Thoughtful Education Press
Personal Narratives: Learning from Lessons Life Teaches Us
"First Appearance," Mark Twain's tale about overcoming stage fright, serves as a model of a personal narrative and gets young writers thinking about milestones in their own lives. After examining student models and considering the...
Annenberg Foundation
Placing Artifacts in Time
Can history distort the true story behind famous people? Scholars analyze the many faces of the Native American Pocahontas. Incorporating technology and historical thinking skills, they uncover the many different sides to the Pocahontas...
Digital Public Library of America
Beloved by Toni Morrison
Any classroom study of Toni Morrison's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Beloved requires careful planning and scaffolding. A primary source set that includes a video, illustrations, photos of artifacts, and a broadside of the Fugitive Slave...
Nemours KidsHealth
Asthma: Grades 6-8
Two activities teach middle schoolers about asthma and how it can affect people's lives. After reading a series of articles and watching two videos that provide background information about asthma, pupils design an interactive game that...
Curated OER
Children's Books
Students explore daily dilemmas students face. They write and illustrate a story book dealing with one dilemma. Students write reviews of their books. They read their books to second grade students. Additional cross curriculum activities...
Curated OER
Create a Chart
Students create charts for story elements. They read two selections that share a common theme and discuss the story elements. They create a chart for the characters, plot, and setting and complete it while reading the selections.
Curated OER
Drawing Into the Imagination
Sixth graders create a non linear story with multiple possibilities and endings. In this non linear story lesson plan, 6th graders research non linear stories, create their own, and illustrate it.
Curated OER
One Pager
Learners read the novel, Freak the Mighty and describe and illustrate the setting. They create a graphic organizer that demonstrates the major plot elements and character development.
Curated OER
Paper Collage With Eric Carle
Students examine the illustrating work of Eric Carle. They discuss how the illustrations are made and then decorate their room by creating artwork in the same style.
Curated OER
Smack Dab in the Middle
Students read the story Smack Dab in the Middle and complete activities such as charting, writing, illustrating, graphing, and more. In this Smack Dab in the Middle lesson plan, students also discuss the book and retell the story.
Curated OER
Storybook Art
Students read the book Swimmy, by Leo Lionni. They study his method of illustrating and then create an underwater scene of their own using the same method.
Curated OER
Munsch mania
Third graders choose a Robert Munsch poem to interpret. In this language arts lesson plan, 3rd graders interpret their chosen poem by either acting it out or through illustrations. Once the interpretations are complete, students send...
Alabama Learning Exchange
Leo Lionni’s Little Blue and Little Yellow
Students use the Internet to research the author Leo Lionni, then rewrite and illustrate one of his stories.
Curated OER
What's the Big Idea?
Students choose a paragraph from a book of their choice, identify the main idea, and draw an illustration of the main idea. They write original paragraphs, illustrate them, and trade with a partner, identifying the main idea of the...
Curated OER
The Cat Came Back
Students are read the story "The Cat Came Back". Using Spanish, they communicate the context of the story with each other. They practice using new vocabulary, identifying main characters and putting the events into order. They use the...
Curated OER
Sequencing
Second graders retell a story focusing on sequence. in this sequence instructional activity, 2nd graders read the story Carry Go Bring Come by Vyanne Samuels. They retell parts of the story and put them in the correct order.
Curated OER
Character Cluster
Third graders practice identifying characters and story elements by creating a character cluster in class. In this story analysis instructional activity, 3rd graders discuss the story Snow White and identify the characteristics of the...
Curated OER
Historical Fiction- Thanksgiving
Students write a story. In this historical fiction lesson, students research how Thanksgiving began. Students write a fictional story where they are a main character of this time period.
Curated OER
Who Am I?
Students read a story together then choose a favorite character to portray. In this inference lesson, students pretend to be one of the characters in the story, they prepare drawings or actions then present them to the class. Students...
Curated OER
Bear Hunt
Students are introduced to the technique of pantomime. In groups, they take a story and create a pantomime for it to perform in front of the class. They also practice ways to change their body posture and facial expressions to...
Curated OER
The Main Man
Students explore visualizing stories by completing a graphic organizer. In this reading strategy lesson, students read the story Pecos Bill by Steven Kellog and identify the setting, main characters and their interpretations. Students...
Curated OER
Fairy Tales as a Genre of Literature
Students examine the literary elements of fairy tales. After reading the fairy tale "Rapunzel" and discussing the elements of fairy tales that occur as they read, they use a story web to help plan and create an original fairy tale. ...
Curated OER
Spring Lesson Unit on Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
Students read about Peter Rabbit. In this lesson, about reading and comprehension, students listen to the story, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, by Beatrix Potter. Students answer questions about the story to determine comprehension. Students...
Curated OER
Time, Talent, and Treasure
Students look at how time, talent, and treasure are parts of stewardship and philanthropy. In this stewardship and philanthropy lesson, students complete a Time/Talent/Treasure Survey before discussing the answers in a whole group...