There are a lot of different ways a learner could respond to this New York Times article discussing the effects of modern culture on childhood. After reading the article, pupils construct a thoughtful blog post. The guiding questions...

What makes an effective advertisement? Read the advertisement for the Time Machine 3000, and discuss the format and heading with your class. A short series of questions help middle schoolers analyze this advertisement before they write...

Intermediate English language learners read the short, page-long story "Ursula Pugh" and answer the multiple choice questions that follow. Most of the questions focus on vocabulary development and understanding of the story. An answer...

Need another sentence completion activity? The great thing about this one is the extensive answer/explanation key that accompanies the exercise.  The key pinpoints the clues, strategies, and logic used  to determine the correct...

I love handouts that include reading passages and discussion questions.Here you will find two pages. Page one provides an informational reading passage and six discussion questions. Page two provides a three paragraph primary-source...

If forced to move and give away almost everything you own, what five non-essential things would you take with you?  Prior to reading about Mrs. Bentley in chapter 15 of Dandelion Wine, individuals are asked to respond to this...

After reading the essay "Killing Chickens" by Meredith Hall, provide your class with these thoughtful questions. After answering the four questions listed, your writers attempt to write their own descriptive essay. Challenge them to...

How is your health? Intermediate Francophones read a two-paragraph text about healthy eating and the problems associated with those who do not make healthy choices. Two exercises follow the reading passage: the first is a short...

A confidential message written by Thomas Jefferson provides readers with an opportunity to practice their reading comprehension skills. The resource, part of a series, includes questions that require a close reading of the message and a...

Written primarily in the past and imperfect tenses, this two-page document provides intermediate Spanish language learners practice reading text and answering questions. Two full paragraphs precede seven multiple-choice questions. The...

Enrich your study of Seedfolks by Paul Fleischman by pairing it with a journal. The journal is made up of questions that correspond with each part of the story. As they read, pupils can respond to the questions. Great for a homework or...

Learning how to use context clues is helpful for both reading comprehension skills and to determine the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary words. As they read ten sentences with underlined words, learners choose the most...

Oh I love the blues! Here is a wonderful four page reading passage that focuses on the Delta Blues. It covers topics such as, the music's cultural influences, origin, form, terminology, and significance. A great way to integrate...

Why is it a sin to kill a mockingbird? Test your readers with these multiple-choice questions from To Kill a Mockingbird. The quiz features some challenging, lesser-known questions about the novel.

Examine issues and events surrounding US withdrawal of troops from the Iraq War. After reading this New York Times article learners respond to each of the nine who, what, when, where, and why questions. 

The news is full of interesting stories and ideas shared in an informational style. Readers use the provided who, what, when, where, and why questions as they explore an article about a man who is passionate about archiving physical...

New York Times covers hot topics and current events, now you may use those articles to help young people become more aware. Kids read an article regarding the Israeli-Palestinian agreement and the prospect of Palestine joining the UN....

Put a highly topical reading assignment in your learners grasp. They examine an article discussing the trade of Israeli prisoners for a soldier. The article goes into several facets of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and a specific...

Have your class examine the issues surrounding same-sex marriage, civil rights, and proposition 8. They read a New York Times article entitled "Proposition 8 Struck Down" and then answer 10 who, what, when, where, and why questions....

Checking boxes on any admissions application is par for the corse. How much does race selections factor into admissions decisions? Kids read a New York Times article on the topic and then answer seven who, what, when, where, and why...

The first of three pages in this handout provides a brief history of our understanding of the cell. It also differentiates between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. The second is a collection of true and false, multiple choice, and short...

The guiding question for this lesson plan is "Do computers and their contents shape who we are?" Open with a selection of Apple's commercials to introduce stereotypes and people's relationships with their computers. Then, read the...

Start by defining the word sitcom with the goal of launching a discussion. What exactly is a sitcom? How is a sitcom different from sketch comedy, drama, and reality television? Class members give examples, remember storylines...

Assign this practice test to your ninth graders reading "Cask of Amontillado," by Edgar Allen Poe. They examine the characters, the plot line, the mood, and different themes in the text during this 32-question quiz.