Welcome to my index blog page, where I share literacy ideas and teaching materials for upper elementary students. I create various resources to help educators teach multiple reading skills to their students.
My blog includes several series, such as “Teaching Types of Conflicts with Movie Trailers,” “Plot Structures,” “Making Connections,” “Story Elements,” and “Figurative Language.” These series make learning engaging and interactive. I also offer resources to teach literacy skills like vocabulary, comprehension, figurative language, and spelling.
Teaching literacy can be challenging, so I give away many free resources that educators can use in the classroom or at home. I want to provide educators with practical, easy-to-use tools to help their students become confident readers.
I hope my index blog page will inspire and motivate educators to use innovative teaching methods and help their students excel in their literacy skills.
Sep 04
Welcome to part two of our Compare & Contrast reading series! (If you missed part one—comparing themes across cultures—go check it out!) This week, we’re zooming in on stories in the same genre and asking the question: “If two books are both realistic fiction, why do they feel so different?” You’ve likely heard a student …
Permanent link to this article: https://bookunitsteacher.com/wp/?p=17430
Aug 07
Ever wish your students would stop and say, “Hey! That theme shows up in stories from everywhere!”?Well, wish granted—because this ready-to-teach lesson on RL.4.9 will have your class spotting universal themes and cultural twists faster than you can say folktale from the Philippines. And the best part? The full handout is prepped and waiting, so …
Permanent link to this article: https://bookunitsteacher.com/wp/?p=17448
May 22
Learning compound words can be a fun and engaging experience for upper elementary students. This post shares a variety of hands-on activities that build vocabulary and reinforce reading and word analysis skills. From anchor charts and cloze sentences to word games and foldable organizers, each idea helps students internalize the structure and meaning of compound …
Permanent link to this article: https://bookunitsteacher.com/wp/?p=494
May 15
This post is a collection of many free resources from the web and some materials I have created that will help your students learn about contractions. Enjoy these contraction activities including online games. Discover great books to read. You’ll find songs and videos. The final activities are for more advanced students who know how to …
Permanent link to this article: https://bookunitsteacher.com/wp/?p=481
Jan 30
Some Holocaust heroes include Raoul Wallenberg, Giovanni Palatucci, Oskar Schindler, Andre Trocmé, Irena Sendler, Nicholas Winton, Chiune Sugihara, and Varian Fry. All have different stories and backgrounds, but they all share a common thread. All risked their lives to save Jewish people during the Holocaust. People often refer to them as ‘Righteous Among the Nations. …
Permanent link to this article: https://bookunitsteacher.com/wp/?p=175
May 02
Are you looking for an engaging, ready-to-use resource to teach prefixes, suffixes, and root words? I’m thrilled to offer a free sample from my comprehensive Prefixes, Suffixes, and Roots Series! This sample includes three activities for four different affixes and root words—12 fun, educational activities designed for upper elementary and middle school students. Why I …
Permanent link to this article: https://bookunitsteacher.com/wp/?p=3662
Sep 13
Ready to challenge your middle school students with analogies that go beyond simple synonyms and antonyms? This blog post shares five engaging activities that explore a variety of word relationships—perfect for grades 6–8.Each activity is designed to deepen vocabulary knowledge, boost critical thinking, and enhance students’ understanding of analogies using relationships like part to whole, …
Permanent link to this article: https://bookunitsteacher.com/wp/?p=1922
