Talk to the Hand

Working in groups, learners practice using gerunds as subjects by talking to one another. Then, independently, they write sentences using a subject, a verb, and a subject complement from a given list of each and in their own words. They...

Hold a silent discussion about concepts related to The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. After reading chapter seven, learners participate in a whole-class written discussion based on guiding questions written on the board by the teacher. 

Home in on the quote on this page to explore setting, the author's and character's voices, and plot in Willa Cather's My Antonia. Pupils draw a picture of what is described in the quote, discuss the content, and make connections to their...

Take the next step in the writing process with a instructional activity geared towards the completion of writing an evidence-based essay about a rule to live by as Bud did in Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis. Pupils collaborate...

Ray Bradbury's The Martian Chronicles provides the text for a fishbowl activity. Class members to sit in concentric circles, with the center circle discussing the topics from the book, and the outer circle observing the participants.

Good readers visualize. And in our image-rich culture it is imperative that children are provided with opportunities to practice this important skill. A selection from Shel Silverstein’s Where the Sidewalk Ends and Bridge to Terabithia,...

It's always fun to talk about something you're interested in, but it's just as important to listen to what someone else has to say. Guide class members into becoming stronger listeners with an interactive brainstorming activity.

A British man shows what people tend to do with their hands when they are nervous and first begin public speaking. He encourages the viewer to just leave your hands at your sides, and you will probably gesture normally as you begin to talk.

After processing notes from research or an interview, middle schoolers turn the information into a script or dialogue for narrative, persuasive, or expository text. Use this lesson in any writing unit to reinforce proper writing skills.