Explore gender stereotypes by analyzing how male and female characters are depicted in comic books. Using the provided Comic Book Analysis sheet, students record the attributes of male and female comic book characters. Then the whole...

Engage further in Esperanza Rising with a focus on close reading and metaphor. Class members zero in on the tenth chapter, examining characters and big ideas. Pupils discuss the text in small groups and as a whole class, and...

"How can a few good words save a pig's life?" Posed with this question, your ELD young scholars explore E.B. White's Charlotte's Web in a meaningful, valuable way. By analyzing specific word choice from the book, especially the excerpts...

Begin class with a short comprehension quiz and review and then move into a new genre: two-voice poems. The activity provides information about this type of poetry as well as a video example made by eighth graders that you can show your...

Read this twist on Goldilocks and the Three Bears: Dusty Locks and the Three Bears by Susan Lowell. Kindergartners listen, predict, and discuss the story. They then participate in a dramatization of the story and draw a picture...

What makes a novel a novel? Class members select a favorite novel, record their impressions on a worksheet, and then come together in groups to discuss the elements common to narrative writing. Next, they identify the characters, the...

Here is a instructional activity which is "flexible," and can operate as an individual or whole class activity. After reading a book of their choosing, with the use of a semantic map, learners identify character traits. They infer how...

Help young historians personally engage in the stories of African Americans during the Great Migration! Assessing a migration route map, learners create a migrant character's experience, adding details while studying primary sources. A...

Third graders read the story "Sam and the Lucky Money". Individually, they identify new key terms from the story. In groups, they examine the setting and discuss how it relates to the plots and characters. To end the lesson plan, they...

Students read sections of "A Morning of Weighing Babies". Individually, they write a paragraph examining the main characters and their actions. After sharing a few writings, they discuss the relationship between the author and the...

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...

Young scholars write an essay to describe the contents of a compost bin.  In this composting lesson, students create a compost bin. Young scholars examine soil for its contents and explains in an essay the impact of the soil on the...

Our uniqueness should be celebrated, not teased. The story Chrysanthemum addresses having a distinct name and dealing with different perceptions. Pre- and post-reading questions are listed to help your learners understand...

Everyone has a different opinion about the characters they read about in books. Have your class explore forming an opinion and finding evidence to support it as they read and discuss what they think about a particular character. They...

Students study how to create a compost heap. In this composting lesson plan, students create a compost heap. Students write an essay describing the process.

Explore point of view and more with a Common Core-designed instructional activity. Learners experience different points of view by representing one of two characters from Esperanza Rising during a partner discussion. They must use...

Learners explore cultural myths in America by collecting images and characteristics of stereotypical Americans. They read a primary source document, discussing the views of the author in class. Next, they compare the terms used to...

Meant to follow a lesson about how concentrated air particles can be inside of a building, this resource gets individuals to assess the possible air pollutants in their own homes. They take home a worksheet and circle spots on it that...

Elements, to the rescue! Scholars first review the periodic table, and then learn about the first 20 elements and their properties and uses in the fourth of six lessons in the Mixtures and Solutions unit. Applying their newfound...

Students analyze language arts by reading a book in class. For this book report lesson, students must read one of five selected books including 1984 and Lord of the Flies. Students prepare a two page report and create a poster...

Third graders explore language arts by answering study questions about a book they read. In this reading summary lesson, 3rd graders read the book Verdi by Janell Cannon and identify the plot, characters and sequence of the story....

Fourth graders explain the hardship of economic limitations in Westward Expansion . They describe the effects of fluctuations in supply and demand. They put themselves in the place of pioneers hoping to build a homestead.

Students experiment with a variety of liquids to calculate density. In this integrated science and math lesson, students listen to a story in which the characters must prove and explain why 5 "mystery" liquids react in a certain manner....

Students explore environmental awareness by utilizing computer technology. In this ecosystem conservation activity, students read assigned text which describes the current ecological conditions of Hawaii. Students collaborate in groups...