The crumpled pumpkin is the perfect middle school Halloween writing activity. For one thing, it is an exercise in collaborative writing which is a guaranteed way to get even the most reluctant writers to put pencil to paper. It is also great for helping you integrate the spirit of Halloween into your ELA curriculum with […]

If you are teaching “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson, you might be looking for strategies and tips for analyzing this thought-provoking story. I wanted to share my best tips for helping you guide your students through all elements of this classic tale! In “The Lottery,” the villagers of a small town gather in the town […]

If you are teaching “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe, you may be looking for strategies and tips for analyzing this challenging plot. Not to worry as I’m sharing my best tips for helping you navigate all elements of this classic story with your students. In “The Tell-Tale Heart,” we enter the mind of […]

If you are teaching “Lamb to the Slaughter” by Roald Dahl, you may be looking for tips and strategies for analyzing the story. I wanted to take this opportunity to share my best tips for helping you navigate all elements of this classic tale with your students. In “Lamb to the Slaughter,” Mary Maloney, a […]

It can be difficult to get students excited about grammar, and understandably so. I used to feel a bit apprehensive myself about the topic. I felt like the way I was teaching grammar to my students was a bit old-fashioned and relatively unexciting compared to some of the other units I taught. It was only […]

Have you ever thought of using bell-ringers in your ELA classroom, but still aren’t sure exactly how they work? Don’t worry: I have you covered. Bell-ringers have been a real game-changer for me, and I know they can be the same for you. So, here are the answers to your 10 most asked questions about […]

Are you someone who likes having a routine, or do you mostly prefer spontaneity? Personally, I like to allow for a mixture of both in the classroom. Even though establishing effective routines can seem to take a lot of time and effort, they end up saving so much more time and effort in the long […]