Curated OER
Author's Purpose Lesson Plans
Why do we practice identifying the author's purpose? Read this article to gain a better understanding of this reading strategy, and then peruse the attached lesson plans!
Curated OER
Literature-Based Skill Building: Freak the Mighty Chapter Three
Have your 5th or 6th graders read Freak the Mighty? Check their reading comprehension with this online worksheet. They answer 15 different questions based on chapter 3: American Flyer.
Curated OER
Parrot in the Oven: Pair Reading
After reading and discussing chapter 10 of Victor Martinez's Parrot in the Oven: Mi Vida with a partner, individuals write about a time they had to exhibit real courage.
Reed Novel Studies
The Janitor's Boy: Novel Study
The perfect plan can easily backfire. Jack, in The Janitor's Boy, thinks he has the perfect plan to get back at his father. Little did he know he would end up being sentenced to help his father. Scholars read about Jack and his...
Reed Novel Studies
Piecing Me Together: Novel Study
Jade from Renée Watson's Piecing Me Together wants to improve the world—and herself. Worksheets introduce new vocabulary, asks comprehension questions, and review personification and alliterations.
Curated OER
Where the Red Fern Grows Chapter 1 Worksheet
Break down Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls into manageable chunks by focusing on plot points and literary elements in specific chapters. This resource is all about the first chapter, and asks pupils to use complete sentences to...
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Three Skeleton Key
Encourage your middle schoolers to interact with the text as they read. While reading "Three Skeleton Key," class members note predictions, define words and study their meanings, take notes on how the suspense builds, and jot down ideas...
Teacher Web
Inferring Character Traits
Learning how to draw inferences from text is a key reading comprehension skill. Here's a worksheet that gives readers a chance to practice by offering 20 descriptive sentences and asking kids to identify the inferred character trait, and...
Curated OER
Parrot in the Oven: Chalk Talk/Expo Expose
A silent discussion? Indeed. Readers engage in a silent conversation about Victor Martinez's award-winning novel by recording questions, insights, and comments on the board.
Novelinks
The House of the Scorpion: Concept Analysis
Considering using Nancy Taylor's award-winning science fiction novel The House of the Scorpion as an option for book circles or as a whole-class reading? Check out this packet that includes background information, information about the...
K12 Reader
Change the Point of View: First Person and Third Person
How is a story different when told from various points of view? Learn about first and third person points of view with an activity based on Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island. Readers examine a passage written in first person, then...
K12 Reader
Narrator’s Point of View Flow Chart
How can you tell what point of view a narrator is using, and why does it matter when reading or writing? Use a handy flow chart to determine whether or not your narrator is telling the story from a first or third person point of view.
Power Show
Introduction to Out of the Dust
Powerful images set the stage for Karen Hesse's historical fiction novel, Out of the Dust. The photos, maps, quotes from the text, critical thinking questions, and background information on the Dust Bowl period are all included, and will...
For the Teachers
Sequence Plot Chart
Your kids can identify the plot sequence of a short story, but what about an informational article? Have them examine the chronological order of events in informational texts with a lesson plan on the sequence of events.
For the Teachers
Story Strips Sequencing
What happens next? Work on story sequence with a instructional activity that prompts kids to put a story back in order. Additionally, they discuss what would happen if one event was missing from the sequence.
Curated OER
The Cay
Designed for teachers who use Theodore Taylor's The Cay, this 11-page packet includes a synopsis of the story, chapter-based quizzes, and an answer key.
Roald Dahl
The Twits - Mrs Twit
"A person who has good thoughts cannot ever be ugly." The second lesson in an 11-part unit that accompanies The Twits by Roald Dahl uses poetry to encourage positive character traits. Mrs. Twit has ugly thoughts, but those thoughts can...
Curated OER
Pudd'nhead Wilson: Guided Imagery
Inspire thought around some of the themes of Pudd'nhead Wilson with a visualization activity. As you read a passage, learners close their eyes and picture the scene. A writing exercise and discussion follow.
Novelinks
Touching Spirit Bear: Anticipatory Guide
Will Peter and Cole ever forgive one another? Anticipation guides contain questions such as this to help teach readers how to make predictions about a text. First out of a series of five resources, the guide is full of statements about...
Curated OER
Journeying to Jo'Burg and Beyond
Middle schoolers read and analyze the novel, "Journey to Jo'burg " by Beverly Naidoo to assess a deeper insight to the history of South Africa and how it has impacted world events today. As they think more on a global level, they begin...
Curated OER
Rules
Students read about an autistic boy and learn about how he communicates. In this picture book summary lesson, students draw illustrations of events in the story that convey the theme.
Curated OER
Shakespeare Shows
Middle schoolers study, interpret, perform, and present various Shakespearean works adapted for middle school Students. They choose a scene from one of the plays covered in this teaching unit to reenact with a group.
Curated OER
Shadowmancer by G. P. Taylor
In this review of the book, Shadowmancer, by G. P. Taylor learning exercise, 6th graders answer questions divided into the sections Before you Begin, What to Do as you Read, Chapters one through twenty-five, and After Reading. Students...
Curated OER
Out of the Dust: Visions of Dust Bowl History Lesson Overview
Students complete activities with the book Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse. In this literature lesson, students read this story and view the Dust Bowl history from the eyes of a child. They discover the Great Depression and life in the...