Dystopian literature remains popular with middle school students, and they can’t seem to get enough of this genre. Books like The Hunger Games or The Giver have been popular since they first hit shelves. But putting aside the most popular books in the genre, what other options do we keep in our library? There’s a lot out there to choose from, and if I’m honest, not all of it is worth the space it would take up on your bookshelf. If your students, like so many others, are itching for more dystopia, what are you going to recommend to them, and how can you get the most “teaching juice” from ..read more

Share these fantasy series with your students. Fantasy is a great genre to use in your classroom. Students love the magic and wonder of stories like The Hobbit or Harry Potter. But setting aside Tolkien and Rowling, there’s a whole slew of fantasy ripe for the picking, but where should we start? Whether using them as part of a lesson, or adding them to your library, here are a few recommendations of fantasy books and series to try with your students. I want you to know that this post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small fee from any qualifying purchases you make. Yo ..read more

When it comes to writing fiction, even professionals struggle with creating enjoyable, engaging dialogue. It’s a part of writing that’s deceptively difficult. Why students struggle with writing dialogue At first glance, it seems like dialogue shouldn’t be so difficult to write. Many students don’t understand how dialogue should work. This is a problem, because poorly written dialogue can bring down an otherwise great story. Bad dialogue drags the pace of the story down, snuffs any tension that might have been building, and makes reading a chore. How should you teach this? This can seem like a ..read more

Reading skills are crucial in middle school. We really have such a short time to get students reading, comprehending, and on level. One way to do that is through graphic novels. Graphic novels have been growing in popularity for a long time, but many teachers tend to shy away from bringing them into the classroom. There are many reasons for this, but one I see is along the lines of “How would I teach a graphic novel?” It’s a reasonable question. To some of us, teaching a comic can be hard to wrap our brains around. How do we bring them into the classroom? Can we bring them into the classroom ..read more

Late assignments, missing work, partially completed tasks. We all struggle with how to deal with these issues. And, especially at the end of a grading period. Work that you may have assessed weeks ago now appears on your desk. Or, you are chasing after a student to get that last item turned in. And it shows up the day grades are due. Depending on your class or school policy, you may be required to accept any and all late work. Even if you don’t have homework, late work can still be an issue. Keeping track of missing and late work can feel like a full-time job! Let’s look at some ways to get st ..read more

What is one of the best ways for students to learn close reading skills? Annotation. But, how do we avoid the dreaded entire-page-is-highlighted syndrome? Have no fear, because these easy steps will have your students writing amazing annotations in no time. What is annotation? The quick answer is that annotation means taking notes on what you are reading. But it’s more than simply outlining a chapter or copying events. Annotation also implies that the reader connects and reflects on the topic. Why is annotation important? When a person annotates a text, he or she asks questions while reading ..read more

Have your students discovered Artificial Intelligence writing tools yet? Would you even know? AI programs have become — well — a lot like Sci Fi becoming reality. Artificial Intelligence is already here If you’ve used Siri, Google, or Alexa — you’ve used AI. We love it, right? Get directions, order from the store, settle the dinner discussion on the causes of World War I. In so many ways, it’s making our lives easier. What is AI? According to CSU Global: “Artificial Intelligence is a technology that allows machines and computer applications to mimic human intelligence, learning from experienc ..read more

Need a holiday writing prompt to keep your students’ interested in content material during the holidays?   How do you keep students interested in writing? Use an engaging — impossible to resist topic! Even though winter holidays are distracting, your students can practice persuasion, description, and creative writing skills. Taking a break from your regular writing topics and focusing on seasonal and potentially silly topics can inspire student creativity and energy for writing! Here are some easy ideas to try: Use parodies By the time our students reach middle school, they are well-vers ..read more

Grading — and more grading! When you teach writing, that is something that never ends! I recently saw an Instagram image of a teacher’s stack of grading for the weekend — next to a ruler.  She had three inches of grading to do (insert sobbing here!). While you can’t always eliminate it, there are ways to save time. Here’s how: When you were getting certified to teach ELA, they didn’t tell you the unspoken secret:  you will be doing a LOT of grading.  A LOT of grading.  Why? You can’t teach writing with a scantron. You want your students to think deeply about what they are ..read more

Student engagement is critical in moving the needle on learning, but sometimes you need to shake things up. Here are some easy strategies to try. What is student engagement? You don’t need me to tell you when your students are engaged –you can usually tell, but it can be helpful to look deeper. According to the National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments, students can be engaged on three levels: behavioral, cognitive, and emotional. Behavioral engagement means students are behaving appropriately. Cognitive engagement refers to your students’ intellectual connection with material ..read more