Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: See Our Progress [Pdf]
"See Our Progress" is a one page, fictional, reading passage about students who turned a vacant lot into a prairie garden and then were interviewed and shown on the television news. It is followed by questions which require students to...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Why Did Mamma Change Her Mind? [Pdf]
"Why Did Mamma Change Her Mind?" is a one page, fictional, reading passage about a party. Mom said her son and daughter could each have 5 friends (5 boys and 5 girls). The girl wanted all girls so the party was cancelled. It is followed...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: A New Park [Pdf]
"A New Park" is a one page, non-fiction, reading passage about how a school in need of a playground got a city park instead. It is followed by constructed-response questions which require students to provide evidence from the story; it...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: After the Chicago Fire [Pdf]
"After the Chicago Fire" is a one page, non-fiction, reading passage about how Chicago was rebuilt after the great fire. It is followed by constructed-response questions which require students to provide evidence from the story; it...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Bold Plans, Big Dreams, City Progress [Pdf]
"Bold Plans, Big Dreams, City Progress" is a one page, nonfiction, reading passage celebrating the 100th anniversary of Daniel Burnham's plan for Chicago. It is followed by questions which require students to provide evidence from the...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Chicago: Deval Patrick [Pdf]
"Chicago Is a City of Possibilities" is an inauguration speech by Deval Patrick given as he became governor of Massachusetts. It is followed by questions which require students to provide evidence from the story; it includes determining...
Education Development Center
Tv411: Summarizing
This activity asks students to read short paragraphs and select the statement that best summarizes each paragraph. It is part of a larger reading unit.
Curated OER
Mc Graw Hill: Part 1 Reading: Literature: Determine Theme
Determine the theme of a story with this reading activity. See the model and then practice identifying the theme.
Other
Mo Dept. Of Ed.: Analyzing and Evaluating Literary Works
Lesson plan designed for eleventh graders. Students analyze and evaluate a short story for elements of literary works such as theme, mood, word choice, imagery, tone, and main idea. Includes a student handout and a scoring guide. It...
Other
Christina School District: Kindergarten: Essential Questions [Pdf]
Printable six-page document. Each page begins with a Big Idea topic and then lists five essential questions for students to ask and learn from throughout the unit. Bid Idea topics include: We see all kinds of people each day; Books help...
Other
Literature Unit: "A Day No Pigs Would Die"
This site features questions for each of the chapters in Robert Newton Peck's "A Day No Pigs Would Die."
Other
Frontier Central School District: Determining the Theme of a Literary Work [Pdf]
Guidance and exercises for finding the theme of a literary work, including a list of commonly seen universal themes.
University of Maryland
British War Poetry in the Age of Romanticism
This annotated collection of poems focuses on the theme of war in the late 1700s. Good for an interdisciplinary look at British history or for a literary exploration of war as a theme.
ReadWriteThink
Read Write Think: Fairy Tale Autobiographies
Lesson which requires students to analyze fairy tales for literary elements such as characters, setting, conflict, and theme. Students work in groups and write about, edit, and illustrate their fairy tales.
Quia
Quia: Elements of Literature: Rags to Riches
Answer the 15 questions in this game about literary elements for the prize of fame and fortune. Java is required.
University of Victoria (Canada)
The U Vic Writer's Guide: General Literary Terms
The University of Victoria's Writer's Guide includes an extensive list of literary and rhetorical terms. List can be displayed alphabetically.
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: What's Been Lost?
In this lesson, The Black-Eyed Peas song entitled "Where is the Love?" will be dissected by students. Then students will build upon the song's them and compare it with the picture book by Denise Fleming, Where Once There Was A Wood....
ReadWriteThink
Read Write Think: Breaking Barriers: Critical Discussion of Social Issues
Through a series of picture book read-alouds and journal entries, students engage in critical discussion of complex issues of race, class, and gender.
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: More Trees [Pdf]
"More Trees" is a one page, fictional, reading passage about a student and his mother getting trees from the city and planting them in their neighborhood. It is followed by constructed-response questions which require students to provide...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Potawatomi Prairie [Pdf]
"Potawatomi Prairie" is a one page, fictional, reading passage about the Potawatomi tribe and what their life may have been like during the different seasons of the year. It is followed by questions which require students to provide...
Other
Nsw Dept. Of Ed.: "One World" [Pdf]
Reading unit plan about endangered animals from the New South Wales, Australia, Department of Education and Training entitled "One World" (Forty-four page PDF file). It contains ten days worth of teaching suggestions that use a variety...
Curated OER
Mc Graw Hill: Part 1 Reading: Literature: Summarize
Learn how to summarize a story with this reference article; see the model showing the summary process.
TES Global
Blendspace: The Giver
This blendspace includes thirty-two spaces with content connected to Lois Lowry's dystopia novel, The Giver. Links include novel discussion questions, author interviews, and video tutorials to review literary topics.
E Reading Worksheets
E Reading Worksheets: Teaching Theme
In this learning module, students will learn more about themes in stories. Worksheets and activities are provided to reinforce the concept of theme. This module is designed to support Tier I, Tier II, and Tier III students.