Ms C311

Have you ever had a moment when you didn’t know someone’s name but you were too embarrassed to ask? That happens to students too! Sometimes they can go through an entire class without knowing the names of their peers. I believe it is important for the entire class to get to know one another’s names; I feel it helps them to interact more comfortably when working on class activities and assessments. This is a fast, fun, and easy activity that will get students smiling and using each other’s name.

Start the year off right with a great syllabus! Get organized and be ready for day one with this listing for TWO versions of a journalism syllabus. BOTH ARE EDITABLE so you can personalize for your specific needs. Use the version that works best for you—or use them both in different capacities. Syllabus 1 is student friendly, uses a fun column layout, and is great for reviewing on the first day of school. Syllabus 2 is a more detailed professional document great for sharing with administratio

This partner interview activity is a fun way for students to get to know each other better (and for you to get to know them too). Included is a teacher guide with directions for setting up the activity and a print-and-go handout that students use to get to know a classmate better. Use it as an icebreaker, community builder, or a way to practice interpersonal communication skills. Conduct the interview over one class period, or use one question a day for interesting discussion. Sample Questions

Students are really cool people! Get to know them better by using this questionnaire. I created this resource to use in my own classes because I believe that creating relationships is key to ensuring a positive learning environment. I like to hand this out the first week of school when I have an extra 10-15 minutes in class. I don’t always have time to read them right away, but I do hold on to them for the semester. Sometimes when I am having discipline issues with a student or want to help a

Pica, Libel, Beat… Wouldn’t teaching Journalism class be easier if everyone could use and understand standardized subject specific vocabulary? Many of today’s students are unfamiliar with even the most basic journalism jargon, but getting everyone on the same page can be easy with the versatile vocabulary pack. I created the journalism vocabulary word list to help ensure everyone on my newspaper staff was using the same words to plan, work as a team, and provide feedback. It turned out to be a

“I don’t like to read books.” Try this book hunt activity and you may never have to hear that ugly line again! This activity is designed to get students looking at a variety of books and ultimately finding ones they want to read. Included are two options-- a teacher-led classroom activity and a student-directed homework handout. Also included is a Book Ideas List containing 50 book names that I cannot keep on my classroom shelf. Rest assured that every student (even the toughest clients) ca

Every student wants to take a class with a buddy! This is a fun back to school mini unit that builds classroom community and helps the class get to know each other. It pairs each student up with a peer, or English buddy, whom they can work with on this project and intermittently all semester long. Sometimes students start a class not knowing a single person-- this activity will change that. I believe that building classroom community is key to successful learning. This activity ensures that ev

This is a fun ten-minute activity that randomly partners up students with a classmate. It gets students up, interacting with the whole class, and having fun. Keep it in your “bag of tricks” and be surprised how often you find a use for it in your class. Try it as a warm up for the day, a lead in to another activity, or an anytime fun brain break. Activity Overview: 1. Print and cut squares from handout provided. 2. Students draw a square, follow game rules, and find a partner. 3. Partners an

This is a fun ten-minute activity that randomly partners up students with a classmate. It gets students up, interacting with the whole class, and having fun. Keep it in your “bag of tricks” and be surprised how often you find a use for it in your class. Try it as a warm up for the day, a lead in to another activity, or an anytime fun brain break. Activity Overview: 1. Print and cut squares from handout provided. 2. Students draw a square, follow game rules, and find a partner. 3. Partners an

What would Romeo be like if he attended high school today? Students think about this question and more when they work to complete this creative character profile. This fun assignment asks students to describe their favorite Romeo and Juliet character using elements that meet common core standards (see below). Included in this purchase: a teacher’s guide with learning objectives, a ready to print student handout, an example assignment, and an editable rubric. Ready for some Shakespeare fun? Tho

Planning is a key component to good teaching. Get your school life organized with this editable planning calendar. To maximize space, this calendar shows school days only (no weekends). Small dots of color distinguish each month without using up your printer ink. I use one of these calendars for each of the classes I teach, plus one more to keep general school meetings and information organized. Copy this file as many times as you like, edit it and make it work for your personal organization

Every student wants to take a class with a buddy! Sometimes students start a class not knowing a single person-- this activity will change that. This activity ensures that every student is introduced to a peer and has a level of comfort asking him/her questions in an interview setting. One of my favorite parts of this assignment is the option to extend throughout the semester or year. Asking students to pair up with their English Buddy is a fast and easy pairing option that gets kids up and mo