Free ELA Lesson Plans for Grades 3-5

Explore this Guide

Welcome to our ELA Guide for 3rd-grade to 5th-grade teachers and students. This assortment of standards-aligned resources intends to refine literacy skills while instilling a sense of environmental responsibility. Explore captivating activities, literature, and interactive tools with your students. Whether you need a complete lesson plan or a simple activity that enhances listening skills and reading strategies throughout the school year, this guide has you covered.

Reading Lessons

Explore these teacher-created free lesson plans that cover topics such as character traits, story elements, reading comprehension, and storytelling. Encourage students to participate in an interactive read-aloud, make inferences, or analyze text features.

Lights, Camera, Character Traits!

In this lesson by teacher Mallory Swafford, students identify the main character in a story and their character traits, enhancing their ability to answer questions from different points of view.

More Reading Lesson Plans

Writing Activities

Get your learners writing with activities that include research, informational text writing, opinion writing, poetry, expository writing, and narrative writing. Enhance their writing skills and writing process with these activities.

Energy Research & Writing

In this activity by educators Lindsay Pockl and Ashley Nelson, students research and write about the pros and cons of different energy types and the effects of each on the Earth.

More Writing Resources

Vocabulary

Help your students learn terms and definitions about climate change and the environment. 

Crossword on Endangered Animals

This digital crossword puzzle features images, information, and vocabulary about endangered plants and animals. 

Air Quality Vocabulary Words

These online vocabulary cards go over useful terms about air pollution, environmental justice, and climate change. These printable or digital cards can be used to increase reading and phonics skills or as a part of a mini-lesson on air quality.

Speaking & Listening

Empower your students to be change-makers and leaders with these exciting projects that develop listening skills and the ability to engage in persuasive writing and speaking.

World Leader's Speech

In this fun classroom activity, students write and perform a 2-minute speech pretending they are world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly, encouraging critical thinking and understanding of global issues.

Presenting a Climate Solution

Students create a poster about one of eleven proposed climate solutions, including reducing food waste, educating girls, plant-based meats, and more. Students can use the provided template as a model and guide for their own creation.

Next Steps