NoBox
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Florida, United States
About the store
I have been learning from and teaching Reading and literacy success to middle school (6th and 7th grade students) for nine years. I have had the opportunity to learn from students with wide ranges of learning disabilities, as well as those who are gifted, those who are unidentified gifted, and the full range of students in between. Prior to teaching, I ran a children's ministry for preschool-5th grade where I taught weekly lessons as well as wrote curriculum for performances, engaging lessons, and summer Bible school. Currently I am teaching in a Title 1 (majority of students live on or below poverty level) school, helping students understand how smart and capable they are.
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Gifted and Talented Critical Thinking Enrichment
In this PowerPoint adventure, students will be sent all over the globe investigating strange occurrences. They will work cooperatively to create a mock newscast detailing the problem and plausible explanation.
Along the way, students will incorporate research, critical thinking, cooperative problem solving, and narrative technique, as they write, revise, and perform their newscast. It is designed so that both performers and audience will be enriched.
This resource has extra video links, guide
6th - 8th
Creative Writing, English Language Arts
CCSS
CCRA.W.1
, CCRA.W.2
, CCRA.W.4
 +1
Dystopia: Critical Thinking and Problem Solving for Gifted and Talented
These are enrichment or acceleration activities for gifted and talented middle school students who are about to embark on independent reading of novels with a Dystopian element. Included in this resource are group discussion questions, four project based research learning options which culminate in a presentation, and teacher resources, such as an action plan to help students develop a project timeline. These activities lend themselves to multiple learning styles, and require critical thinking,
5th - 8th
English Language Arts, Reading
CCSS
RL.5.3
, RL.6.1
, RL.6.2
 +13
Stranded! Using Research to Enhance Creative Writing
Don't just teach your gifted/talented middle school students about research and creative writing....STRAND them in the Amazonian Rainforest or the Sonoran Desert!
Students will select a stranded scenario, and then use research skills to learn more about the region and how to care for a group member who needs medical attention. Afterwards, students select a point of view and write a multi day journal entry, chronicling their survival from being stranded to rescue! Along the way, writers will inc
5th - 8th
Creative Writing, English Language Arts
CCSS
RI.5.7
, RI.6.7
, W.5.3
 +14
Science Fiction: Critical Thinking Research
This PowerPoint Presentation is great for introducing the Science Fiction genre or as a culminating activity, as it explores the question "What if?" These activities are aimed at middle school gifted and talented students, but can be tweaked for any level student in a classroom that utilizes cooperative learning. Students have discussion questions, scenarios to analyze and generate their own questions, and then opportunities to research and develop solutions to their problems. The activity concl
6th - 8th
English Language Arts
CCSS
RI.6.1
, RI.6.7
, RI.7.1
 +16
ELL Activities for "Amigo Brothers" by Piri Thomas
This is a PowerPoint presentation with before, during, and after activities for ELL's to read during the short story "Amigo Brothers" by Piri Thomas. There are group discussion questions, context clue/idiomatic language/multiple meaning word activities, writing activities, and graphic organizers to help students compare and contrast the two main characters. These activities give ELL's opportunities to speak, listen, and see English in a poignant story that is relevant and cuts to the heart of an
6th - 8th
Close Reading, Reading Strategies, Short Stories
CCSS
RL.6.1
, RL.6.5
, RL.7.1
 +12
Crafting a Character
This activity was wildly successful with my sixth-eighth grade creative writing students. Even my kids who would rather eat brussel sprouts than write actually had fun (gasp!) It is a step by step, way out of the box, mind-mapping activity where students create a relatable character by charting ideas. This guided activity is best used with a whole group, then processed with a partner or small learning group. Educators can tailor this to help with the brainstorming, pre-writing, editing, word c
6th - 9th
Creative Writing, English Language Arts, Writing
CCSS
CCRA.W.3
, CCRA.SL.6
Figurative Language Pre-Assessment
How well do your students know the difference between a simile and personification? Can they take it to the next step and explain how figurative language impacts the meaning of a poem? Before you dive head-long into that fabulous poetry unit, make sure you know who gets it, who needs a little support, and who needs a reteach.
This PowerPoint can be converted into Googleslides and shared out in classrooms with technology. It can be turned into a nearpod, or it can be used in small or large gro
6th - 8th
English Language Arts, Poetry
CCSS
RL.7.4
, L.7.5
, L.7.5c
Conversation Cards
These cards are to help guide students in group discussion, critical thinking, and personal reflection on text. They help build confidence in carrying on academic conversations that help team mates push each other with probing questions, affirm each other's contributions, and disagree with ideas, not attack each other. Common Core asks students to be high quality listeners and speakers. Just like other areas, middle school people need tools in which to grow and develop these skills. I have used
5th - 8th
Close Reading, English Language Arts
CCSS
SL.5.1
, SL.6.1
, SL.7.1
 +1
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About the store
Experience
I have been learning from and teaching Reading and literacy success to middle school (6th and 7th grade students) for nine years. I have had the opportunity to learn from students with wide ranges of learning disabilities, as well as those who are gifted, those who are unidentified gifted, and the full range of students in between. Prior to teaching, I ran a children's ministry for preschool-5th grade where I taught weekly lessons as well as wrote curriculum for performances, engaging lessons, and summer Bible school. Currently I am teaching in a Title 1 (majority of students live on or below poverty level) school, helping students understand how smart and capable they are.
Teaching style
I lean heavily on the Socratic method to help guide students on their way to discovering and owning new knowledge, as well as deepening current knowledge. Many of my lessons begin with a question, and allow students the freedom to develop and research questions of their own. I have seen firsthand the benefits of cooperative learning, engaging in meaningful conversation, and tying lessons into real-world issues to develop critical thinking skills. No matter the standard or Common Core benchmark, my aim is to always help students be prepared for success in life outside the classroom, and getting middle school people to be independent thinkers by designing lessons in which they depend less on me and more on their own strengths is a key component in my teaching style.
Awards & shining teacher moments
First Year Teacher of the Year (one of my proudest)
Florida Writers Association, Royal Palm Literacy Award, "Uprooted", self-published middle grades fantasy fiction
Faculty Sponsor, 2012-13 River Springs Yo-Yo Club
My own education history
M.A. in English, Philosophy/Religion, minor in Youth Ministry at Flagler College, St. Augustine, Florida
M.Div Asbury Theological Seminary
Additional biographical information
I am a mama to lacrosse playing sons and a Boston Terrier, wife, and lover of dark chocolate. In my spare time I write stories aimed at the world of my students. Many times, I am the minority race in my classroom, and it has taught me far more than any professional development. My heart and mind has grown, especially when I hear firsthand accounts of what students are living out, played against the background of our culture.
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