This is a rigorous unit geared at student engagement, thinking, reading, and writing skills. Students read and analyze both informational and fictional texts, and write an argumentative and literary essay. This unit was designed for students to celebrate the rich and complex history of North America’s first people. Please download the preview for more information. There are more than 80 pages which include: Two page Informational Text Articles with Comprehension Questions and Activities: - The First Americans - Cultures of the Southwest - Cultures of the Northwest - Cultures of the Great Plains - Eastern Woodlands Natives - Mound Building Cultures - The Inuit Fictional Text with Comprehension Questions and Activities: - The Raven and The Crow: The Stolen Potlatch - The Legend of Good Luck - The Coyote and the Buffalo ***********************************************

The entire unit focuses on the Common Core Standards and shift to getting students to use evidence from the text to answer and defend their responses. The structure of my class was a vocabulary mini-lesson, mini-lesson connected to a skill, whole class and independent reading connected to the text. LESSON PLANS ARE IN WORD (AND PDF) FORMAT. This perfect for teachers who like to tweak class activities to the needs of their individual classes. Please note restrictions on commercial use. The Unit Includes: 25 Original Vocabulary Mini-lessons 24 Lessons (Questions from the chapters, Exit Ticket, Homework) 22 Mini-lessons aligned to skills from the text 4 Extension Activities (Create a Creature, Wanted Ads, Character Traits, Alternative Ending) Graphic Organizers 1 Character Study Mini-Book (9 pages) for students to track characters

This is a unit has been completely updated for formatting and content. It is a complete novel study using the book Bud, Not Buddy. The entire unit focuses on the Common Core Standards shift to getting students to use evidence from the text to defend their responses. It includes: • Overview with Suggested Objectives aligned to the text • Explanation of Lesson Components • Daily Reading Summary • Daily Vocabulary Words • Six Mini-lessons • Daily "Active Reading" Lesson that aligns to Common Core Standards with an Exit Ticket • Daily Homework Questions • Writing Component All lesson parts are in Word formatting that can be easily edited for classroom needs. There are Word version AND PDF files for ease of printing.

This is a set of 24 high interest task cards for finding the main idea. This activity is perfect for centers or small groups! The paragraphs are thought provoking and include rich vocabulary. Student response cards and teacher answer key is included.

This is a myth writing supplemental resource pack taken from my larger Greek Mythology Unit. Students are guided through the process of creating a myth using this resource. DO NOT PURCHASE IF YOU HAVE BOUGHT MY GREEK MYTHOLOGY UNIT Resources included: - Suggested Scope and Sequence - Mentor Text - Brainstorming - Outlining - Mini-lesson: Quoting - Character Development - Drafting Paper - Revision & Editing Checklist - Rubric

This unit focuses on remediation and/or enriching skills associated with main idea and supporting details using informational and fictional text. There are multiple examples, sample questions, and aligned assessments. It is compiled in four sections that gradually develop student independence: 1. Modeled Instruction 2. Guided Instruction 3. Independent Practice 4. Assessment There are also graphic organizers, and an “I Have, Who Has?” activity for students to practice main idea as a class! Answer keys are included for all resources and this is aligned to Common Core States Standard. All teachers have to do it print and copy!

This resource is included in the Locomotion Novel Unit so if you have purchased that Unit please do not purchase this one. It includes Common Core Analysis of 10 poems. • “Ode to family photographs” by Gary Soto • “A Bird Came Down the Walk” by Emily Dickinson • “A Poem for My Librarian, Mrs. Long.” by Nikki Giovanni • “Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening” by Robert Frost • “Humanity” by Elma Stuckey • “Something Told the Wild Geese” by Rachel Field • “Words as Free as Confetti” by Pat Mora • “In the Time of Silver Rain” by Langston Hughes • “The Sea” by James Reeves • “Wind” by James Reeves There is a bonus lesson included that gets to students to use the biography of Nikki Giovanni in order to analysis the poem through the lens of the author.

This is a set of 26 half page task cards about famous African Americans. There are 3 questions for each card, an answer key, and student response form. This activity is perfect for centers or small groups! An intentional focus was place on introducing students to a variety of celebrated African Americans. Marian Anderson Mary McLeod Bethune Cab Calloway Dr. Charles R. Drew Duke Ellington Ella Fitzgerald Althea Gibson Matthew Henson Rex Ingram Mae Jemison Ulysses Kay Alaine Locke Constance Baker Motley Kwame Nkrumah Jessie Owens Colin Luther Powell Benjamin Quarles Wilma Rudolph Betty Shabazz Sojourner Truth Leslie Uggams Denmark Vesey Ida B. Wells Malcolm X Whitney Young Jr. Shaka Zulu

This resource is a compilation of reading literature graphic organizers that I have created for my students through the years. They are perfect for any fictional text and focus on students digging into the text to find specific details and deeper meaning for the Reading Literature Common Core standards. There are 43 original organizers that can be used with students in grades 4-6 and Common Core alignment is discretely noted on each organizer. This resource also includes six sample completed organizers aligned with the short story “Thank You Ma’am” and suggested implementation for these organizers. These organizers can be used in whole group lessons, literature circles, novel studies, homework assignments, and/or small groups. My personal favorite includes using these organizers to hold students accountable for their independent reading books.

This is a unit that can stand alone as a "mini-unit" or supplement your current poetry unit. Each poem includes an in-depth analysis of the poem that requires students to evaluate the speaker’s message, use of literary devices, rhyme scheme, and summarize the poem. Lessons combine the elements of close reading with poetry, literary analysis, and free verse writing.Included: • Teacher Resource Guide aligned to CCSS • 13 poems with printable worksheets and answer keys. • Sample lesson plans • Writing Enrichment activities • Rigorous mini-lessons to teach simile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole with accompanying worksheets.

This bundle includes my reading literature and informational text graphic organizer resources. Purchasing this bundle saves you 20% as opposed to buying separately. There are more than 90 graphic organizers aligned to the Common Core Reading Standards included.

This resource is aligned to Speaking and Listening standards from the Common Core standards. I use this with my 5th graders, but it is broad enough to apply to grades 3-6. This resource is intended to assist teachers in implementing effective collaborative discussions about the text. This resource includes: - Overview and Key Components to Implementation Description - Student Responsibilities (Roles) Cards - Sentence Starters aligned to Roles - Discussion Participant Checklist - Self-Evaluation Rubric for participants - Teacher evaluation rubric (CUSTOMIZABLE) - 6 Reading Literature Preparation Guides - 7 Reading Informational Text Preparation Guides - 16 Reading Literature Conversation Starter Cards - 12 Reading Informational Text Conversation Starter Cards If you like this product or have thoughts on how to improve please leave me your feedback! Enjoy!

These organizers are included in my Argumentative, Informative, and Personal Narrative writing units. If you have those units, or purchased my writing bundle, please do not grab these. This resource includes 30 original graphic organizers that will assist your students with writing. These organizers are aligned to three types of writing noted in the Common Core State Standards, and will guide students with organizing their thoughts to the topic of your choice. Organizers included: ★ Argumentative (8) ★ Informative (15) ★ Personal Narrative (7)

This unit focuses on remediating and/or enriching skills associated with quoting, inferring, and explaining using informational and fictional text. The Lexile level for each passage is noted in the table of contents, and there are multiple examples, sample questions, and aligned assessments. It is compiled in four sections that gradually develop student independence: 1. Modeled Instruction 2. Guided Instruction 3. Independent Practice 4. Assessment There are also graphic organizers, and an activity for students to practice inferring using pictures. Answer keys are included for all resources and this is aligned to Common Core States Standards (RL.4.1,RL.5.1, RI.4.1,RI.5.1). All teachers have to do it print and copy! ***********************************************

These cards are included in my Theme and Greek mythology units. If you have those units, please do not grab these. This resource includes 32 different half page task cards that support the reading literature Common Core standards. These cards would work well as remediation for small groups, or as a test preparation activity. Skills covered include: ★ Using Evidence from the Text ★ Finding and Summarizing the Theme ★ Character Traits ★ Plot Events ★ Determining the Meaning of Words

This unit will help students and teachers take on the ever elusive theme, which is a difficult concept to teach. This unit also delves into students writing constructed responses to text, which is aligned to Common Core Standards. There are more than 65 pages in this unit, which include posters, graphic organizers, half page graphic organizers, and practice questions (spanning multiple common core standards). Literature Passages: • The Boy Who Cried Wolf (Aesop fable) • The Lion and the Mouse (Aesop fable) • The Tortoise and the Hare (Aesop fable) • The Princess and the Frog (Fairy Tale) • Rapunzel (Fairy Tale) • Marie and the Brilliant Fish (African fable) • The Helping Hand (Short Story) • Diamond in the Rough (Short Story) • the drum by Nikki Giovanni (poem) • Same Song by Pat Mora (poem) (5) Theme Posters (6) Graphic Organizers (16) Half Page Task cards

This is a complete novel study using the book Rules. The book is a Newberry Honor Book and explores themes of friendship, family, and students with disabilities. The entire unit focuses on the Common Core Standards and shift to getting students to use evidence from the text to defend their responses. You will notice a mix of multiple choice questions and short answers where students are required to give specific evidence to explain their answers. More importantly it unites ELA with reading, writing, and vocabulary. This unit is also perfect for guided reading groups. This unit also includes a guide for implementing collaborative conversations with your students that aligns to the Speaking and Listening Common Core State Standards. Included: 17 Print and Go/Editable Lessons (Student work, exit ticket, homework) 18 Vocabulary words that are explored for deeper meaning 1 Student Collaborative Discussion booklet

I love teaching poetry and this includes the poems that are included in all my resources and many more!This resource is just a list of poems from various poets. Share them on National Poem in Your Pocket Day by folding them up and putting them in your pocket. Enjoy!

This is a free lesson that focuses on Common Core Standard RL.5.2 The file uses the poem "Same Song" by Pat Mora (obtained on a free public domain) to help student analyze the main idea or topic that that the author is describing. This activity can be used as review, homework, or a supplemental component for the aligned standard. This file is saved as a PDF, but can be printed out and used with students in it's current format. I am working to create additional products for my store and appreciate any feedback on this lesson.

This resource demonstrates how I use graphic organizers in my classroom. It includes: - Informational Text - Lesson Plan/Overview - Prereading Graphic Organizer - Main Idea Graphic Organizer w/ Response Guide - Common Core Aligned Comprehension Questions w/ Response Guide