Basal Alignment Project
College- and career-ready lessons for use with texts included in basal readers, grades 3–5
Lessons designed to highlight the ELA/literacy Shifts and expectations of college- and career-ready standards
Lessons specifically designed to highlight the ELA/literacy Shifts and expectations of college- and career-ready standards
College- and career-ready lessons for use with texts included in basal readers, grades 3–5
This lesson includes scaffolded analytical writing tasks that provide examples for teaching Common Core writing. This story uses a mix…
This lesson includes scaffolded analytical writing tasks that provide examples for teaching Common Core writing. Opal has just moved t…
This lesson includes scaffolded analytical writing tasks that provide examples for teaching Common Core writing. Ramona and Beezus, tw…
In this trickster tale, Bear and Hare are involved in a gardening partnership. Industrious, clever Hare makes a deal with Bear— H…
This lesson includes scaffolded analytical writing tasks that provide examples for teaching Common Core writing. This story of friends…
Country Mouse invites her friend, City Mouse to visit her in the country. City Mouse does not enjoy the country and convinces Country M…
Two ants, along with others from their nest, set out to gather crystals for their queen. Initially staying and keeping crystals for the…
This lesson includes scaffolded analytical writing tasks that provide examples for teaching Common Core writing. The main character, L…
This lesson includes scaffolded analytical writing tasks that provide examples for teaching Common Core writing. The story is about a …
Mrs. LaRue sends her dog, Ike, to obedience school because of a series of inappropriate behaviors that he displays toward everyone. Ike…
More than one Maria in class causes Maria Isabel to worry for weeks about not being in the pageant, when the teacher confuses their nam…
Most kids collect something. Prudy collects everything! Rocks, stamps, foil, worn-out toothbrushes, pretty paper napkins, tufts of hair…
This lesson includes scaffolded analytical writing tasks that provide examples for teaching Common Core writing. The students will lea…
This lesson includes scaffolded analytical writing tasks that provide examples for teaching Common Core writing. “Akiak” i…
In this story, Francisco comes from Mexico to a new school, and he has difficulty understanding the English language and communicating …
This lesson includes scaffolded analytical writing tasks that provide examples for teaching Common Core writing. A boy and his family …
This lesson includes scaffolded analytical writing tasks that provide examples for teaching Common Core writing. This nonfiction story…
This lesson includes scaffolded analytical writing tasks that provide examples for teaching Common Core writing. Chief Sky, the belove…
This lesson includes scaffolded analytical writing tasks that provide examples for teaching Common Core writing. Dogzilla is a fantasy…
This lesson includes scaffolded analytical writing tasks that provide examples for teaching Common Core writing. Karana is a Native Am…
This lesson includes scaffolded analytical writing tasks that provide examples for teaching Common Core writing. With the help of the …
This is a story about Saruni, a young boy, and his family, who are both consumers and sellers in a market in Tanzania. There are many e…
This lesson includes scaffolded analytical writing tasks that provide examples for teaching Common Core writing. In this tale, a girl …
This lesson includes scaffolded analytical writing tasks that provide examples for teaching Common Core writing. Bob Lemmons, an Afric…
This lesson includes scaffolded analytical writing tasks that provide examples for teaching Common Core writing. Rose is a child with …
This lesson includes scaffolded analytical writing tasks that provide examples for teaching Common Core writing. Katie, whose family i…
Beverly Cleary tells the story of a family on a rainy Sunday in a household full of bad moods. Ramona’s father suggests they all …
This lesson includes scaffolded analytical writing tasks that provide examples for teaching Common Core writing. To keep their only so…
This lesson includes scaffolded analytical writing tasks that provide examples for teaching Common Core writing. Ruby wants to fit in …
This lesson includes scaffolded analytical writing tasks that provide examples for teaching Common Core writing. In this story, Coyote…
This lesson includes scaffolded analytical writing tasks that provide examples for teaching Common Core writing. Justin is upset that …
This lesson includes scaffolded analytical writing tasks that provide examples for teaching Common Core writing. Elizabeth was very de…
Sarah is nervous about starting a new school and shows it by trying to stay in bed and saying she’s too sick to go to school. The…
This lesson includes scaffolded analytical writing tasks that provide examples for teaching Common Core writing. This is a biography o…
Donovan asks his grandmother for advice as to what he should do with his collection of words in a jar, and she shows Donovan how he can…
This lesson includes scaffolded analytical writing tasks that provide examples for teaching Common Core writing. Chester Cricket meets…
This lesson includes scaffolded analytical writing tasks that provide examples for teaching Common Core writing. This is a story of th…
This informational text describes how paleontologists continue to investigate unanswered questions about dinosaurs. (Houghton Mifflin H…
The folktale “Half-Chicken” is about a chicken hatched with only half a body, one leg, one wing, one eye, and only half as …
This lesson includes scaffolded analytical writing tasks that provide examples for teaching Common Core writing. In the beginning, Wal…
This lesson includes scaffolded analytical writing tasks that provide examples for teaching Common Core writing. In the story Wings, I…
This folktale is about three monks who visit a village filled with unhappy people. The villagers do not welcome the monks, so the three…
Patricia’s Great-Grandmother comes to America as a child from Russia. She creates a quilt that is passed on from generation to ge…
This lesson includes scaffolded analytical writing tasks that provide examples for teaching Common Core writing. Djeow Seow is the sma…
Julian meets Gloria, a new girl in his neighborhood. Together they make a wish kite, with wishes fastened to its tail; both wish for la…
Pilot Amelia Earhart and first lady Eleanor Roosevelt are good friends and one night, after dinner at the White House, Amelia then offe…
Sam Gribley has been living alone in the woods all summer, but fall has arrived and the fear of winter has forced Sam to think of new w…
This Informational text focuses on the migration habits of the grasshopper/locust and the gray whale. (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Journe…
This lesson includes scaffolded analytical writing tasks that provide examples for teaching Common Core writing. This story is a folkt…
This fantasy tells the story of a wolf who learns to read to gain the respect and friendship of farm animals. (McGraw-Hill Treasures, 2…
This lesson includes scaffolded analytical writing tasks that provide examples for teaching Common Core writing. For as long as she co…
This lesson includes scaffolded analytical writing tasks that provide examples for teaching Common Core writing. This narrative nonfic…
This is the grade 5 version of this lesson for this title. A grade 3 version is also available. A crew of sailors captained by S…
A little boy loses his neighbor’s dog inside the mysterious garden of Abdul Gasazi, who tells the boy that he has turned the dog …
“Hottest, Coldest, Highest, Deepest” takes the reader on a journey around the world to various continents found on Earth th…
This lesson includes scaffolded analytical writing tasks that provide examples for teaching Common Core writing. Throughout her life, …
In the memoir, Martin’s big sister Christine tells how they grew up during a time when blacks and whites lived separately. Martin…
As a young man tells the story of his grandfather’s journey from Japan to the United States he reveals that the two actually have…
Tradition in the Lakota Sioux involves giving a name to a child based on his actions, so a young child who moves slowly in all he does …
In this Caribbean Cinderella story, Cendrillon is treated as a servant by her step-mother and half-sister. Nannin, the godmother, uses …
This lesson includes scaffolded analytical writing tasks that provide examples for teaching Common Core writing. Puffins raise their y…
This lesson includes scaffolded analytical writing tasks that provide examples for teaching Common Core writing. Yunmi's first trip to…
Silversmith Paul Revere takes his famous midnight ride to warn Americans that British soldiers are advancing. (Houghton Mifflin Harcour…
Judy Moody is on a mission to save the rain forest. Not only has she chosen to make this her mission, she is also determined to make it…
Sarah and Susan are sisters who enjoy spending Sunday afternoons with their great-great Aunt Flossie. Aunt Flossie entertains her great…
Glashka uses her innate connection and intuition with nature to help bring together the community in hopes of trying to save the lives …
This lesson includes scaffolded analytical writing tasks that provide examples for teaching Common Core writing. In 1937, pilot Amelia…
Despite obstacles in his life such as a family illness and the Great Depression, Uncle Jed achieved his dream of opening a barbershop a…
In this nonfiction selection, an Emperor penguin lays an egg in the bitter cold of Antarctica. The penguin parents battle the harsh env…
This lesson includes scaffolded analytical writing tasks that provide examples for teaching Common Core writing. “The Land I Los…
Revolutionary War hero Paul Revere warned the colonist of an advancing attack by the British army. Revere rode his horse through the ni…
A family moves into an unpopulated area. With the ingenuity of one young girl, a town is established and grows. The idea of supply and …
This biography details the life of Wilson Bentley, a self-taught scientist who photographed thousands of individual snowflakes in order…
In this story Gertrude Ederle overcomes obstacles, both physical and social, in order to prevail at her lifelong dream of being the fir…
Two students hide in the bathroom in order to avoid taking the math test, eventually telling their teacher they were trapped yb a giant…
This lesson includes scaffolded analytical writing tasks that provide examples for teaching Common Core writing. 9-year old Henry Pric…
This lesson includes scaffolded analytical writing tasks that provide examples for teaching Common Core writing. A boy named Taro help…
This lesson includes scaffolded analytical writing tasks that provide examples for teaching Common Core writing. In this historical fi…
In this story, several different families from other countries prepare to become US citizens. Characters from different cultures share …
This narrative nonfiction story sequences the steps an illustrator follows when creating pictures for a story. The author tells the sto…
This is a Zuni play about an ant in the search to find out who is strongest of all. The ant talks with numerous characters to find out …
The author, Helen Lester, traces her writing career from the age of three to adulthood. She shares her struggles with writing in elemen…
A Prince must find a girl who will love him, in spite of his frightening curse. (McGraw-Hill Imagine It!, 2008) This lesson was create…
In this work of fiction, Rooster and his eager friends set out to make strawberry shortcake, a recipe from Little Red Hen’s cookb…
This story is an excerpt from a novel. It is about a boy named Marty who wants to save a runaway dog from being abused. He brings the d…
This African folk tale explains how many African tales came to be known as “Spider stories.” In this tale, Ananse, the Spid…
A fantastic heat wave hits a Kansas farm, roasting the geese, popping the corn in the fields, and causing other distressing events. The…
This lesson includes scaffolded analytical writing tasks that provide examples for teaching Common Core writing. In this fantasy story…
Police Officer Buckle gives safety speeches that no one listens to until a police dog, Gloria, joins him. Because Gloria acts out the s…
When war breaks out in Mulan’s land and her father is drafted into the army, Mulan makes a great sacrifice when she disguises her…
This lesson includes scaffolded analytical writing tasks that provide examples for teaching Common Core writing. This excerpt from a b…
Tricia Ann begs her grandmother to be allowed to go to Someplace Special all on her own, and reluctantly, her grandmother agrees, telli…
This lesson includes scaffolded analytical writing tasks that provide examples for teaching Common Core writing. Anna and Caleb Wittin…
In this play, the neighborhood baker Manuel bakes delicious smelling pastries and puts them out for sale each morning, but his neighbor…
This biography relates the life of John Batterson Stetson as a hatting apprentice until he was diagnosed with tuberculosis and decided …
This lesson includes scaffolded analytical writing tasks that provide examples for teaching Common Core writing. After a storm damages…
In this nonfiction story, readers learn how and why scientists brave the extreme conditions of both poles in order to do research that …
In this expository text, the author provides important factual highpoints, influential people, and interesting morsels of information a…
Diphtheria has broken out in Nome, Alaska. Teams of sled dogs carry medicine 800 miles over snow and ice to prevent an epidemic. Everyo…
This lesson includes scaffolded analytical writing tasks that provide examples for teaching Common Core writing. In this biography, Es…
When ten-year old Jamal’s grandfather hears that the boy is in trouble for fighting to sit in the back of the bus, he tells Jamal…
This lesson includes scaffolded analytical writing tasks that provide examples for teaching Common Core writing. Mary (Yingmei) Yang i…
In this story, a family struggles on a prairie farm during a drought. They are forced to make a painful choice when their water soon ru…
A young boy, Peter, is hesitant to spend the summer with his great aunt in Chinatown. Peter finds an aging parade dragon in a store and…
Allie has a new basketball. She has a hard time finding someone to play with her because they believe basketball is a boys’ game.…
A young girl raises a dragon on her family’s farm. The young girl takes the dragon to Dragon Island, but returns to the farm with…
This lesson includes scaffolded analytical writing tasks that provide examples for teaching Common Core writing. The Saguaro Cactus is…
Juno receives a letter from his grandmother who lives in Seoul, Korea. Even though he cannot read the Korean-language text, she is able…
This historical fiction story takes place in 1932 in the midst of the Great Depression in New York City. Baseball was king and Babe Rut…
In this folktale, the town of Barletta faces destruction until Zia Concetta asks the town’s giant statue for help. With a clever …
Tanya is initially thrilled to be heading early to Grandma’s Virginia family farm for a reunion, but it's not as much fun as she …
Wildfires can cause damage but also play a critical role in the renewal of forests and grasslands. Through the example of the 1988 Yell…
This expository nonfiction text is about how an oak tree may become vulnerable to disease from its bark being damaged by a bear clawing…
Pepita stops speaking Spanish because she is tired of being the neighborhood translator. However, when a disaster nearly occurs, Pepita…
This lesson includes scaffolded analytical writing tasks that provide examples for teaching Common Core writing. In this tall tale, Jo…
This book describes how storm chaser Warren Faidley finds storms and photographs them, as well as how he makes a living off his photogr…
This story takes place in the 1930s in the Great Plains region of the United States devastated by a great drought. Leah had been given …
This poem describes the feelings of a girl whose best friend, Hanna, has moved away. The little girl feels that nothing will be the sam…
This realistic fictional story is about Steven and his Aunt Carolyn. The two have always shared a special bond; each time Aunt Carolyn …
Manuel, a fifth grader, feels average and lacks confidence in himself. He has doubts about volunteering for the elementary school talen…
In this tall tale, Davy Crockett lives in the woods where he combs his hair with a rake and shaves his beard with an ax, but Halley&rsq…
A Rattlesnake proclaims that he is king of the road, and he terrorizes villagers and refuses to let them pass on the road. The villager…
Angel Arrellano, a nine-year-old girl from Fresno, CA. spearheaded a campaign to raise money to be donated to the local zoo. Her enthus…
“Pioneer Girl” relates the real-life experiences of the McCance family, Nebraska homesteaders in 1885, combining narrative …
This lesson includes scaffolded analytical writing tasks that provide examples for teaching Common Core writing. The king wants to fly…
Nine-year old Anthony is proud of his history, culture, and family tradition of Mexican rodeo-style roping and riding. He also enjoys v…
As a child, the author’s father was fascinated by rocks.This interest consumed the young boy as he collected them in all of his s…
Ben goes to the beach and watches a seal being born. Over the next few seasons, Ben develops a special bond with this seal, a bond that…
This nonfiction piece tells about Barbara del Colorado, a village in Costa Rica. People needed a way to make money; a scientist suggest…
This realistic fiction story is about a young boy, Max, who is growing up on a large fruit farm in Chile and how he wants to find a fri…
Along with her worldwide musical fame, Gloria Estefan also experienced tragedy, but continued to help others in unfortunate situations.…
This lesson includes scaffolded analytical writing tasks that provide examples for teaching Common Core writing. Galileo refines the t…
Detective Nate the Great searches San Francisco for a lost joke book. He discovers that the wrong place can be the best place to look f…
Ephram loves to play the violin, and when he discovers that a blind neighbor was once a musician, but stopped playing the piano due to …
This fable is about a boy’s search for knowledge. To achieve his goal, the boy barters with characters ranging from a carpet make…
Life in the Grunt tribe changes when a baby dinosaur hatches from the huge egg that Little Grunt drags home for brunch. (Houghton Miffl…
In this excerpt, Brady and his friends don’t demonstrate good judgment when they choose not to warn Mrs. DiAngelo early that morn…
Curt, a young Tewa Indian, and his grandfather, Andy, prepare for Feast Day. They enjoy the good food, beautiful dances, colorful costu…
The students at Riverside Elementary School are excited about a visit from a real author. The class has been reading books by the autho…
This lesson includes scaffolded analytical writing tasks that provide examples for teaching Common Core writing. Damon and Pythias are…
This informational, nonfiction selection describes how schools are different in various parts of the world and includes “amazing …
Rosie is a Tibetan terrier whose friendly nature makes her a perfect visiting dog. After a lot of training, she brings comfort to peopl…
“Just Plain Fancy” is the story of a young Amish girl, Naomi, who longs to have something fancy in her life. But when an sh…
“How Animals Talk” is an informational, nonfiction selection describing how various animals communicate or send messages. A…
In this passage about volcanoes, science writer Seymour Simon explains the characteristics of the different types of volcanoes, and how…
Benny is nervous about the upcoming talent show. After a talk with her parents, Beany realizes that the most important thing is doing w…
In this excerpt, thirteen-year-old Brian Robeson overcomes the initial hurdles of survival in the Canadian wilderness. As he ward…
A boy on a family backpacking adventure discovers an amazing waterfall and decides he wants to climb to the top. The boy becomes a lead…
In this poem, Charlie loses access to his favorite activities, panics, and makes an impulsive decision that hurts his sister’s fe…
These tales, from Vietnam, Thailand, and China, all demonstrate how it takes the strengths of many to accomplish goals and make a diffe…
The election for class president of the 5th grade shapes up as a two-way race between Cricket and Lucas, but throughout the course of t…
“Danitra Brown Leaves Town” is a series of poems about two young city girls, Danitra and Zuri, who are best friends, and Da…
This lesson includes scaffolded analytical writing tasks that provide examples for teaching Common Core writing. This story is about a…
James Forten, a free African American in Philadelphia, joins the United States’ fight for freedom on the high sea. After the Revo…
“The Go-Around Dollar” is a selection that combines two genres: realistic fiction and expository text. It provides an enter…
This informational, nonfiction text introduces the solar system and its many parts – the sun, the eight planets, the satellites o…
This text explains the nuts and bolts of how different types of coins, bills, and checks; how they are connected; and how your dollars …
Young Jose’ Mendez is a terrific centerfielder but a weak hitter. Jose’ wants his father to be proud of him. When his fathe…
Poppa buys himself some new pants that need hemming. The women of his family are too tired to hem the pants before church the following…
"Cocoa Ice" is set in the early 1800s and describes the exchange that occurs when a trading ship from Maine travels to the Caribbean vi…
Despite his fear, Doug Grillo must cross a terrifying mountain ledge to find his missing brother. (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Reading, 2…
Roberto Clemente grew up in Puerto Rico where he discovered a love and passion for baseball, and became a famous Hall of Fame baseball …
The family of a Japanese diplomat, Mr. Sugihara, living in Lithuania in 1940, is confronted by Jewish refugees asking for Japanese visa…
In this realistic fiction story, young children’s powers of imagination create the town of Roxaboxen filled with houses, building…
Janey’s father is an immigrant worker and this forces Janey and her family to move around every few months, but Janey finds a fri…
The Story of Jumping Mouse is a legend told by the Native Americans of the Great Plains. This is a tale of a compassionate, courageous …
Seventy-four years ago, Spencer gave his sister Hattie a wooden box as a wedding gift, and though it was empty, told her there was some…
This story is written from the perspective of Wong Ming-Chung, a young Chinese boy who traveled to America to join his uncle during the…
This play is about a group of boys and girls who are summertime campers at the National Sea Base camp in the Florida Keys. Their advent…
A poor but generous old woman gives two roguish travelers a night’s lodging and a dinner that includes slices of her treasured ha…
This is the Chinese version of Little Red Riding Hood. In the story, the mother leaves 3 children home alone as she goes to visit…
A wildlife photographer describes her love for animals and how she took some of her favorite up-close photos of them. (Houghton Mifflin…
This nonfiction text discusses how a fourth grade class at Union Avenue School worked hard to protect the New Jersey shoreline by plant…
In this book, two sisters, Maisie and Callie, are faced with a challenging situation. Callie gets hurt while their mother is away and M…
In this story, a boy has a dog named Rugby with whom he is great friends. One day a puppy named Rosie joins the family. Rugby does not …
Internationally known scientist and conservationist Jane Goodall offers ten suggestions for ways we can all help save wildlife. From th…
A raja decrees that the villagers must give most of the rice they harvest to him. He promises to store it safely and distribute it in t…
In this play, a young princess’ refusal to help an elderly woman resulted in her being cursed to live like a frog for many years,…
An African American named Leroy ʺSatchelʺ Paige was one of the greatest baseball pitchers that ever lived, but baseball was a segregate…
Danny and Walter Budwing are two brothers who don't get along, and one day, when they are home alone, Walter, the elder, chases his lit…
In this legend, the author uses the struggles of a poverty stricken boy and his grandmother to show how even in their trials, the decis…
In this tall tale story, deadbeat Shorty Long has to avoid the people to whom he owes money. He tries to trick Widow Macrae out of $4.5…
This article describes the out-of-control fires that took place during the summer of 1988. It focuses on the unpredictable fires of the…
"Cows in the Parlor: A Visit to a Dairy Farm" is an expository article about the daily running of a dairy farm. Students learn about a …
In 1934, 12-year-old Kai travels alone by steamship from China to Gold Mountain (United States) to live with his father. When Kai arriv…
Koko’s Kitten is the story of Koko, a gorilla, who longs to have a kitten as her “baby." Koko is able to communicate her lo…
In this story, the people of Fatima’s village found a new way of living that replaced old traditions, but despite ridicule, her g…
Mahalia Jackson begins with the grandfather sharing the historical underpinnings of the blues, including a brief history of the African…
This is an autobiographical account of Michelle Kwan’s rise to figure skating fame. It details her transformation from a novice t…
Dusty Whittemore faces several challenges and below-freezing weather during the Junior Iditarod race in Alaska. Two tangles, a snowmobi…
This expository nonfiction text is about how living things have adapted traits of mimicry or camouflage to either fool or attract prey …
Like his Aleut ancestors, Alex continues the tradition of catching salmon, during their spawning at Kodiak Island in Alaska, to feed fa…
In this nonfiction piece, the author shares what he learned about the way of life of grizzly bears after spending a full year in Alaska…
This lesson was initially created through the Basal Alignment Project and was then further developed by the 4th grade team from Pleasan…
This nonfiction narrative is an account of two battles of the Revolutionary War, Trenton and Princeton. American soldiers faced many di…
In this story, Carlos and Gloria have been friends since they were young, and Carlos begins to develop feelings for Gloria, so he decid…
When Yinglan Yang is uninterested in American culture after the family’s move from China, her brother and sister plot to change h…
This is the story of how 12-year-old Jonathan protects his younger sister, Abby, during an earthquake. Jonathan, Abby, and their …
In “The Golden Lion Tamarin Comes Home,” the golden lion tamarin’s survival has been threatened by human development.…
This excerpt focuses on a sixteen year old boy, Marcus Ravage, who travels to America (New York) from Romania. He hopes to become rich …
When Axel and his family take a rafting trip down the swift Salmon River, they sense little risk when smoke appears in the quiet, dry w…
As five children travel through the Florida Everglades by canoe, their guide tells them about the evolution of the landscape and life f…
This autobiography takes place in the 1960’s, when girls were not allowed to play on boys’ baseball teams, so even though T…
In the story, Nellie Bly wants to break the fictional record of Jules Verne’s character, Phileas Fogg, who traveled around the wo…
This nonfiction story presents facts and details about how and where hurricanes are formed, the ways in which people are warned of hurr…
While cleaning the schoolyard, Louis accepts a package for Mrs. Jewls. It is very large and heavy, but he carries it up 30 flights of s…
A third grade girl named Beany creates a science fair project with her partner, Kevin. Beany is not confident that their project is the…
This informational text describes the ways in which trees are made up of many important parts that grow and change. (Houghton Mifflin H…
Marisol watches her neighbors excited about making a vacant lot beautiful, so she hunts and hunts and finds her own little patch where …
Robert Ballard describes how he and his team discovered the Titanic in 1985. Through a flashback to the story of 12-year old Ruth…
In this informational text the author describes mountains in different parts of the world. He tells about the effects of erosion on mou…
During the Mexican Revolution, a heroic mother, Elena, struggles to protect her family after her husband dies from an accident, and she…
Mrs. Parks gives advice to students on a variety of issues by answering some of the letters she has received over her lifetime. She emb…
With the help of her friends and family, Mariah plans a surprise party for her sister Lynn. After many close calls, the party is succes…
Even though Lupe Medrano is the top student at her school, she is a failure at sports until she tries her hand at marbles, so she pract…
In this play, Red Writing Hood does not like the way her fairy tale ends, so she decides to change the events of her own fairy tale by …
The pilgrims from England traveled across the Atlantic Ocean in hopes of establishing a new colony in North America. The separatists or…
A timid young boy and a curious elephant face challenges and help each other as they grow into adulthood in a small village near a game…
Terrence Cheromcka and Martin Jacobs, two Time For Kids reporters, report on two very different organizations that involve children pla…
The story tells us about Josie’s relationship with her great-great-grandma. Josie and her family return to their homeland of Sene…
In this biography, a young couple, William and Ellen Craft, attempt to escape to freedom from slavery in Georgia. They disguise Ellen a…
This informational text details traits and characteristics that different inventors throughout history have demonstrated and how those …
The entire Tex family is involved in the hard work of basket making, preserving a tribal tradition. They gather materials from various …
Pablo Pizzaro, Idaville’s greatest boy artist, enters a New Nose Now contest, and sculpts a new nose for a statue of Abraham Linc…
A typical day in the life of a 1840's pioneer began early in the morning and involved a great deal of hard work and persistence from ea…
Hewitt is quite extraordinary--though he is a son of giants, he is small in stature, yet quite adept at taking care of himself and, wor…
In this excerpt from Charlotte’ Web, Wilbur, a bored and lonely young pig, wants a little excitement. A friendly goose shows Wilb…
This play takes place in South Carolina in 1780 during the American Revolution, when a mother and her daughter are going about their da…
This informational narrative in the form of a play is about a group of fourth grade students who volunteer to work with rangers on Padr…
In this text, students learn about the daily role of a firefighter and the importance of firefighters in communities past and present. …
In the beginning of the story, John Muir doesn’t want to be bothered by a dog and is irritated that Stickeen is even with him muc…
This is an informational article about a woman named Maya Lin who has designed monuments around the country honoring historic events. (…
This nonfiction narrative is about the Grand Canyon, its many landforms, and the animals that live there. It explores how the Col…
Major medical discoveries are detailed over time. Diverse individuals, using scientific methods and innovation, determined causes for d…
This excerpt describes how oceans work: the relationship between the phases of the moon and tides, and the dangers of deadly tidal wave…
In this story, Rache is learning about the shocking history of her family through her Nana Sashie’s story about her family’…
As a child, the narrator describes how his magnificent career as an artist was ended at an early age by adults who lacked imagination, …
Scientists Dr. Roger Payne and Dr. Katherine Payne have discovered that the use of infrasonic sounds is a method of communication used …
This expository nonfiction story includes photographs is divided into sections that describes the Amazon, pink river dolphins and their…
Sonia, her father, and a group of their neighbors launch a peaceful protest to help 5 deer that have wandered into their city neighborh…
In this story, a young girl shares what it is like to spend time with her grandmother at her home and at her job at the crab chong wher…
"Jalapeño Bagels" is a story about a young bi-cultural boy named Pablo on a search to find a dish to bring to school for Interna…
The ability to see Earth from space helps scientists to understand both how the planet works and how human activities are affecting the…
Suki's favorite possession is her blue cotton kimono. A gift from her obachan (grandmother), it holds special memories of her grandmoth…
After Bright Morning's tribe is commanded by the Long Knives (the United States soldiers) to leave the canyon that is their home, the t…
Exploding Ants is an expository non-fiction text that explains how animals adapt to survive in their environment. (Pearson Reading Stre…
Pedro’s teacher gives a weekend homework assignment that is supposed to be fun for everyone, but Pedro is worried that he doesn&r…
This text depicts how the Westward Expansion left a lasting impact on America. The massive migration of people to the American West dur…
In this fantasy by Lynn Cherry, a man is trying to cut down a kapok tree in the Amazon rainforest. After a while of cutting the h…
Schlemiel is a lazy peasant from the town of Chelm with dreams of travelling. Taking a trip to Warsaw, he is tricked into retracing his…
In this narrative, Gary Paulsen describes the relationship, which develops between himself and a dog named “Storm,” the lea…
This story is about two boys, “Crazy” Eddie and the narrator, the imaginative contraptions they create, and their wacky adv…
During her first days at school in America, Ut experiences alienation and separation. Later, she finds understanding and acceptance. Wi…
Miguel went with his father and brothers on their annual sheep move in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, but some of the sheep got lost d…
In this article, Mr. Koffi Annan spoke to world leaders on the issue of protecting our environment. He states that since the beginning …
Laura Ingalls and her family are traveling by train to meet her father in Tracy. This story describes their first train ride as t…
Leroy Brown, otherwise known as Encyclopedia, is a great detective and helps his father solve crimes. One night at dinner, they d…
Lydia Grade is sent to live with her Uncle Jim while her parents look for work. She happily settles in to her new home where she …
The story explains the life of animals that live in Antarctica. The author describes life for the animals as they wait for summer…
To become a member of the ship’s crew, Charlotte Doyle must pass a test of climbing to the top of the mast. She faces physi…
Since ancient times, people have used bones and fossils to imagine what animals that lived in the past were like. When scientists and p…
This informational selection introduces the reader to artists that express their feelings and experiences through painting murals in th…
The article gives factual information about the when, where and how the game of basketball began and how it is played. (Houghton Miffli…
In Jackie Joyner-Kersee’s autobiography, she writes of the challenges she faced early on while becoming a track and field athlete…
With Papa away on a cattle drive, fourteen-year-old Travis is in charge of looking after the family homestead on the Texas plains, mile…
The informational text includes text features, such as photographs and captions, to give an overview of information about spiders and t…
The Adventurers of Sojourner presents a third-person narrative account of the Mars Pathfinder mission, which included the deployment of…
The Olympic Games have grown and changed since the first contests were held in Ancient Greece. However, one aspect of the games remains…
A group of fifth grade students interview the first Hispanic American astronaut, Ellen Ochoa. The interview is a question and ans…
Chuck Close is an American artist who overcomes many obstacles in his life, both unexpected and self-induced. He overcame his fir…
This non-fiction article gives information about the Chinese immigrants who came to California in the 1800’s seeking prosperity. …
Two female cousins spend their life doing everything together. One night they realize they are both in love with the Moon and wish to m…
Before they ever met her, Rory and Derek made a pact not to speak to Bolivia, the new girl in town. After Bolivia orchestrates a …
In this story, after their car crashes in a blizzard and their parents are injured, Danielle and Jake must climb to a weather station n…
This personal narrative introduces the genre of a diary to the students. “My Diary from Here to There,” takes the rea…
Sam and Cam own a detective agency. They are contacted by the Bear family, who is upset because their banana pancakes have been eaten a…
The author describes the life of Jean-Francois Champollion. This selection uses text and graphics together as a vehicle to deepen the r…
Gary Soto writes an autobiography about a time when he was eleven years old, wanting to be a gymnast like his cousin. He thinks i…
“Journey to the Moon” reflects a huge achievement of landing men on the moon. In 1969, three astronauts (Neil Armstrong, Bu…
This expository text selection outlines the efforts of the Chinese people to build the Great Wall to protect them from the Mongol invad…
The Lewis and Clark expedition explored unmapped territory from the Missouri River to the Pacific Ocean from 1804-1806. The expedition …
Victor, a 10-year-old boy, is fascinated with Harry Houdini’s magic tricks. On the date of the visit, Mrs. Houdini tells Victor t…
The selection is about Ghana, an ancient culture that was one of Africa’s great trading empires in the third century A.D. G…
In this short story, Jose learns a valuable lesson about himself when he tries to impress Estella by challenging her to a game of racqu…
The Lost City of the Aztecs is about the demise of the Aztec Empire and how Montezuma, the last Aztec emperor, reacted to the arrival o…
In this story, Michael Jordan is a very active child. His family helps him to channel his energy into positive activities and eventuall…
Gloria waits in a checkout line, tossing around the onion her mother had sent her to buy. She tosses it too far and fears it’s go…
In this story, Dag and his son Axel are at their climbing school in the Teton Mountains when the family dog, Grits, is stranded on Cath…
After a stormy night, a farmer searching for his lost calf finds a baby eagle that has been blown out of its nest. He takes it home and…
This informational article is about how TV advertisers intend to persuade viewers to buy products through television advertising.  …
In this nonfiction text, orphaned orangutans are cared for and raised at Camp Leakey on the island of Borneo, including the skills the …
Nadia’s parents were recently divorced and Nadia is spending the summer with her father in Florida, where Grandpa Izzy lives. Gra…
In this nonfiction article, the author addresses the problems associated with urban sprawl. Urban sprawl destroys animal and plant habi…
Beneath Blue Waters comes from the trade book with the same title. It focuses on the layers of the ocean. This selection ta…
Saturdays and Sundays are very special days for the young girl in this story. On Saturdays, she visits Grandma and Grandpa, who come fr…
When the student’s teacher announces that the school will be holding a talent show, the students are all very excited, with the e…
Franklin R. Chang-Diaz is an immigrant from Costa Rica who began thinking about space at age seven when the Soviet Union launched the f…
This selection is written as a Readers’ Theater where the students read the script aloud. The script is written as a fictional tr…
The story is presented through the eyes of the authors and goes back and forth between documenting for the reader the events of the mos…
At a time when it was unusual for women to travel alone to Alaska, Kate Ryan leaves her home in Canada and travels to the Alaskan front…
The story follows the lives of three new-born wolves over a ten and one half month period. It encompasses the various stages thro…
Thomas and his Grandfather share a small house with, their cat and pet duck. One day Thomas’s great-aunt Linzy comes to stay for …
One definition of a protagonist is a character that goes through change. And part of the definition is that the antagonist is the…
Amber, her brother, and her parents visit Aunt Phoebe, a traveler, collector and storyteller. Aunt Phoebe shares a cloth with th…
In this story, Jangmi moves from her home in Korea to a new home in the United States. At first she is sad about leaving behind her fri…
TJ takes a trip to Vietnam with his mother to visit his grandparent’s farm. TJ learns a lot about the culture and lives of …
This selection is a narrative nonfiction story about supply and demand. It gives readers information about the basics of starting…
“Storm in the Night” is a realistic fiction story that looks at the relationship between a grandfather and grandson. …
Before language was written, people from all over the world have recorded their family histories orally. They have used storytell…
In this biography, Amy VanDyken overcomes many challenges throughout her life to become an Olympic gold medalist. (Houghton Mifflin Har…
Although Danny is a young adult of only 17, he is fully capable of taking his father’s boat out to sea to fish. While out on a so…
Richard moves to a new town and has to make new friends and face the challenge of climbing the rope in gym class. He makes a friend in …
Young Louis Armstrong, “Satchmo,” longs to play the horn, but his family has no money for such things. He was inspire…
This text is a reader’s theater with seven parts set in the television studio of a school’s morning news network. The story…
Modern inventions used to make lives easier harm the planet. There are several predictions about how towns of the future will be …
Volcanoes show us how the earth changes. Volcanoes can be made of lava, gases, hot steam, ground-up rocks and melted rock called lava. …
This is the grade 3 version of this lesson for this title. A grade 5 version is also available. A crew of sailors captained by S…
Dr. Daniel Hale Williams must make the decision to perform a heart operation that could save a patient’s life but could also cond…
Leslie and her family learn to adjust to life without their mother when she is away training her new dog guide, Ursula, after the passi…
The author explains the complete water cycle and also discusses ocean currents, ocean and lake habitats, and hydroelectricity. He also …
Who ever heard of a girl glassblower? In Mexico, where the sun is called el sol and the moon is called la luna, a little girl called El…