Author Archives: msdickson

Activities for Teaching Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have a Dream” Speech in High School and Middle School English ELA Classes

Posted on January 7, 2024 by msdickson

The “I Have a Dream” speech is a popular speech to teach. Students often learn about it at younger grades, though there’s certainly benefit to returning to this powerful speech in the older grades as well. This speech is worth … Continue reading →

Posted in Secondary Education, Secondary Writing, Teaching Ideas | Leave a comment

Halloween Activities for High School and Middle School English ELA Classes

Posted on October 29, 2023 by msdickson

Halloween is a bit tricky with the older students. But there’s still ways to have some fun with Halloween with activities and literature that fits the spooky time. Continue reading →

Posted in Fun Projects, Holidays, Secondary Education, Teaching Ideas | Leave a comment

Activities to Use With “The Sniper”

Posted on August 25, 2022 by msdickson

Stories with a twist ending are often popular with teenager readers. The story “The Sniper” also has a gritty, war time setting that can draw readers into the story. The story is a small snapshot of wartime and offers different … Continue reading →

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Activities to Use with The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Posted on August 17, 2022 by msdickson

Gothic literature tends to have appeal to high school readers. It’s darker themes and outcomes can engage readers. As one of the more popular stories, the novella The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde also shows up as … Continue reading →

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Activities to Use With “The Necklace”

Posted on August 10, 2022 by msdickson

“The Necklace” is a short story where the problem could have been prevented with honest communication. It’s a good story for teenagers to illustrate the importance of honest communication, in addition to the value as short story study. The twist … Continue reading →

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Stories for the Beginning of the Year (or Semester)

Posted on August 5, 2022 by msdickson

One way to get to know students while also practicing important writing skills is the use of personal writing.  Students write, organize, and reflect, while also sharing something about themselves.  In many cases, students find writing about themselves a easier … Continue reading →

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Increase Engagement with Real-World Activity Tie-Ins for Literature

Posted on February 2, 2021 by msdickson

One of the obstacles for reluctant learners is that they may fail to see the relevance to their own lives. Writing essays seems unrelated to the types of jobs they expect to have. More so if they don’t expect to … Continue reading →

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Wrap-Up the Year with Real-World Writing

Posted on May 27, 2018 by msdickson

The end of the school year can make it challenging to hold students’ attention. The end is in sight and focus dwindles. Real-world writing is a great way to keep attention and engagement up. There’s no question of “when will … Continue reading →

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Ways to Work Around State Testing and Other Disruptions

Posted on March 3, 2018 by msdickson

State and other testing often means disrupted schedules for a period of time. It may include alternate school days, make-up days, or other issues. This is compounded in multi-grade classrooms. Plus, there is a shift in focus from the current … Continue reading →

Posted in Assessment, Secondary Education | Leave a comment

Skip the Romance: Study the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre

Posted on January 27, 2018 by msdickson

Valentine’s Day in the secondary classroom is a far cry from candy and card exchanges. The emphasis on romance can put a lot of pressure on students– students in relationships may feel pressure to make the day special and students … Continue reading →

Posted in Holidays, Teaching Ideas | Leave a comment