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day before spring break activities featured image

10 Day Before Spring Break Activities for Secondary English Language Arts

Take the opportunity to break up the monotony of your classroom with unique and fun day before spring break activities. I never want to feel like I’m “wasting” class time, but I also know my students have a hard time concentrating when they know they are inching towards a week of freedom. Here’s a list of my favorite activities you can use in secondary ELA before you head to spring break. 1. Baseball Close Reading Take advantage of the spring season and practice close reading skills. Trying to add nonfiction text to your ELA classrooms can be a daunting task, but these engaging texts from my baseball close reading bundle are great to have in your arsenal. They are super

continue reading

7 St. Patrick’s Day Activities for Secondary ELA

You might be wondering if it’s worth it to squeeze in a St. Patrick’s Day activities in your secondary English Language Arts class, but let me assure you, it certainly is. St. Patrick’s Day has been recognized as a holiday since the middle ages, but it’s certainly changed method and form since then (at least here in America where I live). I’ve got a lucky number 7 activities rounded up for you to try in your secondary ELA classrooms.  1. Roll a St. Patrick’s Day Story  Have students write their own creative works with a bit of luck. Roll-a-Story activities are an engaging creative writing activity that has students roll for their main story elements, then has them brainstorm and

continue reading

Emergency Substitute Teacher Plans for Secondary English Language Arts

Many of us have found ourselves in urgent need of emergency substitute teacher plans in the past, whether due to unexpected illness, family emergencies, or other unforeseen circumstances. However, it seems like the need for reliable substitute teacher plans has become even more pressing in recent times. With that in mind, I decided to compile a list of my favorite resources for quick and effective substitute teacher plans specifically designed for ELA classes. This list will be updated periodically as I discover new and valuable resources. My goal is to provide peace of mind to any teacher who needs to pull together a solid sub plan on short notice. Many of the resources included here are either free or cost

continue reading

12 Winter-Themed Activities for Your Secondary English Language Arts Classroom

Finding engaging winter-themed reading and writing activities can seem difficult, especially if the cold isn’t your favorite season. The lull after the holidays can be challenging in any classroom, especially when students are cranky and checked out. That’s why 12 English Language Arts teachers have come together in this collaborative blog post to bring you creative ideas to warm up and create a winter wonderland even if it takes you an extra cup of coffee to get there. Read on to find something that inspires you to infuse a little winter magic into your own ELA classroom. #1: Use Hygge to Transform Your Teaching Space Samantha from Samantha in Secondary just isn’t a fan of the winter, but she found

continue reading

Why Students Should Use Doodle Notes in Secondary ELA

Doodling isn’t just for little kids. Big kids love to doodle, too! You can find a lot of research (read on for links) on the benefits of doodling, so why not embrace it and help your students become avid doodlers? Check out this list of ideas why doodle notes (or sometimes called sketch notes) are so great for students in middle school or high school English Language Arts. 1. Keep students on task. If we’re being honest with ourselves, we know that each day our lessons don’t keep every student engaged for the entire lesson. This is why doodle notes are a great way to keep students on task. The ultimate goal of doodle notes is to bridge the gap

continue reading

5 Day Before Winter Break Activities for Secondary Students

‘Twas the day before winter break, and all through their mind, The teacher was unsure how to pass the time. Did they put together a test they would just have to grade?Did they pop in a movie and call it a day?No, they searched ideas from bloggers and TPT,For activities they could do that would be super easy!  Day before winter break activities can be so tricky to plan. I never liked the phrase “free day” – I like for the time in my classroom to be useful to my students through reinforcing knowledge or building up class culture. On the other hand, keeping students focused on the day before they leave for an extended break can be hard. That’s why I

continue reading

5 Bellringers for Secondary ELA

Bring stability and predictability to your secondary English Language Arts classroom by establishing bellringers as part of your routine. A professor once shared a story from when she was a teacher in the late 60s. She was running 10 minutes late, and obviously had no way of calling in to let them know. She walked by the office to apologize as she went to class but they hadn’t even realized she was late. They hurried to the class to find her students doing their morning routine. She said by making such a big deal of doing the same things over and over, her students put up their bags and coats, moved their attendance cards and magnets for lunch without her

continue reading

Daily Agenda Slides for the Secondary ELA Classroom

Utilizing daily agenda slides in your secondary English Language Arts classroom provides a good foundation for strong and consistent classroom routines. I love how a few minutes of organization can bring organization and clear expectations into my class. These slides are also an integral part of managing work for absent students. Read on for more information about how I use daily agenda slides in my own classroom. What is a daily agenda slide? A daily agenda slide is just a slide you pop onto the screen for each class, each day. Yup, each and every one. That may sound like a lot of work and commitment, but I promise it just becomes another habit for getting your class ready for

continue reading

9/11 Activities for Students

September 11, 2001 is an incredibly significant date in American History and many teachers like to stop and honor the day with meaningful 9/11 activities for students. As the date slips further into history, it seems that less and less of our students are familiar with the specifics of the events that took place. (Most weren’t even born!) As ELA teachers, we use text to build character, resilience, and empathy. Using strategic, high-quality activities in your own ELA classroom can be an excellent way to commemorate the tragedy while still promoting literacy and compassion. Here are five ways to honor September 11th in your classroom. #1: Host a Day of Service Many schools are starting to shift towards a “Day

continue reading

6 Engaging Ways to Introduce Students to Your English Language Arts Classroom

As a middle school or high school ELA teacher, it can be hard to know which kinds of activities are best for the first week of school. Should you do some icebreakers? Get straight to the content? What about building classroom culture? All of these questions can be overwhelming, so six established ELA teachers are here to share their best tips and tricks for starting your year off on the right foot and making it the best year yet! #1: Plan the First Two Weeks There’s often massive overwhelm for teachers trying to decide what to do on the first day of school.  What’s worse though, is that once those initial days are over…there are still more days!  Amanda from

continue reading
day before spring break activities featured image

10 Day Before Spring Break Activities for Secondary English Language Arts

Take the opportunity to break up the monotony of your classroom with unique and fun day before spring break activities. I never want to feel like I’m “wasting” class time, but I also know my students have a hard time concentrating when they know they are inching towards a week of freedom. Here’s a list of my favorite activities you can use in secondary ELA before you head to spring break. 1. Baseball Close Reading Take advantage of the spring season and practice close reading skills. Trying to add nonfiction text to your ELA classrooms can be a daunting task, but these engaging texts from my baseball close reading bundle are great to have in your arsenal. They are super

continue reading

7 St. Patrick’s Day Activities for Secondary ELA

You might be wondering if it’s worth it to squeeze in a St. Patrick’s Day activities in your secondary English Language Arts class, but let me assure you, it certainly is. St. Patrick’s Day has been recognized as a holiday since the middle ages, but it’s certainly changed method and form since then (at least here in America where I live). I’ve got a lucky number 7 activities rounded up for you to try in your secondary ELA classrooms.  1. Roll a St. Patrick’s Day Story  Have students write their own creative works with a bit of luck. Roll-a-Story activities are an engaging creative writing activity that has students roll for their main story elements, then has them brainstorm and

continue reading

Emergency Substitute Teacher Plans for Secondary English Language Arts

Many of us have found ourselves in urgent need of emergency substitute teacher plans in the past, whether due to unexpected illness, family emergencies, or other unforeseen circumstances. However, it seems like the need for reliable substitute teacher plans has become even more pressing in recent times. With that in mind, I decided to compile a list of my favorite resources for quick and effective substitute teacher plans specifically designed for ELA classes. This list will be updated periodically as I discover new and valuable resources. My goal is to provide peace of mind to any teacher who needs to pull together a solid sub plan on short notice. Many of the resources included here are either free or cost

continue reading

12 Winter-Themed Activities for Your Secondary English Language Arts Classroom

Finding engaging winter-themed reading and writing activities can seem difficult, especially if the cold isn’t your favorite season. The lull after the holidays can be challenging in any classroom, especially when students are cranky and checked out. That’s why 12 English Language Arts teachers have come together in this collaborative blog post to bring you creative ideas to warm up and create a winter wonderland even if it takes you an extra cup of coffee to get there. Read on to find something that inspires you to infuse a little winter magic into your own ELA classroom. #1: Use Hygge to Transform Your Teaching Space Samantha from Samantha in Secondary just isn’t a fan of the winter, but she found

continue reading

Why Students Should Use Doodle Notes in Secondary ELA

Doodling isn’t just for little kids. Big kids love to doodle, too! You can find a lot of research (read on for links) on the benefits of doodling, so why not embrace it and help your students become avid doodlers? Check out this list of ideas why doodle notes (or sometimes called sketch notes) are so great for students in middle school or high school English Language Arts. 1. Keep students on task. If we’re being honest with ourselves, we know that each day our lessons don’t keep every student engaged for the entire lesson. This is why doodle notes are a great way to keep students on task. The ultimate goal of doodle notes is to bridge the gap

continue reading

5 Day Before Winter Break Activities for Secondary Students

‘Twas the day before winter break, and all through their mind, The teacher was unsure how to pass the time. Did they put together a test they would just have to grade?Did they pop in a movie and call it a day?No, they searched ideas from bloggers and TPT,For activities they could do that would be super easy!  Day before winter break activities can be so tricky to plan. I never liked the phrase “free day” – I like for the time in my classroom to be useful to my students through reinforcing knowledge or building up class culture. On the other hand, keeping students focused on the day before they leave for an extended break can be hard. That’s why I

continue reading

5 Bellringers for Secondary ELA

Bring stability and predictability to your secondary English Language Arts classroom by establishing bellringers as part of your routine. A professor once shared a story from when she was a teacher in the late 60s. She was running 10 minutes late, and obviously had no way of calling in to let them know. She walked by the office to apologize as she went to class but they hadn’t even realized she was late. They hurried to the class to find her students doing their morning routine. She said by making such a big deal of doing the same things over and over, her students put up their bags and coats, moved their attendance cards and magnets for lunch without her

continue reading

Daily Agenda Slides for the Secondary ELA Classroom

Utilizing daily agenda slides in your secondary English Language Arts classroom provides a good foundation for strong and consistent classroom routines. I love how a few minutes of organization can bring organization and clear expectations into my class. These slides are also an integral part of managing work for absent students. Read on for more information about how I use daily agenda slides in my own classroom. What is a daily agenda slide? A daily agenda slide is just a slide you pop onto the screen for each class, each day. Yup, each and every one. That may sound like a lot of work and commitment, but I promise it just becomes another habit for getting your class ready for

continue reading

9/11 Activities for Students

September 11, 2001 is an incredibly significant date in American History and many teachers like to stop and honor the day with meaningful 9/11 activities for students. As the date slips further into history, it seems that less and less of our students are familiar with the specifics of the events that took place. (Most weren’t even born!) As ELA teachers, we use text to build character, resilience, and empathy. Using strategic, high-quality activities in your own ELA classroom can be an excellent way to commemorate the tragedy while still promoting literacy and compassion. Here are five ways to honor September 11th in your classroom. #1: Host a Day of Service Many schools are starting to shift towards a “Day

continue reading

6 Engaging Ways to Introduce Students to Your English Language Arts Classroom

As a middle school or high school ELA teacher, it can be hard to know which kinds of activities are best for the first week of school. Should you do some icebreakers? Get straight to the content? What about building classroom culture? All of these questions can be overwhelming, so six established ELA teachers are here to share their best tips and tricks for starting your year off on the right foot and making it the best year yet! #1: Plan the First Two Weeks There’s often massive overwhelm for teachers trying to decide what to do on the first day of school.  What’s worse though, is that once those initial days are over…there are still more days!  Amanda from

continue reading

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