Lesson Plans for Grades 3–5 from

Blending Fiction and Nonfiction to Improve Comprehension and Writing Skills
An innovative lesson integrates fiction and nonfiction to improve students’ comprehension and writing skills. Students learn about a topic through reading and Internet research, then write to demonstrate new knowledge.

Shaquille O’Neal: Using a Basketball Star to Motivate Readers
Books written by celebrities can help motivate reluctant readers. Students read Shaq and the Beanstalk and compare and contrast it with “Jack and the Beanstalk.” Students then write their own version of the story.