Article provides excellent tips and strategies for building comprehension and critical thinking skills in Social Studies. It describes some of the challenges students have with reading and understanding their textbooks.

A short explanation of how summarize an informational text. Click on the Model link to see an example summary with explanation.

This series of four video segments features a social studies teacher and a chemistry teacher demonstrating the integration of academic vocabulary into their classrooms. These segments feature the incorporation of general vocabulary (Tier...

Here is a collection of our common core aligned worksheets for core standard L.1.6. A brief description of the worksheets is on each of the worksheet widgets. Click on the images to view, download, or print them. All worksheets are free...

At this site from the University of Edinburgh, the author claims that planning and control produce good communication. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.SL.1

Integrating speaking and listening builds a positive classroom community with less bullying, increased self-confidence, and greater independence, along with the ability to work with all students. This article gives ideas for projects or...

Explicitly teach a collection of competencies that will help students think through, think about, and think with pictures.

Use this guide to learn how to evaluate web pages. This concise guide also addresses why evaluation is important. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.7

Links to 57 lessons and activities that build student skills in standard SL.4.1b: Follow agreed upon rules for discussion and carry out assigned roles.

Links to 36 lessons and activities that build student skills in standard SL.4.1a: Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied required material; explicitly draw on that preparation and other information known about the topic to...

In this lesson plan, the teacher reads a story aloud and students work with a partner to retell the story using sentence starters. Includes downloadable poster.

What kinds of evidence best support the points you make in a paper? Where can you find the evidence you need? This handout answers all these questions and more, including the difference between primary and secondary sources. You'll also...

Extensive information on how to use the American Psychological Association (APA) format for citations. Information is provided on general format, referring to other works, reference list, notes, and examples in the APA format. W.9-10.8...

This in-depth article analyzes how teachers can effectively teach students that written language does not always correspond to spoken language. Sample lesson ideas are included. SL.9-10.6 Adapt to task/formal. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.L.1,...

Moving away from the fantasy worlds of video games, No Way draws young scholars into a compelling real-life scenario in which they are editorial interns at a science-themed website. This classroom activity on electricity offers a fun way...

In this science-themed literacy lesson, students read for and differentiate between qualitative and quantitative information.

In this science-themed literacy lesson, students learn how to identify the central idea and key details in an article about sea turtles.

Read about strategies to help students integrate information across diverse media formats. Includes video. [4:18]

A definition of theme or central idea along with a link to a practice activity. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.2

Learn about process analysis, writing procedurals texts, the steps of the writing process, and cause and effect in this unit. Also, examine patterns of organization in writing. A handy chart shows common organizational patterns which...

This instructional activity focuses on using credible appeals in persuasive speeches including defining subjective and objective credibility, the types and elements of credibility, and the ethical use of credibility appeals....

[Free Registration/Login Required] A site with links to 2 worksheets and 6 lessons that can be downloaded and printed for student use while building skills with standard SL.4.4: Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an...

[Free Registration/Login Required] These worksheets and lesson plans can help students practice the Common Core State Standards skill of telling a story or recounting an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive...

Several graphic organizers to develop skills in reading literary texts (RL.3 for grades 6, 7, and 8).