Classroom organization can make a huge difference in the flow of your daily routine. But, this is going to be the year, right? The year you are really, really going to get organized! No more paper stacks, lost copies, or overflowing file folders. No more wondering where those thirty glue sticks are or if there […] Read more…
Marypat
How to Create Upcycled Notebooks
The end of the school year or semester is wonderful and exciting …except for the waste. Rather than having students chunk their partially used notebooks into the recycling bin, have them upcycle them by creating new notebooks or journals. Here’s how: Whether or not it’s Earth Day , students often need a gentle reminder that […] Read more…
Fun End of School Year Activities: How to Make the Most of the Few Last Weeks
Wondering what end of school year activities will keep your students engaged? As the end of the school year approaches, both you and your students are probably feeling excited for summer vacation and ready for a breather…but maybe even a little sad. What you probably need are some last week of school ideas to provide […] Read more…
Successful Unit and Lesson Planning
Teaching with a unit plan makes your weekly lesson planning a snap. It also helps you organize and plan your year. Here are some quick steps to unit planning that will really work! If you’ve already created a year long plan, you’ll use that to pick the unit you want to create. If your yearlong plan […] Read more…
Back to School: best practices for a great start
Ready for back to school? Here are — activities to get you started on the right foot. Get to know your students One of the most important aspects of starting a new school year is getting to know your students. There are so many advantages of getting to know your students: 10 Ways to get […] Read more…
13 Dystopian Novels Your Students Will Love
Dystopian literature remains popular with middle school students, and they can’t seem to get enough of this genre. Books like The Hunger Games or The Giver have been popular since they first hit shelves. But putting aside the most popular books in the genre, what other options do we keep in our library? There’s a lot […] Read more…
How to teach point of view
Teaching point of view is fun! There are so many creative ways to teach students how to recognize the three types. Follow these tips for your point of view lessons. What is point of view? There are three types of point of view: first person, second person, and third person perspective. Essentially, point of view […] Read more…
Easy Ways to use Literature Circles in Middle School
Ready to write literature circle lesson plans? This post will guide you through everything you need to know to get started! Whether you call them literature circles or book clubs, this type of reading instruction is a powerful and engaging way to improve reading. Let’s jump in! What are Literature Circles? A literature circle (or […] Read more…
Making better readers with graphic novels
Reading skills are crucial in middle school. We really have such a short time to get students reading, comprehending, and on level. One way to do that is through graphic novels. Graphic novels have been growing in popularity for a long time, but many teachers tend to shy away from bringing them into the classroom. […] Read more…
How to use Book Talks to Encourage Reading
Books talks are a great way to invigorate reading in your classroom. Students enjoy talking about the books they’re reading, and this can create a reading “buzz” in your class. Here are the steps to creating successful book talks with your students: What are book talks? Before you launch into them, what are they? Book […] Read more…