Robin Johnston
45 Followers
Hillsborough, North Carolina, United States
About the store
I have worked as an educator in one capacity or another (elementary, middle and high school) for approximately 30 years, with 17 years spent as a middle school core Language Arts teacher and the past 4 years as a teacher mentor. I focused many years of my professional development on designing ways to teach expository and argumentative writing as I was assigned to teach for the NC Writing Assessment. I also spent many years diagnosing and intervening for students with various forms of dyslexia and other language differences. I developed and taught a class for struggling readers after taking extensive training in the Orton-Gillingham-Wilson reading program strategies. One of the things I enjoy most is finding ways to make great literature accessible to, and interesting for, all students. I pursued every kind of training in critical thinking and community of inquiry style learning as well (Paideia, Philosophy for Children, Junior Great Books, for examples).
I also earned an MSA degree and worked as an administrative intern.
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The Call of the Wild: Should We Answer It?
A perfect novel for teaching students to appreciate complex works (meeting all reading objectives of Common Core), this enriched unit on Call of the Wild includes more than enough material for a 3-4 week unit:
• Overview of unit, rationale, and detailed suggestions for sequencing material
• Pre-reading motivational activities
• Vocabulary and dictionary skills work for the three-week unit, including practice worksheets and quizzes
• In depth vocabulary activity for paradox
• Journal and writin
5th - 12th, Adult Education
English Language Arts, Literature
Applying the Elements of Poetry to Daffodils by William Wordsworth
Now that your students have reviewed the elements of poetry, give them a good poem to analyze using those tools. “Daffodils” by William Wordsworth suits this purpose well.
This worksheet includes 19 short answer questions that challenge students to find the various types of figurative language used in this poem, determine their effect, and describe the poem’s shape, tone, mood, etc. Answer key provided. This worksheet could work well as an individual assignment or group work for students to p
6th - 12th
English Language Arts, Poetry
Essential Grammar
This is an easy one-page (front and back) reference for all essential grammar terms you could possibly want to cover—and more.
The guide includes definitions and examples for each term and four levels of grammar: parts of speech, parts of a sentence, phrases, and clauses. Parts of speech are further broken down into major types where needed (action and linking verbs, for example). I gave this to my 6th graders as a reference for all the grammar they would do for the next three to six years. It
6th - 12th
English Language Arts, Grammar, Writing
Novel Unit: The Little Prince
A wonderful, wise, and popular classic--plus the most translated book in the French language—the novella The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery changes everyone who reads it. Accessible to almost every student because of its brevity and simplicity, yet powerful because of its messages and use of symbol, this is a great complex novel to study as a class.
This unit includes
• A suggestion for how to proceed through the book with pre-reading, during-reading, and post-reading activities
• P
6th - 12th, Adult Education
English Language Arts, Literature, Reading
Poetic Devices: Memorable Examples
Students need good, clear examples to help them understand, identify, and write using poetic devices. I like to pick several memorable examples for each device from the great poets and give students a handout of them or keep them posted in the classroom for future reference and activities. You can also just use this as a teacher resource for examples of devices to use on tests, practice worksheets, class warm-ups, etc.
This handout/resource includes 3-5 notable examples (from published, famous
6th - 12th, Adult Education
English Language Arts, Poetry
Untangling GOOD and WELL
Untangle the good vs. well issue with these interactive notes, practice worksheets (2), explanation, quiz, and answer keys. These lessons will encourage your students not only to choose the right word, but also to know the grammatical reasons behind the correct choice and be able to explain the different meanings in how they are used.
A GOOD unit to help your students use language WELL!
6th - 12th, Adult Education
English Language Arts, Grammar, Writing
Short Story: "All Summer in a Day" Lesson Materials
Ready for summer? This story will get you talking about what you are already thinking about—fun in the sun—and lots more. Here is a great science fiction/fantasy short story that is perfect for middle school students to read and complete in class together. These lesson materials on “All Summer in a Day” by Ray Bradbury will provide you with
o Lessons on a perfect short story to read and study by a well known and respected author about how we treat others who are different than we are
o 5 Pre-Re
5th - 12th
Short Stories
Solving Subject/Object Pronoun Problems
Solve your students’ pronoun problems once and for all with this interactive handout on the 4 Easy Rules for determining whether to use subject or object pronouns—also known as nominative and objective case pronouns.
This unit includes
• A 6-page interactive handout that explains the 4 easy rules for solving pronoun problems, complete with a list of subject and object pronouns, as well as many examples and practice exercises for students to try as they learn each rule.
• Two more pages of pract
6th - 12th, Higher Education
English Language Arts, Grammar
50 Reading Comprehension Strategies
As LA teachers we try all sorts of comprehension strategies to help students better understand what they read. One day I asked my students what strategies they used, and we generated a terrific list of strategies to try. I kept the list on my wall and we added to it as students and I thought up new ideas. Here is the final form at last count: over 50 comprehension strategies! I have organized them under categories since the list was so long. Display these and add your own, use them for discussio
3rd - 12th, Adult Education
English Language Arts, Reading, Reading Strategies
Discipline Done Right
Dealing with misbehavior the right way allows you to recognize the need causing the behavior, and support students in meeting the need – rather than simply blaming them for a fault.
After using the process provided in this worksheet, formerly problematic students would smile at me in the halls and visit to tell me how their solutions were working out. This package, designed while I was an administrator with an overwhelming number of student misbehavior issues, will help you:
- Discover and me
4th - 12th
Character Education
Reinforcing Grammar Through Games
These were some of my favorite warm-ups any time of year to reinforce critical thinking along with grammar and language concepts because students generally enjoy solving puzzles. They are fun but require that students apply the terms of grammar and language they have learned or are learning--or even will learn as they play these games! I also used a few as extra credit questions on quizzes or tests or worksheets once we had learned our parts of speech. Even more fun is to ask the students to des
5th - 10th
English Language Arts, Grammar
How to Read a Movie
Using film is one of the most engaging methods for teaching critical thinking. This resource will help make movie viewing a great educational experience, as well as a naturally motivating one (and one for which they will now have some accountability). “How to Read a Movie” is a generic form that will help you and students notice the elements of film as you watch any movie. 8 literary elements, 5 dramatic elements, and 7 cinematic elements are listed to help students hone their critical awarene
6th - 12th, Adult Education, Higher Education
English Language Arts
My Shadow: Poems for Poetry Analysis and Appreciation
This is a unit designed for 3rd through 5th graders as an introduction to or review of poetry and poetic analysis. It includes
~Teaching Suggestions
~Pre-reading questions for each poem
~5 Children's poems
~Discussion questions (6-13 on each poem)
~Some poems include other related activity ideas
~All poems include a poetry writing assignment imitating the given poem in some way
~Some poems also have broken down the writing process for students with writing process sheets
~Poetic elem
3rd - 5th
English Language Arts, Poetry, Writing
A Game of Catch -Short Story Study
"A Game of Catch" by Richard Wilbur is a perfect short story for this age group. Its theme of dealing fairly and compassionately with varying skill levels among the same age group is an important behavior issue with which teachers and parents must deal in grades 4-8. It is also very short and easy to read and so can be read twice in class and still have time for discussion or other activities all in the same day. Many other resources are included, however, to study this story and the issues it r
4th - 8th
English Language Arts, Literature, Writing
Novel Study: Pippi Longstocking
Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren is a classic book, which like many classics, has been banned at some point. Most adults and children, however, love reading about someone who opens their minds to new ideas and ways of thinking and who has such a positive and confident self-image. Thing-Finding and playing Don't Touch the Floor are just two fun activities your students can do along with Pippi. Students will delight in exercising their imaginations and reading about Pippi's humor and outrageo
3rd - 6th
English Language Arts, Literature, Writing
Roar and Squeak - Onomatopoeia and More
Let your students apply what they are learning about the sound elements in poetry and enjoy writing their own poems in groups at the same time.
This group work handout leads students through a process of writing a poem that incorporates sound elements such as onomatopoeia and rhyme. Students work collaboratively to brainstorm sound elements and then put them into the context of a poem about a subject of their choosing. Having practiced this process, they can try it again in writing their own po
6th - 12th
English Language Arts, Informational Text, Poetry
Diary of a Worm Reading Activities
This Level 1, I Can Read book Diary of a Worm, based on the popular series, lends itself to lots of activities for deep literacy learning and students love the simple but expressive illustrations. Once taught, students can read it on their own over and over or move on to the fuller version now that they have the foundational vocabulary and ideas. I have included a range of activities so this unit can be used with students in preschool up to 2nd grade.
This unit includes many ideas for pre-read
PreK - 2nd
English Language Arts
Haiku Moments
Writing haiku is a wonderful activity on many levels:
• it is short
• it is fun to illustrate
• it gets students outside the classroom environment
• it teaches students about poetry
• most importantly, it requires an attentive, non-judgmental, reverent, and humble attitude that is focused entirely on the moment and one’s experience, not on knowledge acquisition or one’s beliefs
This unit includes
o An introduction on the nature of haiku
o Sample poems by famous poets as well as amateurs
o M
6th - 12th, Adult Education
English Language Arts, Poetry, Writing
CCSS
RL.6.1
, RL.6.4
, RL.6.5
+3
Lively Long and Short Vowel Drills
These oral drills on short and long vowel sounds meet at least two important objectives: (1) helping students develop automatic recognition and pronunciation of short and long vowel sounds in words, and (2) improving students’ capacities to learn how to use words independently through being able to use and apply dictionary resources correctly—specifically the pronunciation guide. Your students will also learn a few new words in the process, too.
Once you have taught or reviewed with students lo
4th - 10th
Reading
One-Paragraph Summary Writing
Improve comprehension and writing skills of your students efficiently through one-paragraph summary assignments. This check sheet (and accompanying explanation) for writing a one-paragraph summary for any short story or novel will provide you with
• A list of the essential elements of a narrative summary for students and teacher
• A list of the important writing traits you are developing by this work
• A list of the essential formatting requirements for a final written work
• A peer edit feed
5th - 12th, Adult Education
English Language Arts, Writing
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About the store
Experience
I have worked as an educator in one capacity or another (elementary, middle and high school) for approximately 30 years, with 17 years spent as a middle school core Language Arts teacher and the past 4 years as a teacher mentor. I focused many years of my professional development on designing ways to teach expository and argumentative writing as I was assigned to teach for the NC Writing Assessment. I also spent many years diagnosing and intervening for students with various forms of dyslexia and other language differences. I developed and taught a class for struggling readers after taking extensive training in the Orton-Gillingham-Wilson reading program strategies. One of the things I enjoy most is finding ways to make great literature accessible to, and interesting for, all students. I pursued every kind of training in critical thinking and community of inquiry style learning as well (Paideia, Philosophy for Children, Junior Great Books, for examples).
I also earned an MSA degree and worked as an administrative intern.
Teaching style
I strive to involve multiple approaches to material so all learning styles and strengths are reached while developing literacy skills. My style is to present material whenever possible in ways that involve student self-discovery, problem solving, collaboration, and community of inquiry. I start with easy problems and then build to ever more complex questions so all students find success but also a stretch in every learning experience.
Awards & shining teacher moments
~National Board Certification in ELA
~Awards from the NC Literary and Historical Society for my students' literary magazines
My own education history
~M.Ed. in K-12 Literacy from UNC-Chapel Hill
~M.S.A. from UNC-Chapel Hill, Master’s degree work in Philosophy
~B.A. in Philosophy and English from Vanderbilt University
Additional biographical information
~My website: http://chapelhillteachandtutor.com/ ~My blog: http://robinwilsonjohnston.edublogs.org/
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