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Lesson Plans

10 Activities to Host a Book Carnival in Your Classroom

A book carnival is the perfect way to engage your students and get them excited about reading. If you’re looking for the perfect end of the year activity or a high-interest way to keep the learning going strong through the summer (helloooo summer school, credit recovery, summer reading, and everything else!), a book carnival could be just the thing! Not only is it an effective way to encourage reading, but it’s also a great opportunity for everyone to come together and have some fun. A book carnival can include many activities such as games, raffles, art projects, and even snacks– all centered around books. You can host your own book carnival right in your classroom or you can enlist the

continue reading

12 New Semester Activities to Refresh and Restart Your School Year

The start of a new semester is the perfect time to try something different and inject some energy back into your classroom. Whether you’re looking for ways to jump-start student motivation, break out of mundane routines, or just add some fun activities to mix things up; we have compiled plenty of fresh ideas that you can use this semester to get your classrooms moving. From poetry to goal setting and more, this post is sure to have something for everyone. Read on for 12 unique and engaging activities to kick off a new semester. #1: Assess and Reflect on Learning Styles and Activities with a Multiple Intelligences Learning Profile Whether you’re starting with new students or re-establishing norms with the

continue reading

Holiday Classroom Activities for Secondary ELA

Holiday classroom activities can be hit or miss for a lot of teachers. It’s hard not to acknowledge the season, but it’s also appropriate to consider how to do it in a way that is both thoughtful and inclusive. I would definitely recommend that you consider your audience before implementing holiday activities. Here is a round up of ideas to help you get those creative juices flowing. The Gift of the Magi Short Story Unit “The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry is a heartwarming short story about the real meaning of gift giving. I have a done-for-you mini-unit that is perfect for any time in December. I also have a blog post with five teaching ideas right here.

continue reading

5 ELA Bulletin Board Ideas for Your Classroom

There are so many ELA bulletin board ideas out there for your classroom that it can be overwhelming. Don’t get me wrong, I love browsing Pinterest and seeing all the beautiful, put-together bulletin boards, but let’s be honest: who has the time? Let me put on my veteran teacher hat for a minute and tell you with 100% certainty that bulletin boards are a nice added bonus, but they should not be the focus of your classroom. Below I’m going to give you my best tips for bulletin boards that are attractive and functional and will not add stress to your already overflowing plate. #1: Display an Evergreen Bulletin Board One of my favorite bulletin boards is my “Why Study

continue reading

5 First Day of School Activities for High School English

I know it’s tempting to run to your old standby when you’re looking for first day of school activities for your high school English class, but I’m here to tell you: there is another way! You don’t need to read the syllabus to your students OR voice any expectations at all during your first lesson. You can certainly do those things, but they don’t need to be done on the first day. Let the first day be all about community and connection. I have 5 great ideas for you to kick off your year cultivating your best classroom culture yet. #1: Review Email Etiquette In my 15 years of teaching, this was almost always my go-to first day lesson for

continue reading

How to Organize Your High School Classroom Library

You might think organizing your high school classroom library isn’t a significant task, but today I want to convince you otherwise. If you have been following my blog for a while, you know I’m passionate about choice reading for high schoolers. Having a robust classroom library is a cornerstone of creating a strong culture of reading. It can be a lot of work to find the right books for your classroom library, but the time and effort you put into it will reflect in your strong classroom culture. Read on for ideas on how to organize your classroom library. Label Your Books Before you actually set up your classroom library, it’s a good idea to label your books. You can

continue reading

20 Podcasts for High School English Class

Podcasts in the high school English classroom are a great way to bring some surprise into your lessons. Using podcasts in the classroom provides an easy way to hit those speaking and listening standards and can be especially helpful to enhance a unit or add an additional standalone lesson at the end of the unit or end of the year. You can assign these for hybrid learning, send links for remote learning, or just use them to enhance lessons. Read on for 20 podcasts you might like to use in class. #1: This I Believe People from all walks of life share their core personal beliefs through this NPR podcast.  #2: The Daily by The New York Times Keep students

continue reading

ELA Classroom Decor for Secondary Students

It is often difficult to find suitable ELA classroom decor when searching for the secondary classroom. You can’t go 10 seconds into a search for classroom decorating ideas without running into the elementary crowd. It makes sense that the oodles of cute and fun decorations are geared towards the younger grades, but I’m honestly bummed that there aren’t more readily available items for my ELA classroom. That’s why I created this list of ideas to decorate your secondary ELA classroom complete with some of the resources I’ve used in my own room. 1. Choose basic bins and bulletins. Choosing “classic” items for your classroom seems logical. Your tastes might change, or if you’re anything like me, you love all of

continue reading

10 Spring-Themed Activities for the Secondary ELA Classroom

Spring-themed activities just bring a certain joy to the classroom. There’s more sun, the weather starts to improve, we can see the end of the year fast approaching. If your classroom needs to see some bloom, take a look at my round-up of spring activities for secondary ELA. 1. Spring Mad Lib Silly Stories Practice parts of speech with this fun and engaging activity. These silly stories are just like Mad Libs. Students can flex their skills and celebrate spring. I have a premade resource that includes five stories that you can print as is. Print on pretty paper to create ready-to-go class decor, use for fast finishers, and enhance your class culture.  2. Daily Agenda Slides Spring Design Daily

continue reading

10 Activities to Host a Book Carnival in Your Classroom

A book carnival is the perfect way to engage your students and get them excited about reading. If you’re looking for the perfect end of the year activity or a high-interest way to keep the learning going strong through the summer (helloooo summer school, credit recovery, summer reading, and everything else!), a book carnival could be just the thing! Not only is it an effective way to encourage reading, but it’s also a great opportunity for everyone to come together and have some fun. A book carnival can include many activities such as games, raffles, art projects, and even snacks– all centered around books. You can host your own book carnival right in your classroom or you can enlist the

continue reading

12 New Semester Activities to Refresh and Restart Your School Year

The start of a new semester is the perfect time to try something different and inject some energy back into your classroom. Whether you’re looking for ways to jump-start student motivation, break out of mundane routines, or just add some fun activities to mix things up; we have compiled plenty of fresh ideas that you can use this semester to get your classrooms moving. From poetry to goal setting and more, this post is sure to have something for everyone. Read on for 12 unique and engaging activities to kick off a new semester. #1: Assess and Reflect on Learning Styles and Activities with a Multiple Intelligences Learning Profile Whether you’re starting with new students or re-establishing norms with the

continue reading

Holiday Classroom Activities for Secondary ELA

Holiday classroom activities can be hit or miss for a lot of teachers. It’s hard not to acknowledge the season, but it’s also appropriate to consider how to do it in a way that is both thoughtful and inclusive. I would definitely recommend that you consider your audience before implementing holiday activities. Here is a round up of ideas to help you get those creative juices flowing. The Gift of the Magi Short Story Unit “The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry is a heartwarming short story about the real meaning of gift giving. I have a done-for-you mini-unit that is perfect for any time in December. I also have a blog post with five teaching ideas right here.

continue reading

5 ELA Bulletin Board Ideas for Your Classroom

There are so many ELA bulletin board ideas out there for your classroom that it can be overwhelming. Don’t get me wrong, I love browsing Pinterest and seeing all the beautiful, put-together bulletin boards, but let’s be honest: who has the time? Let me put on my veteran teacher hat for a minute and tell you with 100% certainty that bulletin boards are a nice added bonus, but they should not be the focus of your classroom. Below I’m going to give you my best tips for bulletin boards that are attractive and functional and will not add stress to your already overflowing plate. #1: Display an Evergreen Bulletin Board One of my favorite bulletin boards is my “Why Study

continue reading

5 First Day of School Activities for High School English

I know it’s tempting to run to your old standby when you’re looking for first day of school activities for your high school English class, but I’m here to tell you: there is another way! You don’t need to read the syllabus to your students OR voice any expectations at all during your first lesson. You can certainly do those things, but they don’t need to be done on the first day. Let the first day be all about community and connection. I have 5 great ideas for you to kick off your year cultivating your best classroom culture yet. #1: Review Email Etiquette In my 15 years of teaching, this was almost always my go-to first day lesson for

continue reading

How to Organize Your High School Classroom Library

You might think organizing your high school classroom library isn’t a significant task, but today I want to convince you otherwise. If you have been following my blog for a while, you know I’m passionate about choice reading for high schoolers. Having a robust classroom library is a cornerstone of creating a strong culture of reading. It can be a lot of work to find the right books for your classroom library, but the time and effort you put into it will reflect in your strong classroom culture. Read on for ideas on how to organize your classroom library. Label Your Books Before you actually set up your classroom library, it’s a good idea to label your books. You can

continue reading

20 Podcasts for High School English Class

Podcasts in the high school English classroom are a great way to bring some surprise into your lessons. Using podcasts in the classroom provides an easy way to hit those speaking and listening standards and can be especially helpful to enhance a unit or add an additional standalone lesson at the end of the unit or end of the year. You can assign these for hybrid learning, send links for remote learning, or just use them to enhance lessons. Read on for 20 podcasts you might like to use in class. #1: This I Believe People from all walks of life share their core personal beliefs through this NPR podcast.  #2: The Daily by The New York Times Keep students

continue reading

ELA Classroom Decor for Secondary Students

It is often difficult to find suitable ELA classroom decor when searching for the secondary classroom. You can’t go 10 seconds into a search for classroom decorating ideas without running into the elementary crowd. It makes sense that the oodles of cute and fun decorations are geared towards the younger grades, but I’m honestly bummed that there aren’t more readily available items for my ELA classroom. That’s why I created this list of ideas to decorate your secondary ELA classroom complete with some of the resources I’ve used in my own room. 1. Choose basic bins and bulletins. Choosing “classic” items for your classroom seems logical. Your tastes might change, or if you’re anything like me, you love all of

continue reading

10 Spring-Themed Activities for the Secondary ELA Classroom

Spring-themed activities just bring a certain joy to the classroom. There’s more sun, the weather starts to improve, we can see the end of the year fast approaching. If your classroom needs to see some bloom, take a look at my round-up of spring activities for secondary ELA. 1. Spring Mad Lib Silly Stories Practice parts of speech with this fun and engaging activity. These silly stories are just like Mad Libs. Students can flex their skills and celebrate spring. I have a premade resource that includes five stories that you can print as is. Print on pretty paper to create ready-to-go class decor, use for fast finishers, and enhance your class culture.  2. Daily Agenda Slides Spring Design Daily

continue reading

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