Reading
Holding Students Accountable for Reading Assignments
Whether your classes are taking place in person or remotely, here are ways to improve student reading accountability.
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How to Teach Guides
How to Teach The Kite Runner
Learn all about teaching The Kite Runner, an eye-opening account of friendship, discrimination, and healing that students will love, with our free guide.
Reading
Free Reading and Literature Templates for Google Docs
Perfect for independent reading assignments or class-wide literature units, these free Google Docs templates are ready to use for distance learning.
How to Teach Guides
How to Teach A Long Way Gone
Ishmael Beah’s harrowing memoir will give students insight into his horrific experiences as a child soldier in Sierra Leone’s civil war.
How to Teach Guides
How to Teach The Help
Learn how to teach The Help, a book that takes on racism and sexism in 1960s Mississippi.
Literature
An Antiracist Reading List for Students
Help students understand the effects of racism and what it means to be antiracist with these 15 books.
How to Teach Guides
How to Teach Persepolis
Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis tells the story of a young girl in revolutionary Iran who must make her own way in an increasingly violent and oppressive society.
Teaching Tips
What Do Teachers Think About the New School Year?
We asked teachers across the United States to share their thoughts about the upcoming 2020-2021 school year. Here’s what we learned.
How to Teach Guides
How to Teach Speak
Laurie Halse Anderson’s story of isolation, grief, and hope provides lessons on symbolism and character development.
Reading
5 Quick Activities for Teaching Informational Texts
Try these five fun activities to keep students engaged with the informational texts you study!
How to Teach Guides
How to Teach The Bean Trees
Considered an early feminist novel, The Bean Trees, by Barbara Kingsolver, addresses many societal issues that are still relevant today.
Teaching Tips
Understanding the New Florida B.E.S.T. Standards
Curriculum changes are coming to Florida’s public schools. How will the new B.E.S.T. Standards affect English language arts education in grades K-12?
How to Teach Guides
How to Teach Classic American Short Stories
Show your students a multitude of literary elements and devices through this anthology of American short stories.
How to Teach Guides
How to Teach Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Discover resources for and information about teaching Mark Twain's most important work, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
Literature
How to Prepare to Teach a Book for the First Time
Are you teaching a new book next year? Get tips on building a great literature unit here!
How to Teach Guides
How to Teach The Book Thief
Find out why Markus Zusak's bestseller is one of the most popular novels in English classrooms around the country.
Vocabulary
Teaching Advanced Vocabulary from Literature
Developing a strategy for teaching advanced vocabulary using literary texts is easy with these tips!
Literature
20 Books to Support Conversations on Race in the Classroom
Literature can help you facilitate discussions about race and other sensitive issues and can give students a safe outlet to examine their thoughts.
Literature
Going Beyond Literal Meaning in Literature
To understand what they’re reading, students must be able to dig deeper than the surface-level literal meanings of words.
How to Teach Guides
How to Teach The Odyssey
We know that Homer’s The Odyssey is a daunting text, so we’re here to provide some starting points to propel your lesson planning forward.
Vocabulary
Teaching Vocabulary in Context
Drawing vocabulary from what your students read—literature, news articles, and more—is a great way to ensure they retain these words for life.
How to Teach Guides
How to Teach The Autobiography of Malcolm X
The Autobiography of Malcolm X is an essential text from one of the most influential human rights activists in history.
How to Teach Guides
How to Teach Ghost
Running on relatable themes and unique motifs, Ghost, by Jason Reynolds, is a surefire way to engage your students through a contemporary text.
How to Teach Guides
How to Teach The Freedom Writers Diary
The Freedom Writers Diary is a great nonfiction text for showing students the benefits of personal writing.
How to Teach Guides
How to Teach Into the Wild
Start conversations about the advantages and flaws of modern society, consumerism, naturalism, and more with Jon Krakauer's Into the Wild.
Teaching Tips
How to #TeachLivingPoets with Melissa Alter Smith
To learn more about the #TeachLivingPoets movement, we invited Melissa Alter Smith to share her thoughts about poetry in the classroom.
Literature
Top Books About Sports and Athletics for Grades 4-12
From dramatic fiction stories to real-life accounts of athletic achievements, these books about sports are sure to be a slam dunk!
Literature
Diverse and Inclusive Books for Grades 4-12
These 20 books offer diverse perspectives through characters and stories we know readers will enjoy.
How to Teach Guides
How to Teach The Poet X
If you’re aiming to slam poetry into the hearts of your students, look no further than Elizabeth Acevedo’s renowned novel-in-verse, The Poet X.
Literature
Thrilling and Mysterious Must-Read Books for Grades 4-12
Add a layer of intrigue to your literature unit with these thrilling and mysterious books that’ll keep students in grades 4-12 hooked until the end!
How to Teach Guides
How to Teach Animal Farm
Animal Farm is an easy but important book for students to read and one that teachers love to teach.
Teaching Tips
Enriching Lesson Ideas for Remote Learning
Find simple ways to keep your students engaged when classes are scheduled remotely during the COVID-19 quarantine.
How to Teach Guides
How to Teach The Pearl
John Steinbeck's The Pearl is a parable about the dangers of wealth and greed.
How to Teach Guides
How to Teach Tuesdays with Morrie
Tuesdays with Morrie is a though-provoking memoir that examines a man getting a renewed outlook on life through the death of a friend.
Company News
A Message From Our President Regarding COVID-19
Prestwick House is committed to supporting educators during these uncertain times and beyond.
Vocabulary
5 Ways to Help Your Students Remember Vocabulary Words
How do you make sure your students remember their vocabulary words? Here are 5 methods you can use in your classroom.
How to Teach Guides
How to Teach The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
Introduce your students to a dynamic narrative voice and structure with The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao.
How to Teach Guides
How to Teach The Glass Castle
This memoir follows the trail of a nonconforming and, at times, self-destructive family as they move from place to place.
How to Teach Guides
How to Teach All the Light We Cannot See
Set during WWII, All the Light We Cannot See is a remarkable story your high school students will love.
Literature
Why You Should Teach Multicultural Literature
Multicultural and diverse literature can help your students understand and learn about people from other cultures. It can also help them learn about themselves.
How to Teach Guides
How to Teach Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass illustrates the experiences of one of the most influential abolitionist speakers.
How to Teach Guides
How to Teach Warriors Don't Cry
This autobiography by Melba Pattillo Beals depicts the hardships she faced as one of the first African-American students to join a formerly segregated school.
How to Teach Guides
How to Teach Friday Night Lights
Friday Night Lights reveals the various social and psychological issues that arise in sports culture.
How to Teach Guides
How to Teach Number the Stars
Lowry’s award-winning novel depicts the Nazi occupation of Denmark and the Danish Resistance in a manner appropriate for a younger audience.
Reading
What is a Lexile Measure?
Wondering what a Lexile measure is and how it can help you choose appropriate texts for your students? This article’s for you.
How to Teach Guides
How to Teach The Hate U Give
The Hate U Give tackles timely social issues like police brutality, gun violence, and racism without fear.
Vocabulary
Having Fun with Vocabulary Flashcards
Vocabulary flashcards are great tools for instruction—and they're especially great for helping students remember words long-term.
How to Teach Guides
How to Teach The Alchemist
Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist is a timeless story about spirituality and the importance of making one's dreams a reality. Find resources for teaching it here.
Literature
How Yoda Helps Students Master Shakespeare
Learn how the speech patterns of Yoda the Jedi master can help students get past the biggest obstacle in studying Shakespeare: the syntax.
How to Teach Guides
How to Teach A Separate Peace
Consider teaching A Separate Peace for its strong examples of narrative perspective and use of foil characters.
Teaching Tips
A Few of Our Favorite Things
Four exemplary English language arts teachers share what they love the most about education.
How to Teach Guides
How to Teach The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
C.S. Lewis’s allegorical tale of magic and wonder is perfect for discussing the roles of good and evil and the power of redemption.
How to Teach Guides
How to Teach The Catcher in the Rye
Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye is a classic novel about the trials of adolescence. Learn more about teaching this book here.
How to Teach Guides
How to Teach Heart of Darkness
Conrad’s novella is a great choice for the classroom because of its interesting juxtapositions and historical context.
How to Teach Guides
How to Teach The Hunger Games
Discover what makes The Hunger Games the perfect introduction to dystopian fiction.
How to Teach Guides
How to Teach Coraline
A cross between a horror story and a fairytale, Coraline is a children’s novella that will thrill younger students.
Literature
Top Creepy Books for All Grade Levels
There’s no spookier time than October for students to read books that are equal parts terrifying and enchanting.
Vocabulary
Teaching Vocabulary Doesn't Have to Be Scary
Teaching vocabulary doesn’t have to be scary! Boost your current curriculum with free vocabulary lesson plans, posters, puzzles, and more.
How to Teach Guides
How to Teach Frankenstein
Discover how to teach your students about the consequences of social alienation and ambition in Mary Shelley’s classic horror story, Frankenstein.
How to Teach Guides
How to Teach The Graveyard Book
Gaiman's award-winning novel depicts the adventures of a boy who lives in a graveyard and is raised by ghosts and a mysterious guardian.