Scholastic
Pilgrim and Wampanoag Daily Life for Grades 6–8
Two slide shows, viewed side-by-side, permit middle schoolers to compare and contrast the lives of the Pilgrims of the Plimoth colony and the Wampanoags. Four videos take learners on virtual field trips to the Plymouth plantation. And an...
Curated OER
Historical Agency in History Book Sets (HBS)
Study historical events by combining the study of historical fiction and non-fiction. Learners read about true past events in historical fiction novels and then research non-fiction accounts of the same events. What are some differences...
Curated OER
Sequencing
Young scholars consider how cause and effect translate into sequencing in literary works. In this sequencing lesson, students read non-fiction passages about Eleanor Roosevelt and Clara Barton. Young scholars complete graphic organizers...
Curated OER
Reading Non-Fiction
Students identify the key features of printed non-fiction texts. In this deciphering texts lesson, students watch a video clip of a news program and a children's program to compare presentations. Students also identify...
Curated OER
Basil Heatter, "The Long Night of the Little Boats"
“It was a miracle.” Basil Heatter’s “The Long Night of the Little Boats,” which details the miraculous rescue of the British army from the shores of Dunkirk in 1940, is featured in a series of exercises that ask class members to read,...
Curated OER
Jane Goodall
Learners read about Jane Goodall and complete discussion questions after they read about her. In this Jane Goodall lesson plan, students discuss questions as a group or write answers individually.
Curated OER
Main Idea in Informational Text
Individuals complete a pre-assessment to gauge their ability to determine the main idea and supporting details in nonfiction text. They examine a new piece of nonfiction reading by looking at the table of contents, headings, and index...
San Francisco Symphony
Biographical Slideshow
Biographies can be a fun topic for any history project. Learners choose one famous person that lived between 1865 and 1930 to research. They gather information, work on reading comprehension, and use what they find to create slide shows...
Curated OER
Call It a Hunch
Give young scholars a chance to practice making inferences after reading the book Through My Eyes by Ruby Bridges. They confirm whether or not their conclusions are true, have a class discussion, and then independently complete an...
Curated OER
A River Ran Wild: An Environmental History
The Nashua River serves as the focal point of an investigation of the treatment of and care for natural resources. A reading of A River Rand Wild: An Environmental History by Lynne Cherry, launches the study and class members consider...
Curated OER
Analyzing Textbook Formats
Students explore the characteristics of a non-fiction text. In this comprehension lesson, students are led on a guided tour of each text and identify the features of a non-fiction text. Students continue to practice locating features...
Curated OER
Nutrition and Fitness
Sixth graders investigate the food guide pyramid. They conduct Internet research, and plan a three day nutritional menu appropriate for teenagers. Students include three meals per day and a snack for each day on their menu, and...
Curated OER
LPS Nonfiction and Research Follow-Up CRT Project
Students read different types of literature in a group setting. They discuss the related themes and research them. They create a PowerPoint presentation on the information they have collected.
Curated OER
Analyzing Features of Consumer Text
Students evaluate consumer information. In this written communication lesson, students read nutrition facts from different foods and determine the foods that have the most healthful benefits.
Curated OER
Poke and Look Learning Books
Learners read Poke and Look Learning Books and complete predicting activities, reading, questioning, and more. In this Poke and Look Learning Books, students do this for 13 different books.
Curated OER
Summarization Superstars
How do you read when you know you're going to be summarizing a text? Summarize a nonfiction text with your upper elementary schoolers. Your pupils independently read a nonfiction article and write a summary paragraph using the six-step...
Curated OER
Main Idea in Informational Text
Readers identify main ideas and supporting details using informational texts. For this literacy lesson, they make predictions and read the text to find the main ideas. They use a table diagram to define the main idea and supporting...
Curated OER
Comparing Themes Across Texts
Read various texts to compare the themes across each text. Learners write a journal entry describing the most beautiful scenery they've seen and use a map of the United States to locate the Sequoia National Park and Muir Woods. They then...
Shmoop
ELA.CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.11-12.9
Guided by close-reading questions, groups examine the similarities and differences between the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights. In addition, they look at how the principles are presented in these two foundational US...
Curated OER
Review of Literary Devices
Sixth graders review literary devices. They use both fiction and nonfiction texts to review metaphor, simile, alliteration, imagery, symbolism and personification. This instructional activity has a scripted guide for the teacher to follow.
Curated OER
Trash! How Cities Work: Dealing with Garbage in the US and India
Students identify how different cultures deal with the challenge of trash. Read an excerpt from a chapter book based on real life written from the Southern Indian perspective. Describe the life of a street child in Southern India....
Curated OER
Animal Communication
Young scholars use three nonfiction selections in order to investigate the concept of animal communication. They use a graphic organizer for the information as it is gathered in the reading.
National First Ladies' Library
Writing (and Rewriting!) History
Middle schoolers differentiate between fiction and non-fiction, discuss historical fiction, which combines both genres, choose historical novel from list and read independently, and write original short stories that combine elements of...
Curated OER
Making a Non-Fiction Big Book
Writing a non-fiction big book can help students learn about research techniques, note taking, and other skills.