Teach students about unusual traditions, the art of giving, as well as the financial and environmental impacts of the festive season. Each article is accompanied by Common Core informational text-aligned and personal connection questions.
1. Unusual Christmas Traditions Around the World
Explore unique Christmas traditions from various countries, such as Japan’s Kentucy Fried Chicken dinners, showcasing the diversity of global Christmas customs.
2. The Environmental Impact of Christmas
Examine the environmental effects of Christmas, including energy consumption, the debate over real vs. artificial trees, waste generation, and the carbon footprint of holiday travel.
3. Secret Santa Larry Stewart
Discover the heartwarming story of Larry Stewart, who anonymously gave away millions during Christmas to those in need.
4. The Economics of Christmas: A Season of Spending and Struggles
Delve into the economic aspects of Christmas, discussing holiday spending, financial stress for low-income families, and the extravagant spending of the wealthy.
This focus of this lesson is identifying an article’s central idea. However, there are many more activities centered around the topic of AI such as Chat GPT.
What’s included:
Common Core Standards
Teaching Guide
Pre-reading Questions
Identifying the Central Idea Guide
Chat GPT Article
Post-reading Cite Evidence Questions
Central Idea Graphic Organizer
Post-activity Reflection Questions
Answer Keys
This informational text lesson plan is brimming with activities to engage students and spark curiosity in space exploration, while also covering crucial informational text standards.
What’s Included:
Teaching Guide
Pre-Activity Worksheet
Curiosity on Mars Informational Text
Analysis Questions
Central Idea Worksheet
Paired Video Analysis
Space Exploration Timeline + Worksheet
Reflection Questions
Answers
Greta Thunberg’s story demonstrates the power of youth voices, inspiring students to believe they can make a difference.
What’s included:
Teaching Guide
Pre-Activity Questions
Great Thunberg Article
Analysis Questions
Discussion Questions
Paired Video Comparison
Extension Activities
Answers + Common Core Standards
Malala Yousafzai serves as an exemplary role model for students. Her dedication to education and equality encourages students to stand up for their beliefs and make a positive impact in their communities.
What’s included:
Teaching Guide
Pre-Activity Questions
Malala Yousafzai Article
Analysis Questions
Discussion Questions
Paired Video Comparison
Extension Activities
Answers + Common Core Standards
This engaging, no prep magazine activity is the perfect way to practice informational text-reading skills. The nine-page magazine on ancient mysteries will fascinate students, and it even includes a games page for fun.
What’s included:
Teaching Guide
Magazine (Atlantis Article / Ancient Egypt Article / Games Page)
Analysis Questions
Summarizing Activity
Answers + Common Core Standards
Motivate students with Barack Obama’s speech on the importance of showing responsibility and effort towards education.
What’s included:
Teaching Guide
Pre-Activity Questions
Back-to-School Speech
Main Argument Graphic Organizer
SOAPS Analysis Worksheet
Ethos, Logos, Pathos Worksheet
Answers + Common Core Standards
Discover how Albert Einstein used his scientific knowledge and persuasive skills to alert President Roosevelt about the urgent need for atomic research. This ready-to-print lesson plan delves into the historical context and key elements of the letter before leading to thought provoking discussions and an informative writing activity that inspires students to take a stand for issues they are passionate about.
What’s included:
Teaching Guide
Pre-Activity Questions
Letter Context
Einstein’s Letter to President Roosevelt
SOAPS Analysis Worksheet
Analysis Questions
Discussion Questions
Write a Letter to a Leader Activity
Answers
Add humor and engagement to the ELA classroom
This lesson plan is perfect for St. Patrick’s Day or to incorporate into a poetry unit.
What’s included:
Teaching Guide
History of the Limerick Reading
Features of a Limerick Document
Limerick Poetry Examples
Features Checklist
Tips and Sentence Starters
Create a Limerick Worksheet
Dive into the world of gods, heroes, and monsters with these classic 15 Greek myths. Worksheets guide students in decoding themes, uncovering character arcs, and connecting ancient wisdom to modern life.
Greek Myths:
Pandora’s Box: A Tale of Curiosity and Consequence
Daedalus and Icarus: A Flight Toward Freedom
King Midas and the Golden Touch
The Tale of Echo and Narcissus
Prometheus: The Titan Who Gave Fire to Humanity
Io and Zeus: A Tale of Desire and Transformation
The Myth of Arachne
Phaethon and the Sun Chariot
The Enchantment of Cupid and Psyche
The Danaides and the 50 marriages
The Myth of Theseus and the Minotaur
The Great War of the Titanomachy
Paris and the Golden Apple
The Myth of Hercules and Cerberus
The Myth of Pygmalion and Galatea.
Socratic seminars foster critical thinking and active engagement, enabling students to deepen their understanding of literature and develop essential communication skills in an ELA classroom.
What’s Included:
Socratic Seminar Introduction
Socratic Seminar vs Debate
Model Dialogue
Tips for Creating Questions
Scoring Rubric
Other Teaching Ideas
Transport students to Moana’s tropical Motunui Island and Aladdin’s mystical Arabian kingdom while practicing invaluable ELA skills. Students will practice citing textual evidence and making inferences with Moana’s How Far I’ll Go, and Aladdin’s A Whole New World.
What’s included:
Common Core Standards
Teaching Guide
Important Definitions
Citing Textual Evidence Guide
Paraphrasing Activity
Explicit information v Inferences Document
How Far I’ll Go Analysis Worksheet
A Whole New World Analysis Worksheet
Sample Answers
You wouldn’t build a house without a solid foundation, sturdy walls, and a secure roof. Similarly, Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning (CER) are the foundation, walls, and roof of effective writing. Master this skill with our vibrant, engaging, and easy-to-follow lesson plan.
What’s included:
Introduction to CER
6 Mystery Texts
CER in an ELA Context
2 Short Fiction Texts
⚠️Warning: Engaging Content⚠️
Maximize students’ experience with Gary Paulsen’s classic novel, “Hatchet,” with our extremely comprehensive and ready-to-print study unit that will keep students busy for up to two months!
1. Novel Study
This core resource includes worksheets, discussion questions, written response questions, jeopardy games, plot structure worksheets, as well as pre- and post-reading activities.
2. Paired Informational Texts
Texts on real-world issues such as survival skills, the Canadian wilderness, and the incredible real-life survival story of Juliane Koepcke illuminate many of the themes explored in “Hatchet.”
3. Paired Short Story - Stop the Sun
Both “Hatchet” and “Stop the Sun” have young protagonists and explore themes of personal growth and coping mechanisms. Furthermore, both were written by Gary Paulsen allowing for discussions on the author’s style and background influences.
4. Paired Poem - The Cremation of Sam McGee
Both texts deal with themes of survival and isolation in harsh environments, allowing students to compare the psychological and physical responses of characters in extreme conditions.
5. Movie Worksheets (A Cry in the Wild)
This resource includes pre-viewing, viewing, and post-viewing worksheets - including an engaging Bear Grylls comparison activity.
Gary Soto’s stories explore relatable themes of identity, family, and community, encouraging students to reflect on their own experiences. This bundle contains lesson plans for three engaging Gary Soto short stories: Seventh Grade, The Jacket, and The No-Guitar Blues. It also contains a mini-biography.
All three lesson plans include (+ much more!):
Teaching Guides
Pre-reading Activities
Vocabulary Worksheets
Post-reading Questions (Multiple Choice, Analysis, and Real-World Connection)
Worksheets
Written Response Questions + Rubrics
Extension Activities
Online Jeopardy Games
Informational Texts
Answer Keys to All of the Above + Common Core Standards
Get ready to unleash your inner ghoul with our Halloween Lesson Bundle! Dive into the spooky world of poems, spoken word, short stories, games, creative writing, and real-life stories such as the Salem witch trial, all infused with a hair-raising Halloween twist. With this bundle, teachers can craft a Halloween-themed week or even an entire month of eerie and imaginative learning experiences.
♫♫♫ Add music and engagement to poetry lessons ♫ ♫ ♫
This lesson is designed to get students talking, collaborating and having fun while analysing the relatable words of Maya Angelou (Life Doesn’t Frighten Me) and Shawn Mendes (In My Blood).
What’s included:
Pre-reading questions
Poetic devices matching activity
Poem analysis questions
About the poet bio and questions
Song analysis questions
About the song writer bio and question
Song and poem comparison questions
Bigger issues questions
Sample answers for all of the above