Elementary Classrooms

Bridge the Gap in Reading Comprehension with Lesson Plans for Katherine Paterson’s Bridge to Terabithia

CommonLit’s digital library offers over 3,000 lessons to support your reading curriculum. Our online reading program also offers over 100 Book Pairings, which are sets of texts that...

8 Captivating Stories About World Holidays and Traditions for Elementary School

Through this selection of short stories for grades 3-5, students will learn about holidays around the world. Students come from a variety of backgrounds that have different holiday traditions. With...

Explore the Magic of Peter Pan with CommonLit Book Pairings

CommonLit’s digital library offers over 3,000 lessons to support your ELA curriculum. Our free reading program also offers over 100 “Book Pairings,” or sets of texts that support...

7 Mystery Stories that Keep Kids Guessing

Your elementary students will strengthen their reading comprehension and inference skills with a gripping, mystery short story from CommonLit’s free online reading program. Mystery stories are often whodunits, but...

5 Flavorful Texts for Elementary Students: All About Dessert

Food connects us with our families, neighbors, and the community at large. This round up of scrumptious texts includes informational texts about the history and invention of some of our...

6 CommonLit Original Stories for Elementary Students

These 6 original stories, found exclusively on CommonLit, will be great additions to your ELA curriculum to help build reading comprehension for your students! These short stories will teach elementary...

7 Short Texts to Celebrate National Native American Heritage Month

In celebration of Native American Heritage Month, we have compiled 7 short texts featuring Indigenous authors, characters, and cultures to supplement your ELA curriculum! These Native American poems and short...

7 Poems About Gratitude for Elementary Classrooms

As we approach the Thanksgiving season, bring meaningful lessons to your elementary classroom with these poems about gratitude. CommonLit’s digital literacy program is full of high-interest texts that tackle...

Travel through Time with 7 Historical Fiction Stories from CommonLit’s Digital Library

Discover engaging historical texts, and inspire students’ curiosity in history through CommonLit’s free online reading program. Looking for historical fiction texts for kids? CommonLit’s free digital literacy program...

Teach Important Life Lessons to Elementary Readers with 7 Fables

Supplement your ELA curriculum and strengthen student reading comprehension with fables from CommonLit’s free digital library. Fables are a great way to teach students important life lessons. Stories in...

Fun and Inspiring Poems with Figurative Language for Elementary Students

Introduce your students to figurative language with these 6 poems from CommonLit’s digital library. CommonLit’s free online reading program offers a wide selection of poems to help students...

Help Students Discover the Magical Power of Reading with Book Pairings for Matilda

Matilda knows there’s magic in reading – help your class discover that magic by teaching the novel alongside these supplemental materials. Strengthen your student's reading comprehension through CommonLit. Our digital...

Engage Young Readers with Relatable Short Stories about Coming-of-Age

Check out CommonLit’s selection of high-quality short stories with coming-of-age themes for your elementary students. At CommonLit, you’ll find hundreds of short stories that will not only elevate...

6 Fantasy Short Stories Elementary Students Will Love!

Here are six engaging fantasy short stories to get your students excited about reading and making connections to their own life experiences! In these alternate realities and magical lands, students...

9 Stellar Science Fiction Short Stories to Bring Imagination to Elementary Classrooms

These creative short science fiction texts will bring imagination, investigation, and excitement to your classroom! Sharing science fiction short stories online is a great way to incorporate imaginative themes and...

7 Stories Filled with Halloween Spirit

Here are some festive and spooky reading lessons perfect for October! Trick treating, dressing up, and jack-o'-lanterns are on every student’s mind this time of year. Lean into the...

Have A Ball This Fall with 7 Fall-Themed Lessons

Pique students’ interest with these seasonal interviews, poems, and short stories. The leaves are changing and pumpkin patches are popping up everywhere you look; with the help of CommonLit your...

10 Short Stories Elementary School Teachers Love

These compelling short stories are sure to engage your students and build reading comprehension! When it’s time to plan a new unit that adheres to ELA standards, it can...

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with 10 Inspiring Texts

Celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month with texts elementary students will love. To help pay tribute to amazing Hispanic authors, poets, and social activities, we put together a collection of texts...

Strengthen Student Reading Curriculum with New Short Stories from the CommonLit Library

Lead engaging classroom discussions and support student reading comprehension with these new short stories for grades 4-8! We are excited to share new short stories that you can incorporate into...

5 Texts to Explore Emotions in Elementary Classrooms

Create a safe learning environment for students to discuss how they feel about complex events with these short stories for elementary students. Emotions, such as sorrow and grief, can be...

6 Poems about Happiness for Elementary Students

Enrich your classroom discussions with poems about happiness from CommonLit’s digital library to help your elementary students build both their reading comprehension and personal development. Designed by expert ELA...

6 Poems about Community to Supplement Your Reading Curriculum

Planning a poetry unit for your English Language Arts class this semester? Inspire engaging classroom discussions with poems about community. For youth, it’s important that they know where they...

6 Poems About the Environment

Let students experience the wild world around us through poetry! As educators, we know that students love nature! Learning about the environment allows students to build a connection with the...

Short Stories To Get Your Students Excited About Reading

These short stories from amazing authors like Gary Soto, Amy Tan, and Ralph Fletcher will help your students fall in love with reading! A love for reading begins with captivating...