Black History Month Activities – Elementary
By MARISSA DESPINS Updated April 07, 2024 February is almost upon us, and with that comes Black History Month! While I believe diversifying our curriculum year round is crucially important, February is…
Interactive Notebooks
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 ….
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….
Blog · Interactive Notebooks · Interactive Notebooks · Interactive Notebooks · Middle School · Social Studies
Trojan War Activities
By MARISSA DESPINS Updated April 08, 2024 If you have been around here for a while, you know that I really love teaching all about ancient history. Each year in seventh grade,…