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Writing

Lesson Plans

5 Reasons to Run a True Crime Unit in Your High School English Class

Have you ever thought about creatine a true crime unit for your high school English class? True crime has been a hot topic in recent years, with documentaries and podcasts gaining popularity among people of all ages. An exploration of true crime can provide an exciting way to get students interested in learning while also delving into important themes like justice, power, and morality. In this blog post, we’ll explore five reasons why running a true crime unit in your high school English class is a great idea. #1: Introduce students to the genre of true crime writing It’s no surprise that mystery is one of the top-selling genres in the book industry. People are fascinated by true crime and

continue reading

10 Fahrenheit 451 Activities to Help Your Students Fall in Love with the Novel

Are you looking for a way to help your students fall in love with literature through engaging Fahrenheit 451 activities? With thoughtful tasks, you can bring the book’s compelling themes and characters to life. To make it easier on you, I’ve created a list of 10 engaging Fahrenheit 451 activities perfect for any classroom! These activities will encourage your students to explore topics such as censorship, technology, and values through an interactive experience they will never forget. Keep reading to find out how these Fahrenheit 451 lessons plans can liven up your curriculum and get kids excited about the power of literature! #1: Introduce Ray Bradbury One of the first things I like to do before teaching a novel is

continue reading

12 New Semester Activities to Refresh and Restart Your School Year

The start of a new semester is the perfect time to try something different and inject some energy back into your classroom. Whether you’re looking for ways to jump-start student motivation, break out of mundane routines, or just add some fun activities to mix things up; we have compiled plenty of fresh ideas that you can use this semester to get your classrooms moving. From poetry to goal setting and more, this post is sure to have something for everyone. Read on for 12 unique and engaging activities to kick off a new semester. #1: Assess and Reflect on Learning Styles and Activities with a Multiple Intelligences Learning Profile Whether you’re starting with new students or re-establishing norms with the

continue reading

10 Holiday Classroom Activities for Secondary ELA

Holiday classroom activities can be hit or miss for a lot of teachers. It’s hard not to acknowledge the excitement of the season, but it’s also important to create activities that are thoughtful, engaging, and inclusive for all students. With winter break just around the corner, the key is finding ways to channel that seasonal energy into meaningful and creative lessons. Whether you’re looking to weave holiday themes into your curriculum or simply want to embrace the festive atmosphere, there are plenty of ways to strike the right balance. From exploring classic short stories like The Gift of the Magi to crafting holiday-inspired writing projects or playing educational games, there’s something here for every secondary ELA classroom. In this post,

continue reading

10 YA Holiday Books to Get into the Spirit of the Season

Seasonal reading can be a real comfort, so I’ve compiled a list of recommendations for YA holiday books to help ease into the spirit of the season. Picture it: cozy blankets, a warm beverage, and a perfect holiday book to set the tone. There’s nothing quite like it! From festive tales of family, friendship, and romance to heartwarming stories of overcoming adversity, these books are sure to please. Find something you, your students, or someone you love will enjoy this holiday season from the list below. Note: With all of my book lists, I do my best to try to include something for everyone. This particular genre is the least diverse to date. There are very few holiday stories that

continue reading

Colleen Hoover Novel Rankings and Reading Order from a High School English Teacher

Looking for Colleen Hoover novel rankings and reading order? You’ve come to the right place! If you haven’t heard of Colleen Hoover, you’ve probably been living under a rock. (Kidding, kind of.) Currently, she has seven titles ranking in the top ten for paperback fiction on the New York Times’ Best Sellers List. (Seriously… SEVEN.) I loved reading this feature on her (and it’s a great read if you don’t know much about her personally). She has outsold most best-selling authors including Stephen King and got her start through self-publishing her own work. If you follow her on social media, you also know that even though she’s become a major player in the publishing world, she’s also incredibly down to

continue reading

20 Books Similar to Colleen Hoover for Teens

Colleen Hoover has been getting A LOT of attention in the book world, but if you have a teen or work with teens, you might be looking for books similar to Colleen Hoover instead. Her books are gripping tales of love and loss. They’re highly emotional and very entertaining, but most, if not all, are inappropriate for teenagers. There are only two titles in her catalogue that I’d consider allowing a teenager to read (Without Merit and Slammed), and even then, I wouldn’t keep them in my own classroom library. (I have LOTS of thoughts on keeping adult books in high school classroom libraries, but I think that’s another blog post for another time.) Let me say this loud and

continue reading

Diverse Short Stories for High School English

Are you looking for diverse short stories for high school English? I know it can be difficult running into the same titles over and over (though, to be fair, I do believe a lot of those titles have plenty of literary merit and rounded up a list of my favorite “classic” short stories right here). With that being said, there are also many diverse short stories that are fresh and relevant that students would love to read. No matter what the topic you may be looking for, there are anthologies that contain plenty of fresh voices that address issues facing teens today. Here are some of my favorites. #1: Fresh Ink edited by Lamar Giles Fresh Ink is a compelling

continue reading

Parts of Speech Practice for High School Students

You may not think that high school students need as much parts of speech practice as middle school or elementary students, and while you’d be right, I truly believe that they do need some. Each year I was always surprised to find that my freshmen students did not remember any parts of speech. I know that they learned the terms in middle school, but without fail, each year I’d find that my students needed constant refreshers. I developed a few activities to use throughout the year so that students could practice the eight parts of speech consistently. I’d use these activities for fast finishers or as fun classroom culture builders. Below are a few of my favorite ways to practice

continue reading

The Crucible Project Ideas and Activities

Are you looking for The Crucible project ideas and activities to refresh your unit plan? You’ve come to the right place! The Crucible by Arthur Miller is an incredibly popular and engaging text to teach, but it can be difficult to find meaningful activities that aren’t just another worksheet. I’ve had the privilege of teaching the play multiple times over my career and have compiled a list of my favorite project ideas and activities along the way. Read on for some fresh inspiration! #1: Memes Creating memes is a great activity for any novel, but I especially love when it accompanies The Crucible. Memes are a language that students understand and allowing them to express what they know in a

continue reading

5 Reasons to Run a True Crime Unit in Your High School English Class

Have you ever thought about creatine a true crime unit for your high school English class? True crime has been a hot topic in recent years, with documentaries and podcasts gaining popularity among people of all ages. An exploration of true crime can provide an exciting way to get students interested in learning while also delving into important themes like justice, power, and morality. In this blog post, we’ll explore five reasons why running a true crime unit in your high school English class is a great idea. #1: Introduce students to the genre of true crime writing It’s no surprise that mystery is one of the top-selling genres in the book industry. People are fascinated by true crime and

continue reading

10 Fahrenheit 451 Activities to Help Your Students Fall in Love with the Novel

Are you looking for a way to help your students fall in love with literature through engaging Fahrenheit 451 activities? With thoughtful tasks, you can bring the book’s compelling themes and characters to life. To make it easier on you, I’ve created a list of 10 engaging Fahrenheit 451 activities perfect for any classroom! These activities will encourage your students to explore topics such as censorship, technology, and values through an interactive experience they will never forget. Keep reading to find out how these Fahrenheit 451 lessons plans can liven up your curriculum and get kids excited about the power of literature! #1: Introduce Ray Bradbury One of the first things I like to do before teaching a novel is

continue reading

12 New Semester Activities to Refresh and Restart Your School Year

The start of a new semester is the perfect time to try something different and inject some energy back into your classroom. Whether you’re looking for ways to jump-start student motivation, break out of mundane routines, or just add some fun activities to mix things up; we have compiled plenty of fresh ideas that you can use this semester to get your classrooms moving. From poetry to goal setting and more, this post is sure to have something for everyone. Read on for 12 unique and engaging activities to kick off a new semester. #1: Assess and Reflect on Learning Styles and Activities with a Multiple Intelligences Learning Profile Whether you’re starting with new students or re-establishing norms with the

continue reading

10 Holiday Classroom Activities for Secondary ELA

Holiday classroom activities can be hit or miss for a lot of teachers. It’s hard not to acknowledge the excitement of the season, but it’s also important to create activities that are thoughtful, engaging, and inclusive for all students. With winter break just around the corner, the key is finding ways to channel that seasonal energy into meaningful and creative lessons. Whether you’re looking to weave holiday themes into your curriculum or simply want to embrace the festive atmosphere, there are plenty of ways to strike the right balance. From exploring classic short stories like The Gift of the Magi to crafting holiday-inspired writing projects or playing educational games, there’s something here for every secondary ELA classroom. In this post,

continue reading

10 YA Holiday Books to Get into the Spirit of the Season

Seasonal reading can be a real comfort, so I’ve compiled a list of recommendations for YA holiday books to help ease into the spirit of the season. Picture it: cozy blankets, a warm beverage, and a perfect holiday book to set the tone. There’s nothing quite like it! From festive tales of family, friendship, and romance to heartwarming stories of overcoming adversity, these books are sure to please. Find something you, your students, or someone you love will enjoy this holiday season from the list below. Note: With all of my book lists, I do my best to try to include something for everyone. This particular genre is the least diverse to date. There are very few holiday stories that

continue reading

Colleen Hoover Novel Rankings and Reading Order from a High School English Teacher

Looking for Colleen Hoover novel rankings and reading order? You’ve come to the right place! If you haven’t heard of Colleen Hoover, you’ve probably been living under a rock. (Kidding, kind of.) Currently, she has seven titles ranking in the top ten for paperback fiction on the New York Times’ Best Sellers List. (Seriously… SEVEN.) I loved reading this feature on her (and it’s a great read if you don’t know much about her personally). She has outsold most best-selling authors including Stephen King and got her start through self-publishing her own work. If you follow her on social media, you also know that even though she’s become a major player in the publishing world, she’s also incredibly down to

continue reading

20 Books Similar to Colleen Hoover for Teens

Colleen Hoover has been getting A LOT of attention in the book world, but if you have a teen or work with teens, you might be looking for books similar to Colleen Hoover instead. Her books are gripping tales of love and loss. They’re highly emotional and very entertaining, but most, if not all, are inappropriate for teenagers. There are only two titles in her catalogue that I’d consider allowing a teenager to read (Without Merit and Slammed), and even then, I wouldn’t keep them in my own classroom library. (I have LOTS of thoughts on keeping adult books in high school classroom libraries, but I think that’s another blog post for another time.) Let me say this loud and

continue reading

Diverse Short Stories for High School English

Are you looking for diverse short stories for high school English? I know it can be difficult running into the same titles over and over (though, to be fair, I do believe a lot of those titles have plenty of literary merit and rounded up a list of my favorite “classic” short stories right here). With that being said, there are also many diverse short stories that are fresh and relevant that students would love to read. No matter what the topic you may be looking for, there are anthologies that contain plenty of fresh voices that address issues facing teens today. Here are some of my favorites. #1: Fresh Ink edited by Lamar Giles Fresh Ink is a compelling

continue reading

Parts of Speech Practice for High School Students

You may not think that high school students need as much parts of speech practice as middle school or elementary students, and while you’d be right, I truly believe that they do need some. Each year I was always surprised to find that my freshmen students did not remember any parts of speech. I know that they learned the terms in middle school, but without fail, each year I’d find that my students needed constant refreshers. I developed a few activities to use throughout the year so that students could practice the eight parts of speech consistently. I’d use these activities for fast finishers or as fun classroom culture builders. Below are a few of my favorite ways to practice

continue reading

The Crucible Project Ideas and Activities

Are you looking for The Crucible project ideas and activities to refresh your unit plan? You’ve come to the right place! The Crucible by Arthur Miller is an incredibly popular and engaging text to teach, but it can be difficult to find meaningful activities that aren’t just another worksheet. I’ve had the privilege of teaching the play multiple times over my career and have compiled a list of my favorite project ideas and activities along the way. Read on for some fresh inspiration! #1: Memes Creating memes is a great activity for any novel, but I especially love when it accompanies The Crucible. Memes are a language that students understand and allowing them to express what they know in a

continue reading

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