Middle School 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!

Help you students explore the different features found in fiction and non-fiction texts with these 'Text Feature Templates.'

These templates are a great way to assess your students understanding of the different features, while also finding text evidence/ examples to support their understanding.

Download this free resource TODAY!

If you like this resource, please leave me some feedback. Additionally if you would like to stay updated on future resources, please follow me @visual_vibe_classroom on Instagram.

• 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. Megalodon Spooky Science & ELA Packet

Dive deep into the ocean with the Megalodon, the largest shark to ever swim Earth’s waters. This CCSS-aligned resource for grades 4-6 blends STEM and ELA, engaging students with informational text, vocabulary activities, and comprehension questions. Students will explore the size, diet, and extinction of this fearsome apex predator while building skills in cause and effect, main idea, and text-dependent questions. Perfect for spooky season or year-round learning!

2. Titanoboa Spooky Science & ELA Packet

Get wrapped up in the terrifying world of the Titanoboa, the massive prehistoric snake that crushed its prey. This interdisciplinary resource for grades 4-6 uses CCSS-aligned reading comprehension and science activities to explore Titanoboa's habitat, diet, and extinction. Students will engage in vocabulary practice, draw and label the giant snake, and learn about the environmental changes that led to its downfall. A great addition to any science or spooky-themed lesson!

3. Arthropleura Spooky Science & ELA Packet

Discover the creepy-crawly world of Arthropleura, the enormous millipede-like creature that once roamed ancient forests. This engaging resource, ideal for grades 4-6, combines ELA and science standards with reading comprehension, cause-and-effect charts, and drawing activities. Students will learn about this giant invertebrate's habitat and extinction while sharpening their critical thinking skills. Whether used for Halloween or a year-long prehistoric unit, this packet is sure to captivate your class!

4. Gigantopithecus Spooky Science & ELA Packet

Enter the world of Gigantopithecus, the towering prehistoric ape that may have inspired legends of Bigfoot! This CCSS-aligned resource for grades 4-6 includes vocabulary building, text-dependent questions, and creative activities like drawing and labeling this mysterious creature. Students will learn about its diet, habitat, and eventual extinction while exploring spooky connections to modern myths. Whether for spooky season or science class, this resource blends STEM and ELA seamlessly.

Each of these products delivers a mix of science and literacy, with exciting prehistoric creatures to keep students engaged and learning!

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!

Dive deep into the prehistoric oceans with this "Megalodon Spooky Science & ELA Packet" for grades 4-6! Perfect for shark-loving students and those who want to sink their teeth into both STEM and ELA skills, this resource will make a "jawsome" addition to your classroom! Whether you’re circling around spooky season or just want a fun, engaging study on the world’s most famous ancient predator, this packet will leave your students hooked all year long!

This interdisciplinary resource is packed with shark-tastic activities that are CCSS-aligned and can be used to boost reading comprehension, critical thinking, and science knowledge. Your students will explore the monstrous Megalodon, an apex predator of the ancient seas, while sharpening their skills in key areas like cause and effect, main idea, and evidence-based answers.

What’s Inside This Fin-tastic Packet:

• Megalodon Informational Text – Students will dive into the facts behind the famous shark and learn why it went extinct.
• Frayer Models Vocabulary – Key words like "carnivore," "fossil," "apex predator," and "extinct" will help students swim through new terms with ease.
• 5 CCSS-Aligned Comprehension Questions – Get your students to bite into text evidence and explain concepts like cause and effect, Megalodon’s hunting style, and more.
• Cause and Effect Chart – Students will analyze how the Ice Age impacted Megalodon, showing off their science and ELA smarts.
• Draw and Label Megalodon – Time to let those creative fins flap! Students will draw the giant shark and label its teeth, jaws, and powerful fins.
• Main Idea & Supporting Details Worksheet – Keep students afloat with this activity that helps them find the main idea and supporting facts from the passage.

Why You’ll Love This Resource:

• Perfect for Spooky Season – The story of a gigantic, terrifying shark is sure to give your classroom that Halloween creep factor!
• Great for Year-Round Study – Sharks never go out of style! This packet fits right into your study of prehistoric animals, ecosystems, or ocean life.
• Interdisciplinary Fun – From reading comprehension to science-based learning, your students will be swimming in knowledge by the time they finish.
• Easy to Implement – Simply print, distribute, and let your students dive in! Perfect for whole class study, small groups, or independent work.

Don’t miss out on this "jaws-dropping" resource! It’s sure to make a splash in your classroom and keep your students hungry for more learning!

Grab your copy of the Megalodon Spooky Science & ELA Packet today and get ready to watch your students swim through CCSS-aligned activities with enthusiasm!

This is a 2-page reading passage (informational newsletter) that gives information on the Desert Habitat.

This Desert Newsletter is a comprehensive and student-friendly nonfiction research newsletter designed to empower students with valuable resources for academic exploration.

Student-Centric Content: Recognizing the unique needs of students, our newsletter focuses on content that is not only academically rigorous but also accessible and engaging. We bridge the gap between complex research and student comprehension, making it easier for learners to incorporate information into their work.

It gives information on...

➡️ Location

➡️ Weather

➡️ Animals

➡️ Plants

➡️ Geography

Other individual habitat research newsletters can be purchased here:

-Grassland

-Arctic

-Forest

-Ocean

Or the BUNDLE --> here <--

Have students breakdown and analyze reading passages through the use of this document. 100 READER RESPONSE QUESTIONS, Black & White versions, HANDOUTS, WORKSHEETS, 2-A-DAYS TASK CARDS, PowerPoint and Word versions, and TEACHER TIPS are all here! After reading any passage, simply apply any of these 100 assignment/discussion starters and watch your students' comprehension and discussions deepen and grow.

You may also appreciate:

Visual Rhetoric [Bundle] [Series#1]

Visual Rhetoric [Bundle] [Series#2]

LITERARY DEVICES FLASH & TASK CARDS [SERIES#1]

Fallacies

Popular Allusions in Literature

Rhetorical Devices Manual [RDM]

Hey guys, I'm Richard Williams, The Angry Teacher. I've been teaching for 18+ Years , and have amassed quite a bit of knowledge to share. Please consider joining the Angry Teacher family; we'll enjoy having you in the fam!

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SUBSCRIBE to Youtube

Please consider checking out the other short story materials and resources in my store.

Also, guys, remember that leaving REVIEWS is a way that TeachShare gives you credit on products! So let's do it!

Thanks for stopping by!

This is a 2-page reading passage (informational newsletter) that gives information on the Desert Habitat.

This Desert Newsletter is a comprehensive and student-friendly nonfiction research newsletter designed to empower students with valuable resources for academic exploration.

Student-Centric Content: Recognizing the unique needs of students, our newsletter focuses on content that is not only academically rigorous but also accessible and engaging. We bridge the gap between complex research and student comprehension, making it easier for learners to incorporate information into their work.

It gives information on...

➡️ Location

➡️ Weather

➡️ Animals

➡️ Plants

➡️ Geography

Other individual habitat research newsletters can be purchased here:

-Grassland

-Arctic

-Forest

-Ocean

Or the BUNDLE --> here <--

This is a 2-page reading passage (informational newsletter) that gives information on the Desert Habitat.

This Desert Newsletter is a comprehensive and student-friendly nonfiction research newsletter designed to empower students with valuable resources for academic exploration.

Student-Centric Content: Recognizing the unique needs of students, our newsletter focuses on content that is not only academically rigorous but also accessible and engaging. We bridge the gap between complex research and student comprehension, making it easier for learners to incorporate information into their work.

It gives information on...

➡️ Location

➡️ Weather

➡️ Animals

➡️ Plants

➡️ Geography

Other individual habitat research newsletters can be purchased here:

-Grassland

-Arctic

-Forest

-Ocean

Or the BUNDLE --> here <--

This grasslands newsletter is a comprehensive and student-friendly nonfiction research newsletter designed to empower students with valuable resources for academic exploration. Tailored for students at various educational levels, this newsletter serves as a gateway to a treasure trove of research materials, cutting-edge studies, and scholarly insights. It's the go-to source for those seeking reliable and relevant information to enhance their research endeavors.

Key Features:

1. Student-Centric Content: Recognizing the unique needs of students, our newsletter focuses on content that is not only academically rigorous but also accessible and engaging. We bridge the gap between complex research and student comprehension, making it easier for learners to incorporate cutting-edge information into their work.

Other individual habitat research newsletters can be purchased here:

-Desert

-Arctic

-Forest

-Ocean

Or the BUNDLE --> here <--

This is a 2-page reading passage (informational newsletter) that gives information on the Desert Habitat.

This Desert Newsletter is a comprehensive and student-friendly nonfiction research newsletter designed to empower students with valuable resources for academic exploration.

Student-Centric Content: Recognizing the unique needs of students, our newsletter focuses on content that is not only academically rigorous but also accessible and engaging. We bridge the gap between complex research and student comprehension, making it easier for learners to incorporate information into their work.

It gives information on...

➡️ Location

➡️ Weather

➡️ Animals

➡️ Plants

➡️ Geography

Other individual habitat research newsletters can be purchased here:

-Grassland

-Arctic

-Forest

-Ocean

Or the BUNDLE --> here <--

This grasslands newsletter is a comprehensive and student-friendly nonfiction research newsletter designed to empower students with valuable resources for academic exploration. Tailored for students at various educational levels, this newsletter serves as a gateway to a treasure trove of research materials, cutting-edge studies, and scholarly insights. It's the go-to source for those seeking reliable and relevant information to enhance their research endeavors.

Key Features:

1. Student-Centric Content: Recognizing the unique needs of students, our newsletter focuses on content that is not only academically rigorous but also accessible and engaging. We bridge the gap between complex research and student comprehension, making it easier for learners to incorporate cutting-edge information into their work.

Other individual habitat research newsletters can be purchased here:

-Desert

-Arctic

-Forest

-Ocean

Or the BUNDLE --> here <--