#2ndaryELA Archive
#2ndaryELA is a group of middle and high school English Language Arts teachers looking to share ideas and best practices. We chat every Tuesday night at 8 pm EST using #2ndaryELA. We'd love for you to join us!
Tuesday July 19, 2016
What and where do you teach? Include a link to your blog if you have one.
Hi I’m Christina & I teach 6/7 ELA in central IL! Using because I have a softball game tonight. Glad chat is back!
Heather Las Vegas and I teach Eng 9 and AP Lang.
I will also be providing push-in literacy support in hist., sci., & math this year. If anyone has resources, please send my way
Don't forget: use on responses & replies 2 others, label yr responses w/A1, A2, & follow anyone chatting w/us 2night
Hi all! I'm Erin and I'm so excited for the Twitter chats to start again! I teach 9-12 English in a special education program.
Hey, Welcome Back Everyone! Kristy, co-host, middle school teacher in Canada. Blog @ http;//www.2peasandadog.com
7th Grade ELA, Rocky Face, GA
Hi, everyone! I teach 10th and 12th ELA in NW Florida.
I'm Brynn Allison, chat co-host. 8 yrs teaching HS English & reading interventions in Philly. Blog: https://t.co/cyx1WlfdS8
Mason, OH 5th grade LA/SS Hello everyone! https://t.co/UC9JBXnZmr
What and where do you teach? Include a link to your blog if you have one.
Unfortunately won't be able to participate live as I'm on vacation w/ my in-laws. Can't wait to read the chat after though!
Hi everyone! I teach one lit/eng block in Nebraska. The rest of the time I'm a US History teacher.
A1 - My name is Hillary! I teach 8th grade LA in Indiana :)
Kendall from Central IL. I teach 9-12 World Lit and Journalism.
I'm Jennifer, teaching Grades 7&8 ELA in Southwestern Ontario. So excited to be back in the chats!
our Facebook group is 600+ members strong. Join us to continue the conversation all week long. https://t.co/IOW2JBWj1t
A1. I teach 10th grade LA and Creative Writing (10-12) at an urban school in Utah.
Hi, I'm Julie from KS, & K-12 tech integration/1:1 iPads. Blog link in profile! Excited to connect! https://t.co/lppAncn80J
A1) Prep for new year include printing, laminating, & setting up bulletin boards. Along with planing out my novels and activities
A2 Then there's the planning & reformulating. What am I keeping? What gets tossed? I am attending camps and some PD sessions too.
I taught summer school, so I was able to move into my new classroom and get it teachable. It's not pretty, but it works
A1:Reorganizing class library, rereading ‘s Book Whisperer & RITW, planning for & just reading!
A1: I am prepping for the next school year by reading new literature and converting old materials to Google Drive Resources
Q1: What preparations for next school year are you doing over the summer?
A1 Preps include eval of AP inst rep, review of CCSS, notes from , ,
Ways to Eliminate Study Stresshttp://ow.ly/ZcLG302iTlR
A1: dies 5th grade count as secondary ELA?! 😜
A1: I'm not teaching this school yr, so I am reading PD books, watching videos, & learning from y'all in the FB group and chats.
A1: Building my first online PLN. Yay! :) Tech training and practice. Finding new lit. Lesson plans.
A1 Over the summer, I like to do professional reading & plan out a general view of my year
A1 - Hi! I'm Megan! I teach 7th grade ELA in Illinois.
A1 just got offered a new position at my school as a literacy coach so I'll have lots of planning to do for that
A1: I am planning out: lessons, classroom routines, policies, set up. Also reading professional development books
A1: Reading lots of YA including , tons of summer tech PD, now getting ready to write postcards to all my Ss!
I'm Amy. I taught 6th-8th last year, but this year I get to focus on teaching just 7th grade ELA in the Chicago suburbs.
- I think you need to add to your tweets so we can all see them?
A1 - I am prepping for the new year by getting organized! I re-arranged my traditional desks into pods of 3 :)
A1: I've been doing a lot of reading (for Myth Class) and going over my reflections from last year to improve my lessons
A1cont. So far I've read How to Read Literature Like a Professor for Kids (love it!) and Thinking on the Page
Josh from Salt Lake, Ut. Teach 10th ELA.
I'm reading a lot about writing and mentor texts and planning units.
What resources have you been looking at for how to better use Google Drive? It is one of my summer goals too!
A1- LOTS of reading over the summer so that I can have lots of books to recommend to all my readers.
A1: I'm trying out Notice&Note to dive into Analyzing Lit. I also need to purge my binders! Trying online lesson planning too! 😎
I teach 6th grade ELA I did 7th last year so I have some serious planning to do! Any advice!
Here a little late!! Amie from 6-8 intervention from southern IL
I am prepping for school by reading several YA novels, organizing my files in Google Drive, and converting warm ups to digital
I've got EVERYTHING organized on new Office 365 AND restored and updated my Mac! Super great feeling!
A1: I am rewriting units, Exploring hyper docs, and revamping grading system, and I just finished !
ML here from Charlotte. I've been doing a ton of reading. Grit and Smarter, Better, Faster are very good!
-YAY, congratulations. Being a literacy coach is very rewarding. I only do it as part of my job, but I love it.
How are you revamping grading?
A1 I'm researching standard based grading on Canvas (LMS), reading novels, & setting up my classroom.
A1: I keep a 2016-17 ideas list handy at all time for new things I see online or learn about in the classes I'm taking.
What tool are you using for online lesson planning?
I also have Reading in the Wild and How We Learn in my list
A1 - I have also really tried to think of more collaborative work that I can have the SS do to help them feel more in control
Oh! and I teach 9th grade Eng. Lit. and 12th Grade Myths, Legends, and Folklore.
A1 - reading many great new YA & PD books, taking one 3 day course, reflecting on last year, planning and mapping for next year.
A2) I am looking forward to being a second year teacher and having a greater sense of what to do and being confident about it!
Q2: What are you most looking forward to about this school year?
A3 I'm picking up journalism & yearbook as English electives We're also getting some $ accounts &
A2:Our class will be participating in and Can’t wait to share and discuss books with Ss!
A2: Plus, our classroom will have flexible seating options, so I can’t wait to see the Ss react to something other than desks!
A2: I am most looking forward to going as paperless as possible.
A2 Looking forward to the rush from doing what I love--when I know kids, where I am going, in the middle of the chaos
A2: This school yr, I hope to study more about Genius Hour and alternative grading methods.
You should check out her blog is full of ideas on how to get the Ss working collaboratively.
A1 I've also spent time taking classes. Right now a book study on
Katie from STL jumping in late. 7th grade ELA!
A2 looking forward to providing more support for teachers with their ELA instruction, more differentiation for students
A2: I am excited to plan and teach new units or try out different ideas in existing units.
A2 I love the new opportunity every year to try new things & improve my instruction!
A2: Getting to know my new Ss and growth as a T and person.
Thanks. Tomorrow I'll arrange desks etc
A2: Looking forward to & more authentic feedback for my Ss via !
A1 Have listened to hundreds of podcasts and used Twitter to get ideas. Procrastinated the planning.
A2 - I am going into my third year of teaching so I'm excited about having resources already and then just adding to them!
I'm SO SO interested in flexible seating. I'm thinking that will be my goal for 2017-2018.
A2: I am looking forward to revising ideas as I move into my second year of middle school (15 years in elementary).
My room is one of smallest, but we make it work
Marc here I teach 9th grade at all levels and I'm from MA
That is the best feeling!! Adding resources to an existing unit
A2 - I want to do more outside the box type of activities to help better engage the kids - channeling my inner :)
So excited to go back into the classroom this year. Three years coaching drained me
Jennifer from CA 0 8th grade ELA and AVID
I'm lucky school allows me to buy books!
A1: I have been working on "gamifying" my class. I loved the book by "Explore Like a Pirate." https://t.co/XawQEltAML
Q1: What preparations for next school year are you doing over the summer?
A2: Trying out new ideas gleaned from my summer of PD! New approach to reading & writing in my classroom.
You're doing great so far! Can't imagine life w/o your FB group! :) I'm a 3rd-year T.
Great site! I love her ideas!
I got rid of desks! Well most of them
A2: This will be my 2nd year teaching these subjects (14th teaching) so I'm looking forward to being comfortable w/the material.
A2 I'm looking forward to piloting new reading and ELA curriculum - and creating !
A1 - I'm teaching summer school! Also doing some reading about best reading instruction practices and developing my PLN :)
A2- I'm looking forward to so much. New School - New Experiences. My first time teaching just one grade level!
Three preps next year means mucho planning. Reading and writing classes.
Which podcasts have you really liked? I keep meaning to start listening!
A2 My kids. I've been missing them. Seeing a lot of them around town, but need to get them in my room!
Great to see a chat, Greg, AP in AZ
Yes, me, too. What are your ideas?
with the UoS (Lucy Calkins) and Penny Kittle today! Also did this yr--part of
Agreed! I love competing with my last year's self and no one else. Also growing from what I've learned.
A2: Looking forward to diving into Genius Hour, Notice & Note, Growth Mindset, & more tech w/Schoology & Google!
The third year is so much fun - you feel like you know what you're doing!
A2 Also looking forward to trying some new ideas with kids
A2 - I'm looking forward to being able to focus on 1 grade level + hopefully having some of my 6th grade Ss again this year!
A2: I am most excited to go back and share new units/lessons with Ss, as well as new teaching strategies from my PD readings.
Heard today that if you change 5% every year, you will be extraordinary! Attainable and impactful! https://t.co/bFFawHIQa2
Agreed! I love competing with my last year's self and no one else. Also growing from what I've learned.
Q3: Describe the first day of school in your classroom.
A3) 1st day of school, will have a digital syllabus & work stations instead to rotate through! This will be a 360 from last year.
A3: Collect materials, guide Ss to different classrooms, & practice time for padlocks! It’s a difficult thing for 6th graders!
A3: My first day includes expectations, introductions, and a fun activity. We do not read the syllabus on the 1st day
I'm looking forward to using more hiphop and popular culture in my classroom next year, and more PBL.
A3 First day wil be speny community building, getting to know, ice breakers
me too! Always have to change it up!
A2:not to mention the 58 new faces that will call me teacher! 💞
woo-hoo!! A great feeling for sure!
Just got to see Jen speak at the TpT Conference in Orlando. It was AWESOME!
I'm bringing back genius hour this year. Didn't do last year and missed it
I have to present on differentiation to my district - love to hear your ideas
A2: kids, new resources, new ideas, kids...
A3: The first day is short in my school, and we only go over the syllabus and have a welcome assembly.
and your Amazing Cart of Learning!
1st day classes are short. Hard to do something important.
A3 1st day is about setting the tone: we work hard & play hard in this class
A3: Usually a letter from me and a student info survey. After it is Bingo where they have 2 introduce themselves to me and others
A3: Building relationships. Getting books in hands and out in the room thru talk. Setting the stage for a yr of reading & writing
A3 I hate standing at the front of the room & talking so I do stations on the 1st day. Read more here: https://t.co/mdT2KgXmzi
A3: On the first day I always have something on student's desk to work on or read so I have time to deal with last minute items
Thanks! :) I've now got this chat logged into my calendar with a reminder. I know I need it to rejuvenate myself!
A3 1st 5 days will be getting to know my kids--even if I've had them before, there's new things to learn
I read this too this summer! LOVE the idea of gamification. Feels abit daunting though. How ru implementing?
A3 Syllabus, name tags, file folders, Popsicle stick names....Maybe in centers? We have short classes. Maybe a syllabus kahoot. .
A3: Surprises, smiles, socialization, secrets.
A3: Last year I did the play-dough lesson from I'm still not decided how I want to start day 1 this year
A3: A few traditions: music, greeting all by name, pics, creating & collaborating from Day 1/Minute 1! https://t.co/oejAWNvrz5
A3 Model for Speech and Drama kids, They will perform the 2nd day
A3: I'm going to try and make it as non- cliche as possible. Getting to know and learning from one another.
- we have to read the syllabus, but kids take home your BtS survey!
A3: Games, games, and more games. It is about building the culture, and a little about my class. https://t.co/tWz9ocPts9
Q3: Describe the first day of school in your classroom.
, any good music suggestions for welcoming HS kids back?
What YA lit are you reading?
Jumping in to say I love the Pandora Vitamin String Quartet station! Pop music that's instrumental.
A3 I'll send syllabus home during open house. Frees up that first day for getting to know kids
A3: Syllabus Kahoot, review of expectations, and student interest inventory will be part of our first day (100 minute blocks X 3)
A2 Looking forward to knowing new students and trying new ideas so I can improve my craft.
A3 - I am going to switch it up this year and do stations on the first day! I think that will get SS moving around and excited
A3: Deliberately NOT doing procedures/expectations on Day 1 this year. Trying culture building 1st, and will do that on Day 2
A3 - I also will have SS read advice letters from my SS from last year to help them adjust and learn expectations
Thanks. In need of a chat tonight. Happy to remember this one!
I love the idea of trying "one new thing" every month--keeps me on my toes!
A3-I want to do a pop culture quiz like
- check out 's blog for growth mindset ideas :)
Teaching routines.. Inner city, high behavior problems means I'm starting to teach day one..
, Ogden here. I'd love to chat with you about Canvas & the learning mastery gradebook! It's causing me some pain...
A3 - I plan on making copies of the letters & putting them in balloons the SS have to inflate to get to the pieces of advice
No getting to know you for my kids. They've been to school together, play football or dance together 😂😜
A3 - and I'll tell the SS that the pieces of advice are SO good that they have to work hard to get them :)
A4) Favorite getting to know you activity FOR my students is to find a partner for each question I give them and take a selfie!
A4: I share my welcome letter/PPT, read a picture book & play a name game where I try to memorize all Ss names! 3 classes, 75 Ss!
A4 Sts describe themselves then "snowball fight" They grab a paper & find the writer Then share facts https://t.co/ltQNzUOGc5
Q4: What is your favorite getting to know you activity?
I'd still argue they can get to know each other in the classroom environment too!
A3: 1st few days are building morays, cultures, relationships, and expectations.,learning about them as readers & writers!
Me too! It's only my second year of 7/8.
I want to spend more time building relationships so I'm not sad at the end that I didn't. Any ideas?
violent ends by ! Simon vs the Homo sapiens agenda
A4: Any icebreaker w/these 3 ingredients! I try to include relevant songs/pop culture fm summer, too. https://t.co/jbXLwpxuJq
A3 I like doing a letter to the teacher & playing Apples to Apples but usually we all already know each other
A4 Students create mini posters about each other. "New school year starring..." then I have student work to hang on day one
A4: Student Bingo or Partner Introductions. Anything that gets students moving and talking to each other is great.
A3 - 1st Day Goal: Get books into their hands that students can be excited about!
A4: "bring yourself in a box" in a new way. Set up a little museum of yourself, walk around, leave Post-It note questions.
- I print their SSR book logs on the back and refer back to interests as I rec books
It's nie to not have to invent or reinvent
Love the use of the selfie - what a great way to start building a classroom community culture!
- To be honest, I'm not sure yet. Deciding on my theme first, and then figuring out how to tie in to my content.
I finished Red Queen/Glass Sword (LOVED), The Jewel/White Rose, Possessed, The Crown's Game, and Glittering Court.
I hear ya. Worked in inner city for a few yrs. I think blend of routines plus get to know you is key.
A3 - I am loving team building activities with my summer school Ss, so I definitely would like to do those on the first day(s)
A4 I change this up a lot for some classes. Speech kids do bag speeches. Drama kids present "Don't be Boring"
A4: I am thinking about using a as a team building during the 1st week.
Love it! Digital breakouts rock too!
YES! This is especially important for my 7s, who have never had me as a teacher before.
A4 - this year, I'm having Ss look at inspirational quotes and asking them to choose 1 as their "mantra" for the year.
A4: my fav activity was writing 3 hashtags to identify ourselves on dry erase and taking a pic to post in the hallway!
Red Queen/GlassSword are in my pile. May have to move them to the top
Thanks! Our FB group is a special place
Q5: What will be your first content-based lesson of the year?
A% We study Gilgamesh, so I start with Conrad's Heoric Journey We'll analyze different kids books before we delve into Gilgamesh
A6) 1st lesson will be a brand new review of grammar HS students should know before we get INTO writing essays and reading.
A5: Planning on a few of things: theme, fig lang, story elements, & writing. Implementing reading/writing workshop for 1st time
A5: My first content lesson is teaching students to annotate. I want them all on the same page. https://t.co/8tEXZ3TXBf
A5 1st content lesson will be reading, writing, speaking, listening using content is SKILLS
A5: What is Culture? Building knowledge about the year’s theme.
I love this! I might have a new activity!
A4 - I love the WEB activities. Also did a fun hand decorating act. - kids cut out handprints and decorated to rep. them
A5: Setting the stage for workshop. Norms, what it looks like, my role, their role.
Used this product in past years. It is really sharp looking. Thank you!
A4 In the past started w/ Notice&Note signposts but this year going to start with a mini-unit on blogging
A5: My first content lesson will be on writing proper paragraphs so we can start article of the week the first week back.
A5 Continue 2 get 2 know students & work on writing skills w/writer's workshop using coming of age poetry https://t.co/VAuDlkLixO
I used their lesson and added/adapted for my needs
A5 I start lit classes off with why reading is important. Several short stories and essays
What are your favorite short stories? Always on the hunt for new mentor texts...
A5: Close reading and probably setting up Reader's Workshop!
A5: What is Culture? Lesson. Building knowledge about the year’s theme.
Sure. You know my email. Let's talk!
Same! Would love to see how you do your first few weeks!
A5 I do a name research/map activity that leads into a quick personal narrative.
A5 - my first unit is writing memoirs/personal narratives. I want to know where each SS is w/ writing so I know where to go!
I saw something similar, though the boxes are pulled out at random times in the year & Ss to guess whose box it is.
A5: My Myths and Legends class gets to start with a unit on Urban Legends. SO fun, lol.
Brain fart on titles. I'll get back to you.!
A5: First content lesson will be annotation using "Dystopia" poem--Our first novel is Cinder (Lunar Chronicles).
A5 I want to get started with a writers notebook and building good ideas.
A5: Ss will be learning the signposts from Notice & Note using short stories &info text. Thinking about having them blog about it
also really cool! The next step in my version was to choose 1 question someone left for you and write to answer it.
A3 Students will respond to various mottos and quotes, then identify their own. Create art that reveals something of them self.
A5 modeling mentor sentence writing & then a close reading workshop.
Cool idea. I've done six-word memoirs similarly and had Ss create them on
A4: Honestly, I'm not sure I really LOVE any of my getting to know you activities. I'm happy to steal ideas from you all :)
Have you done "The Most Dangerous Game"? My 9th graders really like that one. Good for mood/tone, irony
Since I teach public speaking, it will be about how to get over stage fright. https://t.co/Mj5JKsY6v2
Q5: What will be your first content-based lesson of the year?
A5- After setting up reading/writing notebooks, introducing Notice and Note Signposts so that Ss can incorporate them all year.
That's a good one that I'd sort of forgotten about! Thanks!
Awesome! I'd love to hear how it goes - tweet me!
Yes. I do that in Eng 9 also
Which sentences do you use?
Thanks for chatting with us tonight. Next week's chat: Back to School Part 2 See you on July 26 at 8pm EST
has a bunch on his website! I think there's a blog
Can’t wait to catch up on tweets after my game! I’m glad chat is back and can’t wait to participate in more of these this year!
A5: Will be working on reading skills from day 1, but will start with Notice and Note as soon as possible!
Gotta bounce! What a fun chat! Sorry I have to jet! Have a great school year everyone...you all r clearly amazing!!!!!
I'm going to be trying a new project that involves photography and writing about each kid's "hood",
I read Simon this summer too!
is also a cool way to publish them!
There's an audio recording of it on YouTube that isn't half-bad too. lol.
, I'm trying to pull from the novels. I know there's some websites out there. I'm also using SpringBoard online.
Erin, love this idea! Have you found resources for the mini-lessons anywhere or are you creating them?
I have only read the 1st Red Queen. Looking fowardto reading the rest!
A5-first lesson will probably introduce argumentation and notice and note with Aofw -we hit argumentation hard in 11th grade
I'm doing something similar. Going to have Ss look at a selection of quotes, choose the one they most respond to.
I just put together 2 lists of short stories on my blog (link in my profile) totaling 28 stories
It's so important to spend quite some time having kids get to know each other and you. https://t.co/oVO5FxabSl
A5 Continue 2 get 2 know students & work on writing skills w/writer's workshop using coming of age poetry https://t.co/VAuDlkLixO
It's really easy to use, too! Just gotta choose free images or upload their own.
That's what we are here for!
LOVE Canva, hadn't thought about having the students use it. Great idea! Thanks!
I had my former 7s make podcasts for my incoming 7s - so excited to share those and I think the Ss will enjoy them!
A5: Same! https://t.co/BFSZKnJaFb
A5 - my first unit is writing memoirs/personal narratives. I want to know where each SS is w/ writing so I know where to go!
there is a VERY active Facebook group who share tons of resources!
A4 Community circle, maybe stations now :), and going over expectations. My Ss all know each other well already (small school).
I want to implement some this year, too but not sure. I did a version of it two years ago-- just a lot of grading.
