Lesson Plan: An Easy Way to Correct Pronoun-Antecedent Problems
After reading “he gots,” “She do,” and “They is” 257 times in a 34 minute span, I realized I needed to teach …
Continue ReadingShowing items from High School Lesson Plans & Tips
Should Volunteering Be a High School Graduation Requirement?
Do students benefit from community service enough for school districts to make it a requirement of graduation? Or is it just more stress added to the …
Continue ReadingTeachers Can Help Students With a Cutting Problem
Cutting behavior among teenagers is on the upswing. This complex disorder requires intervention with the guidance department and school psychologist.
Continue ReadingJournaling: Improve Students' Improve Writing Skills and Encourage Emotional Expression
Students learn a lot about their goals and dreams by journal writing. Journal writing–journaling–helps teenagers sort out the maelstrom of …
Continue ReadingLesson Plan: Writing a Good Topic Sentence: The 5 Characteristics of a Good Topic Sentence
A good topic sentence serves as a foundation for a good paragraph. A bad topic sentence serves as the foundation for most student writing. …
Continue ReadingFun Lesson Plan: Reviewing Rules of Correct Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar
The following activity is intended to be a review, used after you have taught some specific grammar, punctuation, and/or spelling rules and …
Continue ReadingHelp Inspire a Setting for a Story
Ask students questions to help them start to create a setting for a short story. Brainstorm ideas together as a class to help students gain …
Continue ReadingPronoun Lessons: Helping Students Revise Pronouns for Clarity. Eliminate Second Person Pronouns from Writing
After reading 39 consecutive essays that began with “I think” I thought I would teach students good pronoun use in writing. After 20 …
Continue Reading"To Be" Verbs: List of Strong Action Verbs and Eliminating 'To Be' Verbs in Students Vocaulary and Writing
I’m a big fan of “to be”. I’m also a fan of the other 9,999 verbs my students never chose to use…until I created this …
Continue ReadingActive vs. Passive Voice Lesson Plan: Teach Students or Yourself When and How to Use Active and Passive Voice When Writing. Learning When to Use Passive and Active Voice Will Improve the Quality of y
After reading hundreds of passive essays, I slumped into a bad writing induced coma, unable to activate my limbs. Luckily Mrs. Mildred down the hall …
Continue ReadingLesson Plan: Writing With Strong Verbs: Teach Students (or Yourself) How to Make Your Writing More Powerful
The most exciting part about grading student essays is the “Who wrote the blandest one contest.” The winner gets an ‘F-’, …
Continue ReadingWord Choice Lesson Plan: Using Strong Verbs in Place of Weak Adverb/Verb Combinations
Instead of talking loudly, I should shout. Instead of walking proudly, I should strut. Instead of resting calmly, I should relax. Instead of …
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