msdickson
649 Followers
Michigan, United States
About the store
I spent years teaching English on a Shoestring Budget, using Photocopies and Projects to stretch my meager budget of school and personal funds. In addition to limited resources, I also had the challenge of engaging reluctant alternative high school students. I worked to balance high expectations with accessible coursework. I keep an eye out for affordable, yet engaging text options that can be used for papers and projects in class.
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Culminating Projects | Final Projects | Bundle | Any Novel or Short Story | WORD
Super money saving bundle! Set of 20 project for use with any novel or short story. Variety of creative and engaging options. Each project is offered as a separate stand-alone activity, plus they are combined in a Culminating Projects set, including Task Cards, Choice Board, and Student Menu options. Bundle includes additional groupings, including Show and Tell, Real-World Response to Literature, and Book Report Alternatives and the Ultimate Project Choice Menu that has all 20 projects
8th - 11th
Creative Writing, Literature, Short Stories
Two Text Comparison Essay Writing, For Any Two Stories or Poems - WRD
Activity for comparing any two texts in a comparison essay. Includes materials to guide students through picking a topic, finding evidence in the text, and writing their essay. Templates, guides, and rubrics provided to scaffold for students of any level! Teacher Guides provide guidance for the teacher on how to use the resources and support student use.Quick Guides are a student reference sheet. The printables are flexible and can be used with students new to effective essay writing, those who
8th - 11th, Adult Education
Literature, Writing-Essays
Literary Essay Writing for Any Text, Differentiate for All Levels-WRD
Set of materials to support writers of all levels in writing a literary analysis essay for any text. Includes guidance on picking a topic (optional) as well as several printables to help students with the process, including the inclusion of literary devices in their analysis. Rubric provided. Provide, require, or exclude the support printables as needed for differentiation on an individual or class level. The printables are flexible and can be used with students new to effective essay writ
8th - 11th, Adult Education
English Language Arts, Literature, Writing-Essays
Scaffolding Support | Five Paragraph Essays | Differentiate for Any Writer | WRD
Set of materials to support writers of all levels in writing a five paragraph essay. Includes several printables and quick guides to support students who need models, references, or nothing. Provide, require, or exclude the support printables as needed for differentiation on an individual or class level. Includes complete resources to assign a five paragraph essay, including rubric, planning worksheet, and the different support documents. Includes regular five paragraph essay, PLUS a five p
8th - 11th, Adult Education
English Language Arts, Writing, Writing-Essays
The Bells | Poetry Comprehension | Literary Classic | Bundle | Poe | WORD
Bundle of Activities for use with the poem “The Bells” by Edgar Allan Poe. Includes reading & inference questions, graphic organizers, literary essays, Bells for Sale Brochure project, poetic devices activities, vocabulary, and a word search. Answer keys included. Also includes the Quick Guide to Advertising and Other Persuasive Writing and the Literary Essay Quick Guide student reference sheets. Flexible options to fit your classroom needs. Contents:Reading and Inference Questions: Readin
8th - 11th, Adult Education
English Language Arts, Poetry
Snow Poetry | Poetry Comprehension | Bundle | Frost | Emerson | Dickinson | WRD
A set of snow poem activities. Includes reading activities for “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” (Robert Frost), “The Snow-storm” (Ralph Waldo Emerson), and “It Sifts from Leaden Sieves” (Emily Dickinson.) Also includes a snow poem comparison project with choice of essay or multimedia project and a Write Your Own Snow Poetry Project that includes an optional multimedia project. Create a unit or pick the activities that work for your classroom. Contents: Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Eve
8th - 11th, Adult Education
Poetry, Writing
Scaffolding Support | Research Writing | Differentiate for Any Writer | WRD
Set of materials to support writers of all levels in research writing. Works with research papers or expository essays. Includes several printables and quick guides to support students who need models, references, or nothing. Provide, require, or exclude the support printables as needed for differentiation on an individual or class level. Includes complete resources to assign a research paper or expository essay, including rubric, planning worksheet, research collection, and the different s
8th - 11th, Adult Education
English Language Arts, Literature, Writing-Essays
To Build a Fire | Literary Classic | Fiction Unit | Bundle | London | WORD
A set of activities for use with the story “To Build a Fire” by Jack London. Includes reading questions, critical thinking questions, and graphic organizers to accompany the text. Also provides a variety of activities for culminating projects, including an alternate point of view story and an alternate ending project. Other fun activities include the how to brochure and the gravestone plus obituary writing. A personal connection with the story can be enhanced with the Unheeded Advice person
8th - 11th, Adult Education
Literature, Short Stories, Writing
A Dream Within a Dream | Poetry Comprehension | Activity Bundle | Poe | WORD
Set of activities for use with the poem “A Dream Within a Dream” by Edgar Allan Poe. Includes reading questions, word webs, personal writing, write your own poetry imitation activity, and literary essays. Answer keys and rubrics included. Many options to pick from to fit your classroom needs. Contents: A Dream Within a Dream Reading Activities: 8 reading questions with inference and opinion questions, plus key. 5 critical thinking questions with short rubric and optional paragraph model. Pl
8th - 11th, Adult Education
Literature, Poetry, Writing
Movie vs Book Comparison | Film Comparison | Activities | Digital
Works with any story or book paired with any movie or play. Can be used with a portion of the story or the whole. Keeps students working while a movie or play is shown. Student copies in PowerPoint format for easy digital assignment-- but also includes a fully editable copy for teacher. Contents:Comparison Table: includes spots for up to 10 points of comparison. Students or teacher can choose the points to compare. Plot points, characters, setting, and more are good options for the comparison. S
8th - 12th
English Language Arts, Literature
Casey at the Bat | Poetry Comprehension | Literary Classic | Bundle | Thayer|WRD
Set of activities for use with the poem “Casey at the Bat” by Ernest Lawrence Thayer. Includes reading questions, graphic organizers, several culminating projects, and more. Projects include alternate point of view writing, newspaper article writing, and a write your own. Also, compare the poem with the short film version. Answer keys and rubrics included. Many options to pick from to fit your classroom needs. Contents: • Reading Activities: Reading questions in order of the text with answ
8th - 11th, Adult Education
English Language Arts, Literature, Poetry
After Twenty Years | Fiction Unit | Literary Classic | Bundle | WORD
Activities for use with the short story “After Twenty Years” by O. Henry. Includes a variety of options to fit your classroom needs. Reading questions and graphic organizers available to guide students in understanding and analysis of the text. Culminating projects include an Interview Project ,Prequel Writing, and Write Your Own to expand on the text. Answers keys and rubrics included for ease of use. Contents: • After Twenty Years Reading Activities: Reading questions in order of the text
8th - 11th
Creative Writing, Literature, Short Stories
Song Lyric | Literary Analysis Essay Writing | Mini Lesson | PowerPoint
Great introduction to Literary Analysis! Student use a song of their choice to write a literary analysis. Students will walk through the steps of a literary analysis with the printables, then put the pieces together in an essay. The break down of steps is good for teaching students new to writing literary essays or for those who need a structured review of the process. This process has students start with the close reading, using the fill-in-the-blank student printable. After completin
8th - 11th
English Language Arts, Poetry, Writing-Essays
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About the store
Experience
I spent years teaching English on a Shoestring Budget, using Photocopies and Projects to stretch my meager budget of school and personal funds. In addition to limited resources, I also had the challenge of engaging reluctant alternative high school students. I worked to balance high expectations with accessible coursework. I keep an eye out for affordable, yet engaging text options that can be used for papers and projects in class.
Teaching style
The goal of any activity in education is for students to learn and then demonstrate their understanding of the concepts. However, they cannot understand what they know if they are not engaged in the activity. It is always my goal to create activities that are accessible and/ or engaging so that students can be successful. Projects are my favorite as they allowed flexibility and opportunities for differentiation. I also do appreciate reading questions to guide students, and hold them accountable for reading (and they are accessible, since I make them in order and limited "tricky" questions.)
Awards & shining teacher moments
Recognized by the State of Michigan, along with the other teachers, for Excellence in Adult Education.
My own education history
I earned my GED rather than be a senior in high school. I spent two years at a local community college before transferring to finish my degree in Secondary English and History education. I later returned to online schooling to get a Graduate Certificate in Educational Media and Technology. I always try to help my own students have a better high school experience than I did.
Additional biographical information
I share teaching ideas and more at www.msdicksonsclass.com
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