English Language Arts — Grade 5

Wolves: Comprehending informational texts

This integrated plan uses non-fiction text and wolves to motivate students with language arts and science. Students will read a nonfiction text and use metacognitive skills of guided reading and KWHL chart to monitor comprehension and extend vocabulary.

Format: lesson plan (grade 5 English Language Arts)

By Amy Vance.

Vocabulary surprise

This lesson focuses on prediction skills and vocabulary development. Students predict what is in a box from information they are given. In order to determine the contents of the box, vocabulary must be deciphered through contextual meaning. The activity idea could be used in all areas with a few modifications. Science would be easily integrated. Cooperative learning is also used.

Format: lesson plan (grade 5 English Language Arts)

By Jennifer J. Murphy.

Teaching mathematics through literature

This lesson is a collaborative pair learning activity which uses the book Jumanji to teach Probability.

Format: lesson plan (grade 5–6 English Language Arts and Mathematics)

By Brenda Davis.

Sticky-note discussions

Sticky-notes discussions are fun, add variety to reading, and allow students to respond to the written text immediately. They are easy to implement in all content areas. Sticky-note discussions are effective when used individually, in a small or large group, or a combination of settings.

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–8 English Language Arts)

By Kim Rector.

Solving problems using simple machines

This lesson uses the familiar story of the three pigs and the big bad wolf to explore how the wolf could have used simple machines to catch the three pigs. By reading, analyzing, and evaluating the wolf's use of simple machines in The 3 Pigs and the Scientific Wolf by Mary Fetzer, the students will design and justify their own machine to help the wolf catch those pigs!

Format: lesson plan (grade 5 English Language Arts, English Language Development, and Science)

By Allison Buckner and Maria Tanner.

Simplicity: A literature-based Paideia seminar

Students will apply their knowledge of how developments in the history of the United States, as well as the world, can impact the lives of people today. The lesson is based on the picture book entitled The Simple People, written by Tedd Arnold and illustrated by Andrew Shachat. (Summary: The simple people enjoy the simple life until one of the character's inventions is used to make life more complicated. As a result, everyone forgets the simple things in life.) After a Paideia seminar discussing the book, students will select a modern invention, research the history of its development and how it impacts society, and create a multi-media presentation.

Format: lesson plan (grade 5–6 English Language Arts and Social Studies)

By Krista Hannah.

Nature's checks and balances

This unit introduces students to several essential understandings. They will learn that plants and animals depend on one another for survival and organisms interact within nature to create a balance. They will also learn that humans can influence and manipulate nature.

Format: lesson plan (grade 5 English Language Arts and Science)

By Nicolette Heise.

Jackie Robinson taught us more than baseball

After determining student knowledge about Jackie Robinson, the teacher/counselor reads "Teammates" by Peter Golenbock to fifth graders. The teacher/counselor then divides students into four groups to work cooperatively on questions. Groups select leaders and recorders and each group leader presents answers to the whole class. The teacher/counselor ends the activity with a question that individual students will respond to in writing.

Format: lesson plan (grade K–5 English Language Arts, Guidance, and Social Studies)

By Jan Huggins.

Exploring the effects of deforestation in the rain forest

In this lesson, students learn about deforestation throughout our world. They will analyze the authors’ messages in The Lorax and The Great Kapok Tree and create visuals to persuade others to stop deforestation in the rain forest.

Format: lesson plan (grade 5 English Language Arts and Science)

By Shannon Page.

Comparing/contrasting characters: A Taste of Blackberries

This lesson is designed to use with Chapter 1 of the novel A Taste of Blackberries. Students will use a Venn Diagram to compare and contrast the two main characters and then relate the material to their own lives.

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 English Language Arts)

By Denise Caudle.

The Wish Giver: Cause and effect

Through a discussion of the characters in the novel The Wish Giver, by Bill Brittain, the teacher will teach the students to identify and analyze the cause/effect relationship and its importance in reading comprehension.

Format: lesson plan (grade 4–5 English Language Arts)

By Becky Ellzey.

Night of the Twisters

Reading strategies are used to introduce a literary work.

Format: lesson plan (grade 4–5 English Language Arts)

By Authurice Mitchell.

Resources on the web

Voting! What's it all about?

In this lesson from ReadWriteThink, students both listen to information read aloud from a variety of sources and read from fiction and nonfiction books. Students explore information from current sources including child-oriented websites, newspapers, and... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 Computer/Technology Skills, English Language Arts, and Social Studies)

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Using the prediction strategy to set purposes for reading

This ReadWriteThink lesson gives students opportunities to understand the prediction strategy in reading. The prediction strategy is modeled, practiced, and used independently as students read a trade book. Response journal forms are used by the students... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 English Language Arts)

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Unwinding a circular plot: Prediction strategies in reading and writing

This ReadWriteThink lesson builds on students' existing knowledge of plot structure and of cycles in other content areas, and invites students to use a circle plot graphic organizer to explore the structure of this type of story. The cyclical nature of... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 English Language Arts)

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Traveling terrain: Comprehending nonfiction text on the web

This lesson introduces students to the process of identifying specific information from Internet sites. After a brief lesson by the teacher, students learn to complete certain tasks while using a graphic organizer. Upon the completion of this lesson,... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 Computer/Technology Skills and English Language Arts)

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Technical reading and writing using board games

This lesson is designed as a review activity for the conclusion of a novel unit. Students work together to design a board game and to determine what the game will look like, how it will be played, and the number of questions and answers the game will include.... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 English Language Arts)

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Teaching science through picture books: A rainforest lesson

In this lesson from ReadWriteThink, a study of the tropical rainforest is introduced through the picture book Welcome to the Green House by Jane Yolen. This science lesson, which incorporates reading, writing, and technology, is a template... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 English Language Arts and Science)

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Talking about books to improve comprehension

In this lesson, students will learn how to determine which ideas work best to inspire a conversation, how to stay focused on a particular idea, and how to talk with other students in a way that leads to deeper thinking. During a read-aloud of Stephanie's... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 English Language Arts)

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Rudyard Kipling's "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi": Mixing fact and fiction

In this EDSITEment lesson, the first of a two-part curriculum unit on Rudyard Kipling, students identify key events in Kipling's life and describe their effect on his story “Rikki-Tikki-Tavi” (part of The Jungle Book). Students... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 English Language Arts)

Provided by: EDSITEment