Inquiry Pond
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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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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)
ELA Rubrics for Middle & High School | 4-Point Scale | Marzano-Aligned
Here's a collection of eight rubrics I've used over the years. These have saved me hours and hours of time in scoring and have allowed me to teach students to track their own growth over time.
4th - 12th
Other (ELA), Reading, Writing
Expository Essay Terms - Seating Arrangement "Game"
Get your students moving and engaged from the moment they enter with this Vocabulary Seating Challenge for Expository Terms In this game, students receive a definition/example and have to find the matching term. These terms include: HookThesis StatementTopic SentenceBridge SentenceTransitionsDetails/EvidenceClosing StatementYou can guide them into specific groups or group them more freely, and it’s easy to adjust for any class size. I usually let them move around to locate their matching ta
4th - 12th
English Language Arts, Writing-Expository
Also included in: Creative Seating Games for English/Language Arts and QUEST/TAG
Vocabulary Seating Game: Archetypes
Get your students moving and engaged from the moment they enter with this Vocabulary Seating Challenge. In this game, students receive a definition/example and have to find the matching term. These terms include: Situational Archetypes Character Archetypes: Protagonists Character Archetypes: Antagonists Setting Archetypes Symbolic Archetypes: Colors Symbolic Archetypes Symbolic Archetypes: ShapesYou can guide them into specific groups or let them work more freely, and it’s easy to adjust for
4th - 12th
English Language Arts
Also included in: Hero, Characterization, and Archetypes Unit Bundle
Vocabulary Seating Game: Characterization
Get your students moving and engaged from the moment they enter with this Vocabulary Seating Challenge. In this game, students receive a definition and have to find the matching term. These terms include: Static CharacterDynamic CharacterFlat CharacterRound CharacterFoil CharacterDirect CharacterizationIndirect CharacterizationTragic HeroComic ReliefYou 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
4th - 12th
English Language Arts
Also included in: Hero, Characterization, and Archetypes Unit Bundle
Depth and Complexity Blank Question Document and Frame
This is simply a table that has all 11 icons and space for students to write their own question. I have mine use various DC resources I purchased from J.Taylor to locate a good question: they write their question in the space provided. We don't often use all 11 icons, but you potentially could. The frame has space for discussion of five icons. I have my students use it to record their notes on the discussion, though I also will have them complete the frame as their own notes prior to discussi
3rd - 12th
For All Subjects
Also included in: Bundle of Depth and Complexity Activities - ELA
Depth and Complexity Novel Analysis - Dialectical Journal
Dialectical journal for any novel.
4th - 12th
Literature
Also included in: Bundle of Depth and Complexity Activities - ELA
Short Answer Response Rubric - For use in all academic areas
I've adjusted the ACE rubric to fit a 4 point scale (especially for those using Marzano) and have broadened the language to fit any academic areas. This rubric has saved me hours and hours of time scoring AND helps me train students to track their own growth. I hope it helps!
5th - 12th
Writing
Also included in: ELA Rubrics for Middle & High School | 4-Point Scale | Marzano-Aligned
Expository Text Structure Notes Organizer
This goes with the Slideshow I have uploaded for Text Structures/3D Modeling.
4th - 10th
English Language Arts
Expository Text Structures - 3D STEM Models
I just did this assignment for the first time this year with my 9th graders, and I LOVED it. In my preAP class, I had students divide up into groups to learn about a text structure. They became the expert in one and taught it to the other groups. The 3D models were my favorite. Great conversations were had while they were building. In my on-level class, we are doing a text structure every couple of weeks to really focus in on them. This, along with a few side-by-sides, have been a huge help
4th - 12th
English Language Arts
"I Can" Student Reflection for Expository Essay
This is designed as a tool for allowing students to be metacognitive of their own writing process. It asks them to rate themselves on different aspects of the STAAR Expository Essay. I use it with my 9th graders, but I am sure it could be used with different age groups. I'm providing this as a Word Doc so that you can alter it as needed, especially since it contains links to websites that may or may not work on your campus.
4th - 12th
English Language Arts
WILDLY USEFUL!!! Characterization Graphic Organizer
UPDATE: I turned this into a PDF instead to retain the integrity of the shapes on the document. The download used to fix the alignment, but it does not. This graphic organizer asks students to look at how the author reveals character - through thoughts/emotions (indirect), actions/dialogue (indirect), and description (direct). It then asks students to make inferences about the character and finally to analyze how the character motivations affect the conflict/resolution.
4th - 9th
Reading, Reading Strategies, Short Stories
1950s to 1980s Inferences Cause-effect Generalizations and Predictions
Teaching kids to make inferences is one of the biggest challenges of my career. I designed this to help facilitate while engaging students. This is a fun little activity that helps leads students through making inferences about the 1950s and the 1980s through statements made by people living in that generation. Students infer and generalize what life was like in that generation, discuss the causes for change, and then make predictions for the future.
4th - 12th
Reading, Reading Strategies
Short Answer Response ACE Rubric | Text Evidence | Constructed Response
This student-friendly short answer response rubric helps students write stronger evidence-based responses using the A.C.E. strategy (Answer, Cite, Explain). Perfect for literary analysis, constructed responses, close reading, and text evidence practice in middle school and high school ELA classrooms. Enables you to score faster, to train students to self-score, and for students to track their own progress for student-led conferences. THREE views of the rubric for different purposes: 1 for th
4th - 12th
Reading Strategies, Writing
Also included in: ELA Rubrics for Middle & High School | 4-Point Scale | Marzano-Aligned
11-minute Essay: Writing Practice GUARANTEED NO AI!
The Eleven-Minute Essay – Quick, Guided Writing Exercise for Students First -- this is an EXCELLENT way to get kids WRITING without using AI!!! Help students connect art, literature, and life in just 11 minutes. The Eleven-Minute Essay is a structured, step-by-step writing activity designed to guide students in forming opinions, analyzing ideas, and making meaningful connections. Perfect for middle and high school classrooms, this exercise encourages critical thinking, personal reflection, and e
4th - 12th
Writing, Writing-Essays
Writing and Using Levels of Questions for Discussion
This powerpoint leads students through writing levels of questions. It also provides a list of engagement activities for using the questions in written response or via discussion. It ends with a written reflection for students to use after the engagement activity.
4th - 12th
For All Subjects
How Credible Is Your Source
This worksheet will lead researchers through the test of credibility. With so MANY sources available to students, we have to teach them how to find credible sources versus non-credible sources.
5th - 12th
For All Subjects, Writing, Writing-Expository
Showing 1-17 of 17 results
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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