Cynthia Rylant
Lesson plans for Missing May and other books

|Biography and Background| |"Checkouts"| |Henry and Mudge| |I Had Seen Castles| |The Journey| |The Lighthouse Family| |Missing May| |Mr. Griggs' Work| |Poppleton in Winter| |The Relatives Came| |Waiting to Waltz| |When I was Young in the Mountains|

Biography and Background

Biography at Wikipedia.

Author interview. Listen to the audio (6:38) or read the excerpts.

"Checkouts"

Students note details as they read. Includes text-dependent questions and suggested evidence-based answers, academic vocabulary, a culminating writing task with prompt and model response, and additional learning activities. Word processor required for access.

Henry and Mudge

Vocabulary games, writing practice, and a quiz. Access requires Adobe Reader.

How might students use storyboards to demonstrate and to extend their learning? Check the resources here. Includes writing summaries, working with vocabulary, character maps, theme, more. Note: Storyboard That helps sponsor this site.

This lesson helps second- and third-grade students identify both base words and suffixes.

Vocabulary games and writing practice. Requires Adobe Reader for access.

Click on the link for printable handouts.

The Journey: Stories of Migration

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

I Had Seen Castles

I Had Seen Castles. Adobe Reader required for these resources.

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  Background information, character list, vocabulary words.
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  Students will monitor their reading, use semantic maps, and make predictions.
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  Students will make inferences, write questions about vocabulary words, and think beyond the novel.
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  Given 5 historical events, students identify how each affected characters in the novel.
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  Given passages from the novel, students identify the mood each evokes and key evocative words.
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  6 discussion questions and 2 post-reading activities.
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  10 questions.

The Lighthouse Family

How might students use storyboards to demonstrate and to extend their learning? Check the resources here. Includes character mapping, vocabulary, compare and contrast, more. Note: Storyboard That helps sponsor this site.

Missing May

Three activities on dealing with death.

Graphic organizers for active reading, vocabulary, background, and more. This document requires Adobe Reader for access.

Mr. Griggs’ Work

The students will learn about the importance of responsibility, dependability, punctuality, honesty, and effort in the workplace. The students will have the opportunity to explore these character traits in their own work setting. This lesson is designed for grades K-5.

Poppleton in Winter

How might students use storyboards to demonstrate and to extend their learning? Check the resources here. Includes character mapping, vocabulary, character maps, point of view, more. Note: Storyboard That helps sponsor this site.

The Relatives Came

This is a first grade reading comprehension lesson to teach students how to make text-to-self connections while reading.

Students add sensory details to help readers visualize. Lesson plan includes printable graphic organizer.

Waiting to Waltz

Designed for 6th graders, this lesson plan encourages students to develop skills in reading and writing poetry.

When I was Young in the Mountains

After reading the book, students compose Mother's Day cards expressing appreciation.