We are Teachers
The Six Traits in Plain Language
If your rockin' writers use Six-Trait Writing, you'll definitely want to include these displays around your classroom throughout the year. Each trait (e.g. voice, word choice, organization, ideas, sentence fluency, conventions) is...
Curated OER
What Kind of Ladybug Are You?
As a class, read different sentences prepared by the teacher, identifying the punctuation that is needed for the appropriate expression. In small groups, have each child assume the role of one or more character in The Grouchy Ladybug by...
Curated OER
Express Yourself
Reading with expression excites listeners of any age. They will discuss different ways to change their reading expression as they listen to the teacher read Froggy Goes to the Doctor. Then in small groups, they'll practice reading with...
Curated OER
Fast Fact-Finding
Ever wonder why the sky changes color so often? Readers examine an informational excerpt from John Farndon's How the Earth Works. They underline key points as they read and then answer five response questions. Prompts review main points,...
Curated OER
Only the Facts
Practice the strategy of summarizing to gain meaning and knowledge from an informational text. Young readers highlight supporting details and main ideas, and then they use this to summarize two articles: "The Great Quake" and "What is an...
Curriculum Corner
Valentine's Math and Literacy Centers
Look no further for a Valentine's Day-themed packet intended for math and literacy centers. Learners practice writing, reading, and representing numbers in a variety of ways, including skip counting by 2s, 5s, and 10s to 100. The pink...
Literacy Connects
Activities to Build Phonological Awareness
Begin your reading program each day with a mini lesson on phonological awareness using these engaging activities listed in the resource. Young ones will enjoy word families, clapping and counting syllables, identifying single sounds and...
Curated OER
Phrase Card Reading
Fourth graders, after reading and discussing the book, "Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing," by Judy Bloom, complete a vocabulary worksheet and read sections from the book fluently and accurately. They utilize dictionaries and thesauruses...
Curated OER
Reading With Expression, Fluency, And Accuracy Makes Reading Fun!
Students observe and demonstrate a variety of reading expression strategies. They listen to the teacher read different sentences with and without expression and discuss the difference, then in pairs read an "I Can Read" book using their...
Curated OER
Introduction to Writing Traits and Writing Strategies
Intended for an audience of teachers, this presentation lays out the six traits of writing, the writing process, and the teaching process for traits and strategies. If you are trying to understand the writing process more fully, you...
Curated OER
ESL/ELD: Learning about Ash Wednesday
An overview of the history and tradition of Ash Wednesday in 2 paragraphs is accompanied by an array of language activities: cloze exercise, phrase matching, word jumble, multiple choice, sequencing, interview, group presentation,...
Curated OER
Nonfiction Genre Mini-Unit: Persuasive Writing
Should primary graders have their own computers? Should animals be kept in captivity? Young writers learn how to develop and support a claim in this short unit on persuasive writing.
Rosetta Stone
Sight Word Flashcards
While kindergarten readers are working on the, my, and is, older elementary learners are mastering although, usually, and beautiful. Help readers of all ages work on sight words that do not follow phonics rules, but are key to reading...
Curated OER
Speedy, Speedy Students Reading Fast
Pupils review basic reading decoding. Given books at their independent reading level, they read independently and with several different partners to increase reading fluency. They see how many more words per minute they can read after...
Curated OER
Reading Like Wild Animals!
Students read orally a number of times to increase oral reading speed and fluency. The teacher models fluent oral reading, and the students practice on sample sentences. They then read with a partner working to increase their oral...
Curated OER
On Your Mark, Get Set, Read
Student increase their reading fluency through the use of various strategies. After reviewing chunking, decoding, and rereading, students complete an initial read of a novel text. Working with the instructor, they read complete a timed...
Curated OER
Speedy Reading!
Students work to improve reading fluency by practicing oral reading skills. They read and reread sentences, noticing the effect repeated reading has on their speed and accuracy. In groups, they complete timed readings and work to...
Curated OER
Shh! It's Reading Time!
Students observe and demonstrate how to read silently. They discuss the "Cross-Checking" strategy, select a book for independent reading, and demonstrate silent reading. Students write a summary of what they have read in their reading...
Curated OER
Read with Speed and Be in the Lead!
Students observe and demonstrate various strategies for improving their reading fluency. They observe the teacher demonstrating how to read words they are having trouble with, then in pairs take turns timing each other reading the book...
Curated OER
Vocabulary Building Activity
Four weeks of vocabulary words are provided here! Each week has between six and seven vocabulary words for your young learners to master. First they hear each word, and then they get a short definition for each word. The second activity...
K5 Learning
Treasure Hunt
After reading about a book that leads two friends on a treasure hunt, class members respond to four short answer reading comprehension questions. Skills include describing the characters, retelling the story in their own words, writing...
Curated OER
Lets Read Faster with Junie
Young scholars practice a variety of techniques and strategies to assist them in becoming fluent readers. They practice reading with expressiveness and fluency with Junie B. Jones and some "Sneaky Peeky Spying," by Barbara Park. A...
Curated OER
Reading Like an Expert!
Students identify and interpret that they should read as if someone is explaining it to them like a conversation. Then they reread the text given until they are no longer decoding and it sounds like they are just talking. Students also...
Curated OER
Counting Sentences' Words
Explore language arts by completing a worksheet with class. They read the story Owl Moon and discuss the rhythm of the writing and how action verbs are used appropriately. Then complete a writing worksheet which discusses writing...