VHS Lessons

This is a multi-day activity I use with my class when introducing Romanticism and Frankenstein. The first part of the presentation explains the background to the poem, then it asks students to do a guided close read, and then turn their close reads into tableaus to present to the class. It's a fun and engaging way to connect students with a difficult text. It also serves as a great intro to Frankenstein because of the discussion it creates, but also because the poem is directly referenced many

I have my Journalism students do current events each week and then we start off the week discussing those events. Each week has a different focus depending on the unit we are studying. The digital Google Doc format allows students to type directly into the document. While I use this in my Journalism class, it could easily be adjusted for History or English classes as well.

I have my Journalism students do current events each week and then we start off the week discussing those events. Each week has a different focus depending on the unit we are studying and this particular week's format focuses on media bias. It asks students to evaluate different parts of each article they find, specifically how they think that article does or does not show bias. The digital Google Doc format allows students to type directly into the document. While I use this in my Journalism c

At the beginning of my Intro to Journalism course, we talk about the history of the field. One cool resource to do that with is the Google News Archives, which has archived thousands of publications dating back hundreds of years. You can see articles as they were they day they were published. It's a much more modern take on what we would have used microfilm for. I have students research three of those publications and find articles of interest to them. We then use that to fuel discussion of wha

This quick lesson reviews eight parts of speech, their definitions, examples, and how to recognize them based on patterns. Students are then asked to apply this knowledge by breaking down the parts of speech within the first few stanzas of "Jabberwocky" by Lewis Carroll.

This quick activity gives students examples on the difference between showing a story and telling a story. It reviews techniques on how to show a story and asks them to implement those techniques for a story of their own. Great and fun way of asking students to focus on details, expand their ideas, and reflect on their writing. Can be used within a creative writing unit/class, or just for fun writing practice in general.

This template can be used for explaining MLA formatting to students. I've included interactive comments throughout, pointing out certain details to students that I notice they often overlook.

I have my Journalism students do current events each week and then we start off the week discussing those events. Each week has a different focus depending on the unit we are studying and this particular week's format focuses on podcasts. It asks students to evaluate different parts of each podcast they find, specifically how the podcast is organized and produced. The digital Google Doc format allows students to type directly into the document. While I use this in my Journalism class, it could e

I have my Journalism students do current events each week and then we start off the week discussing those events. Each week has a different focus depending on the unit we are studying and this particular week's format focuses on photojournalism. It asks students to evaluate different parts of each article they find, specifically how the author includes photgraphy. The digital Google Doc format allows students to type directly into the document. While I use this in my Journalism class, it could e

I have my Journalism students do current events each week and then we start off the week discussing those events. Each week has a different focus depending on the unit we are studying and this particular week's format focuses on student publications. It asks students to evaluate different parts of each article they find, specifically how they think the publications they chose are professional, relatable, and reliable. The digital Google Doc format allows students to type directly into the docume

I have my Journalism students do current events each week and then we start off the week discussing those events. Each week has a different focus depending on the unit we are studying.. This week is meant to go toward the beginning of the year; it simply asks students to find current events from the week and analyze what they have found. The digital Google Doc format allows students to type directly into the document. While I use this in my Journalism class, it could easily be adjusted for Histo

I have my Journalism students do current events each week and then we start off the week discussing those events. Each week has a different focus depending on the unit we are studying and this particular week's format focuses on writing style. It asks students to evaluate different parts of each article they find, specifically how the author integrates different aspects of journalistic writing. The digital Google Doc format allows students to type directly into the document. While I use this in

This is a distance learning version of the Workday Tracker available for free on my main store page. I use this tracker during in-class work days to help students reflect on how they are actually using their time. It also helps me see where they are on their assignments and gives them the opportunity to ask for help, which can be even more difficult for them to do remotely. It's great for larger projects as well, s that you can go back through and talk to a student about their progress or use o

I have been teaching MAUS and the Holocaust for the past five years at least. During our unit, we discuss what is important when telling a historical story, when listening to the story of others, and when trying to understand the human experience. With everything else going on in the world, I wanted to share my unit assessment for this for free and will keep it listed as free for as long as I operate this online store. In this project, I allow students to research an event or topic that revolv

This lesson includes two primary texts (a speech from RBG to newly naturalized citizens and the Oath of Naturalization that those citizens must take), close read questions for each of those texts, and possible essay questions developed from them (with a rubric included). This lesson could take anywhere from one hour to a week, depending on how you run your discussions and whether you choose to include the essay assignment. You can use some or all of the activities in conjunction together. The l

This resource is great to use after students have turned in a final draft for an essay. It asks them to reflect on their process and final product and what they may want to build upon or change for next time. I use it to help my students think about revisions, as I let them revise one paper to improve their grade later on. The digital format lets students fill it out online for distance learning. I use it in my concurrent enrollment courses, but it could easily be adjusted and used in any 6-12