April is National Poetry Month! This is a great time to get your students thinking, reading, and writing all things poetry. Here are a few low-prep ideas to get you started. Read the poem-a-day at Poets.org. Poets.org: Poets.org is produced by the Academy of American Poets. It is the original online resource for poems, poets’Continue reading “National Poetry Month Activities for Secondary ELA”
Tag Archives: secondary ela
Favorite March Resources for Secondary ELA
Hi teachers! It’s nearing the end of February and March is already next week! Before we get to spring break, there’s plenty of fun holidays and activities that you can celebrate in your secondary ELA classroom. Reading Bingo Challenge March is National Reading Month! If your school celebrates Read Across America Day on March 2,Continue reading “Favorite March Resources for Secondary ELA”
5 Ways to Motivate Students to Read in Secondary ELA
Motivating some students to read at the middle and high school students can be a monumental task. How can you expect to compete with technology that delivers on-demand dopamine hits? There’s no real tried and true answer to that question, but my best advice to just try a variety of strategies to reach as manyContinue reading “5 Ways to Motivate Students to Read in Secondary ELA”
White Elephant Book Exchange In Your Classroom
Why do a white elephant book exchange in my classroom? Doing a white elephant book exchange is a fun holiday and community building activity for students! If you’ve never done it before, it can be amazing to get students in the holiday spirit while refreshing their home libraries. Every student who brings a book, getsContinue reading “White Elephant Book Exchange In Your Classroom”
Thanksgiving Activities for Secondary ELA
With the changing weather and the excitement of winter break just around the corner, this time of year means that students can get pretty squirrelly! Luckily, teaching students about Thanksgiving and the meaning of gratitude translates well into the secondary ELA classroom and there are plenty of important lessons to be had (and keep themContinue reading “Thanksgiving Activities for Secondary ELA”
Halloween Writing Activities for Secondary ELA
This time of year can bring out the writer in anyone, provided they have the right inspiration. My students love anything Gothic, spooky, and mysterious and definitely have their own ideas for a good ghost story. Here are some of my favorite Halloween resources for this time of year. Each of these require no prepContinue reading “Halloween Writing Activities for Secondary ELA”
Favorite Poe Stories to Teach for Secondary ELA
One of my favorite authors to teach this time of year is Edgar Allan Poe. My 8th grade students are absolutely fascinated with the macabre and spooky – and I’ll admit it, I am too! There’s a reason why Poe has been taught in English classrooms for decades – he’s the master of mystery andContinue reading “Favorite Poe Stories to Teach for Secondary ELA”
Argumentative Essay Writing: A Two-Week Plan for Beginners
Teaching writing has been one of my biggest struggles as a secondary ELA teacher. Getting students to start from scratch and come out with a completed and polished argumentative essay seems like a monumental challenge! I learned with time and experience and a LOT of mistakes that it can be done IF the essay writingContinue reading “Argumentative Essay Writing: A Two-Week Plan for Beginners”
Hybrid Socratic Seminar: Two Simultaneous Classroom Discussions
What is a Socratic seminar? A Socratic seminar is a formal discussion (NOT a debate), based on a text(s), in which students ask open-ended questions and discuss answers to deepen their learning and understanding. Socrates, the Greek philosopher, believed that the answers to human questions and problems reside within us, but as mere mortals, weContinue reading “Hybrid Socratic Seminar: Two Simultaneous Classroom Discussions”
Engaging Vocabulary Activities for Secondary ELA
Sometimes teaching vocabulary can be a slog. Beyond the normal dictionary activities, Frayer model worksheets, and flashcards, what else is there? Here are a few engaging ideas for mixing up your vocabulary review in your classroom! Tarsia Puzzles Everyone likes a good puzzle. Giving students a chance to manipulate pieces with their hands gives themContinue reading “Engaging Vocabulary Activities for Secondary ELA”
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