It’s my mission in life to make sure secondary students don’t lose their love of reading. Elementary teachers do a fantastic job of making reading a magical experience, and I believe this magic can continue in middle and high school as well. One way I’ve fostered a love of books in my classroom is with free-choice independent reading. When to do free-choice reading Students get 10 ... Read More about How to Incorporate Independent Reading with Middle and High School Students
STEM in English Language Arts Class
It wasn't until my Assistant Director of Schools tweeted a picture I sent out with the caption, "Mrs. Bible using STEM in ELA," that I realized I was even doing STEM at all. I just thought I was doing a really fun tiny house project! Ha! After that, I was all like: If this is STEM, then I'm in! ;) STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and math (or ... Read More about STEM in English Language Arts Class
10 Things for English Teachers to Have on Hand that Make it Look Like You Have a Plan
I think my brain must work better in panic mode because many of my more creative ELA ideas come to me about 5 minutes before class begins when I have absolutely no plan for the day. I can normally throw something together pretty quickly, but I’ve learned that if I have my panic mode English teacher supplies ready and stored in my classroom, then I can actually act like I have my stuff together ... Read More about 10 Things for English Teachers to Have on Hand that Make it Look Like You Have a Plan
Fun Poetry Activities That Even High Schoolers and Middle Schoolers Love
It has been my experience that most secondary students don’t enjoy poetry. Sure, there are a select few of the artsy types that get into it, but most students are not fans. To be honest, I’ve not always been a big poetry fan either, so I can relate. But as I’ve grown to learn, poetry doesn’t have to be stuffy, boring, or traditional. Once you experience a few fun poetry activities, suddenly both ... Read More about Fun Poetry Activities That Even High Schoolers and Middle Schoolers Love
ELA Podcast Pairings for Middle and High School
Text sets, and specifically post ELA podcast pairings, help create dynamic ELA lesson plans because they provide ways for students to connect and synthesize information. When readers synthesize information, they bring together a collection of diverse perspectives and varied genres to create a better overall understanding of the material and themes. Podcasts are my favorite text pairing media ... Read More about ELA Podcast Pairings for Middle and High School
Valentine’s Day Activities for Middle & High School ELA Students
Planning fun Valentine's Day activities for my high school students is important to me because I want to make sure each of my students feels loved and considered. When I was in elementary school, I hated Valentine's Day. It was always SO nerve-wracking for me because I was TERRIFIED of being that kid who only got two or three valentines on exchange day (and only because they had parents who ... Read More about Valentine’s Day Activities for Middle & High School ELA Students
