The selection is about Ghana, an ancient culture that was one of Africa’s great trading empires in the third century A.D. Gold mines, extensive trading, and advanced farming villages all contributed to the rise and success of Ghana. In this CCSS lesson, students will explore this history through text dependent questions, academic vocabulary, and writing assignments. Includes printable copies of text.

A young girl, Sarah Stout, despite her father’s request, chooses not to take out the garbage, and soon realizes that there are serious and far-reaching consequences to her choices. In this CCSS lesson, students will explore this story through text dependent questions, academic vocabulary, and writing assignments.

“The Secret” tells the story of Henry Cooper, a reporter, returning for the second time to report on the colonies now existing on the Moon. Based on a hunch, he becomes suspicious of a “secret” that may be looming on the Moon. Cooper sets out on a mission to confirm his suspicions, which leads him to discover that life on the moon can be as long as 200 years. Cooper must then decide if this “secret” should be kept or shared with those back on Earth. In this CCSS lesson, students will explore this story through text dependent questions, academic vocabulary, and writing assignments.

On the first day of seventh grade, Victor and his friend Michael try to hide their insecurities and impress the girls in their class. In turn they learn that teachers can be kind, that girls are approachable, and that taking a risk to fit in can pay off. In this CCSS lesson, students will explore this story through text dependent questions, academic vocabulary, and writing assignments.

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a legend about King Arthur’s court and the Knights of the Round Table. During a New Years celebration, a strange man, only referred to as the Green Knight, enters the court and challenges the knights to a game. He will allow whoever accepts the challenge to strike him with his own ax. There is one condition, the challenger must return in one year for the Green Knight to return the same blow. In this CCSS lesson, students will explore this story through text dependent questions, academic vocabulary, and writing assignments.

This fantasy takes place on the planet Pern, an imaginary world where dragons help protect the inhabitants from the dangerous Red Star, which rains deadly plant spores every 200 years. These spores can devour every living thing if they land on the planet. In this CCSS lesson, students will explore this story through text dependent questions, academic vocabulary, and writing assignments.

In this lesson, students use comprehension skills to discuss and respond to questions about a text.

In the magazine article, “The Story of an Eyewitness,” Jack London describes the effects of the San Francisco Earthquake of 1906. His account describes its immediate aftermath and utter destruction of the city by the ensuing fire. The National Archives article provides a brief third-person account of the San Francisco Earthquake that can be used to compare and contrast first- versus third-person accounts of the same event. In this CCSS lesson, students will explore this history through text dependent questions, academic vocabulary, and writing assignments.

Mr. and Mrs. Lacey and their daughter, Doris, are stranded at home following a severe winter storm. Doris notices an abandoned puppy on the snowy road and brings it indoors. Doris forms a bond with the puppy and is heartbroken when the time comes for her father to take it away. In this CCSS lesson, students will explore this story through text dependent questions, academic vocabulary, and writing assignments.

In the summer of 1988, fires raged out of control in Yellowstone National Park. Though it seemed like total devastation to outsiders, the fires burned in only one-third of the park, and the new growth that resulted promoted the flourishing of certain birds, animals, and plants. In this CCSS lesson, students will explore this story through text dependent questions, academic vocabulary, and writing assignments.

Mary Whitebird is about to turn eleven and take part in the Sioux coming of age tradition of Ta-Na-E-Ka. Literally translated as, flowering of adulthood, Ta-Na-E-Ka is a test of survival where participants are sent into the wilderness to survive for five days. In this CCSS lesson, students will explore this story through text dependent questions, academic vocabulary, and writing assignments.

Tasha, a thirteen year old girl has to babysit her little 7 year old brother, Junior, because her mom is getting a job over the summer. Tasha really didn't want to and would do anything but babysit Junior. Her mom gave Tasha a long list of rules. Junior basically only had one: he was to listen to his sister. In this CCSS lesson, students will explore this story through text dependent questions, academic vocabulary, and writing assignments. Includes printable copies of text.

Almost every culture has a traditional tale about a character who is granted three wishes. Two are usually used unwisely, and then the third wish is needed to undo one or both of the first two wishes. In this CCSS lesson, students will explore this story through text dependent questions, academic vocabulary, and writing assignments.

Megan’s Great-grandmother Breckenridge has lived in three centuries. She was born in 1899 and now it is 2001. On the first day of 2001, Megan is annoyed that she and her mother are going to visit Great-grandmother Breckenridge in an Elder Care Facility. By the end of her visit, Megan’s feelings and opinions about Great-grandmother Breckenridge have changed from distaste and avoidance to eagerness to know her better. In this CCSS lesson, students will explore this story through text dependent questions, academic vocabulary, and writing assignments.

This horror story begins when three lighthouse keepers realize that a derelict ship heading for their tiny island is filled with thousands of giant rats. The ship runs aground and sinks; the famished rats scramble onto the island, and, in time, they break into the lighthouse. The besieged men struggle to stay alive. In this CCSS lesson, students will explore this story through text dependent questions, academic vocabulary, and writing assignments.

This resource includes one story and a short expository text, eleven text-dependent questions (including one optional constructed-response prompt for students), and explanatory information for teachers regarding alignment to the CCSS.

Fourteen year-old Greg Ridley gets into an argument with his father over his bad grades and his father forbids him to play basketball. In this CCSS lesson, students will explore this story through text dependent questions, academic vocabulary, and writing assignments.

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 physical and mental challenges to prove her worth to herself and the crew. In this CCSS lesson, students will explore this story through text dependent questions, academic vocabulary, and writing assignments.

This is a story of an American-born Chinese daughter, her immigrant mother and their very different beliefs and hopes. In this CCSS lesson, students will explore this story through text dependent questions, academic vocabulary, and writing assignments.

Students in third grade will work to identify the correct steps in problem solving through this lesson.