Middle school novel study favorites - top novel study picks for grade 5-9 to engage and encourage young readers.
When I think about student writing, one of the most difficult concepts to teach is sentence fluency. Much of excelling at fluent writing revolves around students’ background with literacy. Certainly,...
Middle school novel study favorites - top novel study picks for grade 5-9 to engage and encourage young readers.
Guide to using Social Studies Simulations to step away from the lecture podium and engage your students with hands-on history activities.
Three favorite activities for a The Outsiders Novel Study - character analysis, symbolism illustration, and 5W News Reports!
The key to engaging science instruction is engaging our students in the science process. A few labs into the school year I always find myself planning a lesson about the science process and scientific variables. I find myself asking “How did they mess up that graph after I explained it 3 times?” “Why didn’t they […]
I rounded up some World War II free resources for a middle school unit study because I plan on tackling this tough part in American history soon.rnrn
Looking for study skills worksheets for high school or upper middle school? Check out these 10 study skills worksheets.
Good study habits and techniques are critical to help students learn more efficiently, feel more academically confident, persevere through challenges, and ultimately do their best. Sometimes, it's easy to assume that learners already have these skills intact. The truth is that they sometimes don't;
I can hear it now. One student defiantly raises a hand as I begin teaching Greek and Latin root words. Before I can even begin explaining the benefits, the student asks, “Why are we learning about this in English class?” Next time you have a student asking why they need to study roots and vocabulary from Greek and Latin, have this list on hand.
Kinesthetic learners like to be active, and become easily bored in a traditional classroom. Here are 14 strategies for kinesthetic learners.
Wondering how you can reach middle school students? They're in that tricky time between kid and teen, but we have you covered with these ideas and tricks.
Teaching about sustainability and including sustainability activities in middle school and high school can impact current and future students.
The bulk of our homeschooling years are spent in the elementary phase, and I believe the books and curriculum we choose is critical to our own longevity
Learning how to teach students to take notes not only benefits students, but makes the job of a teacher so much easier. See how I help my...
For many students writing can be intimidating and overwhelming. That's why it's essential to provide students with a variety of writing activities to make learning meaningful and rewarding. Here are a few of my favorite ways to make writing engaging for reluctant writers in your classroom. TIMED WRITING ACTIVITIES Timed writing activities challenge students to race the clock as they write as much as they can during a fixed time period. Students are encouraged to “just write.” There is no pressure for perfection. In fact, the only parameter is that they need to write for the entire time. The fun nature of timed writing activities help students develop confidence as they experiment with the writing craft. Here are a few challenges to try...*** In 5 minutes...make a list of 25 things you can do with a hula hoop. *** In 10 minutes...write a fan letter to your idol persuading them to send you an autograph. *** In 15 minutes...create a new kind of toy for toddlers that entertains busy toddlers. CLICK HERE for 15 more! WRITING HANDBOOK (with examples and prompts) Another way to support reluctant writers is to teach short, targeted mini-lessons to help build students' writing skills. When students are provided with more support and examples of writing, their own writing improves. As their skills develop, so does their confidence. When developing writing mini-lessons, I like to include:*** A specific topic like audience, voice, or word choice. *** Written examples of the skill for students to analyze. *** A writing prompt for students to practice the skill. Find 26 writing mini-lessons HERE. CREATIVE WRITING LESSONS Reluctant writers benefit greatly from creative writing lessons. Not only are creative writing lessons highly engaging, they're also a lot less intimidating than formal writing genres. Also, creative writing lends itself to sharing. When students share their writing they build a community of writers and develop their skills as they listen to each others' writing. Here are some of my favorite FREE creative writing lessons:*** Spooky Story Writing *** Myth Writing Lesson *** Limerick Writing Lesson ENGAGING WRITING UNITS An essential part of writing instruction is guiding students through the writing process as they create different genres of writing. In my experience, the ideal writing unit is 2 weeks in duration and includes step-by-step instruction for each aspect of the writing process. To make longer writing units appealing to reluctant writers, the key is to make the topics engaging. For instance, here are some engaging topics for different styles of writing... *** Descriptive Writing - Imaginary Pet Sketch (mystery animal) *** Persuasive Writing - Write a roller coaster advertisement *** Informative Writing - Create a historical news article WRITING MINI-LESSONS One of the best ways to help reluctant writers build their skills and confidence is with targeted writing instruction. I love mini-lessons that can be easily incorporated into writing workshop, writing units, writing centers, or everyday writing instruction. When developing writing mini-lessons, I try to make sure they are... *** Quick and targeted *** Fun and engaging *** Filled with practice Check out my 10 favorite writing lessons HERE. CHOICES Teachers have long known that choices are the key for engaging reluctant learners. The same holds true for writers. One of the easiest ways to motivate students is to give them choices when responding to writing. Grab this free choice board filled with writing prompts here. WRITING PROMPTS Reluctant writers need lots of opportunities to write. The more they write, the easier it will get. The easier it gets, the more success they'll feel as they write. There are lots of ways to use writing prompts in the classroom... *** Warm-up activity *** Homework assignment *** Learning station task Grab a FREE set of 20 fun writing prompts HERE. ---------------------------------------------------------------- I hope you've found a few ideas for helping your reluctant writers transition into confident writers! Thanks for stopping by, Mary Beth P.S. Check out this blog post filled with 3 secrets to fantastic writing instruction.
Need homeschool unit studies ideas for theme learning approach and hands-on homeschool curriculum, incorporating a variety of subjects and topics like math, science, language arts, and social sciences? You'll learn: what are unit studies as a homeschool method or style of homeschooling and how to write your own learning unit, even using free homeschool resources for free unit studies for kindergarten / preschool and up! (YES, even middles school and high school aged student theme units!)
Middle school novel study favorites - top novel study picks for grade 5-9 to engage and encourage young readers.
First impressions are powerful. Make your first statement to your students a positive one.
Looking for strategies to help make math class more efficient and therefore have a more effective math class for your middle schoolers?
Homeschool unit studies can be the perfect curriculum option. A giant list of unit study curriculum reviews, instructions and links to more!
How prepared are you feeling for the transition to middle school? What can we do to help prepare our children for 6th , 7th, and 8th grade? This is the conversation you need to have as you navigate middle school with your tween or teen,
In many ways, strong executive functioning skills are the foundation for success. These are the mental processes that help learners plan through assignments, organize materials, initiate a task, manage time well, stay focused, try new strategies when stuck, and persevere until the completion of a go
Knowing how to effectively research and filter information is an essential life skill. I suggest 5 simple steps to teaching information literacy which are summarised in a poster.
Engaging, fun ways to teach your students summarizing skills. Strengthen their reading skills and provide practice with this challenging concept.
Get your students thinking like a historian from the get-go with these tips and ideas for your first Social Studies lesson of the year.
Want to learn new pedagogy in education best practices? Read how I attended professional development and gained new knowledge. Click here!
Help your upper elementary students prepare for their transition to middle school with this printable Middle School Transition student workbook. Students will share worries, excitement, and consider their questions related to middle school throughout the exercises, which cover opening lockers, hygiene, organization tips, study habits, peer pressure, friendships, and more! Included in the workbook: Resource cover Workbook cover Contents Same & Different Venn Diagram I’m excited about (3 pages) My worries (2 pages) Would you rather? My locker Opening a locker What if I get lost? (3 mazes) Making friends My questions Getting organized Study skills Peer pressure Healthy habits & hygiene Not alone True or False? My interests My talents My hobbies Elementary school memories (2 pages) Doodles page Answer keys for mazes and matching Terms of Use, Related resources, Credits The workbook does not assign a specific grade as elementary or middle (5th vs. 6th, e.g.). Your download includes a flattened 37-page PDF with printer-friendly blackline clipart (no color clipart included). All text and graphics are flattened per the clip artists' and font artists' Terms of Use. Page counts include a Cover, Terms of Use, related resource links, and Credits. The workbook is the perfect companion to my Middle School Transition Digital Lesson! Explore more middle school transition resources: Middle School Scoot Game Cruising into Middle School - Questions Commonly Asked by 5th Graders Writing Prompt - Advice for the Student Who Will Sit at this Desk Next Year Opening a Combination Lock 5th Grader Exit Interview Survey Writing Prompt - Middle School Transition Discover more lessons from Counselor Station: Time Management lesson Study Skills lesson Test Anxiety lesson Peer Pressure lesson Responsible Decision Making Skills lesson Leave a review to earn credits toward future TPT purchases!
If you teach middle school Social Studies then you know that you NEED to have a supply of resources to get your students engaged and excited about the content. What I’ve put together for you are 5 resources I use in my 8th grade U.S. History class to make Social Studies more enjoyable to my students. Hopefully they’ll do the same for your students! INCLUDED IN THIS BUNDLE: Geography Karate Challenge U.S. History Karate Challenge How Do You Measure Up? [Fun Bulletin Board] 6-Pack of Word Walls Student Conferencing "Deli-Style" Connect with Surviving Social Studies... Be sure to follow my TpT store by clicking on the ‘Follow Me’ next to my logo to receive notifications of new products and upcoming sales. Follow me on Pinterest Follow me on Instagram Thanks for stopping by! Surviving Social Studies Terms of Use: Copyright ©Surviving Social Studies. All rights reserved by author. This product is to be used by the original downloader only. Copying for more than one teacher, classroom, department, school, or school system is prohibited. This product may not be distributed or displayed digitally for public view. Failure to comply is a copyright infringement and a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Clipart and elements found in this PDF are copyrighted and cannot be extracted and used outside of this file without permission or license. Intended for classroom and personal use ONLY.
If you've ever wondered how to make geography more interactive, this list of 100 hands-on geography activities for middle school is perfect for you.
Newly Updated!! So many of our students who have speech and language disorders also exhibit executive function (EF) deficits. We found that most of our students benefit from guidance in the many executive function domains including organization, short-term memory, time management, task initiation, goal setting, and sustained attention. There is growing evidence that suggests that EF’s continue to develop through late adolescence, highlighting the importance of focusing on these tasks in middle school and high school! This packet is full of activities and resources for your students! Each activity can be printed for use as needed. There are also study tips, test-taking strategies, a helpful study guide outline, and a comprehensive list of helpful apps for students! Resources include: *Daily Homework Logs *Daily Homework Logs *Weekly Homework Logs *Monthly Homework Logs *Daily Afternoon Schedule *Weekly Afternoon Schedule *Daily To-Do List *Project Task Analysis *Goal Setting: Goal-Plan-Do-Review *Strengths and Weaknesses Self-monitoring Worksheet *Daily Self-monitoring Checklist *Study Tips *Test-taking Strategies *Study Guide Example Worksheet *Helpful Apps for Students Check out our Editable Google Docs version: Executive Function Remote Learning Tools For Even more Executive Function Related Resources click the link to head to our Executive Function Category within our TPT Store: Executive Function Category
This is such a crazy time with most schools transitioning to online classes. For most of us, online classes are foreign territory and were not our first choice. Taking classes online is great for some people! However, for others, it can be hard to stay focused and turn in work on time. As someone who …
10 inexpensive rewards to use in your middle school class.
Find out how I teach character and idea development in middle school!
The pencils are sharpened, your classroom is clean and the bell rings…gulp…here they come! My feelings on the first week of school are conflicted. On one hand, it’s one of the most important weeks. Explaining and practicing the class procedures and expectations sets the tone for the rest of the school year. Success is vital. On the other hand, I’m so excited to start teaching my historical content that waiting until all the expectations are explained requires a lot of patience! Every teacher has their own plan of action for that pivotal time. Here are 5 things I can’t live without during the first week of school: One: An Icebreaker. I aim to try and make kids feel comfortable in my classroom on day one. One of my favorite little activities is Fact or Fiction. Each student receives a small slip of paper and they’re instructed to write one fact and two fictions. Then each person (including myself!) introduces themselves and we all try to guess which statement is the fact! It’s a great way to quickly learn about each other. Two: Classroom Information and Expectations. This is every teacher’s staple, I know, but it had to go on the list because it’s a must-have! When you’re making your own, spell everything out – from the obvious grading procedures and late work policy to how to pass back papers and when to sharpen pencils and go to the bathroom. Trust me, leave no stone unturned. Your classroom will function much better if you set the tone from day one. (Oh, and don’t forget a seating chart!) Three: Fun and Games. On the second day of school, I love to start class with a little game. It’s a great way for the kids to start practicing our classroom procedures and expectations while getting familiar with their teacher and classmates. Here are some of my favorite games that I use during the first week of school: (P.S. Some of these activities can be found in my Back to School Activities resources! Click the grade level you’re teaching to check them out: Sixth, Seventh, Eighth) InstaFriend: This activity gets students moving around the room and interviewing fellow classmates! Their InstaFriend paper has a series of descriptions and characteristics. When they find a student who matches the description, they write their name in the box. Each name can only be used once! Right or Wrong: I love skits. LOVE THEM. I like to introduce students to the idea of skits during the first week by allowing them to create their own based on our class expectations. I first divide students into small groups of 2-3. Each group then randomly receives one of our class procedures or expectations. As a group, they have to work together to create two mini skits – one showing the RIGHT way to follow the expectation, the other showing the WRONG way. They get to be silly and I get to reinforce my class expectations. After each skit I happily point out all the positive behaviors as well as each time a class policy was violated. It’s a light-hearted way to grab their attention and create a positive atmosphere all while practicing the laws of the land. Classmate Bingo: I love to play this game at the end of the first week. I give each student a blank bingo board with a large selection of personal characteristics, hobbies, etc. at the bottom. The students choose 16 off the list and create their customized board. Then, I randomly select characteristics from the list. If a student has that characteristic on their board, they have to write down a student’s name that matches the characteristic – but no cheating! They have to use what they’ve learned about others during their first week of school to try and win the game. Four: A Pre Test. After a few days of class information and fun, it’s time to start getting down to business. Each year, I make a short pre-test on the information they’ll learn about that year. It gives me a chance to see what the kids already know and gives them a feel for what subject matter they’ll be learning about in the coming weeks. FYI: Your pre-test probably won’t take the whole class period. Make sure to have plans for other activities, too, on the day you give your pre-test! Five: A Writing Activity. True fact: when I tell kids they’re going to do a writing activity, they groan every time. It’s a signal that the “real work” is about to begin. Luckily, they’re always relieved when I assure them that this activity will require very little research because it’s about a subject they’re experts in – themselves! I have a few different activities to choose from each year. Here are some suggestions: Student Survey: What are your strengths? Weaknesses? What do you hope to learn in this class? These are just some of the questions I ask students in the survey. The more I know about my students, the better I can help them achieve success in my class. Write Away: A staple of many: write a letter to a future you! I ask students to write goals for the year, dreams they wish to see realized, and questions they want to ask their “End of the Year” self. I tuck these letters away and revisit them during the last week of school. I’m Ready: Like every middle school history class, we do a lot of writing and students always have to back up their reasons, statements, etc. with evidence to support their claim. In this writing activity, students have to identify which class rule or expectation they believe is most important and provide evidence to support their claim. This activity both reinforces my classroom policies and secretly gives me a preview of their writing proficiency. Have I left anything out? If you have any fun plans for the first week of school, share them in the comments. I’m always looking for new ideas for my classroom!
Are you frustrated by your students' efforts to take effective notes? Quickly and easily teach them how to take effective outline notes.
If you're looking to learn more about daily agenda slides to save time, you're in the right place! This post features agenda slides tips and examples.
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.
