A lesson focused on identifying themes and central messages in fables and folktales using the 'Story Sleuths' detective theme. Students will practice recounting stories and identifying specific text evidence (hot text) to support their findings.

A short lesson focusing on practicing short constructed responses (SCR) using informational texts about the Ancestral Puebloans and the Haudenosaunee. Students read short passages, identify key details, and write evidenced-based responses.

An introductory lesson for 4th and 5th graders to the world of competitive debate, focusing on structure, rules, and respectful disagreement through high-energy activities.

A lesson focused on mastering standard 3.W.4 by teaching students how to organize their writing for clarity and coherence through the metaphor of architectural drafting.

A lesson designed to help 3rd-grade students master the art of summarizing by identifying a topic sentence, three key details, and a closing sentence. Using a fun 'Summary Squad' detective theme, students learn to treat summarizing as an investigation to find the most important parts of a text.

A lesson focused on identifying literal and nonliteral language within a narrative nonfiction text about Arizona monsoons, aligned with AZ ELA standard 3.RL.4.

A lesson where students become 'Story Detectives' to practice making inferences, analyzing character relationships, and mapping out plot elements using two engaging mystery stories.

A comprehensive lesson designed to help 3rd-5th grade students master the art of paragraph construction through a fun, retro video game theme. Students will learn about sentence variety, topic sentences, and supporting details through interactive slides, a card-based game, and scaffolded practice.

A lesson exploring the famous case of Phineas Gage to understand the connection between brain structure and personality, meeting Oregon learning standards for reading informational text.

A comprehensive assessment focusing on decoding 2-3 syllable words across various syllable patterns including closed, VCe, r-controlled, open, and vowel teams.

A lesson that bridges the gap between informational and narrative texts by applying detective skills to fiction. Students integrate character inferences with theme identification to solve 'literary mysteries,' analyzing fables like 'The Wisdom of the Cracked Pot' and 'The Kindness of the Lion.'

This lesson provides an informal assessment for students to demonstrate their ability to read 2-3 syllable words containing common prefixes and suffixes. It includes a student-facing word list and a corresponding teacher recording sheet.

A lesson focused on identifying the central 'Big Picture' idea in informational texts using the 'Investigation Lens.' Students practice zooming out from specific details to synthesize the main message authors intend to convey, using cases about polar bear adaptations and Thomas Edison's persistence.

A foundational lesson on making inferences using text evidence and personal schema. Students learn 'The Detective's Equation' (Evidence + Schema = Inference) and apply it to solve short 'case studies' ranging from athletic disappointments to mysterious kitchen messes.