Books for First Chapter Friday? These ten books worked well because their first chapters are awesome. Teachers ask me about how I manage First Chapter Friday, and I’ve written extensively…
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Teaching Graphic Novels
Teaching graphic novels? I have taught graphic novels and have them in my classroom library. The picture below illustrates how I feel about graphic novels: colorful, with appealing pictures and…
What is First Chapter Friday?
What is First Chapter Friday? About two months ago, I published a post about my success with First Chapter Friday. I began using the hashtag #FirstChapterFriday on Instagram. Teachers asked…
Independent Reading and Class Novels
Teachers are currently experimenting with independent reading and class novels for high schoolers. I do both. Research changes and evolves with all components of education. When I attend professional development,…
Extension Activities for Literature Lessons
Are you looking for extension activities for literature lessons, or perhaps overall ELA extension activities? Below, I’ve included a massive list of ideas. Sometimes, we teachers need a list to…
Romeo and Juliet Lesson Plans: Free Teaching Ideas
Looking for Romeo and Juliet lesson plans? Typically, teaching Romeo and Juliet in ninth grade is part of teaching freshmen. If you need Romeo and Juliet assignments, I wrote several out for…
Reading Aloud with Secondary Students
Have you tried reading aloud with secondary students? I have, and the results are positive! Many of you have followed me this school year as I work to create a…
First Chapter Fridays with Secondary Students
First Chapter Fridays work well in my secondary classroom. Here are some tips I’ve learned. (First, I want to acknowledge that I did not invent First Chapter Fridays. I saw…
Building a Classroom Library Inexpensively
You’ve decided that building a classroom library is a priority. Inexpensive book finds are a must! Cheap books for classroom library can be found. Honestly, for years building a classroom…
Short Story Lesson Plans
Looking for short story lesson plans and short story activities? If you are looking for ideas for how to teach a short story, I can help. First, most of these…