drvan
218 Followers
Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
About the store
I have over 20 years teaching experience in high schools, adult ed, university and private tutoring. I have also taught at learning centres for middle school and high school-aged students.
My background is in English Language Arts and Art History, incorporating cultural studies and literary theory. Like many English teachers, I teach short stories, novels, Shakespeare, poetry, grammar, essay writing, media studies, and career preparation and planning.
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Irony Package: Presentation, Worksheets, Quizzes w/ Answer Key
This is a complete Irony Package ( Verbal Irony [including Sarcasm], Situational Irony, and Dramatic Irony) for you and your students. Included is a Google Slides 39-slide presentation, which includes three TedEd videos embedded into the presentation, as well definitions, examples, and multiple visual examples of Verbal, Situational, and Dramatic Irony mixed in with a few examples which are "not ironic." I use these to introduce the concepts to the class in a humous way. Also included i
7th - 12th, Adult Education
English Language Arts, Literature, Vocabulary
Reluctant Flyers: A Grammar Editing Proofreading Activity (2 levelled versions)
This "real world text" Editing Activity has students proofread an expository paragraph and locate (and correct) grammatical/English usage errors. To facilitate differentiated learning for your students, there are two versions of these passage, requiring two levels of skill. This resource is a Google Doc and Fully Editable, if needed. Great for individual, paired, small group, or entire class learning.In the first version, the passage is broken up into ten sections and students are tasked w
8th - 12th, Adult Education, Higher Education
Close Reading, Grammar, Writing
Grammar Proofreading Editing Activity (2 Versions) — "Mars Colony"
This "real world text" 2-in-1 Grammar Activity has students proofread an fictionalized expository paragraph and locate (and correct) grammatical/English usage errors. To facilitate differentiated learning for your students, there are two versions of these passage, requiring two levels of skill. Every thing is in Google Doc format and Fully Editable, if needed. In the first version, the passage is broken up into ten sections and students are tasked with locating a grammatical error in one of t
10th - 12th, Adult Education, Higher Education
Close Reading, Grammar, Writing
Introduction to Poetry - Placemat Activity
This activity has students access their background knowledge of poetry and it values their experiences and opinions about the subject. The accompanying full-editable Google Slides presentation (12 slides) provides students (and teacher) step by step instructions on how to create their Poetry Placemats. This activity has students thinking, writing, evaluating, and commenting, discussing and then presenting their findings. The end product is a useful poster placemat which students can place in the
7th - 10th
English Language Arts, Poetry
Grammar: Editing / Proofreading Skills — Science Theme (4 Exercises in 1)
In these "real world text" science-themed Grammar Activities, there are four versions from which to choose. You can use it for four different classes, so that students have similar, but distinct, experiences with proof-reading and grammar-editing. Alternatively, you could use it with the same class between two to four times. The Aim and Purpose:Students proofread an expository paragraph and locate grammatical errors. To facilitate differentiated learning, there are two versions of these pas
10th - 12th, Adult Education
Close Reading, Grammar, Informational Text
Editing Skills Practice: City Adventures – Two Formats + Answer Key
Looking for a flexible, engaging way to help your students improve their editing and grammar skills? This "City Adventures" grammar editing resource is designed for middle school and early high school English classes. It offers practice with common grammar issues such as comma splice, subject-verb agreement, faulty parallelism, punctuation errors, and diction. With two formats—numbered sentences and a full passage—it’s perfect for differentiated instruction! What's Included:Two formats of the
8th - 10th
English Language Arts, Grammar
CCSS
L.8.1
, L.8.2
, L.8.2a
+6
The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe: Five Vocabulary Activities for Chapters 1-4
Beginning to read a novel can be quite exciting for some students, pure drudgery for others, and an overwhelming prospect for still others. I find that a mixture of activities, of course, is beneficial to build up exciting and anticipation for the story, engaging readers and increasing their desire to read and find out more. The block of new vocabulary when opening a new novel can often put students off, so for The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe I created this 15-page resource with five di
3rd - 7th
English Language Arts, Vocabulary
Les parties du corp humain: Five Activities to Learn & Practice 31 Body Parts
Here is a collection of five activity sheets all using (and reusing) vocabulary of the human body. Students will practice 31 body parts in French, practising their spelling; translating the terms back and forth from English; and knowing the gender/number of each term (which terms are masculine, feminine, or plural). The activities can be done individually, in pairs, groups, or the class as a whole. Answer Keys are provided for each activity, as well as a one-pager of all the vocabulary (
4th - 10th
French
Introductory Junior French Activities — First few days of class
This "Introductory Junior French Activities" resource is a resource designed for educators teaching Intro French (for students in Grades 7, 8, or 9). This five-page, fully editable, Google Document resource includes a complete lesson plan for the first day of Junior French class, along with activities like a getting-to-know-you "Classmate Bingo" and a school supplies translation "Word Search." The activities are intended to help students get to know each other, start communicating in French, and
7th - 9th
French, World Languages
Serial Podcast (Season One): Three 1st-Person Writing Prompts
In this Serial activity, students are asked to write from the perspective of either (1) Defence Counsel, Cristina Gutierrez; (2) Podcast host and investigative journalist, Sarah Koening; or (3) the Judge. Students are provided with specific writing prompts to demonstrate their understanding of the podcast, to see things from another stakeholder's perspective, and to build empathy, all of which are things that good readers (and listeners) do. A detailed rubric is also included to make mar
10th - 12th, Adult Education, Higher Education
English Language Arts, Social Studies
Also included in: Serial Podcast - Season 1: The Bundle (3 in 1)
Anxiety Grounding Exercise: 5-4-3-2-1
This is a series of ten Google Slides that can be projected or printed off as posters for the classroom or counselling office, or as handouts to give out to students to go over individually (in counselling) or together as a class. Included herein is one grounding technique presented in a few variations. Accompanying is a writing worksheet version (again presented in three minor variations). Together this activity/worksheet can help distract someone who is actively experiencing ANXIETY a
Not Specific
Psychology, School Counseling, School Psychology
Post-it Note Reading Annotation Activity for the Entire Class
Questions, Connections, and Understandings: That is what this resource is all about. In this activity, students first work independently by reading their class novel, short story, play, poem or any other text, and respond to the three prompts in short-form on the Post-it Notes. Then they anonymously submit their responses and post them for the class and/or teacher to see, read, and discuss. Find themes amongst the class, consensus, trends, areas of difficulty. Make connections with t
6th - 12th
Close Reading, English Language Arts, Reading Strategies
Chapters 1-5: Worksheet / Assessment Quiz — In the Heat of the Night (John Ball)
With this resource you and your students can start off In the Heat of the Night right by checking for understanding and practicing CLOSE READING and the art of grabbing quotations to evidence a point / statement. As such, this is designed to be an open-book activity, individual or in pairs/small group. Students start off with some CHARACTER IDENTIFICATION statements in Part One. Then, in Part Two, students answer in SHORT ANSWERS but need to back up their answers with evidence (page number
7th - 10th
Close Reading, English Language Arts, Reading
Self-Assessment: Celebrating My Learning (Any Subject)
The research is clear, the most profound type of learning and assessment comes from self-assessment. For too long, the teacher has routinely been the sole assessor of student-work. This resource flips that on its head and places the student in the role of self-assessment. Not only is the activity of self-assessment a learning experience, it also anchors the previous learning and makes the learning more useful, applicable, and concrete to the learner. The three domains that are being assessed
7th - 12th
English Language Arts, For All Subjects
Adult Graduation in British Columbia Worksheet and Planning Guide
This resource will help you plan for a student to graduate from the Adult Graduation Plan (aka, Adult Dogwood, or BC ADG). It includes a one-page worksheet with helpful information like terminology, eligibility rules, benefits of Adult Graduation, and Course Requirements, along with a planning tool to ensure students are set up for success. I hope it provides you with an easy one-stop place to help students who elect this graduation on this pathway
12th, Adult Education, Higher Education
School Counseling
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About the store
Experience
I have over 20 years teaching experience in high schools, adult ed, university and private tutoring. I have also taught at learning centres for middle school and high school-aged students.
My background is in English Language Arts and Art History, incorporating cultural studies and literary theory. Like many English teachers, I teach short stories, novels, Shakespeare, poetry, grammar, essay writing, media studies, and career preparation and planning.
Teaching style
My philosophy of education centres on interdisciplinary studies and the development of critical reasoning skills. I believe that as modern life becomes increasingly complex and interconnected the need to teach how all subject areas interact is ever more important. As such, I habitually infuse my lessons with visual and popular culture, demonstrating how the material is relevant to students’ lives and thereby making it more accessible. Similarly, I contextualize the source material to its socio-political milieu to facilitate learning while students uncover how a text’s meaning changes over time.
Awards & shining teacher moments
Outstanding Teaching Practicum Award
My own education history
B.Ed., B.A., and M.Ed in School Counselling.
Additional biographical information
I'm a nineteenth-century boy, stuck in a twenty-first-century body.
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