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Parts of Speech - Know and use appropriately the meaning, forms, and functions of nouns (e.g., common/proper, singular/plural, possessives, predicate nouns), verbs (e.g., action/linking, regular/irregular, be/have, verb phrases, agreement with subject in person and number), pronouns (e.g., agreement with antecedent, reflexive, possessive, correct pronoun case), adjectives (e.g., common/proper, predicate adjectives, demonstrative adjectives, proper comparative forms), adverbs (e.g., proper comparative forms, adverbs of degree {too, very}), conjunctions (e.g., coordinating), interjections, and prepositions (place prepositional phrases in correct location within the sentence). 0501.1.1
Fish Tanks - Fill a tank with tropical fish using prefixes, roots, and suffixes.
Gorilla Grammar - identify Parts of Speech- Beginner (nouns and verbs) Advanced ( all parts of speech)
Noun Explorer - move through the cave by selecting the correct spelling, or correct abbreviation
Plural and Possessive Nouns - By clicking on a bubble, identify whether the highlighted word is a plural or possessive noun and then click on the "Submit Answer" button. The quiz is at the bottom of this page.
Power Proofreading - Choose 5th grade then select; Holiday Plans, Pick-and-Pet Farm, Memo to Staff Members, Movie Hits and Misses, or any one of the mixed practice exercises.
Power Proofreading - Choose 5th grade then select; Luke's Music Talk, Hillary's Hilarious Comedy Hour, Memo to Stump Humphrey Staff, Evening Weather Report, Olivia and Tutu, or any one of the mixed practice exercises.
Conjunctions Quiz II - Combine the sentences using the conjunction given in parentheses.
Conjunction-itis Popup - find the correct conjunction form to combine two short sentences together into one
Using Commas with Coordinating Conjunctions - Click on "The sentence, please!" and a sentence will appear in the top text-area. Insert the necessary comma or commas (being careful not to insert commas where they aren't necessary).
Adjective - select the correct form of the adjective
Power Proofreading - Choose 5th grade then select; Snail Race Sportscast, Ad for G. O. Travel Olympic Replay, or any one of the mixed practice exercises.
Power Proofreading - Choose 5th grade then select; The Late, Late Show, Olympic Replay, or any one of the mixed practice exercises.
Power Proofreading - Choose 5th grade then select; The Morning News, Oh Brother, Movie Hits and Misses, or any one of the mixed pronoun practice exercises.
Confusing Words I - instruction followed by a review quiz of ten questions [answers are below the ten questions] [accept/except, ad/add, allowed/aloud, choose/chose]
Confusing Words II - instruction followed by a review quiz of ten questions [answers are below the ten questions] [advise/advice, a lot/allot, beside/besides, quiet/quite, passed/past]
Word Usage - Recognize and appreciate cultural and regional differences signaled by word usage and vocabulary. 0501.1.3
Capitalize - Capitalize correctly sentence beginnings, proper nouns and adjectives, titles, abbreviations, quotations, parts of friendly letters and business letters. 0501.1.4
I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Someone a Letter - lesson plan - read the correspondence of the famous, the infamous and the ordinary, some of whom lived through extraordinary times.Use these fascinating letters as a starting point for discussion of and practice in the conventions and purposes of letter writing.
End of Sentence - Use correct end of sentence punctuation (e.g., period, question mark). 0501.1.5
Power Proofreading - Choose 5th grade then select; Mindy's Minute Mysteries!, or any one of the mixed practice exercises.
Punctuation - Demonstrate knowledge of the meaning and function of certain marks of punctuation, including colons (between the hour and minute and after the greeting of
a business letter), semi-colons, apostrophes, quotation marks, and commas used in these ways: direct address, items in a series, following introductory words, in dates and addresses, quotations, parts of a letter, and before coordinating conjunctions in compound sentences. 0501.1.6
Quotation Marks - Demonstrate the correct use of quotation marks in conversation, including their use with capitalization, end marks, and explanatory material. 0501.1.7
Al Capone Does My Shirts - on page three of this PDF document you will find an exercise using this skill.
Spell - Spell correctly high-frequency and commonly misspelled words appropriate to grade level. 0501.1.8
Apostrophes - Form and spell correctly contractions, plurals, and possessives. 0501.1.9
Abbreviate - Abbreviate words correctly. 0501.1.10
Write Legibly - Write legibly in manuscript and cursive. 0501.1.11
Agreement - Use appropriate language structure in oral and written communication (e.g., subject-verb agreement in simple and compound sentences, correct syntax, correct placement of modifiers). 0501.12
Quiz on Subject-Verb Agreement (2) - After each sentence select the verb form that will best fit in the blank. The explanation will describe the process of arriving at the correct choice for that sentence.
Quiz on Subject-Verb Agreement (3) - Select the appropriate verbs from the drop-down menus to complete each sentence correctly. There are thirty-three "opportunities for error" in these paragraphs.
Sentence Errors - Recognize incomplete sentences and run-on sentences and edit appropriately. 0501.1.13
A sample of a good 239-word sentence - It's not the kind of thing you'd want to read very often, but it does work. Remember, this is not a run-on sentence.
Avoiding Comma Splices - Click on "The sentence, please!" and a sentence containing a comma splice will appear in the top text-area. Repair the sentence.
Avoiding Comma Splices II - Click on "The sentence, please!" and a sentence containing a comma splice will appear in the top text-area. Repair the sentence.
Conjunctions - Click on the buttons to find the correct answer
Conjunctions Quiz II - Combine the sentences using the conjunction given in parentheses.
Conjunction-itis Popup - Find the correct conjunction form to combine two short sentences together into one!
Fragments and Run-On's - After each sentence, select the option which best describes that sentence.
Repairing Run-On Sentences - After each run-on sentence below select the remedy that would best repair that sentence.
Run on's and Comma Splices - Look at the passage and decide whether the sentence is correct or whether it is a run-on.
Combine Sentences - Eliminate reliance on simple sentences by combining independent classes, by creating compound subjects and/or predicates, by using introductory phrases or clauses, or by appropriate use of a semi-colon. 0501.1.14
Sentence Sort - Help the fox get across the park by selecting what type of sentence is shown.
Sentence Speedway - Students identify sentence parts as phrase, dependent clause or independent clause.
Subject Verb Mix-Up - Build a sentence by selecting a subject, verb, and a sentence ending that makes sense.
Synonyms, Antonyms, and Homonyms - Define and recognize word synonyms, antonyms, and homonyms. 0501.1.15
Unfamiliar Words - Use a variety of previously learned strategies (e.g., roots and affixes, context, reference sources) to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words. 0501.1.16
Pronoun Case - 6 exercises in the practice of this skill, interactive with handouts.
Power Proofreading - Choose 5th grade then select; Memo to Staff Members, or any one of the mixed practice exercises.
Walk the Walk Charades - lesson plan; a player walks in the style of an adverb(secretly, gingerly, purposefully) so that teammates can guess the adverb.
Verbs - Identify the correct use of verbs (i.e., action/linking, regular/irregular, agreement, tenses) within context. SPI 0501.1.2
Subject-verb Agreement - 6 exercises in the practice of this skill, interactive with handouts.
Adjectives and Adverbs - Identify the correct use of adjectives (i.e., common/proper, comparative forms, predicate adjectives) and adverbs (i.e., comparative forms, negatives) within context. SPI 0501.1.3
Confusing Words I - instruction followed by a review quiz of ten questions [answers are below the ten questions] [accept/except, ad/add, allowed/aloud, choose/chose]
Confusing Words II - instruction followed by a review quiz of ten questions [answers are below the ten questions] [advise/advice, a lot/allot, beside/besides, quiet/quite, passed/past]
Commas and Colons - Identify sentences with correct use of commas (i.e., series, dates, addresses, friendly letters, compound sentences, coordinating conjunctions, and introductory words) and of colons within context. SPI 0501.1.5
Power Proofreading - Choose 5th grade then select; The Tanaka Twins, or any one of the mixed practice exercises.
Quiz on Comma Usage - Click on "The paragraph, please!" and a paragraph will appear in the top text-area.
Using Commas with Introductory Phrases - Click on "The sentence, please!" and a sentence will appear in the top text-area. Insert any necessary comma or commas (being careful not to insert commas where they aren't necessary).
Welcome to Commas: Fill in the Blanks! - in each blank space in the paragraphs below, provide a comma where it is appropriate or write a small-case "x" (without the quotation marks) where a comma is not necessary.
Correct Quotation Marks - Choose the correct use of quotation marks and commas in direct quotations. SPI 0501.1.6
Spellaroo - click on the misspelled word in the sentences
Spell It! - [Caution:This site uses a really irritating animated mouse pointer] from the list of available words this site randomly removes letters from them for students to replace (5th grade list available)
Sentence Combining - Identify within context a variety of appropriate sentence-combining techniques (i.e., comma+ coordinating conjunction, use of semicolon, introductory phrases and/or clauses). SPI 0501.1.8
Combining Sentences with Appositives - Combine the sentences in each numbered item by changing the information in the second sentence to an appositive or an appositive phrase and adding it to the first sentence.
Run-on Sentences - Select the most appropriate method to correct a run-on sentence (i.e., conjunctions, semicolons, periods to join or separate elements) within context. SPI 0501.1.9
Paraphrasing - Listen attentively by facing the speaker, asking questions, and paraphrasing what is said. 0501.2.1
America on the Move - Story Kit - conduct oral history interviews to construct a family immigration or migration story. The kit contains step-by-step instructions, sample interview questions, and research guidance
Polite Conversation - Use established rules for polite conversation (e.g., do not interrupt, face the speaker, listen attentively, provide appropriate feedback, take turns, raise hands). 0501.2.2
George Washington's Rules of Civility - George Washington, sometime before the age of 16, transcribed Rules of Civility & Decent Behavior (sic) In Company and Conversation.
How Polite Are You? - situational questions for whole class or group discussions.
Tinker Toys Project - lesson plan - After creating a 3D object, the group works together to write the directions
Which Direction Should I go? - lesson plan - practice using directions in their community and on maps, and conclude by creating a treasure hunt for other students to take.
Questions - Formulate and respond to questions from teachers and group members. 0501.2.4
Koko's Kitten - Lesson plan - read a story and formulate a list of related questions to be answered through Internet research
Audience - Identify the targeted audience and purpose for a speech. 0501.2.5
Summarize - Construct a summary of a speech. 0501.2.6
Speaking
Response to Text - Participate in creative and expressive responses to text (e.g., choral reading, discussion, dramatization, oral presentations, and personal experiences). 0501.2.7
J. K. Rowling and her Harry Potter celebrate birthdays - participate in a debate and decide whether the books should be banned from the public library. [This entry is being revised and enhanced- check back after July 2009]
Speech Patterns - Use different voice levels and speech patterns in formal and informal
situations. 0501.2.8
Recitation - Participate in recitations of assigned/self-selected passages. 0501.2.9
Poetry Recitation Lesson: Field Participation - lesson plan; choose and memorize a poem of at least 16 lines, practice expression with warm-up activities, evaluate other recitations for practice and peer evaluation.
Organizational Structures - Recognize common organizational structures of speeches (e.g., sequential, chronological, problem-solution, comparison-contrast, cause-effect). 0501.2.11
Group Leader - Formulate the criteria needed in selecting a good group leader (e.g., understands the group task, works well with others, keeps the group on task ). 0501.2.12
Audience - Identify the audience for a given speech. SPI 0501.2.1
Good Leader - Identify the criteria necessary for a good group leader appropriate to a particular task (i.e., understands the group task, works well with others, keeps the group on task). SPI 0501.2.2
Summary - Choose the best summary of a speech. SPI 0501.2.3
Organize Ideas - Organize ideas in the most effective order for an oral presentation. SPI 0501.2.4
Purpose for Writing - Write for a variety of purposes: to entertain, persuade, inform, describe, demonstrate knowledge, answer questions, respond to literature, acquire knowledge (e.g., clarify thinking, take notes, synthesize information, enhance communication). 0501.3.2
Instructional Philosophy and Teaching Suggestions for Writing - Students learn to write by exercising all the options available to real-world authors, including daily time for writing, conferences with teachers and peers, pacing set by each individual writer, and opportunities to publish their writing.
The Writing Process - each step of the writing process can move you forward to completing a piece of writing or backward in terms of rethinking, reshaping, and revising that piece of writing.
Writer Writer! - After researching fables, students will select a moral and write an original fable to teach that moral
Paragraph Punch - Click on the Demo button for interactive exercises that guide users step by step through pre-writing, writing, organizing, editing, rewriting, and publishing.
Story Starters - Here’s a quick writing activity to try every day. First generate a creative story starter. Pick a format: notebook, letter, newspaper, or postcard. Four levels are available: pick 4th-6th
Topic Sentences: Exercise 1.2 - Read the paragraphs carefully, then select the most appropriate topic sentence for each of the paragraphs from the choices provided.
Topic Sentences: Exercise 1.3 - The topic sentence of each of the paragraphs in this exercise has been omitted. After a careful reading, write your own topic sentence for each
Topic Sentences: Exercise 1.4 - In this exercise you will be given topic sentences and two key points to include to support the topic sentence. Suggest two further points for each of the paragraphs. Think about the types of detail the reader would expect. Try to address the questions readers are likely to develop in their minds when reading the topic sentence.
Combining Sentences with Appositives - Combine the sentences in each numbered item by changing the information in the second sentence to an appositive or an appositive phrase and adding it to the first sentence.
Precise Language - Use precise language, including vivid words and figurative language. 0502.3.16
Transitional Words - Use appropriate time-order or transitional words and phrases. 0501.3.17
Build A Story - Select the appropriate phrases to create a story.
Gap fill Exercise - Fill in blanks in paragraph with a transitional word
Making Connections - lesson plan - connect ideas in expository writing with effective transitions. teacher materials included
Resources - Use resources (e.g., dictionary, thesaurus, computer) to aid in the writing process. 0501.3.20
Interactive Plot Creator - Scroll to the middle of the page. Press the buttons for a setting, a character and a conflict, then write using this interactive writing prompt.
TWA Rubric - Demonstrate confidence and competence in using the Tennessee Writing Assessment rubric while evaluating one’s own writing and the writing of others. 0501.3.21
Using Technology - Use technology to publish and present. 0501.3.22
Story Starters - Here’s a quick writing activity to try every day. First generate a creative story starter. Pick a format: notebook, letter, newspaper, or postcard. Four levels are available: pick 4th-6th
Publication - Identify and explore opportunities for publication (e.g., local/national contests, Internet web sites, newspapers, periodicals, school displays). 0501.3.23
Worksheets for Author's Intent - [scroll past the membership information] Four activities you might want to do as a class to practice Author's Purpose.
Support Sentences - Choose the supporting sentence that best fits the context and flow of ideas in a paragraph. SPI 0501.3.3
Online Mind Mapping Software - Mindomo - Just click "Try It Now" to begin. This site lets you create graphic organizers with topics, connections, labels, text notes, images, web links, and many formatting options. You can save your mind maps, print them, or export them as images
Reference Sources - Discern and use appropriate reference sources in various format (e.g., interviews with family and community; encyclopedia, card/electronic catalogs, almanacs, magazines, newspapers). 0501.4.2
Using an Almanac - learn appropriate uses of an almanac and how to find information in it efficiently and effectively
Reference Search - search engine with many reference sources to select from.
Reference Search Quiz - Read each question. Choose the best answer by clicking in the circle.
Referencing Guidelines - Referencing is a standardized method of acknowledging the sources of information and ideas you have used in any written work; examples of various types given.
Research Tools - Use current technology as a research and communication tool for personal interest, research, and clarification. 0501.4.3
Self Discovery and Peer Introduction - Students will hone research skills while using the World Wide Web, almanacs, Reader’s Guide, and other reference books to research topics that center on their birth date and personal interests
Gather Information - Gather and record information on a research topic using three different sources, at least one of which must be a print source. 0501.4.4
An Introduction to Research - research a famous historical person using three sources of information (book, encyclopedia, and Internet); handouts and resources available for printing.
Evaluate Reliability - Evaluate and determine the reliability of sources on a given topic. 0501.4.5
The ABC's of Web Site Evaluation (presented by Kathy Schrock) - Evaluation of Web sites is an important skill to learn in this age of digital and information literacy. Students and teachers need practice in critically examining sites to determine authority, authenticity, and applicability to purpose. This site provides that practice.
Critical Evaluation of Resources - In the research process you will encounter many types of resources including books, articles and web sites. But not everything you find on your topic will be suitable. How do you make sense of what is out there and evaluate its authority and appropriateness for your research?
Research Roadmap - an interactive online tutorial for students wanting an introduction to research skills from Humboldt State University Library
Organize Information - Organize information from text or technological sources using a graphic organizer. 0501.4.6
Online Mind Mapping Software - Mindomo - Just click "Try It Now" to begin. This site lets you create graphic organizers with topics, connections, labels, text notes, images, web links, and many formatting options. You can save your mind maps, print them, or export them as images
Note Taking - Develop a note taking system that includes important concepts, paraphrases, summaries, and identification of reference sources. 0501.4.7
Write Report - Write a research report, using three or more sources 0501.4.8
Bibme - fully automatic bibliography maker that auto-fills. It's the easiest way to build a works cited page.
Citation Machine - an interactive Web tool designed to assist teachers in modeling the proper use of information property (Students are welcome to use this as well)
MLA-Style Bibliography Builder - Choose a form, fill it out, and push the button... you will get an individual entry for a "Works Cited" page, which you may then copy and paste into your word processor.
Necessary Information - Distinguish between necessary and unnecessary bibliographical information (information that should or should not be included in a citation). 0501.4.9
Cite Sources - Cite three or more sources, including the title, author, and page number(s). 0501.4.10
BibMe - The fully automatic bibliography maker that auto-fills.
Citation Machine - an interactive Web tool designed to assist teachers in modeling the proper use of information property (Students are welcome to use this as well)
State Performance Indicators 4.1 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 4.4
Evaluate Sources - Identify the most reliable information sources available for preparing a research report. SPI 0501.4.1
The ABC's of Web Site Evaluation (presented by Kathy Schrock) - Evaluation of Web sites is an important skill to learn in this age of digital and information literacy. Students and teachers need practice in critically examining sites to determine authority, authenticity, and applicability to purpose. This site provides that practice.
Critical Evaluation of Resources - In the research process you will encounter many types of resources including books, articles and web sites. But not everything you find on your topic will be suitable. How do you make sense of what is out there and evaluate its authority and appropriateness for your research?
News Quiz Archive - over 50 news stories from the BBC - Choose carefully, not all of these would be appropriate for 5th grade students. Also, take a look at a section of stories which include math in the news and the quiz
Predictions - Make and adjust predictions while reading, viewing, or listening to print and non-print media. 0501.5.3
Follow the Clues - a graphic organizer to help your students make predictions about a story (K-2 and 3-5 activities included)
Prediction Cards - Prediction Cards combine the fun of guessing with the joy of making art. Students use details from the beginning of a story to encourage classmates to predict what will happen and to inspire them to read the story themselves.
Prediction Form - use information they had from previous reading and from their own experiences to write a short prediction
Cause-and-Effect Writing Challenges Students - The cause-and-effect relationship is both a way of thinking and a format for writing. Teachers who emphasize cause-and-effect writing say that they are helping students learn to think critically as well as write cogently. Read what three experienced teachers have to say about this teaching approach, which can be used with students of all ages. This is an article from Education World magazine.
Fact or Opinion Quiz - Decide which of these statements are fact or opinion from the drop-down list, then click on the "Finished" button to obtain your score out of ten.
Fantasy Book marks - print these out for students to help them evaluate text.
Genre Study: A Collaborative Approach - lesson plan - students have the opportunity to expand their models of effective writing while identifying the writer's craft often used within genres typically studied in late elementary grades.
Conflict - Determine the conflict in a text and recognize its solution. SPI 0501.5.4
Conflict Map - Fill out the beginning info then click on conflict map
Purpose for Reading - Set a purpose for reading (e.g., to understand, to enjoy, to solve problems, to locate specific information/facts). 0501.6.1
Reading for a Purpose - Nine activities to check understanding about the purposes of different sorts of texts
Text Parts - Use common text parts and features to enhance understanding (e.g., headings, key words, graphics, captions, side bars, chapter titles, glossaries). 0501.6.2
Main Idea - lesson on main idea of a passage and an activity to print
Main Idea - lesson on building blocks of comprehension plus activities to print
Main Idea - read the paragraph and ask, “What’s your point?”
Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure - Challenge your students by letting them practice using a reading comprehension test designed for prospective teachers. (This site recommends that you use a printed copy of the page)
Reading Comprehension - free reading comprehension worksheets for teachers and parents - includes original stories, poems, essays, and articles
Reading Headlines - read eight headlines and try to determine what the article is about
Summarize as You Read - When you summarize, eliminate unnecessary details. Focus on the main idea of the whole passage.
What's the Big Idea? Exercise 1 - Write the common subject for each group of words, or "write a good title for each list." - a worksheet to print, not interactive
What's the Big Idea? Exercise 2 - Write the common subject for each group of words, or "write a good title for each list." - a worksheet to print, not interactive
What's the Big Idea? Exercise 3 - a bit harder than 1 & 2 - Write the common subject for each group of words, or "write a good title for each list." Then add another example that could be included in that group. Be as specific as you can. - a worksheet to print, not interactive
General Overview - Skim text to develop a general overview of content or to locate specific information. 0501.6.5
Variety of Texts - Understand a variety of informational texts, which include primary sources (e.g., autobiographical sketches, letters, diaries, Internet sites). 0501.6.6
Document Analysis Worksheets - You may find these worksheets useful as you introduce students to various documents
How do we know what we know? - analyzing primary sources - lesson plan; analyze a picture of a Powhatan object shown on the John Smith map in order to learn more about Powhatan Indian life
Primary and Secondary Sources - Primary sources such as letters, diaries, photographs, maps and artifacts provide students with authentic materials from the past. By looking closely for details, students can draw conclusions about the items and formulate their own hypotheses about the time period(s) during which they were created
Using Media - Use media (e.g., photographs, films, videos, the arts, online catalogs, nonfiction books, encyclopedias, CD-ROM references, Internet) to view, read, and represent information. 0501.7.1
Picturing Parts of Speech - use digital cameras to take pictures which illustrate various parts of speech, then insert the pictures into a digital slide show presentation and write sentences about the pictures
Capturing A Moment In Time - explore imagery poetry through the use of a digital camera. Students think of a moment in time important to them, take a picture that represents it, and write a poem about it.
Children Around the World - students will choose and research a country to find interesting information to present to the class
Using Print - Use print and non-print materials along with prior knowledge to provide background for writing and/or presenting. 0501.7.2
Using Vivid Adjectives - explore vivid adjectives in a variety of activities including thesaurus use and story development software
Research - Use media to conduct research and prepare reports. 0501.7.3
Libraries - Use libraries/media centers to access media sources. 0501.7.4
Isaac Newton - explore the life of Isaac Newton. Students use reference books and the Internet to investigate Newton's life. Following group discussion and individual research, students create a slide of an aspect of Isaac Newton's life
Oral Report - Use media to enhance reports and oral presentations. 0501.7.5
My Family- A Cultural Investigation - lesson plan, learn about your own family and a country connected with it, while working on your skills of thinking, researching, writing, drawing, making graphs, conducting interviews, making presentations and managing your time.
Oral Presentation - Use appropriate media to enhance an oral presentation. SPI 0501.7.3
Digital Slide shows: PowerPoint for the Novice - prepare a presentation in one of the curriculum areas: reading/literature, mathematics, social studies, or science. Students will access the Internet, Virtual Library, and local libraries for their information.
Using Snowflake Bentley as a Framing Text for Multigenre Writing - lesson plan - students will create a working definition of multigenre. Then, using that knowledge, they will work together to create their own multigenre piece about winter, using Snowflake Bentley as a model.
Predict - Predict outcomes and adjust as additional information is acquired. 0501.8.3
Use Predictions to Help Kids Think Deeply about Books - Predicting involves more than trying to figure out what happens next. As kids find evidence to form hunches, they also ask questions, recall facts, reread, skim, infer, draw conclusions, and, ultimately, comprehend the text more fully. (3-5)
Making predictions lesson - This fairy tale and follow-up activities will help teach critical thinking and making predictions skills.
Organize - Organize prior knowledge using a variety of strategies (e.g., webbing, mapping, and brainstorming). 0501.8.4
Main-Idea Maps - teach students to generate a graphic organizer containing the main ideas of an expository passage PDF file
Graphic Organizers - use graphic organizers to structure writing projects, to help in problem solving, decision making, studying, planning research and brainstorming.
Culture and Ethnicity - Identify how culture, ethnicity, and historical eras are represented in literary text. 0501.8.9
Exploring World Cultures Through Folk Tales - foster an atmosphere of inquiry and appreciation for other cultures as students learn about and read various folk tales from around the world.
My Family Traditions: A Class Book and a Potluck Lunch - analysis of this book about a Mexican-American family, students write descriptions of the book's pictures and discuss what family traditions are. They then create a class book, which includes their artwork.
Promoting Cultural Values Through Alphabet Books - begin by reading alphabet books about a variety of cultures, including D is for Doufu: An Alphabet Book of Chinese Culture. They then select a culture to study and work in groups to conduct research into the history and symbols of their selected culture.
Inferences - Make inferences and recognize unstated assumptions. 0501.8.10
Analyze Plot - Analyze the plot structure of a narrative (story) including identifying the
problem (conflict) and determining how the problem is resolved. 0501.8.14
Circle Plot diagram - identify and interpret main incidents using this interactive graphic organizer
Focus Thinking - Select questions used to focus and clarify thinking before, during, and after reading text. SPI 0501.8.2
Asking Questions - the types of questions depend on the answer to that first important question: Why am I reading this? Once you establish a purpose for yourself, you can then ask which questions will help you achieve that goal. This page asks students to rank a set of questions on a scale of one to five.
Questioning Toolkit - seventeen types of questions from the educational journal, FNO
Word Meaning - Determine word meanings within context. SPI 0501.8.3
Prediction Cards - Prediction Cards combine the fun of guessing with the joy of making art. Students use details from the beginning of a story to encourage classmates to predict what will happen and to inspire them to read the story themselves.
Prediction Form - use information they had from previous reading and from their own experiences to write a short prediction
Story Board - a graphic organizer to help your students make predictions about a story (K-2 and 3-5 activities included)
Use Predictions to Help Kids Think Deeply about Books - Predicting involves more than trying to figure out what happens next. As kids find evidence to form hunches, they also ask questions, recall facts, reread, skim, infer, draw conclusions, and, ultimately, comprehend the text more fully. (3-5) The Prediction Book Report
Various Literary Genres - Distinguish among various literary genres (e.g., poetry, drama, letters, ads, historical fiction, biographies, autobiographies). SPI 0501.8.9
Understanding and Writing Poetry - lesson plan; Students will develop an understanding of poetry by reading poems by others and then writing poems themselves.
Plot - Identify and interpret the main incidents of a plot, their causes, how they influence future actions, and how they are resolved. SPI 0501.8.10
A plot diagram - interactive quiz developing a story line as the plot unfolds.
Point of View - Demonstrate knowledge of the difference between first person and third person point of view in writing. SPI 0501.8.11
Point of View Quiz - read each group of sentences to determine if the sentence is written in first person or third person point of view
Stated or Implied - Determine whether the theme is stated or implied within a passage. SPI 0501.8.12
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