Working in small groups, students select vocabulary words and research their meanings. In a culminating activity that uses text and illustration, each student creates a "My World of Words Journal."

Students look to the past and use historical context to compare and contrast two characters from folktales.

Nonfiction may be dull for some students, but this lesson helps them focus on the main ideas. Through awareness of section headings, students learn to sort and categorize main concepts.

Students improve their reading fluency by selecting a poem online to perform in class.