Classroom community building activities and free ideas and lesson plans to kick off the school year or implement at any time.

Middle grade books are admittedly some of my favorites to read. Both when I was in middle school and now as an adult. My only regret is that I hardly read

Use poetry to encourage reluctant readers! Novels in verse are a great choice for middle-grade readers! These ten novels are perfect for keeping upper elementary and middle school students engaged while reading.

If you are getting started with Interactive Notebooks, then this blog post is just for you. With information on choosing the right book, page numbering, envelopes, bookmarks, and tables of contents, this post has it all to help you get started on the right foot. Help your upper elementary and middle school students shine with interactive notebooks that scream organization, structure, knowledge, & fun. Ideal for social studies, history, math, science, and ela, interactive notebooks are the best.

hold students accountable while they independently read with these easy to implement reading tips and tricks and strategies

This is a fun lesson to do with those 6th graders who are just too "cool for school", lol. I showed the students this You Tube video where Batman & Robin are fighting the bad guys and on the screen are onomatopeoias (the kids LOVED it): Next, I had my slideshow playing on my new, fancy projector. I had the definition of onomatopeoia, sample artwork, various words they could choose from, and comic book fonts. I also had this handout printed out for kids to refer to: Here are the samples of artwork that I showed the class before we began our artwork: And, of course, I HAD to share the art of Roy Lichtenstein with this project: As you can see, these samples are layered with text and color, so for our assignment, students cut out black and white text from magazines and glued them all over their 9x12" paper. Then, they sketched out which word they wanted to put on their art. We used scrap paper to sketch out our ideas so they didn't mess-up their 9x12 collage work. When they were ready with their final idea, they used a sharpie marker to draw their words and details that describe their word on their paper. We didn't even get to the color part of this project yet today, but they are so excited about this one! Give it a try! If you want the slideshow, leave me a comment and I can e-mail it to you :)

Social Emotional Learning (SEL) has been found to promote academic success and increase students' commitment to school. Generally, there are five key components that make up social emotional learning. These competencies include self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and decision making. Today, I'd like to focus on ways to help students develop self-awareness. Self-awareness includes one's ability to recognize emotions, have an accurate self-perception, identify strengths, develop confidence, and show self-efficacy. Researchers have found that a student's ability to control his or her feelings, thoughts, and behaviors can be linked to academic success. So, let's take a look at some easy ways to help students develop an awareness of their individual characteristics and personal emotions. All About Me - A - Z This activity helps students to define and identify a variety of aspects about themselves. They'll create a list about themselves with a characteristic, quality, or emotion for each letter of the alphabet. Materials: Piece of paper, pen or pencil Directions: - On a piece of paper, have students create two columns. (Or grab a ready-made poster here.) - Have them write all the letters of the alphabet in each column. - Then, challenge them to write something about themselves for each letter. For instance, they might write "gregarious" for G or "curious" for C. Ideas: - Share your own A to Z list with students first. - Create a class list of emotions and descriptive words to get students started. - Assemble students' finished lists in a class book. Moment of Mindfulness Mindfulness is a great way to build self-awareness. Since mindfulness is all about paying attention to the present moment, it's a great way for students to pause and reflect on how they are feeling, what they are thinking, and what they need in the present. It's simple to do too! Ways to take a moment of mindfulness: - At the beginning of class, have students close their eyes and take several deep breaths. Ask students to pay attention to their breathing. - Share a mindfulness quote with students to help focus students' thoughts during a moment of mindfulness. - Pause during instruction and have students do a self-awareness check. Encourage them to be mindful of their thoughts and feelings. Reflective Journaling Reflective journaling is a powerful way to help students become self-aware. With targeted writing prompts, students can develop insight into their feelings, make sense of their experiences, and build clarity on their thoughts. When students write about their own experiences and feelings, they become more self-aware. Materials: - A notebook and/or computer, pen or pencil, writing prompts - A list of writing prompts that spark self-reflection, these might include: --- Write about a time when you were proud of yourself. --- List ten things that make you feel excited. --- Reflect on how you have changed this year. --- What is something that you find challenging? (Check out a set of 10 engaging prompts here.) Ideas: - Have students respond to their prompts as if they are writing a letter to themselves..."Dear me..." - Read students' responses and respond to their writing in the margins. Add questions and positive notes at the end of their writing to build connections and spark further reflections. - Schedule a time each day or week for journaling to make it an intentional part of your classroom community. Growth Mindset There are many ways to help students develop a growth mindset. When students develop an understanding that all forms of intelligence are malleable, they are inspired to work toward success. That's why it is so powerful to infuse lessons about growth mindset into instruction. Giving students a moment to reflect on their own mindsets builds self-awareness. Materials: - Short lessons or articles about Growth Mindset to help students understand the differences between a fixed and growth mindset. - Series of questions about students' own mindsets. Directions: - After teaching students about Growth Mindset, have students respond to questions about their own mindsets. - Give students a chance to share their responses with a partner, small group, or the entire class. Ideas: - Share and display inspirational quotes about growth mindset. (I particularly love paper desk tents. They are an easy way to display quotes right on students' desks.) - Highlight important people who demonstrate a growth mindset. Emotions Skits Researchers have noted that there are at least six universal emotions. These include happiness, sadness, anger, surprise, fear, and disgust. Help students investigate and demonstrate these universal emotions by challenging them to write a short play or skit that involves a character or many characters experiencing one of the universal emotions. Materials: - List of the universal emotions, paper, pen - Skit planning pages (optional) Ideas: - Review the six universal emotions with students. As a class have students brainstorm what each emotion looks like (how people look when they are experiencing that emotion) and sounds like (what people might say when experiencing that emotion). - Brainstorm situations where people might feel each emotion. Encourage students to share personal situations when they felt a certain way. - Divide students into small groups. Secretly assign each group an emotion. - Challenge students to write a script that their small group could act out for the class that demonstrates that emotion. - Have small groups perform for the class. Have the audience identify the emotion prevalent in the skit. Self Check-In Daily feelings check-ins are a great way to build self-awareness. When students are given the opportunity to assess how they are feeling and share their emotions with others, they begin to know themselves more fully. Self check-ins also help normalize feelings. Materials: - Paper with an open grid shape - List of feelings Directions: - Pass out the gridded paper to students. - Have them fill the grid with different emotions. - Then, have students display the grid on their desks. - Have them place a token or shape on the emotion that shows how they are feeling at a particular moment. Ideas: - Once students can recognize their feelings, help them to develop strategies for regulating their emotions. - Encourage students to track their feelings over an entire school day. Then, discuss how feelings change in different situations. -------------------------------------------------- I hope you've found a few ways to help students develop self-awareness. Incorporating lessons that target social emotional learning is essential in today's classrooms. If you're looking for ready-made resources, check out this set of 10 SEL reading passages and this set of 6 Self-Awareness Activities. Thanks for stopping by! Mary Beth

Do you hate to teach poetry? Do you want your students to learn and enjoy poetry? Try these simple ways to learn how to teach poetry...

Free printable book report forms for elementary and middle school level readers.

hold students accountable while they independently read with these easy to implement reading tips and tricks and strategies

Middle school novel study favorites - top novel study picks for grade 5-9 to engage and encourage young readers.

With so many of my BIG KIDS struggling with fluency, I worked to make it a part of my daily work with students, a Tier 1 intervention that the majority of the class could benefit from. Reading fluency incorporates three main components: speed, accuracy, and prosody, which directly impact comprehension. While I have shared a great deal about incorporating 6-Minute Solutions, here are a few other ways I worked to make fluency fun for my 6th graders.

Fluency (or stuttering) therapy is an area that many SLPs feel under-prepared to serve. While you may have had an excellent professor on the subject in grad school, it tends to be a lower incidence

A Book Report Project Your Students Will Love!

Item description Would you like to have a collection of reading activities novel study for any novel? Is one of your goals to improve the reading skills of your students with novel studies activities? Would you be interested in exploring new and exciting perspectives of the novels while offering the flexibility of a novel study choice board?   If you found something that gave you all these benefits, would you want to get started with it right away?   Think about what a difference it will make when you start using this engaging novel studies choice board with novel reading tasks in your class! They include:   Instructions for using the novel study choice boards for middle school Black and white novel study choice board with 50 tasks Rainbow novel study choice board – 10 color strips with 5 activities each Thematic coloring novel study choice board – 6 novel studies themes: all about the novel activities character activities speaking and listening activities vocabulary activities artistic activities extensions Choice Board rubric and assessment – with 4 levels of mastery and Teacher’s comments   Sample Assignments: speaking activities like: oral report, dramatization vocabulary and riddles diaries and chronologies main character related activities   Because the novel study tasks come with clear instructions, you can encourage independent work in class which means that your students will be more confident in analyzing novels.   The three version of the novel study choice board are excellent for focusing on a variety of novel studies activities and approaches while you get to save a lot of time during preparation and class work.   The novel study activities are varied and thorough, so you can assign them as a great final project for any novel which means your students will be able to select what will go in their solid portfolio at the end of each novel.   Just imagine how you will feel when you start to get the benefits and results from this resource right in your class!   Are you afraid that this novel study choice board for middle school will not match the needs of your students? I understand exactly what you feel. Don’t worry! Just try it and if you find this resource not suitable for your class, just email me at [email protected] and I’ll get you a full refund.   Suzanne F. has tried the novel study activities in her class and said, “Thank you! I needed new ideas, I have had these kiddos for 2 years. This was just what I needed to give them something a little different from my menu.”   Why don’t you give it a try? Click on the “Add to cart” red button and you can use it right away!

Pictures books are amazing to read in the middle school classroom. When I was in college, my favorite education professor, who taught literacy, read

Learn how to change a child's inflexible thinking with this collection of tips, books, and activities to develop a growth mindset for kids!

Memory wheels are a great end of school year activity for upper elementary and middle school students. Learn about memory wheel templates.

What is the purpose of literature circles? How do you structure a literature circle? How long should Literature Circles last? What is the teacher's role in

Novel Studies that Promote Higher-Order Thinking Have you been following along our novel study journey? If so, you may have seen my posts about using interactive novel workbooks instead of typical novel studies. Novel workbooks are

Build research and writing skills with a historical travel brochure project. Your students will research a historical location and create a unique travel brochure, a perfect way to showcase learning!

You’ll love everything about these 25 last week of school ideas and activities for elementary and middle school students! Get end of the year activities and party ideas including theme days, outdoor fun, memory books, and even escape rooms on this end of year activities list. Perfect for 3rd grade, for 4th grade, 5th grade, and even 6th grade!

Thirty of the best new and classic middle school and middle grade books with diversity and different genres to add to your or your child's reading list.

Use informational picture books in your middle or high school classroom. Really.

Interactive notebooks are coming more popular in all classrooms, but how do you know if you should implement them? Get the benefits of interactive notebooks

Clever ideas for kids' book reports, from mint tins to cereal boxes to a Wanted poster.

Encourage reflection and celebrate achievements with an end-of-the-year activity for students in elementary or middle school.

Looking for a Passion Project or Genius Hour resource that is primary and middle school friendly? You've found it! This resource includes a student inquiry packet which allows them to plan, organize and create their passion project independently. This is a GREAT activity for Genius Hour. In addition, I like to give it to my "over-achievers" that get their work finished quicker than most students, and need something constructive to do. My students know that if they finish their work early, they can work on their "Passion Project". They LOVE it, and I know that I am providing them with quality work that is engaging. ALL pages of this project can be seen in the preview. If you like this product, you may find these products useful as well! Classroom Rules and Procedures- Editable! Anchor Charts for Literature! Create-A-Book Template! Great End-of-the-Year Vocabulary Review! Comprehension Questions and Journaling - Great for Self-Selected Reading! I am a Geographer! Brochure Template Let's Stay Connected! I have WEEKLY FLASH FREEBIES! For the latest on my new products and flash freebies- Follow Learning Today Leading Tomorrow at: Learning Today Leading Tomorrow's Facebook Page Learning Today Leading Tomorrow's Store

Engage your students in reading response activities with this fun Cereal Box Book Reports activity. Your students will "eat up" this activity!

Ready for one of my favorite ways to teach students about writing, reading, creativity, and even kindness? It’s something that elementary teachers have known all along…it’s the picture book! The picture book is a powerful instructional tool that can work in any classroom…and I thought I’d share some examples of my favorites with you today. I’ve put the collection of books in a simple (and free) PDF with links that you can download by clicking this LINK. I’ve also paired each book with a ready-made unit that you can easily teach in your classroom too. Feel free to download the PDF at any time. In the meantime, let’s take a look at some of my favorite picture books for any classroom. First, I’m sharing a book that is great for the beginning of the year as you’re building a positive classroom community. Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts taps into a child’s innate need to have what everyone else has. In this case, the main character longs for the “cool” shoes even though they are too expensive for his grandmother to purchase. After finding a pair that is much too small, the main character makes the ultimate sacrifice for a classmate. It’s a touching story that celebrates kindness and classmates…perfect for any time of year. (Click HERE to check out the book.) Picture books are also wonderful examples of creativity. Since learning to be creative has shown to be one of the most powerful skills for helping students thrive in life, it’s important to celebrate creativity in the classroom. These two books do just that… Not a Box by Antoinette Portis is fairly simple at first glance. A box shape is turned into everything expect a box – a robot, a hot air balloon, even a rocket ship. It’s a fun example of “thinking outside of the box,” just imagine all the creative lessons you could do as an extension to this story. (Click HERE to check out the book.) The Three Pigs by David Wiesner is another example of creativity. This time students see how a traditional story can be flipped on its head and come to life with a little imagination. This book is the perfect springboard for lessons about thinking in new and creative ways. (Click HERE to check out the book.) Picture books are wonderful for adding a little humor and whimsy into the classroom. You can keep these two books on your shelf for a rainy day and pull them out when students can use a laugh. And…as a major bonus, humor produces psychological and physiological benefits that help students learn. One of my favorite funny books is The Book With No Pictures by B.J. Novak. While there are no pictures in the book, there are plenty of silly words and crazy sentences that you, the reader, must read out loud. Students love how “powerless” you become against the words Novak makes you say. You’ll all be laughing together with this book! (Click HERE to check out the book.) Another funny book filled with voice (and a sweet message) is Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great by Bob Shea. Not only is the book funny as the goat laments about the new Unicorn in town, it’s also cleverly written. There’s a lesson in this book along with a few laughs. (Click HERE to check out the book.) What about using picture books to teach critical ELA skills? That’s a genius idea. For instance, if you’d like to teach theme, try The EmptyPot by Demi. It’s one of my favorite stories because the reader learns its themes of honesty and integrity along with the main character that shows up to a gardening challenge with an empty pot. Not only is it a great way to teach theme, it’s a lovely way to showcase important character traits too. (Click HERE to check out the book.) The next time you’re putting together a writing unit, have students begin by reading mentor texts in the form of pictures books. It’s a super engaging and quick way for students to learn about the critical elements of the genre. I always started my memoir writing unit with a review of several picture books like The Baby Sister by Tomie dePaola. (Click HERE to check out the book.) Want to each about figurative language? It’s easy with picture books. Send students on a figurative language hunt in a book like WhiteSnow Bright Snow by Alvin Tresselt. The story has a poetic quality as it tells about the first snowfall of the year. (Click HERE to check out the book.) Alright, I could go on for days…but I better stop right here. I just love how picture books are a powerful way to help students learn about critical ELA topics and build character. Remember, you can check out a list of all my favorites in this FREE download. Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope some picture books make an appearance in your classroom! See you soon! Mary Beth *This post contains affiliate links.

The purpose of this unit is for students to have the opportunity to complete an independent study with teacher guidance and assistance in developing the research content and product. About this Product I developed this activity for a Gifted and Talented 7th and 8th grade independent study program. The independent study provides students with an opportunity to self-select and self-direct their independent learning project, with teacher support. Gifted students need guidance and teacher monitoring in the development of the content and product of an independent study program. This packet provides that support and guidance in the steps of brainstorming a unit of study, outlining the questions and goals of their unit, setting a timeline and steps for achieving their goals, and documenting their progress. ★Check it out!: This unit is included in the Gifted and Talented Middle Grades Unit Bundle at a discounted price! Included In this Product This zip file contains both an EDITABLE word version and secure pdf version of the product. Page 1: Student Packet Cover Page Page 2: About this Project Page 3-6: Selecting A Topic of Study Page 7-8: Planning Your Study/Asking Questions Page 9-10: Independent Learning Contract Page 11-14: Map Out Your Work Calendars Page 15: Gather Information and Develop Product Credits: Book graphics from Glitter Meets Glue Designs are only included in the cover graphic of this post ONLY. (Note that no graphics are included in the product due to the product containing an unsecured, editable format.) ***************************************************************************** Related Products: Gifted and Talented Unit - Logo Design Gifted and Talented Unit - Sneaker Economic Design and Marketing Gifted and Talented Unit - Fantasy Fiction Worlds Fanatics *****************************************************************************

Looking for project based learning ideas for middle school or elementary school students? They will love planning a road trip from start to finish!

A selection of the best books for 7th and 8th grade compiled by cross-referencing multiple authoritative sources.

Trifold brochure templates for student projects! Design your own student brochure project, making assessment creative and analytical at the same time!

So many ways to help learning stick!

Let your students use these Lobster Notebooking Pages as a part of their crustaceans or biology study while they write, draw, and color what they've learned about these clawed or armored

These small, square books “explode” into a series of square and triangular pages when you open them. Each student constructed their own book with decorative papers, cardboard, ribbon, and construct…

One of the things I do every year that really makes a difference in my students' learning is having them use notebooks to store notes, examples, work, and

Middle School First Chapter Friday Book List. High-interest, engaging book recommendations & ideas for use in your ELA classroom

Summer is quickly arriving! You want to make sure your students don't lose what they gained. Check out these tips for preventing summer slide.

Public speaking activities: 5 fun speech exercises, with instructions and extension activities, to build skills and confidence. For middle school upwards.