Make text-to-world connections between 1920s American history and The Great Gatsby. Upper graders share facts they researched about the 1920s the evening prior, view two video clips about F. Scott Fitzgerald, and then choose a book to...

After completing an essay on the American dream, learners revisit their thesis statements. To remind your class what a good thesis statement should look like, show them the rap video, and flip through the PowerPoint presentation. Then...

How does a film vary from its text version? After your high school class finishes The Great Gatsby, let them watch parts of the 1974 film version. First, they complete a journal entry that attempts to connect their personal life to the...

Is Nick Carraway a reliable narrator for The Great Gatsby? Does he really, as his father directed, reserve judgment? Groups rewrite selected scenes from chapter four and five of the novel from the point of view of another character and...

Who would you like to see at your luncheon table? After selecting a character from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, young writers re-imagine The Great Gatsby and how it would be different if told from their character’s point of view....

Students practice organizing their vocabulary words in an online organizer tool. For this vocabulary lesson, students read a text and take notes. Additionally, students organize their vocabulary words into an online "Alphabet Organizer"...

Do you need a clear and concise learning exercise on capitalization for your learners? This learning exercise would be an excellent choice. The first page is packed full of good examples of when capitalization is necessary, and the...

Of these five slides, two consist of the title and directions; the other three list the parts of an essay and their purpose, as well as how to best begin an essay. In essence, this is a very brief PowerPoint that can be used as a...

Take a closer look at the women in myths around the world. Some are goddesses, some are mortal. Test your readers with ten multiple-choice and fill-in-the-blank questions.

Need some possible writing topics for your class? Look no further, this resource consists of a list of 24 writing prompts. Perfect for journal writing or quick writes, all 24 prompts ask about pupils' personal experiences and thus elicit...

Give your class an overview of American tall tales and some examples with these slides. The basic definition of folk stories, legends, and tall tales is explained, followed by famous characters from American lore. Reading suggestions are...

Seven quick slides give your class the "facts" on Paul Bunyan. This tall tale was made up to entertain lumberjacks and many interesting points are detailed here. As you study various folk tales, show this presentation to portray one of...

Various genres of oral tradition are outlined and defined in these slides. Give your class examples of folk tales, fairy tales, parables, fables, legends, and myths before reading an example of one of these stories. This overview acts as...

Young poets focus on one character from a story they are reading, collect details, and use a biopoem template to analyze this character. The activity can be used with any text.

Why should your class complete a story map? After reading Bud, Not Buddy, divide your class into pairs or small groups to complete the included worksheet. They list the main characters, the conflict, main plot events, the resolution, and...

What does the author believe about his topic? Why did he write in the first place? Challenge your class to figure out the answers to these questions as they read through informational texts. The resource provides a breakdown of the...

How tall is the Empire State Building? Lead your class through a collaborative estimation activity to determine the number of quarters it would take to reach the top and teach the following concepts: human capital, human resources,...

First graders create a computer slide show. They select pictures from the gallery, write descriptive words or phrases about the pictures, and develop a three slide presentation.

Students examine state names that are derived from American Indian words and phrases. They effectively communicate ideas through the use of clear descriptive writing. The reverse of the Montana Quarter is used as inspiration for this...

Students write a description of a person in their community. They brainstorm a list of role models and what qualities make a role model. They interview a panel of role models.

Students study about descriptive writing. They write a descriptive paragraph about themselves without revealing their physical description and sign their writing with a pseudonym.

Third graders watch as their teacher demonstates how to make a web of vocabulary words. After listening to a story, they are given a list of new descriptive vocabulary words. To end the lesson, they create their own word web using one...

Students write a theme statement for a collection of diverse objects. Using the internet, they research and write descriptions of various artifact. They role play the role of a museum curator and produce a museum style exhibition. ...

Third graders read information about the description of the great horned owls and their eating habits, and listen to the sounds that a great horned owl makes; students use computer and reading skills to look up information on the web...