Blog · Elementary · English
Veterans Day Activities for Elementary
By MARISSA DESPINS Updated Oct 16, 2023 October has been flying by in a wink, and I know many of you are already planning for November. Because of that, I thought I…
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Blog · Bookshelf · English · Interactive Notebooks · Literature Circles · Middle School · Novel Studies
Middle School Novel Study Favorites
By MARISSA DESPINS Updated April 07, 2024 During the 20 years I spent in the ELA classroom, the middle school novel study was something that was always central to my teaching ….
Benefits of Teaching Novel Studies
By MARISSA DESPINS Updated April 08, 2024 The novel study can be the backbone of the middle school ELA curriculum. Exposure to well chosen and engaging texts is crucial to student reading…
The One and Only Ivan Novel Study Activities
By MARISSA DESPINS Updated April 08, 2024 The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate is a sweet story about friendship and freedom. The engaging story pulls on the heartstrings, and students…
Descriptive Writing Activities for Middle School
By MARISSA DESPINS Updated April 08, 2024 Halloween is my favorite time of year to work on descriptive writing. Haunted houses, pumpkin patches, and spooky cemeteries make great settings for descriptive stories….
Ways to Teach Literary Elements: Three Engaging Strategies
By MARISSA DESPINS Updated April 08, 2024 Creative ways to teach literary Elements Before starting any novel study or short story unit, I find it crucial to review the elements of literature….