How to Write a Thesis Statement: A Simple, Repeatable Strategy Students Can Actually Use
Of all the elements that make up writing instruction in middle and high school, the thesis statement is, by a…
Unit Planning
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How to Teach Plot Elements with Pixar Shorts (and Actually Make It Stick)
One of the most frustrating things about teaching is the amount of re-teaching required. One of Steph’s biggest mistakes in…
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TV in the Classroom: 6 Episodes to Enrich Your ELA Curriculum
One of our favorite ways to grab students’ interest is through contemporary television shows and movies. Visual storytelling, whether as entertainment or on social media, is a big part of our students’ world, and using these other “texts” can be an easy yet powerful way to bring students into the world of a novel or introduce a skill in a way that is non threatening and high-interest.
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Sound Devices in Poetry: What They Do, What They Don’t, and Why the Distinction Matters
The essay was only three paragraphs, not even filling the front of a piece of paper. Already a bad sign….
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How to Teach Rhythm and Meter in Poetry: A Music-Based Approach That Actually Works
We all have that one lesson or unit that we absolutely loathe. Sometimes it’s fixable. We’ve abandoned books that weren’t…
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How to Make Poetry Interesting to High School Students
We recently overheard a conversation between high school English teachers about how to make poetry interesting (and if it’s even…
