At the end of each novel I teach, I like to have my students participate in some sort of culminating literary analysis project that allows me to assess their understanding of the novel, its major literary themes, and other elements of literary significance. Sometimes the end-of-novel literary analysis assessment will be the literary analysis essay and sometimes it is more of a hands-on project. Whatever I choose, I like to provide my students wil creative literary analysis activities throughout the year. When it comes to a culminating literary analysis project, I like to vary the requirements ..read more

If you are struggling with student artificial intelligent (AI) use in your classroom and you are looking for ways to approach AI and academic integrity in your classroom, you’ve come to the right place! In this blog post, I am going to share five ways teachers can combat and embrace student AI use … because whether we like it or not, AI is here, and it is here to stay. It is just as integrated into their Gen-Z lives as the mixtape was for older millennials. I vividly remember learning about the release of ChatGPT. I was in awe. I quickly created an account, played around with it, and then did ..read more

Teaching students how to write a multi-paragraph essay is a process, and it isn’t something that can be taught in one class period, nor is it a skill that we should expect our incoming students to know. Before I even assign my students a multi-paragraph essay, I first take several weeks to teach paragraph writing, and I typically do this with my short story unit. You can read more about this process in my blog post about how I break down writing instruction. However, once my students are ready to make the jump from paragraphs to an essay, I still continue to break down my writing instruction ..read more

Starting off the school year with short stories is a great way to engage the learners in your classroom as soon as you are ready to start instruction -whether that be the very first day of school or one week into the school year after some ice-breaker and introductory activities. When I teach sophomores, I like to start the school year with a short story unit. In my classroom, I use my Introduction to Short Stories Unit and my Literary Analysis Sticky Note Unit for short stories, and they work really well together. Here are four reasons why it is a smart idea to start your middle school ELA o ..read more

Of of the most engaging and interactive ways to start the new school year is by facilitating a back-to-school station activity in your classroom. Using back-to-school stations as a classroom activity during the first week of school a great way to get your students up and interacting with each other. Furthermore, back-to-school stations are also great for getting to know your students and handing out important class information. Here is a more in-depth look at the back-to-school station activity that I use in my classroom. You might also want to check out my other favorite back-to-school ideas ..read more

With the back-to-school season upon us, it is time to begin planning for the first-week-of-school activities you’ll complete this school year. Here are 15 engaging and fun first-day and first-week school activities for middle and high school students. 1. Student survey Having students complete a classroom survey during the first week of school is a great way to get to know your new students. I’ve used this free back-to-school survey for years, and it is a valuable tool. After my students complete this survey, I keep them behind my desk organized alphabetically by class period in a binder. Thi ..read more

I sure wish my students inherently loved to read, and they all had wicked vocabulary skills, and I never had to convince them that a text was worthwhile of their time. But that’s hardly ever the case, and more often than not, I have varying degrees of reluctant readers in my classroom. So the question becomes, How do I engage my reluctant readers? By the time students are in high school, they usually have a long history of not enjoying the reading requirements in school. And honestly, every student will probably be a reluctant reader at some time because they all have their own interests, exp ..read more

Bring modern novels into your classroom with creative contemporary works. We often hold tight to the curriculum we have used for years, but many modern titles are just as worthy of our classroom time. I have been creating a series of posts related to modern pairings to classic literature. Read on to see my suggestions for Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte.  Classic Focus Jane becomes an orphan at a young age, and never quite feels like she fits in. Her courage is tested again and again as she finds herself up against unfair circumstances and societal standards. She finds a job caring for a ..read more

As a high school English teacher, I teach students how to read literature and write essays. In fact, reading and writing form half of the four major pillars of ELA instruction: reading, writing, speaking, and listening. And while it is essential to engage of the learners in our classrooms, those who need help with reading and writing might be less willing to engage in classroom discussions. With targeted approaches and support, struggling readers and writers can improve their skills and gain confidence in the high school English classroom. Here are five tips for engaging struggling readers an ..read more

Do you need a modern novel to pair with the classic Macbeth? Shakespeare’s Macbeth is still one of his most wildly popular plays. I’m not saying we are all sitting around reading Macbeth, but we see countless retellings in novels and film today. Almost any story with unethical and unchecked ambition or guilt-spun paranoia has ties to the plot.  If you’re looking for something with a modern spin as you wrap up a Macbeth unit, read on to see my favorites. Let’s start with an overview of the play. Classic Focus Macbeth by William Shakespeare Brave and respected, Macbeth sits one night arou ..read more