Less than $5 Middle School Reading Strategies Centers (by date, latest first)

Are you looking for a fun and educational activity to bring the magic of Christmas into your classroom? The Christmas Reading Comprehension Escape Room is just what you need! Four unique reading comprehension challenges that focus on making inferences, character analysis, context clues, and elements of plot. Designed for students in grades 3-6, this engaging resource combines holiday excitement with critical reading practice. Your students will help Santa recover his missing star by solving puzzles and challenges that build essential reading skills—all while having a blast!

➡️ What’s It All About?

This festive escape room features four unique reading comprehension challenges that will get your students thinking critically and working together to save the day. Each task focuses on an important skill:

• Making Inferences: Students read between the lines to find clues and draw conclusions.
• Character Analysis: They’ll explore characters’ traits and motivations to uncover key details.
• Using Context Clues: Tough vocabulary? No problem! Students will learn to decode tricky words by examining the surrounding text.
• Plot Comprehension: From the introduction to the resolution, they’ll piece together the sequence of events to unlock the next clue.

Every challenge is tied to TEKS standards, making it both fun and academically meaningful. Plus, the question formats mimic those on the STAAR assessments, so it’s a great way to prepare students for testing season without them even realizing it.

➡️ Here’s what’s included:

• Easy Prep Materials: Print-and-go worksheets that make set-up simple and stress-free.
• Built-in Decoder: A fun twist that adds a layer of mystery to every task.
• Clear Instructions: Step-by-step guidance to help you implement the activity smoothly, even if you’re new to escape rooms.
• Group or Individual Options: Let students work independently or in teams, depending on your classroom needs.

➡️ Suggested Classroom Use

• As a whole-class activity, fostering collaboration and a sense of holiday fun.
• In small literacy groups for targeted practice on specific skills.
• As a test prep tool, giving students hands-on experience with STAAR-style questions.
• For differentiated instruction, customizing tasks for various reading levels.

➡️ Benefits

1. Encourages Active Learning: Students move, interact, and think critically.
2. Boosts Engagement: Gamified elements make comprehension exciting.
3. Supports Differentiation: Flexible setup works for individuals, pairs, or groups.
4. Reinforces Key Skills: Focuses on mastering reading comprehension skills. 
5. Saves Time for Teachers: Ready-to-use materials make lesson planning simple.

Enhance learning, inspire students, and create memorable classroom moments with an Escape Room!

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➡️ Additional Supports

Mini-Lessons

➡️Please leave a review to earn TeachShare credit!

Make simile and metaphor practice spook-tacular with this set of 50 Halloween-themed task cards! Perfect for engaging your students in identifying and understanding figurative language, these fun and interactive cards are a must-have for your literacy centers, small group work, or independent practice. Designed for 3rd to 5th graders, these task cards help students differentiate between similes and metaphors while adding a festive touch to your language arts lessons.

What’s Included:

• 50 Halloween Simile vs. Metaphor Task Cards with a variety of examples ranging from simple to complex
• A student recording sheet for easy tracking of answers
• An answer key for quick and easy grading
• A fun, spooky Halloween design to keep students engaged

Key Features:

• Perfect for Literacy Centers: Students can work individually or with partners to solve each card, making figurative language practice interactive and collaborative.
• Versatile Use: Ideal for center activities, homework, early finishers, or a whole-class scoot game. Great for reviewing similes and metaphors in a fun, themed way.
• Differentiated Learning: Cards are crafted with varying levels of difficulty, allowing you to support all learners in your classroom.
• Engaging Halloween Theme: Capture your students' attention with Halloween-themed examples that make learning figurative language fun and festive!

Whether you’re teaching similes and metaphors for the first time or reviewing for mastery, these Halloween task cards provide the perfect mix of challenge and engagement. Your students will love practicing figurative language with these spooky, themed cards!

I hope you find this resource just as helpful for your students as it has been for mine! If you have any questions or would like to share feedback, please reach out to me on Instagram: MrsBaileyandHerClass.

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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!

This product is made for:

• adapting instruction
• differentiating instruction
• on level learners
• struggling writers
• struggling readers
• ESL/ENL
• Deaf Education
• Homework
• Classwork
• Homeschooling
• Bell Work
• Virtual Instruction
• Remote Instruction

This book series is great for young children as they can relate with what Franklin and his friends experience as they are growing up and helping each other. This book, Franklin Goes to School discusses Franklin's feelings about going to school, what his strengths are, making friends, etc. The comprehension questions in this product relate with the text as well as students own experiences. Images are located throughout packet to help students answer questions. As the book is being read aloud, as students are reading the book or after the book has been read, students can answer the comprehension questions in this packet.

This product is made for:

adapting instruction

differentiating instruction

on level learners

struggling writers

struggling readers

ESL/ENL

Deaf Education

Homework

Classwork

Homeschooling

Bell Work

Virtual Instruction

Remote Instruction

Arthur's Birthday is a great book to read for students to learn about being a good friend, being patient, understanding, how some people celebrate a birthday, etc. Students are presented with a variety of comprehension questions based on what happens in the book, Arthur's Birthday. Students can answer these questions as the book is read to them, as they read the book independently or they can use the text for lookbacks once the book is finished.

This book series is great for young children as they can relate with what Franklin and his friends experience as they are growing up and helping each other. The book, Franklin's Halloween discusses Franklin's feelings about going to a haunted house, making decisions, having fun with his friends, being a good friend, etc. The comprehension questions in this product relate with the text as well as students own experiences. Images are located throughout packet to help students answer questions. As the book is being read aloud, as students are reading the book or after the book has been read, students can answer the comprehension questions in this packet.

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This product is made for:

• adapting instruction
• differentiating instruction
• on level learners
• struggling writers
• struggling readers
• ESL/ENL
• Deaf Education
• Homework
• Classwork
• Homeschooling
• Bell Work
• Virtual Instruction
• Remote Instruction

Arthur Babysits is a great book to read for students to learn responsibility, not just with babysitting or taking care of a younger sibling or cousin, but with homework, cleaning their bedroom, etc. Students are presented with a variety of comprehension questions based on what happens in the book, Arthur Babysits. Students can answer these questions as the book is read to them, as they read the book independently or they can use the text for lookbacks once the book is finished.

This product is made for:

• adapting instruction
• differentiating instruction
• on level learners
• struggling writers
• struggling readers
• ESL/ENL
• Deaf Education
• Homework
• Classwork
• Homeschooling
• Bell Work
• Virtual Instruction
• Remote Instruction

This book series is great for young children as they can relate with what Franklin and his friends experience as they are growing up and helping each other. The book, Franklin is Messy, discusses Franklin being responsible, taking care of his things, cleaning his bedroom, returning things when he borrows them, reusing items, being a good friend, etc. The comprehension questions in this product relate with the text as well as students own experiences. Images are located throughout packet to help students answer questions. As the book is being read aloud, as students are reading the book or after the book has been read, students can answer the comprehension questions in this packet.

This product is made for:

• adapting instruction
• differentiating instruction
• on level learners
• struggling writers
• struggling readers
• ESL/ENL
• Deaf Education
• Homework
• Classwork
• Homeschooling
• Bell Work
• Virtual Instruction
• Remote Instruction

This book series is great for young children as they can relate with what Franklin and his friends experience as they are growing up and helping each other. The book, Franklin Plays the Game, discusses Franklin's feelings about playing soccer, discovering that he needs to practice to improve, learning about teamwork, being a good friend, winning is not the most important thing when playing sports, etc. The comprehension questions in this product relate with the text as well as students own experiences. Images are located throughout packet to help students answer questions. As the book is being read aloud, as students are reading the book or after the book has been read, students can answer the comprehension questions in this packet.

Reading Comprehension Fiction: Lotto

Our worksheets cover a variety of genres and themes from popular children's literature, making reading fun and enjoyable for kids of all ages

- Improve reading comprehension

- Engage with popular children's literature

- Enhance critical thinking skills

These are fun, interactive reading comprehension worksheets. Students will receive the lucky lottery number if they answer all the questions correctly.

Students must correctly complete the five comprehension questions to get the daily PICK 5 lottery numbers. (They will only have a winning lottery ticket if they complete all the questions correctly.) This activity has an independent and guided component.

Set includes 5 Passages from

The Birthday Party by Oliver Optic

The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams

A Gallery of Children by A.A. Milne

The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baun

The Story of Dr. Dolittle by Hugh Lofting

Allow students to take control of their learning by creating text-dependent questions based off of the levels of Bloom's Taxonomy! This activity requires students to develop and apply higher-order thinking skills by coming up with their own questions while also coming up with an answer key using the R.A.C.E writing strategy.

This Activity Pack Includes:

• Black & White Printable Version - Handouts and Activities
• Color Digital Version - Handouts and Activities
• Teacher Presentation

The Digital and Print Options Each Include:

• Handout explaining what Bloom's Taxonomy is
• Question starters/examples
• Assigned-level activity pages (R.A.C.E setup)
• Choose-your-level activity pages (one per page AND two per page options)

Teacher Presentation Reviews:

• Bloom's Taxonomy basic overview
• Each level explained

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Reinforce word origins by having students come up with their own made-up words! Use compound words, foreign words, prefixes/suffixes, shortened words, sound words, rhyming words, etc...for this fun, visual activity. Includes: Directions Definition Example from Classic Poem Student Examples Application Activity Publishing Activities Meets CCSS, improves vocabulary, uses decoding skills, and visualization. Use for individual or group activity.

This fun technology activity for all ages introduces and uses synonyms to turn students' photos into word-photo images! Can be used as individual/small/whole group activity. Includes: Definition and Example Whole Class "Give It a Try" Activity Step-by-Step Directions Materials List Websites and Links Ipad/Ipod/Android Apps Students' Examples Student Activity Directions Can be used with flipped classroom models, homeschool, and with minimal teacher instruction. Technology-based grammar/reading activity needs computers and internet access.

Help students identify topic sentences with this engaging activity. Students use a Topic Sentence Bank to choose correct answers for paragraphs for the article "The Flood". Can also be used to teach: paragraphing supporting details organization. Meets CCSS.

Do your students need help with analysis? Use these ten graphic organizers with images for analysis practice and writing a thesis. These exercises and graphic organizers help students springboard to analyzing more complex illustrations and essays for future coursework.

This easy to implement, step-by-step analysis guide for individual, small/whole group practice includes:

Full picture slides for whole group discussion and preview

10 Analysis Graphic Organizers with images

One Blank Analysis Graphic Organizer

Analysis categories include: Assumptions/Inferences, Year, Time, Season, Setting, Stereotypes, Characterization, Genre, Emotions, and Others

Writing a Thesis Statement

This step-by-step guide is simple to follow, great for test prep, and helps students uncover the process of analysis.

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.

15 Commonly Confused Words A-I with engaging activities for students to learn. Includes:

A-I 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. accept except

2. aloud allowed

3. bare bear4. brake break

5. coarse course6. council counsel

7. desert dessert

8. dose doze

9. envelope envelop

10. forbear forebear

11. grisly grizzly

12. glance glimpse

13. hair hare

14. hole whole

15. ingenious ingenuous

Students will have fun learning these Commonly Confused Words.

Get your students tuned into Fractured Fairytales in your classroom with this "Jack and the Beanstalk: The Kindly Giants" Readers Theatre Script. This funny and heartwarming script is an engaging and entertaining way to teach students about fractured fairytales.

In this Readers Theatre script, your students will act out the fairytale of Jack and the Beanstalk, but with a twist! This fractured fairytale tells a different version of the classic tale, where Jack is a thief who steals the magic beans and robs the giants. However, the giants, Gina and Greg, are just kindly beings trying to get by.

Through a series of humorous and heartwarming scenes, your students will act out this fractured fairytale and learn the importance of honesty and kindness.

Key Features:

• Educational and Entertaining: This fractured fairytale Readers Theatre script combines education and entertainment seamlessly, making it an ideal teaching tool. It's perfect for a fairytale unit or study! Great for literacy sessions or the drama classroom!

• Character Development: The fairytale characters in the script are relatable and well-developed, allowing your students to connect with them on a personal level.

• Engaging Dialogue: The witty and heartwarming dialogue keeps students engaged and eager to see what happens next, making it an excellent choice for classroom readings and performances.

• Literacy Sessions or Performing Arts Lessons: Perfect to integrate into your literacy centres or your social-emotional learning lessons! A great way for your students to study fractured fairytales and then create their own.

• Lesson on Honesty and Kindness: The central theme of honesty and kindness is woven throughout this fractured fairytale Readers Theatre script, imparting valuable life lessons to young minds.

• Perfect for Years 3 - 6: Suitable for middle-upper elementary students, this script can be adapted for various grade levels, ensuring that every student can benefit from its message of cooperation and empathy.

• Fractured Fairy Tales: A fun way to teach fractured fairytales and all the wonderful literacy elements that come along with them.

• Easy to Use: All you need to do is print, staple, and go!

By using this "Jack and the Beanstalk: The Kindly Giants" Readers Theatre Script, you can explore fractured fairytales and have fun while you’re at it. Your students will not only enjoy the entertaining story but will also gain a deeper understanding of different perspectives and the power of storytelling.

Simply download, print, staple, and you're good to go! Woo hoo!

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Halloween Themed Reading Comprehension Passage & Questions for Literacy Centres

Looking for the perfect addition to your Halloween themed literacy centres? This engaging reading comprehension passage, featuring the story of Wanda the witch, will captivate your students while reinforcing key reading skills! Wanda’s journey from a mischievous, lonely witch to a kind hearted friend offers a fun and heartwarming Halloween narrative that your students will love, while also aligning with key literacy goals.

This resource includes:

• A beautifully written halloween themed reading comprehension passage that is perfect to include in your
• 2 multiple choice questions to assess comprehension.
• 2 open ended questions to promote critical thinking and deeper discussion.
• Thought provoking opinion question to inspire independent exploration and creativity and further develop comprehension and understanding.

Designed for Year 3-6 students, this Halloween comprehension passage is ideal for small group instruction, independent work, or as part of a spooky literacy centre. With a mix of fun and meaningful learning, your students will not only practice essential reading comprehension skills but also explore themes like kindness, friendship, and personal growth.

Why You’ll Love This Resource:

• Halloween themed: Perfect for incorporating the magic of the season into your literacy centres or activities.
• Flexible use: Great for literacy centres, homework, or whole class discussions.
• Encourages critical thinking: Open ended comprehension questions that push students to think beyond the text.

Get your students excited for Halloween while boosting their reading comprehension skills! This resource is easy to prep and guaranteed to add some spooky fun to your classroom.

Looking for more Halloween literacy centre activities?

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