PBS
Supernatural Shakespeare and Macbeth
"A drum, a drum! Macbeth doth come." The withered and wild witches of Shakespeare’s Scottish play launch an examination of the fantastical elements in Act I, scene iii, paying particular attention to the action, imagery,...
American Immigration Law Foundation
No Pretty Pictures
Here is a nice set of activities and discussion questions to accompany your class reading of No Pretty Pictures, a memoir of a young girl's experiences and struggle for survival during the Holocaust.
EngageNY
Grade 12 ELA Module 1: Unit 1, Lesson 3
Using questions they developed, class groups discuss Chapter 2 of Malcolm X's autobiography, focusing on the individuals and events Malcolm X feels contributed to his character development.
Great Schools
Letter of Complaint
If you've ever received bad service or disagreed with a company's decision, writing a letter of complaint might be a good skill to have. Review the format of a letter, author's purpose, and other aspects of persuasive writing with an...
Mathed Up!
Negative Numbers
Eight independent worksheet pages challenge scholars to solve 12 problems that focus on negative numbers in the context of temperature in degrees of celsius.
Breaking News English
The Force Awakens Breaks Pre-Sales Ticket Records
May the comprehension skills be with you! Focus on context clues, vocabulary words, and analysis questions with an article about Star Wars: The Force Awakens and its record-breaking ticket sales.
EngageNY
End of Unit 2 Assessment: Final Draft of Literary Argument Essay
Take the last step in writing a literary argument essay using Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis in an activity focused on feedback. Using the stars and steps revision method, pupils consider teacher and peer feedback to revise...
College Board
Reading—Synthesis and Paired Passages
Good readers make connections between texts. The SAT regularly assesses the ability to make those connections using paired reading passages, a topic discussed in an official SAT practice lesson plan on synthesis. During the lesson,...
Curated OER
Direct Reading Thinking Activity Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the fourth novel in the series by J.K. Rowling, is the focus of a directed reading worksheet that begins by asking readers to examine the book cover and chapter titles and to predict what the story...
Curated OER
Compare and Contrast Versions of a Story
Compare and contrast reading passages with the ever favorite story of Cinderella. The versions in focus include an Italian version and a Native American story followed by three questions designed to share similarities and...
EngageNY
Grade 9 ELA Module 4, Unit 1, Lesson 28
As writers continue to revise their argument essays, the focus shifts to editing grammatical conventions, parallel structure, and varying syntax to add interest. After examining model sentences that demonstrate sentence variety, writers...
EngageNY
Analyzing Douglass’s Purpose in Excerpt 2
Learners revisit Plantation Life to focus on Douglass's purpose and choices he made for writing the text. They complete text-dependent questions, an analysis note catcher, and finalize their thoughts by sharing out with the class.
Utah Education Network (UEN)
8th Grade Poetry: Sonnet Poem
The third lesson of five in an eighth-grade poetry unit has young scholars comparing Shakespearean sonnets with Petrarchan sonnets. To begin, they examine the different structures of the two forms and their different rhyme schemes. After...
EngageNY
Grade 12 ELA Module 1: Unit 1, Lesson 11
Chapter 10 of Malcolm X's Autobiography introduces readers to Elijah Muhammad's teachings. Discussion questions focusing on syntax and diction draw attention to how Malcolm X's perspective on Mr. Muhammad changes.
K5 Learning
Robert Fulton – Steamboat Inventor
Examine the life of steamboat inventor, Robert Fulton, through reading comprehension worksheet that includes both multiple choice and short answer questions. Then, take part in a word search and write definitions, words, and...
Michigan State University
All About Insects
Insects are the focus of an activity that looks deep into the anatomy and metamorphosis of everyday bugs. Two worksheets reinforce knowledge obtained through a teacher-guided grand conversation and insect observation.
Virginia Department of Education
Biotechnological Issues and Bioethics
Culminate a bioethics unit with the implementation of a activity that incorporates the Socratic method to encourage class feedback and participation. Pupils participate in a discussion on bioethics and morality, complete a...
EngageNY
Grade 12 ELA Module 1, Unit 2, Lesson 4
The fourth instructional activity in this narrative writing unit focuses on how Leslie Marmon Silko uses telling details and sensory language in her "Yellow Woman and a Beauty of the Spirit" to bring alive the people of Laguna Pueblo and...
K12 Reader
Snack in the Sack
Get those -ack words straight with a quick exercise. Class members read a short poem that includes quite a few -ack words and then complete three reading comprehension questions.
K12 Reader
Mom Will Find the Fox
Fox, box, shop, got... what do all of these words have in common? The short /o/ sound! Give your class some practice with the short /o/ poem by reading the poem on this worksheet. Learners also answer three included reading comprehension...
K12 Reader
Make the Same Shape
Make sure your class has a grasp of words that include the long /a/ sound and follow the _a_e pattern. They can read the short poem on this page, which includes many examples of this pattern to practice, and then complete the three...
K12 Reader
The Spy Will Try Not to Cry
Learn all about the exploits of a sly spy from the short poem included on this resource. The poem, intended to provide practice with long /i/ words that use the letter y, is paired with three reading comprehension questions for pupils to...
K12 Reader
The Snow Blows
Brrr! It's cold outside when it snows. Have your class read this poem about the snow to practice the long /o/ sound, -ow words, and reading comprehension. After reading, they respond to three questions.
Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
Document Analysis: The Mayflower Compact
Here's a great comprehension activity that models for young readers how to focus on short sections of a complicated text and then to create a summary of the entire document based on their understanding of the sections.