes. It is useful for checking reading...

Are you reading The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck in your class? If so, this quiz might be useful for you. This is an online interactive quiz that covers the novel's theme, plot, and characters. The quiz refers to the entire novel,...

Here is a lesson designed for middle schoolers which helps them recognize stereotypes one way or another against a particular group of people. They also determine what may have motivated the author to use a stereotype in the first place....

The 29 specified questions included in this resource cover the climax in Act three of Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Test your students by using this activity as a reading check quiz, group work exercise, or to illicit class discussion. If...

Do you know what a fallacy is? Discuss this term and its meaning with your class. Then, talk about why making generalizations about a large group of people isn't the best thing to do. As a group, study the included letter excerpt. It...

Have your class identify the speaker of these quotes, choosing one (or two) to write about in detail. Students should describe why the quotation is important to the story and if it illustrates a pivotal point in the novel.

Students examine what it would be like to be disabled. They read literature with characters who have disabilities and discuss how society treats people with disabilities. They write an essay explaining why they are "normal."

Students read the book The Rainbow Fish. For this citizenship lesson, students discuss how the characters in the story resolved conflicts. Students create a rainbow fish from foil and cotton.

Young scholars engage in a literature study that helps students to connect with some of the issues of conservation. They list parts of the environment that need protection with the help of a graphic organizer. Then young scholars discuss...

“There is no story that is not true, . . .” And uncovering the truths in Things Fall Apart is the focus of a 68-page resource packet designed to provide instructors with a wealth of materials that enhance understanding of Chinua Achebe’s...

Primary learners read the text The Relatives Came and make text to self-connections. In this literature discussion, they discuss what the text reminds them of in their own lives. They can also write down their connections and share them.

Explore the concept of make believe stories. In this genres of literature lesson, students discover the difference between realistic fiction and fantasy. They are asked questions during and after the reading of a book to ensure the...

How do you assess what your pupils have learned over the course of the year? Find out how competent they are at reading and analyzing age-level literature with the ideas presented here. Included in this resource are two suggested...

An engaging and unique activity that combines literature and economics is here for you. In it, learners read the short story, "The Doghnuts" found in  the book Homer Price. Pupils define "capital resources," and utilize a worksheet...

Young scholars read and discuss an article about Olga Loya, a modern storyteller. They watch a videotaped performance of a story and then create a storytelling experience for a story of their choice to share with the class.

Do military recruiters plan to visit your campus? If so, the visit presents an opportunity for class members to engage in a series of action projects. Class members interview recruiters, propose a PTA meeting to discuss the pros and cons...

The design of this two-day instructional 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...

Can utopia be achieved? Included here are three literature worksheets to pair with Lois Lowry's The Giver. Pupils work in groups to come up with solutions to society's issues, individuals back up a statement related to a topic in the...