Esperanza, the main character of House on Mango Street is a dynamic character that undergoes much change from the first vignette to the last. She is the main figure in the coming of age story, and it’s essential that students understand who she is and how she changes through the course of the story. Continue reading
As my eighth graders discussed the theme of growing up in the novel House on Mango Street, I had them connect the idea to their own lives—How had they grown up? Especially in the transition from sixth to eighth grade? Continue reading
To help my sixth graders understand how to research and get some practice before their assessment on informative/explanatory writing, I had them work on the Adopt a Pet project, where they had to research an animal of their choice, take notes, and then draft a letter to their parents/guardians about why they should buy that pet! Continue reading
As my eighth graders were finishing up their collaborative discussions on people who have persevered, I wanted to transition into the next unit–House on Mango Street–so I created a WebQuest that they could work on when they weren’t discussing with their groups! A great time-saver and way to have them learn independently and still be productive towards finishing their previous unit. Continue reading
Vocabulary in To Kill a Mockingbird is difficult! Even as a college grad, I found myself struggling not only to understand some words, but even how to pronounce them! Continue reading
I haven’t read To Kill a Mockingbird in ages. But I knew I loved the book and I wanted my students to feel the same.
To begin working with the novel, I set up a classroom activity. I split the class into groups with several topics to help preview some of the essential background information. Continue reading
In my American Seminar classes, the advanced 11th grade course on American literature, I did a mini-unit on Anne Bradstreet poetry. Continue reading
Today I started my English 10 class in a very strange way. I sat at a chair in the front of the room, and for the first five minutes, stayed absolutely silent.
