PRESTO PLANS BLOG

Teaching The Diary of a Young Girl, written by 13-year-old Anne Frank during the Nazi occupation of The Netherlands, can be a powerful and moving experience for middle school ELA students. This classic nonfiction text provides students with an accessible, first-hand account of struggle, resilience, frailty, sacrifice, and the impact of global events on ordinary […]

Looking for new ideas to teach essay writing in middle or high school ELA? English teachers know that the basic five-paragraph essay is the backbone of all academic writing. But that’s not the only reason why essay writing matters! Students can apply the skills involved in writing an essay, such as communicating clearly, introducing ideas, […]

There are so many things to love about teaching middle school. Middle schoolers are old enough to work independently – at least some of the time! Plus, it’s great to watch students in middle school starting to come into “their own” – developing their own hobbies, interests, and goals for the future. However, there’s a […]

One of the most common challenges I hear from middle school ELA teachers is: How can I engage reluctant readers? I totally get how tough it can be to engage reluctant readers in middle and high school ELA. In my experience, most of them eventually come around, although you might have to get creative in […]

It’s no secret that it’s crucial for teachers to build positive relationships with their students. In my experience, these strong connections are especially important in middle school, where classroom management can be a tricky art (and science!) to master! Over the years, I’ve developed a few tricks to support more effective middle school classroom management. […]

In my experience, there are two groups of ELA teachers in the world: those who love middle school novel study units, and those who don’t! Novel studies can be incredibly powerful tools in middle school ELA. They create a shared culture and common language around a specific text, and students can explore themes and connections […]

If you’re looking for Halloween teaching ideas for middle school ELA, you can’t go wrong with a spooky short story or drama! I love to incorporate seasonal elements into my lesson designs whenever I can, and Halloween is no exception! In my experience, middle schoolers love holidays just as much as their younger counterparts in […]