Inquiry Pond
26 Followers
Texas, United States
About the store
I have been an English teacher for 33 years: education is my LIFE, and I love it. As a public school teacher, I've taught middle and high school English - AP, dual enrollment, preAP, GT, ESL, and inclusion. I also teach research and rhetoric courses for both College Board and dual enrollment.
I am certified to teach English/Language Arts, EC-6th grade, ESL, SpEd Inclusion, and to be a Principal.
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Bundle of Depth and Complexity Activities - ELA
If you've never used Depth and Complexity in your classroom, you SHOULD. It is amazing! It's AUTOMATIC DIFFERENTIATION. This is one of my favorites because it pushes students into deeper thinking without feeling repetitive or overly teacher-directed. I use these activities during novel studies, Shakespeare units, independent reading, and enrichment because they naturally encourage stronger discussion and more thoughtful written responses. What I especially love is that students begin making
8th - 12th
Novel Studies, Reading Strategies, Writing
30 Day Screen Time Reset Challenge | Positive Reinforcement | Digital Wellness
Are your students having difficulty breaking the cell phone habit? ARE YOU? This 30 Day Screen Time Reset Challenge Tracker provides a positive, reflective approach to helping students build healthier technology habits and become more intentional about screen use. Instead of focusing on punishment or restriction, this printable encourages students to reflect on their routines, set personal goals, monitor progress, and reconnect with offline activities in a manageable and encouraging way. Perfe
Not Specific
Not Subject Specific
Celebrating Literature - Book Party Project Perfect for End of Semester or Year
I probably say this a lot, but this is my favorite activity! It also saves me at the end of the year because it requires more student-led discussion and work, so I get to monitor more. It can take anywhere from 2-4 weeks, depending on the books, students, and the campus schedule style. The book party itself is 1-2 days, with each group having one guest at their table to listen to their book analysis. Great way to provide an authentic audience and to treat other teachers, admin, and support staf
4th - 9th
Literature, Novel Studies, Other (ELA)
Creative Seating Games for English/Language Arts and QUEST/TAG
Attached are a few seating arrangement games that I've used several times in my classes. Each of these were designed to pre-teach, teach, and/or reinforce key vocabulary while also switching seating up in order to build community within my classroom: the later part stemmed from noticing that students didn't know each other's names at the end of the school year. Great bell ringers, too! Works like a charm!
Not Specific
Other (ELA), Vocabulary
Creative Seating -- Playing Cards
A quick and easy way to group students! Give them a playing card as they enter, and have them match the card to the place mat on table groups. Plan ahead which student will get which card or give them out "randomly" when they come in. I never do it RANDOMLY, though: even the random has a plan.
Not Specific
For All Subjects, Not Subject Specific
Also included in: Creative Seating Games for English/Language Arts and QUEST/TAG
Vocabulary Seating Game: Tone Words
Get your students moving and engaged from the moment they enter with this Vocabulary Seating Challenge. In this game, students receive a word and have to find the matching category. They may have to "CHEAT" and look up the words! You can guide them into specific groups or let them work more freely, and it’s easy to adjust for any class size. I usually let them move around and select before the bell and then check/fix their seating just after the bell. You can do this at any time during the c
Not Specific
Literature, Reading, Reading Strategies
Also included in: Creative Seating Games for English/Language Arts and QUEST/TAG
Hero, Characterization, and Archetypes Unit Bundle
These are different resources that can easily be pooled together to create a long unit filled with reading, analysis, writing, and fun!
Not Specific
Literature, Writing
Hero’s Journey Movie Analysis + Ancient Meets Modern Archetype Project
This two-part assignment brings mythology and modern storytelling together in a structured, high-engagement project. Students begin by analyzing a film through the complete arc of the Hero’s Journey, clearly explaining how key moments align with each stage of the heroic cycle — from Ordinary World to Transformation. Then, students shift from analysis to creation. In the Ancient Meets Modern writing task, students design their own modern-day archetype, defining its traits, values, strengths, fea
Not Specific
Literature, Writing
Also included in: Hero, Characterization, and Archetypes Unit Bundle
Adrift and The Odyssey Crossover Response
Perfect companion to "Adrift - Close Reading and Mentor Text for Writing". EXCELLENT to fit into The Odyssey unit. See my EPIC PARTY activity for The Odyssey! The attached is a crossover activity between the short excerpt from a literary non-fiction novel by Steven Callahan titled Adrift: Lost at Sea for Seventy-Six Days and The Odyssey. This autobiography is still in print, so you can purchase it if you’d like to read more: I highly recommend it! It is one of the most profound reading e
Not Specific
Literature, Writing, Writing-Essays
Also included in: Hero, Characterization, and Archetypes Unit Bundle
Cask of Amontillado - Probable Passage
ProbabLY the best way to introduce vocab AND a story! This activity is a huge pre-reading success!! Not only is it engaging, but students dig into difficult vocab words within the text. If you have never done a probable passage before, you do this BEFORE reading. Students look up the definitions of the words and decide what category each word belongs in: setting, characters, problem, outcome. Based upon where they place the words, the write a PREDICTION. Then we read to find out if their p
8th - 12th
Literature, Vocabulary
Pecha Kucha Project for ELA | Complete Bundle
This complete bundle gives teachers everything needed to run a Hero’s Pecha Kucha project with confidence. It includes student directions, a step-by-step Pecha Kucha guide, a planner to organize speeches and slides, and a detailed grading rubric. Students will plan and deliver a visual, timed presentation while analyzing a hero’s journey, integrating research, and building public speaking skills. The planner helps them organize ideas, assign speaking roles, and align slides with their speech, en
Not Specific
Creative Writing, Literature
Hero’s Journey in Action: A Pecha Kucha Biography Project
Bring storytelling/biography, analysis, and presentation skills together with this Hero’s Pecha Kucha Project, a structured yet creative assignment that challenges students to explore a hero through concise, visual storytelling. In this project, students apply the Pecha Kucha format (20 slides, 20 seconds each) to analyze a hero’s journey, achievements, or impact. The directions walk students step-by-step through expectations, content requirements, and pacing—making this project easy to launch a
Not Specific
Literature, Writing
Also included in: Pecha Kucha Project for ELA | Complete Bundle
MLA Works Cited Page Example (Properly Formatted Model for High School & College
This MLA Works Cited page example provides students with a clean, properly formatted model they can use during research writing. Pulled from one of my graduate-level research paper, this example demonstrates accurate MLA formatting, correct hanging indents, consistent spacing, and a variety of source types. It offers students a real-world model of what polished academic citation looks like. Perfect for high school or early college classrooms, this resource can be used as a teaching example, proj
Not Specific
Other (ELA)
Also included in: Pecha Kucha Project for ELA | Complete Bundle
20 Slides. One Hero. A Pecha Kucha Storytelling Challenge
Bring storytelling, analysis, and presentation skills together with this Pecha Kucha Project, a structured yet creative assignment that challenges students to explore a hero through concise, visual storytelling. In this project, students apply the Pecha Kucha format (20 slides, 20 seconds each) to analyze a hero’s journey, achievements, or impact. The directions walk students step-by-step through expectations, content requirements, and pacing—making this project easy to launch and easy for stud
Not Specific
Close Reading, Literature
Also included in: Pecha Kucha Project for ELA | Complete Bundle
Tired of presentations with students READING? Time to PECHA KUCHA!
This is PERFECT if you're sick of watching students READ FROM THE SCREEN when presenting. It's the Pecha Kucha!! It works with any topic. I've tried it with MANY. This resource provides clear, teacher-tested (me...I'm TEACHER) presentation rules for implementing a Hero’s Pecha Kucha project in the classroom. This quick student-facing guide sets specific expectations for the presentation, helping ensure consistency and academic rigor across student presentations. The directions emphasize: P
Not Specific
Other (ELA), Other (Performing Arts)
Also included in: Pecha Kucha Project for ELA | Complete Bundle
Unlock Strong Thesis Statements with THESIS TEMPLATE and activity
Advanced students (or even struggling learners) often find it tricky to combine a clear thesis with a thematic statement. This ready-to-go activity makes it simple, visual, and engaging! What’s included: Step-by-step slideshow that breaks down thesis + theme Worksheet for hands-on practice Students will analyze artwork, literature, or even political cartoons to create thoughtful, analytical statements. While some favorite artworks are under copyright, links to museum sites let you use aut
9th - 12th, Higher Education
Art History, Literature, Writing-Essays
Unlock Strong Thesis Statements -- THE WORKSHEET
Advanced students (or even struggling learners) often find it tricky to combine a clear thesis with a thematic statement. This ready-to-go activity makes it simple, visual, and engaging! What’s included: Step-by-step slideshow that breaks down thesis + theme (see separate listing OR BUNDLE) Worksheet for hands-on practice Students will analyze artwork, literature, or even political cartoons to create thoughtful, analytical statements. While some favorite artworks are under copyright, links to
9th - 12th, Higher Education
Art History, Literature, Writing-Essays
Also included in: Unlock Strong Thesis Statements with THESIS TEMPLATE and activity
Unlock Strong Thesis Statements with THIS TEMPLATE - THE SLIDES
Advanced students (or even struggling learners) often find it tricky to combine a clear thesis with a thematic statement. This ready-to-go activity makes it simple, visual, and engaging! What’s included: Step-by-step slideshow that breaks down thesis + theme Worksheet for hands-on practice (see separate listing OR BUNDLE)Students will analyze artwork, literature, or even political cartoons to create thoughtful, analytical statements. While some favorite artworks are under copyright, links to m
9th - 12th, Higher Education
Literature, Poetry, Writing-Essays
Also included in: Unlock Strong Thesis Statements with THESIS TEMPLATE and activity
Rhetoric is Everywhere Project Bundle -- Slideshow and Rubric
Because my students were having difficulty with the words "rhetoric" and "rhetorical situation," I created a fun analysis activity that I'm sharing here. This would be a good segue into writing rhetorical analysis and/or helping students understand Jolliffe’s Rhetorical Framework Diagram. The assignment starts with students working in groups to create a powerpoint for a presentation. The assignment could easily end here and be a 90 minute assignment with presentations happening in the
8th - 12th
Reading Strategies, Writing, Writing-Essays
Rhetorical Situation Presentation Rubric Editable Grading Tool
This rubric is designed to assess deep rhetorical thinking — not just identification of terms. Students are evaluated on their ability to narrow a focused thesis, analyze the full rhetorical situation, evaluate effectiveness, and explain impact on audience. Originally created for a Rhetoric Is Everywhere project, this rubric works seamlessly with any rhetorical analysis assignment, speech, media study, or slideshow presentation. Categories include: • Narrowed, defensible thesis • Analysis of the
8th - 12th
Reading Strategies, Writing, Writing-Essays
Also included in: Rhetoric is Everywhere Project Bundle -- Slideshow and Rubric
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About the store
Experience
I have been an English teacher for 33 years: education is my LIFE, and I love it. As a public school teacher, I've taught middle and high school English - AP, dual enrollment, preAP, GT, ESL, and inclusion. I also teach research and rhetoric courses for both College Board and dual enrollment.
I am certified to teach English/Language Arts, EC-6th grade, ESL, SpEd Inclusion, and to be a Principal.
Teaching style
I like to change things up quite a bit because I get bored with one particular teaching style. I'm eclectic, but I get results! I have regularly experienced a 94-99% passing rate on state mandated tests and 90-100% passing rates in the research and rhetoric courses I teach.
I tend to motivate more toward workshop and student-centered activities, with conferencing being the activity I love the MOST.
Awards & shining teacher moments
Dean’s List; Alpha Chi National Honor Society
Who’s Who Among American High School Teachers
Nominee for Disney’s American Teacher Award
High commended ratings, usually reaching toward or surpassing 70% of my students
Gold Performance Acknowledgment for commended performance in English/Language Arts
Special invitation by my principal to take part in the School Improvement Committee, on which we've
analyzed data and worked toward finding solutions to enhance student learning collaboratively
Superintendent Advisory Team
Completed Masters in Educational Administration program with a 4.0 grade point average.
High passing rates in all courses I teach and have taught at the middle and high school level.
My own education history
I hold a Masters in Educational Administration.
I have written curriculum guides for school districts as extra income and have worked collaboratively with some of the most amazing people in education. DuFour anyone?
Additional biographical information
I have lived in various places around the world. I LOVE traveling!
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