Students create a character map of the main characters in The Tale of Despereaux. After reading the text, students create a character chart based on information they gleaned from the story. They use this information to write a letter...

Positive character traits in literature are explored in this character development and literacy lesson. Learners listen to Cinderella by Charles Perrault and Little Gold Star by Robert D. San Souci, followed by a discussion comparing the...

Review selections from Shel Silverstein's A Light in the Attic and recognize characterization and tone used. Discuss and compare the various tones of each poem. Learners complete a character map and a pair share activity as well....

First graders create a diagram of a story by using the computer program Kidspiration. For this diagramming lesson plan, 1st graders will pick a book to write about. They then will plug in story elements of the book into the computer...

Who's your favorite Roald Dahl character? What book by Roald Dahl is the most exciting for you? Explore the wacky world of Matilda, The BFG, The Twits, The Witches, James and the Giant Peach, and more with a helpful resource pack for...

Explore how illustrations add to a story. Young learners will look at picture books to see how the pictures tell the story. They create illustrations to go with a chosen story, and then flip the activity so they have to write a story to...

First graders review the terms characters, setting and events in stories. They are shown how to access the Kidspiration Map, and how to add pictures in the correct spaces on the map. Students insert pictures in the map of the story...

Learners create a story map of the basic elements and significant events of the book Flat Stanley. Students brainstorm places they would like to visit if they had been flattened and then, write about an imagined experience. Learners...

Students research a person who had a role in the Lewis and Clark expedition. They work together to create and perform a skit showing the person they researched role. They write their own journal entries to end the lesson.

Learners, using the Internet, communicate with peers around the world about winter-themed books. They study authors, write book reviews, re-write endings, interview book characters, create scene dioramas, paint murals, and write...

Students examine cultures, traditions, and feeling throughout cultures. In this cultural instructional activity, students use literature, maps, and cultural information to examine how people have universal feelings despite their...

Students examine a fairy tale character of their choice in great detail. They create a wanted poster that includes the following: a picture of the character, a written description of his/her appearance, a reward amount, and reasonthe...

Students utilize a new language to discuss dates and birthdays.  For this foreign language lesson, students practice using vocabulary words from a target language to speak about birthdays and culture related to a specific student....

Students watch the video "Make Way for Ducklings" by Robert Mc Closkey. They write letters to Mr. and Mrs. Mallard and make a map for the mallards. They talk about the importance of animal habitats.

Students draw pictures to generate ideas about a character. They use prewriting skills to plan written work. They then dictate or write detailed descriptions of familiar person, places, objects, or experiences.

Students familiarize themselves with fables by listening to several of them. They define fables. They identify the moral of a specific fable. They identify characters, plot and sequence of events. They create a mask of a character in a...

Students conduct Internet research of their community's weather and compare it to the weather in another location. After conducting research, students become weather reporters by reporting their findings to the class by using a...

Students read and analyze an African version of the Cinderella story. They listen to John Steptoe's story, "Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters," locate Africa on a map, compare and contrast the story with Cinderella, and identify fairytale and...

Students read Tom Thumb story versions from around the world. They locate the country on a map. They compare and contrast the stories and analyze common elements found in fairytales. They create a finger puppet and write about being...

Interested in a special folktale to read with your class? Then this lesson might be for you. Readers will build an understanding of the food chain while creating a storyboard that includes the characters, setting, and plot of the story....

Honor Dr. Seuss on his birthday with a read aloud of the story Oh! the Places You'll Go! and a variety of activities that inspire scholars to dream of their future endeavors. Readers take part in conversations, research the...

While the preparation for this instructional activity is extensive, the results are well worth the effort. Prior to the instructional activity, Xerox the pictures from Cranberry Thanksgiving by Wende and Harry Devlin, collect the...

Students explore the idea of aerial photography through the story of Amelia the Pigeon. They view an actual aerial photograph of their school or home, and then write a story describing what Amelia would see if she flew over their school...

Students listen to the story of Peter and the Wolf and answer comprehension questions. They then will name the beginning, middle, and end of the story using a graphic organizer. Students then individually illustrate each part of the...