Students explore an annotated online version of the Constitution before sharing what they learned about one aspect of the document through the Trading Card interactive.
Constitution Day is observed today in the U.S.
Jon Scieszka was born in 1954.
Students review Scieszka's tips for encouraging young people to read and then create their own, sharing ideas with adults in their community through a letter.
Frederick Douglass began publication of The North Star today in 1847.
Students read and discuss an editorial written by Frederick Douglass and then write the opening editorial for a contemporary publication devoted to a social cause important to them.
Music in Our Schools Month is in March.
Students explore the effects of music on a story by reading a story, novel, or play, viewing the musical version, and comparing the two. Students can then select a text read in class and create a musical adaptation.
LeVar Burton, longtime host of Reading Rainbow, was born in 1957.
After reading two complementary Reading Rainbow selections, students compare the selections using the Venn Diagram and write a comparison essay.
César Chávez was born on this day in 1927.
Students work in small groups to research a civil rights leader and do a creative writing piece, followed by a short story, with their group.
Today, the American Library Association announces its annual book award winners.
Students research different awards given by the ALA and do an activity based on one of the awards.
F. Scott Fitzgerald, author of The Great Gatsby, was born in 1896.
After reading The Great Gatsby, students work in pairs, select a chapter from the novel, and rewrite it from the point of view of a different character.
Their Eyes Were Watching God was published in 1937.
Students brainstorm the kinds of stories they know and where these stories come from. Students return to these questions as they begin reading Hurston's novel.
Rhyme Time With Madeline
Children love books that rhyme and to create their own rhymes. It's a fun way to learn how words sound similar to one another!
Telling My Story: Make a Bio-Cube
Let children explore an interesting subject—themselves. An online tool will teach them to summarize and organize information as they write.
Explore Point of View in Fairy Tales
Explore fairy tales told in both old and new ways and use an online tool to help children create their own "fractured" version of a fairy tale.
Make a Mystery Puzzle
Have children explore the different parts of mystery writing by making a puzzle about a favorite book. They can then invent and write their own mysteries using the online Mystery Cube tool.
Books Will Take You There!
While enjoying a book that features a journey, children write postcards from the perspective of the main character for each stop along the trip.
Cooking and Creating in the Kitchen
After reading If You Give a Moose a Muffin, have a "Muffin Party"! Children will write invitations, follow a recipe, and enjoy sharing their homemade muffins.
Amazing Biographies: Writing About People Who Change the World
After reading about historical figures and other important people that have changed the world, children choose someone that they consider to be "amazing"—either someone they've heard about or someone they know—and create a book page that highlights this person.
It's Raining Cats and Dogs! Make a Children's Book about the Weather
Kids learn about weather sayings throughout history while writing and illustrating a book for younger children.
Unveiling Idioms: A Game of Concentration
Brainstorm popular expressions with friends and family, then explore their meanings through game play and writing/drawing/cut-and-paste activities.
Special Memories & Significant Moments: Making an Electronic Scrapbook
Using a variety of artifacts, mementos, and technologies, teens can create an electronic scrapbook of their most important moments in high school.
Children's Book Project
This activity can help teens create picture books that a teen caregiver can then share with children.