English Language Arts Grade 5
Educational Links

Reading: Literature Standard 2

Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text, including how characters in a story or drama respond to challenges or how the speaker in a poem reflects upon a topic; summarize the text.

• Aesop's Fables Online
  A large collection of fables and other stories. The fables are divided into sections. One section includes 85 quick-reading fables with morals. The site also includes an online dictionary.
• Bright Morning: Exploring Character Development
  In this lesson from ReadWriteThink, students explore characters in their reading, identifying traits and pointing to textual support. This lesson uses "Sing Down the Moon" by Scott O'Dell; however, any fictional text can be adapted to the lesson.
• Characters in Because of Winn-Dixie: Making Lists of Ten
  Students will discuss characters and characterization in a text; work in cooperative groups; use a bookmark to document their findings while reading; identify and analyze the listing technique presented in Because of Winn-Dixie; create a list of ten things about a character.
• Critical Perspectives: Reading and Writing About Slavery
  In this lesson, students critically examine the perspectives of slaves and slave owners.
• Earth Verse: Using Science in Poetry
  This lesson is a great way to teach both scientific and English content to a class, although the teacher can easily choose another book and subject area. In this lesson, students listen to poems in the book Science Verse by Jon Scieszka.
• Fables and Trickster Tales Around the World
  This lesson plan from EDSITEment introduces students to folktales, such as fables and trickster tales, from around the world. Students become familiar with different folklore traditions and genres, as well as the process of the oral transmission of culture and history. This lesson plan comprises a series of activities that include reading, writing, and literary analysis. Also included is an internet research activity, as well as a list of links to related resources.
• It Came From Greek Mythology
  This page contains 6 EDSITEment lessons based around teaching Greek mythology. Students will study basic plots of three Greek myths and discuss three types of themes in Greek myths. They will also explore contemporary uses of terms from Greek mythology and analyze artistic and literary works based on or inspired by Greek myths.
• Jon Scieska Fractured Fairy Tales
  Before reading The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs!, ask for volunteers to tell the traditional story of the three little pigs. Let the volunteers take turns telling parts of the story. Then read The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs! together with your class. Ask students to fold a piece of paper in half. On one side of the paper, they should make a list of what parts of this story are different from the traditional story. On the other side of the paper, they should make a list of what parts of the story are the same.
• Literature Circles: Getting Started
  This lesson from ReadWriteThink explores Literature Circles, a great way to supplement a reading program in a literature-based classroom. Students create and answer comprehension questions, discover new vocabulary, and examine elements of literature.
• Lonely as a Cloud: Using Poetry to Understand Similes
  Students will gain knowledge by defining the term simile; apply this knowledge by identifying examples of similes in literature and poetry; practice analysis by examining the purpose and effect of similes in poetry; synthesize their knowledge by using a graphic organizer to create their own similes and then incorporating these similes into their own writing.
• Peace Poems and Picasso Doves
  This lesson, from ReadWriteThink, supports third-grade students as they apply think-aloud strategies to reading, as well as to the composition of artwork and poetry. Activities include collaborative as well as individual work. Technology tools are integrated as students research symbols of peace and as they prewrite, compose, and publish their poetry.
• Slave Narratives: Constructing U.S. History Through Analyzing Primary Sources
  In these activities, students research narratives from the Federal Writers' Project and describe the lives of former African slaves in the U.S. - both before and after emancipation.
• Strategic Reading and Writing: Summarizing Antislavery Biographies
  In this lesson, students practice writing effective summaries using biographies.
• The Impact of the Transcontinental Railroad
  Analyzing archival material such as photos, documents, and posters, students can truly appreciate the phenomenon of the Transcontinental Railroad. They can begin to answer some important questions: Why was the Transcontinental Railroad built? How did it affect Native Americans? Other minorities? How was the environment affected? What were the advantages of railroad travel? Who used the railroads, and why? Who built the railroad?
• The Story of Jack and the Bank Stalk
  In this lesson, the story of "'Jack and the Bean Stalk" is used as vehicle for the understanding of money. Fairy tales have always been used to give lessons about life. The story of "Jack and the Bean Stalk" is a good lesson about the importance of knowing about money and banks. The story of Jack asks the question, "What is money?"
• Using Historical Fiction to Learn About the Civil War
  This lesson uses the book Meet Addy by Connie Porter to teach the characteristics of historical fiction, the making of inferences, the use of visualization, and Civil War history.
• Using Picture Books to Teach Characterization
  This ReadWriteThink lesson invites students to examine the craft of developing characters through focused experiences with pictures books. Through the careful analysis of character portrayal using the text and illustrations as cues, and online tools such as the ReadWriteThink Story Map, students have the opportunity to build bridges from their own experiences as readers to those skills needed as writers.

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http://www.uen.org - in partnership with Utah State Board of Education (USBE) and Utah System of Higher Education (USHE).  Send questions or comments to USBE Specialist - Sara  Wiebke and see the Language Arts - Elementary website. For general questions about Utah's Core Standards contact the Director - Jennifer  Throndsen.

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