Teaching reading comprehension is a key component of language arts instruction. This section contains some of my favorite ELA resources for close reading, novel study units, reader’s theater, and more!
I find 6th grade students are all over the map when it comes to reading. Some never put a book down, but many will only read because they “HAVE to.” After 25+ years teaching ELA, my list of the best books for 6th grade will …
Every summer, my inbox fills with the same happy request: parents and students asking me for book recommendations. Because I know these readers well, I can usually fire off five or ten titles I know their middle schooler will love. In hindsight, though, I should …
“Why do I have to read aloud? I hate reading aloud!” This reaction from a struggling 6th grade reader usually has less to do with hating read-aloud time and more to do with reading fluency. A number of years ago, when my school district began our …
POEMS? That 5-letter word will send shivers down the spines of middle school students. Add in the suggestion of “poetry analysis,” and the moans and groans can be heard throughout the hallways! If all this sounds familiar, I have a few teacher tips to help …
March and basketball go hand-in-hand, and the Boston Celtics are the closest thing you’ll find to a St. Patrick’s Day sports team. This is where the paths of inspiration took me when I went to write a few close reading passages for the month of …
As the school year progresses, we start digging deeper into our learning and attempting more complex classroom concepts and tasks. One of the most important standards we set in the middle school classroom is establishing clear expectations in literature circles to ensure this time is …
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