Although not a complete lesson plan, this set of emotionally powerful texts could be used in a variety of lessons. From The New York Times' Learning Network site, the resource includes a poem, an excerpt from a New York Times article and...

Individuals complete a pre-assessment to gauge their ability to determine the main idea and supporting details in nonfiction text. They examine a new piece of nonfiction reading by looking at the table of contents, headings, and index...

Reinforce comprehension of informational text. This is a one-on-one lesson intended to build an internal dialogue the reader can use to boost overall comprehension. They work independently with a tutor or teacher to read a nonfiction...

How do you introduce the topic of slavery to your youngest learners? The Sneetches, by Dr. Suess, is a great introduction to the idea of being different. Read the story to your class, and discuss desegregation in...

Foster class discussion about body image with the resources and questions provided here. Focus on Special K's "look good on your own terms" ad campaign. Learners start by reading about this campaign and analyze a series of print ads,...

Discuss the difference between legitimate debate on a political issue and arguments that are based on hate through a science-fiction scenario that shows how a controversial issue can be discussed in both ways. Then learn how purveyors of...

This New York Times "Learning Network" exercise on reading informational text poses 6 questions about a high-interest article on teen fashion. The article meant to be review with is resource, "More than meets the iPhone Lens", is rather...

Introduce young writers to the process of writing a book. Start by reading a book of your choice and discussing the essential elements of any book such as the cover, story, and illustrations as well as who is responsible for each...

Have your class explore alcohol awareness public service announcements. Provided are a detailed plan and a complete set of materials for doing just this. Learners are exposed to a series of approaches and advertisements and decide which...

Identify the author's organizational pattern for expressing ideas. After reading an article on the California Gold Rush, middle schoolers determine the author's purpose for writing a passage of informational text. A full list of...

Demonstrate how to engage in a polite and professional conversation with this banking and interfacing lesson. Focusing on explanatory and informaitonal texts, middle schoolers write sentences using banking and finance terminologies....

The Smithsonian's National Zoo, also known as the Washington Zoo, is one of the oldest zoos in the United States. Youngsters read and discuss a news article about Tai Shan, baby panda that was one of the zoos most famous residents. They...

Young scholars write a rap or hip-hop lyric about the life of a famous Black American. They explore famous Black Americans in history and explore how the rap form compares to other forms of poetic expression.

Third graders study the difference between the Kwakiutl, Cheyenne and Navajo tribes. They identify the people, resources, lifestyle and beliefs of the Kwakiutl, Cheyenne, and Navajo Indians. Afterward, they present their projects on each...

Buddy up to the stories in the February 9, 2012 edition of the New York Times. Kids get to know top headlines as they read or scan each article. When they are ready the take the five-question multiple choice quiz. 

What does your class know about the stories in today's paper? They read the articles and top headlines in the January 4, 2012 edition of the New York Times and then take a short quiz. The quiz contains five questions and can be done...

You can't take this online quiz until after you've read the April 30, 2012 edition of the New York Times. After scanning the articles from the paper, your class can answer each of the five questions. A good way to stay informed on what's...

Have the class read the New York Times before talking about the event that made headlines on June 1, 2011. They read or scan that day's paper and then take a five question quiz. A good way to sneak in a bit of recent history.

Introduce the class to the New York Times. They'll read articles posted on March 30, 2012 and then take a five question quiz. A great way to make daily news readers out of any learner.

What do you do with a New York Times? Read it of course! Your class reads the Times published on February 3, 2012 to answer five multiple choice questions. Who has an informed class? You do!

Do you know what a fallacy is? Discuss this term and its meaning with your class. Then, talk about why making generalizations about a large group of people isn't the best thing to do. As a group, study the included letter excerpt. It...

Read, analyze, and critique a newspaper article about a concert with a Western singer and an Iranian band. Scholars will assess key vocabulary terms within the article, learn how to understand a short news report, and hone in on how the...

After reading several New York Times articles posted on April 18, 2012, kids take a quiz. They read the articles found in that paper, then take a six-question multiple choice quiz. A great way to teach kids how to become informed citizens.

Five multiple choice questions are in need of answers, but first your class needs to read the day's paper. They read the New York Times published on April 15, 2011 to find the answers to each of the five questions.