As English teachers, we know we should teach a novel but the question is “How to teach a novel unit?” There seems to be so much to consider when planning a novel unit. And it always seems like a daunting task. Sometimes it feels easier to just keep doing what we are doing. And keep …

If you are like me, you might be starting the second semester which means planning your first week of class activities. Having to start over can be a great thing but at the same time, you just don’t have that same excitement that the beginning of the year brings. So, what better way to get …

Looking for a new way to invigorate your book clubs: try reader’s notes! Allowing students to choose their own novels and have time to discuss them is something my kiddos always love to do. However, you want to bring in some accountability without overwhelming them with classroom book club activities. That’s where reader notes can …

Tired of feeling stuck in your lessons and schedule and wishing for curriculum flexibility? Maybe you love to have your plans ready to go for the week or the month but you are quickly realizing that not adjusting your curriculum is hurting your students. I am always in favor of having a game plan but …

What’s more exciting for students to walk into class and see classroom transformations? Whether it’s every table having a new activity or table setting, mood lighting, or fun decorations, students appreciate a change in their regular classroom routine. Building excitement for a new unit or lesson helps your students buy into the skills that you …

My best lessons are the ones that incorporate Miss Americana herself and using Taylor Swift as poetry means I have an excuse to play all her best songs. Besides speaking to my soul and defining my teens and twenties, Taylor Swift has amazing songs that are full of poetic elements that your students can analyze. …

How often do you hear your students ask how to write a literary analysis paper? When you get to writing in your curriculum, do you get excited? Maybe you have heart palpitations? Perhaps you love the idea of teaching writing or you feel lost in the lesson ideas. Whatever you are feeling related to essay …

As high school English teachers, we all know we need to create a short story lesson or unit because that is a major focus of our standards. However, creating that unit and making it enjoyable for both us and our students can be a challenge. Finding the best texts to fit their needs, covering the …

Literary elements in a story are some of the major standards covered in an curriculum especially in high school but sometimes those lessons can become dry. By the time our students reach us in high school, we expect them to know about point of view or conflict or characterization. BUT and that’s a big BUT, …

It’s August and that means the Beginning of School Scaries is creeping up behind you so you start searching your curriculum for activities for the first day of class. But, nothing seems quite right, so you go to Pinterest looking for some fresh new first day class activities only to find they are all geared …

My favorite element to teach my students is writing especially by using google forms to write. My students struggle the most with writing their literary analysis essay. After trying numerous methods and tweaking my curriculum each semester, I feel that I have found a better way to teach my students how to write their essay: …

Before T SWIFT poetry analysis, here is what my classroom conversations went like: “Guess what guys! We are going to start a new unit today… Poetry!” “Mrs. Rice, are you kidding me? I HATE poetry?” ” Are we going to be reading sappy love poems?” “I don’t understand poetry.” “Do I have to write a …

My favorite days of teaching are when I don’t have to do any of the work, and I can sit at my desk and just observe my students doing the hard work like with socratic seminars. One of the best ways to have an “easy” day in the classroom is to hold a Socratic Seminar. …

The Importance of Theme and Literary Analysis Teaching theme is one of the most important concepts I teach in my class. Themes are something that students have learned before but this unit is the first time that they will have to apply literary analysis to theme in a formal essay. I find that students grapple …

With the high pressure of state mandated standardized testing , teachers are in need of ways to have their students write more in preparation for these tests likes using student blogs. Instead of turning to the practice prompts, I allow student choice in my classroom. Every other week for the entire semester, the students create …

A few weeks ago, we had the most energetic week of the school year: Homecoming Spirit Week. This time each year, the students get to be a little unfocused as they get ready for the main event of the week… The Homecoming Dance. Our school allows us to have a Spirit Week to put teachers …

If you need a good place to start with analysis then making inferences is the perfect solution for you. As we embark on our first unit of study and tackle writing our first literary analysis essay, my students always struggle with how to elevate their writing from summary to analysis. In order to help them …

It’s that time of year again… August has begun and it’s time to plan your first day activities which should definitely include a first day escape room this year. Being the cool teacher that you are, you want to engage your students. However, you are tired of the ice breaker activities such as give an …

The debate over independent reading is trending right now. There are so many teachers out there who think that independent reading is a bonus not a necessity. Unpopular opinion coming your way. YOU HAVE TO include independent reading in your daily routine. There are so many benefits to giving your students time to read. But …

Where did the time go to start my curriculum updating? A week before teacher in-service begins, I look back on the two and half months of freedom I had this summer. Where did it go? What did I do? I think that I feel victim again to the time suck of curriculum updates. I love …

It’s August and soon it will be time to say farewell to summer and time to think about rewriting your units. August also means it’s time to start thinking about how this school year will go and what could be improved from last year. Energized from a summer of relaxation and rejuvenation, I am ready …