Traditions, like the times, are a-changin'. Middle schoolers conduct a close reading of Richard Blanco's poem "América" and consider how Blanco's family approached his suggestions for adopting a new approach to their Thanksgiving meal.

Teach your class a thing or two about making educated mathematical guesses. Learners read a passage that explains estimation and approximate and exact answers. They then respond to five questions about and related to the text.

Reading and writing take on a whole different meaning in math class. Young mathematicians learn to read verbal phrases by focusing on operation words. They write equivalent algebraic expressions for both mathematical and contextual...

Imagine 28 instructional strategies, appropriate for all subject areas and all grade levels. Directed Reading-Thinking Activities (DRTA), Question-Answer Relationship (QAR) activities, KWL charts, comparison matrixes, classification...

When is it a good idea to use estimation? Learn about estimation and rounding with a reading comprehension lesson. After kids read a passage about estimation, they answer five comprehension questions on the other side of the page.

Why is it important to use precise language? Participants explore this question in the fourth activity in a series of 15 on effective instruction. Perfect for all content areas, the activity promotes appropriate language choice through...

Find out just how smart your young mathematicians are with this cross-curricular math and language arts lesson. After first reading Shel Silverstein's poem "Smart", students draw pictures of coins to model the different exchanges...

Are video games sports? Pupils investigate this question as well as various nonfiction selections to learn more about claims and the support that defines them. All of the selections mimic the rigor on state tests and encourage close...

Mystery is an exciting genre for young readers to investigate. The plots are so intriguing! Here is a series of lessons featuring Sherlock Holmes stories that invite learners to enter the world of the mystery genre.  Based on what...

Fourth graders watch a video about reading a gas meter and discuss what they saw in the clip.  In this place value lesson, 4th graders complete a worksheet where they fill in the missing dials on the meters. 

Students construct and interpret a "favorite classroom books" graph. In this literacy and math graphing lesson, students choose a reduced size copy of the book cover that corresponds with the book(s) they chose to read during their...

It is positive that how one performs on the first test relates to their performance on the second test. The three-question assessment has class members read and analyze a scatter plot of test scores. They must determine whether...

Celebrate the beauty of trees with a packet full of activities designed to help kindergarteners get to know about their leafy nature friends. Covering a variety of subjects, scholars go on a nature hike, read Shel Silverstein's The...

Triangles, circles, and rectangles are featured in a colorful, one-page worksheet that defines and illustrates these shapes. Read the explanations with your first graders and have them count the number of shapes in a given box. Since the...

Read aloud your choice of books about counting on and counting back (a list is provided, or tell stories of your own). Your learners will write horizontal equations to portray what happens in the story. They build a paper chain and...

Young mathematicians count to 120 using the number poster printed on the worksheet. They color in the incorrect numbers in the 120 chart, which requires close reading and command of number order. Pupils finish by completing the missing...

Fourth graders read gas meters to measure cubic feet and learn place values. For this place value lesson, 4th graders watch a video about meter reading and discuss place value on the gas meter dials. Students study a related chart and...

How many potatoes tall are you? Unearth this rich resource! A reading of John Coy’s Two Old Potatoes begins a cross-curricular exploration of potatoes. Class members read, write, weigh, measure, and experiment with potatoes. Additional...

Get the facts about credit and take a close look at what factors into a consumer credit report with this fantastic lesson. Your pupils will read informational texts, read sample financial documents, and discuss the advantages...

In this vocabulary learning exercise, students read 10 sentences that have a missing word or phrase. Students select the correct words to complete the sentence from 4 choices.

Three heads are better than one. After reading a conversation between three friends about how to compare fractions, scholars analyze and discuss each presented strategy. These include using unit fractions, using benchmark fractions,...

Does temperature affect the air pressure of a football? Young mathematicians look at the readings from a pressure gauge and determine if the balls are within regulation or are under inflated.

Help your students identify the attributes of two-dimensional shapes. They read the book Round is a Mooncake, and use pattern blocks to sort shapes. Students sort shapes according to their attributes.

It's always nice to hear from friends. Your budding mathematicians read letters from pen pals and convert customary measurements into metric units and vice versa. They also write letters to an imaginary pen pal using metric units.