The Drawbridge Character Monologue assignment builds upon the now-familiar text that was explored in 1.04 - The Drawbridge: PEE Paragraphs, asking students to consider the world of the text beyond the written page. Created by Katherine Pearce, the lesson invites students to choose a character, consider why they made the choices they did, and then … Continue reading 1.05 – The Drawbridge: Character Monologues (English Lesson)
Category: Classroom Resources
1.04: The Drawbridge: PEE Paragraphs (English Lesson)
The Drawbridge PEE Paragraph activity brings together all of the learning that has taken place so far. The beginning of the lesson should be run in a similar fashion to Alligator River. However, the main difference now is that students are ranking characters, not from best to worst, but from most to least responsible for … Continue reading 1.04: The Drawbridge: PEE Paragraphs (English Lesson)
1.03: Embedding Quotations: Slide Deck (English Lesson)
Embedding Quotations is a necessary skill that students will use throughout their years in secondary and post-secondary education. This slide deck introduces the idea of Point, Evidence, Evaluation (PEE) paragraphs, building from a common-interest area of which video game system is best. Students are encouraged to answer this question before moving on, and then write … Continue reading 1.03: Embedding Quotations: Slide Deck (English Lesson)
1.02: Alligator River (English Lesson)
Alligator River is a short story that will have your class yelling at each other, screaming at each other, becoming enraged at each other. And that's fantastic, productive learning. This story is about five characters caught up in a story that brings so many different assumptions to the forefront. It's a perfect way to address … Continue reading 1.02: Alligator River (English Lesson)
1.01: The Nametag Project (English Lesson)
The Nametag project begins the school year with students creating a piece that visually represents who they are and presents the challenge for them to speak to the entire class.This assignment creates an opportunity for students to introduce themselves to each other, while also offering opportunities for creative expression and personal connections. It is a … Continue reading 1.01: The Nametag Project (English Lesson)
It’s not Mark Inflation, it’s Grade Reframing: Marking Under Growing Success (Ontario Teachers)
Since September 2010, Ontario teachers have been working under the guidelines laid out by the document Growing Success. That document underlies all of our assessment and evaluation practices, among a number of other different topics. A lot has changed in the past decade, and while some talk about “mark inflation”, that might not actually be the case. It’s not so much that marks have been inflated, but rather that levels (and as such, grades) have been reframed. But where do grades come from? And what guides our professional judgement when determining it?
One Warm Coat: A Practical Guide to Universal Design for Learning
For those looking to learn a little more about teaching, those who want to learn 95% of what it takes to be an excellent educator, I recommend you take a look at these three short articles. Once you understand and internalize these three concepts, you will be prepared to take on any challenge that is … Continue reading One Warm Coat: A Practical Guide to Universal Design for Learning
Free Online Learning with Manga Classics [Romeo and Juliet]
Experience the joys of Romeo and Juliet through a fully automated online experience, complete with the full-text version of Shakespeare's Play in Manga Classics format! Manga Classics Learning is perfect for remote teaching, in class teaching, and homeschooling alike.
Literature Circles 2.0
The use of Literature Circles in High School and Elementary English Classrooms encourage students to take ownership over their own education by providing them with choice for both what they read, and how they choose to interact with their text.Through the use of Literature Circles in your classroom student engagement will increase, while their ability … Continue reading Literature Circles 2.0
Ontario Teachers: Suggestions for your Time Away from the Classroom
Due to COVID-19, schools across Ontario have closed. Teachers have been offered limited direction as to how their time should best be spent. The four suggestions offered here will aid educators in streamlining their time away from the building, with the aim of suiting educator and student needs both in-class and online. Education workers following … Continue reading Ontario Teachers: Suggestions for your Time Away from the Classroom
