Fifth graders read one short story on their own. After reading, they are given a series of sentences and events from the short story and put them into the correct sequence. To end the lesson, they draw pictures from the story and...

Learners read a story out loud to a partner and change their voices and expressions when depicting specific characters. In this language arts lesson plan, students focus on the person's voice who is reading to them, while keeping track...

Students practice decoding unknown words and improving their fluency. They review using cover-up sticks to decode unknown words while reading. They practice sentences and a short story to increase their fluency. They work in pairs...

Learners assess the acronym DRMRSVANDERTRAMP (Dr & Mrs Van Der Tramp) to help them memorize verbs. They pair up to create a short story describing what they did yesterday incorporating ten to fifteen of those verbs. In addition, a...

Fifth graders compare and contrast an informational article with a fictional story. They read the story "The Contest" as a class, and discuss the different types of literature genres. Next, they complete a vocabulary worksheet and a...

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...

Middle schoolers are introduced to literary elements and definitions in the worksheet Understanding Character but reading through each of the elements and definitions aloud. They read the story, "La Bamba" and identify examples of the...

Students discover the differences between hermit crabs and mollusks and identify their parts. After reading a story about hermit crabs, they complete an anatomy worksheet. For another activity, students fold and cut a diagram of a hermit...

Learners use several short stories to analyze different types of power. While discussing the role of power in these short stories, students will practice communication skills essential to conflict transformation, specifically attentive...

Students choose a short story or book and a student takes on the role of one of the characters in the story. They complete an interview worksheet and then students question each other further about the character they are playing.

Students read and analyze Truman Capote's autobiographical short story, "A Christmas Memory." They discuss writing styles, conduct Internet research on Truman Capote, write a book review, and write a short story based on one of Truman...

Fourth graders listen to the teacher discuss the definition of "Summary." They read a story aloud with their classmates. After finishing the story, 4th graders are asked to choose the best summary statement.

Students read about one cross-class marriage and create scenes to dramatize interactions among the family members and consider how class shapes relationships. They imagine the issues faced by cross-class couples by writing a short story.

Students read the short story House Opposite to help them differentiate between the terms "religion" and "spirituality." Students make connections to situations of people who struggle between the two in the real world by creating a...

Students dramatize the story, Three Snow Bears by Jan Brett. In this readers theatre instructional activity, students read the story and then dramatize the events during readers theatre. There is an included script.

Students study the context of The Ponder Heart through Welty's photographs. They analyze how illustrations and photographs interact with written text and create their own images to illustrate a well-known Welty short story....

First graders complete activities with the story The Ogre Bully. In this literature lesson, 1st graders discuss opposite words and then read the story. They answer questions for comprehension and complete phonics activities and...

Students watch and respond to a Bill Moyers Now video on the Chilean author, Isabel Allende. They brainstorm a list of recent events that might inspire writers and choose one to write about in poetic, diary, or short story form.

Young scholars identify words that can be used to describe Mark Twain's character Tom Sawyer. Students explore stage production of "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" by reading and discussing "An Older (and Calmer) Tom Sawyer". They develop...

Students reflect on the lives of older people they know, then research and debate the key issues surrounding scientific experimentation in anti-aging. They write a short story that reflects their own philosophical beliefs on aging and...

Young scholars explore the relationship between an author's life and their work. Students research the historical and personal events surrounding a Nobel Prize winning author and how they are reflected in the author's writing. They...

Students create brochures about the humor of Mark Twain. In this literature-analysis lesson plan, students read "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" and other short stories by Twain. Students write analytical paragraphs and...

Students test their memory recall and discuss its association to color. After reading an article, they discuss the natural and psycho-sociological significance of the color red. As a class, they participate in a mood-color association...

Students explore how insects behave in their natural habitats and build dioramas to create an Insect World in their classroom. They investigate various insects and the roles they play in the environment. They write creative short...