This is a handy Common Core aligned guide to help you complete a close reading activity with your students. I have included an article about tigers and all of the materials needed to conduct a close reading lesson. Included in this resource: 1. Introduction of how to complete a close reading lesson. 2. The Main Plan printable to help you and your students go through the close reading steps. 3. Tag it Up printable to help your students understand how to annotate the text. 4. 3 versions of the Terrific Tigers article for differentiation. (4th, 5th, and 6th grade levels) Lexile Levels and Word Counts can be found on each version. 5. Text Dependent Questions broken down for use after each reading, with a bonus extension writing activity and answer keys. 6. Graphic organizers for note taking, main idea, and context clues to be used with or in stead of the text questions.

These discussion questions are generic and work well with any novel. If you need questions that children in different groups can answer simultaneously or if you want students to choose their own discussion questions, these questions will work well for you. There are 65 different questions in 8 different categories: Characters – 19 questions Setting – 5 questions Connections – 14 questions Conflict – 4 questions Evaluation – 5 questions Visualizing – 9 questions Plot – 7 questions Questioning – 2 questions The questions combine various skills and mediums. They can be done with paper and pencil or on the computer.

So many times kids use the same low level words over and over. This is a cute activity to help kids bury those old familiar words and start using more sophisticated language. Kids bury old words on tombstones and raise up new words on ghosts. Great for a back to school or Halloween activity and for Interactive notebooks or writing centers.

This is a thorough set of class discussion and homework questions. The class questions can be used for the whole class or for reading groups. They are separated by chapter and can be placed on the board or given to the reading groups. Students will *Analyze characters *Identify major plot elements *Explain cause and effect relationships *Draw inferences *Determine central ideas and details *Determine theme *Describe plot *Identify conflict and resolution

This is a thorough overview of My Rotten Life Nathan Abercrombie, Accidental Zombie by David Lubar. There are group or whole class questions and homework questions broken down by each chapter. Most chapters are further broken down into several sections to make reading the text easier for your kids. The questions could be placed on the board or handed out to different groups of students. *Analyze characters *Identify major plot elements *Explain cause and effect relationships *Draw inferences *Determine central ideas and details *Determine theme *Describe plot *Identify conflict and resolution *Determine author's purpose *Make text to self connections

This is a thorough overview of Molly McGinty has a Really Good Day by Gary Paulsen. There are group or whole class questions and homework questions broken down by each chapter. Most chapters are further broken down into several sections to make reading the text easier for your kids. The questions could be placed on the board or handed out to different groups of students. *Analyze characters *Identify major plot elements *Explain cause and effect relationships *Draw inferences *Determine central ideas and details *Determine theme *Describe plot *Identify conflict and resolution *Make predictions *Determine author's purpose

This is a thorough set of class discussion and homework questions for The Not So Jolly Roger by Jon Scieszka. The class questions can be used for the whole class or for reading groups. They are separated by chapter and can be placed on the board or given to the reading groups. Students will *Analyze characters *Identify major plot elements *Explain cause and effect relationships *Draw inferences *Determine central ideas and details *Determine theme *Describe plot *Identify conflict and resolution *Make text to self connections

Need a quick way to review or introduce genres to your class? Don't do the work, I've done it for you! This Prezi is set up like a Guess Who game. A slide with 2 pictures illustrating the genre is shown with a question mark. Children can guess which genre is being illustrated out loud, in a small group or on paper or dry erase boards. Then show the next screen which gives the genre, a definition and examples to be copied into notebooks. Fiction Genres Included: Realistic Fiction Drama Historical Fiction Fairy Tales, Folktales, Myths and Legends Mystery Science Fiction Poetry Fantasy Non-Fiction Social Studies Autobiography/Biography Science

This is a thorough overview of Warriors by Erin Hunter. There are group or whole class questions and homework questions broken down by each chapter. Most chapters are further broken down into several sections to make reading the text easier for your kids. The questions could be placed on the board or handed out to different groups of students. *Analyze characters *Identify major plot elements *Explain cause and effect relationships *Draw inferences *Determine central ideas and details *Determine theme *Describe plot *Identify conflict and resolution *Determine author's purpose *Make text to self connections

Need to help your kids write a proper essay? Look no further, here is a complete Prezi to walk your students through the whole process of writing their own essay. I introduce the essay process as RISE: Restate the question. Include a topic sentence. Show details to support your answer. End with a conclusion. There are examples for your kids to practice restating the question and including a topic sentence.

This is a thorough Common Core aligned set of class discussion and homework questions. The class questions can be used for the whole class or for reading groups. They are separated by chapter and can be placed on the board or given to the reading groups. Students will *Analyze characters *Identify major plot elements *Explain cause and effect relationships *Draw inferences *Determine central ideas and details *Determine theme *Describe plot *Identify conflict and resolution

This is an Common Core aligned add on resource to the study of conflict types in your classroom. After students are introduced to the 7 types of Character vs. _________ conflict types, this resource can be used as a review or for remedial support. There is a PowerPoint to use on the Smartboard for a whole class activity. There are the same slides in flash card form to use for extra support. There are 8 story summaries for students to practice on.

If you are like me, you usually have 2 or 3 books going on in a class at the same time for differentiation. One of the biggest problems is trying to give tests to every group. Over the years, I have created general essay tasks that work well with a variety of books. I have included two versions of each question. One is good for grades 3-5 and the other is good for grades 6-8. The essays include the following topics: Character Conflict Theme Mood Climax Figurative Language Setting Lessons Theme

This is a thorough Common Core aligned overview of Gorilla Doctors Saving Endangered Great Apes by Pamela S. Turner. There are group or whole class questions and homework questions broken down by each chapter. The questions could be placed on the board or handed out to different groups of students. All of the questions have complete answers provided in the answer key. The following questions types and skills are used: *Central Idea and Supporting Details *Context Clues *Author's Purpose *Author's Point of View *Evaluating Arguments *Facts and Opinions *Topic Specific Vocabulary

These are great lists of more advanced vocabulary words to help jazz up writing pieces. If you are trying to move your students away from primary words to a more sophisticated writing technique, these are the words to use in your classroom, They'd work great as handouts to put in Interactive Notebooks or for a Writing Center. Meets CCSS .ELA-LITERACY.W.6.2.C Use appropriate transitions to clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts There are lists for: Compare/Contrast Words Sequence Words Conclusion Words Evidence Words

This is a thorough Common Core aligned overview of Dream On, Amber by Emma Shevah. The questions are Common Core aligned. There are group or whole class questions and homework questions broken down by each chapter. The questions could be placed on the board or handed out to different groups of students. All of the questions have complete answers provided in the answer key. Students will be asked to: *Analyze characters *Identify major plot elements *Explain cause and effect relationships *Draw inferences *Determine central ideas and details *Determine theme *Describe plot *Identify conflict and resolution *Assess author's purpose *Inferencing

Rebus puzzles are a great way to get your students thinking outside of the box. These puzzles are made up of pictures that when pieced together form a phrase. This resource includes 10 rebus puzzles and answers. There is also a sample puzzle to introduce students to the idea of how to solve a rebus puzzle. The puzzles form the following phrases: Intro - School is fun. 1. Be silly. Be honest. Be kind. 2. Do the best you can until you know better, then do better. 3. You'll always pass failure on your way to success. 4. No one is perfect, that's why pencils have erasers. 5. Why fit in when you were born to stand out? 6. Mistakes are proof that you are trying. 7. Life is tough my darling but so are you. 8. There is no elevator to success; you have to take the stairs. 9. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. 10. If you think someone could use a friend, be one.

This is a handy guide to help you complete a close reading activity with your students. I have included an endangered animal article about elephants and all of the materials needed to conduct a close reading lesson. Included in this resource: 1. Introduction of how to complete a close reading lesson. 2. The Main Plan printable to help you and your students go through the close reading steps. 3. Tag it Up printable to help your students understand how to annotate the text. 4. 3 versions of the Exciting Elephants article for differentiation. (4th, 5th, and 6th grade levels) Lexile Levels and Word Counts can be found on each version. 5. Text Dependent Questions broken down for use after each reading, with a bonus extension writing activity and answer keys. 6. Graphic organizers for note taking, main idea, and context clues to be used with or in stead of the text questions.

This is a thorough Common Core aligned overview of Middle School the Worst Years of My Life by James Patterson. There are group or whole class questions and homework questions broken down by each chapter. The questions could be placed on the board or handed out to different groups of students. All of the questions have complete answers provided in the answer key. The following questions types and skills are used: *Analyze characters *Identify major plot elements *Explain cause and effect relationships *Draw inferences *Determine central ideas and details *Determine theme *Describe plot *Identify conflict and resolution *Assess author's purpose *Inferencing

Need to make your classroom a little brighter and interactive? These Reading Quote Posters are just the thing! There are 12 posters with quotes from author's like Oscar Wilde, Harper Lee, Mark Twain, etc.. The posters come in color and black and white. Print, laminate and hang them up for an instant face lift for your classroom. Great for bulletin boards, libraries, reading/writing centers and wall decorations!