English Language Arts — Grade 5

“Night of the Twister”

Reading strategies are used to introduce a literary work.

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

By Authurice Mitchell.

Chronology: The time of my life

In their study of chronology the students will use personal timelines and an activity sheet to demonstrate the importance of intact information to achieve accuracy, and compare and contrast their timelines with the chronological information contained in a stratified archaeological site.

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

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.

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.

One Grain of Rice

One Grain of Rice is a mathematical folktale from India that covers the concept of doubling.

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

By Katherine Williamson.

Research Frenzy

Students will use a variety of reference materials to complete a trivia-question scavenger hunt assignment. Within the context of this assignment, students will be exposed to questions in many curriculum areas.

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

By Jan King.

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 English Language Arts, Social Studies, and Computer Technology Skills)

By Krista Hannah.

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.

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.

Survival/Abel's Island/Segment 1 of Novel Unit, 8 activities

This is the first segment of a literature study on the book "Abel's Island" by William Steig. This unit is centered around the concept of survival. The instruction involves the student in analysis of all that is involved in what we simply term "survival". It prepares students for situations in their real worlds that are symbolized by events in the novel as well as hopefully increasing their understanding and ability to analyze these situations, break them down and make logical decisions supported by evidence and higher level thinking skills.

This unit is especially appropriate for gifted students, using different models (Bloom, Bruner, Kohlberg) in the lesson formats. It contains intense analysis of passages from the novel and questioning strategies that pull the students into a higher realm of thinking and reasoning.

This first lesson is a combination of an introduction to natural disasters (which is the first major conflict in the book), the start of a diary and analysis of a passage.

Format: lesson plan (grade 5 English Language Arts)

By Courtney Pickett.

Trick or Truth: Recognizing the hottest trends in advertising

Students will study commercials and advertising techniques, will work in groups to select different types of ads from magazines, and make a collage to illustrate one of the ten techniques advertisers use.

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

By Kathy Idol.

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.

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 and Computer Technology Skills)

By Amy Vance.

Lesson plans on the web

Alaska Native stories: Using narrative to introduce expository text

This lesson uses traditional stories of the Native peoples (i.e., narrative text) to introduce students to the study of animals in Alaska. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 5 English Language Arts)

Provider: IRA/NCTE

Alter egos and more with Avi's "Who Was That Masked Man, Anyway?"

After reading Avi's Who Was That Masked Man, Anyway?, students learn about the history of radio shows, examine scripts, and write their own radio show similar to the scenarios that the characters, Frankie and Mario, perform. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 5 English Language Arts)

Provider: IRA/NCTE

Author study: Improving reading comprehension using inference and comparison

In this lesson, students review several texts by one illustrator/author, practice making inferences about that author, and then check their inferences against the author's online biography. (Learn more)

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

Provider: IRA/NCTE

Balancing three branches at once: Our system of checks and balances

Students use primary source documents to investigate how the three branches of the American government can check each other. (Learn more)

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

Provider: National Endowment for the Humanities

Be a reading detective: Finding similarities and differences in ideas

In this lesson, students use graphic organizers and clue words to compare and contrast items in nonfiction writing. (Learn more)

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

Provider: IRA/NCTE

Beanie Baby prices soar

Students learn about supply and demand through the sale of Beanie Babies. (Learn more)

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

Provider: National Council on Economic Education

Biographies: Creating timelines of a life

Students study biographies and create a timeline about the life of a person. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 5 English Language Arts)

Provider: IRA/NCTE