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By MARISSA DESPINS Updated April 02, 2024 Why is it Important to Teach Mood Words? In stories, mood sets the emotional scene. It’s key to teach kids about this because it boosts…
By MARISSA DESPINS Updated March 19, 2024 Introducing Blackout Poetry Blackout Poetry is an engaging poetry writing process that sparks creativity while blending the worlds of literature and art. This unconventional approach…
By Marissa Despins, Amber Dial, Vanessa Mejia, Tammy DeShaw, and Chrissy Beltran – Updated February 21, 2024 Brain Breaks for Upper Elementary Are you noticing more glazed-over eyes than usual in your classroom? Maybe it’s time to…
By MARISSA DESPINS Updated Feb 9, 2024 analyzing character traits in upper elementary Ever wonder what makes YA characters like Percy Jackson or Katniss Everdeen so compelling to our students? It all…
By MARISSA DESPINS, RISSA HANNEKEN, MARIANNA MONHEIM, AND RACH JAMISON Updated February 7, 2023 Looking for some creative Valentine’s Day activities for upper elementary? I have teamed up with some of my favorite…
By MARISSA DESPINS Updated Nov 21, 2023 Enhancing Upper Elementary ELA: Harnessing the Power of Christmas Reading Passages The upper elementary grades often present teachers with the challenge of catering to students…