Lesson ten in this unit for the book Bullfrogs at Magnolia Circle, prepares third graders to begin writing an informational paragraph about the adaptations of bullfrogs. First, young writers work either independently or in pairs to...

Building on the previous lesson in this unit on colonial trade, the ninth lesson has young experts continuing their research and writing summaries of the information they find. To begin, children participate in guided practice where they...

In the tenth instructional activity of this unit, young scholars learn to categorize information as they continue researching their colonial trade. During guided practice, the teacher models how to read informational text slowly while...

Voices from the past. Young scholars listen to a podcast interview with a historical re-enactor as they continue their research in the eleventh lesson of this unit on colonial trade. Applying their close reading skills, learners first...

The twelfth instructional activity of this unit builds on the skills developed in the previous instructional activity, as fourth graders continue their quest to become experts on colonial trade by listening to interviews with historical...

Fourth graders work in small groups to become experts on different colonial trades in the eighth lesson of this unit. Working toward the long-term goal of writing a piece of historical fiction, young scholars read informational texts and...

While reading charts and statistics can sometimes be puzzling, this introductory lesson plan uses a jigsaw strategy to help students understand data about bullying in school. Four colorful charts of school survey data serve as the...

Do schools need written constitutions? Fourth graders dive into this constructive conversation by answering, sharing, and discussing five relevant prompts. The written conversations protocol, a highly effective discussion management...

Close reading skills are celebrated when fourth graders demonstrate their learning of the Iroquois people in modern times on T-charts, timelines, vote with their feet, and thumbs up/thumbs down. The informational text, The Iroquois: The...

Fourth graders practice using a graphic organizer to record their notes and answer text-dependent questions while supplying evidence of how they found their answer. They focus on a machine called the wheelright, which was commonly used...

This second lesson in a larger unit is perfect for the beginning of the year because it explicitly teaches 3rd graders how to use close reading skills by identifying unfamiliar words, figuring out the gist, and defining important...

The comprehensive study guide packet for Richard Connell’s "The Most Dangerous Game" challenges young readers to reflect on hunting as a sport and what it means to be civilized. Using various graphic organizers, including a Cornell Notes...

A full and thoughtful instructional activity includes links, handouts, guided viewing worksheets, and great extension activities. Upper graders will examine extreme politics, propaganda, hyper-partisanship, and the 1928 presidential...

Your learners are just starting to read books on their own, so this resource is perfect! Cut out the bookmark-size slips of paper for learners to utilize while reading Mr. Putter and Tabby Write the Book. Each of the five bookmark pages...

Help young readers learn how to highlight the most important information in a text. A short passage about deserts and a bulleted list are provided as an example. After reviewing it as a class, have learners try the passage about the...

A three-part assessment tests scholars' reading and writing capabilities. Young readers listen to and read an excerpt from Frog and Toad Together by Arnold Lobel. After drawing pictures of what is memorable, learners discuss their notes...

Assess scholars' reading and writing capabilities with an exam that challenges learners to respond to an informative text. Through note-taking and peer discussion, pupils analyze a passage from the story, Follow the Water from Brook to...

Over three days, scholars listen to and read the poem, "Covers" by Nikki Giovanni. Learners complete a graphic organizer by sketching their visualizations from each stanza then discuss their pictures with a peer. Pupils answer...

An assessment designed to examine scholars' reading comprehension skills takes place over three days. Starting with a read-aloud of My Five Senses by Aliki, learners then take notes and discuss their most memorable moments with a peer....

An assessment sheds light on scholars' ability to read, gather evidence, and draft an original written composition. Learners read an informative text twice before taking notes and discussing their thoughts and textual evidence with a...

Over two days, an assessment tests scholars' skills as they read, discuss, and write. Learners read a poem, discuss their findings with their peers, then write an explanatory essay detailing the theme of the poem. 

A performance task challenges scholars to read an informational text then respond with an explanatory essay. The exam begins with an independent reading of Seeing Eye to Eye by Leslie Hall. A second reading follows with the completion of...