DownRiverEDU

Happy back-to-school days! We're both pumped, but I know how it can be an unfortunate time of year for the students. How much worse would it be for them to sit in classes while a boring teacher lists the class rules and policies? I decided to attack that bore with an intentionally stations-centered day one lesson plan that will keep your students engaged while they learn more about you and your class. The resources include a mix of Canva editable templates and Google Docs files. This is not just

Increase your student's IXL engagement with the space-themed IXL punch cards. I designed this pack for your students to have an incentive to practice valuable skills offered on an often difficult-to-motivate program. What’s Included: 1. Editable Punch Card Template: 2. File Format: Canva template (standard size: 16:9). 3. Bonus Content: List of 50 fun little rewards for the punch cards. 4. PDF Instructions: Step-by-step guide to access and personalize your editable builder business card temp

Students who can't write a thesis usually can't name what the author is actually doing. This resource fixes that. It teaches students to write analytical claims that pass three tests: arguable, craft-specific, and connected to the author's purpose. No prep required. Open the PDF, cast it to your board, and annotate alongside your students as they work. No slides needed - the worksheet drives the lesson. A starting quick write asking students to write a CEA paragraph only with their prior knowl

Evidence selection worksheet for high school literary analysis. Students learn to distinguish analytically rich quotes from plot-relevant ones using a two-question test. Grades 8–12. Part of the CEA Framework Series. This worksheet teaches students to select evidence that can actually be analyzed, not just quotes that prove they read. It's the difference between a body paragraph that summarizes and one that argues. What's included:5-page PDFClick-through link on the title page to an editable Goo

Purpose:I created this thesis lesson plan after discovering how many of my 9th-grade students struggled to write strong thesis statements in their analytical essays. This lesson takes a scaffold approach to writing thesis statements that eases students into an otherwise frustrating endeavor. Students will start the lesson by understanding the objectives and the "why" behind thesis writing. By the end of the 80-minute lesson, students will have a finished peer-reviewed thesis statement draft to s

Purpose:I created this conclusion lesson plan to help my students finish well. I'm sure you're familiar with the disappointment of reading an excellent essay that just doesn't know how to wrap it up nicely. Anyways, this is intended to solve that hiccup! Required Materials:Projector and computerPaper and pensPrinted half-sheets with sample texts (included digitally)Printed Rubric for peer reviews (Included digitally)Promethean built-in timer function, or similar timer for pacing studentsDuration

Purpose:This lesson plan is intended to foster my student's ability to write strong body paragraphs that support their analytical interpretations. I try to approach this lesson by showing how we can have good, even word-changing, ideas, but without effective communication skills, they might never see the light of day. I hope this lesson plays a small part in developing your effective communicators. Required Materials:Projector and computerPaper and pensPrinted rubric for peer-reviewsPeer review

IXL student engagement—do those words belong in the same statement? My school's tried to motivate IXL usage with various grading techniques, but when I first designed these IXL punch cards, I figured I'd take another approach. Motivate IXL participation without mucking up the grade book! What’s Included: 1. Editable Punch Card Template: 2. File Format: Canva template (standard size: 16:9). 3. Bonus Content: List of 50 fun little rewards for the punch cards. 4. PDF Instructions: Step-by-step

Purpose:The Song/Poem Analysis Game is designed to engage students in critical thinking and analysis of song lyrics or poems while incorporating a fun, interactive gameplay element. This activity fosters collaboration, creativity, and a deeper understanding of literary elements and themes. Required Materials:20-sided dice (one per student, with extras recommended) (Digital dice optional)Printed power-up cards (69 included in the download)Computer and projector or smartboardOptional celebration s

ChatGPT and others are releasing their study and learn materials that just aren’t cutting it. In my minutes of testing, I was told “Perfect! That’s spot on…” for opposite answers to the same question. Use this prompt to supercharge your actual understanding and retention of any content you want to master. I spent a couple of hours engineering, testing, and reengineering the complexity and nuance of this prompt, so although it’s something someone could set up themselves, I hope to increase acces

Purpose:Grading takes forever! It's the worst feeling to pour yourself into an assignment and grade the submission just to find that a student used AI to write their paper. This assignment is designed to make grading fast (1-2 minutes per submission... while making annotations!) AND dissuade AI cheating. Students who are presented with a manageable quantity of work while being challenged by increased qualitative requirements grow in all of the same skills without as many time-saving incentives

Isn't it impressive how effective those coffee loyalty punch cards are? Businesses use the get-the-tenth-cup-free method to motivate return customers so why can't we use it to motivate students? What’s Included: 1. Editable Punch Card Template: 2. File Format: Canva template (standard size: 16:9). 3. Bonus Content: List of 50 fun little rewards for the punch cards. 4. PDF Instructions: Step-by-step guide to access and personalize your editable builder business card template. Features: -

Purpose:This thesis statement review game is intended for students to recall the tips they previously learned about writing analytical thesis statements in a fun and engaging way. Required Materials:Projector and computer or smartboardWhiteboard and markersDuration: 10-20 minutes Ease of Use:The download includes everything you need to run the activity. Make a personal copy of any of the linked resources to edit and organize in your own Google Drive. Download:The downloadable file is a PDF with

This comprehensive bundle equips educators with everything they need to guide 9th-grade students in mastering the art of writing strong, analytical thesis statements. From an in-depth, scaffolded lesson plan to an engaging review game and an innovative assignment that dissuades AI use while fostering deeper learning, this bundle ensures students develop essential writing skills in an accessible and effective way. What’s Included:1. Thesis Statement Lesson Plan (80-90 Minutes)Scaffolded approach

Purpose:Educated is an inspiring memoir by Tara Westover emphasizing the importance of what we do daily. I wanted to create an assignment to help my students engage with some of the events of our country's recent past that they were too young to be familiar with. While grading the matrices, I also learned so much from my students thanks to some of the prompts I designed to help them make connections between their lives and Tara's experiences. Editing:I encourage you to adjust anything you think

Increase your student's IXL engagement with the plant-themed IXL punch cards. I designed this pack for your students to have an incentive to practice valuable skills offered on an often difficult-to-motivate program. What’s Included: 1. Editable Punch Card Template: 2. File Format: Canva template (standard size: 16:9). 3. Bonus Content: List of 50 fun little rewards for the punch cards. 4. PDF Instructions: Step-by-step guide to access and personalize your editable builder business card temp

Purpose:I created this introduction lesson plan to help my 9th-graders discover the usefulness of the "funnel method". You will walk students through an increasingly individualized order of practice where they will write their introduction draft. Required Materials:Whiteboard and markersProjector and computerHandouts with example paragraphs (included digitally)Graphic organizers (included digitally)Peer review checklist (included digitally)Writing materials (paper, pencils, etc.)Highlighters (op

Purpose:I did some research on creative teaching methods after hearing that my 11th-grade students never learned about logical fallacies. I found a fascinating strategy that encouraged student-led learning by providing students with examples of the fallacies before the names of the fallacies and giving them time to discuss the logical imperfections of the quotes. Students took a Think-Pair-Share approach to the start of our logical fallacies unit and built their own understanding of the fallacie

Purpose:I drafted this AI policy for my school's student handbook to respond to the growing use and usefulness of generative AI tools. These terms can be used by a teacher in their class syllabus or by the administration in their school's handbook. Qualities:These terms were developed through hours of research into how the leading universities are responding to AI. They are intended to give students space to learn how to use AI tools without requiring that teachers change their assignments compl

Save time and make your life easier with this ready-to-present pack of 30 bellringer writing prompts that challenge your students to think creatively. Help your students contribute daily to their writing journals with a 5-minute quick write. These slides download in .pptx format so they can easily be added to PowerPoint, Google Slides, Canva, and other popular slide presentation software. The file will be editable in any of the above-mentioned platforms allowing you to adjust the prompt presenta