Children's Literature Lesson Plans, Authors Vagin-Viorst

Chris Van Allsburg
Lesson plans and teaching activities for Jumanji , Polar Express , and other books.

Across the Wide Dark Sea by Jean Van Leeuwen
This lesson plan is designed to span 4 days. It includes discussion questions, vocabulary words, examples of figurative language, a timeline activity, and additional postreading research questions. 10 pages; word processor required.

Across the Wide Dark Sea by Jean Van Leeuwen
This writing task includes prompt and supporting tasks, including discussion questions, graphic organizer, and a model essay. 6 pages; word processor required.

Heir Apparent by Vivian Vande Velde. Adobe Reader required for these resources.

• Introductory Material
  Background information, character list, vocabulary words.
• Chapters 1-13 Worksheet
  Students practice making inferences, understanding analogies, and making predictions.
• Chapters 14-19 Worksheet
  Students make predictions and use vocabulary words in sentences.
• Chapters 20-33 Worksheet
  Students determine author's purpose, work with analogies, and think beyond the novel.
• Characterization Graphic Organizer
  Students describe characters at the beginning and at the end and note whether they have changed.
• Irony Graphic Organizer
  Given definitions and examples, students identify the impact of irony.
• Whole-Novel Discussion and Activities
  5 discussion questions and 3 post-reading activities.
• Multiple Choice Test
  10 questions.

Irena's Jars of Secrets by Marcia Vaughan
An interview with author Marcia Vaughan and illustrator Ron Mazellan.

Irena's Jars of Secrets by Marcia Vaughan
16 discussion questions.

The Secret to Freedom by Marcia Vaughan
Summary and background, prereading and comprehension questions, vocabulary, suggestions for use in literature circles, reader response and writing topics, ESL and interdisciplinary strategies.

Up the Learning Tree by Marcia Vaughan
This teacher's guide includes summary and background information, prereading questions, vocabulary, discussion questions, ideas for literature circles and reader response, writing activities, strategies for ESL/ELL, and interdisciplinary connections.

Bound for Oregon by Jean Van Leeuwen
Suggestions for post-reading activities.

Bound for Oregon by Jean Van Leeuwen
Additional suggestions for post-reading activities.

The Amazing Adventures of Equiano by Jean-Jacques Vayssières
This online book from the International Children's Digital Library traces the journey of Equiano, a young African boy of the Ibo tribe, from his capture by Africans to his life in the Americas. It was inspired by the memoirs of Olaudah Equiano, a freed and literate slave.

Grandma's Records by Eric Velasquez
Prereading, discussion questions, followup activities. Access to this 2-page document requires Adobe Reader or compatible application.

Picasso by Mike Venezia
Students note details as they read. Includes text-dependent questions, vocabulary words, a culminating task, and additional learning activities. Word processor required for access.

Driving Daddy by Hope Vestergaard
This teacher's guide offers discussion questions and ideas for projects that address multiple intelligences.

Wake Up, Mama! by Hope Vestergaard
This teacher's guide offers comprehension questions and ideas for projects that address multiple intelligences.

Judith Viorst
Lesson plans and activities for Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day and other books.