Top Poems for Middle School Students

1 Comment March 18, 2022 brennanelson05

Last week, I dished out my seven tips for teaching poetry to middle school students. One of those tips was to make the study of poetry feel relevant to students. One of the best ways to do this is through your selection of poems that students are asked to read. While what is “relevant” will vary from student to student and class to class, I have done my best to make a list of relevant poems for middle school students.

I like to use read these poems with students throughout my poetry unit. It is especially fun to take a deep dive into some of these poems when teaching students how to analyze a poem.

Relevant Poems for Middle School Students

1. “Still I Rise” by Maya Angelou

Middle school students love this poem by the one and only Maya Angelou. Students will be inspired by Angelou’s words as she expresses her adamant refusal to be kept down by anyone or anything!

2. “Text” by Carol Ann Duffy

What poem could feel more relevant to a teenager than a poem about text messages? This short, but insightful, poem by Carol Ann Duffy explores the nature of the popular form of communication many of us use hundreds of times a day. I find it fascinating to hear students’ thoughts on the benefits and hindrances of texting after studying this poem.

3. “Webcam the World” by Heather McCugh

In a thoughtful fusion of technology and nature, Heather McCugh exposes the irony of urgently recording the beauty (and ugliness) of the world using the devices created by the people and culture that is destroying nature! Your students will love this ironic call to save nature!

4. “If” by Rudyard Kipling

A classic poem by the British India-born author, Rudyard Kipling, that is sure to inspire your students. While this poem is written from the perspective of a father to his son, it contains a lot of helpful advice that can be applied to anyone. What I think I love most about this poem is the way that it describes a person who has developed emotional maturity–something that many of us (even adults) are often lacking!

5. “The Doll House” by A.E. Stallings

This poem by A.E. Stallings is a lovely nostalgic nod to both childhood and to the simple things of life. I love how she takes something as simple as a doll house and turns it into a meaningful reflective moment.

6. “The Hill We Climb” Amanda Gorman

One could not help but be mesmerized by the incredible Amanda Gorman as she brilliantly recited this poem during the presidential inauguration in January 2021. This poem contains so many beautiful truths that are sure to resonate with your middle school students. My personal favorite is the last lines, “For there is always light, if only we are brave enough to see it. If only we are brave enough to be it.”

7. “The Rose That Grew From Concrete” by Tupac Shakur

A beautiful metaphor about courage, grit, and perseverance, Tupac’s few short lines will feel relevant to many students. Aided in part by the familiar author, the poem encourages students to continue pressing on in the face of adversity. What teenager has never felt adversity?

8. “Mother to Son” by Langston Hughes

With similar themes to the previous poem, Langston Hughes’ dramatic monologue describes a mother’s efforts to carry on in the face of racism and oppression. As she encourages her son through the extended metaphor of climbing stairs, students will make connections between the time when the poem was written and the current state of our society. A great poem to take a look at where we were, how far we have come, and where we have yet to go.

9. “See It Through” by Edgar Guest

Another classic poem about perseverance, the catchy rhyme and rhythm of Edgar Guest’s “See It Through” will teach students a thing or two about how to approach difficult situations. I love teaching students that we often learn best through mistakes and failures. In fact, it is the mistakes and failures that can make us stronger!

10. “Touching the Sky” by Shreya D. Chattree

I adore this poem by Shreya D. Chattree! I love the perspective of a young girl approaching life with the hope of learning and growing, failing and struggling, all in the quest to become the best version of herself. What a lovely way to view the world!

11. “Be the Best of Whatever You Are” by Douglas Malloch

Another classic, “Be the Best of Whatever You Are” is a poem that encourages individuals to avoid the trap of comparison! I find this poem especially relevant in the age of social media, when it is so easy to believe the lie that a person’s worth is in the number or followers or likes, instaed of inherent. I love the reminder to stay in our own lanes and be the best version of ourselves!

12. “The Blade and the Ax” by Abimbola T. Alabi

“The Blade and the Ax” by Alabi is a great modern compliment to Malloch’s classic. Alabi uses personification to describe the world’s need for each individual’s talents. Everyone has something important to contribute! What a great lesson for middle school students to learn!

Poetry: You Can Do It!

While teaching poetry to middle school students can feel daunting at times, you can do it! One key is to meet students where they are and make it fun! Sharing poems that feel important and meaningful to middle school students will be a big help!

I would love to hear what poems you and your students love! Drop the in the comments below!

Best,

Brenna (Mrs. Nelson)

How to Teach Poetry to Middle School Students

1 Comment March 10, 2022 brennanelson05

As difficult as it is for some of us English majors to understand sometimes, poetry is not always a favorite subject for middle school students. In fact, poetry has not always been my favorite subject. I have clear memories of sitting in Mrs. Callister’s class in 7th grade while she tried to teach us poetry. I remember fighting a headache while trying to make sense of the chicken scratch on the chalkboard that was supposedly depicting stressed and unstressed syllables in a poem.

While I have nothing but love for Mrs. Callister (truly, one of my favorites!), as a typical 12-year-old, I had no use for distinguishing the differences between iambs, trochees, or dactyls. Now that I have grown up to become an English teacher myself, I just knew there had to be a more engaging way to teach poetry. This is why I put together my Top 7 Tips for How to Teach Poetry to Middle School Students!

7 Tips for Teaching Poetry to Middle School Students

While I firmly believe that there are a million ways to be a great teacher and, similarly, a million ways to teach poetry effectively, here are seven things that I have found to be helpful when helping young teenagers learn about and connect with poetry.

1. Make It Fun!

My number one tip for teaching poetry to students is to make it fun! How do you do this? It’s simple. YOU have fun! If you are having fun with your lesson, your students are more likely to come along for the ride and find at least some enjoyment in poetry. Plan activities and lessons that are active and exciting and make you laugh! If you’re not enjoying your own lesson… well, your students are probably bored to tears and are finding creative ways to entertain themselves. If you want real learning to take place, you may want to rethink your plan!

2. Make It Relevant

All humans are naturally more engaged in something when we can see how it is relevant to us! Some might say that this is self-centered, but I think it is just human nature. It stands to reason, then, that our students will be more engaged if they can see how poetry is relevant to them! Help students find poetry in their world–in popular music lyrics, advertising and more! Help them connect with today’s young poets! Show them that poetry and poetic elements are all around us, if we have eyes to see it!

3. Make It Meaningful

Similarly, studying poetry will make more sense for students if they can finding meaning in it. Teenagers today care so much about the world around them and poetry can help spread positive messages for issues they care about. Poetry has a special way of forging connections among people. Poetry can take a complicated emotion and describe it with beauty and simplicity. Poetry can help individuals makes sense of the world around them.

We read and study poetry not only to learn about figurative language and poetic elements, but because it helps us understand the human condition. Your students will learn so much more if they can find personal meaning in poetry. So choose poems that mean something to your students!

4. Make It Creative

Another strategy to consider as we think about how to teach poetry to middle school students is to incorporate creativity. Provide students with opportunities to express themselves. Give them the freedom to find the poem within. That said, many students will have no interest in actually writing poetry. To me, this is totally understandable. Not everyone has the natural ability to produce meaningful poems (including me!), so I don’t ask students to actually write too many poems. Alternatively, I like to incorporate creative projects that help them learn about poetic elements and figurative language. Allow them the chance to dabble in figurative language and imagery and alliteration through fun creative assignments.

5. Make it Accessible

Sometimes, we English teachers are in need of a gentle reminder that not every student is a prolific reader and writer. Not every student is going to go to college and take entire university courses on Shakespeare and John Donne for fun! Remembering this, we need to break our poetry instruction down into really simple terms. Start with the basics and scaffold students’ learning from the bottom up so that all students can be successful with your poetry unit. Also, keep in mind that some students may need more support than others!

I still remember, as a junior in high school, hearing my teacher and classmates talk about onomatopoeia in English class. The way they were talking made it seem like it should be common knowledge, but I had no idea what onomatopoeia even was!

I wonder if I missed a lesson on it at some point in my educational career. I thought that such a unique word must mean something highly intellectual. As a teenager, I was much too shy to ask questions, so I simply pretended to understand. Later, when I realized that onomatopoeia was just referring to sound words, I was actually disappointed!

6. Make it Challenging

At the risk of contradicting myself, my next tip is to make poetry challenging! With a solid understanding of the basics, students are capable of being pushed and challenged in their poetry study! One of my favorite things to watch is my students’ growth in understanding poetry. I usually begin my poetry unit with a pretest which asks students to read and analyze Robert Frost’s “Mending Wall.” Without any context or skills, the students rarely comprehend the poem. In fact, they are usually completely lost!

However, a few lessons into our unit, we revisit “Mending Wall.” With a little bit of background knowledge and an understanding of how to read a poem, it starts to make sense to the students! I love witnessing those “light bulb” moments, when you can almost see things beginning to click in students’ minds.

middle-school-english-teacher — I love it when poetry begins to click for students!

Our students are capable of so much! With a little help and guidance, they can do amazing things!

7. Make It Memorable

However you choose to teach poetry to your classes, make it an experience that students will remember–ideally, in a good way! Use your own personality and strengths to make it an experience students will look back on with fond memories!

Quick Recap: Teaching Poetry to Middle School Students

Make it Fun!
Make it Relevant!
Make it Meaningful!
Make it Creative!
Make it Accessible!
Make it Challenging!
Make it Memorable!

Good luck with your upcoming Poetry Unit! I hope you and your students have a great time learning about the magic of poetry!

St. Patrick’s Day Activities for Middle School Students

1 Comment March 8, 2022 brennanelson05

When I think of St. Patrick’s Day as a child, I remember being the one who always forgot to wear green to school and spent the day scared that I would be pinched! What a strange and creepy tradition! Setting aside the interesting things some of us did in the 80s and 90s, St. Patrick’s Day can still be a fun time for our students! (Just no pinching, please!) I’ve put together some St. Patrick’s Day Activities for Middle School students that will still engage kids in learning, but will hopefully give a fun nod to the Emerald Isle and its Patron Saint.

My good friend Rudi’s husband travels a lot for work and is actually in Ireland right now as I’m typing this. Rudi had a chance to go with her husband on this trip, but declined stating she had no interest in touring Ireland! I was flabbergasted!

My husband and I would love to go to Ireland someday! With the beautiful scenery, its unique history, and the over 30,000 castles, Ireland is a fascinating island! (At least to my husband and me; although I concede that it’s fully possible we are the weird ones!)

st-patricks-day-lesson-plan-middle-school

St. Patrick’s Day Activities for Middle School Students

Whether you want to visit Ireland or not, you may find yourself thinking of the Irish on St. Patrick’s Day! To celebrate some of these fascinating elements of Ireland, I have four Ireland and St. Patrick’s Day themed informational articles that highlight a few aspects of Irish culture. Each article is available separately if you only need one; or you can grab all four with the bundle and save 20%.

st-patricks-day-lesson-plan — St. Patrick’s Day Bundle!

What’s Included?

As I mentioned above, four informational articles are included. The topics covered are, “The Life of St. Patrick,” “A Brief History of Ireland,” “The Castles of Ireland,” and “The Myths and Legends of the Leprechaun.”

Each St. Patrick’s Day article comes with a comprehension check crossword puzzle. This puzzle is designed to be a fun way to gauge students’ comprehension and help them practice reading for detail. With testing season looming in the not-so-distant future, I find reading informational texts like these a way to help them students to prepare for the test without “teaching to the test”!

st-patricks-day-crossword — St. Patrick’s Day Crossword Puzzles!

How Do I Use These Resources?

These St. Patrick’s Day activities are extremely versatile and can be used in a variety of ways. Before reading articles like these, I like to review Informational Text Features with my students! One of my favorite ways to use these resources is with a group jigsaw reading activity. Students are divided up into groups of four, each student reads on article and then shares the details of their article with their group. Another options is to ask students to read the articles alone, and then work in partners to complete the crosswords!

These resources also make excellent Sub Plans, if you need something to keep your students engaged while you’re out in March!

Do you have any fun St. Patrick’s Day Activities for Middle School students? How do you like to use the holidays in the classroom? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Best,

Brenna (Mrs. Nelson)

P.S. If you haven’t already snagged your FREE St. Patrick’s Day Resources, click here to download today!!

Women’s History Month Activities

Leave a comment February 23, 2022 brennanelson05

March is such a great month! Not only are we occasionally seeing hints of spring emerging out of the frozen grip of winter, but it’s Women’s History Month! I love learning and teaching my students about all things history, but it is particularly special to highlight various women who have made an impact on history!

To help share some of these women’s stories with my students, I’ve put together the stories of 12 amazing women–many of whom were trailblazing pioneers in their respective fields! Each woman’s history is incredible! Your students will be captivated and inspired by their achievements–often in the face of extreme adversity.

Women in History Bundle

While each of these twelve mini-biographies are available individually, the real value is in the bundle!

Womens-History-Month-Activities — Women’s History Month Bundle!

First, you will receive the twelve two-page biographical texts. Each text also comes with a comprehension crossword puzzle that will assess students’ understanding of each women’s story.

Student Activities for Women’s History Month

Additionally, a student discussion guide and multiple graphic organizers are included that can be used with the text provided, plus nearly any other informational text you many read with your students in the future! I love having a file of versatile graphic organizers that I can use with my students when I’m in a hurry to find an activity!

Women-history-month-activity — Multiple Graphic Organizers for Women’s History Month texts and more!

I’m starting to feel like an infomercial salesman, but wait! There’s more!

Reading informational texts is not always easy for many of our students. I like to arm these students with a variety of reading strategies that will help them better approach informational texts. With the bundle, you’ll receive a Slides presentation that introduces 14 reading strategies for engaging with informational texts! I’ve also included several “fix-it” strategies that will help students know what to do when comprehension breaks down! This is a great resource for helping struggling readers!

I’ve mentioned on there before that I like to increase the amount of informational text my students read around this time of year. Standardized tests are looming in the distance and this is my unofficial way of preparing them for the test without teaching to the test. Whether you use these activities as individual assignment or group jigsaw reading, your students will enjoy these stories!

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns!

Talk Soon!

Brenna (Mrs. Nelson)

Black History Month: Notable Black Athletes

Leave a comment February 22, 2022 brennanelson05

Do your students like sports? While definitely not for everybody, sports are a great way to connect with many students! Personally, I love using this easy method of connection to engage students. Black History Month is a great time to share with students the stories of several notable Black athletes from history!

Black-History-Month-Activities-Middle-School — 7 Mini-Biographies Highlighting Black Athletes.

Jesse Owens, Jackie Robinson, Alice Coachman, Wilma Rudolph, and more have incredible and inspiring histories! Jesse Owens proved world leaders wrong! Jacki Robinson endured persecution on nearly every front but changed the sport of baseball for the better. Alice Coachman began her career training barefoot with homemade equipment and eventually became the first woman of color to win an Olympic gold medal! Wilma Rudolph was told by doctors that she would never walk again, but with hard work and perseverance, she broke three world records running at the Olympics!

Inspired by these stories and more, I’ve put together seven mini-biographies highlighting some of my favorite Black athletes. These individuals were not only incredible in their sports and personal lives, but have made significant contributions to justice and equality outside of athletics.

Each two-page biography comes with a comprehension crossword puzzle, a partner discussion guide, and additional comprehension graphic organizers. (BONUS: these graphic organizers are compatible with any text!)

Middle-School-Black-History-Month — Multiple Comprehension Activities for Students!

Black Athlete Biography Bundle

Between you and me, the best value would be to try out the bundle which includes not only the 7 texts and student activities but contains a Bonus Slides Presentation introducing strategies for reading informational texts. The Slides Presentation discusses 14 strategies for before, during, and after reading. Additionally, it highlights several “fix-it” strategies to help students when understanding breaks down.

Black-History-Month-Middle-School-Activities — Bundle Bonus: Slides Introducing Strategies for Reading Informational Texts!

These texts work well for jigsaw reading and group discussion. Whether students complete the activities individually, as partners, or in groups, they will definitely enjoy learning about these amazing individuals!

Similar to my STEM Black History Month series, these resources can be used in any month–not just February. It’s always a good time to read about and research the lives of amazing individuals!

Middle School Valentine’s Day Activity

1 Comment January 29, 2022 brennanelson05

Is there a more uncomfortable day in the year for middle school students than Valentine’s Day?

Amid the inevitable awkwardness, Valentine’s Day can lend itself for some fun learning activities! If you’re wondering how to channel your students’ nervous energy on Valentine’s Day, I’ve got you covered!

Valentine’s Day Activity

For this month’s freebie, I’ve put together a fun Valentine’s Day Poetry Writing Project! With these resources, students will write an “Ode” to whomever or whatever they choose! If students want to be serious, of course that’ s okay. However, I find that most middle school students like to have some fun with this assignment.

Valentines-day-poem — Valentine’s Day Writing Assignment for Middle School Students.

In the past, I’ve had students compose poems in honor of their pet snakes, their favorite sport, or their grandma! All of them have been hilarious!

Valentines-day-project-middle-school — **True Story**: I am irrationally and hysterically afraid of snakes. I once had a student bring pet snakes into the classroom. I ended up being alone with them in the classroom for about thirty minutes before the student’s parent could come pick them up. The two snakes were doing their best to escape their travel box which was basically a plastic tote with a loose-fitting lid. I have literally never been so scared in my life. I was crying at one point and wanted to run away screaming, but didn’t dare leave them alone in case they managed to get out! I figured a snake in a known location is better than a snake in an unknown location!

Whatever students choose, I find this is a really fun and low-pressure way to enjoy the spirit of the holiday without delving into the dark world of middle school romance!

In the spirit of no drama, I love using this holiday to review the poetic elements and devices. The assignment asks students to include figurative language, imagery, alliteration and more in their poem. It’s a great way to reinforce all they’ve learned about poetry thus far in the year!

The best part? Zero teacher prep is required!

Creative Extension!

Additionally, if you wanted to take this activity a step further, you could have students make creative posters or signs on which they can write their poems. These are fun to display in the hallway or around the classroom. February can sometimes feel like a gray and dreary month and I think it helps everyone’s mental health to spruce it up with thoughts of love and gratitude and bright colors!

Did I mention this if free? Click the link below and I’ll send your resources straight to your inbox!

Claim your FREE Valentine’s Day Resource Here!

Black History Month Research Project: A Step-by-Step Guide

3 Comments January 17, 2022 brennanelson05

Hello Teacher Friends! How is your 2022 going? For me, this year is just zipping by! I cannot believe it is nearly Black History Month already! Since February is so close, I wanted to take a quick minute and highlight one of my most popular resources in my TpT Store. My Black History Month Research Project is incredibly popular this time of year. This resource has helped literally hundreds of teachers and thousands of students learn the research process and commemorate important Black individuals! I’ve recently updated the entire product and wanted to break it down and show you how I use this resource in my classroom!

Black History Month Research Project

With this resource, each student will research an influential Black individual, write a biographical essay about their individual and create a visual representation of their person! While this sounds like a lot of work, I promise I have broken it down into manageable chunks for YOU and your students! Even students who struggle with reading and writing have succeeded with this project!

Phase 1: Building Research Skills

Before beginning, students need a research subject! Included in this resource is a list of over 140 Black individuals who have made significant contributions to society—including many influential women! Personally, I like to randomly assign names to students. (Actually, I usually have them pick a name out of a bowl.) I do this for a few reasons. First, I think there is value in learning about someone new that students maybe haven’t even heard of before. If given the choice, students often default to the Black figures they already know! I don’t want them to do that! Second, I like to have all my students in all my classes have different names. This way, when we display them in the hallway or classroom, we don’t have any duplicates!

After students have their research subject, it is time to learn how to research. Instead of setting my students loose on Google right away, I like to teach them the research process. This direct teaching does take a little bit of class time. However, it is totally worth it! Not only will your students’ end results be infinitely better, but they are learning foundational research skills. Research skills that they will use again and again throughout their educational careers!

In these lessons, students will learn about different types of sources, how to determine if a source is credible, and how to recognize an author’s bias.

I’ve included a “Source Credibility Checklist” for students to keep as a reference that will help them determine whether a source is a “good” source or not. I’ve also outlined a fun activity intentionally using a completely biased website! It’s a real eye-opening activity for students that shows them the need to use multiple sources and check for credibility.

Phase 2: Research & Note-taking

The next step in the Black History Month Research Project is to research! I have two Slides Presentations giving students tips for conducting thorough research and taking notes to keep track of the information they have gathered! Students can take notes on their KWL Chart. I’ve also included a Note-taking Graphic Organizer that helps students keep track of what information came from what source. Keeping track of their information will come in handy later when they create their bibliographies!

Phase 3: Writing Black History Month Research Project Essays

Following the research and note-taking process, it’s time for students to outline and draft their essays. I’ve included a suggested outline that students can use to organize their information. In the Slides, I show how to take the information from their outline and notes and turn it into paragraphs in their essays! In my class, we talk a lot about writing excellent paragraphs. Here is another resource that can help if your students are struggling with this basic building block of writing!

Also in this phase, students will work together to edit and revise one another’s essays. This collaborative process is a great way to teach students how to give and accept feedback. It is also helpful in learning how to improve one’s writing from the first draft to the published final copy!

Additionally, students will also practice citing their sources by creating a bibliography. At the middle school level, I don’t require my students to stick with MLA or Chicago styles or anything in particular. I’m most interested in them understanding that they should be giving credit to the original authors. I don’t worry too much about formatting it in a specific style. I’ve included a Simple Bibliography Guide for students to use!

Phase 4: Visual Display & Class Presentations

Black-History-Month-Activity-Middle-School

Finally, students will create a visual display of information for their person. There are endless options for this portion of the assignment. You could ask students to simply use a large sheet of paper, a poster board, etc. to create a visual by hand. Alternatively, I heard from one tech-savvy teacher who asked his students to create a Slide for their visual component. He compiled the Slides, set up a projector in the front of the school, and looped the Slides all throughout February to allow others in the school to learn from their research!

I generally stick with a low-tech option and use large sheets of paper (my school has 12×18 sheets of paper that seem to work well). Students include the the most important facts and information about their individual. I also ask them to include pictures and a quotation on their poster. When students have finished their essays and their posters, students present their Black History Month Research Projects to the class. Afterwards, I like to display the posters in the hallway outside my classroom to allow others to learn as well!

Phew! If that sounds overwhelming, don’t worry! I’ve got you covered! This resource includes over 120 Instructional Slides that literally walk you through the entire process! Also, if you need any help along the way, I’m just an email away!

How do you like to commemorate Black History Month with your students? I’d love to hear your ideas!

Good Luck!

Talk Soon,

Brenna (Mrs. Nelson)

Martin Luther King, Jr. with Middle School Students

2 Comments January 11, 2022 brennanelson05

Can you believe it’s 2022?! Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is next week! Where does the time go?

I am currently sitting at my computer, wrapped in 5-6 thick layers under a heated blanket and I’m still shivering! I hope, wherever you’re reading this, you’re feeling much warmer!

Martin Luther King, Jr. Writing Assignment. — Actual footage of Brenna in Michigan – 1/11/2022.

Commemorating Martin Luther King, Jr.

By the time our students come to us in middle school, they have probably learned about Dr. King every year since they were in kindergarten. Personally, I think this is great! It is so important for students to be aware of so many of the diverse individuals who have worked and sacrificed to help improve our country! This does, however, pose a challenge for us as secondary teachers to focus on Martin Luther King, Jr. in a way students haven’t already done before to avoid it feeling repetitive!

Martin Luther King Lesson Plans for Middle School.

This time of year, I like to increase the amount of informational texts that I am introducing to my students. We all know that testing season is looming in the distance. Increasing nonfiction readings is one way I like to prepare my students for those upcoming exams without “teaching to the test.” This year, I put together an informational text about Dr. King! It is a two-page mini-biography highlighting some of the main events of King’s life. As we read texts like this, I like to review strategies for reading informational text with my students (like finding the main idea), along with informational text features, how to use context clues to figure out unknown words, etc. Doing so helps this time be productive learning time for students in addition to discussing Martin Luther King, Jr.

Reflective Writing Assignment

After reading the mini-biography with students, I love to 1) ask students to reflect and think critically about some of Dr. King’s famous quotes; and 2) ask them to write about their own thoughts and feelings about these very real issues. Middle school students are very aware of the current issues facing the world. I have found that they generally LOVE to express their own thoughts and ideas about difficult subjects and ideas-especially if they feel like the adults in their lives are listening! This is why I put together this reflective writing assignment for students! This is one writing assignment that students won’t mind completing!

Martin-Luther-King-Black-History-Month — FREE Martin Luther King, Jr. Resources!

The Best Part!

In the attempt to help teachers both commemorate Dr. King’s accomplishments and help students develop reading and writing skills, I’ve decided to make this resource completely FREE! This Free Martin Luther King, Jr. Resource comes with a lesson plan, a two-page Informational Text about the life of Dr. King, and the Dr. King quote reflective writing assignment!

Think of it as my “Happy-New-Year-I-Hope-You’re-Somewhere-Warm” Gift! That’s a thing, right?

Martin Luther King Learning Resources for Middle School Students!

Anyway, click on the link below to grab your free Martin Luther King, Jr. materials! If you have any questions, drop a comment or email and I will get back with you!

Stay safe! Stay warm! Stay healthy!

Best,

Brenna (Mrs. Nelson)

Claim Your FREE Martin Luther King, Jr. Materials HERE!

Holiday Activities for Middle School Students

1 Comment November 29, 2021 brennanelson05

Happy Holidays! Can you believe the holiday season has already begun? As I’m writing this, Hanukkah is underway and Christmas and Kwanza and New Year’s Day will be here before we know it!

Somehow, I always feel like the last few weeks of the calendar year are SO crazy! With the holiday shopping, parties, family traditions and all the rest, it is hard to stay on top of the teacher game as well! That’s why I love using holiday activities in my classroom! I traditionally incorporate several holiday-themed activities in my classroom, including a study of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, reading informational texts about diverse holidays and learning to write business letters!

Holiday Activities for Middle School Students! — Grab the Bundle and Save 20%!

Holiday Activity FREEBIE!

I wanted to share some FREE Holiday Activities with you to help make your planning and preparation go a little smoother this December! I’ve included 10 Holiday-themed Journal Writing Prompts. These prompts cover a wide variety of topics, ranging from writing fictional stories to personal narratives to more serious and reflective responses! You can easily pick and choose the activities that will work for your classroom.

Additionally, I’ve included writing paper for each prompt as well as a Slides presentation with a slide for each prompt! No-prep is required! This is simply an easy, low stress holiday activity that also helps students improve their writing! Everybody wins!

Family Holiday Traditions

One of the writing prompts asks students to discuss some of their holiday traditions. My all-time favorite holiday tradition is the Sibling Gift Exchange! This is something both my family and my husband’s family did when we were growing up and we’ve continued it with our own children! Watching my children pick out small gifts for each other is simply magical! My kids are always thrilled to choose something they think the others will love! Ironically, these small gifts often become the favorite gift–even when larger or more expensive gifts are received! I just love it!

Christmas Activities for Middle School ELA. — Sibling Gift Exchange Christmas Eve 2020.

I LOVE hearing about traditions from other families and cultures–what do you do to celebrate these winter months?

All the Best,

Brenna (Mrs. Nelson)

Gratitude: The Virtue the Changed My Life

1 Comment November 9, 2021 brennanelson05

“Gratitude is not only the greatest of the virtues but the parent of all others.” – Cicero

[FREEBIE ALERT! Keep Scrolling!]

Happy [Early] Thanksgiving Teacher Friends!

While I understand that Thanksgiving can be a complicated holiday for many reasons–which I don’t at all want to discount–I do absolutely love celebrating the Spirit of the Thanksgiving holiday.

And…I will be totally transparent here: I also really like Thanksgiving food! I love the challenge of planning and preparing an amazing Thanksgiving feast with everything hot (or cold) and ready all at the same time!

I view it as my own personal Great British Baking Challenge.

(And yes, I do recognize the irony in that comparison!)

Anyway, I wanted to share a little bit about how the virtue of gratitude has played an immense role in my life in recent years.

I’m sharing this story in the hope that in some small, tiny way it might help someone else.

The Slump

Several years ago when my third child was just a few months old and I was juggling post-partum hormones and three young children under the age of four…

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I found myself in a slump! I couldn’t see the positive side of anything. Literally everything–from getting out of bed in the mornings to brushing my teeth to taking care of the little humans in my charge–felt just so incredibly hard. Looking back now, it’s very clear that I had some undiagnosed post-partum depression going on; but for whatever reason, I couldn’t see it back then.

After speaking to a close friend who was struggling in a similar way, I started to recognize how unhappy I was feeling. But, I thought, how could I be unhappy? I have everything I have ever wanted: I’m married to my best friend; I have three [now four] awesome kids; I work at my dream job; I am blessed with a lovely home in a lovely neighborhood.

With so much privilege and so many blessings, what right did I have to be unhappy? What in the world was wrong with me?

As I was contemplating these questions, inspiration happen to strike at the most unlikely of places: at the movie theater in the middle of a show while on a date with my husband! I don’t remember the movie we had gone to see, but I will always remember the moment when I realized exactly what I needed to do!

The Solution

The answer? Gratitude!

Somehow, I intuitively knew that I needed to practice being more grateful for what I had. I actually ran out of the movie theater and called my friend and together we made a plan.

We decided that, each night, we would text each other and mention just one thing about our day for which we were grateful.

Truthfully, this was super hard at first! We had been steeped in negativity for so long that we just didn’t have many positive things to say! But, as we practiced looking for the good and retrained our minds to see the good, we experienced a complete shift in our daily experience.

After a few weeks of these nightly texts, we started sending not just one thing, but whole lists of good things about our days. It’s important to note that, fundamentally, nothing had changed. Our lives were still the same. The challenges we faced at home, at work, with our friends and family–they were all still there. What had changed? Our thinking! With this subtle shift in our mindset, we were better equipped to handle those challenges and still find joy!

The Science

It years later that I learned from a different friend about the scientific and medical research that has been done on gratitude. Apparently, numerous studies [I’ve linked a few here & here] have been done on how a regular gratitude regimen improves a person’s physical AND mental health!

When she told me about this, it blew my mind! I had experienced this firsthand and had no idea it was actually “a real thing” that was true beyond my own experience. This knowledge made me want to shout my story from the rooftops!

Important Note on Gratitude

Please understand, that I am not suggesting that making a list of good things will cure any kind of illness. I am not a health professional of any kind. If you have questions or concerns about your physical and mental health, please reach out to your medical provider. It’s okay to need help!

I am simply sharing my story about the incredible impact of gratitude.

Additionally, with my current (albeit limited) knowledge and understanding, if I was ever feeling similarly to the way I was in this story, I would think about increasing my gratitude practice, but I would also definitely talk to my doctor!

FREE Student Article on Gratitude

In my small effort to share this information, I have put together a student-friendly informational article on Gratitude (link below). With this FREE resource, you can help students begin a practice that can improve their own mental health and overall well-being! Please feel free to copy and share this article with all your teacher friends!

If we help one student improve their mental health, then we will have made a huge difference in the world!

All the Best,

Brenna (Mrs. Nelson)

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