Theme is such an important concept when teaching reading. Students are asked to determine the theme of a text over and over again. However, many students struggle with how to identify the theme. That's why I'm sharing some of my favorite ways to teach theme. You'll find theme lesson ideas, theme activities, and theme passage suggestions to help your students finally figure out how to find theme!

January is rolling along and my kids (both my school and actual kids) are finally readjusted to our routine after winter break. While in real life, I find January-March the three most difficult months to

Classroom book clubs engage students in meaningful conversations that grow reading comprehension strategies. Get tips and tools for running effective clubs!

A multiple choice quiz after reading is a quick and easy way to check student comprehension, but it doesn't allow you to assess deeper understanding and it certainly isn't fun or creative. If you are looking for more meaningful and engaging activities to use with students during literature circles or a novel unit, here's twelve ideas that are favorites in my classroom and the Common Core standards they align with.

Teaching blog post on using genre crafts to teach genres in the upper elementary classroom

Teaching Reading Comprehension Strategies: Asking Questions & QAR Strategy - Raise the Bar Reading

At the end of each novel I teach, I like to have my students participate in some sort of culminating literary analysis project that allows me to assess their

Some of you may know that I have the mother of all multi-level classes this year: 6th-12th grade, 1st-7th year Spanish. I asked parents and students for grace during the first few weeks as I figured out how to meet everyone’s needs, and they did. We are now finishing up week four, and I have a…

Teaching literature with older students - engage them through connections and analysis. This is quick list of activities for literature with secondary students. #teachingliterature

What is the purpose of literature circles? How do you structure a literature circle? How long should Literature Circles last? What is the teacher's role in