For many educators, trying to convince students that figurative language is what MAKES literature is like telling them there was life before TikTok. Many of them still insist that such claims must surely be urban myths. In all of my time in the secondary ELA classroom, I admit that some of my most challenging lessons have been over figurative language. Students see that phrase and are immediately intimidated, and I don’t necessarily blame them. There’s so much more to it than your basic metaphors and similes. It’s a little intimidating! When introducing my students to more complex literary concepts like allusions, personification, and more, I’ve discovered that it’s all about breaking it down into smaller “chunks” of information so they don’t get too overwhelmed. Of course, there’s a lot of modeling, whole-class discussion, and activities along the way as well. I also think learning should be fun, which is why I’ve come up with these five engaging ideas for teaching figurative language...

One of my favorite poems to assign during my poetry teaching unit is the epistolary poem. When students write their epistolary poems, they really open up, and I always learn so much about them. An epistolary poem is a poem written as a letter, and I introduce this assignment after teaching the basic elements of poetry and poetry analysis to my students. When I teach poetry, I use this Sticky Note Poetry Analysis unit.  Sticky Note Poetry Analysis To start this assignment, I like to begin by sharing Kobe Bryant’s epistolary poem Dear Basketball with my class. This poem is not only engaging, but it is also an excellent mentor text for the students to use when they begin writing their epistolary poem. Teaching the Epistolary Poem Day 1 On the first day of this activity, I share Kobe Bryant’s poem with the class. Before introducing the poem, I review imagery, structure, and apostrophe with students. We first watch the video of the poem. After students watch the video, I then have them re...

One of the best ways to introduce middle school ELA and high school English students to poetry is through verse novels. Incorporating verse novels in your instruction and on the shelves of your classroom library is a great way to show just how great poetry is and how writers can use poetry to tell a story. Here is a list of five exciting and heartfelt verse novels you will want to include on the shelves of your classroom library. Please note: this post contains affiliate links to help cover the cost of running this blog.  Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo Two worlds collide in this novel when sisters, one living in New York and the other in the Dominican, learn about each other. Told in the two different perspectives of each sister, this book grapples with tough issues like loss while also showing common bonds.  Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds In this novel, Will confronts various people from his past as he grapples with the death of his brother and the unspoken rules that run ...

Sometimes, a teacher just needs a lesson or a unit that is classroom-ready. Here is a look at five of my ready-to-go secondary ELA teaching units. Each of these units includes all of the instructional material a teacher would need to simply teach the content and assign the instructional materials. Short Story Close Reading Bundle This short story close reading bundle includes seven weeks of short story teaching materials. Each unit comes with a digital or print version of the material, close reading assignments, and a final paragraph writing assignment. With this unit, you can assign and go.  Figures of Speech Teaching Unit With both the digital and print resources included, this figures of speech teaching unit includes eight mini-units to teach various figures of speech. From allusion to metaphor, it is all there. Each mini-unit includes an instructional slide for direct instruction, sketch notes, task cards, and worksheets. This unit is classroom-ready and also makes a great last-mi...

If you are looking for an engaging activity to complete with your students as you read Jason Reynolds’ verse novel Long Way Down, I’ve got the perfect thing for you: a mind map. Having students create a mind map as you read (or listen to - the Audible read by Reynolds himself is amazing) the book is a terrific way to have your students focus on key events in the book. I have my students complete this activity as part of my Long Way Down teaching unit . How to Mind Map Having students create a mind map is a research-based strategy that helps students understand concepts and ideas. A mind map is a diagram created with visually-organized notes. When I have my students create mind maps, I like to provide them with tabloid-sized paper so that they have more space to add in their information. Typically, the center of the paper contains the main topic, and then there are multiple branches stemming from the center that contains additional information. When I introduce mind mapping to my studen...