I had the day planned out. Give my write a multiple choice quiz test review assignment and sit in the front of the room and grade papers. Then I heard the new administrator was prowling the halls looking for teachers to … [Read more...]
“Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” Analysis, Lesson Plan, and More
March 7, 2016 By 2 Comments
I just found out that on this date in 1923, "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" was published. I found out long ago that most people that aren't English teachers don't care about such things.Luckily, you're an English … [Read more...]
Universal Rubric for Literary Analysis
March 3, 2016 By Leave a Comment
I had collected the essays a few weeks prior. They lay on my desk...ungraded. The dark cloud of ungraded essays cast a shadow over my soul. I sat down at my desk. I "accidentally" nudged them toward the edge of my desk, just … [Read more...]
A Quick Lesson Plan for Teaching Point of View in Literature
February 29, 2016 By Leave a Comment
(Here's a handout for the point of view lesson plan explained below.)The new principal, MsRunYouOff, is about to observe your classroom. From her point of view, the current staff represents long fingernails, ready to be … [Read more...]
“Pit and the Pendulum” Lesson Plan with Photo Analysis Worksheet
February 24, 2016 By Leave a Comment
I hate the term worksheet. It's not the term, actually. It's the connotation. According to search engine data, however, it's not uncommon for individuals to search for a photo analysis worksheet, so that's what I'm calling … [Read more...]
Edgar Allan Poe Poems for Teaching Sound Devices: “The Raven,” “The Bells,” and “Anabel Lee” Audio Book and Quick Lesson Plan
February 22, 2016 By Leave a Comment
You don't need to feel guilty if all you do is grab this handout for teaching sound devices in poetry and move onto something else.That being said, I think you might benefit from these audio/video clips of Edgar Allan Poe … [Read more...]
Teaching Edgar Allan Poe Poems: A 4-Step Lesson Plan for Annabel Lee
February 11, 2016 By Leave a Comment
For the most wild, yet most homely blog post which I am about to type, I neither expect nor solicit belief. Mad indeed would I be to expect it, in a case where my very senses reject their own evidence. Yet, mad am I not --and … [Read more...]
How Many of These 7 Suspense Short Stories Do You Teach?
February 8, 2016 By Leave a Comment
I was feeling pretty good about myself after having taught some great short stories with examples of foreshadowing. So good, in fact, that I took down all the pictures of the teachers of the year since 1993 that were hanging … [Read more...]
How to Reduce Classroom Stress for the Next 7 Weeks with The Odyssey Teaching Unit
February 3, 2016 By Leave a Comment
During my 18 years of teaching, I've gathered quite a navy of lesson plans and activities for The Odyssey. Some rival the intelligence of Polyphemus, so I threw them into Charybdis. Some would make even Athena proud, so I've … [Read more...]
“Good” and “Well” are Different: Introductory Video
February 1, 2016 By Leave a Comment
The Grammar Avengers have arrived.In this episode, The Good and Well Duo kick people in the face. It's a fun video to introduce your class to "good" vs "well"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIq2LLLlk0MThe duo … [Read more...]
