Category Archives: Teaching Ideas

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 →

Posted in Short Stories, Teaching Ideas | Leave a comment

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 →

Posted in Secondary Writing, Short Stories, Teaching Ideas | Leave a comment

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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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 →

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Culminating Activities For Use With “The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe

Posted on August 31, 2017 by msdickson

Culminating projects are a good way to engage students in digging deeper into a text. “The Raven” is a good text for engaging reluctant readers, with the dark tone and descent into madness. Here are some culminating projects for “The … Continue reading →

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How to Waste Students’ Time with Binders and Notebooks

Posted on August 5, 2017 by msdickson

Binders, notebooks, interactive notebooks, portfolios and other tools can provide a method to showcase student learning, collect reference materials and teach organization. Or they can be a time-consuming process that fails to do more than provide a sporadic grade. Here’s … Continue reading →

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Activities to Teach “The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka.

Posted on July 9, 2017 by msdickson

It’s a cultural reference.  It relates to a sudden and unexpected change– something teenagers can usually relate to.  It’s an odd and dystopic story.  Any one of these things make “The Metamorphosis” a good choice.  Even if the language is … Continue reading →

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

Useful End of the Year Activities

Posted on April 29, 2017 by msdickson

The end of the year can bring special challenges.  Students are wearing down, distracted by summer, or pulled away by testing or other special events.  Seniors may get out early, which can disrupt any class with a senior.  It may … Continue reading →

Posted in Fun Projects, Secondary Education, Smooth Classroom, Teaching Ideas | 1 Comment