March 10, 2021

Teaching Tolerance Classroom Must-Haves!

Teaching Tolerance Anti-Bias Framework

Teaching Tolerance Anti Bias Framework is a set of standards that should be followed when teaching with tolerance in the classroom. What is teaching tolerance? In the teaching tolerance social justice standards the following are included: identity, action, justice, and diversity. In order to teach students tolerance, they need to learn compassion. Sharing stories about intolerance should insight passion, connection, and therefore are a part of teaching for tolerance. In order to teach tolerance you need to teach intolerance. Here is a teaching tolerance book list: “The 57 Bus” by Dashka Slater, “Ghost Boys” by Jewell Parker Rhodes, “They Called US Enemy” by George Takei, “Persepolis” by Marjane Satrapi, “A Long Walk to Water” by Linda Sue Park, “Refugee” by Alan Gratz, “Blue Bird” by R.J. Palacio, “The Boy in The Striped Pajamas” by John Boyne, and “When Stars Are Scattered” by Victoria Jamieson. Everyone should teach tolerance in the classroom.

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Teaching Tolerance Anti-Bias Framework: Identity

When I teach the standards for tolerance, I like to begin with teaching tolerance starting small with an assignment on identity. First we start with the identity of the students by looking at their values. I provide a long list of values and they choose 7. The list of values is as follows:

Awareness Optimistic Courage Power Creativity Philanthropy Growth Success Love Strength Integrity Privacy Tolerance loyalty Respect Passion Responsibility Discipline Resourcefulness Preparedness Spirituality Punctuality Peace Spirituality

Once they have chosen 7 values, they explain why they chose them, and then narrow it down to their three core values. Once they have a clear understanding of what their values are we take a look at identity.

Students are to next create a teaching tolerance posters, called, “Cultural Goggles” (full lesson on TpT) poster. “Cultural goggles” can be defined as a set of beliefs and values that we carry with us that affect the way we see the world and how we operate in it. Our “cultural goggles” is bias that is unique to our particular background in understanding that each person comes with their own set of “goggles“. We can hopefully eliminate assumptions and instead grow respect for one another. Requirements for the assignment must be a pie graph with four sections with labels that make up the students identity. For example: religion, family, friends, and school. Students are to explain how each section is unique to them. Once students have a clear understanding of their own identity it is much easier for them to identify character values. You can even have your students create a “cultural goggles” poster for a character you are reading about.

Teaching Tolerance Curriculum: (Full lesson on Teachers Pay Teachers) Diversity

The best way for teaching tolerance anti bias framework regarding diversity is to choose text that are culturally diverse that typically have a theme, in large, of intolerance. In order for students to learn about tolerance, they need to see what intolerance is. The list of books that are engaging and portray intolerance as the main theme are as follows:

“The 57 Bus” by Dashka Slater: (Full lesson on TpT) A book about an agender teen who is lit on fire on the 57 bus because Sasha looks different. Another theme that you can touch on here is justice. This non-fiction story holds controversy because the judge wanted to try Richard, the teen who lit Sasha’s skirt on fire, as an adult for a hate crime and many believed it was not a hate crime, and Richard was not an adult.

“Ghost Boys” by Jewell Parker Rhodes (Full lesson on TpT) is a book about a child who is shot and killed by a police officer. We learn about Jerome’s identity, Emmett Till, and Jerome’s best friend Carlo’s culture. The police officer gets off with a slap on the wrist and Jerome’s ghost and the police officer’s daughter heal together as friends. This novel covers identity, justice, diversity, and action.

“They Called US Enemy” by George Takei (Full lesson on TpT) is a memoir written graphic novel style by George Takei (you know the guy from Star Wars?) As a young boy George Takei is awoken in the middle of the night with minutes to pack up what the family can carry to be whisked off to an internment camp. The setting takes place during the time of WWII after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The family is singled out solely based on the fact that they were Japanese. The family lost all of their possessions and when they were finally released from these camps ended up homeless living on skid row. It wasn’t until after George Takei’s father died that some restitution was paid to the families for the “inconvenience”. Like most of the novels on this list there is no justice.

“Persepolis” by Marjane Satrapi (Full lesson on TpT) is a non-fiction graphic novel where the setting takes place in the Middle East. The Middle East has been quite villainized since 9/11 and this book gives students a realistic picture of what it’s like to grow up in the Middle East. The main character has the same fears, passions, personality characteristics, and what everyone wants-a sense of belonging. It provides a positive, accurate depiction of what it is like to grow up as a teen in the middle east vs. worse case scenario in the middle east. Marjane and her family are constantly participating in protests which provides clear examples of the “action” standards for tolerance.

“A Long Walk to Water” by Linda Sue Park (Full lesson on TpT) is about a boy who has to escape from his home in Kenya. His father is killed and his mother is lost. We learn about the long-treacherous journey of what it is like to be a refugee and the dangerous and awful conditions they live in to eventually find an inch of solace. There is no justice in this novel. A similar experience that includes graphics is “When Stars Are Scattered” (Full lesson on TpT) by Victoria Jamieson. This works great for a student with special needs and has a more positive ending.

When Stars Are Scattered: Victoria Jamieson

“The Boy in the Striped Pajamas” by John Boyne (Full lesson on TpT) has a twisted sense of justice. It is a story about a little boy whose father runs Auschwitz Concentration Camp. The little boy has no idea what is happening within the confines of the camps and references the boys as “wearing striped pajamas”. He befriends a boy on the other side of the fence and they meet every day until one day he decides to go on an adventure and sneak into the concentration camp. Once he is in the camp he is killed in the gas chambers and eventually his father figures out what happened to his son which may serve as a sense of justice but is just tragic to the reader.

“White Bird” by R.J. Palacio (Full lesson on TpT) is a graphic novel about the Holocaust and a young Jewish girl who is separated from her family and has to live in a barn to survive. The young man she falls in love with is the person who saved her life and he dies in the end as a result of it. It’s a beautiful-love story with a tragic ending. The graphics are amazing and it is a great read for a student with special needs.

Anti-Bias Framework: District Won’t Pay for Books?

The question probably is whether or not it is feasible to make these purchases or whether or not your district is willing to pay the money to read these books. When I taught “Ghost Boys”, I contacted the publishing company and they offered a discount. There are ways to save money but I had to initiate talking to the principal. It took our principal a year but we were able to purchase three different titles of classroom sets. There are also teaching tolerance grants available. There are other ways for teaching tolerance anti bias framework to cover tolerance such as using learning centers: (Full lesson on Teachers Pay Teachers) passages, videos, and images, bias tests etc.

For center activities I have 6 stations set-up: image, video, bias test, whiteness project, values activity, and a social emotional learning station.

In the image activity I provide an image of a person from a specific ethnicity from the reading. Students sit back-to-back and one of the students has the image while the other has blank paper and a pencil. The student with the image explains what the second student should draw by providing a detailed description and the second student draws the image. At the end they look at the similarities and differences and talk about any stereotypes they may have added to an image.

In the bias test students choose three categories such as disabled, over-weight, homosexual and they take a test that was created by Harvard University to see if they have any bias towards a group of people. After they discuss the results in a small group, they write a reflection.

The video I play for students is a poetry slam by Eduard Vinson. He does an amazing job talking about racism and how he is treated differently everywhere he goes. An example would be at the grocery store- he is always asked to leave his backpack at the counter, how others get scared when he walks by them etc. He ends by making a reference to the controversy over kneeling for the flag-“for your flag”.

The “Whiteness project” is a project that was created by a group that took students with ethnic backgrounds who look white. They had them answer questions as to whether or not these students shared their ethnic backgrounds with others. Most of them hid the fact that they were partly Hispanic, African American etc. and they explained why. Students choose a statement that resonates with them and write a reflection.

The values activity that is discussed in the beginning can be used as part of a station activity.

The social emotional learning station (Full lesson on Teachers Pay Teachers) is important to unpack and process everything they learned during the activities. As they go through each station I have them keep track of their emotions on an emotion tracker. They talk about times they were frustrated, angry, embarrassed, or sad and why. It is important to decompress after an activity such as this one and make sure everyone leaves the room feeling valued and heard. To learn more about Social Emotional Learn Read this Blog Post.

The action portion is something that we address throughout the year as current events arise. For example when George Floyd was killed, students painted rocks with his name and placed them around their neighborhoods. They called it the teaching tolerance George Floyd lesson. I teach them that even little acts can go a long way.

Teaching Tolerance Anti Bias Framework can be easy to teach as long as there is thought and preplanning that goes into your teaching tolerance lesson plans. To find more about the teaching tolerance framework go to teaching tolerance.org. Let me know in the comments below how you teach tolerance anti bias framework!

For a list of products on Teachers Pay Teachers see below:

Social emotional learning station

Teaching Tolerance Centers

White Bird” by R.J. Palacio

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas” by John Boyne

When Stars Are Scattered

A Long Walk to Water” by Linda Sue Park

Persepolis” by Marjane Satrapi

They Called US Enemy” by George Takei

Ghost Boys” by Jewell Parker Rhodes

The 57 Bus” by Dashka Slater

March 9, 2021

High School Literature Book List 10th Grade Must Reads!

High School Literature Book List

Like the educational classroom, the High School Literature Book List 10th Grade hasn’t changed much. We still read the classics which are primarily white European authors. World Literature is particularly difficult because of the wide pool of books and areas to choose from. We are after all talking about all the literature in the world! Some of the classics read in most 10th grade classrooms are: A Separate Peace by John Knowles, Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, Animal Farm by George Orwell, All Quiet on the Western Front by Eric Marie Remarque, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, Dante’s Inferno by Dante Alighieri. If you look at this list the only societal norms that vastly differ from ours is Things Fall Apart.

High School Literature Book List: A Separate Peace by John Knowles

A Separate Peace by John Knowles (Full lesson on Teachers Pay Teachers) is on the high school literature reading list. It is a book about two young teens who go away to boarding school in New England. Gene and Finny become the best of friends; however Finny is good at everything and Gene is average having only a leg up in education because he studies. Finny is better looking and is talented at sports which boys at this age tend to value. One day while they are on a branch intending to jump into the water, Gene purposefully jostles the limb causing Finny to fall landing with a disturbing thug. Finny is no longer able to use his leg and won’t be able to play sports again. In a fit of guilt Gene tells Finny he purposefully jostled the limb of the branch and Phineus is set in a fit of rage. Gene leaves and the same day, Finny dies due to complications with his heart. Although a great story, I’m not sure how we learn much about another culture. Friendship is a theme entrenched in most novels, so this is a book that could be shelved for a more culturally rich text on the High School Literature Book List 10th Grade.

High School Literature Book List: Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare

Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare is a book on the high school literature book list. It is a classic that has survived the test of time. Shakespeare’s themes were far-sighted and this is an important novel to read in order to study the Republic and its origins; however, that is not one of the English Common Core Standards. This novel would fit better in a world history course. The play is about how Julius Caesar, a great and powerful leader who is taking the Republic back from a newly defined democracy to the ages of an autocracy. His enemies and friends plot to kill him and they do in a bloody massive stab fest at the Capitol. One of the great controversies in the play is that Caesar’s closest friend Brutus is among those who take Caesar’s life, coining the famous quote, “Et tu Brute?” The most valuable learning component in the play is the speeches that follow Caesar’s death. First Brutus speaks swaying the crowd to see things his way and gets them to forgive him for killing Caesar. Next Antony speaks using all the literary speaking devices, or speech techniques which leads the crowd to rise up in mutiny against the traitors (Brutus’ group). The lesson is that all it took was one passionate, clever speech to turn the fate of the empire. The most valuable use of time would be to show the movie, study the speeches closely, have students write a speech and finish the movie. It’s a difficult read and quite frankly most students do not get anything out of the scenes other than the speech scene. I preface the scene by analyzing Martin Luther King’s speech first looking at speaking devices.

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High School Literature Book List: Lord of the Flies (Full lesson on Teachers Pay Teachers) by William Golding

Lord of the Flies is one of my favorite novels to teach. It is a book about a group of British boys in private school who go down in a plane after supposedly being hit by a bomb during the cold war. It is a what if…the cold war turned into real war idea. The boys begin by setting up a sort of Democratic society using the conch to keep order. They divvy up the work, and things run fairly smooth as possible given the limited skills at this age. Slowly the boys go from a civilized-like society to complete anarchy and begin killing each other. The message from Golding is that humans are born inherently evil and if left to their own devices, without consequences, law and order, it wouldn’t take long for savagery to ensue. Here’s the thing. Even though it is such a fun unit to teach, and we learn about human nature, we don’t even learn about British culture. The boys are simply from Britain-the end on culture. For this reason, I think we need to choose a more culturally diverse text. But…I’m still not ready to give it up on the High School Literature Book List 10th Grade.

High School Literature Book List: Animal Farm (Full lesson on Teachers Pay Teachers) by George Orwell

I think Animal Farm by George Orwell is a keeper. The book is an allegory about the Russian Revolution and the dangers of communism, and dictatorship. A group of animals run off the farmer and his wife, and decide they will run the farm with equal distribution. All the animals represent a person or institution from the Russian Revolution. Karl Marx is Old Major, Squealer is propaganda, Napoleon is Joseph Stalin, the horse is the working class, the raven is the media etc. Slowly we see how the deviant leaders such as Napoleon takes over the farm. It is like watching a pot boil over with a lobster in it. Once the animals figure out they have been taken advantage of, it is too late to jump out. There are so many elements to study, standards covered, and important themes and lessons, that I believe Animal Farm should remain on the High School Literature Book List 10th Grade.

High School Literature Book List: All Quiet on the Western Front

This is a depiction of WWI between Russian and German soldiers, sprinkled with some U.S. soldiers towards the end. The book is from the point-of-view of a Russian soldier and all the horrors and atrocities he experiences from the war. He loses everyone in his platoon, all friends, and at one point is shot. We learn about the environmental factors that kill soldiers during war such as corpse rats, and foot rot from mud and lack of resources such as decent boots and even food. When Paul goes home, he is too damaged to enjoy a normal life. He is completely destroyed by the war as were all soldiers from WWI. They are known as the “lost generation“. I believe this book is important because it gives a realistic portrayal of what war is like and leaves out the glorified versions students see on television. It is very dry, so necessary to find a book of similar nature, or find engaging ways to teach the material. For this reason I think this book should remain on the High School Literature Book List 10th Grade

High School Literature Book List: Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

Things Fall Apart is getting closer to what World Literature should be about; however, I’m just going to come out and say it-a little boy slaughtered with a machete by a trusted father-like figure is too much for high school students. Nuff said! For this reason, Things Fall Apart should not be on the High School Literature Book List 10th Grade. It does serve a valuable purpose on a college list.

High School Literature Book List: Books I would Add to the Curriculum

Persepolis (Full lesson on Teachers Pay Teachers) by Marjane Satrapi

Persepolis: Persepolis is a great read to add to the list of books to read in high school world literature. Persepolis covers culture and war in the Middle East. What I love about this book is that we get a glimpse of a young to teenage girl who lives in a completely different culture, yet is just like us. She wants to fit in, feel safe, cares about music, loves her family, celebrates the similar things we celebrate, and experiences all the same emotions that we experience. It takes a part of the world that tends to be villainized since 9/11 and proves that people are the same no matter where you go.

Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne/Night by Elie Wiesel

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas: (Full lesson on Teachers Pay Teachers) The heart-breaking novel of the boy in the striped pajamas gives people of glimpse of what it would have been like to live with a family that was on the German side (wrong side). This young boy has a father who is high in rank and even takes orders from Hitler in person. The family lives on sight at Auschwitz to help run the concentration camp. The young boy, completely unaware of what is taking place in the camp, tries to live a normal life. He befriends a boy living in the camp and they meet once a day sitting and talking through the fence about normal things (not what is happening at the camp). Towards the end of the book the boy decides he is going to sneak into the camp so he can help his friend find his father (who has been killed in the gas chambers). The boy sneaks in to what he thinks will be an adventure and is also killed in the gas chambers.

Night by Elie Weisel: Night is a more intense look at what happens on the inside of the concentration camp, which is contrary to The Boy in the Striped Pajamas of what is happening on the outside of the concentration camps. Night truly shows the evils of what happened to everyone: men, women, and children. It is a difficult read but one that is necessary to ensure the Holocaust never happens again. I would accompany these texts with a trip to the museum of tolerance. I also show Hotel Rwanda with this unit so students can see what a more recent genocide looks like. Of course, you will need permission slips for this rated “R” movie. Among the High School English Literature Books is a graphic novel by R.J. Palacio called Blue Bird that I absolutely love, if you have the funds for it.

A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park

A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park is an English literature book for high school. It is an easier read; however, it is a subject matter for high school students not middle school. In A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park it is about refugee’s who escape from Kenya to a refugee camp. The journey is brutal and unrelenting and the recovery for one is lucky and not for the majority of the refugees who still live and die in refugee camps. If possible I would supplement this lesson with “When Stars are Scattered” (Full lesson on Teachers Pay Teachers) by Victoria Jamieson, a graphic novel similar to the themes and circumstances of A Long Walk to Water. (Full lesson on Teachers Pay Teachers) Refugee (Full lesson on Teachers Pay Teachers) by Alan Gratz is an option that covers the Holocaust and what it is like to be a refugee in one book so if you’re short of time, that is also an option for the High School Literature Book List 10th Grade.

These are just a few suggestions for a high school English book list! I would love to hear what your recommendations would be in your 10th grade classroom! Please add in the comments below! For a blog post on American Literature Book List Visit this blog post.

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March 8, 2021

9 Required High School American Literature Reading List

Required High School American Literature Reading List is lengthy and can be dry. High School American Literature Reading List looks fairly similar across the United States, but that doesn’t mean they should stay the same. Read the list below and decide for yourself if things need changing.

Required High School American Literature Reading List

Like the American classroom, the list for American Literature hasn’t changed much. The study of the American Dream in 11th grade remains a stronghold for American Literature. The reasoning behind American Literature being taught in the 11th grade is because students learn about American History in their history courses congruous to Am. Lit, which makes sense to a degree. They don’t always learn about the same time period and are quite often learning about war in history, while learning about more modern times in American Literature. It still does make sense for students to learn American Lit. at the same time as American History if it works with their schedules. The High School American Literature Reading List is listed and summarized below. It includes some of the most popular reads. Although it is a great list of books that I love, it is also time to change the reading list for the current high school American Literature classroom.

Required High School American Literature Reading List: A Raisin in The Sun

A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansbury: A Raisin in the Sun is one of the most heartbreaking plays to read. It is about a family that is trying to catch a break, and when they finally do, it is at the expense of Walter Sr. (the grandfather’s death). The break they catch is the check they will receive from the insurance company for his death. Each member of this 5 person family has dreams of what they want to do with the money. Beneatha wants to be a doctor, Walter wants to open a liquor store, Mama wants to buy a new home etc. All of the characters crave the dream so badly that when it falls apart, there is an anger and bitterness that changes each of them forever. The message is that during this time period (post civil war) it was near impossible for African Americans to get ahead. They only experienced “dreams deferred”.

Required High School American Literature Reading List: The Crucible

The Crucible by Arthur Miller: The second of two plays that are often taught on the reading list for high school American Literature. The Crucible captures the horrifying time period of the Salem Witch Trials. The idea of radical religious paranoia didn’t begin with terrorists today. It began years ago, and one example of an intolerant, radical religious group, was the Puritans. Perhaps the most terrifying point of these events is that they were spear-headed by children and continued because of these children. One of the standards for American Literature is to look at the different cultures and contributors to American society, and the Puritan ideals are still prevalent in literature and in religious practice today.

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Required High School American Literature Reading List: The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby (Full lesson on Teachers Pay Teachers) by F. Scott Fitzgerald: The Great Gatsby is a contributor to American Culture stemming from the roaring twenties. During this time there were the rich separated from the poor and not a lot in between. If you were poor you stayed poor. The story is told from the perspective of an average Joe named Nick who becomes obsessed with the mysterious Great Gatsby. The Great Gatsby moves into town with the intentions of stealing his prior sweetheart, Daisy, away from her husband Tom. This plan fails miserably when James Gatz (Great Gatsby) is shot and killed in the end due to a misunderstanding. At no point do we see the Great Gatsby happy, which began the thought process that money doesn’t bring happiness. The most important contributor to American culture is the advancement of women’s rights.

The House on Mango Street

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros: (Full lesson on Teachers Pay Teachers). The House on Mango Street is on the High School American Literature reading list, but doesn’t get chosen as much as I believe that it should. It is a book about a young Latina woman whose family moves to a poor neighborhood in a house on Mango Street. The young girl experiences many abuses that are told in a manner as though they are commonplace and these things like being sexually abused happens frequently in poverty stricken neighborhoods. The House on Mango Street contributes to the creation of Latino and Latina American culture which is much different than African American or white culture. For this reason, I believe it should be frequented more often than it is.

Huckleberry Finn

Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain: is an American classic. Although it frequents most of what would be considered the best high school American reading list, it is one that probably isn’t as necessary to teach anymore. I know some of you are probably getting angry at me, but if the aim of the standards is to analyze how different events in history added to the American culture, it just doesn’t fit the bill. In fact at a certain point it becomes downright silly and ridiculous. The major authentic part of the book is the use of the “n” word during this time period in the South. I do not believe the book should be removed from the list for this reason because, it is an awful word, the students hate hearing it, and the point of using it is for them to see how demoralizing it really was. Mark Twain put the word in because it was a reality and it is uncomfortable and it’s supposed to be uncomfortable. I do however, love the book, and think it can be revisited on a college level reading list where it is more appropriate to study higher schools of thought. Mark Twain was very far-sighted and there are many scenes that should be studied and revered at the college level.

Their Eyes Were Watching God

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston: I’m going to just say straight out that although I absolutely love this book, I do not think high school level students can appreciate or follow it. To put it quite frankly, they are bored to tears. The story is about a young woman who doesn’t have much choice in a post civil world gets married twice. The first husband she is married off to by her parents and doesn’t love, and the second she runs off with named Teacake who she is madly in love with. The story shows the struggles, trials and tribulations as an African American, specifically an African American woman during post civil war time. The scene where there is a storm is one of the most beautifully written scenes in literature and can be studied independently. Teacake, the love of her life dies from rabies in the end leaving her alone.

Beloved: Toni Morrison

Beloved by Toni Morrison: This is another one of my favorites, but I will state what I mentioned above, I don’t think it is a novel that can be appreciated or digested by students. In the beginning a mom slits her babies throats in an attempt to save them from what she thinks is white men coming to take them into slavery. She has lived such a horrific life that she believes it is better to show her children mercy by killing them. This is a lot for high school level students to process, or connect with even a little. There are a lot of deeply sexual metaphors, such as the cherry blossom tree that aren’t appropriate to get into as a high school teacher, and this book should be left for the college level.

What I would Teach Instead: Brown Girl Dreaming

Typically in an English class, you have time to teach 6 novels per year, three per semester, one per every six weeks. This provides a proper amount of time to analyze the text, write an essay, practice academic skills, learn content and relate it to the American Dream. I would teach: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, A Raisin in the Sun by Loraine Hansbury, The Crucible by Arthur Miller, Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds, Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson, The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas, and The Benefits of Being an Octopus by Ann Braden. There are eight on this list because the Crucible, Brown Girl Dreaming (Full lesson on Teachers Pay Teachers) and A Raisin in the Sun are much shorter.

These are my reasonings. We include The Crucible because we have to show where Puritan influences arose from and the dangers of radical religious ideals. I would include the Great Gatsby because it is important to see the women’s movement and how it contributes to American culture. A Raisin in the Sun is important to the struggle of the African American, but doesn’t end there because there has been such a greater struggle for this particular group of people over a long period of time. For this reason I would add parts of Brown Girl Dreaming, the Hate U Give, and Long Way Down to show how the struggle continues. I have included The House on Mango Street. to include the Latin American Struggle. There is so much to this book that I believe it covers a vast amount of issues, and themes that contribute to the Mexican American culture. In addition there is a book on this list called The Benefits of Being an Octopus by Ann Braden. (Full lesson on Teachers Pay Teachers) My reasoning for include this book is because it is about a young girl who lives with her mother, two brothers, and one baby sister in a trailer that belongs to her mother’s abusive boyfriend. The story takes a look at what it means to be at a poverty level and how you are beholden, like her mother, to a less than desirable situation. The story shows how those living in a trailer with multiple siblings have additional adult responsibilities and for this reason do not do as well academically.

Best High School American Literature Reading List

Do not get me wrong, I love the classics, and I love every single book on the list above. I own them all even some collector’s items. But, just because they are the best books for American Lit. doesn’t necessarily mean they are the best fit for today’s American Lit student.

Let me know what you think in the comments below. What American Lit. books do you teach? and what books would you love to teach if your district was willing to spend the money?

For more book selections, read a blog post on Books to Read for Teens, or for a 10th grade reading list, click Edit Post ‹ Teacher For Inclusion — WordPress.com

Full lessons on Teachers Pay Teachers

The House on Mango Street

Brown Girl Dreaming

The Great Gatsby

March 4, 2021

9 Trauma Sensitive Classroom Strategies You Must Practice!

What does a trauma sensitive classroom look like?

Trauma Sensitive Classroom Strategies

Trauma sensitive classroom begins with the question: what is trauma? “Trauma is an exceptional experience in which powerful and dangerous events overwhelm a person’s capacity to cope” (Rice & Groves, 2005). The experience doesn’t have to be life-threatening to be considered trauma, or to trigger a trauma response. Adverse childhood experiences can have a significant impact on child development. Some examples of adverse childhood experiences can be: parental divorce, witnessing domestic violence, death of a loved one, physical abuse, sexual abuse, parental incarceration, homelessness, and bullying. Educators need to be prepared to support students who have experienced trauma, even if we don’t know exactly who they are. Students with toxic and trauma stress are more likely to struggle with academic success. Trauma doesn’t discriminate. It happens across all communities, cultures, and socio-economic status populations. Students are resilient, and within positive learning environments they can learn, grow, and succeed. What does a trauma sensitive classroom look like? The following are strategies for creating a trauma sensitive classroom.

Trauma Sensitive Classroom: Learning Environment?

A trauma sensitive learning environment is an environment that is safe, predictable setting for students to learn, thrive, and grow. It is an environment where all students are safe, engaged, supported, and challenged. Some big ideas to create a trauma-sensitive learning environment is the following four things:

Self-awareness: What are our fears that cause us to react? We must care for ourselves before we can care for others.
Relationship: We must foster strong interpersonal relationships before we can take care of others in a healthy way.
Belief: We must communicate to our students what we believe about the trauma and how we are going to support them through it.
Positivity: Life is a wonderful journey. We must find the positive in each situation so our students know they can overcome trauma.

What does a trauma sensitive classroom look like? It is crucial to the recovery of someone suffering from trauma that you are creating a trauma sensitive classroom.

Trauma Sensitive Classroom Strategies: Self-Awareness

Awareness in a Trauma Sensitive Classroom

The teacher is in charge of the setting and the environmental tone of a space. The following are strategies in support of self-awareness:

Stay true to your values. Your values keep you true to your integrity and beliefs. Ask yourself the following questions: Do you know what your purpose is? Why did you choose a teacher career pathway? Why have you stuck with teaching? What do you want to look back on as your best achievement? Post these answers somewhere you can see them, and visit them often when you feel frustrated or down.
Stay out of the “crazy making”. When a child gets whisked up into a tornado, do not get whisked up in the tornado with them. You need to stay in a healthy headspace. In order to stay in our healthy headspace, remember the following: What are the things that set you in a tail spin (triggers)? How is the current tornado the child is experiencing making you feel in that moment? What is the child really bothered by and what does the child really need from you? Calmly and patiently respond appropriately. What are you going to do to defuse the situation? If the situation is predictable it is preventable. Be sure to prepare students for any unforeseen changes that are coming, or could happen, develop relationships with your students, avoid power struggles, provide a class buddy, have routines and expectations set-up.
Do NOT make it personal. Childhood trauma can affect the brain, development of the brain, emotional growth, and impede academic progress. Students behaviors a driven by needs that haven’t been met. It is not about YOU, although it may feel this way at times. To keep the focus on your students ask yourself: what is my role in this situation? Who am I working for? What is about to drive my behavior? If it is fear, anger, or any toxic emotion, it’s time to check yourself, and remind yourself that it is not about you.

Trauma Sensitive Classroom Strategies: Attend to Your Relationships

If we truly nurture the relationships we have with our students, colleagues, and those at home, this would solve most of the reactive problems that we have. Instead of interacting with colleagues and students, try connecting. Strong relationships are at the core of safe, predictable, trauma-sensitive learning environments. It’s always possible to build authentic relationships and connections with even the most difficult students and colleagues if we are in our good head space. Here are 8 questions you can use to begin to build strong relationships with students:

What is your name?
What are you interested in? What are your hobbies and interests?
How do you prefer to learn? (or test them)
What are your goals?
What is your favorite subject? What subject are you best at? What is your most proud accomplishment in school?
Who is your favorite staff member at this school?
How often do I interact with this child?
What interventions have worked?

Trauma Sensitive Classroom Strategies: Forget Labels

What does a trauma sensitive classroom look like? Teachers tend to pass on negative messages about a students behavior that automatic makes us think, “well it’s out of my control. Every other teacher couldn’t help this kid”. Stay away from this type of gossip and conversations that will cause you to prejudge a student. The things we cannot control are: attendance, services granted to student, how our colleagues view us, a parents behavior, how the student chooses to behave under stress. What we can influence, is the way we treat a student, the amount of attention we give to the student before they struggle, our attitude and communication with our colleagues, how we interact or respond to an upset parent, and the environment we provide for the student. We do not have control over others, we only have control over ourselves.

Trauma Sensitive Classroom Strategies: Our Emotional Response

We can only control how we respond. Can you think of a time you reacted to a problem in the classroom and made it worse? Here are some strategies to use when you feel yourself getting angry, or becoming reactive:

Take a deep breath. Examine your concerns about the situation and remind yourself that it isn’t about you.
Ask three people who are generally non-reactive how they would handle the response.
Do some research on trauma response strategies.
Talk to an administrator, mentor, or coach for a brainstorming session
Reference a creating a trauma sensitive classroom reference guide.

Trauma Sensitive Classroom Strategies: Not Damaged

What does a trauma sensitive classroom look like? Childhood trauma is very real, and it significantly can change or impact a student or ourselves. However we can be forever changed without being forever damaged. We should acknowledge the trauma but also acknowledge that students can still survive, continue to grow, and lead a normal life.

Sometimes We Are Not Ok. And That is Ok

Life is not all puppy dogs, and cotton candy, everyone knows that. It’s ok to get students to acknowledge these realities, and find ways to manage them. Ask students the following questions:

What are you struggling with right now?
What something that’s impeding or stopping your success or happiness in the classroom?
Why is this stopping or interfering with your happiness?
Who is a healthy person you can talk to about it?
Come up with some healthy ways to cope with the situation.

When we address these very real issues we are creating a trauma sensitive classroom environment.

Watch Out for Fear!

Ask yourself often, why am I responding this way? Am I responding with the worst case scenario in mind? Try to think of a positive outcome occurring rather than focusing on a negative or worst possible case scenario happening. Some behaviors that could signal emotional, relationship, or control needs are: manipulative, bossy, dramatic, aggressive, clingly, attention-seeking, oppositional etc. What does a trauma sensitive classroom look like? If you receive these behaviors: provide a break, give them a stress tool, give them a safe-quiet space, give the student a job, connect them with another adult or student, provide some choice, provide a healthy snack, give a few quiet minutes.

Be Patient

What does a trauma sensitive classroom look like? Sometimes it is bests to offer forgiveness even to yourself. Give students a different way to see you, foster connections and safety with others, use gratitude to appreciate the things that you do have. Stay away from blame. Let’s look at some examples. If a student laughs too loudly in the hallway, do we pull them aside and redirect them to a desired behavior, such as asking them to take a deep breathe, or do we pull them aside to reprimand them, or send them to the office? The first is a better response and will be welcomed with a more positive reaction.

Give Yourself and Others Some Grace

How to Create a Trauma Sensitive Environment

Yes, people want to be acknowledged for the positive things they do. It is part of being a human. Give out compliments. We are in the profession for giving, this is an area we shouldn’t fall short. A compliment should:

Praise provides meaningful feedback that supports a students develop a strong identity and sense of self-worth. This can help build their resilience for when they go home to a less than desirable environment.
Praise should be genuine. If you provide praise that is not, the kid can stop trying.
If we praise growth, energy, and flexibility, our students will develop a healthy sense of self.

Give yourself some praise! When we take the time to focus on what we are doing right, not wrong, we feel better and more competent. If we spend days caught up in our problems or mistakes we run the risk of harming our own self-confidence, which puts us in a place for burnout.

Self-Care

Practice these 4 self-care strategies for a better, healthier life:

Health: exercise for 40 minutes or more at least three times per week.
Love: Give yourself compliments everyday
Competence: Learn or try something new once a week
Gratitude: Everyday write down something you are grateful for, and within 24 hours, demonstrate that gratitude somehow.

If you follow the strategies above you will be well on your way to fostering resilient learners strategies for creating a trauma sensitive classroom.

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What are some of your tips for Trauma sensitive classrooms? Write in the comments below.

March 3, 2021

7 Must Have Social Emotional Learning Activities

Social Emotional Learning Activities are becoming more and more important in today’s climate of depression, and anxiety. For a full, engaging, challenging lesson on social emotional learning check out this full lesson plan: Social Emotional Learning activities-(Teachers Pay Teachers)

SEL

Social emotional learning activities and overview is a critical component in today’s classroom. The definition of social emotional learning is (SEL) the process through which children and adults:

1.Understand and manage emotions

2.Set and achieve positive goals

3.Feel and show empathy for others

4.Establish and maintain positive relationships

5.Make responsible decisions

The SEL social emotional learning model must include a healthy adult who works consistently to keep themselves healthy. The work for the student is half the piece of the puzzle. Casel is a social emotional learning theory. The Casel social emotional learning in the classroom focuses on three primary topics, which will be the focus for this post. The social emotional learning standards we will focus on are: guided breathing, trauma informed practices, and setting goals for both students and teachers. Research shows that positive student experiences include, community, family, and school partnerships. The social emotional standards are a requirement and our goal is to begin setting a standard for a social emotional learning classroom. Social emotional learning activities and overview are below.

Teach students that we all have feelings. Emotions and feelings are an important part of life, and crucial to our survival. As people are designed to feel a wide range of emotions, some of which can be very uncomfortable for us. No one likes feeling uncomfortable. There are many different ways that we can physically be uncomfortable . We can be hot, cold, tired, in pain, hungry, sick. However our feelings are unavoidable so what do we do with them? We practice distress tolerance.

Distress Intolerance

What is distress intolerance?

Distress tolerance is a perceived inability to experience uncomfortable feelings and is paired with a need to escape those uncomfortable feelings. Distress intolerance is often linked to fear of experiencing negative emotion .Think about a time when the idea of a painful experience was worse than the actual experience. Talk to students about this and have them do a social emotional learning activities such as journaling for 10 minutes.

3 types of emotions in response to distress intolerance

There are three types of emotions when it comes to responding as a distress intolerant person. Teach students what they are so they can identify themselves and learn what to do about it in the next section. Awareness goes a long way when it comes to keeping our minds healthy.

The sad – this group includes emotions that reflect sadness at different degrees this would include feelings of disappointment, hurt, despair, guilt, shame, sadness, depression, grief, misery. This group has feelings of hopelessness, loss , and regret
The mad – this group includes feelings that reflect anger at different degrees: irritation, agitation, frustration, disgust , jealousy, anger , rage, and hatred. This group typically has thoughts of unfairness and wrongdoing and may lash out
The scared – this group includes feelings that reflect fear at different degrees of intensity. This would include nervousness, anxiety, dread, fear, panic, and terror. This group wants to avoid others

None of these reactions are a healthy way to respond to stress. In order to change them, we must first identify them.

The problem

When we are distress intolerant, and tend to run from our problems, the problems get worse.

Can you think of a time you avoided an issue that made you feel uncomfortable and the problem got worse? The longer the problem continued the worse it got and the harder it was to deal with.

Let’s say there’s a small leak in your ceiling, that only drips. You don’t want to deal with it, so you ignore it and leave out a bucket. What happens when winter comes?

This is a paradox. Fear and avoidance make the problem bigger and bigger until our original fear actualizes.

Tally how many statements are true for you-above. If a lot of these apply to you this could mean you are having difficulty dealing with emotions. It’s ok! There are many healthy practices to try, to help you cope with negative feelings in a positive way. The social emotional learning activities and overview will guide to inform you on what you can do in your own classroom.

Respond to the questions below: What are 5 things you’re most afraid of?

2. List some major challenges you have overcome

3. Does knowing you’ve been able to get through hard times give you confidence about facing future challenges?

Observing is bringing your mind back to the sensations of your body and mind. Observe your breath: Breathe evenly and gently, focusing your attention on:

1. The movement of your stomach.

a. As you begin to breathe in, allow your belly to rise in order to bring air into the lower half of your lungs.

b. As the upper halves of your lungs begin to fill with air, your chest begins to rise.

c. As you breathe out, notice your belly, then notice your chest. Don’t tire yourself.

2. The pauses in your breathing.

a. As you breathe in, notice the brief pause when your lungs have filled with air.

b. As you breathe out, notice the brief pause when your lungs have expelled air.

3. The sensations in your nose as you breathe in and as you breathe out.

a. as you breathe, close your mouth and breathe in through your nose, noticing the sensations traveling up and down your nostrils.

4. Your breath while walking slowly. Breathe normally.

a. Determine the length of your breath-the exhalation and the inhalation by the number of your footsteps. Continue for a few minutes.

b. Watch to see whether the inhalation also lengthens by one step or not after 20 breaths return your breathing to normal.

5. Your breath while listening to a piece of music.

a. Breathe long, light, and even breaths.

b. Follow your breath; be master of it, while remaining aware of the movement and sentiments of the music.

c. Do not get lost in the music but continue to be master of your breath and yourself.

6. Your breath while listening to a friend’s words and your own replies. Continue as with music.

Examples of Breathing Exercises For Kids

•Tape a piece of paper to the wall at eye level •Draw upward on it as you breathe in, and downward on it as you breathe out

OR… •Count in 1-2-3, and out 1-2-3-4-5-6 •When you have tense shoulders or butterflies in your stomach, rather than try to push it away, use the breathing exercises to feel better. The social emotional learning activities and overview above should provide a start for your classroom practice.

30 seconds. Thank a loved one each day. Someone important to you- friend, sibling, your parents . It can even be a four-legged friend. Take a moment to give them a hug and acknowledge them
One minute. Jot down three things you’re appreciative of and write them on pieces of paper that you place into a gratitude jar or box. When you feel down open your notes
2 minutes. Write a thank-you-note. It only takes a couple of minutes. They can inspire intense feelings of thankfulness in both you and the recipient
5 minutes. Keep a gratitude journal. There’s no need to write in it more than once a week . Research has found that people who wrote in gratitude journals once a week for six weeks reported boosts in happiness

Ideas for self-soothing through sight: pictures, art, star gazing, etc.

Ideas for self-soothing through sound: music, nature sounds, etc.
Ideas for self-soothing through smells fragrance: food aromas, etc.
Ideas for self-soothing through touch: fabric, rocks, hands, pets, etc.
Ideas for self-soothing through taste: sweet, sour, chewy foods, etc.

Trauma Informed Practices

One practice that can be used follows the acronym: IMPROVE

Imagery: Use visualization and imagery to take a break

Meaning: Identify meaning and purpose in your life

Personal: Use formal or informal inner voice to ask yourself for help or feel connected to your inner self. You are stronger than you think

Relaxation: Remember to breathe. Do things that are relaxing and enjoyable

One mindfully: Focus on just one thing at a time

Vacation: Take time for yourself. It can be a few minutes or for much longer

Encouragement: Positive self talk and support from others can be useful

Core Practices and policies:

*Facilitate community building, routines, and rituals that reduce stress, address trauma, promote healing and belonging, and prepare the brain for learning

*Demonstrate care and commitment by opening and closing lessons

*Use collaborative structures and activities in the classroom

*Use materials that are culturally responsive

*Engage students in a value affirmation activity

*Provide guided breathing and moving breaks

*Engage in trauma informed practices

If you Fail to Plan, You Plan to Fail

Ask yourself the following questions:

Who do you serve? Age, grade, subject, type of school, topics of interest, lifestyle?
How do you serve them?
How do you want those people to feel? What colors represent this feeling? What words come with this feeling? What lessons and practices will generate this feeling?
What kind of problems do these people struggle with? (the more specific, the better)
What do they need help with?
What are ways you can help them? Write all potential ideas and narrow it down to three.

When you don’t know where to start, think, what is one thing that I can do today that will propel me forward? Keep your 3 answers in mind from question 6 above while completing the task of answering the questions below.

How can I…?

1. Demonstrate care and commitment by opening and closing lessons

2. Use collaborative structures and activities in the classroom

3. Use materials that are culturally responsive

4. Engage students in a value affirmation activity

5. Provide guided breathing and moving breaks

6. Engage in trauma informed practices

Congratulations! Now that you have read social emotional learning activities and overview, you’re on your way to creating a social-emotional-learning environment for yourself and your students and making our world a better place! How do you use Social Emotional Learning in your classroom? Please share in the comments below.

Click HERE for a blog post that is about a social emotional learning environment

March 2, 2021

5 Ways to Teach About Text Features in Nonfiction Text

How to teach text features in nonfiction texts can feel like a daunting task, especially when it is the students least favorite task to complete. There is always an exorbitant amount of information that is dry, dry, dry, to read! However, with the right tools and techniques, reading non-fiction can become easier and even more enjoyable. The essentials of reading non-fiction texts are: selecting a text, having the right tools, teaching students their way around the text, teaching students to scan and close read, using collaborative discussion groups for material not understood, and reflecting on learning. Students need to know how to summarize nonfiction text prior to reflection. How to teach fiction vs nonfiction is very different. See below.

How to Teach Nonfiction: Selecting a Text

How to Teach Nonfiction Using Text Features

Text Features in Nonfiction Text

Have you ever tried to read an academic book that was above your reading level? Yikes! Be sure to select a text that is at the appropriate reading level for your students or students will quit feeling frustrated and “stupid” (as they say). Choose a topic that students can connect to as best to your ability. Here’s an example of how this translates, if you are teaching about the brain, try an article on how a lack of sleep affects the teenage brain while at school. I try to choose three separate articles with different topics that cover the same material at different lexiles (levels). You may say that you are using a textbook and do not have a choice, but that simply isn’t true. There are plenty of articles online, or in programs like CommonLit, Newsela that provide up-to-date, free resources. The ultimate goal is to make sure that you have a performance objective in mind so there is a roadmap to where your students need to end up. Do your backwards planning by beginning with your objective in mind. Decide what academic strategies they should practice, and what content they need to retain.

Text Features in Nonfiction Text: Grab the Essentials

When it is time to teach your non-fiction text, make sure everyone has a hard copy of the text with pencil, pen, and highlighters. This can also been done digitally with all the digital tools available through various programs. I prefer to have students grapple with real paper if possible. If I can, I offer them a choice. In addition they must have a quiet space or room to work in. Try some mindful breathing exercises (Full lesson on Teachers Pay Teachers) prior to the reading. This can be fun, calming, and help students to gain their focus. They will also gain some mindful exercises to practice on their own. If this is not possible in the classroom, send the assignment home for homework and have students use collaboration the next class day to discuss the text.

Text Features in Nonfiction Text: What are Some Nonfiction Text Features?

Ask yourself, what academic skills do I want my students to practice in this exercise? Some examples of academic skills are: critical thinking, effective communication, Socratic inquiry, process identification, collaboration, listening, writing, and reflection skills, etc. Once you know the objective of the lesson and which academic skills you want students to practice, have students scan through the text (using the academic skills) reading the basics first such as the table of contents, the preface, author’s note etc. Next they can move on to the headings and sub-headings. This provides the student with a roadmap or general idea to where they are going and how they will get there. Another strategy I have used in the past is to have students complete a textbook scavenger hunt. Students are to look up all the information you add to a list of things on a page for a textbook scavenger hunt. Students work in groups, and you can even provide a prize (piece of candy) to the group who completes the work first. If you have a scavenger hunt, here are some categories to consider: table of contents, index, glossary, captions, photos, and add specific questions and page numbers for students to find. One rule, is NEVER have students read a text book from cover to cover! It is a fact that they will not retain that much information. Focus on the chapters of most important and supplement information with different materials outside of the text. For example, I once observed a math teacher show a video about a woman who had such a high interest rate on her car loan that it would take her three times as many years to pay it off. It was such an entertaining way to learn about percentages.

Text Features in Nonfiction Text: Provide Students with a Graphic Organizer

Provide students with a graphic organizer of a skeletal outline of the heading, sub-headings, main ideas, and any other pertinent information you feel they will need to comprehend the material. They can fill in the graphic organizer as they read through the information. Provide students with a KWL graphic organizer and ask them, what do you already know about the topic? What do you want to know about the topic? and once complete, what did you learn about the topic? Start with how to tell the difference between fiction and nonfiction.

More specifically in the “K” section, add subsections with the following questions:

What do you know about the topic?
What do you expect to learn about the topic?

In the “W” section add subsections with the following questions:

What do you want to know?
What do you think the author is trying to provide

In the “L” section of the KWL chart add the following questions:

What did you learn?
What did the author prove?
How does the author communicate key ideas in the book?
What do you agree/disagree with in the book?
What do you still need to know from the book?

Text Features in Nonfiction Text: Markup the Text

First have students read the first and second paragraph in the chapter. This lays out the topic and main points that will be covered within that chapter. Have students go to the sections only that they need to comprehend, ponder, and digest. Have students number the lines in the text. Second, have students circle the main idea, underline the keywords, write questions and wonderings in the margins, and highlight words they do not understand. You do not need to use this same formula, but be sure to use a formula and have them write what they are doing at the top of their paper. For example, have students draw a circle=main idea, underline=key words, highlight=words they do not know, etc. This way when they go back to study their notes later it will be simple for them to review their work.

Text Features in Nonfiction Text: Use Collaborative Discussion Groups

Prior to placing students into collaborative discussion groups, some preparation must go into it first. For example; how will students be grouped? How will the groups be monitored to ensure all members are participating? How will students be expected to record their learning? Prior to entering the group, have students come up with a question based on a concept or problem that they do not understand. Students will articulate their specific question. Group members will use collaborative inquiry to support the student presenter in clarifying confusion and checking for understanding. Upon arriving at a solution, students identify generalized steps/processes that led to the solution. Students will appropriately use related academic vocabulary throughout. Students will take turns presenting their questions, and supporting each other through the process of resolving the problem. Once students have completed all their questions, you need to decide how the information will be presented.

Group members need to be given a list of the following expectations:

Respect ideas/thinking of others
Use inquiry to gain a deep understanding of content discussed
Actively participate
Contribute to group
Communicate openly with teacher

Teacher Will:

Rotate to all groups and model higher-inquiry (if needed)
Support students in developing critical thinking skills
Handle classroom management.

Text Features in Nonfiction Text: Grouping Students

Arrange students into groups of four to seven by using one of the below methods:

Use grade data to select the content focus of the group
Divide students by the content of specific questions
Use key terms to group students
Group by students who need to develop the same same skills or knowledge

Have students arrange their chairs or desks into semicircles close to either a whiteboard, easel, chart paper on the wall. If there is no wide space to use, place butcher paper across student desks. It is best that everyone can see and is somehow facing one another. Collaboration works best when everyone feels like an equal, and all members have equal opportunity to participate.

How to Teach Nonfiction: Record of Learning

Students can turn in notes from their collaborative session, and reflect in writing, or they can verbally reflect what they learned out loud to the class. This depends on what grade level you teach. This could be difficult for a middle school student, but easier for students in high school. Know your students and make the decision as to how they will submit a record of their learning. I prefer to give them the option of sharing aloud, or turning in their notes with reflection.

For how to teach nonfiction writing, visit my blog post on how to write a narrative (Full lesson on Teachers Pay Teachers) nonfiction. How to teach literary nonfiction writing is much different than reading nonfiction and most of what applies here, will not apply in a narrative nonfiction unit.

Here is a list of literary nonfiction that I use in my classroom:

Teacher: (Full lesson on Teachers Pay Teachers)

Substitute Literary Nonfiction (Full lesson on Teachers Pay Teachers)

I would love to hear how you teach nonfiction text features! Please comment below for how you teach nonfiction writing.

March 2, 2021

5 Ways to Teach Short Stories for Middle School Students You Must Know!

Short Stories for Middle School Students: Why Do We Teach Short Stories?

Short Stories for Middle School Students can be a great way for students to learn standards. First, we teach short stories because it is a great way to engage those who cannot sustain their attention for the entirety of a novel; the second reason as to why we teach short stories, is that it is a great way to cover several of the standards we must cover-which takes much longer during a novel unit; and third reason is short stories are popular because they are a lot of fun! For these reasons, every teacher should know how to teach short stories.

Short Stories for Middle School Students

I teach short stories using the following steps: graphic organizers, notes on story mountain, audio, watch short film, reading comprehension questions, create something.

Short Stories for Middle School Students: Plot Structure Diagram

I begin teaching short stories by teaching students about the plot structure diagram or “story mountain”. Story mountain has 6 different components: the exposition, conflict, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. With middle school students you must give them a graphic organizer and have them fill in notes step by step. With high school students you can give them a graphic organizer for review, and quickly go over each part of the story mountain. The most important thing students need to learn when learning about short stories is the plot structure diagram. Within story mountain, students learn about characters, setting, conflict, tension, audience, narrator, introduction, and conclusion.

Short Stories for Middle School Students: Story Mountain and Exposition

Students will fill in their graphic organizer beginning with the exposition. In the exposition students learn about the characters, setting, and conflict. The exposition is the introduction of the story and it sets the scene. An example by Edgar Allen Poe would be the following, “…It is impossible to say how first the idea entered my brain; but once conceived, it haunted me day and night. Object there was none. Passion there was none. I loved the old man. He had never wronged me. He had never given me insult. For his gold I had no desire. I think it was his eye! yes, it was this! He had the eye of a vulture –a pale blue eye, with a film over it. Whenever it fell upon me, my blood ran cold; and so by degrees –very gradually –I made up my mind to take the life of the old man, and thus rid myself of the eye forever…” In this paragraph, which is part of the exposition, we can infer that the main character has lost his marbles. We also know that the conflict has to do with the old man and his blue eye. In addition we know that he has decided to kill the old man. In the rest of the exposition, not quoted above, we learn about the setting, which takes place in the old man’s home. I have found that the most engaging way to teach students the plot structure diagram, and specifically exposition is by providing them with a graphic organizer, having them watch short videos, and fill out the information they learn from the videos. Videos such as Shmoop have great brief engaging videos to cover plot structure/story mountain.

Short Stories for Middle School Students: Rising Action

The rising action in the plot structure diagram moves the plot forward. We are have already been introduced to the protagonist, and conflict (which can be the antagonist). We now have been introduced to secondary characters and the protagonist is moving his way toward conquering the issue or problem. In Edgar Allen Poe’s “Tell Tale Heart”, an example of the rising action is in the following text, “Upon the eighth night I was more than usually cautious in opening the door. A watch’s minute hand moves more quickly than did mine. Never before that night had I felt the extent of my own powers –of my sagacity. I could scarcely contain my feelings of triumph. To think that there I was, opening the door, little by little, and he not even to dream of my secret deeds or thoughts. I fairly chuckled at the idea; and perhaps he heard me; for he moved on the bed suddenly, as if startled.” We can see that the main character is now moving forward with the idea to kill the old man.

Short Stories for Middle School Students: Climax

The climax is the high point in the story. It is the point at which the audience is on the edge of their seat. For example, in “Tell Tale Heart” the climax is when the main character kills the old man, “With a loud yell, I threw open the lantern and leaped into the room. He shrieked once –once only. In an instant I dragged him to the floor, and pulled the heavy bed over him. I then smiled gaily, to find the deed so far done. But, for many minutes, the heart beat on with a muffled sound. This, however, did not vex me; it would not be heard through the wall. At length it ceased. The old man was dead.” This is the highest point of tension in the story.

Short Stories for Middle School Students: Falling Action

The falling action in the short story is the part where things happen as a result of the climax. For example, in “Tell Tale Heart”, the falling action is the main character burying the old man under the floor boards, and the police arriving to question him as to the whereabouts of the old man. The tension builds, as the main character believes he can hear the beating of the old man’s heart. All of this is part of the falling action.

“The night waned, and I worked hastily, but in silence. First of all I dismembered the corpse. I cut off the head and the arms and the legs. I then took up three planks from the flooring of the chamber, and deposited all between the scantlings. I then replaced the boards so cleverly, so cunningly, that no human eye –not even his –could have detected anything wrong. There was nothing to wash out –no stain of any kind –no blood-spot whatever. I had been too wary for that. A tub had caught all –ha! Ha!”. The story goes on to the arrival of the police and the beating of the dead man’s heart.”

Short Stories for Middle School Students: Resolution

The resolution ties up all loose ends from the story. It can be a solution. For example, in “Tell Tale Heart”, the resolution is that the main character confesses to the murder and is then, most likely taken to jail. The resolution is the end of the story. In Edgar Allen Poe’s short story “Tell Tale Heart”, the resolution ends with the following, “”Villains!” I shrieked, “dissemble no more! I admit the deed! –tear up the planks! here, here! –It is the beating of his hideous heart!” The resolution is that the man is caught.

How to Teach Short Stories: Lesson Plan

Once students have comprehension of the story mountain, we then read the short story aloud in class. I like to provide a copy of the story to all students, and play the audio version of the story. This helps all types of learners with the reading process. I also like to pause the audio and address the different elements of the short story such as the ones in story mountain, dialogue, implications, descriptions, etc. Middle school students are still afraid to read out loud, but in high school, you can have students take turns reading out loud.

Short Stories for Middle School Students

Short Film/Reading Comprehension/Creation

Students will watch a film of the short story they have just read, followed up with reading comprehension questions. Videos can be found on Youtube, or paid for through Amazon or Netflix. Once they have completed the reading comprehension to check for understanding, I have students create something, such as a one-pager.

A one-pager lesson, project, or activity can be a great, engaging way to assess student knowledge. “Create” is at the top of the list for Bloom’s taxonomy: levels of critical thinking. The purpose of the one-pager is to take a close look at the short story and analyze themes, characters, quotes etc. The top half should focus on themes and symbolism using words and images. The bottom half should focus on key characters from the text and how they develop. The border has pictures, symbols and words that symbolize theme.

Once students have created something they have successfully completed their short story unit.

Short Stories for Middle School

Some popular short stories for middle school are as follows:

Edgar Allen Poe Graphic Novel Bundle

Edgar Allen Poe Short Story Bundle

Short Stories for High School

Some popular short stories for high school are as follows:

There Will Come Soft Rains

Harrison Bergeron

Masque of the Red Death

The Pit and the Pendulum

The Cask of Amontillado

The Most Dangerous Game

If you would like to learn about how to teach writing short stories, please visit my, writing a narrative blog. I would love to hear which short stories you teach. Tell us what short stories you teach in your classroom and which grades you teach them?

March 1, 2021

English High School Curriculum You Must Have!

English High School Curriculum

English High School Curriculum List: Curriculum Can Be Tough!

English curriculum for high school. With hundreds of standards, very little guidance, and zero support with novels, teaching English in high school can be a very daunting task. However, if you have specific lessons in your toolbox, then teaching English curriculum for high school is much easier. Specifically what is needed for high school English curriculum are: one-pagers, “do nows”, essay outline templates, mentor sentences, philosophical chairs, and a grammar review guide. All of these can be repeated throughout the year, and in following years to come.

One project that can be used with English curriculum for high school is a one-pager. A one-pager lesson, project, or activity can be a great, engaging way to assess student knowledge. “Create” is at the top of the list for Bloom’s taxonomy: levels of critical thinking. The purpose of the one-pager is to take a close look at the novel and analyze themes, characters, quotes etc. The top half should focus on themes and symbolism using words and images. The bottom half should focus on key characters from the text and how they develop. The border has pictures, symbols and words that symbolize theme.

High school English curriculum books can be assessed with the one-pager. Students organize their papers in six separate boxes. In one box there needs to be a main idea, an image of the main idea and a quote to support the main idea. In a second box there needs to be 3 quotes of choice that capture the themes addressed in the novel. In a third box, images or doodled words about characterization, physical characteristics and description of character changes. In a fourth box a description of the setting, quotes about the setting, and images of the setting. In the fifth box, images and quotes that show the author’s style of writing. And finally, in the sixth box images and words connecting themes and ideas as well as a connection to the world today. Books in high school English curriculum that are assessed best in this way are novels.

English High School Curriculum List: Philosophical Chairs Lesson

What is a philosophical chairs lesson? A philosophical chairs lesson is an active, collaborative discussion about themes, characters, and main ideas in a novel. These are most successful for English 3 high school curriculum, and English 4 high school curriculum. I have my freshmen and sophomore students practice Socratic seminars which prepare them for philosophical chairs discussions. The way that I structure a philosophical chairs discussion is to put a controversial statement on the board that students will either agree or disagree with. Students are to use notes from the unit and write for a length of time about why they agree or disagree. Students are to use quotes and evidence from the book to back up their opinions. Setting up a philosophical chairs discussion is critical to having a successful lesson. Students need to know the proper etiquette and how to speak to one another when the agree or disagree with a classmate. Students are provided with keywords and phrases they can use for cooperative discussion. The teacher remains outside of the discussion and only interjects if students need redirection back to the topic. Students typically face each other in two lines-10 on each side, and the rest of the class sits in chairs behind these students on the side they agree with. There is one seat on each side that will remain open in case a student not in the row of 10, wants to jump into the discussion and share a thought. Students are also to get up and move to the other side of the opposing line of students if they change their opinion. At the end of the lesson, it is important to review and reflect. What went well, what did not go well, what could be better for next time.

English High School Curriculum List: Mentor Sentences

English Curriculum for High School: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/English-Language-Arts-Mentor-Sentences-6238743

You do not want to teach high school English literature curriculum without using mentor sentences. What are mentor sentences? (Full lesson on Teachers Pay Teachers) A mentor sentence is a superbly written sentence written by an author at the appropriate level for the student. Instead of finding what is wrong with the sentence, students find what is right. It provides a much more positive experience. Students read the sentence and are to reply on the different components of the sentence, analyze the components impact, and write their own version of the sentence. Writing their own version is not copying the sentence but rather mimicking the author’s style.

Why do I love using mentor sentences? There are so many reasons why using mentor sentences are great for students. I love using mentor sentences in my classroom because they give students the chance to observe quality writing up close. How to teach mentor sentences by allowing students to breakdown a sentence and see how the author created it in order to create a meaningful sentence for readers. There is a lot of flexibility with how to teach mentor sentences: scavenger hunts and other games, or good ole’ fashion close reading, with colored pencils and a partner.

While I am reading a novel I plan to teach, I always write down the sentences that are amazing! This way I do not have to go through books trying to piece together some sentences. I find the best quality sentences and it doesn’t waste or take up extra time. A great practice is to also use the first sentence in novels if it is a dynamic one. Some of the best, most progressive authors who write sentences that include figurative language are: Jason Reynolds, Kwame Alexander, Jacqueline Woodson, Dashka slater, Jewell Parker Rhodes, and more.

English High School Curriculum List: “Do Nows” or Journal Responses

Do Nows or Journal Response https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/15-Thought-Provoking-Journal-Prompts-Secondary-Level-6368884

“Do Nows” are prompts that students respond to at the start of class, end of class, or during a transition period. “Do nows” signal students to quickly take out their journal and respond to the prompt on the board. Students know they are to be quiet during this time, and have a protocol in place to follow. Students receive a prompt, and respond to the prompt for approximately 10 minutes. I use philosophical statements for “do nows” to get students to really think critically prior to response.

Here is an example of one of my do nows:

“Can we remember something we can’t imagine? What makes us able to imagine something? Why do we say, “it came back to me?” Why do we use the word ‘flood’ when describing a sudden memory? Can you have the same memory twice? Write about a memory you have shared with someone who was a part of the memory and they remembered it different than you. Why do you think their memory is different?

Once students have completed their “do now” they have a chance to share at their table, and then one student shares their response with the class.

Grammar Review Guide

Grammar Review: Product on Teachers Pay Teachers https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Basic-Rules-of-Grammar-Guide-6387068

Grammar is not a topic that is typically covered in high school. For this reason students tend to forget about the basics of grammar. I like to provide a basic grammar guide for students to use when they are writing-especially essay writing, or peer editing. The grammar guide I provide is on capitalization, commas, colons, semi-colons, bracket use etc. If students need a brush-up on their grammar rules, they look it up in their notebook.

Essay Templates and Outlines

Essay Outlines and Templates: Product from Teachers Pay Teachers: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/How-to-Write-Essays-One-Semester-of-Essay-Writing-6368753

The three main essays that are written in English curriculum for high school are: the expository essay (informational), the narrative essay, and the literary analysis essay. Depending on the year, students have a focus essay. For example for high school sophomore English curriculum students focus on a research paper. In senior year, the expository, freshman year narrative, and junior year literary analysis. Students complete all three essays each year in high school, but there is still an emphasis placed on a particular essay each year.

Students tend to get stumped, followed with a dose of anxiety when they hear the word “essay“. Providing an outline and template can help to relieve this anxiety and lead to a successful grade. It is essential and crucial to the essay process that prior to assigning any essay to students, that you first know how to write a an essay outline. The outline serves as the foundational pillars for crafting a successful paper. It is the road map to success when students begin writing their essay. Not all essays are the same. For example, the narrative essay outline is much different. It does not have the typical thesis or prescriptive writing that other essays, such as the literary analysis (Full lesson on Teachers Pay Teachers) have. All essay introductions include a hook-something to capture the reader’s attention, a setting-where the story will takes place, characters-who the characters are that will be in the story (physical and personality description) and a conflict-what issue is the character facing. I find it is easiest for the students if I set the essay up in a traditional essay outline format. Once you have created your outline you will have your students fill in notes on a skeletal outline.

Once students have graphic organizers to fill out, I show videos on the different parts of the essay. Students fill in graphic organizers which they will then use to write their rough and final draft.

I have students do self-edits as well as peer edits when students complete their essay. Students use the rubric that was created for the essay, and they go through a check-off list for each edit. This way it is ensured that they have all essay components. They also are to make corrections in order to submit a polished essay. If you want an extended activity for an essay unit, you can also add a 6-panel storyboard where students can draw the main events of the story.

For more on the narrative essay, read the blog post link below.

how to write a narrative essay about a character step by step

English Curriculum for High School Survival Kit

Teaching high school can be overwhelming but if you have the above items in your teacher toolkit, it can make teaching high school English curriculum much easier. What tools do you have in your teacher toolkit? Please share in the comments below.

February 24, 2021

How To Write a Narrative Essay Step by Step

How to Write a Narrative Essay Step by Step

Narrative Essay Step by Step

Students tend to get stumped, followed with a dose of anxiety when they hear the word “essay”. For a full lesson on Teachers Pay Teachers, click here: how to write a narrative essay about a character step by step (Full lesson on Teachers Pay Teachers) to alleviate your anxiety and the anxiety for your students while setting them up for a successful essay writing process. If you follow these steps, students will be able to answer the question: how can I write a narrative essay?

How to Write a Narrative Essay Introduction

How to Write a Narrative Essay Step by Step: Outline

It is essential and crucial to the essay process that prior to assigning the narrative essay to students, that you first know how to write a narrative essay outline. The outline serves as the foundational pillars for crafting a successful paper. It is the road map to success when students begin writing their narrative essay. You must create an outline that is different from the typical essay outline. It does not have the typical thesis or prescriptive writing that other essays, such as the literary analysis (lesson on TpT). Begin with the introduction. The introduction for the narrative essay includes a hook-something to capture the reader’s attention, a setting-where the story will take place, characters-who the characters are that will be in the story (physical and personality description) and a conflict-what issue is the character facing. I find it is easiest for the students if I set the essay up in a traditional essay outline format. Once you have created your outline you will have your students fill in notes on a skeletal outline.

It will look something like this:

I. Introduction:

A. Characters:

B. Setting:

C. Conflict:

A suggestion for filling in the information for the above is to use short engaging videos from Shmoop, or an actual narrative story such as, “Nothing Ever Happens On 90th Street”.

Narrative Essay Step by Step: “Nothing Ever Happens on 90th Street”

“Nothing Ever Happens on 90th Street” by Roni Schotter is a narrative story about a girl who is writing a narrative for class. She is not sure how to write the narrative as she sits on the stoop of her New York home. It begins with her thinking that nothing ever happens on her street when one of many of the neighbors approaches her. The neighbor asks her what she is doing and when she says she is trying to write a narrative, the neighbor gives her some advice as to how to start the narrative essay for the introduction. For example, one character says to add details about characters and setting and discusses the importance of them to the story as a whole. This suggestion is followed up with a detailed description of the setting and what is happening on 90th street: dogs being walked, a movie star’s detailed description, stores up and down the street, a cat, etc. The character states what is needed in the essay introduction and the author carefully inserts an example of what that looks like. Suggestion by character: details, follow-up example by author: detailed description of street and characters. Students write down what is needed for the introduction in the essay.

How to Write a Narrative Essay Step by Step: Topics

One of the questions students have is who to write a narrative essay about? I have students take a look at the different types of story plots such as: the underdog, the chase, justice, coming-of-age, boy meets girl, and the quest. Once they have brainstormed and looked over the plot structure for each of these stories, they are then be able to choose what their story will be about. They should have a general idea of what the beginning, middle, and end of the story will be prior to beginning their writing. You can even have them fill out a plot structure diagram like the one above to plan their story writing. Once they have their outline filled out, and their story. Students will then share their story with their classmates who can provide feedback or suggestions.

How to Write a Narrative Essay Step by Step: Introduction

Once students have their topic they will engage readers in the story with the help of a hook. To create a powerful hook, you can use a question, fact, quote, or an intriguing statement that will make readers want to read further. One way I tell students how to write a narrative essay with dialogue can be in the introduction as a hook. Example: “I’m not quite sure whether it is a real memory or just some false belief that grew stronger and more convincing in me over time, but I remember my sister once trying to kill me…” Set the scene and give readers an idea of what is happening. However, it shouldn’t tell the entire story yet, just give a glimpse into it; don’t give it all away, and keep your readers intrigued. After this they should describe the setting and characters’ personality and physical description in detail.

How to Write a Narrative: Body

The main body of the narrative paper is the most important part…This is where students tell the story, share facts and details, and guide readers through the plot. The body of a narrative essay can consist of 3 or more paragraphs, and its length depends on the general word count of the paper. Students should Include vivid and relevant detail: A narrative essay is all about creating a scene as well as a mood to follow. Even the best essay writers can spend hours writing and are meticulous when it comes to including details. Students need to know how to write a narrative essay using dialogue. Throwing the reader into dialogue is an effective way to refresh the audience’s attention. Dialogue is a great way to give a story life and support the story’s setting. Again, use this technique thoughtfully. An example would be if you have two San Franciscans talking to each other, using an English accent won’t work as a choice. Write chronologically: It’s hard for readers to understand the timeline of events in a paper unless the author is clear. Keeping things chronological is the best way to keep your paper organized. Avoid narration deviation: If you are talking about a personal experience, or if you are writing in the place of the character you must write in first-person.

How to Write a Narrative Essay Conclusion

How to Write a Narrative: Conclusion

In the conclusion of the paper, students are expected to give some final comments about their story. This is where they can restate some of the key details and ideas mentioned in the body. In addition, they should stress the lessons they’ve learned from a particular situation and leave readers with something to think about. Example: “As I go through these events over and over in my head, I realize how much it has taught me. Everything that happens in our lives has at least two sides. To see the real image, it is necessary to collect all of the details piece by piece—to see both sides. And, not all memories should be trusted. Sometimes, it is just our brains that try to make up false stories, isn’t it?” The conclusion should wrap up all loose ends and details from the story and leave the reader thinking about something profound.

How to Edit a Narrative Essay

I have students do self-edits as well as peer edits when it comes to narrative essays. Students use the rubric that was created for the essay, and they go through a check-off list for each edit. This way it is ensured that they have dialogue, character description, setting, etc. They also are to make corrections in order to submit a polished essay. If you want an extended activity for this unit, you can also add a 6-panel storyboard where students can draw the main events of the story.

February 21, 2021

Sub Plans You Must Have!

What is a sub plan? Why do teachers need emergency sub plans?

Emergency Sub Plans ELA is Emergency sub plans English Language Arts. Sub plans include work, instruction, direction, logistics, and key information that is needed when a regular teacher is out sick or for an emergency. Teachers need emergency sub plans when they are sick in the middle of the night, or have something come up that is not expected. It’s important to have an emergency sub plan ready prior to an emergency waiting on your desk in an emergency sub plan folder. What is an ELA substitute lesson? An ELA substitute plan is an English Language Arts substitute plan. The following are the best way to organize emergency sub plans.

Emergency Sub Plans!

Sub Plans Template: Experience

Organize emergency sub plans takes some experience. This experience can come from: teaching, subbing, or covering others classrooms while other teachers are out. These experiences can make you become an expert at how to organize emergency sub plans. As a teacher of 14 years, I have had all of the above experiences and I have the designing a sub plan down to a science…so let’s get started! For a full lesson on emergency sub plans, click on the following, Dead Mountain, Titanic, Food Fight, Murder He Wrote (Full lessons on Teachers Pay Teachers)

Fright White (Full lesson on Teachers Pay Teachers).

The cardinal rule to organize Emergency Sub Plans ELA is that they must be simple, simple, simple! Think back years ago from the perspective of the sub. They rush in the front school doors, after trying to figure out where to park on a busy morning. The sub now has to deal with the staff (who are in no real hurry to help them) as they discuss their weekend, and set themselves up for the day etc. etc. They give the sub a thick emergency sub plans folder with, keys, and a plethera of information the sub will never have a chance to get to. The sub is given little to no direction on the emergency sub plans ELA, other than where it might be (typically on the desk). The office assistant points in the general direction of the classroom the sub then needs to find, and wishes them off. The sub gets to the room but not before answering the myriad of questions about “why is the teacher is out?” from the numerous students gathered around the teacher’s door. Once the sub finally gets to the desk, the sub notes they have approximately 9 min. until the bell rings. Sound familiar?

Organize your tasks for the sub and leave them visibly on your desk

Sub Plans Template: ORGANIZATION!

Make sure that your desk is cleared of everything that is not needed by the sub. Ensure that the Emergency Sub Plans ELA are laid out visibly on the desk and organized! The sub has a few minutes to look over the logistics, and a few minutes to look through the entire plan for the day. This knowledge is essential during the process of how to create emergency sub plans.

I lay my plans out in the following piles, facing up, so the sub can see and identify:

1. A seating chart with table numbers that match the makeup of the room, WITH pictures of student faces

2. A condensed list of classroom policies and procedures, usually confined to policies in regard to: seating arrangement, bathroom procedures, behavior procedures

3. Bell Schedule for the day and where the sub needs to be during those times

4. Script for start of class: “take a seat, say here when I call your name, take out your pen and pencil, listen to the directions, complete assignment, place assignment in basket, read your independent reading book when you are done (or leave an additional assignment-crossword puzzle etc.)”

5. Printed copies of the assignment: one per student.

6. List of directions for students (on board, or overhead)

This is not the time to differentiate. This is NOT the time to offer different assignments for different classes. This is not the time to pick up where you left off (probably in different places). It should be a fresh, new assignment that the sub is in charge of for that day. This way you avoid the, “but we were in this place….that’s not how we do that…that’s not what Ms. B said to do with that…” Trust me! Students will be fine if they take the day off from “Fahrenheit 451” or whatever book you’re reading at the time. They will still be covering standards. The rule again for Emergency Sub Plans ELA is that they are simple, simple simple!

Sub Plans Template: Print and Go Sub Plans?

Print and go sub plans are the type of Emergency Sub Plans ELA you want to leave a sub. It means the plan is print and ready including all directions for the sub and the students. The best emergency sub plans use an engaging non-fiction story that will hold the students’ attention for the duration of the hour. Some examples would be stories like, “Dead Mountain“, (Full lesson on Teachers Pay Teachers) where “6 college students go camping, never to return-possible paranormal activity suspected”, or “Crocodiles on Ramree Island“, (Full lesson on Teachers Pay Teachers) where “500 out of 1,000 Japanese soldiers were eaten by crocodiles not shot by their warring, opponent soldiers”. These are both non-fiction, entertaining stories that are not too over the top gory. And let’s face it-these are the kinds of stories that students love! This way the sub brings in fresh new material. If a sub has to continue a unit that you and your students have been working on and the sub hasn’t read the book, they are automatically at a disadvantage and students will recognize that immediately.

Make sure students have an engaging reading task

Sub Plans Template: Emergency Sub Plans and Reading Task

The reading task is extremely important in the how to create an emergency Sub Plans ELA. Pass out one article per student with instructions to perform a close reading on the assignment.

Instruct students to:

Circle keywords
Underline main idea
Place question mark next to words you do not understand
Write questions you have in the margins

Now you have an engaging article, specific instructions on what they need to do while they are reading, and quiet time because in order to complete the close reading task, they have to actually read, and concentrate.

Follow-Up Questions

Follow-up questions are crucial for the process of how to create emergency Sub Plans ELA. Make sure the directions are up on the board or an overhead projector so students know what to do when they complete the reading task and do not interrupt the class to ask the substitute. If they do yell out, “what do I do next?” the sub need only point to the directions on the board. Have a set of follow-up questions that requires critical thinking and answers that are not yes/no, or one-word response. Ask students questions about how they could relate to the topic of...how they felt when they read about…if they were in the situation, what would they do?...To write about a time when they related to….

Make sure the “early finishers” have something to do

Early Finishers (you know who they are)

For the students who either work through assignments quickly (because they are ahead), or those who complete just the right amount (to pass), you need a task for those who finish early. Do not call this assignment extra-credit to the sub or students. If you call it extra credit, the “early finishers” will simply pass their paper to those around them to copy and commence conversations that will interrupt the rest of the class. Have the sub tell the students that the teacher will speak to them about the second assignment more specifically when he/she returns. Once you return, you can make it extra credit, or whatever your heart desires. Be sure to include this extra assignment in your emergency sub plans.

It is crucial to make the back-up plan simple, yet time consuming. You do not want to pile on a difficult task once they have just completed the assignment. If you do, they will likely opt-out, and do what I mentioned in the paragraph above. This is a great time for creativity-especially if they have their own colored pencils or crayons. If they do not, then have them draw something using the materials they already have. You always want to keep the assignment materials necessary limited to what they have on them, and the article they are to read. This limits the amount of disruptions, pencil sharpening, walking around, and excuses not to work. You can have them draw the setting, characters, a scene. Or if there is a lot of time, create a one-pager. This gives students a creative outlet, and if they are chatting at the end of the assignment while drawing that is o.k.

What is an Emergency Lesson Plan: Wrap-up

Always have students turn in their assignment in a basket, near the door, on the way out of the room. Students should know at the start of class that they will not be allowed to take their assignment home with them. This way they work through the class time and do not stuff it in their backup, and resume chatty time.

Let’s recap! In order to create a successful sub plan the cardinal rule is simplicity! You must organize all information, laid out visibly on the teacher’s desk with nothing else. Students must have a direction sheet, a article sheet, and a list of basic procedures to run the classroom. The teacher must create a close reading assignment for an engaging non-fiction or short story assignment (not relating to previous curriculum). There must be a follow-up activity for the early finishers! No one can take the work home, and must submit what they complete on their way out the door. I have found that these strategies work in the best interest from the perspective of the student, the teacher, the substitute, and the administrator.

Can you make a sub plan for a substitute teacher? Tell me about it in the comments below.

Here is a list of Non-fiction Sub Plan Lessons:

For a blog post article on teacher burnout click https://wordpress.com/post/teacher-for-inclusion.com/1724

Teaching Tolerance Anti-Bias Framework: Identity

Teaching Tolerance Curriculum: (Full lesson on Teachers Pay Teachers) Diversity

Anti-Bias Framework: District Won’t Pay for Books?

High School Literature Book List: A Separate Peace by John Knowles

High School Literature Book List: Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare

High School Literature Book List: Lord of the Flies (Full lesson on Teachers Pay Teachers) by William Golding

High School Literature Book List: Animal Farm (Full lesson on Teachers Pay Teachers) by George Orwell

High School Literature Book List: All Quiet on the Western Front

High School Literature Book List: Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

High School Literature Book List: Books I would Add to the Curriculum

Persepolis (Full lesson on Teachers Pay Teachers) by Marjane Satrapi

Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne/Night by Elie Wiesel

A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park

Required High School American Literature Reading List: A Raisin in The Sun

Required High School American Literature Reading List: The Crucible

Required High School American Literature Reading List: The Great Gatsby

The House on Mango Street

Huckleberry Finn

Their Eyes Were Watching God

Beloved: Toni Morrison

What I would Teach Instead: Brown Girl Dreaming

Best High School American Literature Reading List

What does a trauma sensitive classroom look like?

Trauma Sensitive Classroom: Learning Environment?

Trauma Sensitive Classroom Strategies: Self-Awareness

Trauma Sensitive Classroom Strategies: Attend to Your Relationships

Trauma Sensitive Classroom Strategies: Forget Labels

Trauma Sensitive Classroom Strategies: Our Emotional Response

Trauma Sensitive Classroom Strategies: Not Damaged

Sometimes We Are Not Ok. And That is Ok

Watch Out for Fear!

Be Patient

Give Yourself and Others Some Grace

Self-Care

Social Emotional Learning Activities what is social emotional learning?

Social Emotional Learning Activities: Tackling Your Fear

Distress Intolerance

Social Emotional Activities: Trauma Informed Practices

Social Emotional Learning Activities: Healthy Distress Tolerance

Social Emotional Learning Activities: Breathing Practices

Social Emotional Learning Activities: Building Confidence Through Gratitude

Social Emotional Learning Activities: Ways to Self-Soothe

Trauma Informed Practices

Social Emotional Learning Activities: Set Goals To Address the Following Practices and Policies

If you Fail to Plan, You Plan to Fail

How to Teach Nonfiction: Selecting a Text

Text Features in Nonfiction Text: Grab the Essentials

Text Features in Nonfiction Text: What are Some Nonfiction Text Features?

Text Features in Nonfiction Text: Provide Students with a Graphic Organizer

Text Features in Nonfiction Text: Markup the Text

Text Features in Nonfiction Text: Use Collaborative Discussion Groups

Text Features in Nonfiction Text: Grouping Students

How to Teach Nonfiction: Record of Learning

Short Stories for Middle School Students: Why Do We Teach Short Stories?

Short Stories for Middle School Students: Plot Structure Diagram

Short Stories for Middle School Students: Story Mountain and Exposition

Short Stories for Middle School Students: Rising Action

Short Stories for Middle School Students: Climax

Short Stories for Middle School Students: Falling Action

Short Stories for Middle School Students: Resolution

How to Teach Short Stories: Lesson Plan

Short Film/Reading Comprehension/Creation

Short Stories for Middle School

Short Stories for High School

English High School Curriculum List: Curriculum Can Be Tough!

English High School Curriculum List One-Pager Lessons

English High School Curriculum List: Philosophical Chairs Lesson

English High School Curriculum List: Mentor Sentences

English High School Curriculum List: “Do Nows” or Journal Responses

Grammar Review Guide

Essay Templates and Outlines

English Curriculum for High School Survival Kit

How to Write a Narrative Essay Step by Step

How to Write a Narrative Essay Step by Step: Outline

Narrative Essay Step by Step: “Nothing Ever Happens on 90th Street”

How to Write a Narrative Essay Step by Step: Topics

How to Write a Narrative Essay Step by Step: Introduction

How to Write a Narrative: Body

How to Write a Narrative: Conclusion

How to Edit a Narrative Essay