Keep abreast of all the goings on in the world. After reading the April 26, 2012 edition of the New York Times, kids will complete a five-question multiple choice quiz. A great way to increase reading comprehension while staying current...

Kids catch up on world affairs. They read an online copy of the New York Times from June 7, 2011. They then take a five question quiz related to that day's top stories. 

What was new in news on May 24, 2011? Learners get friendly with the New York Times as they read or scan articles published on May 24, 2011. When they are finished reading, they take a quiz containing five multiple choice questions. 

What was happening in the news on May 19, 2011? Find out about the events that made the papers by reading the New York Times. After a quick glance at the paper take an online quiz to see how much you know.

When someone asks your class what events were featured in the Times on October 14, 2011, they'll have an answer. They read the paper from that day, then take a five question multiple choice quiz. 

April 5, 2012 is the date of this online copy of the New York Times. Your class will read or scan the paper and then take a five question multiple choice quiz on what they've learned.

Fourth graders work in small groups to become experts on different colonial trades in the eighth instructional activity of this unit. Working toward the long-term goal of writing a piece of historical fiction, young scholars read...

Examine human resilience across two texts with a detailed unit. Over the course of a week, learners will conduct a close reading of excerpts from Unbroken and Farewell to Manzanar. The resource includes clear procedures for reading and...

The second lesson in a unit of 15 introduces pupils to text compression. The class begins with discussing how they already use text compression when sending text messages. Pairs learn more about the subject as they work to compress a...

Get the facts straight. Scholars complete their mid-unit assessment by reading a text, watching a video, and observing a picture about howler monkeys. They take notes about the facts they discover to use in future lessons.

Track your class's progress on all of the ELA Common Core standards with these handy charts. Along the left side, each seventh grade identifier is listed along with the full text of the standard. As you teach, reteach, assess,...

Explore emotions associated with moving to a new home with young learners. First they listen to the books Painted Words/Spoken Memories by Aliki and Going Home by Eve Bunting. Then they are invited to share their experiences as well as...

Kids won't just follow a recipe to increase their cooking ability, they'll use it to locate information in a text. They read the simple recipe, then use information from the recipe to fill in the blanks in a story that shows one person...

What's the difference between hibernation and a good nap? Find out with an engaging life science activity that compares the hibernation habits of grizzly bears and marmots. After learners read an informational passage about each mammal,...

Students examine the language and punctuation marks associated with text messaging. They take a pre-quiz to determine their knowledge of texting language, practice reading and writing messages and determine appropriate uses for text...

What does your class know about logical fallacies? They can find out quite a bit and practice identifying logical fallacies if you follow the steps and use the resources provided here! After reviewing ethos, pathos, and logos, ask small...

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...

Practice reading comprehension by approaching oceanography through 2 pages of informational text. The text compares the ocean floor to the Grand Canyon to gives students perspective, and gives a brief coverage of the earth's crust and...

Although this legislative process lesson is designed to accompany a specific text, it is valuable independently. Young learners participate in a picture walk (worksheet included) through My Senator and Me: A Dog's-Eye View...

Analyze and read a dramatic role-play depicting the meeting of Bolivar and San Martin. There are 3 critical-thinking questions based on the dramatic reading. A fun way to practice interpreting informational text.

Let's ask an expert. Scholars divide into groups to research and become experts on either ants or butterflies. Learners use task cards and text on their topic to complete a note catcher. At the end, they share their information with a...

Which option would most children choose: One marshmallow now, or two marshmallows in 10 minutes? Learners watch the social experiment on video and discuss their observations. They then read articles and work in small groups to analyze...

"Float like a butterfly, and sting like a bee" with a resource about the greatest boxer of our generation. A short biographical reading passage introduces young readers to Muhammad Ali, and includes information about his early life...

Some days, the world seems like it is becoming darker, but research suggests that the world might actually be becoming a more peaceful place. An informational reading passage accompanied by a series of activities builds English language...