EngageNY
Analyzing Structure and Theme in Stanza 4 of “If”
Here is a lesson that provides scholars with two opportunities to stretch their compare-and-contrast muscles. First, learners compare and contrast their experience reading the fourth stanza of If by Rudyard Kipling to listening to the...
Mexic-Arte Museum
Day of the Dead Educational Activity Guide
Looking for ideas to help celebrate The Day of the Dead? A 20-page packet includes a history of El Dia de los Muertos, notes on the many worldwide celebrations honoring the dead, and seven activities. A great way to bring this colorful...
K20 LEARN
Active Shakespeare: Making Shakespeare Accessible
Two sonnets, both alike in theme and story, break from ancient language to new glory. The prologue to Act I of Romeo and Juliet provides scholars with an opportunity to examine the language Shakespeare uses to create timeless stories....
Simon & Schuster
Classroom Activities for Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave
The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass is the focus of three activities designed for readers of the autobiography. First, class members deconstruct the title to understand Douglass's purpose in writing. Next, scholars examine...
Simon & Schuster
Classroom Activities for The Jungle by Upton Sinclair
A 15-page packet includes detailed plans for three activities related to Upton Sinclair's The Jungle. To gather background information, class members research topics and create a newspaper page reporting their findings. After finishing...
Simon & Schuster
Classroom Activities for The Call of the Wild by Jack London
Three activities are designed for readers of Jack London's The Call of the Wild. First, class members research and create posters that reflect the setting of the novel. Next, groups create posters with images that represent each chapter...
Simon & Schuster
Classroom Activities for The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
An 11-page packet includes three activities to engage pupils in reading Pearl S. Buck's The Good Earth. To understand the historical context, class members research a list of topics related to Chinese history and culture. They then...
Curated OER
Literary Response and Analysis Theme Literature
Analyze the central idea or literary theme found in a series of quotes from the Shakespearean play, Hamlet. For literary analysis, learners paraphrase excerpts from the play and then identify the characters' motivations for their speech.
Curated OER
Ray Bradbury Short Stories - Independent Reading Activity
A straightforward activity about the themes in Ray Bradbury's short stories, this activity allows learners to first work independently and then share their analyses with the class. They read "The Other Foot" as well as another story from...
Curated OER
Understanding Theme with Fables
What is the moral of the story? Ask your class to read a series of fables from which the last line has been removed. After supplying this concluding statement, they must justify their responses. This could be used as an individual or...
Roald Dahl
The BFG Lesson Plans
A 55-page unit examines the novel, The BFG, by Roald Dahl. Six lessons pay close attention to friendship, dreams, and believing themes while analyzing interesting characters, writing creative vocabulary, smilies, metaphors, an exciting...
The New York Times
Dark Materials: Reflecting on Dystopian Themes in Young Adult Literature
The Hunger Games. Maximum Ride. Why is so much of young adult literature so dark? What is the appeal of dystopian literature to young readers? The six activities in this resource ask kids to reflect on some of the reasons this genre has...
Owl Teacher
Five Themes of Geography Research Activity
Here is an activity worksheet that will prompt your young geographers to choose a country anywhere in the world to research and study, and to then apply it to the five themes of geography.
Curated OER
Bud, Not Buddy: Directed Reading Thinking Activity
Here’s a reading strategy that can be used with any text. Class members examine portions of a novel, and make predictions about the theme or subject matter of the book. Although designed for Christopher Paul Curtis’s Newbery Medal...
NEST Family Learning
Thomas Edison: Resource and Activity Book
What other inventions was Thomas Edison responsible for besides the telegraph and lightbulb? Incorporate a set of worksheets into your study of Edison and other inventors. The 48-page packet includes all types of activities from word...
Twiggle Magazine
Preschool Color Fun and Activities
I can't stress enough the importance of songs and rhyming chants to the development of early literacy skills. To reinforce color recognition, little ones sing, count, move, and create. All you have to do is choose which of these great...
All for KIDZ
Building Relationships: The Orphan of Ellis Island
Family and friendship are two very important themes of the historical fiction novel The Orphan of Ellis Island by Elvira Woodruff. From video clips and writing prompts to reader's theater and family interviews, this resource provides...
Prestwick House
Catcher in the Rye Activity Pack
The Catcher in the Rye is the focus of a sampler that models some of activities included in a for-purchase packet based on J. D. Salinger's novel.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Person to Person: Extra Support Lessons (Theme 4)
Authors use many strategies when writing stories. A series of extra support lessons breaks down those strategies, as well as key grammatical and phonics-based concepts to support struggling learners. The last of three lessons offers...
In Working Order
Life Skills Lesson Activities
Examine the proper procedures and guidelines of Occupational Health and Safety with activities designed for high schoolers. Job seekers learn how to identify and remedy common workplace hazards, and to mitigate risk when possible.
Teaching Oasis
Gingerbread Baby Lesson Plan Guide
Reinforce reading comprehension and story mapping skills with the help from a story, Gingerbread Baby by Jen Brett. Individuals discover new vocabulary, make predictions, retell main events, respond to reading using a graphic organizer,...
EngageNY
World Café to Analyze Theme and Character in A Long Walk to Water (Chapters 16–18)
Here comes a surprise ending! Readers discuss their thoughts about the ending of A Long Walk to Water by answering probing questions. They participate in a World Café where they work in triads to complete a chart and a prompt during...
Curated OER
Mrs. Lewis's Pets: Tally Mark Activity
To cute to pass up! This slide show activity has learners count the number of pets Mrs. Lewis has using tally marks. As the show progresses, kids pay attention and make a tally for each type of pet they see. Suggested uses and audio are...
Anti-Defamation League
The Revealers: Discussion Guide for Grades 6-8
Suspense! Rebellion! Cyberbullying! No wonder Doug Wilhelm's novel The Revealers appeals to middle schoolers. Instructors new to using the novel and experienced veterans will find this discussion guide invaluable. Discussion questions,...