As English teachers know, a lot of stories are the same story. Breaking down that successful narrative pattern with students…
lesson plan
Free Teacher Planner Template
Go ahead and call me a minimalist because when it comes to lesson planning, I’m a fan of “less is…
Editable Worksheet Templates
Building a good worksheet is tricky.It has to be useful. No busywork.It has to guide students to do a lot…
Advice for a 6th Grade Writing Teacher
Today’s post is a question I received via email yesterday from a first-year teacher about to take on a summer…
Modern “Mother To Son”
Last week, a shortened version of Langston Hughes’ beautiful poem was featured in an ad to promote Bel Air, a…
How to Read a Painting
Literary analysis is tough. • “Explain how the author uses setting to establish the mood of this short story.”• “Determine…
Five Classroom Essentials
I know, I know, it’s only the beginning of August, but it really is time to start thinking about the…
Free Writing Prompts & Inspiration
You want to add more current event materials to your classes, but you definitely don’t have the time to dig…
Weird lesson idea for English teachers
Learn what my messed up teeth (and a great podcast episode) taught me about why I judge other people and…
Readers’ Theater for Older Students
I know it’s vacation for a lot of my teacher-friends, so I’ll just set this here for you to explore…