Eighth graders identify figurative language and poetry in this literary analysis lesson. Using Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll and a YouTube video for "The Walrus and the Carpenter," young readers complete a literary device...

Step into history and step out with a new understanding of events. These strategies bring a new level of understanding of key events by asking viewers to engage in and respond to projected images. Complete directions for the activity, a...

Students listen carefully so they can say their "part" during a reading of a Cinderella story. In this listening and speaking lesson, students saying their "part" on cue during a reading of a familiar story. They actively listen to the...

Students interpret how to communicate information and ideas in ways that are appropriate to the purpose and audience through spoken, written, and graphic means of expression. They use information-gathering techniques, analyze and...

Students practice reading skills and comprehension through the use of computers and the educational software "Destination Reading" provided by Riverdeep in this self-directed lesson.

First graders use action spelling. In this high frequency words instructional activity students are read the book Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak. Students add words to the classroom wall that are in the book. Students act...

How is Louisiana connected to the Holocaust? After reading The Diary of Anne Frank, eighth graders complete a research report about a survivor of the Holocaust who currently resides in Louisiana. Though the idea is a good way to...

Students, in groups, read and analyze the short story, A Good Man is Hard to Find, by Flannery O'Connor. They present their findings tot he rest of the class and then connect the various themes discussed to outside material, events...

Students explore stories, games and coloring pages on an interactive website. In this pre-reading activity, students have free access to stories, coloring pages and simple games at the Lil' Fingers website.

Students compose a piece of poetry modeled after the poetry of Carl Sandburg and share their poem(s) with their colleagues. They use a cluster diagram to organize their thoughts and brainstorm their ideas.

Young scholars explore the process of play and movie making from books. They study the basic elements of drama and write and produce a play based on a chosen theme. Students explain the basic elements of a play by looking at "The...

Eighth graders read a book whose main character has a physical disability, and complete various related activities. They listen to a guest speaker, simulate experiences at school as a disabled individual through the use of wheelchairs,...

Fourth graders become familiar with the culture and history of Indiana.  In this James Whitcomb Riley instructional activity, 4th graders read poetry which includes the dialect of Indiana.  Students analyze the poem. ...

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...

Students interpret poetry though movement. For this poetry lesson students take a poem they've previously read and discussed in class and work in pairs to develop gestures for each line.

Dramatic activities promote enjoyment of literature, increase reading comprehension, and help develop oral expression. It is important for children to engage in activities which help to develop their creative potential. Drama allows...

Eighth graders use first-hand slave narratives that show conditions of slavery. They paste text into Appleworks and publish with a picture clipped from web sites. They create a group account of life during slavery to prepare for reading...

Third graders create a multimedia slide presentation containing facts, graphics, and sounds relating to a biographical figure based on their reading of a biography or an autobiography. They present their slide presentations before the...

Learners explore elements of American folktales and tall tales. In this literature lesson, students read examples of American folktales and tall tales and prepare a monologue or news report to present to the class based on their readings.

Students work in groups of two to develop questions and sample answers that are relevant, accurate and use higher level of thinking skills about a literary unit. Students present their questions and answers to the class as a review of...

Fourth graders investigate the style of diary writing as its own genre of literature. They read Harriet The Spy in order to have a text for this literature study. Students use the skill of prediction to preview the story, and then...

Students read, "My Friend's Got This Problem, Mr. Chandler," discuss it and write a response to one of the poems.

Students place emphasis on the use of figurative language when analyzing prose and poetry. For this figurative language lesson, students explore the tone of a story and its imagery. Students read and discuss how the author uses imagery...

Fifth graders preview different poetry selections form different poets to narrow their criteria for a favorite poem. They use the web and written sources to find a favorite poem and then give an oral interpretation of their poem in class...