Teacher Resources for Middle and High School

When reading challenging texts, students start by finding words they can easily picture—and actually “experiencing” these words in their head. They should use all their senses to see, hear, taste, touch, and smell the sensory details in the text.

This ninety-second video will teach students how to use authors’ words to make meaning in their minds. With concrete examples, we direct students to look for sensory words and then imagine their look, smell, sound, and feel.

Many abstract words do not make images in our minds. Readers easily overlook those words and miss critical information. In “Make It Real,” students are asked to make abstract terms real with their own relevant examples.

This three-minute video goes over the reading comprehension strategies of “Use Your Senses” and “Key Images,” then introduces “Make It Real.” This skill teaches students what to do when the author gives them abstract text they can’t see, smell, hear, or feel.

In a text, writers give signals to guide readers through layers of meaning. Navigators come in the form of punctuation, signal words, and asides. For example, "however" is a signal to expect a contrasting layer of information.

This three-minute video walks students through all the key navigational clues that will help them comprehend complex texts.It covers punctuation, asides, and signal words, like “but,” “however,” and “therefore.”

Students learn to track pronouns back to their antecedents in order to follow what’s going on in the text. Basic pronouns like “she,” “he,” or “they” are covered, as well as pronouns like “it” or “this,” which often get overlooked.

In this three-minute video, we introduce students to pronouns and review less commonly identified ones. We also model how to connect pronouns to their antecedents so students can more easily follow a text’s meaning.

If you want to give your students a test-prep strategy for standardized reading tests, check out this video. It teaches students how to maintain a positive test-taking rhythm while navigating multiple-choice questions with confidence and accuracy.

The young adult novel Wonder (2012) written by R.J. Palacio, tells the story of ten-year-old “Auggie,” a young man born with a facial abnormality. The novel follows Auggie’s experience entering fifth-grade at a school in Manhattan after being home-schooled all his life. The book is written in multiple perspectives, shifting between Auggie and the people close to him as he contends with bullies, makes friends, and tries to build his self-esteem.

Have students play this online vocabulary set to learn the 10 priority words from this excerpt.

The young adult novel Wonder (2012) written by R.J. Palacio, tells the story of ten-year-old “Auggie,” a young man born with a facial abnormality. The novel follows Auggie’s experience entering fifth-grade at a school in Manhattan after being home-schooled all his life. The book is written in multiple perspectives, shifting between Auggie and the people close to him as he contends with bullies, makes friends, and tries to build his self-esteem.

Print and assign this vocabulary set to pre-teach 10 priority words from this excerpt.

The young adult novel Wonder (2012) written by R.J. Palacio, tells the story of ten-year-old “Auggie,” a young man born with a facial abnormality. The novel follows Auggie’s experience entering fifth-grade at a school in Manhattan after being home-schooled all his life. The book is written in multiple perspectives, shifting between Auggie and the people close to him as he contends with bullies, makes friends, and tries to build his self-esteem.

Quiz questions are based on the beginning of the story, up to the end of paragraph 11 ("I have other…").

Stargirl is a popular young adult novel by Jerry Spinelli published in 2000. Told from the perspective of Leo, an 11th grader at an Arizona high school, the story begins when a free-spirited new student named Stargirl enters Leo’s life.

Have students play this online vocabulary set to learn the 10 priority words from this excerpt.

Stargirl is a popular young adult novel by Jerry Spinelli published in 2000. Told from the perspective of Leo, an 11th grader at an Arizona high school, the story begins when a free-spirited new student named Stargirl enters Leo’s life.

Print and assign this vocabulary set to pre-teach 10 priority words from the excerpt.

Stargirl is a popular young adult novel by Jerry Spinelli published in 2000. Told from the perspective of Leo, an 11th grader at an Arizona high school, the story begins when a free-spirited new student named Stargirl enters Leo’s life.

Quiz questions are based on the excerpt linked in the downloads.

In the 1950 children’s fantasy novel The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, C.S. Lewis tells the story of four siblings relocated to an old mansion in England during World War II. In the mansion they enter a wardrobe, which is a passage to Narnia, a land full of magical creatures and ruled by the evil White Witch.

Have students play this online vocabulary set to learn the 10 priority words for chapter 1.

In the 1950 children’s fantasy novel The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, C.S. Lewis tells the story of four siblings relocated to an old mansion in England during World War II. In the mansion they enter a wardrobe, which is a passage to Narnia, a land full of magical creatures and ruled by the evil White Witch.

Print and assign this vocabulary set to pre-teach 10 priority words from chapter 1.

In the 1950 children’s fantasy novel The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, C.S. Lewis tells the story of four siblings relocated to an old mansion in England during World War II. In the mansion they enter a wardrobe, which is a passage to Narnia, a land full of magical creatures and ruled by the evil White Witch.

Quiz questions are based on the first chapter of the book. Read it in hard copy or find it online.