Core Knowledge Foundation
European Exploration of North America Tell It Again!™ Read-Aloud Anthology
Third graders listen to read-alouds and participate in extension activities about European Explorers—Christopher Columbus, Juan Ponce de León, Hernando de Soto, Francisco Vasquez de Coronado, John Cabot, Henry Hudson, and Samuel de...
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Graphic Organizers for Good Science Reading and Writing
Students use reading and writing strategies to explain informational text in science. They create and use different types of graphic organizers to understand, interpret, and analyze informational text.
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School Newspaper
Fifth graders run a school newspaper on a school website and discover how to use various literary forms as they relate to the writing process. In this school newspaper lesson, 5th graders synthesize information from different sources,...
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About the Census
Students interpret a variety of informational texts to gain understanding of basic concepts about how census data are used. In this census lesson, students read maps, complete worksheets, and work in small groups to become aware of...
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Pudding Facts
In this reading labels worksheet, students study the label for the package of instant pudding. Students then answer 8 questions about the informational text.
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D for Dolphin
In this dolphin facts worksheet, 2nd graders read several informational texts about dolphins. Students learn facts about dolphins and read a poem about dolphins.
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Author's Purpose
A simple activity for young readers, this introduces the idea of author purpose. Learners analyze various types of texts (newspaper articles, magazines, books, advertisements, etc.) and determine if the author's purpose for writing was...
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Teaching Summarization
Examine the process of summarizing a piece of text using the book So You Want to Be a President? Kids review the definitions for main idea, topic sentences, superordinate terms, and supporting details. Next, they work in small groups to...
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Summarization Superstars
How do you read when you know you're going to be summarizing a text? Summarize a nonfiction text with your upper elementary schoolers. Your pupils independently read a nonfiction article and write a summary paragraph using the six-step...
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Simple Internet Searching Lesson 2
Learn how to use search engines and keywords! Learners evaluate the information process using given criteria and determine ways in which the process may be improved.
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Identify and Discuss the Author's Purpose
Examine author's purpose in a persuasive text using this scaffolded plan. You essentially have a verbatim script here, but it can definitely be used as an outline instead. Review questions that readers should ask themselves when...
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Mexico Field Trip
Explore how the library or Internet resources function as textual information. Young writers research a chosen topic then read and comprehend the collected information. They structure the information with texts and graphics for a...
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Presenting Information
How do you make a pizza? Scholars examine a recipe for one of their favorite dishes. After reading the eight steps, they must re-write the steps in order. Although this offers great printing practice, younger writers may find the narrow...
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Guided Reading: What Is Government?
Learn about the government's role in everyday life in a guided reading activity. Groups create a KWL chart concerning the government's impact on the community.
Polk Bros Foundation
Meet the Nonfiction Main Idea Challenge
Help your class develop the ability to determine a main idea with a packet of materials that you can introduce and use over a period of time. The packet includes some information for the teacher and rationale for the exercises. There are...
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Types of Volcanoes
If your class is studying volcanoes, this could be a useful source of information. In three pages of text and diagrams, this resource discusses the six kinds of volcanic eruptions and three kinds of volcano cones. The fourth page of this...
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Cartoon Vocabulary
Third and fourth graders complete a vocabulary log which includes a definition, and a sentence that demonstrates the meaning of the word. Then make an illustration that represents the definition of the word. The trick is that they may...
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Shorten the Length
Learn how to summarize by identifying main ideas and supporting details. Readers cross out unimportant information as they read through a text. Is it a random detail? Cross it out! They then draw a concept map, placing the main idea in...
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Reading Comprehension- Informational Passages "Abraham Lincoln"
Who was Abraham Lincoln? Help your English language learners recognize Lincoln's impact on the United States. After reading a short passage, learners answer five reading comprehension questions and five vocabulary questions.
Student Handouts
War and Neutral Rights
Teach your class about neutral rights with a brief reading selection and related questions. Pupils read the passage and answer the four questions on the bottom half of the page. Useful for a homework assignment or a quick warm-up, this...
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Use Details from Text to Identify Cause and Effect, Draw Conclusions, Compare and Contrast
Third graders discuss research topics and write a paragraph on one of the provided questions. They focus on including key words from charts that the class has been compiling. They underline supporting details within the text they write....
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Persuasive Elements
Investigate letters to the editor and their persuasive qualities. Break your class into reading groups and give each one a different article. As they read, they complete a graphic organizer to record their thoughts and opinions. There is...
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Planning A Vacation Online
If you could travel anywhere in the United States, where would you go? Use this question to interest your fourth, fifth, and sixth graders as they experiment with Mapquest or other direction-based resources. They choose where they'd like...
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Escribir para Educar
Aligned with the Common Core writing standards, this resource has Spanish language learners create a question, write an explanatory paragraph, and identify the main points. You can either suggest an overarching question for your class to...