Tools to Help You Teach Middle School ELA
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…
Share these fantasy series with your students. Fantasy is a great genre to use in your classroom. Students love the magic and wonder of stories like The Hobbit or Harry Potter. But setting aside Tolkien and Rowling, there’s a whole slew of fantasy ripe for the picking, but where should we start? Whether using them […] Read more…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Wondering what graphic novels for teens that you should have on your bookshelf? Graphic novels can be a great way to introduce topics or concepts to your students. Plus, they are engaging. Even the most reluctant readers will be drawn into the story. They are great additions to your independent reading program. Here are some […] Read more…
Here are 12 poems that seem to be written specifically for middle school students, along with suggestions for teaching. You’ll find a variety of poetic forms from contemporary to classic poems. 1. “I’m Nobody! Who are you?” by Emily Dickinson Reasons to love this: Lesson focus: 2. “Nothing Gold Can Stay” by Robert Frost Reasons […] Read more…
What is one of the best ways for students to learn close reading skills? Annotation. But, how do we avoid the dreaded entire-page-is-highlighted syndrome? Have no fear, because these easy steps will have your students writing amazing annotations in no time. What is annotation? The quick answer is that annotation means taking notes on what […] Read more…
What are types of propaganda? It surrounds us. And teaching our students to be critical thinkers is more important than ever. One (fun!) way to do this is to teach about how propaganda is used in popular culture. Examples are everywhere! Let’s get started: Start with propaganda they know There are so many modern propaganda […] Read more…