Help your kindergarteners identify the main idea in a story. Small groups work with the teacher to make predictions and draw conclusions. They are able to determine cause and effect relationships. The lesson is divided into several days,...

Explore non-fiction comprehension strategies with your class. They will visualize daily activities and label a 4 circle Venn diagram with related phrases. They must identify the overlapping sections as "main ideas," then complete a...

What do astronauts eat in outer space? Kids can read an informational passage to learn about space food. The passage includes prompts that have learners identify the main idea and key details, then write a paragraph summarizing the text....

Does your class know the history behind today's telephone? They will after reading a very interesting one-page informational passage. They'll learn all about the way phones have progressed to the amazing devices they've become as they...

Students explore nonfiction texts. In this language arts lesson plan, students read a nonfiction text and make predictions. Students identify facts and opinions in the text and draw conclusions as they read.

Build the skills your budding authors need to develop to compose well-structured paragraphs. Give them the topic sheet (included here), and have them write a cohesive paragraph using the ideas listed. Consider having them include two...

Is Phoebe a good friend to Sal or not? After reading chapters twenty-five and twenty-six of Walk Two Moons, class members use the provided graphic organizer to develop an argumentative piece. Writers must decide if the two...

Fourth graders work independently or in a small group with a tutor or teacher to (1) read a nonfictional selection, (2) practice drawing conclusions, (3) identify main ideas, and (4) practice responding to cause and effect questions.

Read an article about the migration of our ancestors and write a paragraph. Pupils paraphrase and summarize to restate the information found in a nonfiction text. They write a shortened version of the reading to demonstrate the...

A great student reference tool and graphic organizer in one worksheet! Young writers can read a detailed description of each section of a standard five-paragraph essay before completing a graphic organized with their own writing. The...

Pupils recall details of nursery rhyme read by teacher, identify main characters, and demonstrate knowledge of poem by creating concept map about story that includes title, clip art, and changes in font and color.

Young scholars identify cause and effect relationships in a short story. After reading a short story, they participate in a discussion of how one event in a story can lead to several others. Students are then paired for a matching task...

Fifth graders read two Mexican folktales and discuss cause and effect. They draw a cause and effect relationship from one of the stories.

Eleventh graders study the causes of the American Revolution. For this American History lesson, 11th graders read a story "Guns for General Washington. Students read and discuss statements about war. 

Pupils view a PowerPoint presentation about Character sketches, and write a four paragraph character sketch. Emphasis is placed on topic sentences having one main idea per paragraph and elaborating. They study and discuss ways to write...

Next time you assign your young historians to write a persuasive essay, use this document as a starting point and support them with a rubric, tips for writing a successful persuasive piece, and a general essay outline.

First graders listen to story Chrysanthemum, discuss story with a focus on the length of Chrysanthemum's name, and compare the lengths of their own names using letter tiles, grid paper, and a class graph.

Students identify and interpret what tall tales, urban legends, and cyberlore are and to find them in their own lives. They practice telling and listening to these types of tales and explore why people tell them. Students also identify...

Students identify and interpret the function, usefulness or utitlity, form, beauty or aesthetics, and meaning, context or story, of objects and how they learn new skills and make things that they learn traditionally, by observation and...

How did Native Californians and Franciscans influence one another in early California? Learners analyze a few cultural pieces to examine the impact that integration had on Franciscan and Native Californian culture.

Pupils explore higher level thinking. They develop their critical thinking skills by answering open ended questions. Students work cooperatively and make and explain connections between texts and their personal lives. Pupils use scoring...

Young scholars write about main characters. In this dramatic writing lesson, students brainstorm character ideas. Young scholars create actions and give the character a voice. Students act out the scene in groups and create a final...

Review with your young learners what opposites are and use a fun tag board game called Auntie Alice to practice. After the class plays the game, pairs work on computers practicing with interactive matching/flashcards/concentration games...

Third graders describe, represent and compare fractions using pieces of a chocolate bar.  In this fractions lesson, 3rd graders demonstrate how to read and write fractions correctly. Students then integrate technology by using...