Dec 09
This book is an important reminder of how the Enemy Aliens Act of 1798 was used to violently incarcerate thousands of American citizens during WWII. The book also talks about how we need to make sure that never happens again. Takei’s first-hand account of his experience is full of pain, joy, reflection, and optimism. Now, …
Nov 20
It’s actually the perfect book for any YA or adult reader, but I’m focusing here on my Language Arts population. What population is that? In a nutshell, any student who’s reluctant to read for any reason. Keep scrolling for a quick run-down of why Between Shades of Gray is at the top of my must-read …
Jun 07
Need something quick for your unit on the Hero’s Journey? I’ve got you covered with this semi-recent movie: The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. Why Walter Mitty? This unexpected gem landed in my lap a few weeks back and at first I had low expectations. For one thing, I knew just from the trailer it …
Nov 03
In my mission to revamp my inventory of short stories to use with my freshmen, “Weight” is hands down my favorite addition. Keep scrolling; you won’t be disappointed. It’s on CommonLit I hate to say it, but cost sometimes comes into play when figuring out my curriculum. Sure, there are plenty of illegal PDFs floating …
Sep 10
The perfect review/intro to characterization for ANY grade. Students of all ages love this movie and the creator did a fabulous job introducing each of the characters in the open credits. You can buy or rent the movie from Amazon by clicking HERE *It’s an affiliate link which just means you pay nothing extra, but …
Nov 22
Looking for something new this holiday season? Check out this vocabulary lesson using Prep and Landing. For a movie that’s geared at younger children, there is still a smattering of elevated language that makes this perfect resource to use in almost any classroom. Common Sense Media puts this PG movie as suitable for ages four …
Oct 13
This lesson plan is for the third chapter of Night by Elie Wiesel when Elie and his family are either killed or processed at Auschwitz. Even if your class is not reading the entire text, Chapter three can stand on its own and show the horrors of the concentration camps. **I suggest getting the audio …
Mar 02
This is a quick refresher or a nice (educational) brain break to cover plot diagrams. Instead of using an entire episode, I found a segment of the first Halloween special that works well and is only seven or eights minutes long. I pull this out when I want to do a quick review or have …
Sep 01
Seriously – stories both you and your students will laugh out loud reading. Humor varies from person to person, so I have two very different essays in the hopes that you and your students will at least be able to connect to one. To make sure this is actually useful for everyone, I’m only including …
Mar 06
Need an engaging review of literary elements? I’ve got you covered with these hilarious clips from Disney’s Zootopia. The video below is a compilation of clips. I’ll post the video here at the top and then detail the literary elements for each of the scenes – except the first when she’s arriving. Pun Who doesn’t …
