Literary analysis is tough.
• “Explain how the author uses setting to establish the mood of this short story.”
• “Determine the narrator’s tone and present two pieces of textual evidence to defend your choice.”
• “Examine the writer’s use of the colors green and yellow as symbols that support the novel’s theme.”
I’m a literature nerd, so digging into these prompts would keep me happily engaged for days. Most teens, though, don’t share my enthusiasm, often because they don’t yet have the tools, experience, or confidence to articulate what they see in the works of literature we study.
The solution? Modeling and practice. Once teens start to see how the game is played, they quickly become more comfortable – and vocal! – in sharing interesting things they notice.
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Need to keep early finishers busy while the rest of the class catches up? Model a healthy stress reduction technique as students head into final exams? Help your own over-taxed teacher brain unplug for a few precious minutes?
I built these not-too-cheesy coloring pages for you!
How am I? Surprisingly good. What’ve I been doing? Making stuff, of course.
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Ready or not, November is here! Need a fast print-and-post bulletin board to replace your October/Halloween stuff? I’ve got you covered: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/November-Bulletin-Board-Mens-Health-Education-Wisdom-from-the-Mustache-7388551 Men, on average, die five years earlier than women, mostly for preventable health reasons. This display encourages students to think about this fact while also providing “Wisdom from the ‘stache” and printable emergency […]
When you think of Mister Rogers, what words come to mind?
Kind? Yes.
Nurturing? Of course.
Master of debate? Wait…what?
Need a no-fail list of book recommendations? Whether students are searching for a new SSR book to start the fall semester or you’ve been given permission to add more “modern classics” to your curriculum list, a great starting spot is this list of the 100 Best Young Adult/Y.A. Books of All Time just released yesterday.
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It’s fair to say July brought a lot of surprises to Team Randazzo – some bad, but mostly good:
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I know, I know, it’s only the beginning of August, but it really is time to start thinking about the fall. As you get your planning underway, please know I have so. many. things. to ease your prep load. Today, I’m featuring five essential items – my all-time favorites! – that might be helpful: Full […]
You want to add more current event materials to your classes, but you definitely don’t have the time to dig through the daily paper or online media to find school-appropriate stories that’ll actually get kids talking. That’s where the education staff at The New York Times has your back. I’ve enjoyed their Learning Network materials for years, but just this weekend I learned about a mother lode of goodies they’ve compiled for us.
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Laura Randazzo – Solutions for the Secondary Classroom 