Third, fourth, and fifth graders read the book The Bracelet by Yushiko Uchida and examine the events of Uchida's life. They participate in a guided discussion of Japanese culture, perform a reader's...

Students perform a reader's theater. In this analyzing text instructional activity students perform Master Man: A Tall Tale of Nigeria, a play by Aaron Shepard.  The students are assessed on their performance.

Review The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet with this quick quiz. Operating as an overview of the play, use this quiz to prepare readers for a test perhaps. The questions cover various elements from character foils to the plot sequence.

The Stamp Act, Paul Revere's ride, and the Boston Tea Party pushed American colonists to the tipping point that led to the American Revolution. Fifth graders research the key figures of the war, study the Declaration of Independence, and...

“So I’m going to have a copy of this play put in the cornerstone and the people a thousand years from now’ll know a few simple facts about us.” Our Town is used as the text in a Common Core exemplar that examines the dramatic and...

Students explore dramatization. In this literacy fluency and drama lesson, students listen to the story Mop Top by Don Freeman and add related sounds at the appropriate times. Students role play, pantomime, and add sounds to  create...

Twenty multiple-choice questions confirm how much your readers remember of William Shakespeare's Cymbeline. Questions cover basic plot and characters.

Focus on the murders that occur in Shakespeare's The Tragedy of Macbeth. What are the motivations, and who dies? See what your readers recall with this quiz.

How important are sound effects in films? In stage plays? In radio programs? To gain an understanding of the impact of these special effects, class members watch a short video spoof of the sound in a scene from Star...

To err is human ... and also leads to some hilarious situations. A script introduces readers to Shakespeare's Comedy of Errors, a play full of slapstick humor and other funny elements. Although lacking in activities, the text works well...

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens has delighted readers for generations. An in-depth study guide gives an overview of an adaptation of the classic story for the stage. Along with summaries of the plot and key characters, theater...

Sherlock Holmes may have been the greatest detective in literary history. A study guide for The Hound of the Baskervilles introduces a story featuring the famous detective before sharing activities related to the text. Readers...

Have you ever been stuck between a rock and a hard place? That is where Widge, a character of The Shakespeare Stealer, finds himself. Readers find out how Widge handles his situation by answering comprehension questions, completing...

Third graders identify the characteristics of fables, and read and compare/contrast various Aesop's fables. Using handheld computers, they read two fables with a partner, complete a Venn Diagram, develop a traits diagram using PiCo Map,...

Students research various Native American stories and legends. They participate in reader's theater, write original legends, cook Native American foods, construct dioramas and view Native American art and artifacts.

Pupils compare and contrast a website layout and the layout of a Greek theatre. For this Greek theatre lesson, students research the Greek theatre and produce a bulleted list of five facts about the Greek theatre. Pupils complete a...

Learners participate in an alternative reading assessment using a video camera and script. In this alternative reading lesson, students work as a group to perform their reading story. learners memorize their lines and film their play.

Second graders examine the life and times of mid-1800s England in Dicken's time. They compare/contrast Christmas today and during Dicken's day, discuss the book's characters, play a game from the 1800s, and read a Reader's Theater...

Learners role-play a story about a cat and dog, follow the assembly instructions to piece together finger puppets, and complete letter-writing practice.

Students identify the elements of line, shape, and color and expressive qualities of pictorial representation. Students create their own puppet frog using emotion and perform in a reader's theater. Students listen to various pieces of...

Students explore Shakespeare as part of American culture. In this Shakespearean culture lesson, students view video clips about modern theater.  Students read excerpts from Shakespearean plays and other commentaries.

Introduce your class to the Greek tragedy with a study of Sophocles’ Oedipus the King. Learners examine the features of a Greek tragedy, Sophocles’ achievements and contributions, and the universal themes that make the drama an...

Young scholars examine the U.S. Constitution. In this American history activity, students explore the founders' vision of U.S. government as they participate in readers' theatre, role-playing scenarios, and constitutional analysis...

Learners review strategies used to read unkown words. They listen as the teacher reads sentences using a variety of reading fluencies and expressions. They read assigned parts of the play, "Peddler Polly and the Story Stealer" by Aaron...