Discover the power behind the friendship of a boy and his dog. The easy-to-use format allows for lots of variety in activities to go along with the book. Enter the mind of Travis as he explains his feelings after shooting the deer. Identify statements about the novel as true or false. Describe how Travis' attitudes change towards certain characters from the story. Predict what will become of Old Yeller based on events from previous chapters. Conduct a study on women settlers and describe how you would feel if put in their position. Categorize the different dangers Travis faces throughout the novel on a graphic organizer. Aligned to your State Standards, additional crossword, word search, comprehension quiz and answer key are also included. About the Novel: Old Yeller tells the story of a boy, his dog, and the events that lead to their unlikely friendship. Travis Coates has no need for a dog, regardless of what his father tells him. Instead, he wants a horse. Travis’ father promises to bring one home for him if he is able to step up and take care of the farm while his father is away. The 14-year-old takes this newfound responsibility to heart and sets out to prove that he deserves the title of “man of the house”. A short time after Travis’ father leaves the farm, a stray dog wanders onto their property. The Coates family name him “Old Yeller” in part because of his filthy yellow fur. Travis wants no part of this nuisance dog. He comes to change his mind when Old Yeller saves Travis’ younger brother from a bear. From then on, Travis and Old Yeller become inseparable, leading to Old Yeller helping Travis keep up his duties on the farm. The story progresses in this manner until one task threatens the health of them both.

A timeless American classic and one of the most beloved children’s books ever written, Old Yeller is a Newbery Honor Book that explores the poignant and unforgettable bond between a boy and the stray dog who becomes his loyal friend. When his father sets out on a cattle drive toward Kansas for the summer, fourteen-year-old Travis Coates is left to take care of his family and their farm. Living in Texas Hill Country during the 1860s, Travis comes to face new, unanticipated, and often perilous responsibilities in the frontier wilderness. A particular nuisance is a stray yellow dog that shows up one day and steals food from the family. But the big canine who Travis calls “Old Yeller” proves his worth by defending the family from danger. And Travis ultimately finds help and comfort in the courage and unwavering love of the dog who comes to be his very best friend. Fred Gipson’s novel is an eloquently simple story that is both exciting and deeply moving. It stands alongside works like The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Where The Red Fern Grows, and Shiloh as a beloved and enduring classic of literature. Originally published in 1956 to instant acclaim, Old Yeller later inspired a hit film from Walt Disney. Just as Old Yeller inevitably makes his way into the Coates family’s hearts, this book will find its own special place in readers’ hearts.

Get an idea of what life was like on a homestead during World War I. Challenge students to make meaningful connections to the novel. Identify the biggest obstacles for Hattie as she works on her homestead alone. Students translate common expressions used in the novel into their own words. Do some investigation into the state of Montana, including by what nicknames this state is known by. Research the possible origins of the expression 'doughboys', as Hattie uses it to describe American soldiers fighting in Europe. Find examples of personification used in the novel. Students brainstorm who the possible antagonist of the story may be. Students put themselves into Hattie's mindset to write a reply letter to Charlie. Aligned to your State Standards, additional crossword, word search, comprehension quiz and answer key are also included. About the Novel: Hattie Big Sky is a Newbery Honor-winning story about a young orphan who inherits a homestead claim in the Montana prairies. Hattie, at the age of 16, goes off to live at her uncle’s homestead in Montana in 1918. Alone, Hattie is met with the hardships that come with the primitive conditions. Throughout all of her trials and small triumphs, Hattie keeps up a correspondence with her school friend, Charlie, who enlisted in the army to fight in The Great War. It is through his eyes that Hattie is able to see glimpses of the harsh cruelty of warfare. As the story unfolds, Hattie is met with experiences that leave her discouraged and bewildered, but stronger and more resolutely determined to make something of herself.

Understand the importance of freedom and what lengths people will go to achieve it. Our comprehensive resource saves time with useful and detailed activities in a range of styles, from vocabulary, multiple choice and short answer questions. Imagine what the story would be like if it was set today, and better understand the issues that would cause two girls to run away. Become familiar with Julilly and her family with true or false questions. Identify which character said the provided statements. Rewrite the story with a third child taken on the journey. Draw Julilly and Liza's journey on a map. Aligned to your State Standards, additional crossword, word search, comprehension quiz and answer key are also included. About the Novel: A sensitive and dramatic story about a young girl's escape from slavery. Julilly is taken away from her mammy by a ruthless slave trader and is sold to the Riley Plantation. Sims oversees all the slaves and is very abusive toward them. If the slaves don’t produce, obey rules or try to run away, he will whip them as punishment. She longs for the day when her and her friend Liza are free and can live in peace. Julilly meets a young Canadian ornithologist named Alexander Ross who helps four slaves escape through the Underground Railroad north to Canada. Julilly, her friend Liza, Lester and Adam travel following the North Star to freedom.

Run off to Grand Rapids on a humorous adventure filled with interesting characters, all leading to a place to call home. Pose questions that will initiate great conversation and discussion in any classroom. Discuss the concept of perseverance, and determine why it is an important quality to have. Match characters to their statements. Determine the purpose of the author's intentional use of spelling mistakes in the novel. Match vocabulary words to their definitions before using them in a sentence. Students create their own family tree to compare with Bud's. Aligned to your State Standards, additional crossword, word search, comprehension quiz and answer key are also included. About the Novel: A touching and humorous story about a ten-year-old boy on the run. Foster child Bud Caldwell leaves Flint, Michigan during the height of the Great Depression in 1936. When Bud eventually arrives in Grand Rapids, he meets Herman Calloway and all the members of the band who welcome him into their lives. As the story comes to a close, we learn that Calloway is Bud’s grandfather, and Bud at last has a place to call “home”. A captivating story told in Bud’s point of view, this novel is an excellent read aloud. The historical setting, intriguing cast of characters and themes of racial and societal prejudice, all provide excellent opportunities for teaching, learning and discussion.

Experience the hardships of being the new kid and how to persevere in a discriminatory climate. The activities in this resource allow educators to customize their unit for individual student needs. Predict what will be revealed about the character Andy based on first impressions. Compare the different results from Jordan’s meeting with Maury and then with Drew. Recall events from the Secret Santa game in Jordan’s homeroom. Put events that take place during the holiday break in the correct order. Reflect on how you perceive others and how they perceive you. Play a game of “this or that” by comparing two different things and deciding which is better. Relate the plot or themes of chapter titles with their real-world counterparts. Aligned to your State Standards and written to Bloom's Taxonomy, our worksheets incorporate a variety of scaffolding strategies along with additional crossword, word search, comprehension quiz and answer key. About the Novel: New Kid follows seventh grader Jordan Banks as he embarks on his first day at a prestigious private school. His mother’s attempts to prepare him for the real world has hindered his dreams of attending an art school. At Riverdale Academy Day School, Jordan is just one of a few other students who look like him. His initial experience is wrought with challenges from fitting in to facing racism. Throughout these many struggles, Jordan manages to make a few new friends, but still struggles to fit in with his old ones. Trapped between two worlds, Jordan is faced with the realization that some people are blind to the discrimination around them. When Jordan finally has enough and sticks up for a friend, he sees some change for the better in the school environment. New Kid is a graphic novel that shows the struggle of one character’s experience being the new kid at school, and how he perseveres to grow into a new kid in life.

Follow the journey of four students, whose lives are intertwined both personally and academically. Perfect for monitoring comprehension and discussing vocabulary. Students express what they already know about turtles prior to the reading. Explain what Ethan lost and gained at Julian's tea party. Complete a paragraph from the story with the missing words. Find synonyms to difficult words used in the book. Make a prediction of what will happen to the characters at the conclusion of the novel. Conduct an interview with one of the members of The Souls for the evening news. Complete a story map using details about the setting, characters, problem, plot, and resolution. Aligned to your State Standards, additional crossword, word search, comprehension quiz and answer key are also included. About the Novel: The View From Saturday is a Newbery Medal winning story about four gifted students and their life-altering journeys. Noah, Nadia, Ethan and Julian make up the four members of The Souls, a group of 6th grade students competing in the Academic Bowl. Led by Mrs. Olinski—their teacher who has become a paraplegic after a serious car crash—the group must face challenges that will shape their lives as they move through the competition. The story progresses through different perspectives given from each of the four members of The Souls. Each story, told in the first-person, describes an event that relates to a question they were asked in the Academic Bowl finals. Will The Souls successfully rise through the ranks to become state champions?

Several stories come together in a climactic battle between a witch, a bog monster, a dragon, and a powerful girl in order to save the villages from an impending volcanic eruption. The worksheets are easy to use and not too overwhelming for student comprehension. Students imagine having Luna’s magical powers and brainstorm ways they would use it. Become familiar with unfamiliar words by determining their root word. Put yourselves into the mind of the villagers to determine why they would continue to sacrifice a child each year. Identify similes and metaphors used in the chapters. Draw the map that Luna created using detailed descriptions from the chapters. Identify key vocabulary words from the novel using synonyms, antonyms and word associations. Aligned to your State Standards and written to Bloom's Taxonomy, our worksheets incorporate a variety of scaffolding strategies along with additional crossword, word search, comprehension quiz and answer key. About the Novel: The Girl Who Drank the Moon follows the tale of Luna who must quickly overcome the obstacles that were hidden from her in order to save the ones she loves. In the Protectorate village, each year the Elders sacrifice a newborn baby to the witch who lives in the forest. This sacrifice ensures the Protectorate’s safety for another year. What the villagers don’t know, is that there is no witch, at least not an evil one living in the forest. Not knowing why these babies are left to die, the witch Xan finds them and takes them to nearby villages to be raised. To sustain them on this journey, Xan feeds the babies starlight. One year, Xan mistakenly feeds the baby moonlight, which fills the child with magic. Xan decides to raise the girl herself in order to keep those around her safe from her magic. She names the child Luna. The story follows Luna as she grows and discovers her magic, while also coming head-to-head with the real evil of the forest.

A family travels south in hopes of straightening out their misbehaving son, only to experience violence and racism that threaten their safety. The worksheets are laid out in a way that “makes sense” for students to follow along with the novel. Put events from the novel in the order they occur at Kenny’s school. Predict whether Kenny will be able to mend his friendship with Rufus. Explain why Kenny and his mother react a certain way to Byron’s hairstyle choice. Put yourselves into the author’s shoes and speculate why Kenny’s near-drowning experience was put into a certain perspective. Design a sign to post at Collier’s Landing to warn people that it is not safe to swim there. Identify elements of literature from the novel with a story elements graphic organizer. Aligned to your State Standards and written to Bloom's Taxonomy, additional crossword, word search, comprehension quiz and answer key are also included. About the Novel: The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963 follows Kenny and his family as they experience firsthand the violence and racism engulfing the South in the 1960s. Kenny is a fourth grader living with his family in Flint, Michigan. The winters are cold and the family must huddle together for warmth. At school, Kenny experiences bullying from his classmates, only saved by his brother—the biggest bully of all—who picks on Kenny at home. The two look after their younger sister as she starts to learn right from wrong in Sunday school. As Kenny’s brother’s behavior starts to get out-of-control, their mom and dad decide to send him down to Birmingham, Alabama to live with his grandmother over the summer. Hoping she’ll straighten him out, the family sets off in their “Brown Bomber” on the long drive down south. When they arrive, they experience fear, violence and racism that culminates in a tragedy that shakes them to their core. From this experience, Kenny must overcome his insecurities and deal with real world issues at a very young age.

Imagine what it’s like when twins come of age and drift apart. This resource allows students to have a better connection with the story that they are reading. Answer statements about Josh and Jordan as true or false. Put yourself in the twins’ shoes and imagine ways to stay focused when trying to concentrate. Pretend to be one of the characters and write a first-hand account about a medical emergency that occurs. Find synonyms to key vocabulary words used in the chapters. Research foods that are heart healthy and display the information in a chart or diagram. Complete a Tanka poem, taking inspiration from the novel. Aligned to your State Standards and written to Bloom's Taxonomy, our worksheets incorporate a variety of scaffolding strategies along with additional crossword, word search, comprehension quiz and answer key. About the Novel: The Crossover tells the coming-of-age story of Josh Bell. Him and his twin brother—Jordan—are the sons of a famous basketball player. So naturally, they excel at the sport as well. The two strive to win the championship this year, but Jordan’s interests seem to stray from his brother’s. Jordan starts spending all his time with the new girl at school, and Josh doesn’t understand why his brother is acting so funny. For the first time, Josh is beginning to feel what it’s like to be lonely. He misses his brother, and starts acting out. At one of his games, Josh does something that causes him to be suspended. At home, his mother is becoming worried with her husband’s failing health. Josh learns that his grandfather died of heart disease, and now his own father is showing the same symptoms. He becomes just as worried as his mother, who starts taking steps to make sure the family is eating healthier. But with Josh’s father’s aversion to doctors, it’s only a matter of time before the unimaginable happens, and Josh is faced with a heart-breaking reality.