Curated OER
Onomatopoeia
Some words actually sound like their meaning. When this happens, it's known as onomatopoeia. Learners look at a series of pictures, and match up a bunch of words with the pictures they sound like. For example, the word buzz would go with...
Curated OER
Creating a Character Chart for the Secret Garden
The Secret Garden, is a wonderful book to read with your class. After reading, why not employ the lesson plan presented here as a follow up activity? In it, pupils create character charts that portray the tremendous changes that take...
Great Schools
Different Types of Writing
What type of writing is this? Learners read a brief introduction to various types of text: instructions, explanations, poems, folk tales, novels, informative, and arguments. The introduction doesn't explain these, so consider going over...
Prestwick House
A Long Way Gone
The memoir A Long Way Gone tells the story of a child soldier during the civil war in Sierra Leone. A crossword puzzle helps reinforce key ideas found in the memoir. The puzzle addresses characters, key events, and other details from the...
Curated OER
Introduce Vocabulary: Make Way for Ducklings (McCloskey)
Use the Caldecott Award-winning book Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey (which can be found on YouTube if you don't have it) to guide budding readers through vocabulary in context. Although the instruction here is limited to the...
BBC
Sweet Tooth - Full Stops
Young writers engage in a lesson which reinforces the concept of when to use periods, "full stops" as they're called, when writing. There is a terrific online activity built into the plan which gives the kids valuable practice, then a...
Curated OER
Learning to Interview
An authentic and engaging way to practice literacy skills, this lesson calls for young language arts pupils to conduct interviews with classmates and family members. First, pupils watch as the teacher models the interview process with a...
Curated OER
Introduce Vocabulary: How Do Dinosaurs Go To School? (Yolen)
Dinosaurs don't go to school...but what if they did? Use Jane Yolen's book How Do Dinosaurs Go To School to explore vocabulary in context. Find this on YouTube if you don't have the text on hand. These in-text words give some ideas of...
Curated OER
Introduce Vocabulary: Smoky Night (Bunting)
Experience the Los Angeles Riots through the eyes of a child in Even Bunting's poignant story Smoky Night. Use this text as you teach vocabulary in context, using comprehension questions to help scholars make connections to outside...
Curated OER
What Kind of Ladybug Are You?
As a class, read different sentences prepared by the teacher, identifying the punctuation that is needed for the appropriate expression. In small groups, have each child assume the role of one or more character in The Grouchy Ladybug by...
Curated OER
Introduce Vocabulary: Franklin's New Friend (Bourgeois)
Franklin the turtle makes a new friend as youngsters learn vocabulary in context using Paulette Bourgeois' story (tip: this strategy can be applied to any book). Brief kids on the new words so they can raise their hands when they hear...
Curated OER
Syllable Challenge Ball Game
Toss the ball! Help readers listen for the number of syllables in a word. They play an interactive ball game where they toss the ball to a peer and state a word using the number of syllables called out by the teacher. This is a great...
Curated OER
Introduce Vocabulary: Fly Away Home (Bunting)
Approach a difficult subject with budding readers through Eve Bunting's story Fly Away Home, a child's perspective on homelessness. Focus on vocabulary in context, going over the terms learners will hear before reading aloud. There are...
PBS
The Little Red Hen: A Tale of Cooperation
Ensure that your kids don't even consider saying "Not me!" when it comes time to read by engaging them in this set of lesson plans based around "The Little Red Hen." The class reads the story together before starting in on additional...
Curated OER
Weekly Reading Test
In this reading and writing worksheet, 1st graders write the words that the teacher calls out from the list given to them. Students recognize and write out 10 words.
Curated OER
Writing Lowercase k and f
Here's some visual printing practice with lowercase letters k and f. Emerging writers trace each letter before trying a few freehand in the space provided. Note that there is no dotted middle line here to keep your printers on track as...
Curated OER
Nations Pledge to End the Use of Child Soldiers
In this English worksheet, students read "Nations Pledge to End the Use of Child Soldiers," and then respond to 47 fill in the blank, 7 short answer, 20 matching, and 8 true or false questions about the selection.
Curated OER
Phonemic Awareness, Say It and Move It
Students clap and count sounds when saying different words. In this phonemic awareness lesson plan, students move bingo chips around when hearing a certain number of sounds in words.
Curated OER
"The Possibility of Evil" Vocabulary
Read Shirley Jackson's "The Possibility of Evil" and complete this word study. You may choose to introduce these seven words before reading the text to front-load the new words. Words include indulgently, rapt, unchecked, degraded,...
Teachers.net
Chicka-Chicka-Boom-Boom/ Chicka Challenge (Elementary, Literature)
Is your Kindergarten class about to read the book, Chicka-Chicka-Boom-Boom? If they are, and you want a few wonderful activity ideas to reinforce phonemic awareness and letter identification skills, look no further. Here you'll find over...
Curated OER
Here's an Instant Activity for November 19, 2007
An instant spelling activity, that's what it's called. Learners practice their spelling skills with consonant and vowel -y ending words. They use a word bank to help them sort the words into consonant and vowel-y ending words.
Curated OER
School-Home Links: Breaking Words into Syllables
Involve the whole family in syllable division with this resource, which has parents helping their children practice a new skill. Learners look at 6 words, which are visually divided, and write down their syllable count. There are 2...
Curated OER
Role Playing: Family
Provided here is a script called A Very Big Family! Use it for two things. First, get your English language learners up and speaking English. Providing them with a script and plenty of practice time will ensure reading fluency. Also,...
Curated OER
Puzzle Fun with Long /O/ and Long /I/ Words
Search this crossword puzzle for words with long /o/ and /i/ sounds. Some of the clues are challenging, so consider completing the most difficult clues together. As an extension, it is suggested that your learners find the homophones in...