Mentor Texts for Teaching Writing
ELA Buffet
by Darlene
2M ago
Using the right mentor texts has really boosted my success in teaching writing. In this post, we’ll discuss what mentor texts are, why they’re important, and how to use them effectively in your middle school classroom. A good mentor text floats my boat, tickles my fancy, and ruffles my truffles. It’s true. These handy little lifesavers are my secret to engaging my students, provoking deep thought, and fostering their love for language. Now, I can’t wait to share with you how using mentor texts can transform your classroom too! And be sure to hang around for the part where I tell you how to ma ..read more
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Creative Solutions for Engaging Test Prep
ELA Buffet
by Darlene
1y ago
Ask any English Language Arts teacher to identify the absolute worst time of the school year, and I guarantee they’ll give you the same answer: test prep season! Test prep is so dull that you might as well be prepping your students for a nap. But what if I told you there are ways to spice it up so the test prep becomes fun, engaging, and memorable? I’m emphasizing memorable there because that is the ultimate goal, after all. And studies prove that material is more memorable to students when it is presented in a new or unusual way. And for anyone who thinks learning can’t be fun and games are ..read more
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5 Super Helpful Tips for Teaching Writing in Middle School
ELA Buffet
by Darlene
1y ago
If you teach writing in middle school, I’ve got some more super helpful, easy-to-use tips to make your life easier! Before long you’ll love teaching writing, and you’ll breeze through those towering piles of papers and get back to what’s really important. What’s really important? YOU, Put yourself first for a change and do what YOU want to do. Whether it be drinking coffee, watching Netflix, taking your kids to the park, or petting your dog. These writing tips will help you get the most bang for your (instructional time) buck. 1. Assign Authentic Writing Tasks If you want your students to be ..read more
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Lesson Plans for Halloween that are Perfect for Middle School!
ELA Buffet
by Darlene
1y ago
The good news is that October is a spooktacular and fun time of year! The not-so-good news is that Halloween falls on a school day.  So it’s time to start thinking about lesson plans for Halloween. You and I know that whatever we teach that day had better be interesting. You might be wondering how you can incorporate the holiday into your upper elementary or middle-school curriculum without throwing a party or getting too off-topic. Never fear! There are plenty of ways to celebrate Halloween in the classroom while still covering the standards. Here are a few ideas that incorporate readin ..read more
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3 Tips for Teaching Your Students to Write Strong Essays
ELA Buffet
by Darlene
2y ago
I don’t know about you, but when I was in middle school, I always found essay writing to be a bummer and based on the confusing messages they sent, I imagine that my teachers hated teaching essay writing as much as we hated doing the writing. Ms. Print demanded five-paragraph essays, while Mr. Stickler insisted six was the magic paragraph number. Every teacher had different requirements, and they all assigned very specific topics. Asking to choose my own writing topic would have been like voluntarily signing up for detention. I’m sure that some of you had similar experiences. Now that I’m a t ..read more
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10 Reasons to Try Digital Escape Rooms
ELA Buffet
by Darlene
2y ago
It’s first period on a Monday morning. Your middle school students drag themselves into class like zombies. They have no idea you have a secret. They’re about to embark on a digital escape room adventure! After greeting everyone, you tell them that their objective is to learn the four different ways a reader can define unfamiliar words in context. Still zombies.  When you tell them that they will learn and apply four ways to define unfamiliar words by playing a digital escape room game, your zombies are suddenly transformed into living, breathing kids. They cheer so loudly that the princi ..read more
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Use Spiral Review and Kick Test Prep to the Curb
ELA Buffet
by Darlene
2y ago
Dear Ms. ELA Buffet, (lol- so cute!) There are so many middle school ELA standards to cover, and I don’t have time for test prep! How can I help my students practice and maintain skills? Thank you, Spiraling in ELA -You, my dear, Spiraling in ELA, have proven that teachers are brilliant problem solvers! You already have your answer: spiral review. Spiraling instruction greatly reduces the amount of class time required for test preparation and review. After all, sometimes, you teach a reading or writing skill, and your middle school kids run with it like Usain Bolt leading the PTA’s annual fun ..read more
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Why You Should Use a Feature Article to Teach Informational Writing
ELA Buffet
by Darlene
3y ago
Have you ever said the words “informational research writing” to your middle school writers, only to hear the groans echo like a yodel in the Alps? If the answer is a resounding yes, try saying “feature article” next time. You’ll pique your students’ curiosity, and you’ll be embarking on a heck of an informational writing adventure! I’m going to show you the reasons I highly recommend ditching your typical research paper for a feature article unit. What is a Feature Article? Feature articles are short, researched, soft news pieces. They used to be called human interest stories and they’re gene ..read more
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Writing Frames are a Recipe for Success
ELA Buffet
by Darlene
3y ago
Last year I was given a class of struggling middle school writers. It didn’t take long for me to realize that I needed to provide them with even more scaffolding than usual. This is when I began using a lot of writing frames. At first, I was worried that the kids would become too dependent on the frames. However, it didn’t take long for me to realize that providing students with a writing framework is the same as giving someone a recipe. My students needed that recipe to bridge a growing achievement gap. Why Should I Teach Using Writing Frames? Some teachers might argue that writing frames and ..read more
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3 Ways to Use Sentence Stems in Middle School
ELA Buffet
by Darlene
3y ago
When an esteemed high school advanced placement instructor I know suggested using more sentence stems and writing frames with all levels of middle AND high school students, I was intrigued. Honestly, the intrigue didn’t actually set in until I got past the what the heck stage. I couldn’t believe she actually used sentence stems with her advanced placement kids! Weren’t sentence stems too babyish? Aren’t we always aiming for rigor? (I know, I hate that word too.) Well, if sentence stems, or sentence frames, were rigorous enough for AP students, they were rigorous enough for my middle schoo ..read more
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