State testing. Field trips. Weird last-minute assembly schedules that turn your day upside down. No matter how well a teacher…
middle school
ChatGPT: Friend or Foe?
I met with a group of teachers on Thursday (shout out to Carterville!) to talk about A.I. text generators and…
Very Necessary Brain Break
So my daughter bought an axolotl. Her name is Elvira – the amphibian, not the kid. She’s jet-black and looks…
Cell Phone Characterization Refresh
This week’s focus was on moving my “Whose phone is this?” worksheet into 2023. Thousands of teachers have used this…
Oops! I did it again… (free choice board download)
Last week, a TikToker asked if I had a non-fiction version of my literature activity choice board freebie. I don’t…
Free! Story Path, Step-by-Step Storytelling Guide
As English teachers know, a lot of stories are the same story. Breaking down that successful narrative pattern with students…
A Short Story You Should Know
I’m about 100 years late to the party, but I just discovered Katherine Mansfield’s “The Doll’s House” and need to…
My 6th pd. freshmen are rude and disrespectful
Today’s post is a question I received via email this week. This teacher gave me permission to share our exchange…
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…
Three of a Kind: A Bell-Ringer Game
How do you help teens settle in after the chaos of passing period? How do you build enthusiasm for learning…