These are uncertain and unprecedented times. You’re doing your best to adhere to all the rules and regulations. You’re following all the safety and health precautions. You’re staying home and hunkering down. You’re also about to lose your mind. It’s only a few days into “homeschooling”; you’re out of (energy and) novel ideas, you’re ready … Continue reading Cooped Up With Kids During COVID-19
(Read the first installment of this series here.) This week we are continuing our series of examining literary elements as you teach novels in your classroom. The article below describes an approach to using an important scene. Use the ideas to create classroom activities or to engage your students in whole-class or small-group discussions. An … Continue reading Novel Instruction: Four Ways to Approach Plot and Structure in Literature—Part 2: An Important Scene
Our reading habits are changing. This has a lot to do with what we are reading. Tweets, posts, snaps, infographics, and other contemporary text types are ideal for communicating ideas quickly and visually. They have a place in our society — and in our classrooms, too — but they are not substitutes for actual literature. … Continue reading Novel Instruction: Four Ways to Approach Plot and Structure in Literature
Love is in the air! Here is an easy Valentine’s Day activity for your students to make and display in your classroom to add a festive feel for the holiday. 1) Have students trace two circles on a piece of paper. (Plates and bowls are good for this part.) Cut along the lines to create … Continue reading Valentine’s Day Paper Wreath