Read about how to design an effective summer school curriculum for secondary ELA. Engage students in meaningful content that they missed during the school year.
Whenever I teach freshmen or sophomores, I always begin the school year with a short story unit. I use this unit to introduce literary elements to my
This blog post explores innovative and engaging lesson plans for any novel unit... ranging from task cards to book instagram pages to a novel podcast project. Student choice is key here, and students can find something they would like to complete in order to convey their reading, comprehension, and
Looking for games to play with a classroom? This list of English games in the classroom is exactly what you need to engage students!
A poetry analysis graphic organizer designed to be paired with any poem. Created using Google Slides so it can be printed or assigned digitally. Structure: How many stanzas/verses? What words/phrases emphasize the images or themes? Are there words and/or lines repeated? What is the line length/rhyme scheme? Meaning: What is this poem about? What is the poet’s main message? Does the message change? What are the main ideas in this poem? Imagery: What pictures do you get in your mind when you read the poem? Does the poem contain similes, metaphors or personification? Why do you think the poet has included these images? Language: What words have been used to create images? Are there any complicated words? Is the language simple to understand? Which words and phrases create the images? What adjectives are included? Color, size, comparison? Effect: What is the effect of the poem? What does the poem make you think or feel about? What is the poet trying to say about their subject?
Filler Activities for ELA (blog post) What can you do with five extra minutes in secondary ELA? Here are a few ideas to engage students until the bell.
Pixar short films are a great way to target essential literary elements and techniques from characterization to theme to conflict to symbolism. These Pixar short films inspire class discussion and analysis, and students can then in turn write essays based upon these films. They are an excellent to
Hello darlings! Do you teach vocabulary to your students? I think this is one thing we are missing in the upper grades and we are doing a disservice to our students. As they move up levels in reading, the thing that I notice that holds my students back the most is the challenging vocabulary they ... Read More about Adding Vocabulary to your ELA Block
Are you noticing some gaps in your curriculum? Are you looking for some new, creative ideas for how to fill these holes in your ELA curriculum? This post gives you 10 creative ideas for how to fill holes in your secondary ELA curriculum.
Have you been wanting to try stations in your Secondary ELA classroom but aren't sure where to start? Read through this quick post where we share 8 station ideas and how to use them with your ELA students.
The Best Anchor Charts for your ELA classroom all together in one place! You will find outlines to utilize in Reading Literature, Reading Informational, Writing and Language. Explained in this blog post is about the purpose of utilizing anchor charts in your daily instruction. Along with tips to organize your charts. Below is a collection […]
Whether your students are lethargic or super-charged, adding movement to your lesson plans will help to solve both issues. Not only is it healthy to move throughout the day, but it can also help students focus and become more engaged with the content they are trying to master. Due to the nature of English classes, ELA ... Read More about 10 Ways to Add Movement in the ELA Classroom
With distance learning in full swing, here’s a closer look at ten resources that English teachers can digitally assign their students. All of my SMARTePlans
What is ELA? Well, for starters, it might help if I instead asked, “What does ELA mean to you?” You might be surprised to know that what you refer to as ELA might not be how a teacher from another state defines it. There are (very!) diverse opinions about this topic. The reason this is
When I was in college, I had a class with a girl whose entire American literature experience revolved around Transcendentalist texts. She went to a private school and had most of her classes outdoors. I found her and this outdoor learning concept fascinating. I would bring up the topic any chance I got so she ... Read More about English Outdoors: How to take your ELA class outside
Get an outline for teaching all the reading and writing standards in your Middle School ELA class.
Looking for meaningful ways to make learning relevant? Connecting ELA to real life is fun! Here are 8 approaches both teachers and students will enjoy. #highschoolela #middleschoolela
This post is a guest post by Mrs. T of The Musings of Mrs. T. You can find out more information about the author at the end of the post. ...
Are you looking for some new ideas to offer as an ELA elective class at your school? Click through to get ten new and creative ideas that you can offer as an ELA elective.
Over the years, my students have come to sessions seeking help with literary devices. They have expressed confusion over the terms: literary devices, literary terms, literary elements and figurative language, and they also struggle with the many definitions. What are Literary Devices, Literary Terms, Literary Elements and Figurative Language? Literary Devices are creative writing strategies used by an author to convey his or her message(s). When used well, literary devices help readers to visualize, interpret and analyze literary texts. There are two kinds: literary techniques (which includes figurative language) and literary elements. Literary Techniques are words or phrases in texts of literature that writers use to achieve artistic or creative expression. Literary techniques also help readers to visualize, understand and appreciate literature. Literary Elements are components or pieces that make up a story or literary work. Figurative Language is the creative use of words and phrases that offers a hidden meaning beyond any literal interpretation. How Can Students Understand The Global Concept? I created an image to help students “see” the big picture as well as understand the individual components. Although I have not included all possible literary devices, I have included what I believe to be the most common ones. I hope you agree. Click Here to download a free copy of this image. Additional Resources: If you are also interested in a comprehensive publication that also offers students additional printables, a multisensory activity and a game, Click Here Cheers, Erica Dr. Erica Warren is the author, illustrator, and publisher of multisensory educational materials at Good Sensory Learning. She is also the director of Learning to Learn and Learning Specialist Courses. Blog: https://learningspecialistmaterials.blogspot.com/ YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/warrenerica1 GSL Blog: https://goodsensorylearning.com/blogs/news Stores: www.GoodSensoryLearning.com/ Courses: http://www.learningspecialistcourses.com/ Newsletter Sign-up: https://app.convertkit.com/landing_pages/694000
A figurative language anchor chart is a great resource to use to teach young students about the different types of figurative language.
Supplement your next movie day with this film review template! Works with any movie - no prep required, just print and go. Great for ELA, ESL, Film, or World Language classes! Or a sub plan in a pinch :) Purchase includes 6 print-and-go PDFs with the lined and unlined versions of the graphic organizer in English, French, and Spanish (For English only, click here!) If you use this resource, please rate + review for TPT credits! + Follow Me to be the first to know about store updates + sales! All purchases contribute toward our classroom library fund Related Products Book Review Graphic Organizer Play Review Template Character Portrait Project Mood and Tone Worksheets Bundle Questions? Comments? Concerns? Contact [email protected]
Looking for engaging grammar lessons? Engagement involves active learning, social interaction, connections, and student interest. Start here!
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Preschool through 3rd Grade NO PREP Packets! February is such a FUN month! Kids LOVE Valentine's Day and using that holiday to teach core skills and
Are you looking for some preposition activities to add to your lessons? Check out these posters, videos, anchor charts, and teaching ideas.
This blog post was so popular that I turned it into a book: 102 Little Drawings That Will Help You Remember English Rules FOREVER (Probably). It's available as an eBook and paperback. Click here to
Verbals lessons can involve more than worksheets. Add grammar sorts, online activities, mentor sentences for gerunds, participles, and infinitives.
WHY TEACH STUDENTS TO FIND THE MAIN IDEA? Being able to find the main idea and supporting details of a text is a complex and important nonfiction reading skill for upper elementary students (3rd-5th grade). "Learning
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Here’s an archive of our downloadable activities so far- feel free to download and print off any of these to use yourself or with your club / group / scouts troop / evil supervillain society&…
Most classrooms I've taught in have at least one or two early finishers that grasp the lesson quickly, speed through the independent wo...
Similes Classroom Poster. Created by The Writing Doctor. Visit "The Write Prescription" dot com.
15 pairs of words - students practice choosing the words with positive connotations.
The figurative language anchor chart shared in this blog post includes a cooperative activity. Visit this post to download the FREE materials and replicate this interactive lesson in your upper elementary classroom!
Are you a teacher or a parent of a first-grade student searching for free printable phonics worksheets? Look no further! We have a collection of engaging and educational worksheets that will help your child grasp essential phonics skills. These worksheets cover a range of phonics topics, including letter recognition, sounds, blending, and segmenting. Designed for first graders, our worksheets offer an interactive and enjoyable way for young learners to improve their reading and spelling abilities. Whether you're teaching in the classroom or at home, these free printable phonics worksheets are a valuable resource for developing strong foundational skills in reading and writing.
This blog post explores innovative and engaging lesson plans for any novel unit... ranging from task cards to book instagram pages to a novel podcast project. Student choice is key here, and students can find something they would like to complete in order to convey their reading, comprehension, and
