Get Started: Explore Themes and Projects
Why reinvent the wheel?
Teachers, media specialists, technology coordinators, and librarians around the world are sharing their ideas and projects on the Internet. Explore themes and projects that others have developed.
For instance, explore activities to go with the book Mercy Watson to the Resue by Kate DiCamillo.
Although you're unlikely to find exactly what you need, learn to adapt the materials you find. You might change the web links, reading level, grade level, or use of the materials. Turn a lesson idea into an interactive bulletin board or topic for a book club discussion. Use the quiz questions provided or photographs on the web page.
On this page, you'll find Starting Points, Thematic Resources and By Learners, For Learners Resources.
Literature Starting Points
There are some wonderful websites that highlight authors, explore themes, and focus on specific books. Use these as you explore the possibilities.
All Grades
- ALAN Review
- Bibliography Central for Teens
- Carol
Hurst's Website
- Lots of reviews and book connections by curriculum areas and themes. - Linda's Links to Literature
- Reading is Fundamental from UK
- Reading is Fundamental from US
- Reading Rainbow
- Reading Rockets
- Scholastic
- Web English Teacher- Links to the best resources
Middle/High School Grades
Links to Literature Sites
- Reading Lists and Clubs from Teenspace at IPL
- Children's Literature from NYPL
- Literature for Children & Young Adults
- Web Resources from MCPL
Try It!
Adapt the resources you find. You might start with books containing fractured fairy tales. Then, adapt the resources at Scholastic's Fractured Fairy Tales.
Read and tell family stories using photos. For more ideas, go to Caldecott: Visual Storytelling for more ideas.
Thematic Starting Points
Consider using a theme or topic as the focus of your projects.
All Grade Levels
- 42eXplore
- A to Z Themes
- Buddy Backpacks
- CLN Themes
- eMINTS
- KidsKonnect
- Pathfinders - Cleveland
- Tech-Literacy Curriculum
- Thematic Units and WebQuest from North Attleborough Schools
Primary Themes
- Kindergarten Units
- Invitations to Literacy Themes
- K-2 Tech-Thematic Ideas
- K-3 Themes
- Perpetual Preschool Themes
- Reading Themes
K-5 Themes
By Learners, For Learners
ThinkQuest
This international project involves students in creating projects. Explore their
list of projects based on Books, Authors,
or Books and
Literature.
Elementary-Middle School
- Around the World in 80 Days
- Bill Peet
- Black Pearl
- Hatchet
- Hogwarts Online
- Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH
- The Newbery Library
- Wilson Rawls
- Walk Like an Egyptian through Ancient Egypt
Middle-High School
- The English Patient
- Holes
- MacBeth
- Shakey's Place: 3D Globe Theatre
- To Kill a Mockingbird: Then and Now
- Words and Tolkien
Try It!
Before choosing a book, website,
or project, consider the goal, standard, or essential question
you will be addressing. In other words:
What do you want your
students to be able to do or talk about when they complete the
unit?
What's the purpose of the activity or project.
What learning experience, not just a lesson, do I was to create?