Category: literature

annotations

Getting Started With Annotation

Annotation is an important skill for ELA students to master. But where do we start? When I rent a movie I’m a sucker for the bonus features. I recently watched “Mission Impossible: Fallout and then spent the next hour watching how all the stunts were done. I was amazed to

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read more poetry

5 Reasons You Should Be Teaching More Poetry

I’m frequently asked by other people what books I teach. No one ever asks what poems I teach. There’s no question that language arts curriculum centers around novels and our classroom can get pretty novel heavy if we’re not careful. We all know about the need for non-fiction. But let’s

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Silent Discussions in the Classroom

We all know the benefits of discussion in the classroom whether it be teacher-led, Socratic, or any of the other effective strategies for getting kids talking. However, silent discussions can also be a powerful tool for active reading and learning. Silent discussions work well because: All students participate. Classroom discussions

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Annotation Games

Many students find annotation a chore. They do it for the teacher and not for their own benefit. They claim annotating makes them hate reading. I understand where they’re coming from. Annotation is difficult. It slows down the reading process. However, we can’t build active readers without it. We want

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