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Post-Reading Strategies
Students practice post-reading strategies. In this reading comprehension lesson plan, students review pre-reading strategies, then read a handout entitled "Thirteen Reasons Our Ancestors Migrated." Students complete a post-reading...
Melissa Institute for Violence Prevention and Treatment
Concept Muraling
Concept muraling helps learners improve their comprehension of a text by giving them a way to organize their understanding of the key concepts in that text. Introduce readers to this process with a carefully scaffolded lesson that models...
Curated OER
Non-Fiction Read-aloud
Students listen to the reading of a book about the area of science they are currently studying.
Curated OER
Analyzing Textbook Formats
Learners explore the characteristics of a non-fiction text. In this comprehension instructional activity, students are led on a guided tour of each text and identify the features of a non-fiction text. Learners continue to practice...
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Comparing and Contrasting: Fact vs. Opinion
Elementary schoolers investigate nonfiction stories by analyzing facts and opinions. They read nonfiction stories about the Lewis and Clark expedition. Pupils utilize a T-chart to list the facts and opinions on opposite sides, and then...
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What a Brave Little Girl
Learners practice relating non-fiction to knowledge they already have on the subject. They evaluate differences in the types of text structrures in non-fiction. They employ a review strategy that allows them to understand their reading.
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The Wonderful Pigs of Jillian Jiggs
First graders compare fictional and real pigs. In this pig comparison lesson, 1st graders read a fiction text then a non-fiction text on pigs. Students complete a K-W-L chart and fill out a Venn Diagram.
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Passage to Freedom: The Sugihara Story
Sixth graders engage in the reading of a non-fiction text in order to acquire character traits as displayed in the text.The story builds reading fluency through the teacher modeling correct style and speed.
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Reading Research!
Students investigate the life of an animal and how it responds to winter. The lesson's focus is on reading and research skills using pictures to assist in the understanding of the information presented.
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Read and Get Smart
Use the class textbook to read a full story about Martin Luther King, Jr. The class writes facts about him and outlines his life, then they read the author and illustrator summaries at the end of the story. They compare and contrast the...
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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...
Dream of a Nation
Creating Awareness through Action Oriented Writing and Research
Middle schoolers aren't too young to feel strongly about politics, social issues, consumer rights, or environmental problems. Demonstrate the first steps toward social change with a project about action-oriented writing. Eighth graders...
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Halloween Counting Book
First graders recognize and write numerals from 1 to 10. They estimate and count to identify sets with more, fewer, or the same number of objects, listen and respond to others in a variety of contexts, and take turns speaking in a...
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Who Invented English Anyway?
In these English lesson plans, students use video, the Internet and non-fiction essays to research the history of the English language. They write a short research paper and design a PowerPoint presentation showcasing their findings.
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Researching the Past
Learners research the western movement in order to learn note taking strategies with nonfiction texts. They use the Internet to search for important information about the western movement using the Cornell Notes note-taking system. They...
Curated OER
Using a Matrix to Compare, Contrast, and Analyze Connections
Students explore writing techniques by comparing fiction vs. non-fiction. In this literature analysis lesson, students read stories from Aesop's Fables and compare the themes and characters to stories from their own life. Students...
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Introduce Vocabulary: Frida
Students explore language arts by reading a non-fiction story in class. In this three tiered vocabulary lesson, students read the book Frida and discuss the real life Frida and her story. Students identify vocabulary terms in the book...
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Establish the Theme
Second graders explore the topic of nature. In this detective lesson plan, 2nd graders review non-fiction materials on nature and identify text, headings, diagrams, graphs, to establish the theme of the book.
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Prepare to Read Nonfiction
Young scholars get an introduction to using KWL Charts as tools for reading nonfiction. They study unfamiliar words and share what they already know about the topic of the non-fiction selection and use this knowledge to help prepare to...
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What is a Biography?
Investigate biographies with your class. Compare autobiographies and biographies of Martin Luther King, Jr. as an example. Learners explore the factual components that make up a biography and locate several biographies of notable...
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Very Good Facts About Very Good Books
Students identify the characteristics of fiction and non-fiction texts. For this genre study lesson, students read the books A Butterfly Alphabet Book and I Wish I Were a Butterfly. Students develop a graphic organizer to compare and...
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Using Pictures to Support the Main Idea
Second graders practice using photos to support the main idea. In this reading comprehension lesson, 2nd graders read and explore the photos in the book, Amazing Tigers! Students examine the photos to identify and support the main idea....
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English Literature: An Overview
Relate literary works and authors to the major themes of English literature from the Anglo-Saxon period through the 20th century. Working in groups, high schoolers will evaluate period philosophy, religion, and politics that influenced...
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Reading About Children in Other Communities
Students read about children from other communities. They describe ways in which members of other communities meet one another's needs and design a Venn diagram that compares and contrasts their own way of living to another culture.