The Polar Express

Put on your hats and mittens, button your coat and lace your boots, its time for a trip on The Polar Express. Designed with both primary and upper-grade learners in mind, this resource provides lessons and activities that use this...

All aboard! Pair a reading of The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg with a set of literacy activities. The packet of worksheets includes task cards, sorting activities, a synonym match, comparing and contrasting activities, writing...

Before a child can write in detail, he/she needs to be able to identify what the details are. To build an understanding of how to add or express details in describing an object, place, or person, learners match the detail cards to the...

All aboard The Polar Express! Use a word search to bring the magic of Chris Van Allsburg's sweet holiday story to your classroom. It features a picture from the book, as well as words and items from the story.

Story retell is a very important skill. Little learners use a story map and a previously heard story to walk through the retell and story sequencing process. They complete this activity as a whole class and then on their own. 

Reading with expression excites listeners of any age. They will discuss different ways to change their reading expression as they listen to the teacher read Froggy Goes to the Doctor. Then in small groups, they'll practice reading with...

In an engaging anticipatory set, the teacher uses several different strategies to activate prior knowledge about reading with expression, including using sentence strips (that must be prepped ahead of time) to show different moods. The...

Young scholars listen to the book Papa, Please Get The Moon For Me, by Eric Carle. They create an illustration using a computer paint program. Learners type one sentence describing their picture into a text box in the paint program to...

The story of Helen Keller is a fascinating one for young scholars; use it to practice reading comprehension and new vocabulary as learners listen to you read David Adler's picture book (hint: this strategy can be applied to any book)....

Young scholars generate vocabulary words synonymous or related to "noise." In this literacy lesson, students listen to the book Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What do You Hear? by Bill Martin and Eric Carle and discuss the meaning of vocabulary...