The excitement is in the air, the carols are playing, the trees are going up: It's Christmas! What a wonderful time of year for celebrations. If you are like me, though, you want to be sure that you are still keeping your class contained and working on something skills-based through the Christmas Holiday season. Here are the best Christmas holiday lesson ideas, activities, and more for middle & high school teens for all subjects. 1) Teaching the Spirit of the Season: This is the time of year for giving, so I'm always looking for ways … [Read more...]
Benefits of Using Task Cards in Middle and High School
Using task cards in middle and high school can be hugely successful. Interestingly, I was using "task cards" in my high school English class before I knew they were called that - and way before they looked so cute! If I needed to guide a particular group on a topic or break up the assignment, I would often just grab some colored index cards and a sharpie and begin assigning the tasks, differentiating, or reviewing! Now with the wonderful world of technology :) and access to tons of programs, task cards can come in any form or fashion. Here … [Read more...]
Treating “Activity-itis” (Assessing and Adding Value and Quality to Activities)
Class time is precious and limited. With so many standards to cover and stakes being so high, it is imperative that everything we put in front of our students be standards-based, purposeful, and designed to drive and assess student growth. Over the years, I've reflected on some activities that I've done with students and realized that maybe just maybe :) some of them were "fluff" in terms of standards. Don't get me wrong. Some assignments are fun, make personal connections, or meet other goals. However, some are just not designed to do much … [Read more...]
