education
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A Movie Marathon in ELA: Standards-Based Fun for the Weeks Before Break
The weeks before Thanksgiving (and again before winter break) can feel… well, a little chaotic. The students are buzzing, the schedule is off, and let’s be honest… you could use your own breather. But “just showing a movie” in any class is usually a no-go. That’s exactly why a group of secondary ELA teachers and Continue reading
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Bite-Sized PD for Secondary ELA
My department is tiny. There are only ten of us for grades 6-12. We meet pretty regularly though and I love it. Every time that we meet, we do a little bite-sized PD organized by one of us. This month is my turn to present and I’m really excited about. I’m leading a quick 15–20 Continue reading
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It seems too good to be true.
Or maybe it’s just too overwhelming. And I understand both of those sentiments. Just because something is on sale doesn’t mean it’s worth your time, your money, or your lesson plans. I also know that it is pretty much impossible to really preview what you’re getting when you are deciding which one to purchase. I’ve Continue reading
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Five Essential Steps to Comprehension
In a world full of information, understanding what you read is one of the most essential skills a person can have. Whether you’re enjoying a novel, perusing a news article, or tackling a technical manual, comprehension helps you grasp the meaning, connect to new ideas, and make informed decisions. So here are the five necessary Continue reading
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Transforming Test Preparation in the Classroom
Test prep season is an inevitable part of the school year, often met with a mix of stress and determination by both teachers and students. Standardized tests are designed to assess student progress and school performance, but they also bring added pressure for teachers, working to ensure students are prepared. While it’s tempting to shift Continue reading
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Countdown to Kickoff – Ten Touchdown Worthy Football Lesson Plans
Are you ready to bring the excitement of football season into your ELA classroom? To capitalize on the hype with your students, check out these ten football lesson plans designed to engage them while building critical reading, writing, and analytical skills. These football lesson plans are perfect for ELA teachers looking to tap into the Continue reading
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Understanding Comprehension: A Key to Learning
What Does It Really Mean to Comprehend? To be completely honest, when I first started looking into how to help my older students comprehend, I don’t think I fully understood what it meant to comprehend. Read words.Understand what they say. The end. But it is actually way more complex than that. The amount of work Continue reading
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Integrating Grammar with Literature: The Outsiders Guide
In order to fully comprehend any piece of literature, students need more than just an understanding of plot, characters, and themes—they must also have a solid grasp of grammar and syntax. Grammar is the foundation that allows students to analyze how sentences are structured, how ideas are connected, and how language works to create meaning. Continue reading
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Understanding Scarborough’s Reading Rope: A Guide to Science of Reading in Secondary Settings
When it comes to teaching reading, teachers should seek effective frameworks to guide their approach to help students become skilled readers. One really powerful framework that you can use is Scarborough’s Reading Rope. This is another older idea that was introduced by Dr. Hollis Scarborough in 2001. However, it is still a really useful tool Continue reading
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Enhance Reading Comprehension with Effective Grammar Lessons
Grammar instruction plays such a big role in improving reading comprehension! Grammar and syntax gives readers the tools to understand the structure and meaning of texts. At its core, grammar helps students grasp how words work together. GRAMMAR IS HOW we put words together to form coherent sentences, which is essential for decoding the meaning Continue reading
