Bartleby.com – Searchable database of authors and quotations.
2 Sisters – Reading and Classroom Management Strategies!
Accelerated Reader – Bulletin Board and Motivation Ideas – Pictures of various bulletin boards and motivators that can be used with students
Bookscreening – Book trailers for a variety of books. Could be used to introduce a book, or give an explanation of how book trailers are created.
Feedbooks – Public domain eBooks…downloadable…
Informational Text Features scavenger hunt – Help your students practice nonfiction reading with a scavenger hunt activity that uses our printable, text features worksheets and free samples of Explorer, a National Geographic magazine for students in grades K through 5/6 that builds vocabulary, reading skills, and science knowledge. (produced by National Geographic)
Kamishibai for Kids – Information and resources for the Japanese storytelling style of Kamishibai.
Learn to Read at Starfall – Easy tools for beginning readers for sounds and practice.
Newsela – A website with nonfiction articles to read and you can also adjust the reading level.
Picture Books to Teach Reading and Writing Skills – A list of picture books that can be used with various reading and writing focuses, including alliteration, elaboration, character, fact and opinion, and more.
Reading at Home for Parents – In this new video series from the Daily Cafe, Gail Boushey reads with your students, and helps them learn to read independently at home for 20 to 30 minutes at a time by teaching or reintroducing them to:
- the behaviors of a reader;
- why it is important to read at home;
- 3 Ways to Read a Book;
- how to Check for Understanding;
- how to track stamina;
- how to use a word collector;
- how to keep track of language they love that may be used in their writing; and
- correspond with you, their teacher, by taking a photo of their stamina chart and sharing what they are reading.
ReadKiddoRead.com – Website created by author James Patterson that recommends “very special books that kids will gobble up and ask for more”. Books are listed at different levels and phases of reading.
Reading Rockets – Reading and language arts teaching strategies for kids, including a section called “questions parents ask”, which allows you to look for specific answers to questions.
Reading Room – Reading lessons and activities.
ReadWriteThink – Student tools to better understand the reading and writing process.
Critical Thinking and Bias:
Explore Messages in Media – The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences (AMPAS), in cooperation with Young Minds Inspired, has produced a series of Teacher’s Guides that explore the art and science of motion pictures. The free Teacher’s Guides address Animation, Art Direction, Cinematography, Costumes and Makeup, Documentaries, Film Editing, Media Literacy, Screenwriting, Sound and Music, and Visual Effects. The activities are designed to capitalize on students’ natural interest in current films and the excitement generated by the Academy Awards to teach valuable lessons in critical thinking and creative writing and to develop visual literacy skills. Each Teacher’s Guide is available in its entirety to download and print at no charge. The guides are also made available to high schools throughout the United States.
Irony:
The 3 Most Common Uses of Irony – (NOTE: This site may not be appropriate for all levels – preview FIRST). Examples of the 3 most common uses of irony. (from site “The Oatmeal”)
Irony worksheets – Read examples of irony and determine which of the three types of irony is used (verbal, situational, or dramatic). Explain your answer. (Suggested reading level for this text: Grade 5-9).
TedEd put together some videos that explain different types of irony:
