Reading Thematically: History Stories helps students develop a love for reading as they experience history though a good book. The unit focuses on essential reading skills such as selecting a book, skimming, summarizing, and evaluating while giving students opportunities to apply literary terms such as setting, plot, characters, and theme. In each lesson, students read, write, discuss, think, or create. The final activities give them choices and flexibility and allow for creativity—three things junior high students strongly desire. Above all, the unit will make them think. With this unit’s concepts and skills as basic building blocks, students develop a solid foundation to become lifelong readers, independent researchers, and critical thinkers

Students skim a text for information, go on a scavenger hunt to select a historical book, discuss plot using favorite picture books, perform a skit to practice a concept, participate in small- and large-group discussions, draw a picture of a character, and evaluate settings, characters, and themes.