Lesson Plan
Better Lesson

Better Lesson: Generally Speaking, Generalizations Can Generally Be Confusing

For Teachers 5th Standards
In this lesson, 5th graders learn how to identify a generalization in a text so that they can then spot lies or inaccuracies. Includes downloadable workbook with a generalization activity on page 53.
Lesson Plan
Better Lesson

Better Lesson: The True Story of Christopher Columbus

For Teachers 5th Standards
In this lesson, 5th graders analyze two nonfiction passages on Christopher Columbus to determine facts and author's bias and its influence on the readers.
Handout
Online Writing Lab at Purdue University

Purdue University Owl: Academic Writing: Sentence Variety: Strategies for Variation

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
This lesson offers suggestions to help you fix short, choppy sentences, combine sentences with the same subject, and revise sentences that sound the same. L.11-12.3 Language Functions/Style
Lesson Plan
Better Lesson

Better Lesson: Nature's Fury: Performance Task Continued

For Teachers 5th Standards
In this activity, 5th graders develop narratives by describing characters and creating a logical event sequence. This is part of a larger unit but can be taught separately.
Lesson Plan
Better Lesson

Better Lesson: The Leprechaun Companion

For Teachers 5th Standards
In this instructional activity, 5th graders will explain the meaning of a text and its genre, summarize it, and draw conclusions. They work with a book called The Leprechaun Companion which is a cross between informational and literary...
Lesson Plan
Better Lesson

Better Lesson: Closing Up Our Writing by Summing Up the Main Ideas

For Teachers 5th Standards
In this lesson, 5th graders will write a strong concluding paragraph that summarizes the main ideas of a research essay.
Lesson Plan
Other

Frist Art Museum: Before We Visit the Museum [Pdf]

For Teachers 5th Standards
In this lesson, 5th graders are asked to examine the rationale behind a class visit to a museum or other cultural center, what happens during such a trip, and why museums have rules in place for their visit. After exploring images of the...
Lesson Plan
Better Lesson

Better Lesson: What Is Plagiarism?

For Teachers 5th - 7th Standards
In this lesson, students write summaries of researched information in their own words and quote text accurately.
Lesson Plan
Utah Education Network

Uen: 5th Grade Opinion Writing Prompt

For Teachers 5th Standards
For this lesson, 5th graders are asked to write an opinion about whether the United States should stop using pennies. Their opinion must be based on ideas and information from the two reading passages provided.
Lesson Plan
Other

Literacy Design Collaborative: Partner Retelling of Narrative Text

For Teachers 4th - 5th Standards
For this lesson, the teacher reads a story aloud and learners work with a partner to retell the story using sentence starters. Includes downloadable poster.
Lesson Plan
Better Lesson

Better Lesson: What the Heck Is That? Inferring the Purpose of an Object

For Teachers 5th Standards
In this instructional activity, 5th graders use their prior knowledge and inference skills to determine uses of unfamiliar objects. They participate in group discussions and analyze the key information they have in order to reach...
Handout
McGraw Hill

Mc Graw Hill: Speaking and Listening: Respond to Ideas and Questions

For Students 3rd - 8th Standards
Excellent guidelines for how to ask and answer questions in order to have a productive group discussion.
Handout
BBC

Bbc Bitesize: Speaking and Listening: Standard English

For Students 5th - 8th Standards
Explains what standard English is and when it is used, the difference between formal and informal language, and non-standard forms of English such as those found in dialects.
Handout
BBC

Bbc Bitesize: Listening to Others and Building on Arguments

For Students 5th - 8th Standards
This resource explains how to listen carefully to someone to identify the points they are trying to make and how to use those points to add additional information to the discussion. Includes sentence starters to help frame what you want...
Handout
BBC

Bbc: Skillswise: Using Commas [Pdf]

For Students 3rd - 8th Standards
Use this BBC Skillswise factsheet to learn more about commas, including how to use them in a series and how to separate less important parts of a sentence.
Unit Plan
McGraw Hill

Mc Graw Hill: Vocabulary Acquisition and Use: Understand Figurative Language

For Students 5th Standards
Explains what similes and metaphors are and how they are alike and different. Provides examples and practice sheets for each.
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BBC

Bbc: Skillswise: English: Reading: Dictionaries and Indexes Quiz: Level One [Pdf]

For Students 3rd - 8th Standards
Quiz testing basic alphabetization and dictionary skills required for real-world application. Three levels of difficulty with answers provided.
Lesson Plan
Better Lesson

Better Lesson: Movie vs. Book

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
In this lesson, learners compare the video version of the teleplay "The Monsters are Due on Maple Street" to the actual teleplay. (A teleplay is a play or script written for television.) The links to media in this lesson no longer work,...
Handout
Indiana University

Indiana University East: Writing Center: Transitions: Understanding Signal Words

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
This resource page provides nine lists of signal words and what they mean. Covers words that show time, addition, contrast, comparison, illustration, location, cause and effect, conclusion or summary, and emphasis or clarification.
Lesson Plan
Scholastic

Scholastic: What's Another Word For? What's the Opposite Of?

For Teachers 3rd - 5th Standards
Check out these creative ways to teach students about synonyms and antonyms. Features a great list of ideas for teachers to include in their lesson plans.
Activity
BBC

Bbc: Voices: Schools: Speech Styles and Standard English [Pdf]

For Students 4th - 8th Standards
Some activities to do with students to help them understand about dialects and accents. Presents a poem written phonetically with a Londoner's accent, two more poems with lesson ideas, and a story with some non-standard English words...
Unit Plan
PBS

Pbs: How to Use Commas for Yes, No, Tag Questions, and Direct Address

For Teachers 3rd - 8th Standards
Models how to use commas with offset elements such as yes, no, or a tag question. Includes downloadable reference sheet, a short student exercise, and an answer key for the teacher.
Professional Doc
Reading Rockets

Reading Rockets: Developing Academic Language: Got Words?

For Teachers 3rd - 8th Standards
This is a research-based article concerning how to best teach academic vocabulary. Research finds that most teachers assign and mention vocabulary, but to be effective, instruction must be direct and meaningful. Recommendations for...
Unit Plan
E Reading Worksheets

E Reading Worksheets: Text Structure

For Students 4th - 8th Standards
This resource focuses on text structure by defining the types of organizational patterns and providing examples of each. These are followed by a list of links to practice activities on text structure and main idea, as well as some videos.