Reading Activities & Comprehension

This indicates activities located on The Teacher's Corner.

Author's Page
You can visit our Author's page and find several children's book author resources and websites.

Book Report Options Grades Various
A great list of options for your students.
Submitted by: Holly Crites - Ingleside, Illinois

Book Reviews Grades Various
An activity that provides your students with an authentic audience. Each student creates their own "page" at Amazon.com.  When he/she finishes reading a book, they write a book review which is posted on Amazon.  This review is also printed and included in their own binder which now documents all the material they have read.  Having their own page gives them a sense of accomplishment and their published material is read and ranked by others.  The binder is a great tool not only to track the books they have read, but to show improvement through the year in their writing.
Submitted by: Susan Smith - Rockville, Maryland

Favorite Books
For this book report activity, students utilized a software program called ComicLife. (ComicLife is available for PC, Mac and iPad. If you don't have this particular program, you can use any type of similar program that allows you to combine text and images.)

Go - Slow- Whoa Grades Various
A creative way for students to recommend books. One way for children to share their reading experience is by using a green, yellow, and red poster. I taped three large pieces of construction paper together (one of each color). I labeled the green section "Go" for books that they would encourage friends to read. I labeled the yellow section "Slow" for books that are only so-so. I labeled the red section "Whoa" for book selections that friends should be warned about. The poster was then laminated. Using stickies, the students can provide feedback about the book they read.
Submitted by: Gail Herin - Castle Rock, Colorado

Jalapeno Bagels Grades Various
Summary: This lesson meets several grade level standards. Students will also be preparing for the district writing assessment.
How can you make someone interested in reading a book/story you have read? You can download the various PDF documents you will need for this lesson.
Lesson Overview
Extension Menu
Extension Menu - Middle
Extension Menu - High
Submitted by: Kathryn Felten

Magnetic Letter Centers Grades K-3
Summary: Here are two lessons that put magnetic letters to creative uses.
CENTER #1
I try to use the letters when I work with small groups and individual students. Sometimes we using it with spelling words and we practice making the word and mixing it up and putting it back together. Using them for word families (ex: I see that you know the word cat - I am going to take c off and put a /b/ and what word did I make now. I am putting sentence strips with their name on them for next week and they are going to match the letters with it.
Submitted by: CindyMurray@email-removed

CENTER #2
I have used a magnetic letter center in my classroom, especially for extra spelling practice. I use magnetic letters in small groups and to play word games. I have an index box that goes with this center with ideas for the children to choose from. In February, I had index cards with the words "Washington", "Valentine", "Sweetheart", etc. on them and the children were to try and make as many words as they could out of each word. This is the same as can be done with pencil & paper, but a little different with magnetic letters. I have other cards that have the children make as many words as they can that rhyme with "cat", "big", etc. I also teach my students how to play "Hang Man" using magnetic letters and their spelling words.
Submitted by: Steph stephanniewaller@email-removed

Reading Units Grades Various
A collection of books with accompanying lessons.

Readology - A Reading/Technology Activity Grades Intermediate
An excellent way to integrate technology into your language arts.
Submitted by: Kathy Davis - West Plains, Missouri

Teaching Point of View Grades 3+
Summary: Here are two great lessons to use when teaching your students point of view.
1. I have used the fairy tale parodies to teach point of view...such as "The True Story of the Three Little Pigs" in which the wolf claims he was framed and offers his perspective/point of view on the whole situation. I think those work perfectly and an ideal follow up activity would be for the students to take another well known fairy tale or any story and write it from the antagonist's point of view.
Submitted by: talk2me@email-removed

2. You might try using a couple of books to demonstrate the different point of view in which they were written. Two that come to mind are not new ones but are fun and easily accessible. First read The Three Little Pigs and then the book the True Story of the Three Little Pigs. The second one is written from the wolf's point of view and differs from the traditional story. I would do a Venn Diagram or another story web of your choice to compare and contrast the stories. Another book that is good to show point of view, I believe is Two Bad Ants by Chris Van Allsburg. It is illustrated by the ants point of view and how they see things in their world. Great illustrations.
Submitted by: Staci Lovtobeurs@email-removed

Children's Book Council
This is the index page for several great areas like 13 great reading activities, Reading list for ages 5-12 and more.

Check out the Music Lesson Plans section for an integrated literature activity.

Back to our Reading Lesson Plans

EMAIL us your favorite reading activity resource.