Reading
Before Reading
- Crash Course Literature has videos on novels and writing conventions. Other crash course videos also touch on areas such as science and psychology. (Would also work after reading in some circumstances.)
- This website from BBC offers information and activities on skim reading so that students may get the general and most important ideas from the text before reading.
During Reading
A word chart, great for diagramming the understanding of a new word. Makes the student supply a definition, examples, non-examples, and similar words.
|
![]()
|
- A website with assessment strategies for different reading areas and an early elementary level.
- K12 Reading offers a list of activities to do during the reading process.
After Reading
Template for Book Reviews
|
![]()
|
- In addition, Web English Teacher has great resource with tips and tricks for writing better book reviews.
- Reading Rockets claims to have a list of activities and resources to do before during and after reading, though I find most are applicable to after reading.
Writing
- Step zero offers seven steps toward better internet searches for research, which often goes hand in hand with the writing process.
- Perdue OWL offers a number of tips and strategies for writing an effective essay
- KU Writing strategies offers a list of pre-writing activities that can be used to prime student thinking.
- Basic writing rubrics, which would form a good base for creating a rubric as a class with your students. Options for grade levels.
Listening
A checklist used for assessing students' listening abilities.
|
![]()
|
Links:
- YouthSpeaks and Button Poetry offer great renditions of spoken word poetry. These could be great introductions to a poetry unit or exemplars for students creating their own spoken word or choral speech presentations.
- This website contains a list of games for speaking and listening activities for younger grade levels (1-4)
Speaking
A rubric used for peer assessing presentations.
|
![]()
|
Links:
- Choral Speech is a method of presenting a poem or short written work in a large group. Can be used with older or younger students.
- Improve activities that work on students speaking skills and abilities. Contains a number of idea for fun a quick improv games, particularly recommended for an ESL setting.
- Readers theater: a method of getting students to practice their oral reading skills, particualrily focusing on inflection and facial expression.
Viewing
A sample lesson plan ides for viewing the Aboriginal Art piece the Echidna. Appropriate for grades 1-5. From the Toledo Museum of Art.
|
![]()
|
Links:
- Virtual museum tours, such as those offered by The Louvre or the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History offer a great way for students to view artifacts and exhibits without leaving their seats. Could offer cross-curricular connections as well.
- RSA Animate: this website animates lectures about a variety of topics on politics, economics, and philosophy. Usually short and a great introduction to topics in social sciences.
- A document on questions and checklists that the teacher may use to assess viewing and representing at the grade 10-12 level.
Representing
Questions and prompts for cross media analysis, or representing a narrative in two or more forms. Would be great for watching or creating a book to movie adaptation.
|
![]()
|
This lesson is on Shel Silvertein's poem "Hippo's Hope." It would be appropriate for students at the grade three level, perhaps entering a poetry unit. It focuses on their comprehension and ability to represent their understanding through drawing.
|
![]()
|
Links:
- Mural Mosaics: At art project idea that would involve each student creating a picture that would then become part of a larger mosaic.
- To assess students ability to represent a book in a visual format, students could create a book fair poster.