NEVER STOP LEARNING
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Michigan, United States
About the store
YouTube Lessons: https://www.youtube.com/c/CarolMcNally
Mom of four;
Granny to six ;
Sunday school teacher 10+ years ;
Public school teacher (Title 1, middle school ELA regular education and support classes) 20+ years...retired ;
Literacy Coach ;
Instructional Coach ;
School improvement team member for nearly all of my teaching career;
Author of significant amounts of ELA curriculum for my district, most recently a revision of 6,7, and 8 regular and advanced/accelerated ELA curriculum and supporting documents/materials aligned with CCSS;
Currently ELA teacher in of our district's advanced/accelerated program;
Fellow: National Writing Project
Adjunct Professor: Western Michigan University
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Holocaust Unit - Middle School
Comprehensive month-long unit includes: introductory writing on demand prompt/rubric, non-fiction guided reading piece with exit card, lit circles forms and self-reflection guidance, listen-sketch-draft for Holocaust picture book, viewing guide for "Jacob the Liar," complete Holocaust inquiry, tone/personal connections assignment for Anne Frank diary entries, instructions for readers' theater/ journal connections for the Anne Frank play, final writing on demand on "Universal Truths." Holocaus
7th - 8th
English Language Arts, Social Studies
CCSS
CCRA.R.10
, CCRA.W.8
, CCRA.W.9
+2
Teach Your Students to Vary Sentence Structure
Do your students consistently “Vary sentence patterns for meaning, reader/listener interest, and style” in their writing? Do they even know what it means to vary sentence patterns? This comprehensive mini-unit includes: *explanation/link to common core expectations concerning varying sentence structures *introducing your students to jobs of sentences (with explanation)-declarative, exclamatory, imperative, interrogative *introducing your students to types of sentences (with explanation) - simpl
6th - 8th
English Language Arts, Grammar
CCSS
L.6.3a
"The Flowers" Multiple Choice Quiz with Key
A six-question multiple choice quiz on Alice Walker's "The Flowers." Quiz covers symbolism, vocabulary, exposition/rising action, and theme. Short Story Inquiry Form by Carol McNally is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.
7th - 8th
English Language Arts, Short Stories
CCSS
CCRA.R.1
, CCRA.R.10
Short Story Guided Reading and Comprehension Quiz "The Open Window"
Guided reading text that includes during reading thinking activities based on Harvey/Goodvis STRATEGIES THAT WORK reading comprehension strategies and aligned to CCSS. AND: 10 question multiple choice comprehension quiz aligned to CCSS. *character trait *theme *plot (climax) *vocab in context *point of view (structure) *interpreting idiom *genre *interpretation of vocab in context *purpose for flashback Includes: teachers guide to the guided reading and quiz key
6th - 8th
Close Reading, Reading Strategies, Short Stories
CCSS
CCRA.R.1
, CCRA.R.2
, CCRA.R.4
+3
High Impact Literacy Strategies
A literacy strategies planning guide for classroom teachers and Professional Learning Communities (PLCs). For each strategy: explanation, ideas, and application sections. Ideal for use in teacher team professional development.
2nd - 12th
CCSS
CCRA.R.10
"The Lottery" Multiple Choice Quiz with Key
A multiple choice quiz (5 questions) over author's craft, mood, theme, and vocabulary. Includes key. Short Story Inquiry Form by Carol McNally is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.
7th - 8th
Short Stories
CCSS
CCRA.R.1
, CCRA.R.10
SYMBOLISM MINI UNIT Kate Chopin’s “The Story of An Hour”
This is a story that, without deliberate focus on the symbolism, could not be appreciated to its fullest! This story is one that I have taught for many years to my 8th graders to introduce a study of symbolism. I am including in this packet the teacher’s key first, because it is important that the teacher read and understand the symbolism in the story before reading it with the students. The teacher may want to use this as an introduction, in which case I would work through the guided readin
7th - 10th
English Language Arts, Literature, Short Stories
CCSS
CCRA.R.1
Differentiated Family Biography Project
This project offers a menu of choices for each of these three categories: research, writing, and presentation, with choice components in each category that appeal to students' interests and preferred learning/presentation styles. I use this project as a culmination to my non-fiction research project (which focuses on non-fiction text features, informational text research, and informational writing). It is a perfect anchor type activity that can be accomplished alongside other instruction (I ru
5th - 8th
English Language Arts, Poetry, Writing
CCSS
CCRA.W.3
, CCRA.W.4
, CCRA.W.7
+1
Close Reading Through Critical Analysis of Text
Examining texts through the lens of CRITICAL READING (http://www.enotes.com/topics/how-read-literature-critically) will teach your students to become independent “thinkers” about text. Sustained practice with this approach will mold your students’ “metacognition with text” so that they will eventually become pragmatic sages in considering all aspects of specific pieces of literature. I highly recommend that the teacher who decides to use this approach with his/her students actually read the ar
8th - 10th
Close Reading, English Language Arts, Literature
CCSS
RL.9-10.10
DEAR JOHN… A lesson in the pragmatics of reading
This activity gives students of any age authentic practice with implementing the tools that sophisticated readers use to interpret text. Lesson includes step by step lesson plan, visual aids, student activity sheet, reading definition stickers page, reflection and rubric. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.5 Analyze the structure of texts, including how specific sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of the text (e.g., a section, chapter, scene, or stanza) relate to each other and the whole. CCSS.ELA
Not Specific
English Language Arts, Reading
CCSS
CCRA.W.7
HOLES by Louis Sachar Reading Assessment
This fill in the blank test, geared toward 6th graders, assess the following: setting, character, making personal connections to the text, plot, character analysis, and metacognitive strategies. Short Story Inquiry Form by Carol McNally is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.
6th
Literature, Reading
CCSS
CCRA.R.1
, CCRA.R.2
, CCRA.R.3
+4
"A Christmas Carol" Interpreting Segments & Gaps
A reader response theory approach means that the reader consider his or her own life experiences when considering the story that an author has written. This activity invites students to look at the first few lines of each stave of A CHRISTMAS CAROL by Charles Dickens. Students read the lines, make note of the literal meaning of the text (segment) and speculate on the gaps. This assignment can be used with any version of “A Christmas Carol.”—including the film version. Included for each of the
6th - 8th
Literature
CCSS
RL.8.2
, RL.8.3
, RL.8.4
+1
Reading Assessment for THE WATSONS GO TO BIRMINGHAM
This short answer/essay assessment tests students' understandings about the book by asking them to respond to questions about: Character traits, theme, lessons learned by characters,setting, main character's problem, resolution, and change in main character over the course of the book. The essay at the end of the assessment asks students to briefly retell the story in terms of exposition, rising action, etc. and make a literary connection between this book and another they have read. This tes
6th - 8th
Literature
CCSS
RL.8.1
, RL.8.2
, RL.8.3
+2
Graphic Organizers
This bundle of 12 graphic organizers to promote deep processing is available now from Never Stop Learning. Designed to be photocopied black and white, these handy student forms offer style and organization to students' notes and analyses. Graphic Organizers included: •Alphaboxes •Text Survey •Double Venn Diagram •RAFT Development Planning Sheet •Independent Reading Log •Book Pass Recording Sheet •Personal Record Keeping Journal •Blank Rubric •Text to Text Compare/Contrast Comparisons •Text to
Not Specific
Close Reading, Informational Text, Literature
CCSS
W.8.2b
, W.8.7
, W.8.9
Poetry Inquiry Unit - Figurative Language
This two-week unit leads students through discovering how poets employ figurative language. Students, using the internet and a collection of poetry books, define then find examples of figurative language. Then, they write original poems, using the figurative language techniques they have just learned. This unit contains a student guide sheet for the unit, a rubric for the original poetry booklet that students create, two quizzes over the figurative language terms, and a writing on demand prompt
8th - 9th
Other (ELA), Writing
CCSS
CCRA.R.4
, CCRA.W.7
, CCRA.W.8
+1
Printable Content Area Writing Guide
Here, in one handy printable resource, are the beginning elements of what a teacher needs to guide students in writing effective texts aligned with the common core standards and the SAT/ACT writing guidelines. This guide focuses specifically on middle school standards and expectations, but the ideas can be applied to both lower and higher grades. page 1 - intro page 2 - Content Area Writing Considerations page 3 - Content Area Writing Genre Ideas page 4 - Format: Thesis Development page 5 - G
6th - 8th
Writing-Essays, Writing-Expository
CCSS
CCRA.W.1
, CCRA.W.2
, CCRA.W.3
First Days of School Name/Picture Activity
Get to know your students and help them get to know each other! This activity allows your students to present themselves as individuals. It includes choice and creative components and would be suitable for any grade level! Students name and meaning of name are displayed on activity sheet. Students respond to a choice of prompts (informational writing) and choose to add design elements to the sheet that individualize their short autobiography.
Not Specific
Visual Arts, Writing-Expository
CCSS
CCRA.W.10
, CCRA.SL.6
Stellaluna - What a Character!
The purpose of this reading experience with STELLALUNA, by Janell Cannon, is to practice identifying details in text that make characters different or similar to other characters. While determining traits that make characters alike or different, students will also learn ways that bats are like and different from birds.
2nd - 4th
Close Reading, English Language Arts, Reading
CCSS
RL.3.3
12-Day Mini-lesson Unit on Commonly Confused Words - Includes Quiz
Choosing the wrong word for the writing purpose is a common error. This unit provides twelve days of practice analyzing similarities and differences between some of the most commonly confused words utilizing YouTube video lessons and Venn diagrams. Procedure: 1. Students get the day’s handout and fill in what they already know about the similarities and differences between the words presented on their Venns. 2. Individually, or a s a class, students view the linked video lessons and fill in
4th - 8th
English Language Arts
CCSS
CCRA.L.4
Rubric: Short Story Creative Writing Piece
At the culmination of a genre study of short stories, my students write their own original short stories. This rubric breaks down the short story into plot and author craft elements for assessment.
7th - 8th
Creative Writing, English Language Arts, Short Stories
CCSS
W.8.3
Showing 1-20 of 31 results
About the store
Experience
YouTube Lessons: https://www.youtube.com/c/CarolMcNally
Mom of four;
Granny to six ;
Sunday school teacher 10+ years ;
Public school teacher (Title 1, middle school ELA regular education and support classes) 20+ years...retired ;
Literacy Coach ;
Instructional Coach ;
School improvement team member for nearly all of my teaching career;
Author of significant amounts of ELA curriculum for my district, most recently a revision of 6,7, and 8 regular and advanced/accelerated ELA curriculum and supporting documents/materials aligned with CCSS;
Currently ELA teacher in of our district's advanced/accelerated program;
Fellow: National Writing Project
Adjunct Professor: Western Michigan University
Teaching style
Constructivist: I believe that students learn best when they set their own learning goals and discover information for themselves. I use inquiry learning in my classroom as a structure for learning about the time periods from which literature emerges. My classroom is built around individual choice in reading and writing.
Awards & shining teacher moments
2004 Excellence Award for a Professional Development Program - Michigan Association of School Boards;
2008 Annual Recognition Award for Educational Equity - American Association of University Women
My own education history
Bachelor of Science: Business, WMU;
Teaching Certification k-8, English & Language Arts, WMU;
Master's degree: English, WMU;
Certification in Gifted Education, Purdue
Additional biographical information
My focus is on equipping students with strategies for learning. Learning is not remembering;, it is not doing; it is not completing. Learning is developing automaticity with skills and owning concepts to support their journey and success in higher level academics.
I want to support teachers as well with excellent literacy materials for teaching and learning.
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