This is an activity that can either be used as a homework activity, in class independent activity, or used with a small group of students. The passages are taken from npr.org and biography.com and are both easily accessible. Links to the article are included in the packet. The entire file is in Word so that it can be edited to your needs and the answers are included in the file as text boxes that can be easily deleted when sharing with your students. I am in the process of completely revamping my store to include more Common Core aligned resources that focus on the strategies of close reading and using evidence from the text.

This is a sample from my Poetry Resource Pack: Mini-books, Templates, Graphic Organizers resource. It teaches students about cinquain poetry.

This is a sample from my Beginning of the Year A to Z resource pack. It includes one activity for the letters B, G, H, N. Please note there are additional resources for these letters should you decided to purchase the full unit. If you like this resource, please check out the full resource with over 100 pages.

The use of graphic organizers is a research based strategy for building comprehension and engagement with complex text. This resource is for all “graphic-FANantics” and those interested in using graphic organizers with their class. This a rich collection of 50 original organizers aligned to Common Core Informational Text standards. They are perfect for any informational text and focus on students digging into the text to find specific details and deeper meaning. There are 50 original organizers that can be used with students in grades 4-6 and Common Core alignment is discretely noted on each organizer. These organizers can be used in whole group lessons, homework assignments, during skill lesson, and/or small groups. My personal favorite includes using these organizers to hold students accountable for independent reading.

Lamb to the Slaughter” by Roald Dahl is a classic short story about a pregnant housewife who completes and covers for an unthinkable crime. All materials provided offer multiple opportunities to critically evaluate character motivation, plot elements, cite evidence and evaluate irony! The lesson also includes engaging extension activities. ★ Common Core Aligned Questions from the text w/Answer Key ★ Discussion Questions ★ Graphic Organizers ★ Writing Extension Activity (4) This resource is perfect for introducing a short story unit and reinforcing ideas from fiction reading. It is also simple enough to be used as an emergency substitute lesson plan!

“Charles” by Shirley Jackson is an amazing short story that is sure to grab the attention of your students. Students are invested in close reading for clues, find evidence, and determining the elements of plot. All materials provided in this lesson will allow students to do this at a high level! One of the most amazing components is the higher level vocabulary activities that position students to make inferences, use new words to describe characters, and summarize sentences where the word is used. This is a jam packed short story evaluation that includes: - Detailed Lesson Plan - Five Original Graphic Organizers - Common Core Aligned Questions from the text - Task cards to assign student annotated reading role (3 different roles) - Extension Activities It is perfect for introducing a short story unit and reinforcing ideas from fiction reading. It is simple enough to be used as an emergency substitute lesson plan.

“The Tell Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe is a classic short story that is riveting from start to finish. This is one of Poe’s most recognized works, and it is sure to grab the attention of your students! This resource is aligned to Common Core standards and age/grade appropriate. All materials provided in this lesson will position students to make a claim about the narrator and engage in deep conversations regarding the events that unfold. This unit infuses a bit of technology with the use of QR codes, but no worries, teachers are still set up for success without the technology. This unit is designed for Grades 8-10! Mini-Lessons: - Mood and Tone - Prefixes and Suffixes - Context Clues - Irony *********************************************** Text Materials: This unit includes the text for students. There are two different options (with and without guided questions) and a teacher annotated copy to assist with analysis.

Characters Booklet This “booklet” will assist students in keeping track of characters in the books and/or stories they are reading. This is an excellent resource if you are working on character analysis as students are required to analyze multiple characters from the text by detailing when they are introduced, key quotes, and explain their importance to the text. The book also includes a list of character traits to help students think through how to accurately describe characters. The booklet includes: *Character Comparison Graphic Organizer *Character Change Graphic Organizer *Character description Graphic Organizer *Character Review writing component Directions for how to print this booklet are included as it is intended to be copied double sided and folded in half.

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 Holes. 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

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 includes an activity (or two) for each letter of the alphabet. Advice Column All About Me Alternative Ending Buddy Biography Buddy Bookmarks Charm Bracelet Comic Strips Dear Next Year Letter Diary of… End of Year Poems Facebook Page Find a Friend Who Gratitude Notes Hollywood Ending How to Survive I AM Poem Interview a Classmate Kind Words Letter to My Future Self MEMORY BOOK Newspaper Overcoming Obstacles Postcards Portrait of the Year Quiz about Me Recipe for Success Reflect and Rewind Stay or Switch Timeline Trading Cards “U” Collage Vocabulary Bookmarks Written Reflection of the Year X Marks the Spot Yearbook Pages Zooming In There are so many activities to choose from.

This is an amazing beginning of the year resource pack that is LOADED with resources to kick off the school year and a strong class culture. This includes an activity (or two) for each letter of the alphabet. All Hands In Bingo Celebrity Interview Connection Creation Dreams and Aspirations Detectives Encouragement and Excellence Fact or Fib Free Throws Goals Galore Important Book a mini-book Kind Words Kind Notes Letter to My Future Self Mad Libs New Year Chronicle/Get Started Gazette ) Only the Strong Person of the Year Questions Reel of Summer Save the Date Student Dictionary Take as Much as You Like Unpacking Me: A Craftivity Venn Diagram Wanted (2 Versions) Would You Rather Task Cards Yearbook Pages Z-A about the Class There are so many activities to choose from.

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.

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 is directly aligned to Common Core Writing and Language standards, and is designed for students in grades 6-8. This unit will lead you and your students through the process of writing different types of informative pieces. Download the preview for a peak at the resources. There are more than 65 pages which include: ★ Explanatory/Informative Writing Overview ★ Mentor Texts (4) ★ Writing topics (32) ★ Student Revision Checklist ★ Student Editing Checklist ★ Common Core Aligned Rubric Graphic Organizers by Organization Structure Descriptive (5) Problem Solution (2) Compare and Contrast (2) Cause and Effect (4) Generic (4) Mini-lessons: Drafting From an Outline Recognizing Bias in Writing Compare and Contrast Formats Cause Effect Language Lessons: Infinitive and Infinitive Phrases Gerunds

The unit was designed to teach students about argumentative writing. The Common Core Standards highlight the shift from persuasive writing to argumentative writing, which requires students to use evidence to support and arguable claim. This unit walks teachers and students through this process. This unit is designed for the middle grades! Mini-Lessons: - Argument vs. Persuasive Writing - Writing Claims - Fact and Opinion - Counterarguments - Writing Leads *********************************************** Grammar Lessons: Run-on Sentences Compound Complex Sentences Using Commas *********************************************** Graphic Organizers: Brainstorming Outlining Building a Case Problem/Solution Counterarguments Evaluating Arguments ***********************************************

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 is a rigorous Greek Mythology unit geared at student engagement, thinking, reading, and writing skills. It also includes a number of activities that would be perfect for literacy centers. There are more than 100 pages which include: Rewritten Greek Myths with Common Core Aligned Questions and Activities: - Once Upon a Beauty: The Story of Medusa - The Wonderful Weaver: The Story of Arachne - The Trojan Horse - The Greek Army - Love’s Echo - The Midas Touch - Psyche & Eros: The Story of Love - Heracles: The Twelve Labors - The Story of Zeus *********************************************** Myth Writing: Suggested Scope and Sequence Mentor Text Brainstorming Outlining Character Development Drafting Paper Revision & Editing Checklist Rubric ***********************************************

This resource is a sample from my larger graphic organizer units.There are five total organizers with three aligned to reading literature standards and two aligned to informational text standards.