Lesson Plan Suggestions for Common Core Standards
Reading and Critical Thinking Skills
- Ask students to summarize the central idea using examples from the article.
- Pick an article that talks about a radical new invention or idea and initiate a class debate by dividing the students in two groups – Encourage them to argue about the pros and cons of the invention.
- Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings.
- Analyze how a particular sentence, paragraph, or section fits into the overall structure of a text and contributes to the development of the ideas.
- Determine an author’s point of view or purpose of the article and explain how it is conveyed.
Vocabulary
- Identify unfamiliar and challenging words from the Vocab list at the end of the article and discuss meanings with the class.
- Create spelling lists and tests around the Vocab words.
- Ask students to seek out the synonyms and antonyms of the Vocab words.
Speaking and Listening
- Assign the article for homework and ask students to research other materials on the same topic for a class presentation and in depth collaborative discussion.
- Encourage use of visual tools like Powerpoint or Prezi.
- Initiate a debate about the positives and negatives of the situation where appropriate.