7th Grade Close Reading Handouts (by date, latest first)

What’s Included?

• 20 Bookmarks, each featuring a critical reading skill or strategy for grades 3 - 8:

  • Main Idea & Supporting Details
  • Summarizing
  • Making Inferences
  • Context Clues
  • Identifying Theme
  • and many more!

Why You'll Love This Resource

• Student-Friendly Format: Each bookmark simplifies complex skills into bite-sized, actionable steps.
• Versatile Use: Perfect for guided reading groups, independent practice, or homework aids.
• Aligned with Curriculum Standards: Helps reinforce essential reading skills aligned with Common Core and other standards.
• Durable and Reusable: Print, laminate, and reuse for years!

• 10 Winter Holiday Narrative Essay Picture Prompts & Planner: Engage students in narrative writing with holiday-themed picture prompts and a structured planner to develop plot, character, and setting in alignment with creative writing standards.
• Christmas Hip Hop Lyrics Analysis: Teach figurative language, rhyme schemes, and tone through an engaging analysis of hip hop lyrics, blending music and ELA standards for Grades 6-8.
• St. Nick: Informational Text Structures: Explore main ideas, text structures, and author’s purpose with this winter-themed set of informational texts designed to strengthen critical reading skills.
• Unraveling Krampus: Text Structures and Critical Analysis: Develop students’ ability to identify text structures and analyze information critically with this high-interest resource focused on the Krampus folklore.
• Informational Text Structure Coloring Sort: Combine creativity and learning as students sort and color-code winter-themed informational texts to practice identifying text structures.
• Winter Wonders: Exploring Text Features Through Snow-Themed Articles: Strengthen comprehension and analysis skills by examining text features in engaging snow-themed articles, perfect for enhancing nonfiction literacy.
• Christmas Winter Holiday Characters from Around the World Research PBL: Dive into global holiday traditions with this project-based learning activity that encourages research, critical thinking, and presentation skills.
• Holiday Figurative Language & Movie Clip Standard-Based Learning Activities: Analyze figurative language through fun, holiday-themed movie clips that align with ELA figurative language standards for middle schoolers.
• Virtual Winter Sports Exploration: Engage students in a digital exploration of winter sports, focusing on informational text comprehension and analysis for Grades 4-6.
• Analyzing Narrative Point of View Winter-Themed: Develop higher-order thinking with winter-themed narrative texts that challenge students to analyze and compare points of view using Bloom’s Taxonomy.
• Winter Vacation PBL: Inspire creativity and practical application with this low-prep, project-based learning activity where stude

1. Winter Holiday Informational Text Coloring Sort Engage middle schoolers with this unique Winter Holiday Informational Text Coloring Sort! This print-and-go resource combines reading comprehension with creative coloring, helping students identify key text structures while learning about diverse winter celebrations. Ideal for visual and kinesthetic learners.
2. Thanksgiving Text Structure Coloring Sort Lesson Bring Thanksgiving themes into your classroom with this Text Structure Coloring Sort Lesson! Students can identify and color-code different text structures in Thanksgiving-themed passages. This hands-on activity not only enhances reading skills but also adds a festive touch to learning.
3. Hands-on Text Structure Sorts & Coloring Activities This resource offers 3 Hands-on Text Structure Sorts and Coloring Activities, perfect for kinesthetic learners. Middle school students can physically manipulate and sort texts, then color-code them, making text structure analysis interactive and engaging.
4. Middle School Text Structure Print-and-Go PowerPoint, Handout, Answer Key This comprehensive resource provides a PowerPoint, handout, and answer key focused on text structures for middle school students. It's a complete print-and-go solution that simplifies teaching text structures, making it easy to deliver and understand.

1. 90 Day Reading Comprehension Bell Ringer Warm-Up Routine: This daily bell-ringer routine provides 90 days of reading comprehension practice, helping students build consistency in analyzing texts, identifying main ideas, and drawing inferences. Perfect for regular, bite-sized practice that reinforces key comprehension skills.
2. ECR Relay Race: Engaging STAAR Writing Prep: This interactive relay race activity is designed to make STAAR writing preparation engaging. With 12 prompts focused on extended constructed responses (ECR), students will work on crafting thoughtful, structured responses, honing their ability to articulate ideas clearly and support their answers with evidence.
3. STAAR ECR Mastery Resource for Informational Essays: This resource focuses on informational essay writing with a strong emphasis on developing thesis statements, claims, and supporting evidence. It’s a targeted approach to mastering the essential components of STAAR informational essays, equipping students with skills in organization and argumentation.
4. Thanksgiving Argument Writing Unit: Debate Topics & Lesson Plans: This seasonal resource engages students in argument writing through Thanksgiving-themed debate topics. Students will practice constructing persuasive arguments, making claims, and providing relevant evidence—core skills for STAAR ECRs and persuasive writing in general.

This bundle provides comprehensive practice in reading comprehension, essay structure, argumentation, and evidence-based responses, setting students up for success in standardized test preparation.

Students love Kwame Alexander's verse novel The Crossover, and I love the rigor of these power worksheets! His novel is organized into sections just like a basketball game including:

• Warm-up free download here!
• First quarter
• Second quarter
• Third quarter
• Fourth quarter
• Overtime

This resource covers all of the poems in the First Quarter section; with each poem accompanying two pages of guided practice with middle school ELA standards including:

• Vocabulary and dictionary practice
• Inferencing
• Identifying figurative language 
• Making text-to-self connections
• compare and contrast characters
• Identifying Imagery
• Text structure
• Analyzing point of view

Did you know The Crossover is coming to Disney+? The novel is set to release a miniseries in 2023! If your class loves this text, check out my other resources:

• The Crossover Warm Up Standard Aligned handout for each poem! PDF & PPT (TeachShare.com)
• The Crossover First Quarter Standard Aligned handout for each poem! PDF & PPT (TeachShare.com)
• The Crossover Basketball Rules Motivational and Plot Posters PNG/PDF (TeachShare.com)

Exceptional learners such as English language learners will benefit tremendously from previewing the text prior to starting a nonfiction text. By activating prior knowledge, zooming in to titles and subheadings, and analyzing pictures they will spend quality time building context before reading.

This product contains three pages:

• Previewing the text anchor chart reference sheet so students can refer back when needed
• Previewing the text graphic organizer
• Previewing the text sentence starters

Comprehensive Text Structure Resource for Middle School ELA (Grades 5-8)

Aligned with TEKS 5.10B, TEKS ELA 6.9b, ELA 7.9B, ELA 8.9B, and Common Core State Standards: Literacy.RI.5.5, RI.6.5, RI.7.5, RI.8.6

Introducing a meticulously crafted resource designed to empower middle school ELA and intervention teachers. Dive into the world of text structures with this comprehensive package that seamlessly blends theory with hands-on practice.

Objective: Equip students with the skills to identify six distinct text structure types of informational text and discern the author's purpose.

What's Inside:

• Engaging PowerPoint presentation with clear directions and captivating visuals.
• Comprehensive guided notes and a graphic organizer.
• Eight pages of practice materials, including text structure exercises and author's purpose identification tasks.
• A fun and educational coloring sort activity.

How to Use:

1. We Do (15 min): Kickstart the lesson with the provided note-taking graphic organizer. As you navigate through the PowerPoint, students will jot down definitions, signal words, and the author's purpose for each structure. Enhance engagement by having students read aloud or using popsicle sticks for random selections.
2. Teams Do (20 min): Transition to partnered practice with six high-interest paragraphs centered around social media. Students will highlight signal words, pinpoint the text structure, and elucidate the author's rationale behind choosing a particular structure.
3. You Do (20 min): Culminate the lesson with an independent color sort activity, allowing students to showcase their understanding.

Formats Available: PDF and PowerPoint.

Unique Selling Points:

• Print & Go: Save precious prep time with materials that are ready to be printed and presented.
• Low Prep: Minimize your preparation efforts without compromising on the quality of instruction.

Perfect for introducing text structures or as a refresher, this resource is structured into three distinct sections: We Do, Teams Do, and You Do. Designed to fit snugly into a 55-minute class period, it offers a balanced mix of guided instruction and independent practice.

Elevate your teaching game with this comprehensive resource. Ideal for middle school grades 5-8, it aligns with key educational standards, ensuring that your students are on the right track.

Introducing our dynamic ELA resource, expertly designed to enhance middle school students' understanding of narrative perspectives. This 15-page toolkit focuses on the skill of identifying different points of view, including first person, second person, third person limited, and third person omniscient, making it an essential addition to your teaching arsenal this winter.

Key Features:

• Comprehensive Point of View Exploration: Delve into the nuances of narrative perspectives. This resource covers first, second, third person limited, and third person omniscient points of view, providing a holistic understanding of this fundamental ELA concept.
• 15 Pages of Tiered Activities: Enjoy a rich collection of tiered exercises. Each page is carefully designed to progressively build your students' skills, ensuring a deep and thorough grasp of the topic.
• Differentiated Instruction: This resource recognizes the diverse learning styles and abilities in your classroom. The activities are differentiated using Bloom's Taxonomy to cater to varying levels of comprehension and engagement, making learning inclusive and effective.
• Engaging Winter Themes: Capture your students' interest with activities that are wrapped in appealing winter themes. This seasonal touch adds relevance and fun to the learning process, keeping students motivated and curious.
• Ideal for Middle Schoolers: Specifically crafted for 6th to 8th graders, these activities align with middle school benchmarks in ELA. They challenge students to think critically and creatively, enhancing their reading and analytical skills.

Upgrade your teaching toolkit with our point of view activities and watch as your middle school students develop a deeper, more nuanced understanding of narrative perspectives. Perfect for winter-themed learning, this resource is a must-have for any dedicated ELA educator!

Elevate your middle school ELA classes with our comprehensive 90-day warm-up routine, meticulously designed to bolster end-of-year testing performance and reinforce grade-level skills. This resource is the perfect tool for 6th, 7th, and 8th-grade educators seeking a hassle-free, standards-aligned solution that covers all priority CCSS and TEKS for 6th-grade English Language Arts. It can be used for intervention, extension, review, and introduction for grades 6-8!

Key Features:

• Curriculum-Aligned: Targets 18 essential ELA skills, including inference making, theme development, plot analysis, vocabulary enhancement through Greek and Latin affixes, text structure, author's craft, elements of drama and poetry, interpreting informational texts, figurative language, finding supporting evidence, evaluating arguments in speeches, and more.
• Diverse Content: Engages students with a variety of topics, from sports and video games to wildlife and excerpts from iconic speeches, ensuring relevance and interest.
• Comprehensive Resource: Offers 271 slides in a versatile PowerPoint and Canva format, plus a Google Doc with daily questions and open-ended justifications, complete with an answer key for each.
• Classroom Flexibility: Seamlessly integrates into your teaching approach, with options for print or digital use, perfect for Google Classroom or notebook-based learning.
• Student-Centered Learning: Encourages discourse, builds academic stamina, and fosters confidence through rigorous, thought-provoking content.
• Assessment Ready: Each multiple-choice question is paired with an answer key, allowing for immediate feedback and ongoing assessment of student understanding.

Benefits:

• Time-Saving: Ready-to-use slides and documents save precious planning time, allowing you to focus on teaching and student interaction.
• Skill Retention: Spiral review format ensures continuous reinforcement of critical ELA skills, aiding retention and mastery.
• Engagement & Rigor: A diverse range of topics and question formats keeps students engaged and challenges them to think critically.
• Curriculum Integration: Easily implemented as a 10-minute daily warm-up, this resource aligns with your curriculum goals and supports students' preparation for end-of-year assessments.

How to Use: Ideal for the first 10 minutes of class, this ELA warm-up routine can be projected, printed, or distributed digitally. It's designed to integrate smoothly into your existing curriculum, providing a daily opportunity for students to demonstrate and build upon their ELA competencies.

Get Your Copy Today: Don't miss out on this essential ELA warm-up routine that promises to make your classroom a hub of learning and discussion. Prepare your students for success with a resource that's as educational as it is engaging!

Engage and Inspire Your Middle School ELA Students!

Dive into the festive season with our Christmas Hip Hop Lyrics Analysis resource, exclusively designed for grades 6-8 ELA classrooms. This unique, print-and-go package on TeachShare brings the vibrant world of hip hop into your classroom, featuring iconic tracks "Christmas Rappin'" by Kurtis Blow and "Christmas in Hollis" by Run DMC.

What's Inside:

• Comprehensive Lyrics Annotation Guide: Students will delve into the lyrics, identifying key elements like setting, rhyme scheme, imagery, connotation, and repetition.
• Figurative Language Classification: A step-by-step guide to help students classify different types of figurative language used in the songs.
• Critical Thinking through Discourse: Utilize the innovative Agree, Disagree, Modify method for stimulating classroom discussions.
• Thematic and Plot Analysis: Students will explore the themes and plot elements, including exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.
• Multiple Choice Quiz: Test their understanding with a 6-question multiple-choice quiz, tailored to middle school comprehension levels.

Why Choose This Resource?

• Culturally Relevant: Connects with students using the universal language of music, particularly hip hop.
• High Engagement: Keeps students interested and involved with contemporary and relatable content.
• Rigorously Designed: Meets educational standards while challenging students' critical thinking and analytical skills.
• Ready to Use: No prep needed, just print and you're ready to teach!

Spanish Short Readings

Lower Levels

and Higher Level

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Purchase this bundle and save more than 65%!

Please Note that many of the short stories are my original stories as I am a Children's book writer :)

⭐No-Prep Needed

⭐Substitute Friendly

Want to be the first to know about the latest resources and special promotions? Follow me on TeachShare HERE! Terms of Use THESPANGLISHMOM™️. By purchasing and/or downloading this electronic file, you agree to the following terms. For personal use/single classroom use only. No part of this document may be distributed, posted on the internet, copied, edited, or resold. ALL contents of this document are under copyright protection including all content, text, fonts, and graphics, Thank you for respecting my hard word as well as the hard work of the artists whose work helped create this product. FOLLOW MY STORE so that you can receive notifications of new products (up to 50% OFF) and sale. To purchase additional licenses select to purchased additional licenses at checkout or go to “my purchases”, select the item, and click “buy additional licenses”. Did you know there are TeachShare School Accounts? Tell your administrator and ask if your school will purchase this for your classroom.

Thank you, Ariana Perez-Urbina

©TheSpanglishMom

Edition 1 contains 25 readings ranging from easy to difficult-

Includes reading comprehension questions, unique topics and counting of words per minute.

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Ariana Perez-Urbina

©TheSpanglishMom

These step-by-step charts make it way to teach literature genres, sub-genres, and authors' styles. Comes with two graphic organizers: 1 with Genre, Sub-genre, Type of Short Story, Subject, Theme, Time Period 1 for Author's Information, Birth/Death, Personal Information, Education, Works Written, Author's Style, Other Important Facts Handouts Include: Fiction and Non-Fiction Genres and Examples Types of Short Stories: Novel, Novella, Novellete, Short Story, Flash Fiction Types of Author's Style: Argumentative, Description, Expository, Narrative, Persuasive These simple to use graphic organizers make it easy for students to make connections between types of works and authors' backgrounds. Great for AP, GT, as well as at risk, ELL, and homeschooling. Use for AP test prep and assessment for analysis. Meets ELA CCSS and state reading guidelines.

This product bundles all of my Independent Reading products together. Please check out the products individually so you can see exactly what is included. Thank you so much!

This product bundles all of my Roll of Thunder products together at a discount! You'll have 5 reading check quizzes, individual chapter activities, a Socratic Seminar, and even a movie viewing guide!

This week- long assignment asks students to make nightly entries describing the setting of the scene they read that night, and then analyze how the setting affects the tone and mood. At the end, they need to draw a conclusion about the relationship between setting and mood/ tone.

Please help my little business grow!

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This 2-page assignment requires students to make an inference and a prediction based on 6 quotes pulled from pages 69-88, which is the first half of chapter 4. They make predictions and inferences about TJ's character, TJ and Stacey's friendship, Mr. Morrison's character, the situation with Mr. Tatum, When TJ "goes back for his cap", and the incident at the Wallace Store based on quotes from the text. You could have them do it while reading individually, with a partner, or in a small group. It could be done during or after reading the assigned pages.

Description

Elevate your students' reading comprehension skills with this comprehensive lesson on identifying and understanding author's purpose. This resource is designed to help students in grades 6-8 develop critical thinking skills and become more effective readers by analyzing various elements of a text, such as word choice, writing techniques, and main ideas.

The package includes:

A detailed, 40-slide presentation covering:

• The importance of understanding author's purpose

• The three main types of author's purpose: persuade, inform, and entertain

• How word choice, writing techniques, and main ideas contribute to author's purpose

• Practical tips and strategies for identifying author's purpose in various texts

• Two example passages with in-depth analysis of author's purpose, word choice, writing techniques, and main ideas

• Recap of key points and encouragement for students to practice their skills

20 carefully curated non-fiction texts from diverse genres, such as opinion pieces, advertisements, and informative essays, providing ample opportunities for students to apply their learning

A versatile worksheet that guides students through analyzing each text, focusing on:

1. Summarizing the main points
2. Identifying the main idea and author's purpose
3. Examining key writing techniques and their effects

Text Titles:

Literary Nonfiction

1. Biography of Malala Yousafzai - Explore the life of a young woman who stood up for education rights and won a Nobel Peace Prize.
2. Emma Raducanu: A Rising Star Overcoming the Odds - An account focusing on the challenges and triumphs in youth sports.
3. Personal Essay on Bullying - Reflections from someone who experienced bullying, discussing its impacts and lessons learned.
4. Travel Writing about a Trip to the Amazon Rainforest - Descriptions and adventures in one of the world's most vital and diverse ecosystems.

Journalism

1. News Article on Climate Change - Current events and scientific explanations regarding global climate shifts.
2. Feature Story on Innovations in Technology - In-depth look at how technology is changing education.
3. Investigative Reporting on Plastic Pollution - Uncovering the sources and solutions of plastic pollution in oceans.
4. Opinion Piece on the Importance of Recycling - Persuasive arguments about why recycling should be a part of daily life.

Academic Writing

1. Research Paper on Habitats of Endangered Species - Study and presentation of critical habitats that need protection.
2. Case Study on the Impact of Video Games on Youth - Analysis of positive and negative effects of gaming.
3. Review of a Science Documentary - Critical evaluation of a popular science documentary's content and presentation.

Practical Nonfiction

1. How-to Guide on Starting a Community Garden - Step-by-step instructions for school-based or community garden projects.
2. Self-help Book for Teens on Managing Stress - Practical advice and techniques for handling school and social stress.
3. Instructions for cooking lasagne - From the history, to the ingredients, to the recipe and execution.

Creative Nonfiction

1. Narrative Nonfiction on a Significant Historical Event - A compelling retelling of the moon landing, focusing on lesser-known facts and figures.
2. Historical Account of the Civil Rights Movement - A blend of factual history and personal stories from the 1960s.
3. True Crime Story about a Famous Art Heist - Examination of the theft, the investigation, and the impact on the art world.

Additional Engaging Topics

1. Exploration of the Ancient Civilization of Egypt  - Delving into their culture, technology, and contributions to modern society.

2. Science Behind Natural Disasters - Understanding earthquakes, hurricanes, and volcanoes through a scientific lens.

3. The Evolution of Music from Classical to Modern Pop - Tracing how music has changed over the centuries and its influence on society.

By working through this lesson and completing the accompanying activities, your students will:

• Gain a deep understanding of author's purpose and its significance in reading comprehension

• Learn to identify and analyze the elements of a text that contribute to author's purpose

• Develop critical thinking skills by examining word choice, writing techniques, and main ideas

• Improve their ability to summarize and interpret various types of non-fiction texts

• Become more confident and engaged readers, equipped with strategies for tackling complex texts

This resource is perfect for English Language Arts, Reading, or Writing classes, as well as for test preparation and literacy intervention programs. The slides and activities can be easily adapted to suit your classroom's needs and can be used for whole-class instruction, small-group work, or independent practice.

Empower your students to become skilled, critical readers with this comprehensive lesson on author's purpose. Purchase now and unlock the key to improved reading comprehension!

This is an ENGLISH document. If you're looking for its French counterpart, you can access it here.

This 30-page resource will allow your upper-elementary students to immerse themselves in meaningful material related to Earth Day.

It includes:

• 11 content slides;

• 4-page social story (reading comprehension) with questions;

• Activities on making thoughtful choices:

• "Recognizing thoughtful choices in others";

• "My thoughtful choices";

• "Thoughtful choices" writing prompt;

• "Sorting Machine" activities;

• Colouring pages;

• Earth Day word search;

• Earth Day word scramble;

• Earth Day vocabulary prompt;

• Earth Day maze;

• My Earth Day pledge;

• Earth Day acrostic poetry.

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And don't forget to have fun while teaching!

- Kaitlyn.

"FIRST CHAPTER FRIDAYS" - mais en Français! Transformez la routine de lecture de votre classe avec ma méga ressource complète Vendredis des premiers chapitres !

Ce document de 44 pages contient tout ce dont vous avez besoin pour lancer et maintenir un programme engageant de Vendredis des premiers chapitres tout au long de l'année scolaire. Conçu pour les enseignants et les élèves, cette ressource est remplie d'outils pour développer l'amour de la lecture chez vos élèves tout en renforçant leurs compétences en analyse et en écriture.

Ce que vous trouverez dans ce méga pack :

• Script pour l'enseignant : Une explication claire et structurée pour introduire les Vendredis des premiers chapitres à votre classe, ainsi que des leçons détaillées pour les deux premiers jours.
• Organisateurs graphiques et activités de réflexion : 27 (!!) fiches d'activités imprimables pour amener vos élèves à réfléchir profondément aux textes que vous lisez en classe. Ces feuilles de travail offrent des tâches significatives pour l'écriture et la réflexion, et aideront vos élèves à améliorer leurs compétences en écriture en analysant les personnages, le cadre et l'intrigue – découvrant ainsi comment appliquer ces compétences dans leurs propres écrits !
• Critères de succès, grilles d'évaluation, évaluations par les pairs et auto-évaluations : Toutes les ressources nécessaires pour évaluer les présentations et les réflexions de vos élèves.
• Cartes de discussion : 20 cartes de discussion imprimables (en noir et blanc et en couleur) pour animer des conversations en petits groupes ou en binômes.
• Présentation par les élèves : Offrez à vos élèves l'opportunité de présenter eux-mêmes des premiers chapitres à la classe, avec tout le soutien dont ils ont besoin pour réussir.

Ce qui rend ce produit unique :

Tout est inclus pour vous permettre de diriger les Vendredis des premiers chapitres chaque semaine, toute l'année scolaire : organisateurs graphiques, carnets de lecture, incitations de discussion, scripts, activités imprimables, grilles d'évaluation et critères de réussite. Faites de chaque vendredi un moment littéraire mémorable et éducatif !

Vous enseignez la littératie aux élèves de 5e à 8e années? Voici quelques ressources de mini-leçons en français à découvrir :

• Écriture: Générer les idées
• Écriture: Endurance et motivation
• Écriture: La structure et la fluidité
• Écriture: Améliorer le choix de mots
• Écriture: Introductions & conclusions
• Lecture: Solutionner les mots
• Lecture: La visualisation
• Lecture: Faire des liens
• Lecture: Connaissances antérieures
• Lecture: Faire des prédictions
• Lecture: Faire des inférences
• Lecture: Informations clés
• Lecture: Stratégies de réparation

Rejoignez-moi sur Facebook ! Je partage des ressources gratuites, je vous tiens au courant des soldes et des offres, et je vous invite à collaborer et à donner votre avis.

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Pour l'amour du ciel, n'oubliez pas de vous amuser !

Mme Kaitlyn