Thinkport Education
Thinkport: Totalitarianism in Stalinist Russia
A module where students analyze how the author uses text structure to emphasize key points or explanations in order to achieve the purpose for writing or point of view.
Department of Defense
Do Dea: In the Beginning
This expansive self-guided unit hits on many objectives such as analyzing literature for author's purpose, figuring out the main idea/theme, understanding historical criticism, comparing and contrasting works from major historical...
Louisiana Department of Education
Louisiana Doe: Louisiana Believes: English Language Arts: Grade 8: Conservation
Eighth graders explore the beauty of the natural world and the responsibilities of leaving an abundance of resources to future generations. Students will read both literary and informational texts to gain insight into those who have...
Stanford University
Stanford U.: Evaluating Information: The Cornerstone of Civic Online Reasoning
This report from the Stanford History Education Group describes the conclusions of their work in field testing a set of assessments of civic online reasoning by young people from the middle school to the college level. Middle school...
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: Serendipitous Crazy Illustrations
For this lesson, Flotsam, written by David Wiesner, is used as a mentor text. Students will analyze the author's use of crazy illustrations and word choices. Students will then use a game on this web site where they will click to...
Louisiana Department of Education
Louisiana Doe: Louisiana Believes: English Language Arts: Grade 7: Written in Bone
This unit focuses on learning the stories of our past. Students will explore various texts (literary and informational) and their unique perspectives on history to consider how different experiences offer a different historical...
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Literary Elements and Techniques: Figurative Language
Discover how authors use figurative language to enhance their writing and explore the differences between similes and metaphors in this animated video [3:37] from WNET. Discussion questions below help students to further apply their...
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Literary Elements and Techniques: Symbolism
Explore how authors use symbolism to add a deeper level of meaning to their work in this short animated video [1:12] from WNET. Discussion questions below help students to further apply their understanding before analyzing a text.
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
Depaul University: Center for Urban Education: Evaluate Support for a Claim[pdf]
This resource provides a downloadable worksheet to use after reading a nonfiction text. Students will evaluate an author's support for a claim by answering the questions and prompts provided on the worksheet.
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Evaluate the Strength of Evidence [Pdf]
This resource provides a downloadable worksheet that will assist students after they read a piece of nonfiction. Students will answer guided questions to help them determine the strength of evidence used when supporting a claim....
Better Lesson
Better Lesson: The True Story of Christopher Columbus
In this lesson, 5th graders analyze two nonfiction passages on Christopher Columbus to determine facts and author's bias and its influence on the readers.