How to Plan Grammar Mini-Lessons that Work
There is so much grammar to teach. From commas to quotations, you could spend hours a week covering it all. And yet, when you spend
5 Steps to Using Mentor Sentences to Teach Grammar
If you’re new to mentor sentences, you might be wondering how they’ll work in your classroom. How much time do you need to set aside?
How to “Fit It All In” Your Middle School ELA Curriculum
There is so much content to teach in a school year. And it can feel impossible to squeeze it all in. Maybe you feel like
Teaching Argumentative Writing? Start With Debates
If you’ve taught a writing unit before, you know one of the hardest parts for students is getting started. I used to have students who
Improve Student Writing with Quick Writes
It’s every middle school ELA teachers dream: strong student essays. But getting students to write effective essays is hardly a walk in the park. You
Using Writing Conferences for Effective Literary Analysis
You’re not imagining it: teaching literary analysis is hard. Your students essays barely scratch the surface, and you’re not sure how to get students to
Teach Students How to Effectively Conduct Research
Let’s face it: research papers are hard enough as is, let alone writing one that Includes proper research and flows well. Research websites for students
How to Boost Reading Engagement with Book Clubs
Students and reading aren’t always a match made in heaven. (That’s an understatement.) Sure, some are avid readers, but some are more I’d-rather-do-anything-else-ers. Of course,
4 Station Ideas for Middle School ELA Skills
After you’ve wrapped up a novel or a short story, there is a lot to cover: main idea, theme, plot, and so on. But you
How to Plan Your Narrative Writing Unit
Your narrative writing unit is approaching. *gulp* You want students to walk away with a successful narrative essay in the end, but your last narrative
Free First Week of School Lessons for ELA
Is there a bigger stress than planning the first week of school? You don’t know your students. It’s hard to judge how long activities will
Mentor Sentences: The Secret to Teaching Grammar
As a middle school ELA teacher, you have a jam-packed daily schedule. From making time for independent reading to getting students to actually write, it
