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
5 Unique Pairing Activities for The Great Gatsby
If you are looking to create a richer and more diverse Great Gatsby unit plan, here is a list of my favorite pairing activities for The Great Gatsby! These cross-curricular Great Gatsby ideas will help you make teaching The Great Gatsby more relevant and exciting for your multi-interest students. Art Pairing Activities for The Great Gatsby Let’s begin by tying Art into English Language ... Read More about 5 Unique Pairing Activities for The Great Gatsby
Don’t Hate, Integrate: How to use Smartphones in the Classroom
I've been utilizing cell phones in my classroom for so long that I had forgotten some teachers are still putting up the good fight to control cell phone use in their classrooms. Back in 2010, my school implemented the "If you can't beat them, join them" mentality and started encouraging teachers to put cell phones to use in their classrooms rather than to try in vain to keep them out. The results ... Read More about Don’t Hate, Integrate: How to use Smartphones in the Classroom
Halloween ELA Activities for Middle School and High School
Fall-themed worksheets, spooky season lesson plans, or Halloween ELA activities, whatever you call your October lessons, you can make them both festive and educational for middle school and high school students! Here are a few of my favorite fall and Halloween ELA activities that are fun enough to spice up your spooky season and academic enough to where you wouldn't be aghast if administration ... Read More about Halloween ELA Activities for Middle School and High School
How to use Storybird in Secondary ELA
I've been using Storybird since 2012 with my high school students, and it's one of my absolute favorite websites. If you are a secondary teacher, you probably either haven't heard of this gem, or you think it's too elementary for your older students, but I hope this post will persuade you to give it a try in your high school or middle school classroom because it's seriously ... Read More about How to use Storybird in Secondary ELA
