Browse lesson plans

Los dos reyes y los dos laberintos

This lesson focuses on the short story "Los dos reyes y los dos laberintos" written by Jorge Luis Borges. Students interpret the work through reading and group activities. The students will show their interpretation of the theme of the story through a written essay.

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 Second Languages)

By Sandra Sigmon.

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.

The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig

This lesson plan focuses on a English Language Arts objectives: similarity and difference. Students compare the story The Three Little Pigs and The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig by Eugene Trivizas. Students will work collaboratively in small heterogeneous groups to apply strategies for comprehension and vocabulary.

Format: lesson plan (grade 1 English Language Arts and English Language Development)

By Betty Coleman-Canty and Michelle Swain.

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.

“ottos mops” by Ernst Jandl

This lesson is designed for students to enjoy a short amusing poem, as well as refine their knowledge of short “o” and long “o” sounds, and use higher order thinking skills to analyze who or what otto and mops are.

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 Second Languages)

By Helga Fasciano.

Bubba: A Cinderella story

This lesson focuses on the whimsical interpretation of the Cinderella story. Students explore the story Bubba, the Cowboy Prince, through rich text and interpretations of the story.

Format: lesson plan (grade 4 English Language Arts and English Language Development)

By Jennifer Fessler and Karen Wright.

"Der Handschuh" by Friedrich Schiller

Students will have the opportunity to explore the poem, “Der Handschuh,” through shared reading, shared writing, and phonemic strategies that lead to fluency and comprehension.

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 Second Languages)

By Thomas Skinner.

Discovering how to take care of our natural resources

This lesson focuses on our natural resources and the effects our actions have on them. Students explore this concept through discussion, matching, literature, and writing.

Format: lesson plan (grade 2 English Language Arts, English Language Development, and Social Studies)

By Jennifer Hicks and Alison Short.

Flying high with hot air balloons!

This lesson plan, written for the Novice High Second Language Student, uses the historical fiction book The Big Balloon Race by Eleanor Coerr, to reinforce basic vocabulary and introduce new vocabulary while tying into many community sponsored hot air balloon events held in the fall.

Format: lesson plan (grade 6 English Language Arts and English Language Development)

By Barbara Boal.

Hidden stories: A three-part lesson in African American history, research, and children’s literature

In this high school lesson plan, students will create a timeline of African American history, review a work of children's literature, and then create their own works of children's literature drawing on a primary source document pertaining to the life of an ordinary African American.

Format: lesson plan (grade 11–12 English Language Arts and Social Studies)

By Edie McDowell.

I, the basket: Writing a first-person story as an inanimate object

In this interdisciplinary lesson for grade seven, students explore the first-person point of view through children's literature and images of Nepal. Students exhibit their understanding of first-person narrative by writing a children's story from the perspective of an inanimate object.

Format: lesson plan (grade 6–7 English Language Arts, Information Skills, and Social Studies)

By Edie McDowell.

An integrated poetry unit

My students have always disliked poetry. The different ways in which this lesson approaches poetry and the connection it makes to their "March Madness" studies seems to make poetry more enjoyable, fun, and relevant for my students. In order to integrate with the sixth grade math and social studies teachers, I teach this unit during the ACC tournament to coincide with the "March Madness" unit that is covered in the math classes.

Format: lesson plan (grade 6 English Language Arts)

By Nancy Guthrie.

Shared reading with Soñar un Crimen

This lesson focuses on basic pronunciation and comprehension skills while reading the first chapter of the mystery Soñar un crimen by Rosana Acquaroni Muñoz. Students will also practice the use of interrogatives. As an end result, students will produce crossword puzzle clues that review key elements of the first chapter.

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 Second Languages)

By Rachel Casady.

Storytelling with Cherokee folktales

This is a two day lesson pertaining to telling Cherokee folktales. This lesson can be modified and used with any folktale.

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

By Ricky Hamilton.

"Twas the Night Before Christmas": Retelling through thinking maps

After reading and discussing “Twas the Night Before Christmas,” students will work together to create a Flow Map. Each student will then use the map they created individually to retell the story in his/her own words.

Format: lesson plan (grade 2 English Language Arts)

By Amy Rhyne, Paulette Keys, and Sarah Carson.

The wolf in children's books

Students will explore the ways wolves are represented in children's stories. They will decide if the wolf is a protagonist or an antagonist in the story. They will also attempt to determine if these representations are scientifically accurate. The first in a two-part lesson.

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–4 English Language Arts and Information Skills)

By Vanessa Olson.

Resources on the web

LitSite Alaska

LitSite Alaska, created by the Creative Writing Department at the University of Alaska Anchorage and the Alaska Literary Consortium, includes workbooks designed to help teachers design effective assignments in reading and writing. Examples... (Learn more)

Format: website/lesson plan

Provided by: University of Alaska Anchorage

Opening the door for reading: Sharing favorite texts to build community

This lesson focuses on building classroom community by sharing favorite texts with one another. Prior to the first day of school, the teacher decorates the classroom door with symbols related to books or genres that will be studied over the course of the... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–4 English Language Arts)

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Poetry (Library of Congress)

Learn about Poet Laureates, listen to webcasts of poets reading their own poems, and get updates of news and events on poetry at this site from the Library of Congress. (Learn more)

Format: website/lesson plan

Provided by: Library of Congress

Read-Write-Think

Read-Write-Think provides educators and students with access to the highest quality practices and resources in reading and language arts instruction. From phonemic awareness to social action projects, the K-12 lessons are the best available... (Learn more)

Format: website/lesson plan

Provided by: International Reading Association and The National Council of Teachers of English