English Language Arts

Great Lakes, literature, novel studies

Paddle-to-the-Sea by Holling Clancy Holling takes kids on an adventure through the Great Lakes. Plentiful figurative language, detailed line drawings, and beautiful water colors make it a truly teachable book.…

Teaching The Lightning Thief – Percy Jackson and the Olympians

March 21, 2021

Engage, English Language Arts, Literature, Plan

genre studies, Greek myths, literature, mythology, novel studies

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan motivates kids to read. What’s more? You can teach mythology, summarizing, inferences, and vocabulary. Check it out! (more…)

Teaching Mythology Writing Activities – Argumentative Essays for Kids

March 14, 2021

argumentative writing, Greek myths, mythology, opinion writing, persuasive writing, writing process

What are some fun mythology writing activities? Surprisingly, argumentative texts fit perfectly. Just ask kids to argue which god should be invited to dinner. Or persuade others to vote for…

Teaching Mythology Characters: Gods, Goddesses, Heroes & Creatures

March 7, 2021

Greek myths, literature, mythology, research

Characters from Greek mythology are so much fun to teach. After all, kids love the larger-than-life personalities. Try this easy project. First, assign one god, goddess, hero, or creature to…

Teaching Figurative Language – Similes, Metaphors, Onomatopoeia

February 28, 2021

figurative language, language, vocabulary, writing process

How do you teach figurative language? It’s easy! First, use clear definitions and examples. Second, add a little practice. Soon your students will be ready to apply what they know.…

Biography Lesson Plans for Upper Elementary Genre Study

February 21, 2021

Biography, genre studies, lesson plans

Three weeks of biography lesson plans help you plan your genre study. Kids read biographies. Then they respond with graphic organizers, templates, and crafts. For the grand finale, students participate…

Wax Museum Project Ideas for Upper Elementary Kids

February 14, 2021

Dive In, Engage, English Language Arts, Plan

Biography, genre studies, research

Host a wax museum in your classroom! First, pinpoint a group of people. Second, set guidelines. Third, ask kids to research and select 10 memorable events. From their timelines, students…

Scaffolding Argumentative Writing: One- to Five-Paragraph Essays

January 17, 2021

argumentative writing, opinion writing, persuasive writing, writing, writing process

Argumentative writing in third, fourth, and fifth grades moves from one to five – or even six – paragraphs. Teaching specific structures and strategies scaffolds with ease. (more…)

Teaching the Five-Paragraph Essay with an Example

January 10, 2021

argumentative writing, opinion writing, persuasive writing, writing, writing process

Engage, English Language Arts, Learn