Less than $5 ELA Test Prep Lesson

Challenge your students with a deep exploration of figurative language with this complete, standards-aligned lesson plan centered on Langston Hughes’ classic poems Dreams and Harlem. Perfect for grades 6-8, this 60-minute lesson introduces and reinforces figurative language skills with a variety of Depth of Knowledge (DOK) levels, from identification to detailed analysis. Through engaging activities, guided notes, fill-in-the-blank practice, and insightful discussions, students will strengthen their understanding of metaphors, similes, personification, hyperbole, repetition, and more!

What's Included:

• Do Now Prompt: Connect students personally to the theme of dreams and aspirations.
• Guided Notes & Slides: Fill-in-the-blank notes and a comprehensive slide deck introduce and review key figurative language concepts.
• Figurative Language Practice Handout: Allows students to identify and categorize figurative language independently or in pairs.
• Detailed Analysis of Dreams and Harlem: Thought-provoking questions and guided analysis help students apply figurative language skills in context, from interpreting similes and metaphors to discussing theme.
• Reflection and Discussion: Encourages students to connect poetic themes to real life and deepen their understanding of how figurative language enhances literature.

Why Teachers Love It: This resource provides a complete and flexible plan that fits seamlessly into any poetry or figurative language unit, with resources to support all stages of learning—from foundational identification to advanced interpretation. It’s ideal for introducing figurative language or deepening students’ analysis skills, making it a versatile addition to any ELA classroom.

Key Features:

• Differentiated Levels of Analysis: Activities move from DOK Level 1 (identifying figurative language) to DOK Levels 3-4 (interpreting meaning and thematic connections).
• Engagement-Boosting Content: Uses two of Hughes’ most powerful poems to explore big ideas about dreams, aspirations, and consequences, making learning relevant and impactful.
• Aligned with Language Standards: Perfect for reinforcing figurative language standards through high-interest texts.

Boost your students' confidence with figurative language and inspire thoughtful conversations with this enriching lesson plan! Download today to elevate your poetry and figurative language instruction with this ready-to-use, engaging resource!

Transform Writing with Engaging Figurative Language Lessons

Boost your students’ writing skills with this comprehensive Figurative Writing Resource Pack, designed for Grades 3-6. Teach similes, metaphors, and personification using vivid presentations, hands-on worksheets, and editable Google Slides/PowerPoint. Perfect for whole-class instruction, small groups, or independent learning, this resource is fully aligned with Common Core, TEKS, and the UK National Curriculum.

Save time with ready-to-use materials and differentiated tasks for all abilities. Featuring step-by-step guidance, interactive activities, and creative writing challenges, this pack helps students craft vivid, descriptive pieces while building confidence and autonomy. Proven effective in classrooms, it delivers an engaging, curriculum-aligned learning experience for teachers and students alike.

What’s Included? 

✏️  Print Materials: Worksheets, Answer keys, PDF of slides

✅✅ Digital Content: Part-Editable Google Slides/PowerPoint Presentation

What’s Inside?

✔️ 20 pg PowerPoint Presentation/Google Slides

✔️ 7 Worksheets

✔️ Student Directions

✔️ Teacher Answer Key

✔️ Teacher Directions, Tips and Differentiation

✔️ Learning Objective

✔️ Success Criteria

✔️ Lesson Route

Perfect for Grades 3-6!

Why You’ll Love This Resource:

✏️ No Prep

✏️ Print and Go

✏️ Cross-Curricular

✏️ Aligned with Common Core, TEKS, and UK National Curriculum.

✏️ Highly Engaging

✏️ Great for whole-class instruction, small groups, or independent work

✏️ Classroom-tested 

When to use this? 

✅ Literacy ELA Lesson (1-2 hour lessons)

✅ Sub Plans

✅ Review

What Do You Need?

✏️ Pencils

✏️ Computer

✏️ Projector for slides (Slides are in PowerPoint format and can be uploaded to Google Drive to open as Google Slides)

Skills Used:

✔️ Identifying figurative language

✔️Creative writing

✔️ Reading comprehension

✔️ Vocabulary development

✔️ Critical thinking

✔️ Independent learning

Curriculum Alignment

This resource meets several educational standards, including:

Common Core State Standards (CCSS):

• RL.4.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases, including figurative language.
• W.4.3: Write narratives with descriptive details and clear event sequences.

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS):

• 110.5 (ELA): Analyze how authors use figurative language to create meaning.
• 110.5(b)(20): Write literary texts using figurative language.

UK National Curriculum (Years 3-6):

• Writing Composition: Create vivid descriptions using figurative language.
• Reading Comprehension: Discuss words/phrases that capture the reader’s imagination.

Bonus Benefits:

✅ Encourages Creativity

✅ Promotes Self-Learning

✅ **✅**Addresses Common Misconceptions

Extra Perks:

• Earn TeachShare Credit: Leave a review to earn credits for future purchases.
• ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ We Strive for 5 Stars! If you have any questions, use the Q&A tab before leaving feedback.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LOVE ♥️…

• Sensory Writing 
• Show, Don't Tell - Slides & Worksheets
• Descriptive Writing Independant Worksheets

Inspire your students to write with flair and confidence. Grab this versatile, high-quality resource today!

Need to teach tone? Do it in a way your students will immediately understand through greeting cards! This is such a great way to also introduce non-fiction elements such as audience, message, and purpose.

The cards are simple to understand but require a little inferencing too. Using greeting cards means it's a lesson where students can learn and practice quickly.

The lesson has increased complexity, gradual release through group and independent work, and is adapted with a word bank.

What's Included:

• Detailed lesson on what tone is and isn't
• How to identify tone.
• Notes template for students to fill in during the lesson.
• Group practice with explanation.
• Individual practice.
• A two question formative assessment.

What is multigenre writing, and how can you use it in your classroom? This Common Core, across-curriculum, interactive presentation includes: Fact-based/non-fiction or fictional Defining: "Multi" and "Genre" Student examples of multigenre projects Interactive small group activity for introducing multigenre Research and extra resources on multigenres 2 levels of assignments: lower and upper Brainstorming Topics chart Find Your Topic graphic organizer Multigenre list for choosing types of writings Peer Workshopping guide Supplemental Resources Works Cited Ready to use with students, and a great way to re-visit an old topic or to revive research essays, whether using non-fiction or fiction. Can be used to introduce topics or as assessment for unit or research for any discipline.. Multigenre activities are engaging, educational, meaningful, and fun.

Theme Analysis Made Simple! This resource includes a mini lesson, list of thematic topics, and theme analysis graphic organizers to explore the story element theme, making it perfect for any unit or novel study.

The resource includes:

• Mini Lesson (Google Slides): An engaging presentation that introduces the concept of theme, guiding students in distinguishing it from the main idea and exploring its significance in storytelling.
• Common Thematic Topics List: A curated list of thematic topics to help students recognize and connect recurring themes across different texts.
• Graphic Organizers (3 Choices): Versatile templates for students to organize their thoughts and evidence when analyzing themes, supporting deeper engagement with the texts they read.

This resource is ideal for deepening students' understanding of how conflicts shape character development and story progression!

Be sure to follow my store to stay up to date on sales, freebies, and new products!

Engage 3rd-5th graders with a text structure nonfiction lesson: bell ringer, guided notes, ELA STAAR practice, activities, anchor chart, model passage, and exit ticket—ideal for intervention, stations, STAAR prep, and independent reading comprehension work!

A low-prep lesson designed to help learners master text structure in a fun and structured way within the Nonfiction Genre.

➡️ Why You Will Love

⭐A lesson plan that is planned and prepped so you get your planning time back!

⭐Science of reading-aligned strategies for students to apply to their reading.

⭐Real-world connections so that students see how the skill is applied to their everyday lives. 

⭐Flexible Format to integrate into any curriculum. 

⭐Differentiated small group instruction cards to help you reach every learner in your classroom. 

➡️ What’s Included

• Detailed Mini-Lesson Plan
• Warm Up
• Anchor Chart
• Real-World Connections
• Interactive Adventure Google Lesson Slides
• Teacher Model Text
• Guided Notes
• Guided Practice with key terms
• Differentiated Small Group Instruction Cards
• Student Activity: Color by Number
• Exit Ticket

➡️ How to Use Suggestions

• Begin with a warm-up to spark curiosity and introduce the day’s focus.
• Teach with the anchor chart, lesson slides, model text, guided practice, and guided doodle notes, encouraging students to make connections.
• Engage students with a story-driven adventure lesson. 
• Provide scaffolded practice using small group instruction and independent activities.
• Wrap up with an exit ticket to assess understanding and inform future lessons.
• Use Google Slides and Adobe to assign or download resources.

Your students will love the adventure lesson, variety, and engagement provided in this resource! Bring Text Structure to life with this resource! 

➡️ LET’S CONNECT

Follow ELA Vibes to get updates on new resources!

➡️ Additional Supports

Mini-Lessons

Activity Packs

STAAR Prep

Short and Extended Constructed Responses

Help your 5th-grade students master the essential reading skills of identifying character, problem, and solution with this thoughtfully crafted resource! This set includes three engaging fiction passages at a Level T reading level, each designed to strengthen students' ability to track character development, analyze the main problem, and understand the solution.

Each passage is accompanied by:

• 5 multiple-choice questions that focus on character traits, the main conflict, and how the problem is resolved.
• 3 higher-level discussion questions to encourage deeper thinking and classroom conversation.
• Answer keys for all questions, making grading easy and efficient!

Also included in this set is our popular "Story Detective" Anchor Chart—a visual tool that guides students through the key questions to ask themselves when reading any fiction story. This anchor chart breaks down the process of understanding the character, identifying the problem, and following the solution.

As a bonus, we've included a student note catcher, perfect for independent practice, where students can jot down their observations on the character, problem, and solution of any story they read.

What’s Inside:

• 3 Level T Fiction Passages with:

  • Strong character development and relatable situations
  • Multiple-choice questions to assess comprehension of character, problem, and solution
  • Discussion questions to spark deeper classroom dialogue
  • Answer keys for all questions

• Story Detective Anchor Chart: A helpful visual reference for understanding any fiction story.

• Student Note Catcher: A worksheet to help students independently track character, problem, and solution in their reading.

Why You'll Love This Resource:

• Differentiated Practice: Level T passages are perfect for 5th-grade students, reinforcing essential reading comprehension skills.
• Engaging Content: Stories feature relatable characters, everyday problems, and meaningful resolutions that will captivate your students’ attention.
• Easy to Use: Printable and ready to go, with everything you need to teach character, problem, and solution all in one place.

Perfect For:

• Independent practice
• Small-group reading
• Homework assignments
• Test prep for understanding fiction text structures

Are you trying to make theme sticky for your students? This resource includes practice worksheets for three short films under 5 minutes long: Piper, The Present, Pip available on Youtube for free. Students will love the beautiful graphics of the films, and the heart warming lessons to learn from each. I love using these films as mini lessons of about 10 minutes each or you can combine all three into a 30 minute practice session. This can be used virtually or in person, as extension activities or as direct instruction!

Piper: https://youtu.be/WIPV1iwzrzg

The Present: https://youtu.be/WjqiU5FgsYc

Pip: https://youtu.be/07d2dXHYb94

Free Bonus: Using Pixar to teach Somebody wanted, but, so then (Summary!) with answer keys.

Unlock the power of sentence revision and combination with this comprehensive resource tailored for both high school and middle school English students. Designed to enhance critical thinking skills while honing essential writing abilities, this teaching tool offers a dynamic blend of test preparation materials, engaging worksheets, and collaborative group activities.

What's Inside:

• 15 pages of meticulously crafted PDF worksheets that cover a spectrum of sentence revision and combination exercises.
• 22 PowerPoint slides packed with visually stimulating content to reinforce concepts and aid comprehension.
• 3 versatile activities catered for independent work, group collaboration, and a summative assessment, ensuring diverse learning experiences for every student.

Benefits:

• Ideal for test preparation, this resource equips students with the necessary skills to tackle revising and editing tasks with confidence.
• Foster critical thinking abilities through challenging exercises that encourage students to analyze and improve upon existing sentences.
• Suitable for both individual study and group work, promoting collaborative learning and peer-to-peer support.
• Enhance writing proficiency by mastering the art of sentence structure, coherence, and cohesion.

Whether you're gearing up for standardized testing or seeking to bolster writing skills in the classroom, this resource offers a comprehensive toolkit for educators and students alike. Get ready to elevate your English curriculum with engaging activities that inspire growth, mastery, and creativity.

30 non-fictional and fictional story starters with black and white images for coloring and colored images for laminating and re-using. Each handout is lined for writing. Meets Common Core and State Standards. Objectives include: Factual versus Fictional characteristics Genre writing Writing Process Paragraphing skills Transition/relationship words Organization skills Time order Sentence Structures Punctuation Word Choices/Vocabulary Building Problem Solving Directions: Use with small/whole groups. Copy, laminate or place on company desktops or project from overhead projectors Students take turns and add one sentence at a time to build non-fictional and fictional stories. Variations: Set time limits to practice for standardized tests Use as individual writing prompts Use as storytelling prompts for pre-k/k/1/ESL Use with graphic organizers for pre-writing strategies Send home as family activities When finished with writings, do peer workshoppings/whole class edits Revise stories for read-around/publications Display by genre and share with whole school Educational, fun way to enhance students' writing skills

Engage 3rd-5th graders with a summary paraphrasing nonfictionlesson: bell ringer, guided notes, ELA STAAR practice, activities, anchor chart, model passage, and exit ticket—ideal for intervention, stations, STAAR prep, and independent reading comprehension work!

A low-prep lesson designed to help learners master summarizing and paraphrasing in a fun and structured way within the Nonfiction Genre.

➡️ Why You Will Love

⭐A lesson plan that is planned and prepped so you get your planning time back!

⭐Science of reading-aligned strategies for students to apply to their reading.

⭐Real-world connections so that students see how the skill is applied to their everyday lives. 

⭐Flexible Format to integrate into any curriculum. 

⭐Differentiated small group instruction cards to help you reach every learner in your classroom. 

➡️ What’s Included

• Detailed Mini-Lesson Plan

• Warm Up

• Anchor Chart

• Real-World Connections

• Interactive Adventure Google Lesson Slides

• Teacher Model Text

• Guided Notes

• Guided Practice with key terms

• Differentiated Small Group Instruction Cards

• Independent Practice Student Activity: Maze

• Exit Ticket

➡️ How to Use Suggestions

• Begin with a warm-up to spark curiosity and introduce the day’s focus.
• Teach with the anchor chart, lesson slides, model text, guided practice, and guided doodle notes, encouraging students to make connections.
• Engage students with a story-driven adventure lesson. 
• Provide scaffolded practice using small group instruction and independent activities.
• Wrap up with an exit ticket to assess understanding and inform future lessons.
• Use Google Slides and Adobe to assign or download resources.

Your students will love the adventure lesson, variety, and engagement provided in this resource! Bring Summary to life with this resource! 

➡️ LET’S CONNECT

Follow ELA Vibes to get updates on new resources!

➡️ Additional Supports

Summary and Paraphrasing Resources

Mini-Lessons

Activity Packs

STAAR Prep

Short and Extended Constructed Responses

What is it?

Micro texts are made with the intention of getting to the skill or the practice students need FASTER. Each text is less than 400 words. All of the 16 questions is aligned to finding the "bullseye" and helping students think critically about the answer choices and how they can apply critical thinking to get the right answer every time. It also encourages students to read each question and not choose an answer that "feels right".

What's included?

• Google Slides (56 slides)

• PowerPoint (56 slides)

• PDF (26 pages)

• Editable Word file

• Four total passage

• Two micro argumentative texts

• Two micro informational passages

• 16 questions

• Teaching Slides

• Bullseye for students to practice the strategy

• A simple answer key is included as well as a detailed rationale page.

Who's it for?

- Middle and high school

- Teachers who want to teach test strategies before exams

Check out these other resources!

• Intermediate Advanced ELL/EB Practice with 100s of Common Words
• ELL/EB Newcomer Essential Phrases & Vocabulary
• All Things English For Middle & High School Students (best seller)
• Once Upon A Crime
• Revising & Editing Workbook
• Revising & Editing for Group Lessons
• Bell Ringers for the Semester
• Everything Writing

15 Commonly Confused Words J-W with engaging CCSS activities for students to learn. Includes: J-W game with fill-in-the-blank, definitions, make your own sentences/slides (individual/groups & competitive play) 2 Crossword puzzles with Commonly Confused Words 2 Word Searches with Commonly Confused Words All answer sheets included Directions and Suggestions with Extensions Words used are: 1. jewel joule 2. knew new 3. know no4. lay lie 5. loose lose6. moral morale 7. morning mourning 8. nose knows 9. none no one 10. passed past 11. pole poll 12. principal principle 13. rain reign 14. road rode15. sight site cite 16. stationary stationery 17. their there they’re 18. to too two 19. warn worn 20. weather whether Students will have fun learning these Commonly Confused Words.

Engage 3rd-5th graders with a central idea and key details fiction lesson: bell ringer, guided notes, ELA STAAR practice, activities, anchor chart, model passage, and exit ticket—ideal for intervention, stations, STAAR prep, and independent reading comprehension work!

A low-prep lesson designed to help learners master the main idea and details in a fun and structured way within the Fiction Genre.

➡️ Why You Will Love

⭐A lesson plan that is planned and prepped so you get your planning time back!

⭐Science of reading-aligned strategies for students to apply to their reading.

⭐Real-world connections so that students see how the skill is applied to their everyday lives. 

⭐Flexible Format to integrate into any curriculum. 

⭐Differentiated small group instruction cards to help you reach every learner in your classroom. 

➡️ What’s Included

• Detailed Mini-Lesson Plan

• Warm Up

• Anchor Chart

• Real-World Connections

• Interactive Adventure Google Lesson Slides

• Teacher Model Text

• Guided Notes

• Guided Practice with key terms

• Differentiated Small Group Instruction Cards

• Student Activity: Scavenger Hunt

• Exit Ticket

➡️ How to Use Suggestions

• Begin with a warm-up to spark curiosity and introduce the day’s focus.

• Teach with the anchor chart, lesson slides, model text, guided practice, and guided doodle notes, encouraging students to make connections.

• Engage students with a story-driven adventure lesson. 

• Provide scaffolded practice using small group instruction and independent activities.

• Wrap up with an exit ticket to assess understanding and inform future lessons.

• Use Google Slides and Adobe to assign or download resources.

Your students will love the adventure lesson, variety, and engagement provided in this resource! Bring Main Idea to life with this resource! 

➡️ LET’S CONNECT

Follow ELA Vibes to get updates on new resources!

➡️ Additional Supports

Mini-Lessons

Activity Packs

STAAR Prep

Short and Extended Constructed Responses

Explicit strategies for teaching word meaning to students.

• Words in the Dictionary
• Words in Context
• Words with Greek and Latin Roots
• Replacing words to be more effective.

This lesson includes a PowerPoint Lesson, accompanying student notes for the lesson and practice questions. Everything you need to get students started when decoding new words or words they encounter while testing.

A quick, two page review of Grammar Tips (sentence variety with examples and reader as writer instructions) along with a five-step format for structuring standardized essays. Easy to follow with color-coded examples.

Engage 3rd-5th graders with an author’s voice fiction lesson: bell ringer, guided notes, ELA STAAR practice, activities, anchor chart, model passage, and exit ticket—ideal for intervention, stations, STAAR prep, independent reading comprehension, and differentiated supports!

A low-prep lesson designed to help learners master the author’s voice in a fun and structured way within the Fiction Genre.

➡️ Why You Will Love

⭐A lesson plan that is planned and prepped so you get your planning time back!

⭐Science of reading-aligned strategies for students to apply to their reading.

⭐Real-world connections so that students see how the skill is applied to their everyday lives. 

⭐Flexible Format to integrate into any curriculum. 

⭐Differentiated small group instruction cards to help you reach every learner in your classroom. 

➡️ What’s Included

• Detailed Mini-Lesson Plan

• Warm Up

• Anchor Chart

• Real-World Connections

• Interactive Adventure Google Lesson Slides

• Teacher Model Text

• Guided Notes

• Guided Practice with key terms

• Differentiated Small Group Instruction Cards

• Student Activity: Scavenger Hunt

• Exit Ticket

➡️ How to Use Suggestions

• Begin with a warm-up to spark curiosity and introduce the day’s focus.
• Teach with the anchor chart, lesson slides, model text, guided practice, and guided doodle notes, encouraging students to make connections.
• Engage students with a story-driven adventure lesson. 
• Provide scaffolded practice using small group instruction and independent activities.
• Wrap up with an exit ticket to assess understanding and inform future lessons.
• Use Google Slides and Adobe to assign or download resources.

Your students will love the adventure lesson, variety, and engagement provided in this resource! Bring the Author’s Voice to life with this resource! 

➡️ LET’S CONNECT

Follow ELA Vibes to get updates on new resources!

➡️ Additional Supports

Mini-Lessons

Activity Packs

STAAR Prep

Short and Extended Constructed Responses

Make end mark punctuation easy to use for students! 13 slide pdf has student examples, peer workshopping activities, tips for writer as reader, reading with emotion, clarity, and meaning, as well as dangling and misplaced modifiers.Includes "Dear Jack" letter as a fun punctuation piece and "That Is" to get students to think about how punctuation affects meaning.Also, comes with Peer Workshopping End Punctuation Mark Check List handout.Great for introducing basic skills for emergent writers or for reviewing basic skills for test prep. Meets CCSS ELA.

Engage 3rd-5th graders with a nonfiction characteristics lesson: bell ringer, guided notes, ELA STAAR practice, activities, anchor chart, model passage, and exit ticket—ideal for intervention, stations, STAAR prep, independent reading comprehension, and differentiated supports!

A low-prep lesson designed to help learners understand features of the Nonfiction Genre.

➡️ Why You Will Love

⭐A lesson plan that is planned and prepped so you get your planning time back!

⭐Science of reading-aligned strategies for students to apply to their reading.

⭐Flexible Format to integrate into any curriculum.

For Middle Grade Students, all writers have it, but do you know what style is and how to recognize it? This 15 page presentation for will help students understand and analyze their own writing styles, as well as other authors' styles. Easy to follow format will have students analyzing style in no time! Includes: Checklist for Authors Handout Definitions for Author's Style . Examples of Classic Literature and Fairy Tale to Analyze How to Find Author's Style in Writing Extra Style Analysis Activities Author's Style Workshopping Handout How and Why to Improve Student's author's style Terminologies and definitions include: Audience—listeners, readers, viewers of work Author’s voice—sets writing apart from others; uniqueness of writing Genre—category/organization pattern of writing Purpose—intent of writing Mood—reader’s emotion to the writing Tone—author’s attitude about subject matter Sentence fluency—cadence, flow, transitions used Sentence variety—lengths/mixture of sentences Word choices—descriptions, figurative language, repetitions, synonyms… Excellent for introducing style, writing concepts, standardized testing reviews, class assessments, college readiness, CCSS, literacy centers, and grammar/editing revisions, Students will be able to identify their authors' styles after working through this presentation.