Tools to Help You Teach Middle School ELA
Do your students write their own works cited page? It’s just so easy to use an online tool, but what wouldn’t your rather that your students understand how to create their own? I teach my students how to create a works cited page from scratch — or the old, fashioned way as they like to […] Read more…
What’s a “classic” piece of literature? Mark Twain defined it as “something that everybody wants to have read and nobody wants to read.” Those words might ring true when you sit down to read War and Peace or Moby Dick, but what about middle school classics? Modern Classic Novels in Middle School A classic includes enduring themes, relatable […] Read more…
How do you use historical fiction? If you’re in a self-contained classroom, using historical fiction is a natural connection with your social studies content. It is an awesome way to build background knowledge and help students make strong connections. But what about me? I don’t teach social studies. I do know what our social studies […] Read more…
There are so many wonderful series written for middle schoolers. Here are some favorites: Series are important business when it comes to keeping middle school students reading. They are also great to add to your literature circle rotation since you can offer a “gateway” book. Reluctant readers love them because they are easy to slip […] Read more…
We all know the issues with middle school and reading. Weaknesses in reading skills can take a toll on student achievement as we ask and expect them to read more — both in volume and depth. But nonfiction is so tempting, so tantalizing, so dramatic…just dare your reluctant readers not to pick up a […] Read more…
How can you create an amazing teaching team? Read on for tips to making the dream a reality. Teaching teams are wonderful. They offer an opportunity for teachers to collaborate, share, problem-solve, and create friendships that extend beyond the school building. That’s the theory, anyway. They can also be dysfunctional, negative, ineffective, and destructive. The […] Read more…
Earth Day ♥ Earth Day is a wonderful celebration, and perhaps your school is extending activities for more than one day. But, we all want every day to be Earth Day! That’s why creating an Earth Day research “teach-in” is a great way for students to share their research in a real-world setting. How […] Read more…
A journal jar is a great way to offer students choices during writer’s workshop or journaling time. I’ve always loved using a journal jar. In the past, my journal jar consisted of topics written on strips of paper and stuck into a jar. Students could pick a slip, glue it to the top of […] Read more…
Ready to organize writing projects so your students’ papers aren’t everywhere? Want your fast finishers to be able to move forward on a writing project and not have to wait for the rest of the class? Ready to provide scaffolding for students who need it? And a checklist for you to streamline grading? Then, you’ll […] Read more…
Classroom management strategies that worked at the start of the year may not be as effective as we move from Halloween through the end of the year. Your students’ minds quickly move away from content material to the bulletin board that counts down the days until Christmas (whose idea was that?!) or the Elf on […] Read more…