Student Handouts
The Five W's and How
Here is a great graphic organizer for ensuring that young researchers and writers cover all their bases when brainstorming a topic by considering the five W's (who, what, where, when, and why) and how.
Curated OER
On the Dots
If you want your class to practice reading informational texts and answering related questions, this short exercise from The New York Times' "Learning Network" might be helpful. It includes an article on Dippin' Dots and uses...
Curated OER
Summarizing with James and the Giant Peach
Elementary readers in literature groups practice summarizing chapter-by-chapter with Roald Dahl's James and the Giant Peach. Focus on main idea, supporting details, and the 5 Ws. Unfortunately, a clever "peach" graphic organizer to which...
Curated OER
The 5 W's
Examine how to answer who, what, when, where, and why when reading text. Young writers listen to the story Skeleton Hiccups, and as a class answer and discuss the five W's. Independently they read the story silently, and write the...
Curated OER
Writing Exercise: Nationalism Around the World II
Think about Nationalism and how it has influenced countries and colonialism all over the world. This worksheet gives learners the opportunity to compose three well-written answers describing the unification of Italy, Otto Von Bismarck,...
Curated OER
Where the Books Are
The news is full of interesting stories and ideas shared in an informational style. Readers use the provided who, what, when, where, and why questions as they explore an article about a man who is passionate about archiving physical...
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The Start of a New Era for Roman Catholics
Read all about it! Check out this article from the New York Times. Kids read about changes made to the wording used in Catholic Mass. They consider these changes by responding to each of the 10 related questions that ask, who, what,...
Curated OER
Fun, and Risks, at the Beach in Tel Aviv
After reading the article "Fun, and Risks, at the Beach in Tel Aviv," learners consider eight related questions. They'll answer who, what, when, where, why, and how about the risks several Palestinian women took as they snuck over the...
Curated OER
The Violence in Syria
Several New York Times articles were used to create informative reading material. Kids click on each of the embedded links to access a resource related to Syria and the Middle East conflict. They then answer the nine questions. Note:...
Curated OER
The Waste-Free Lunch
Reusable packaging for school lunches seems like a wonderful and eco-friendly idea; however, some children are being chastised for not following one school's guidelines. This New York Times article engages learners in reading...
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The State of "No Child Left Behind"
Your class can read about the changes Obama considered making to Bush's No Child Left Behind Act. After reading the article, pupils answer 13 questions that ask, who, what, when, where, and why.
Curated OER
Hip-Hop History and the Beastie Boys
So what about those Beastie Boys? Kids read a New York Times article relating the history of hip-hop and rap icons the Beastie Boys. They then answer eleven who, what, when, where, and why questions about the text they read.
Curated OER
Star 5 W's
In this 5 W's worksheet, students identify key elements from a book they have read: who, what, where, why, when. Students write details in the five points of a star and illustrate the book in the center.
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Creative Problem Solving: Using the 5 W's (Who, What, Where, When, Why)
Third graders assimilate the use of the 5 W's (Who, What, Where, When, Why) when solving problems that are presented in literature and in real life situations. They use common fairy tales to solve problems that might arise at home or...
Tompson Solutions
Be a Reporter (The 5 W's and an H)
Teach your class how to investigate research sources. You can start out with this presentation, which lays out a easy strategy for asking questions and taking down answers that cover the important information.
Bainbridge Class
End of the Year Photo Writing Project
Close out the school year with a look back at a specific event. You provide individuals with photos of themselves, and each pupil fills out the graphic organizer here to prepare for writing a paragraph about the memory depicted in the...
Curated OER
Ollie the Own Says: WHO
Scholars examine the strategy of making a story map or outline to identify the main elements of a story. They discuss the who, what, where, when, why, and how of a story, in an outline form. As a class they read a short story, answer the...
Curated OER
5 W Questions
Second graders practice asking the 5 W questions by reading a Boxcar Children book. In this journalism lesson, 2nd graders read a single story from the Boxcar Children series and answer the 5 W's about each specific chapter....
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"Every Block, Every Borough"
From the New York Times Learning Network series, this activity poses 10 questions on an article entitled, "Leaving His Footprint on the City" about a man planning to walk every street in all five New York boroughs. The prompts...
Curated OER
"It's All About Grandma Chic": Reading Informational Text
This New York Times "Learning Network" exercise on reading informational text poses 6 questions about a high-interest article on teen fashion. The article meant to be review with is resource, "More than meets the iPhone Lens", is rather...
Curated OER
The Five W's of Tax Day
Use April 15th to teach your students the fundamentals of the American federal tax system.
Curated OER
The 5 W's of Reading
Primary students will use the five "W" questions for reading comprehension as they read silently to themselves so that they can understand and remember what they have read. They then read The Velveteen Rabbit aloud, discussing the five...
Grand View Library
Grandview Newspaper
Get your young journalists above the fold with a set of lessons about newspapers. Kids focus on writing articles using the 5 Ws before creating a slide show presentation and blog entry to publish their writing.
Curated OER
Star 5 W's
In this graphic organizer worksheet, students fill in the graphic organizer with the 5 W's in each point of the star. Students complete 5 sections.