8 Fun Click Clack the Rattlebag Activities
While searching for short stories my students would love for Halloween, I stumbled upon Neil Gaiman's "Click Clack the Rattlebag." With great pleasure, I sat and read it within 10 minutes. And I was sold! Sometimes, you find a short story that is simply fun and quite...
10 Creepy Short Stories Easy Cheat Sheet
During the fall, creepy short stories catapult into the English classroom with fun and excitement. Who doesn't love a spooky tale around Halloween? Creepy short stories let the readers experience what we fear without the negative side effects of death, dismemberment,...
I Am Poem Example and 5 Unique Activities
Ever since I was a little kid, I have loved to write poetry! It probably started with reading nursery rhymes and then transcended into angsty teen poetry. Now, as an English teacher, I enjoy teaching and analyzing various types of poetry! I also try to make my lessons...
9 Inspiring Ideas to Teach Movies in the Classroom
I will never completely understand why it is considered so "bad" or "lazy" to teach movies in the classroom. As a society, we watch movies ALL of the time. In fact, there are few days I don't see at least some sort of movie clip, usually embedded into social media....
7 Pain-Free Pride and Prejudice Activities
Like many lovers of British Literature, I fell in love with Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice in high school! Who doesn't love the tangled conflict between Darcy and Elizabeth? Who doesn't enjoy the descriptions of the manners, beauty, and simplicity of the time...
5 Fun Activities for the O Henry Gift of the Magi Short Story
If you have never read, the O Henry Gift of the Magi short story, you and your students are in for a treat! This classic short story is traditionally taught in both middle and high school, and there are several reasons for that. The writing is simply that good!...
5 Practical Reasons for Reading Aloud in High School
By the time we got to high school, it was assumed we would have to read a lot. In science, history, and especially English, we were assigned so many chapters and books to read both inside and outside of class. So it was refreshing when a teacher began a class or...
10 Legit Literature Themes You Should Teach
10 Legit Literature Themes & Topics You Should Teach- While teaching reading comprehension is one of the most important things we do as English Teachers, I don't think most of us got into this profession to accomplish only this goal. We want more for our students....
25 Reliable Reading Comprehension Strategies for any ELA Classroom
Reading comprehension strategies are all the rage right now, and I get why. Overall, students are simply not progressing like they should be considering we spend an average of $15,000/per student each year on schooling (U.S. Census Bureau). Unfortunately, that money...
9 Noteworthy Nonfiction Narrative Passages
I have been learning a lot about teaching reading lately, particularly from Natalie Wexler's The Knowledge Gap. As I finish this fantastic read, I am continually thinking about ways to include real and relevant texts like historical sources, nonfiction narrative...
Hi, I’m KRISTIN!
I primarily focus on integrating multiple disciplines and subjects. The goal is to make teaching simplified and effective!