Pulling Ideas Together

Writing Better Essays  One useful strategy for getting started is to permit students draft in first person and then revise to third person.  When they realize that they are invited to present their own ideas, reflections, observations, the students tend to relax a bit and write more honestly about the…

Colors Call Out to Us

Colors call out to us in nature and in advertisements.  Help students understand the symbolism of colors as it relates to their feelings, as well as why different colors may entice them to behave certain ways, believe certain things, and buy certain products and services. What they learn in these…

Teaching Whole Books

Resources for Teaching Texts View resources for Middle School and High School Traditional Texts, find lesson plans and ideas, articles and much more Middle and High School Resources for Specific Works A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens A Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Peck The  Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret…

Values, Beliefs and Attitudes

It's important to know the values, beliefs, and attitudes that motivate behavior in order to write an effective persuasive speech or argumentative essay.   It also is important to understand ways that speakers and authors reveal these motivators in their writing. Tasks: Locate website for creating word clouds as a kick-off…

Labels – Who Am I?

Sara Holbrook's poem "Labels" can be added to the list of poems used to inspire students to think about themselves and to describe who they as based on their genetic and ethnic heritage as well as their own personal interests and passions. Consider a lesson in poetry writing that invites…