Login
Join

Lesson Plans and Teaching Resources for The Lotus Seed

The cover for The Lotus Seed Lesson Plans and Teaching Resources
Download
Preview
Buy the book
Watch a Read-Aloud

Use The Lotus Seed by Sherry Garland to strengthen your students' comprehension skills, build their vocabulary, and help them understand how words work.

Told from a granddaughter's perspective, The Lotus Seed is a poignant story about a girl who immigrates to America during World War II and carries a lotus seed with her as a memory of her home in Vietnam. You can use The Lotus Flower to teach students of different reading levels how making connections, retelling, and visualizing can help enhance comprehension of an unfamiliar topic or setting.
Print resources
Preview
Buy the book
Watch a Read-Aloud

Explore lesson plans and activities to help you teach with The Lotus Seed in the drop down below.

The first page of Asking Questions with A Bad Case of Stripes

Determining Importance with The Lotus Seed

The Lotus Seed is an ideal anchor text for a mini-lesson focused on determining importance. This lesson plan and set of resources guides readers to notice key details in the story in order to better understand important events, character motivation, and overall theme.
Common Core State Standards Alignment
RL.3.2,RL.3.3,RL.3.5,RL.3.6,RL.3.7,RL.3.10,RF.3.3,RF.3.4,SL.3.1d,SL.3.2,SL.3.3,W.3.8,L.3.6
TEKS Alignment
3.7B,3.13H,3.13E,3.13C,3.10A,3.8C,3.7G,3.7F,3.7E,3.7D,3.7C,3.1A,3.7A,3.6I,3.6G,3.6E,3.6B,3.6A,3.1E,3.1D,3.1C
Print
Preview PDF
Preview Digital
Preview Digital
Print
The first page of Asking Questions with A Bad Case of Stripes

Making Connections with The Lotus Seed

The Lotus Seed will support more sophisticated readers who are practicing making connections to deepen their understanding of a story. Readers will need to focus on making text-to-text and text-to-world connections in order to fully understand the setting, the chain of events and the characters' feelings in this book.
Common Core State Standards Alignment
RL.3.1,RL.3.3,RL.3.10,RF.3.3,RF.3.4,SL.3.1d,SL.3.2,SL.3.3,W.3.8,L.3.6
TEKS Alignment
3.7C,3.13H,3.13E,3.13C,3.8C,3.7G,3.7F,3.7E,3.7D,3.1A,3.7B,3.7A,3.6I,3.6E,3.6A,3.1E,3.1D,3.1C
Print
Preview PDF
Preview Digital
Preview Digital
Print
The first page of Asking Questions with A Bad Case of Stripes

Retelling & Summarizing with The Lotus Seed

With The Lotus Seed, you can differentiate your lesson for readers who need additional support retelling and those who need an extra challenge. Early readers will be able to identify a clear cast of characters and events in their summary, and more advanced readers will have the added challenge of recognizing multiple narrator perspectives.
Common Core State Standards Alignment
RL.3.1,RL.3.2,RL.3.4,RL.3.7,RL.3.10,RF.3.3,RF.3.4,SL.3.1d,SL.3.2,SL.3.3,W.3.8,L.3.6
TEKS Alignment
3.7D,3.13H,3.13E,3.13C,3.8D,3.8C,3.8B,3.7G,3.7F,3.7E,3.1A,3.7C,3.7B,3.6I,3.6G,3.6A,3.1E,3.1D,3.1C
Print
Preview PDF
Preview Digital
Preview Digital
Print
The first page of Asking Questions with A Bad Case of Stripes

Visualizing with The Lotus Seed

Using detailed language and artistic illustrations, The Lotus Seed is the perfect text for a lesson on visualizing unfamiliar settings and human emotions.
Common Core State Standards Alignment
RL.3.7,RL.3.10,RF.3.3,RF.3.4,SL.3.1d,SL.3.2,SL.3.3,W.3.8,L.3.6
TEKS Alignment
3.7A,3.13H,3.13E,3.13C,3.10C,3.7F,3.7E,3.7C,3.7B,3.1A,3.6I,3.6E,3.6D,3.6A,3.1E,3.1D,3.1C
Print
Preview PDF
Preview Digital
Preview Digital
Print
The first page of Asking Questions with A Bad Case of Stripes

Comprehension Assessment with The Lotus Seed

Use this Common Core aligned comprehension assessment to evaluate students' comprehension of The Lotus Seed.
Common Core State Standards Alignment
TEKS Alignment
Print
Preview PDF
Preview Digital
Preview Digital
Print
The first page of Asking Questions with A Bad Case of Stripes

Suffixes with The Lotus Seed

This word work lesson plan and set of teaching resources use The Lotus Seed by Sherry Garland as a springboard for instruction focused on suffixes.

By anchoring word study to the text, students will benefit from seeing how words ending in -ed are used inside of the text before engaging in both guided and independent practice with suffixes.

Common Core State Standards Alignment
RF.3.3,RF.3.4
TEKS Alignment
Print
Preview PDF
Preview Digital
Preview Digital
Print
The first page of Asking Questions with A Bad Case of Stripes

Vocabulary Connections with The Lotus Seed

This set of vocabulary development resources for The Lotus Seed highlights the words that are most important for students to know and understand while reading the book. Through engaging in fun word games, matching words to definitions and pictures, and practicing how to categorize words, students will develop the vocabulary necessary to comprehend this story and many others.

Common Core State Standards Alignment
L.3.4a,L.3.5b,L.3.6
TEKS Alignment
3.7E,3.7F,3.3A,3.3B
Print
Preview PDF
Preview Digital
Preview Digital
Print
The first page of Asking Questions with A Bad Case of Stripes

The Amazing Lotus: A Flower Full of Meaning

This Knowledge and Fluency Passage offers a carefully crafted passage about the lotus flower’s significance in Vietnamese culture, helping students connect with the deeper meaning behind the seed in The Lotus Seed by Sherry Garland. By practicing fluency with this text, students gain insight into themes of hope, strength, and family heritage, enriching their understanding of the story’s emotional core. Use this passage before reading the book to build background knowledge and prepare students to better comprehend the text.
Common Core State Standards Alignment
|replace-resource-ccss|
TEKS Alignment
|replace-resource-teks|
Print
Preview PDF
Preview Digital
Preview Digital
Print
The first page of Asking Questions with A Bad Case of Stripes

Cause and Effect Matching with The Lotus Seed

Read The Lotus Seed then have some fun matching cause and effect sentences from the book. By using these cause and effect cards, students will demonstrate both their comprehension of the text and their understanding of cause and effect relationships in hands-on and interactive way.

This resource includes matching/sorting cards and a sorting mat for four cause and effect sentences in The Lotus Seed. Each cause card is marked with a square and each effect card is marked with a circle, making it easy to support students who struggle with matching cause and effect relationships.
Common Core State Standards Alignment
TEKS Alignment
Print
Preview PDF
Preview Digital
Preview Digital
Print
The first page of Asking Questions with A Bad Case of Stripes

Cause and Effect Sentence Stems with The Lotus Seed

Understanding cause and effect is a key comprehension and language skill. The text structure of The Lotus Seed includes several examples of cause and effect relationships, making it easy to use as a springboard for modeling or independent practice.

This simple resource includes four sentence stems. Each sentence stem presents an effect. Students will use what they know about the book to fill in the cause of the effect.
Common Core State Standards Alignment
TEKS Alignment
Print
Preview PDF
Preview Digital
Preview Digital
Print
The first page of Asking Questions with A Bad Case of Stripes

Writing with The Lotus Seed

The BookPagez extension activities are a great way to push student engagement beyond the pages of the text. Try using this activity with early finishers, with students who show a deeper connection with the text, or as a center activity.
Common Core State Standards Alignment
TEKS Alignment
Print
Preview PDF
Preview Digital
Preview Digital
Print

Determining Importance with The Lotus Seed (Spanish)

  • Student Practice Page and Answer Key
  • Reader's Notebook Prompt
  • Graphic Organizer
Print

Making Connections with The Lotus Seed (Spanish)

  • Student Practice Page and Answer Key
  • Reader's Notebook Prompt
  • Graphic Organizer
Print

Retelling & Summarizing with The Lotus Seed (Spanish)

  • Student Practice Page and Answer Key
  • Reader's Notebook Prompt
  • Graphic Organizer
Print

Visualizing with The Lotus Seed (Spanish)

  • Student Practice Page and Answer Key
  • Reader's Notebook Prompt
  • Graphic Organizer
Print

Writing with The Lotus Seed (Spanish)

Worksheet
Print

Get Full Access to the Entire Library of Resources when You Join Today!

You don’t need another curriculum—you need smart, supportive tools that build on the stories already in your classroom. BookPagez delivers research-aligned lessons, assessments, and digital tools to make your read-alouds, centers, and guided work more meaningful, more efficient, and more fun.
  • Teach with the favorite children’s books already on your shelf
  • Receive new, research-based materials every week
  • Tap into Digital Classroom for centers, assignments, and monitoring
  • Reclaim your evenings—planning is streamlined & ready to go
  • Stay organized with your personal file cabinet + dashboard
JOIN NOW!
30 Day Risk-Free Guarantee, Cancel Anytime

About the Book

The cover for the book The Lotus Seed
Title: The Lotus Seed
Author: Sherry Garland
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Themes: Perseverance, Cultural Diversity, Family
ISBN: 9780613023498
Publisher's Summary:
A young Vietnamese girl is forced to leave her homeland during a time of war, and takes with her a single lotus seed as a cherished reminder of her past. The Lotus Seed by Sherry Garland is a moving picture book that tells the story of this girl's journey to a new country and the ways she keeps her cultural heritage alive through the symbolic lotus seed. As she grows older and becomes a grandmother, the seed remains a treasured family heirloom, connecting generations and keeping memories of Vietnam alive. The book gently explores universal themes of immigration, resilience, and the importance of family traditions. Garland's lyrical text, paired with evocative illustrations by Tatsuro Kiuchi, offers students a window into Vietnamese culture and the broader immigrant experience. The Lotus Seed is an excellent resource for teachers seeking to foster empathy, discuss cultural diversity, and celebrate the ways families honor their histories. Its gentle narrative and rich symbolism make it a powerful tool for classroom discussions on heritage, remembrance, and the meaning of home.
Resources
Browse by Book Title Browse Classroom Resources Use the Resource Wizard Teacher Guides Digital Classroom Guides
Customer Service
Get Samples Contact Us Frequently Asked Questions Purchase Orders Login
About Us
Our Story Become a Member
Fine Print
Terms of Use Subscriber Agreement Privacy Policy Refund Policy Disclaimer Digital Resource User Agreement Student Privacy Policy Trademark and Copyright Notice
Content and Downloadable content Copyright ©2010-2025 Thinking Tree Enterprises, LLC. All other trademarks, service marks and trade names referenced on this site are the property of their respective owners. Please see our Terms of Use.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
©BookPagez.com 2010 - 2023
Fluency / Book Filter
Search by Grade Level
Search by Reading Level
Search by Theme

Reset

Let’s Book Your 30-Minute Clarity Call
Select a day and time that works for you.
[ssa_booking type=clarity-call]

Resource Downloading disabled

Your ability to download resources is currently disabled. Please contact us at support@bookpagez.com

Oops!  It looks Like You're Getting Carried Away. 

When you joined BookPagez, you agreed to follow our Terms of Use. Based on your download activty, it looks like you've gotten carried away.

You are allowed to download resources to use in your classroom for the duration of your subscription. You are not allowed to bulk download resources. In other words, it's against the rules to download all (or most) of the resources. That's stealing, and it's not nice.

Please check your email for a message from us. Reply to the email and let us know what's going on so we can reactivate your account.
In order to continue, please indicate that you agree with the terms above

Get instant access to this resource plus thousands more when you join today.

  • Teach with the best books
  • Always have access to new resources (published every month!)
  • Get full access to Digital Classroom
  • Finally have time to "fit it all in" with super efficient lesson plans
  • Enjoy fast planning tools and stay organized with your personal file cabinet and dashboard
Save 50% for a Limited Time
Get Started
Already a member? Login here.