Whether you're teaching a communications elective, a journalism class, or really, any ELA class at all, there is so much to tap into in the world of modern media. The process of sharing ideas in
Have your lessons have lost their spark? Are you searching for some creative inspiration? This #2ndaryELA Twitter chat was all about out of the box teaching ideas in the ELA classroom. Middle school and high school English Language Arts teachers discussed interesting fiction and nonfiction pairings. Teachers also shared creative activity and projects that are both fun and rigorous. Read through the chat for ideas to implement in your own classroom.
At the end of each novel I teach, I like to have my students participate in some sort of culminating literary analysis project that allows me to assess their
Jumpstart your literary analysis instruction with these engaging and effective activities and mini lessons for middle and high school ELA!
Are your students disinterested and tired of the traditional ways of learning characterization? Have you been searching for a really fun, student-centered, interactive way to eliminate their boredom? Well, look no further! I present to you a wonderful student-collaboration activity that will get your students involved and excited for a character analysis for any novel, […]
AI is everywhere these days—from our social media feeds to the smart gadgets we use daily. But when it comes to bringing AI into our English classrooms, a lot of us aren’t quite sure where to start…
Have your lessons have lost their spark? Are you searching for some creative inspiration? This #2ndaryELA Twitter chat was all about out of the box teaching ideas in the ELA classroom. Middle school and high school English Language Arts teachers discussed interesting fiction and nonfiction pairings. Teachers also shared creative activity and projects that are both fun and rigorous. Read through the chat for ideas to implement in your own classroom.
In this podcast/post, I'm sharing some of my own favorite classroom activities you can use with any Shakespeare plays and the results of my Shakespearean treasure hunt around the web. If you're looking for some fun resources to engage students with Shakespeare, click through to learn more!
Are your students disinterested and tired of the traditional ways of learning characterization? Have you been searching for a really fun, student-centered, interactive way to eliminate their boredom? Well, look no further! I present to you a wonderful student-collaboration activity that will get your students involved and excited for a character analysis for any novel, […]
Engage students in meaningful poetry reading and writing activities. Here are SEVEN assignments both secondary teachers and students will enjoy.
Jumpstart your literary analysis instruction with these engaging and effective activities and mini lessons for middle and high school ELA!
Have your lessons have lost their spark? Are you searching for some creative inspiration? This #2ndaryELA Twitter chat was all about out of the box teaching ideas in the ELA classroom. Middle school and high school English Language Arts teachers discussed interesting fiction and nonfiction pairings. Teachers also shared creative activity and projects that are both fun and rigorous. Read through the chat for ideas to implement in your own classroom.
Engage your students with this "Creative Rhetorical Appeals Lesson - Collaborative Mural Project" – a cross-curricular experience designed to immerse students in the world of persuasive communication. ✨ Interactive Learning Experience: Transform rhetoric into art with this engaging lesson! Students not only grasp the essentials of rhetorical appeals but also participate in a collaborative mural project that brings their newfound knowledge to life. Boost Learning Impact: Watch your students' understanding of rhetorical appeals soar as they independently practice and decorate their part of the mural. This impactful project, completed in just one or two class periods, leaves a lasting impression on both students and observers. Classroom Showcase: Create a visually stunning class mural that showcases each student's unique contribution. This project isn't just a lesson; it's an opportunity for students to "claim" their learning environment by leaving a tangible mark on the classroom or school hallway. Comprehensive Resources Included: Worksheet for Independent Practice Teacher Guide for Seamless Implementation Teacher Example for Visual Guidance Empower Your Students: Encourage creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration as students actively engage in this cross-curricular project. The included resources provide a structured framework for a smooth and impactful lesson. Why Choose This Lesson: Engaging and interactive approach to rhetorical appeals Quick and impactful completion in one or two class periods Stunning mural project adds a visual element to the learning environment. Resources provided for both students and educators. Transform rhetoric into a visual masterpiece! Grab this Creative Rhetorical Appeals Lesson now and watch your students claim their learning environment with pride!
This quick post takes a deep dive into the secondary ELA freebies of TPT. There’s a lot of good stuff out there, but these fifteen are my current favorites. Check out the list and I’ll be stunned if there aren’t at least three you want to go download (free!).
A lesson plan! A lesson plan! My kingdom for a lesson plan!
A digital escape room includes all of the same concepts as a physical escape room, but instead takes place in a video game like setting...
Engage your high school ELA students with these creative activities and enhance your Macbeth unit. Students love to demonstrate their understanding of literature in untraditional, creative ways. These differentiated activities for Shakespeare's Macbeth include creative writing, drawing, performing, and collaborating. These are engaging ways to assess students' understanding of plot, characterization, symbolism, imagery, and much more! Model projects and scoring rubrics included. No-prep. Printable PDF or TPT Digital Easel Activity FIVE resources: MACBETH Act 1 CREATIVE WRITING ACTIVITY Assume the Persona of a Character Studying characterization in the first act of Macbeth is essential for students’ understanding of the dynamic transformation of characters throughout the play, Shakespeare’s universal illustration of the influence of ambition and the destruction of guilt. This creative writing activity requires students to adopt the persona of a character and think the way he or she does. To begin, there is a scenario describing the night of Duncan’s arrival at Inverness. Students are to imagine that Duncan is preparing a speech to honor his warriors, Macbeth is writing in a journal, Banquo comments in a log, and Lady Macbeth is entering thoughts in her diary. There is a definition of persona and its etymological origins. Following are directions for the activity which require students to assume the persona of Macbeth, Banquo, or Lady Macbeth and complete the entry described. For each character, students are provided with three important points to cover. For example, for Macbeth include thoughts about the witches’ prophecies, Duncan’s kingly graces, and his love for his wife. Students are required to include a quote from Act 1. I’ve included directions about quoting: slashes for line ends, brackets for omissions or clarification, block quotes, and citation format (MLA). Students are also required to provide a graphic, art, photo, bitmoji…anything that portrays their characters’ state of mind. The composition requirements include length (250-300 words) and a reminder to follow class format requirements. As a model, I’ve included a speech by Duncan, which illustrates the various requirements of the activity. (I really enjoyed writing that!) I include the graphic which is Sleep and his Half-brother Death by John William Waterhouse. Finally, there is a scoring rubric, which I encourage kids to use as a checklist when writing and peer editing. The activity is PowerPoint, is editable, and prints out on standard 8.5X11” paper. The format is attractive; clear font; relevant graphics. ________________________________________ MACBETH Blood Imagery in Acts 1 and 2 Identification of Symbolism Activity "Blood" is used 109 times throughout Macbeth. The blood symbolism varies with character and situation; however, I've narrowed the "blood types" to G--Guilt, A---Ambition, and H---Honor. In this activity, students examine a quote and choose the correct test tube: G, A, or H. There are 15 quotes from the first two acts. The first one is completed as an example: Duncan: "What bloody man is that?" (1.2.1). Students would draw an arrow to the test tube labeled blood type "H" for Honor. The soldier's blood represents honor; he's been in battle fighting to keep King Duncan on the throne. I provide a SUGGESTED Key for this blood symbolism activity. Some of the quotes’ symbolism can be interpreted differently, prompting kids to make different selections for blood type. However, in my experience, students benefit from the discrepancies and the opportunity to champion their answers. Additionally, this resource is a great way to review the first two acts of the play because it requires students to put the quotes in the context of the play, recall the point in the plot from which the quote is extracted, note the character’s motivation to make the statement, and study the imagery. ________________________________________ MACBETH Act 3 Four Differentiated Creative Activities to Assess Understanding Four differentiated and creative ways to assess students’ understanding of Macbeth Act 3! Completed collaboratively or used as an assessment. The first activity provides 12 quotes. Students are asked to highlight particular words or phrases, for example: Macbeth: To be thus is nothing, But to be safely thus. Our fears in Banquo Stick deep, and in his royalty of nature Reigns that which would be feared. (3.1.48-51) Highlight yellow the sentence that reveals feelings of insecurity. Highlight orange the name of the man he fears. Highlight blue the reason he fears this man. Students then rewrite a section of the excerpt in their own words: In your own words: “royalty of nature” The second activity focuses on Banquo’s murder. The scene is written in vernacular with Banquo’s and the murderers’ dialogue left blank for the students to fill in. This is an effective way to review the scene and assess students’ understanding of the language. There are 16 tasks in this section. The third activity’s instructions read: “If Banquo’s ghost could speak…and only Macbeth could hear him…. Imagine what Banquo’s ghost would say. Fill in the missing dialogue.” There are four imagined responses by Banquo that students must produce. Finally, to cover the final summarizing scene in the act, I’ve created a Scottish newscast. Students must fill in the blanks with the names, events, and places that Lennox reports on: Good evening. This is Scotland Update; I’m Lennox reporting. Tonight we report further strange occurrences surrounding the newly established King of Scotland, brave _______________: Macbeth compelled by loyalty to former King ________________, in a righteous rage after finding the gracious King murdered, killed the ______________________of his chamber. Subsequently,__________________, close personal friend of King Macbeth walked too late and was believed to be killed by his son, __________________, who fled the crime scene…. ________________________________________ Macbeth Act 4 Scene 1 Analysis of the Witches The witches in Macbeth are intriguing to students. Their association with Macbeth contributes to his characterization. They also add so much to the mood and character motivation. Their messages are symbolic, mysterious, and misleading---tragic for Macbeth. This resource is to be used when students complete their study of Act 4, Scene 1 of Macbeth. This is a creative group project that requires students to study the witches' song, the apparitions' prophecies, and Macbeth's reactions, and complete the following tasks: ---Compose a song listing ingredients that a modern-day witch would drop in the cauldron ---Create a poster of the prophecies noting symbolism and message ---Write a diary entry for Macbeth revealing his musings over the prophecies and his thoughts about the throne. I provide a scoring rubric. I usually give groups three class periods (about an hour and 45 minutes) to prepare their props and "rehearse" their presentation. Kids love this project, and it is a fun way to discuss characterization, plot, and symbolism. __________________________________ MACBETH CHARACTERIZATION CELL PHONE ACTIVITY Fun and Creative! This is a fun and fabulous way to assess students' understanding of Shakespeare's characterization in Macbeth ♦What is Lady Macbeth watching on Netflix? ♦What's on Banquo's playlist? ♦What might Macbeth have in his online shopping cart? Enhance students' awareness of character development. The directions for the activity are as follows: --Imagine that your character exists in our society. --Imagine a phone homepage that displays his or her apps. --Choose apps from the following options, and then complete the illustration/discussion component for each. (Brief description= 150-225 words). ---Be sure to accurately represent your character’s traits. ---You will be evaluated on creativity and evidence of your understanding of the plot and character. I provide a blank cell phone where students draw or paste a background. They must then choose options under categories that include: ---Entertainment ---Social connections ---Shopping online ---Legitimate news ---Self-indulgence (selfies, ringtones, games). Students discuss why their character would have accessed or posted various items. There are many ways to use this activity in your classroom. Consider offering kids the following choices or choose one for the entire class: Poster/Collage: This is a great way for the artists in the class to demonstrate their knowledge of characterization while demonstrating mad art skills. Provide kids with a poster board that they can section off for each component of the activity. Completed projects can be displayed for a gallery walk. A variation of this strategy is to offer students old magazines (that pile leftover in the library from days gone by) or have students print images from the internet to glue onto poster boards. They also include the written portion next to their graphics. Hard Copy: Students can create a cover with the phone template and devote a page to each of the components of the activity. I’ve done this often with great success. I then devote some class time to passing them around to appreciate classmates’ work. Digital Copy: You can push the activity out to students so that they can complete the tasks on the computer or devices in whatever format they or you choose (docs, slides, PowerPoint) and submit digitally. These are easily shared with the class as well. Collaborative Presentation: I recently had my seniors complete this activity for Othello in collaborative groups. They all contributed to a slide presentation. It was fabulous because for each component they provided links that took the class to music videos, movie clips, newscasts, etc. It was quite engaging and so much fun! ________________________________________ MACBETH Fun and Creative Activity for Characterization, Theme, and Blood imagery One-Pager Students love this fun and cr
My favorite teaching units are my research and rhetorical analysis unit. I love teaching rhetorical analysis and assigning students a rhetorical analysis PAPA square. Read on to learn more about the rhetorical analysis PAPA square activity and to sign up to receive your own free copy! I love providing my students with the knowledge and resources they need to critically read and analyze text, know why it is powerful, and understand how the author crafted it. I feel that truly understanding the language and the text, primarily through rhetorical analysis, is something that makes all of my students critical thinkers.
Have your lessons have lost their spark? Are you searching for some creative inspiration? This #2ndaryELA Twitter chat was all about out of the box teaching ideas in the ELA classroom. Middle school and high school English Language Arts teachers discussed interesting fiction and nonfiction pairings. Teachers also shared creative activity and projects that are both fun and rigorous. Read through the chat for ideas to implement in your own classroom.
Are you looking for ways to make learning more meaningful in your Secondary ELA Classroom? Check out these twenty five creative project ideas that I have found to be meaningful and successful while also motivating for learners.
Here’s what we need to remember: the first day of class is the first chance to make an impression, to set a tone, and to signal to students the kind of atmosphere they can expect walking through your doors every day for third period. Once you know what you want your room to feel like and you can
Teaching the writing process? Try involving students kinesthetically. Play Doh can work for big kids, too! My high school students absolutely love this writing analogy that walks them through each stage of the writing process as if they were sculptors crafting a masterpiece. Differentiate your instr
This post shares my favorite writing project with you, and shows you the simple steps you can take to launch a high-engagement personal writing project that culminates in a public performance of student work. This is an ideal way to help juniors and seniors with college essays too.
For most of us as English teachers, reading was a love-at-first-sight kind of experience, and while some of our students have that same natural love for reading, others simply have cold feet. Thankfully, it only takes a little creativity and the right reading activity for a love of reading to bloom. To foster this love
Like teaching remotely, ending the school year while teaching remotely is anything but ideal. We miss our students and our classroom communities we’ve built.
My favorite teaching units are my research and rhetorical analysis unit. I love teaching rhetorical analysis and assigning students a rhetorical analysis PAPA square. Read on to learn more about the rhetorical analysis PAPA square activity and to sign up to receive your own free copy! I love providing my students with the knowledge and resources they need to critically read and analyze text, know why it is powerful, and understand how the author crafted it. I feel that truly understanding the language and the text, primarily through rhetorical analysis, is something that makes all of my students critical thinkers.
Looking for fun and engaging end of novel activities for middle school and high school? I've got you covered! Continue reading to learn about five activities
Now that the 2017-2018 school year has come to a close, I am spending some time reflecting on my practice as an educator. While there were some lows of the
Ways to teach literary elements - three engaging ways to teach the elements of literature with strategies and teaching tips
As the school year comes to a close, you might be looking at your calendar thinking, what on earth am I going to do with these random extra days? Or maybe you have room on your calendar for a final unit, but no idea what to do with your students. I’ve got your solution right he
Three favorite activities for a The Outsiders Novel Study - character analysis, symbolism illustration, and 5W News Reports!
Teaching and learning Orwell's 1984 is INTENSE. Use these seven 1984 activities to add some creativity to your high school ELA students' learning experience. Evaluating your students’ understanding throughout the novel is essential to assure they’ve comprehended and can analyze and synthesize Orwell’s important messages (and, as I encourage, “SAVE THE WORLD!”). Tests and essays sometimes confine students’ personal expression, and too many formal evaluations and reading checks become tedious. Here are resources that tap into your kids’ creativity and still allow you to check understanding. No Prep Printable PDF or TPT Digital Easel Activity BUYER COMMENT: "This is a great resource to use with the text. The activities are engaging, allow for deeper thinking, and offer a new perspective to a classic novel. Love all of the ongoing activities that can be used throughout the course of the novel." Click on the links above to see previews of each resource's content and engaging format. Bonus: Bookmarks and a poster/packet cover This bundle of creative resources for 1984 includes: First, 1984 One-Pager to assess understanding of theme, characterization, and propaganda Students receive a template on which they write a theme from the novel and doodle or draw illustrations or symbols that depict the theme. I provide spaces in which students provide a quote with a citation that they have chosen to represent the following characters: Winston Julia Parsons O’Brien Mr. Charrington Any prole Any Eurasian or Eastasian Winston’s mom Students include an illustrated depiction of the character in the block Another space prompts kids to write a quote that describes propaganda in the novel. Then they must doodle their depiction of the propaganda in the block Clear directions for the activity with the template Scoring rubric Completed sample ________________________________________ Second, “Are You a Prole?” Characterization Activity/Text Analysis Have students explore the passive majority of Oceania and discover how much they have in common with the group that frustrates them so thoroughly throughout Orwell's 1984. This activity provides 26 excerpts about the proles from the text of 1984 Each excerpt includes a question about the portrayal of the proles Students must then respond to a related “yes or no” question about their own behavior In the end, students tally their “yes” responses and refer to a chart to determine if they are indeed proles. Culminating questions impress the importance of recognizing and resisting propaganda and realizing one’s civic responsibilities ________________________________________ Third and fourth are creative activities designed to entice students reluctant to read Goldstein’s book: Goldstein’s Book Collaborative Project and Presentation Students are divided into six groups Each group is assigned an excerpt from Goldstein’s book Each group focuses on specified topics and answers questions about their content Students develop a fun and engaging way to present the information to their classmates A list of 20+ possible creative approaches to presenting. Groups receive a chart to organize tasks among themselves. A scoring rubric for the presentation is provided Two pages of “Teacher Tips” for the successful use of the activity ________________________________________ Goldstein's Book Graphic Organizers Fun and Effective! There are 15 pages of tasks: • Charts • Maps • Graphic identification • Cycles • Fill-ins • Application questions • Higher-order questions • Quotes from the novel There are also 15 identical answer key pages with complete answers ________________________________________ Fifth, Ministry of Love Torture Effectiveness As members of an elite group of criminal analysts, students demonstrate knowledge of the various successful methods employed by the Ministry of Love. Provided with excerpts from Chapter 2 of Section 3 of 1984, students provide a “title” for the method described then briefly explain how this method would be an effective interrogation technique. The first exercise is completed as an example. ________________________________________ Sixth, “What’s on the Character’s Phone?” Relevant Characterization Activity Students imagine they have access to a 1984 character’s secret phone Activity instructions are as follows: Imagine a phone homepage Choose apps and complete the illustration/discussion component for each Draw or paste a background. Choose options under categories that include: Entertainment Social connections Shopping Legitimate news Self-indulgence Students discuss why their character would have accessed or posted various items ________________________________________ Finally, seventh, 1984 Collaborative Research and Presentation Project--Comparing 1984 to Today This 1984 culminating activity, collaborative research, and presentation activity is a fabulous way to have students recognize the similarities between 1984 Oceania and present-day society. Groups choose one of the four topics: TECHNOLOGY AND PRIVACY THOUGHT CONTROL RELATIONSHIPS PATRIOTISM Students research, discuss, and present information about the historical or personal events that might have influenced Orwell to imagine such a world Present evidence that Orwell’s prophecies have parallels in our society or have no parallels in our society. Thank you for considering this bundle of resources. Click below to explore all the 1984 resources that I offer in my store: 1984 RESOURCES Related Products: 1984 Individual Chapter Activities for Comprehension and Analysis Bundle CREATIVE NOVEL PROJECT--Dystopian Worlds 1984 COMPREHENSIVE UNIT - CREATIVE AND ANALYTICAL ACTIVITIES PROPAGANDA POWERPOINT-Great to Pair with Dystopian Literature- Compelling! POSTERS: DYSTOPIAN LITERATURE CHARACTERISTICS POSTERS ____________________________________________ Connect with me… To follow my store and receive notifications about new resources and store sales, click below: FOLLOW O SOME GREAT STUFF FOR ENGLISH TEACHERS TPT STORE Follow me anywhere and everywhere… FACEBOOK PINTEREST INSTAGRAM BLOG Subscribe to my monthly newsletter AND receive a valuable free resource; click below: MONTHLY NEWSLETTER Have a pleasant day! Lori O
Middle school novel study favorites - top novel study picks for grade 5-9 to engage and encourage young readers.
Use these high-impact strategies for teaching vocabulary to make learning active and engaging in your middle school or high school classroom!
How are you using Interactive Notebooks for high school? Check out these ideas for analytical, organized lessons packed with student input!
Need a fun first day activity to break the ice and get students connecting? Try hexagonal identity one-pagers.
