Teaching Through Film in 5 Powerful and Purposeful Ways
Let's face it. Longform movies have become the new "books" that students are struggling to "read." It used to be that a teacher would include a movie in a lesson or unit, and the students would break out the popcorn and settle in for a fantastic class! Nowadays, when...
6 Proven To Build a Fire Short Story Activities
There are so many classic Jack London stories, but my favorite by far is his To Build a Fire short story. Don't let the title fool you- the story does not revolve around the steps of building a fire. In fact, no fire is actually created in the story. The irony of the...
10 New Year’s Resolutions Worksheet Ideas
At the start of the New Year, making resolutions can be a fun way to develop critical thinking skills and teach life skills, both of which are important, especially in middle and high school. The start of January is a fantastic time as students are acclimating to a...
7 New Year’s Poem & Resolutions Activities
When we get back to school after a two-week break, it can be practically impossible to start something big, whether that is a unit, a project, or a book study. Instead, you might want to begin the new year by gently guiding your students back into the swing of things....
7 New Years Poem & Goals Activities
As you know, I am a huge fan of killing many birds with a single stone, metaphorically at least. I try to integrate several skills and texts into every single activity I teach. That's why I start off the year with a New Years Poem after Winter Break. It is tough to...
A Poem About a Dragon & 5 Daring Activities
Are you tired of teaching the same poems over and over again every year? Want to breathe life into your poetry repertoire? Check out this poem about a dragon! This poem about a dragon tells the tale of a child's journey to discover a dragon's egg, which ends in an...
7 Reading Skills EVERY Student Needs to Master
Teaching reading skills is quite a challenge in today's age. I know when I want to learn a new skill, strategy, concept, or idea, I often get frustrated because I have little patience. I feel I should be able to master something in ten minutes or less, and I'll admit...
5 Focused Lessons for The Lottery Story by Shirley Jackson
I can clearly remember reading The Lottery story by Shirley Jackson in 11th grade. My English teacher, Mr. Canning, gave us zero background information, previewed nothing, and just read the story aloud to us. And I still remember the shock the whole class felt at the...
3 Solid Strategies for Making an Inference in Reading Comprehension
Sometimes, I feel like I don't have a clue. After having 4 children in the last 7 years, my mind just isn't what it used to be. I don't easily pick up on what people are trying to tell me half the time. I don't see any true hints or indications, at least at the time,...
7 Short Stories Popular With Teens
When it comes to selecting what we want to read in our classrooms, we should consider several things like our students' reading level, text language/vocabulary, complexity, literary value, and engagement. Short stories popular with middle and high school students seem...
Hi, I’m KRISTIN!
I primarily focus on integrating multiple disciplines and subjects. The goal is to make teaching simplified and effective!