NCTE - Elementary Lessons

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Elementary Lessons

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Improving Fluency through Group Literary Performance
Repeated readings and literary performances help students with their reading accuracy, expression, and rate. In this lesson, students participate in shared reading, choral reading, and readers theater, focusing their exploration on picture books by Bill Martin, Jr.

Examining Plot Conflict through a Comparison/Contrast Essay
This lesson invites students to identify types of plot conflict in literature. Using excerpts from picture books, as well as graphic organizers, students learn to identify plot conflict as well as the ways that the plot develops in relationship to the conflict. The lesson culminates with a comparison/contrast writing activity.

Using Picture Books to Teach Plot Development and Conflict Resolution
This lesson invites students to conduct inquiry into the concept of plot development and conflict resolution through focused experiences with picture books. By demonstrating the connection between reading and writing, students have the ability to envision the revisions in their own writing.

How Does My Garden Grow? Writing in Science Field Journals
While scientists are working, they often keep journals to document observations, gather information, sketch pictures, write down questions, form a hypothesis, and record reactions. In this lesson plan, students will be keeping their own science field journal as a log of a classroom gardening project.

Sentence Quest: Using Parts of Speech to Write Descriptive Sentences
Working with class-generated word lists categorized by parts of speech, students learn the criteria for a sentence by manipulating word cards, then collaborate to write and illustrate complete, descriptive sentences. Finally, students work in groups using descriptive words and phrases to try to create the longest sentence they can.

A Case for Reading—Examining Challenged and Banned Books
The purpose of this lesson is to inspire students to critically examine a book, which has been selected from the American Library Association Challenged/Banned Books list. The students will analyze the book and document their findings as they read. They will then write a persuasive piece, synthesizing their view about the book and what should be done with the book at their school.

Have Journal...Will Travel: Promoting Family Involvement in Literacy
This project is designed to engage families in shared literacy activities. The students take turns taking home a book bag that includes a stuffed toy, a book, art supplies, a topic to discuss with their families, and a journal to share their thoughts and ideas.

Daily Book Boosts
Each day at the end of their "official" reading time, students give "Book Boosts," one-minute raves about books they've read. These "Book Boosts" are easy ways to suggest a multitude of titles to students, and they act as a way for students to have something to think about as they read.

Comics in the Classroom as an Introduction to Genre Study
The combination of the simple, yet complex nature of comic strips and comic books make them an excellent source of teaching material, as they explore language in a creative way. In this lesson, students will be examining the genre and subgenres of comics, their uses, and purposes.

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