Students explore the plot of mystery books. In this genre study lesson, students read the book, Sammy Keyes and the Hollywood Mummy and listen to a read aloud of a chapter from the text. Students fill in a graphic organizer that helps...

Read about the tumultuous beginning to the United States with an informational text passage about Colonial America. As young researchers peruse an article about the arrival of the Mayflower, the settlers' relationship to the neighboring...

As citizens living in the United States, it is our civil duty to vote. But how does the voting process work? After reading a five-paragraph passage on the basics of elections and voting, young constituents respond to 10 questions...

Encourage more pun-derstanding of word play in your literary scholars as they explore Brian P. Cleary's book Rhyme and Punishment: Adventures in Wordplay. Although this isn't suggested, consider beginning this study by simply showing...

Hook kids into a study on poetry elements by asking them to bring in the lyrics to their favorite song. Discuss the elements in one or two songs (preferably that demonstrate rhyme, figurative language, or a repeating phrase). Groups do...

Practice distinguishing biography from autobiography through point of view. Tell a brief story of your morning. Have a class member retell the story to you (using second person). And have another retell the story to the class (using...

Explore universal themes in literature with a literacy and multicultural awareness lesson. Elementary and middle schoolers make real world connections between themes in books from several cultures. They make inferences and locate text...

Students study fairy tales. In this fairy tales instructional activity, students discover beginning and ending phrases characteristic of these types of stories. They listen to their teacher read The Frog Prince, take notice of those...

A myth is a story that explains something in nature or society. Dive into the study of mythology as you read The Golden Flower with your class. Charts are used to define the characteristics of myths as well as to determine the main point...

How do you that you are reading a realistic fiction story? Help your pupils discover the answer to this question by providing a series of situations for them to relate to and analyze. The lesson is meant as a build-up to Bridge to...

  Students study the elements of fantasy in fiction as a whole group by dissecting fiction stories.  In this story elements lesson, students work through a handout about fantasy to point out the elements that point to the story...

Fifth graders examine plot conflict. In this plot analysis lesson plan students study conflict between two characters in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Students imagine themselves as a news reporter watching the combating in Narnia.

Cranberries, oysters, lobster, deer, and cabbage were just a few of the foods found on the table at the First Thanksgiving. After reading a two-page passage about the historic meal, class members respond to 10 reading...

Examine the book Stargazers by Gail Gibbons. Young readers will practice reading and interpreting information from diagrams in this informational text. They work together as a class on this skill and then move into independent...

What did Christopher Columbus have to say about his exploration of the Caribbean? Young historians have a chance to examine Columbus' own words about his voyage to Cuba and Santo Domingo. After reading Columbus' report, pupils respond to...

Imagine a dark sky lit up with fireflies. Robert Frost's "Fireflies in the Garden" instills a visual in the reader's mind of a star lit sky glowing with fireflies. After reading the poem, learners compare and contrast the image the...

Christopher Columbus did not have a lot of evidence to prove that he was in India, but language arts pupils have plenty of evidence to prove that he wasn't. Delve into the world of European exploration with a reading activity about...

What makes giving meaningful? Class members discuss this question, then listen to Alberto Rios reading his poem, "When Giving Is All We Have." Finally, the class considers what the poet says about the question.

Learners explore outlines. For this nonfiction comprehension and study skills lesson, students complete a traditional outline for the book Animal Homes by Ann O. Squire following guided instruction as the teacher models gathering...

Young scholars explore the elements of realistic fiction. In this genre study lesson, students discuss connections they have to characters in their favorite show or movie. Young scholars hunt for realistic fiction elements in a text and...

Fifth graders explore the theme of a story by identifying the effects of a character's decision. In this theme study lesson, 5th graders refer to the events in The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. Students discuss as a whole class how...

Young scholars investigate clues in mystery novels. In this genre study lesson, students read the book Sammy Keyes and The Hotel Thief and use the 5 W's to answer questions about the mystery. Young scholars draw conclusions using the...

What kid wouldn't love to learn about George Washington? The class reads a simplistic biography about George Washington to find out why he is so famous. They chart the things he did, as well as what makes a non-fiction book a biography....

Legends are stories that have been retold as they have been passed down through the generations. Learners orally retell The Legend of the Bluebonnet in their own unique way after discussing the importance of oral traditions and...