English 10 or Sophomore English syllabus - just edit to meet your own needs! I've included my course information to get you started. Could easily edit for Grades 9, 10, 11 or 12. Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior English Classes!ELA - English - Creative Writing - Sophomore EnglishCheck out adding ...
Traditionally, curriculum maps are developed based on one, golden goal: meeting standards. In my experience and research, standards are not only different in different parts of the world, but oftentimes are limiting or inaccurate representations of the big picture of what students need to learn in a
Poetry is a great way to help students practice inference because so much of poetry lives between the lines. Poets have to be so precise with words and phrases that a great deal of emotion is only ever implied. To help students practice inference, I've put together this collection of 10 engaging poems!
Use Grammar Fails to Engage Students
Short stories are easily one of my favorite types of texts to teach! They are short, which the students already appreciate, but they are also jam-packed with so much complexity and meaning! An author can embed messages and observations about life in ways that informational texts cannot, and this makes reading them that much more enjoyable! Teaching short stories and teaching students how to interpret and analyze a short story can be overwhelming. There is so much packed into one short story, it can be hard to figure out how best to approach it.
Showing the occassional YouTube video can be a great way to supplement student learning and increase student engagement. Check out these titles for ELA.
Using in class discussion is a perfect way to foster critical thinking in high school English classes. Whether it is the Socratic Method...
These IB MYP (International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program) global contexts posters hang up in my classroom all year long! They are so helpful in my teaching of my freshman and sophomore MYP English courses. I reference these posters constantly and move them around the room for stations activities also. I often print these posters on colored paper (or border them in colored paper). I'll then have my students color-code their annotations in the books we are reading using the corresponding colors. It's so helpful! Culture, identity, & community - pink Beliefs, values, & education - purple Politics, power, & justice - blue Art, creativity, & imagination - yellow Science, technology, & environment - green More IB resources: IB Learner Profile posters: click here! IB DP Literature Global Issues posters: click here!
Whether your students are lethargic or super-charged, adding movement to your lesson plans will help to solve both issues. Not only is it healthy to move throughout the day, but it can also help students focus and become more engaged with the content they are trying to master. Due to the nature of English classes, ELA ... Read More about 10 Ways to Add Movement in the ELA Classroom
Teaching Shakespeare's language, particularly thou & you, can help students understand characters' rank and relationship. Here are some tips! (blog post)
Today I am excited to welcome Kim from English Oh My as our guest blogger. She has some great ideas for teaching students to comprehend poetry in a manageable way. Enjoy! Happy April, and Happy National Poetry Month! Poetry is a timeless genre, and it is a part of most English Language curriculum. When I tell […]
You can succeed as a new language arts teacher. Ask for help, be professional, and learn what capabilities you have.
When you were a kid people told you "sticks and stones will break your bones but words will never hurt you." Wrong. The one word project...
Teaching summer school can be beneficial. Some students make gains during the summer, but it's not for me. Read why I DON'T teach summer school.
This collection of resources for study of Paulo Coelho's novel The Alchemist are intended for freshman and sophomore English classes. Bundle includes a quiz with answer key.
Teach Shakespeare in a way that makes his works relevant, engaging, and accessible for high school students. Grab 11 ideas in this post.
I share these stories because I suspect you have also had moments you’re not proud of, stories you’ve never told anyone; I want you to know you’re not alone.
This will be your new favorite go-to short story review activity! Whenever I teach freshmen or sophomores, I always begin the school year with a short story
Remember that time you watched a Facebook video and gave up sugar for a whole week? Or was it gluten? It was probably wine. OK, so that didn’t stick but don’t feel bad; you did agree to donate to that charity. And the proceeds from those cookies you bought went to a really good cause. Speaking of cookies, how often have you picked up a lifestyle magazine and convinced yourself you could be the next Martha Stewart? Also, why do they always put the health and fitness magazines right next to the check out? That’s where I pay for my candy bars! ‘They cancel each other out, though’. That’s what I tell myself when I add them to my basket. I know I’m not the only one guilty of impulse purchases. Be honest… what about those gorgeous, super uncomfortable shoes you never wear but bought because they were on sale? Or the time you ordered that exercise equipment with complete confidence that it would transform you into a supermodel/olympian. Oh wait, maybe that was me… My point is (and I promise you, I do have one) – whether we’re aware of it or not – our choices aren’t as free as they seem. So many of our decisions, every single day, are guided by other people. Usually marketing executives. Sometimes journalists. Occasionally politicians and activists. More frequently celebrities and social media ‘influencers’. Even friends and family have the power to persuade us to change our behavior, think like they do, or ‘call your mother once in a while’. The fact that persuasion is so prevalent in every aspect of our culture means there are a ton of ways you can teach it using fun, relatable, and relevant examples that your students will respond to. In fact, I’ve got eight creative ideas right here! FREE LESSON FOR TEACHING PERSUASIVE TECHNIQUES 1. Analyze print advertisements Even in this digital age, printed advertising isn’t slowing down. Whether it’s giant billboards, or flyers through our letterboxes, you have thousands of persuasive examples to choose from. But I’ve found that one of the best way to engage teenagers is to bring in magazines that appeal to their specific areas of interest and comb through the many (many) pages of adverts. You know your students, so pick a selection of sports, exercise, music, fashion… whatever you think they’ll connect with! 2. Pay attention to current political discourse Youtube is a modern goldmine for recorded speeches. Search for rallies, press conferences, debates, or state addresses to link your lesson to current affairs. But don’t limit yourself to politicians; activists are among the most savvy public speakers. Check the number of views and comments each speech has received for an idea of how effective and influential they’ve been. 3. Evaluate historical speeches Analyzing persuasive language of the past is a great opportunity for cross-curricular projects. Have a chat with the history teachers and find out what they have planned for their lessons. The Civil Rights Movement? An obvious choice would be Martin Luther King, Jr. The Cuban Missile Crisis? Look to John F. Kennedy. The Second World War? Look to Winston Churchill. The Women’s Rights Movement? You can’t do much better than Sojourner Truth. [Click here to view resources on analyzing rhetoric in speeches] 4. Embrace the season If you coincide your lessons with seasonal celebrations, your students will carry on making connections and building awareness even outside the classroom. Big events like the Super Bowl, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and the Olympics are all great opportunities to talk about the power of advertising. While your students watch seasonal commercials, get them to write down all the techniques they spot, like persuasive language bingo! 5. Look to Shakespeare Your students might not realize that persuasive language techniques are prevalent in fiction too, but it’s a great way to interject a language lesson into a literature study. One of my favorite ‘cross-over’ lessons involves Macbeth; Lady Macbeth is the consummate manipulator. But there are so many other examples of Shakespearean characters who use persuasive language to devastating effect – like Iago in Othello, or Claudius in Hamlet, or Cassius in Julius Caesar. 6. Look to the big (and little) screen In my experience, students love any excuse to watch TV in class! Which is lucky as TV and movies are full of fantastic examples of persuasive language. War films are always a good bet for rousing speeches, but my favorite clips to watch and deconstruct with my students are always the closing speeches in courtroom dramas. Persuasive Language Techniques CARDS 7. Turn your students into Ad Execs Encourage your students to learn by doing. Ask them to pick a product or an idea – something they’re passionate about – and design their own advert using persuasive language techniques. This is always a big hit in my classroom; my students jump at the chance to use their creativity in such a free and independent way. 8. Host a debate No study of rhetoric would be complete without a debate. After all, Artistotle defined rhetoric as ‘the art of argument’ so it really is the cherry on top of the persuasive language cake. There’s no better way for students to practice and show off their new persuasive skills and knowledge of ethos, logos, and pathos than to craft their own arguments. And to really get them fired up, the first debate can be choosing the debate topic! So, there you have it! Teaching rhetoric is one of my most favourite elements of teaching English because it is relevant, and all around us! What are your favourite ways for teaching persuasion? Looking for more resources for teaching RHETORIC? Check these out: Persuasive Essay and Propaganda Unit: Grades 7-12 by The SuperHERO Teacher Rhetoric, Propaganda, & Fallacies Flipbook: Mini-Lessons to Analyze Speeches by Secondary Sara Real Life Persuasion Lessons and Activities by Room 213 Persuasive Techniques Bell Ringers - Ad Analysis, Argument Writing, Music by Nouvelle ELA Persuasive Writing: Fidget Spinners by Presto Plans Ethos, Pathos, Logos: Understanding & Writing with Rhetorical Appeals by The Daring English Teacher Persuasive Writing - Graphic Organizers, Planning Pages, and Rubrics by Addie Williams
Product Description: Kick off your school year with this fully editable High School English Syllabus Template, designed to set clear expectations and provide essential information to your sophomore English students. This comprehensive syllabus covers all the basics and more, ensuring a smooth start to your academic year. Features: Editable Format: Customize the template to fit your specific classroom needs, policies, and personal teaching style. Clear Expectations: Outlines classroom rules, expectations, and consequences to create a structured and respectful learning environment. Academic Goals: Clearly defined academic goals to help students understand the key objectives for the school year. Homework & Extra Help: Detailed sections on homework expectations, extra help availability, and use of Google Classroom for seamless communication. Absences & Late Work Policies: Provides guidelines for handling absences and late submissions to keep students accountable and informed. Grade Breakdown: Explanation of grading criteria and paper formatting guidelines to ensure students know what is expected. Sections Include: Welcome Message Goals for the Year Classroom Rules & Expectations Contact Information Materials Needed Homework & Extra Help Google Classroom Usage Absences & Late Work Grade Breakdown Paper Formatting (MLA) Plagiarism Policy Accessing Grades Online Why You'll Love It: Time-Saving: Save time with this ready-to-use syllabus that can be easily adapted to your teaching needs. Professional Layout: A clean and organized layout that presents information clearly and professionally. Student & Parent Friendly: Provides all necessary information in one place, making it easy for students and parents to stay informed. Additional Information: Pages: 2 Grade Levels: 9-12 File Format: Google Slides Copy Ensure a successful start to your school year with this versatile and user-friendly High School English Syllabus Template. Download today and customize it to make it your own!
Answers: 1b 2c 3a 4c 5d 6d 7b 8a (cause and effect) linking_words_phrases (linking words) (linking words)
Are you looking for a syllabus for your Creative Writing class? Here you will find a fully EDITABLE syllabus for any Creative Writing class. This will permit you to make changes to fit your curriculum or school. The areas found in this syllabus are as follows: Course Description Required Texts Course Objectives Essential Question for the Course Grading Policies Unit Outlines This file is set up as a PowerPoint so you can easily change whatever doesn't fit your needs. If you are interested in other Teacher Materials, look at some of the items below Undated Teacher Planner (3 preps) EDITABLE American Literature Syllabus EDITABLE Sophomore English Syllabus Summertime Prep To-Do List (FREEBIE!)
This 10th grade reading list is full of books that are perfect for high school students. It can even be used as the base of a homeschool world literature class.
Starting off the school year with teaching short stories is a great way to engage the learners in your classroom as soon as you are ready to start instruction
I finally nailed teaching symbolism! Using candy was both engaging and efficient - a major win that students remembered all year long!
If you are looking for a quiz that will take most of the period to check your students' reading comprehension skills? This quiz is great for that assessment. Need to take a sick day and need something for your students to do? This quiz is also great for that too. This is a reading comprehension quiz I use when I am teaching my short story unit to my sophomore English classes; however, you can use this quiz in grades 9-12. It consists of 10 multiple-choice reading comprehension questions on plot, literary devices, narration, theme, vocabulary, and characters on Danny Santiago's short story 'Somebody (included with the quiz). There is an answer key included. It takes my students around 30-40 minutes to complete the assessment, if they are reading closely. Included in the zip file: Mac iWork, Microsoft Office, and PDF versions of the quiz Answer Key A copy of the short story
Theme. We know it when we see it, right? But it's one of the most challenging skills to teach kids, in my opinion. Kids tend to say, "Overc...
Book Talk For English Teachers and Other Lovers of Reading
Are your worksheets contributing to meaningful learning, or just keeping students busy?
Shakespeare can be so much fun to teach in your homeschool. I love creating my own Shakespeare unit studies instead of using a set curriculum for it as we like to tie it into our fine arts studies.Are you wanting to teach your children about Shakespeare? I remember learning about Shakespeare when I was in highschool and assumed it was only for highschoolers because of the adult themed content in some of his plays. I was suprised when I joined a Charlotte Mason style co-op and they were teaching Shakespeare to their elementary aged students! Shakespeare isn't just for highschool. Obviously there are some plays that you won't want to teach your younger students quite yet, but there are others that are well suited and enjoyable for all ages.
Psychoanalytical criticism is a tricky critical lens, but these 13 text suggestions will help teachers introduce this strategy!
When I first started teaching dystopian literature about a dozen years ago, I actually had to define dystopia. Not any more! Kids love the stuff, and they already have a lot of experience. But I still think it’s great to teach because you can dig into some of the more nuanced ideas and even some […]
Any English II teacher understands the title of this post. The EOC is probably one of the scariest beasts that our students will ever face. It's one of those things that, when you see the questions, you feel instant panic. My second instinct was to hug all of my students and apologize to their poor brains. It's about 75 questions full of 2-5 page reading passages for every 2-3 questions, poems, and nonfiction articles - which are equally as lengthy. They're asked the same thing a million different ways and I'm sure it becomes frustrating and TIRESOME. I teach all English II, every semester, from honors to inclusion. I've never had a class finish the test in less than 4 hours. IT. IS. A. MONSTER. This semester, I'm prepping my students in a different way. We complete "testing Tuesday" every week - I teach them a quick mini-lesson that will help on their test: everything from test taking tips to why we need subplots. We also do a timed, cold read. I can't emphasize enough how helpful this has been for my children. BUT, they've just had two weeks out of school, my extra credit packet, and a whole lot of sleeping in and doing whatever they please. I know they'll be lethargic and not in the mood for test prep. I spent some time over winter break brainstorming some specific ways that I could prep my students for the EOC battle. I'm introducing them to "EOC BOOTCAMP" on Monday! It's an entire packet full of review games, articles, poetry, and fiction all based on the military, war, soldiers, etc. Everything is themed - they've come to expect it from me at this point. haha! Who knows, I might even purchase some camo and pretend like I'm a wilderness girl. You can check out the packet in my TPT store now! I'll have it on sale (20% off), for the next 24 hours only! Take a Look Here!
Teaching rhetorical analysis is one of my absolute favorite units to complete with my students. I love teaching my students about rhetorical strategies and devices, analyzing what makes an effective and persuasive argument, and reading critical speeches with my students. Here is a quick list of some of my favorite speeches for rhetorical analysis.
Looking for even more short stories to read with your middle school and high school students? There are so many options out there, many of which can be used to teach a variety of literary elements and lead into interesting discussions and activities. Read on for 15 recommendations from secondary English Language Arts teachers.
