Mrs. Smith

If you've never used a Levels-Of-Comprehension guide with your students, you must try it. It's a carefully constructed tool that leads your students step-by-step from making literal observations about a text, to making interpretations, and finally applying the text to broader, thematic concepts. I have found this type of tool to be very helpful, but difficult to construct. That's why I'm sharing this one here! I've used this tool with both honors and non-honors students. It was quicker and

A guided reading tool your students can use when analyzing Kennedy's speech. Could be given as homework, or used in class. Also works well as a peer or group assignment. It has thorough instructions, so can be self-directed.

A fifty-question multiple-choice test over Fitzgerald's novel. Items range from fact-based "did you read the book" questions to recognizing literary devices in context and making interpretive choices. There is one section of matching the quotation with the character, and another which requires critical reading of one passage. The document is in MS Word format so it can easily be edited to more closely match your class's novel unit.

Reviewing the four sentence structures? Use these 20 sentences as a pre-test, a post-test, practice, or a lesson. Some are obvious and a few are tricky. Space is provided on the page for students to give their responses.

A reproducible notebook organizer that you can use with your students that works well with any class. Your students can use this to keep their notebook in order, keep track of their grades, and catch up on missed work. Also, you can use it for notebook checks, quick assessments, make-up work, review, parent conferences, or even school/home communication. I have used it for what I have called "notebook roulette" in that I go around the room on Unit Test day, checking each child's notebook for

This assignment was born when I had one particular class that was struggling with writing. I could tell that a good bit of the problem was their inability/unwillingness to plan well. A veteran teacher gave me this idea and I developed it, ran with it, and loved it. I ended up using it with several classes over several years. Here's the gist: You give them the topics and detailed instructions in advance. You tell them to prepare on their own, at home, but all the writing will happen in clas

Five writing prompts that can be used in a variety of ways: as essay assignments, journal entries, in-class discussion "sponges," group projects, test questions, etc. Each requires specific text reference.

These prompts with instructions work well as an end-of-unit assessment. Students are free to use their notes and texts to prepare their responses. I have used these prompts for group discussion as well. The second one also makes for an excellent formal debate. Students pour over the text in preparation. If you haven't tried a formal debate as a class activity, try it! Finally, consider this in-class writing as a pre-writing activity. Don't tell the students that you're going to do this,