(Ok, ok. Maybe you’re ready for a little fun, too!)

The Thanksgiving season is the perfect time to balance review, writing practice, and fun activities that keep students motivated without adding to your workload. In this blog post, you’ll find a mix of ideas that work well at high school levels (but many can also be adapted for middle school students or even elementary students).

Need more seasonal ideas? I have October teaching ideas right here!

A Note About Ambiance

Look, I’m a basic white girl. We’re all about vibes here. 

As you dish out your fun Thanksgiving activities, don’t forget to set the mood! It is so important when we’re trying to bring seasonality into the classroom.

There are plenty of cozy, autumn setting videos on YouTube. Find one you like and project it while students work on gratitude letters or grammar worksheets. 

If you have the time, money, and inclination, consider picking up some faux leaves from the dollar store and decorating the borders of your bulletin boards.

We don’t need to go crazy here, but changing the environment will boost engagement and your students’ attitudes.

Ok, back to the lessons!

High School English Thanksgiving Activities #1: Write a Gratitude Letter

This one is a classic, right?

One meaningful Thanksgiving writing activity is asking students to express gratitude by writing a letter to a member of the school staff. This is a great way for secondary ELA students to practice audience awareness, tone, and clear writing while doing something kind.

A favorite teacher is always a winner, but you could encourage students to choose someone who doesn’t always get recognized—like a custodian, lunch staff member, or bus driver. Have them handwrite the letters on construction paper or type them up with graphic organizers for planning. This small act can make someone’s day and helps promote mental health for both writer and recipient.

Students can hand-deliver their letters or leave them with you for distribution. (I promise, your colleagues are going to love you for doing this!)

If a student is giving you pushback, they don’t have​ to choose a staff member. You could let them choose anyone–a parent, a friend, a member of their church–who has helped them in some way during the past year.

Not only is this activity the perfect opportunity for some seasonal gratitude, but it offers the chance to cover tons of ELA topics: formatting a letter, tone, writing for a real audience, grammar, and more!

If you want a no-prep lesson for teaching the art of writing a letter (and addressing an envelope!), check out my done-for-you lesson: How to Write a Letter and Address an Envelope Lesson.

It includes a presentation, worksheets, examples, and more–allowing you to turn a quick gratitude letter into a full-blown English lesson.

High School English Thanksgiving Activities #2: Thanksgiving-Themed Grammar Worksheets

If you want something low-prep that still reinforces skills, try Thanksgiving-themed grammar worksheets.

While you could probably find some free worksheets online for nearly any topic, you’ve probably discovered that the quality of these worksheets is hit or miss. 

I recommend my Fall Themed Grammar Review Worksheets to keep in your filing cabinet. While three of these worksheets are Halloween-related, this pack also includes:

• A leaf-themed worksheet on compound subjects and compound predicates
• An apple-themed worksheet on independent and dependent clauses
• A Thanksgiving-themed worksheet on identifying comma splices.

These worksheets are a fun way to keep students practicing grammar while sneaking in a Thanksgiving theme.

They’re especially great to keep on hand for those weird days around Thanksgiving break. You know, the days when an assembly cuts one class in half, but extends the other class periods? You can use a Thanksgiving-themed grammar worksheet to give your longer classes more review without shortchanging the shorter class of any new content.

(If you’re looking for other Thanksgiving grammar ideas, check out this post!)

High School English Activities #3: Create a Thankful Tree or Gratitude Chain

Don’t have time to teach a letter-writing lesson and give students time to write? Try a gratitude chain instead!

Bring a little Thanksgiving craft energy into high school with a thankful tree or gratitude chain. Using construction paper, students can write one thing they’re thankful for on a leaf or link. Connect each of these with a little dab of glue or tape. 

Over the course of the week, you’ll have a growing visual reminder of gratitude that doubles as a bulletin board display. (Any other lazy classroom decorators out there relieved?)

This fun Thanksgiving activity works well with students of all ages—younger students might decorate with coloring sheets or hand turkeys, while older students can write more thoughtful reflections.

High School English Activities #4: Thanksgiving Short Story Writing Prompts

Another creative way to get students writing is with short story or writing prompts inspired by Thanksgiving. Try prompts like:

• Describe the chaos of preparing a big meal like a traditional Thanksgiving dinner.
• Have students explain how to cook their favorite Thanksgiving Day dish.
• Write a short story where a family Thanksgiving dinner goes completely wrong (burnt pumpkin pie, forgotten common Thanksgiving foods, or awkward family drama).
• Imagine you’ve been chosen to deliver the presidential turkey pardon. How would you make your speech stand out?
• Write from the perspective of a dish at the big meal—what would the mashed potatoes or stuffing say about being part of the Thanksgiving traditions?
• Create a futuristic Thanksgiving in which people no longer celebrate with food, but with technology. How would a Thanksgiving meal or Thanksgiving game look in 100 years?

Prompts like these not only strengthen writing skills but also encourage critical thinking about history, traditions, and culture. 

High School English Activities #5: Read and Discuss Thanksgiving Nonfiction

Make those cross-curricular connections to social studies with some interesting nonfiction.

Thanksgiving is a great opportunity to build background knowledge and encourage critical thinking. With so many myths and simplified stories around the first Thanksgiving, it’s valuable for high school students to dig into informational texts that offer more context.

Consider assigning a short article or excerpt about:

• The experiences of Native Americans and native people connected to the holiday
• The origins of the Plymouth Colony and its ties to the native land
• The history of Thanksgiving becoming a national holiday
• The modern presidential turkey pardon tradition

Pairing nonfiction reading with writing prompts or graphic organizers is a fun way to help secondary ELA students connect English skills with history and social studies. You could even show a short video clip or educational video to spark discussion before reading.

This makes for a great lesson that not only reviews comprehension and analysis but also honors the Thanksgiving holiday with honesty and depth.

CommonLit is a great place to find some of these texts! Just search Thanksgiving in the search bar.

High School English Activities #6: Integrate Thanksgiving Into Journaling

Not in the mood for super structured writing? Have students do some open journaling instead!

Encourage students to keep a gratitude journal for the week leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday. Each day, they can jot down one thing they’re grateful for, a favorite Thanksgiving picture book from childhood, or even reflections on Thanksgiving traditions like paper bag turkeys or Thanksgiving meal memories. (Ask them to share what they’re thankful for every day and learn a little bit more about your students!)

This can be a great opportunity to foster mindfulness and give students an optimal experience for their mental health during what can be a stressful season.

(When I was in the classroom, everyone at my school started their classes with “good things.” You’d pick two kids randomly, and ask them to share a “good thing.” Thanksgiving week can be a great time to pilot something like this in your class!)

Why These Activities Work for High School ELA

All of these ELA Thanksgiving activities strike a balance between rigor and fun. Whether you’re reviewing grammar, practicing writing, or simply celebrating the national holiday, you’re giving students a great lesson in gratitude and creativity.

Plus, these ideas can be adjusted for middle school grades, elementary school, or even younger students, making them Thanksgiving ideas that work for students of all ages.

Look, as burnt out as our kids might be during November, we teachers are burnt out, too! We could all use a little more fun during what can be a stressful month. 

(That said, if your fun, ELA activity is showing a Charlie Brown special, no shade!)

So, as you’re planning your classroom activities for the Thanksgiving holiday, remember that it’s a great time to incorporate both creative activities and a fun Thanksgiving activity or two. From Thanksgiving crafts to short story prompts, you’ll find that this season can bring just as much learning as it does turkey and pie.

The post Try These High School English Thanksgiving Activities This Year! appeared first on It's Lit Teaching.

Grab your I Am Poem free download right here, and let’s talk about why this activity is a lovely thing to include in your high school English classroom.

Whether you’re starting a new year, wrapping up a unit, or honoring someone special, the “I Am” poem offers the right words for students to express their deepest thoughts—without a forced air of solemnity.

You can get your FREE “I Am” Poem Lesson right here!

What Is an “I Am” Poem?

An “I Am” poem is a simple and beautiful poem format built around sentence starters like:

• I am…
• I feel…
• I dream…
• I hope…

These prompts guide students in writing personal, reflective poetry—even if they claim they “hate” poetry.

The result? A mix of happy memories, troubled thoughts, dreams of starry nights, and reflections on good friends, good laughs, and even times of sorrow.

It’s a wonderful way to build voice while providing structure—ideal for students who need support in expressing themselves.

Why Teach The “I Am” Poem?

There are so many reasons to include the “I Am” poem in your curriculum—especially if you’re teaching struggling or reluctant writers. This activity isn’t just about keeping students busy; it’s about getting them comfortable expressing their ideas on paper.

Here’s why:

It introduces foundational poetry terms

If you’re using the “I Am” poem as the first poem in your class or unit (which I recommend), it’s the perfect time to introduce some basic literary terms.

You can’t have students writing poetry without them knowing what a “line” and a “stanza” are. Use the “I Am” poem to show students what these are.

(My FREE “I Am” Poem worksheet points out these poetry features with definitions explicitly.)

Ask students to count the lines and stanzas in the “I Am” poem to make sure they get it.

If you want to take it even further, you can discuss tone and mood or introduce some basic figurative language techniques, too.

It builds confidence in reluctant writers

There’s something magical about giving students a scaffolded poem and watching their creativity unfold. Even your most resistant writers will walk away thinking, “Hey… that wasn’t so bad.” 

Starting with an “I Am” poem might just make your students less resistant to the next poem you assign.

While some students will just fill in the blanks as quickly as possible to get the assignment done and over with, some students might share some laughs and maybe even get a few happy memories on paper.

This poem is often the first time students realize they can write something meaningful.

It fosters classroom community

Sharing these poems (either out loud or on a gallery walk) helps students connect through common experiences. Whether they write about good friends, times of sorrow, or sunny days, they can more easily find common ground with their peers.

I love using the “I Am” poem at the beginning of a Creative Writing class because it doubles as a getting-to-know-you exercise. However, unlike many back-to-school activities, you can skip the awkward talking and standing in front of the class.

In a world of social media and constant comparison, this little poem lets students show up as their true selves—and feel seen for it.

When to Teach the I Am Poem

This flexible poem structure fits into your curriculum in a variety of meaningful ways:

1. First Week of School

Use it as a back-to-school icebreaker! Students introduce themselves with creativity instead of awkward facts. It’s low-stakes, personal, and the perfect start to a year of writing. (Also ideal if your students’ brains are still in vacation mode.)

2. End of a Unit or School Year

Use it as a reflection piece at the end of the year or a big unit. Let students reflect on how they’ve changed—especially after a novel study, identity unit, or a school year full of good times and maybe even a few moist eyes.

3. Beginning of a Creative Writing Class or Poetry Unit

If you’re just starting a Creative Writing Class or poetry unit, the “I Am” poem is the perfect introduction! It eases reluctant writers into putting their ideas on paper, introduces basic lit terms, and gently gets students comfortable with sharing their work with others.

4. April: National Poetry Writing Month

Want to celebrate National Poetry Writing Month but short on time? The “I Am” poem is the perfect one-and-done poetry activity!

How to Teach the I Am Poem

Step 1: Introduce the Poem

Start with a model. 

I highly recommend the model be your own “I Am” poem. That way, students aren’t just learning about a type of poem–they’re learning about and connecting with you. Again, this makes the “I Am” poem a perfect back-to-school lesson!

​Explain “lines” and “stanzas” if these are terms you haven’t covered before. Remind students that these poems don’t need to be perfect.

If you want to add some rigor to this basic poem, you can talk about tone and voice. Will students’ own “I Am” poem be full of lines of perfect joy? Bittersweet? Humorous? Encourage variety.

Step 2: Use the Template

You can a FREE template and teaching slideshow here!

Use this worksheet with your students. The sentence stems help students feel supported. You can project them, pass out a worksheet, or even post it on your LMS or online classroom for easy access.

(If students are having a hard time filling in the blanks, they might be overwhelmed with the number of choices. After all, there are a lot of ways to finish the sentence: I feel _____. For these students, you can ask them to focus on one part or aspect of their life. Maybe have them think of happy times, a difficult time, or a hobby they love to focus on. My own personal “I Am” poem focused on how I feel as a greyhound mom!)

Step 3: Encourage Expression

Let students know it’s okay to be funny, serious, or even dark. Some may write about juicy bones and pet dreams, others about undue grief, or finding peace in the next room. Give space for all of it.

(Want to go deeper? Invite students to write as a character from literature, a historical figure, or someone they’ve lost. It can be a powerful final farewell. You could even do the “I Am” poem again after a later unit or novel study and challenge students to come up with thoughtful ways to write an “I Am” poem from a character’s point of view.)

Step 4: Have Students Share Their I Am Poems

There are all kinds of ways to have students share their poetry.

My favorite method for the “I Am” poem, however, is to do a simple gallery walk. 

As students finish writing their “I Am” poem, have them hang their poems up around the room. (I had clips on wire around my room for this specific purpose, but you could just use Scotch tape, too.)

Then, give students time to walk around and read their peers’ poems. You can even have them add a Post-it note to poems with positive feedback. (If this is the first poem students are writing in your class, you may want to skip constructive criticism and just work on building confidence first.)

Download the FREE I Am Poem Resource

You’ll get everything you need to teach this poem successfully:

• ✅ Teaching slideshow
• ✅ Student worksheet
• ✅ Teaching tips
• ✅ Options for deeper extension

Perfect for:

• Back-to-school
• Identity units
• Poetry month
• Memory writing
• Funeral or memorial writing prompts
• Or just making room for some good laughs and self-expression

It’s all part of the master plan—one that honors voice, writing, and the unbroken continuity of human experience.

Final Thoughts

As English teachers, we help students find the words they didn’t know they needed. The “I Am” poem gives them a way to reflect, celebrate, and heal—even when they’re unsure how to start.

This is more than just an icebreaker—it’s a place of warmth, a tribute to the self, and a tool to honor the empty places we all carry. From sunny days to the end of the road, this poem has a place in your curriculum.

Download your I Am Poem free today and bring some poetry, personality, and peace to your classroom.

The post This FREE “I Am” Poem is the Perfect Back-to-school Activity appeared first on It's Lit Teaching.

Whether you want your celebration to last one class period, one unit, or the whole month, you’ll find something perfect for your class. 

Want some done-for-you but fun and engaging activities? Try these Poetry Writing Activities or these Poem of the Week Activities.

What is National Poetry Month?

National Poetry Month takes place during the month of April. It is meant to celebrate poetry and remind us how important poetry is to culture. 

Established by the Academy of American Poets in 1996, it’s now the largest literary celebration in the United States. 

For ELA teachers, this month is a perfect way to get students engaged with poetry through fun and meaningful National Poetry Month activities.

Before honing in on exactly which National Poetry Month activities you’d like to try with your class, consider how much time you want to give it. Some of the following activities can be done in a single class period. Some could span the whole month (or even the rest of the school year) if you wanted. 

Decide how much time you can devote to National Poetry Month, and then jump right in with an activity that excites you!

National Poetry Month Activities #1: Teach Poem Types with a Poetry Unit

This is probably the most obvious one, but if you want to dive deep into poetry, why not a poetry unit?

A poetry unit is a great way to introduce students to different forms of poetry, from classic poems by Emily Dickinson, William Shakespeare, and Langston Hughes to contemporary free verse. A poetry unit lets students explore literary devices, analyze different types of poems, and even write their own poetry. 

One way to do this is by teaching students different poetry forms and then having them write their own. Exposing students to different poems will help them find one they like, and every new form is an opportunity to practice their poetry skills. 

If you don’t have time to create lesson plans from scratch (and your students are really afraid of poetry!) consider grabbing my Poetry Writing Activities Bundle.

In this bundle, students will learn about simple poems–like haikus and cinquains–and some more moderate-level poems like limericks and odes. Each resource includes a lesson that covers important literary terms with examples of the poetry types. Then, students fill out the included graphic organizers to make writing their own poems as simple as possible. 

Want some more ideas for a simple poetry unit? Check out this post on how to use poetry writing worksheets.

National Poetry Month Activities #2: Celebrate Poem in Your Pocket Day

Poem in your pocket day is April 18th. It’s exactly what it sounds like: on Poem in Your Pocket Day, you carry around a favorite poem in your pocket.

Encourage students to carry a favorite poem in their pockets and share it with classmates throughout the day. You can have students find a poem to bring and share at home. Or, you could print out some of your favorites and let them pick one for their pockets.

This simple poetry activity fosters a love for poetry in a fun and informal way. Plus, it’s an easy way to get the whole school involved!

National Poetry Month Activities #3: Host a Poetry Reading Day

A classroom poetry reading is a great way for students to share their own poems or recite works from famous poets.

If you had students do the Poetry Writing Activities mentioned in #1 above, you could have them choose their favorite to share with the class. Otherwise, you could provide dramatic or funny poems and let students choose which ones to read.

This can be as formal or casual as you like—set up a cozy space with poetry books and let students take turns reading, or go all out and invite other classes to listen. 

You could even serve coffee, tea, or hot chocolate to really make your classroom feel like a cozy coffeehouse reading!

National Poetry Month Activities #4: Study a Poem of the Week Throughout April

If you want to use National Poetry Month to add some poetry analysis–not just fun–to your classroom, this might be the winner for you!

Every week in April, have students analyze a Poem of the Week. This is a great way to practice literary analysis skills in bite-sized pieces.

If you want, you could even have students replicate the form, style, or voice of each poem of the week in their own unique poem, too. 

To skip the prep work for this, grab my Poem of the Week Bundle (or just grab the four you want for April).

Each of my Poem of the Week Activities includes a worksheet breaking down analysis of the poem into five steps. A slideshow introduces the students to the poets and walks them through each step of analysis. Then, you can use the optional “write your own” activity included in each. These turn the poem of the week into a mentor text for your students to use to write brand new poems!

Poem of the week activities are really the perfect mix of everything–teach literary terms, practice analysis skills, and having fun writing original poems!

National Poetry Month Activities #5: Explore the Favorite Poem Project

Have students participate in the Favorite Poem Project, created by former U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky. This could be done in conjunction with celebrating Poem in Your Pocket Day (#4 above) or hosting a poetry reading day (#3 above).

This project encourages people to share their favorite poems and the personal connections they have to them. It’s a great way to show students how poetry can be meaningful in everyday life.

National Poetry Month Activities #6: Teach a Figurative Language Unit

Poetry is filled with rich figurative language, making it a perfect way to help students understand literary devices like simile, metaphor, personification, and hyperbole. If you want to pause for some fun–but still need to cover those important literary terms–this might be a great way to celebrate the month!

You can have students identify examples in classic poems, slam poetry, or free verse poems. 

Your figurative language unit can be anything you want, but I have a done-for-you Figurative Language Mini-unit right here.

In this resource, you’ll first teach figurative language terms and have students hunt them down in a scavenger hunt.

Then, students will practice what they learned with task cards and a fun figurative language tasting activity. (You can learn all about a figurative language tasting activity right here.)

Lastly, students will write about a setting using figurative language of their own making. 

Teaching figurative language–with plenty of poetry as examples–can be the perfect bridge to diving right back into literary analysis when April is over. 

National Poetry Month Activities #7: Do a Harlem Renaissance Unit

If you’re looking for another mini-unit idea, consider focusing on a specific time period–like the Harlem Renaissance.

Introduce students to poetry from the Harlem Renaissance. Poets like Langston Hughes and Claude McKay wrote about identity, culture, and social change—topics that still resonate today.

Analyzing these works can spark critical thinking and powerful discussions. You could even include poets like Paul Laurence Dunbar who laid a foundation for the writers of the Harlem Renaissance. 

If you want to combine this idea with poems of the week (#4 above), check out these Poem of the Week Activities: “We Wear the Mask” by Paul Laurence Dunbar and “If We Must Die” by Claude McKay

National Poetry Month Activities #8: Use Social Media for Poetry

Challenge students to share short poems, favorite lines, or even black out poetry on social media. This makes poetry feel more relevant and connects students to a broader audience. Plus, it’s a great excuse to incorporate digital literacy into your poetry lessons!

If you need resources for Black out and Found Poetry you can grab my lesson right here. 

If you want to incorporate technology without actually having students on Instagram in your classroom, you can adapt my #Bookstagram template!

National Poetry Month Activities #9: Create a Poetry Bulletin Board

Dedicate a space in your classroom where students can post original poems, favorite poetry quotes, or visual poetry projects. It’s a fun way to keep poetry at the forefront throughout April.

You could even choose poems to post from celebrating Poem in Your Pocket Day (#2 above), your class’s poetry reading (#3 above), or the Favorite Poem Project (#5 above).

National Poetry Month Activities #10: Try a Poetry Slam

Bring energy into your classroom with a poetry slam! Let students perform their original poems in a supportive, competitive environment. Slam poetry is an engaging way to challenge students to experiment with rhythm, tone, and expression. This is a great time to put that figurative language unit (#6 above) into practice. 

I also highly recommend watching Elizabeth Acevedo perform her poetry to excite students for this activity. 

National Poetry Month Activities #11: Analyze Song Lyrics as Poems

Want to make poetry more relatable? Analyze song lyrics for literary devices, rhyme schemes, and themes. Students love seeing how their favorite artists use poetic techniques in their lyrics. Taylor Swift is a popular pick for these kinds of activities. 

National Poetry Month Activities #12: Celebrate Earth Day with Nature Poetry

Since Earth Day falls in April, why not connect it to poetry? Have students read and write nature-themed poems. 

Classic poets like Robert Frost and Carl Sandburg wrote beautiful nature poetry, and students can use them as inspiration for their own poetry. (Check out this Poem of the Week Activity for Robert Frost’s “Design” or Marianne Moore’s “A Jelly-fish”.)

You could also grab some clipboards and have students do some poetry writing outside. With the weather improving, why not make the most of it?

National Poetry Month Activities #13: Start a Poetry Journal

Encourage students to keep a poetry journal throughout the month. They can jot down new poem ideas, favorite lines from famous poets, or experiment with different forms of poetry. This is a fantastic way to track their growth as writers.

Conclusion

National Poetry Month is the perfect opportunity to immerse students in the art of poetry.

Whether you’re focusing on slam poetry, classic poems, or free verse, there are so many fun poetry activities to explore. Poetry is a fantastic way to help students express themselves, build literacy skills, and connect with different voices across time and cultures.

And if you need a little help, my Poetry Writing Activities, Poem of the Week Activities, or Figurative Language Mini-unit can make planning a breeze. Happy writing!

The post National Poetry Month Activities: Everything You Need to Celebrate appeared first on It's Lit Teaching.

We know how much our colleagues and ourselves give to our students. Help those students

give back! Teacher Appreciation Week is the perfect time for students to express gratitude for the incredible educators who dedicate their time, energy, and passion to shaping young minds. 

In this post, I’m going to walk you through how to have your students write a gratitude letter to a teacher, former teacher, fantastic mentor, or anyone in education.

Our students do appreciate that we go the extra mile. I promise some of your students will bring you to tears with the heartfelt message they end up writing.

Looking for a lesson plan and teaching resources to guide you through this? Grab my How to Write a Letter and Address an Envelope Lesson!

What is Teacher Appreciation Week?

I didn’t even know Teacher Appreciation Week existed until my first year of teaching. Suddenly some cool swag just appeared in my mailbox!

Teacher Appreciation Week is a special occasion celebrated each year to honor teachers for their hard work and dedication. Typically held in early May, this week is an opportunity for communities to express appreciation for the significant impact educators have. 

From elementary school to high school ELA, teachers put in long hours. They plan engaging lesson plans and use creative classroom management techniques to inspire a love of learning.

While teacher appreciation gifts like a coffee mug or gift cards are a fun way to celebrate, a handwritten letter remains one of the most meaningful ways to recognize a great teacher.

(When I wrote this blog post about teacher gifts, I surveyed a few teachers. They all said that their favorite gift was a note from a student!)

A teacher appreciation letter allows students to express gratitude in their own way, highlighting the real difference their teacher has made in their lives. I hope you find some Teacher Appreciation Week letter ideas that work for you!

Why Do a Teacher Appreciation Week Letter?

If you have the time, I encourage you to make space in your lesson plans for students to write thank you letters to a teacher of their choice. It’s such a valuable use of a class period!

First, you can teach students how to write a letter. Maybe this doesn’t seem very important in today’s world of texting and Snapchat. But so many letter-writing skills carry over to e-mail writing.

Plus, there’s just nothing like a handwritten letter to express gratitude. That’s why so many couples still handwrite thank you notes after their wedding!

When you teach students to write a letter, you can talk about formatting the letter, informal vs. formal tone, and how to capitalize and punctuate different titles. There are lots of opportunities for micro-teaching throughout!

Then, once students have written gratitude letters to your school’s staff, you get to see the impact they make. Your colleagues will approach you, tell you what a difference those letters made, and thank you for having students write them. Your students might even choose to address their letters to you!

You can even use a letter-writing lesson to tackle other life skills–like teaching students to address an envelope.

One year, I tried to save time by asking my students to address envelopes home for me. Oh, man! What a disaster! My high school seniors had no idea what they were doing! The ways they messed up addressing an envelope would have your head spinning!

Save them the embarrassment by teaching them before they have to do this stuff in the real world!

Skills Required for Letter Writing

Having students write a Teacher Appreciation Week Letter gives you the opportunity to teach several skills.

Being able to write a thoughtful letter of appreciation is a skill in itself. Students can use it for special occasions, independent work, or even their future careers. 

Check out the list below of essential skills students need to be able to write a letter. (Have you taught them?):

• Choosing the Right Words – Encourage students to think about what makes their teacher special and find specific examples of how they’ve been a great mentor. (If this is a skill you want to dive into, I have a lesson on using Precise and Concise Language right here.)
• Adding a Personal Touch – A handwritten note with a heartfelt message is more meaningful than a generic teacher appreciation card.
• Using Proper Formatting – Teach students how to structure their letters with a greeting, body, and closing.
• Grammar and Spelling – Using tools like IXL Learning or Google Docs can help students refine their writing in the moment. If you need a whole grammar curriculum, check out this one.
• Writing with Emotion – Encourage students to express appreciation in a way that feels authentic and personal. If this turns out to be a struggle, check out my Mood Workshop and Tone Workshop for helping students develop this skill.

These skills are not only useful for writing gratitude letters but also for developing strong writing abilities in subjects like creative writing, social studies, and graphic arts.

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How to Teach Students Letter-Writing

Teaching students how to write a teacher appreciation letter can be a fun activity, whether they’re in 1st grade, middle school, or high school. 

If you want to make this really easy, grab my How to Write a Letter and Address an Envelope Lesson here. It includes a lesson, examples, and more!

Here are some Teacher Appreciation Week Letter ideas for your lesson:

1. Explain Activity to Your Students ​– Your students might not know that Teacher Appreciation Week is a thing. Explain it to them. Tell them they’ll be writing a letter of thanks to a teacher of their choice.
2. Teach Students How to Write a Letter​ — I recommend using my How to Write a Letter Lesson. Show them how to format a letter and talk through important parts like the heading and salutation. Show them examples, too.
3. Discuss Teacher Appreciation Week Letter Ideas – Ask students about their favorite teacher and the great things that made them special. Students can make a list, brain dump, or even fill out a graphic organizer to help them get their thoughts down.
4. Brainstorm Teacher Messages – Provide a list of teacher quotes or prompts to help students think of what to write. Consider offering sentence starters if your students really struggle.
5. Use a Letter Template – Give students a structured format to follow so they can focus on their heartfelt message. This can be as specific or broad as your students need.
6. Encourage a Personal Touch – Remind students that a handwritten letter will make a more significant impact than a typed note.
7. Edit and Revise – Have students proofread their letters, ensuring they use the right words to express gratitude. This can be a peer-editing activity or having students go through an editing checklist.
8. Decorate the Letter – A teacher appreciation card with drawings or stickers adds a creative way to personalize their note. This is definitely optional, but your students might have fun with it!
9. Practice Reading Aloud – This helps students build confidence in their writing and ensures their message is clear and meaningful. Again, this step is optional, but reading aloud is a great technique for editing one’s own writing.

For students who struggle with writing, consider using fun activities like writing their letters in a comic strip format or creating a short TikTok-style video (with school approval) to make the process engaging.

After all, while using this activity as an opportunity to teach writing skills might be our goal, spreading some cheer is a totally valid learning objective, too.

How to Teach Students to Address an Envelope

Once students have written their heartfelt teacher appreciation letter, the next step is to properly address an envelope. This is an important life lesson and a great way to prepare students for real-world communication. 

You’d be shocked by how bad our students are at addressing an envelope.

They just don’t really have to do it anymore in their lives and have no practice. So you can use this time as an opportunity to teach this life skill that will be more important when they’ve left their parents’ houses.

If you need a lesson, my How to Write a Letter and Address an Envelope Lesson has you covered. There are slides that go over addressing an envelope as well as a worksheet!

Follow these simple steps:

1. Write the Teacher’s Name – Encourage students to include their teacher’s title (Mr., Mrs., Ms., or Dr.). You might want to explain the differences. Even a lot of my high school students didn’t know the difference between Mrs. and Ms.!
2. Include the School Name and Address – Ensure the letter gets to the right place by writing the full school address. If you’re not mailing these letters, you could have students write the teachers’ classroom or mailbox numbers.
3. Add the Return Address – Teach students to write their name and address in the top left corner. I do not recommend having them use their home address! This could alienate students in foster care, who are homeless, or who move a lot, who don’t know their address. Instead, just use the school’s.
4. Use a Stamp – If mailing the letter, remind students that a stamp is required. If you’re not mailing them, you could have students choose a sticker or draw their own stamp in that corner for funsies.
5. Seal the Envelope – Have students decorate their envelopes for an extra personal touch. Again, students can do this with stickers or art supplies.

This activity not only reinforces proper letter-writing etiquette but also provides an opportunity to discuss the importance of gratitude letters and appreciation in everyday life. Plus, now your students will know how to address an envelope for jobs or occasions later in their lives.

More Ideas for Delivering Teacher Appreciation Letters

There are many fun and creative ways to deliver teacher appreciation letters. 

The easiest is to take the letters yourself and place them in your colleagues’ mailboxes. However, that’s not necessarily the most special or fun method.

Alternatively, you could have students deliver the messages themselves.

If you involve students, however, make sure they don’t disrupt other classes! Maybe students could deliver them during lunch breaks or off periods.

If you don’t have the time or inclination for a formal letter-writing lesson, there are still many ways your students and their families can show their appreciation.

Here are some more Teacher Appreciation Week Letter Ideas to make the week even more special:

• Hand-Deliver the Letter – Students can surprise their teacher by giving them a handwritten letter during class or a lunch break.
• Create a Class Scrapbook – Each student can contribute a letter of appreciation, creating a meaningful way to celebrate the teacher.
• Post on Social Media – With school approval, parents can share teacher messages on social media to publicly recognize an amazing teacher.
• Organize a Surprise Gift – Pair a gratitude letter with a small gift like a coffee mug or classroom supplies.
• Write a Newspaper Ad – A creative way for students to express appreciation is by submitting letters to a school or local newspaper.
• Send a Letter to a Former Teacher – Students can reflect on the past year and send a note of thanks to a teacher from previous grades.
• Use Google Docs for a Group Letter – The class can collaborate on a digital teacher appreciation card, adding messages about the teacher’s positive impact.
• Leave a Note on Their Desk – A simple but powerful way to brighten a teacher’s day.
• Present the Letter During an End-of-the-Year Celebration – A great way to wrap up the school year with a heartfelt appreciation moment.

Encouraging students to take extra time to write letters helps them recognize the great mentors in their lives and reinforces the idea that appreciation doesn’t have to be limited to Teacher Appreciation Week. It’s something they can express year-round!

Conclusion

Whether you’re helping students write a letter of appreciation for their favorite teacher or looking for creative ways to express gratitude, a well-written note can make a real difference.

Teachers dedicate so much of their time to their students—from day-of-school activities to field trips to lesson plans—so taking a moment to say “thank you” is a wonderful way to show they are valued.

Plus, you can sneakily squeeze in a few more writing lessons!

I hope these Teacher Appreciation Week letter ideas encourage you to help students write a heartfelt, handwritten letter.

Whether it’s their first time writing a letter of thanks or they’ve done it before, it’s always a good idea to let teachers know how much they are appreciated. A simple letter can brighten a teacher’s day, inspire them to keep making a positive impact, and remind them why they chose this incredible career in the first place. Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!

Save yourself some time and grab my How to Write a Letter and Address an Envelope Lesson now!

The post Here Are Your High School Teacher Appreciation Week Letter Ideas! appeared first on It's Lit Teaching.

In this post, I’ll cover some fun and standards-aligned activities that focus on grammar while tapping into the Thanksgiving spirit.

All of these activities can be used to fill time on days when assemblies have made a mess of the schedule, absences are high, or you’re avoiding starting a new unit before the long weekend!

Need more November teaching ideas? Check out this post!

Why Use Thanksgiving Grammar Activities?

Seasonal activities can help bring fresh energy into the classroom. Incorporating holiday themes like Thanksgiving into your grammar lessons grabs your students’ attention.

It also gives them context they can relate to. Whether you’re teaching sentence structure, punctuation, or parts of speech, a Thanksgiving twist will make it more memorable and enjoyable.

Plus, I don’t know about you, but adding some seasonal fun makes me happy, too!

Here are some Thanksgiving grammar activities that are perfect for high school English classes.

Thanksgiving Grammar Activities # 1: Thanksgiving Grammar Mad Libs

If your students need some review on the basic parts of speech, consider Mad Libs!

Mad Libs are a timeless and entertaining way to reinforce grammar concepts. Create or find a Thanksgiving-themed Mad Lib where students fill in parts of speech to generate a silly Thanksgiving story. It’s a great way to review grammar basics while providing a bit of holiday humor.

Here are some free ones available online.

How To Use

Before you pass out the Mad Lib, briefly review the parts of speech and ask students for examples. This quick refresher will set them up for success and ensure the activity remains instructional, not just fun.

Pair students up or let them find partners for this activity. You could also do one Mad Lib as a whole class (letting students take turns to give you words for the blanks) as a quick way to wrap up the end of class. 

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Thanksgiving Grammar Activities #2: Thanksgiving Sentence and Sentence Structure

For a more advanced grammar lesson, challenge your students to write Thanksgiving-themed sentences. Require students to use specific sentence structures like compound and complex sentences. 

They could reflect on family, school, or personal achievements. To up the ante, ask them to incorporate specific grammar elements like semicolons, conjunctions, or appositives into their sentences.

How To Use

If need be, begin by reviewing the different types of sentences. Then, give students your requirements. (For example, maybe they need to write a complex sentence about what they’re going to eat for Thanksgiving and a compound-complex sentence about what they’re thankful for.)

After writing, students can peer-review each other’s sentences, checking for proper use of grammar structures. This activity promotes both creativity and critical thinking, helping students refine their writing skills in a festive way.

Thanksgiving Grammar Activities #3: Thanksgiving Grammar Review Worksheets

Reinforce grammar rules with a set of Thanksgiving-themed grammar review worksheets. These can include exercises focused on punctuation, subject-verb agreement, sentence fragments, and run-ons–all framed in the context of Thanksgiving traditions and celebrations.

You can find Thanksgiving grammar worksheets all over, but I recommend grabbing my Fall-themed Grammar Review Worksheets.

It includes six different grammar review worksheets. There is one Thanksgiving-themed sheet on comma splices. You could also use the two included fall-themed worksheets covering subjects/predicates and clauses.

There are also three Halloween-themed worksheets included that review verbals, its/it’s, and general punctuation errors.

How To Use

Use these worksheets as time-fillers on weirdly scheduled assembly days. The also make great homework during the week leading up to Thanksgiving break. You can make them collaborative by having students work in pairs or small groups to encourage peer learning.

Thanksgiving Grammar Activities #4: Writing a Gratitude Letter

Have your students write a gratitude letter to someone important in their lives—a family member, friend, or mentor—while focusing on specific grammar elements. 

I especially like to have students write a gratitude letter to a school staff member; when I deliver these letters around the school they bring smiles to everyone!

You can emphasize sentence structure, proper punctuation, and correct verb tenses while they reflect on why they are thankful for that person.

How To Use

This activity can be done in class or as a homework assignment.

After students complete their letters, consider having them share excerpts. You could even have students hand-deliver the letters, adding a personal, meaningful touch to the activity while reinforcing grammar rules in their writing.

Having students write letters to a real person provides some stakes and that authentic audience is sure to motivate them to produce better writing!

Check out this blog post about teaching letter writing for more tips!

Conclusion

By using these Thanksgiving-themed activities, you’ll be able to maintain a productive classroom atmosphere while tapping into the excitement of the holiday season. Happy Thanksgiving and happy teaching!

The post Thanksgiving Grammar Activities Your High School Students Will Love appeared first on It's Lit Teaching.

Looking for more Halloween ideas for your high school English class? Check out this post!

Create the Right Ambiance

Before diving into any of the following Halloween grammar activities, create some ambiance for your students! Any activity can feel festive with some mood-setting prep work.

First, find a classroom-appropriate Halloween station on your preferred music streaming service. (Searching for “Halloween kids party” might give you a cleaner mix.) At the time of writing, this Spotify playlist is a nice, clean mix.

Next, stream a background onto your classroom project for the right atmosphere. (Try this cozy autumn village or this gothic wall art.)

If possible, consider bringing in treats for your students. Nothing says, “Happy Halloween!” like some candy corn! (A little sugar might soften the blow, too, for students who weren’t looking forward to a day of grammar work.)

These bulk packs of candy corn aren’t too bad on the wallet. This variety pack of sweets is even more inexpensive, and these spooky fruit snacks are a healthier alternative.

And–if you can–don’t forget to decorate your classroom! A few window clings, a skeleton in an extra desk, or even a few mini pumpkins can really brighten–er, gloom–up a room!

Halloween Grammar Activities #1: Halloween-Themed Grammar Worksheets

One of the easiest ways to blend Halloween fun with grammar practice is by using Halloween-themed grammar worksheets. 

There are a ton out there, or you can make your own. You can even grab my Fall-themed Grammar Review Worksheets which include quite a few Halloween-themed worksheets.

These worksheets can focus on various aspects of grammar, including parts of speech, punctuation, sentence structure, and more, all with a spooky twist. 

Just create a worksheet reviewing the grammar skill on which you want to focus, and use example sentences with a Halloween theme!

It’s probably the quickest and easiest way to add some seasonal fun to your regular classroom protocol.

Halloween Grammar Activities #2: Writing 2-Sentence Horror Stories

If you’re looking for a quick but creative Halloween grammar activity, try writing 2-sentence horror stories. 

This activity is both fun and challenging, requiring students to use concise grammar and powerful language to convey fear in just two sentences. The brevity encourages students to be mindful of punctuation, sentence structure, and word choice, making it a perfect grammar exercise.

First, have students brainstorm common horror themes like haunted houses, zombies, or ghosts. Then, ask them to write their own 2-sentence horror story using the theme of their choice. Emphasize that they should use descriptive language and correct punctuation to create suspense and fear.

I go into more detail about writing 2-sentence horror stories in this post. 

You can add an extra grammatical challenge to this activity by telling students what kind of sentences to use. For example, maybe their 2-sentence story has to include at least one compound-complex sentence. Or maybe one sentence has to have a gerund for the subject. 

Halloween Grammar Activities #3: Writing a Scary Story

If your students have a solid grasp of basic grammar already, they may be ready to implement it in a longer writing piece! Why not have them write their own scary story?

This exercise not only helps with creative writing but also integrates grammar lessons on sentence structure, punctuation, and paragraph organization.

There are endless ways you can structure this assignment. Be sure to give students time to brainstorm, pre-write, outline, draft, and edit. 

(Having students peer-edit one another’s work will provide even more grammar practice for everyone!)

You may want to guide students through this process. For example, before having students brainstorm story ideas, you can make a list of spooky story elements together as a class. 

As students write, engage them in discussions about how their grammatical choices can impact their stories.

How can commas be used to slow down the reader and build suspense? How do stronger verbs create more vivid experiences for readers? What happens when students use certain sentence structures in their writing? 

Bonus Idea: Scary Story Contest

To motivate students, turn the scary story writing into a contest where the class votes on the spookiest story. You could also have students read their stories aloud, emphasizing how tone, pauses, and pacing contribute to the scariness of their writing.

If students are reluctant to participate, remove all of the author names from copies of the stories before having students read them. Let students cast their votes anonymously. 

Want to make story writing super simple? Try this Horror Genre Personal Narrative Activity.

Conclusion

These Halloween grammar activities combine spooky fun with valuable grammar lessons, ensuring that students stay engaged while reinforcing their language skills. Whether you’re working with Halloween-themed grammar worksheets, writing 2-sentence horror stories, or encouraging students to write their own scary stories, you’ll find these activities help students apply grammar rules in creative ways. 

Not only will your students be thrilled by the eerie themes, but they’ll also be sharpening their grammar skills in the process!

Ready to bring the Halloween spirit into your classroom? Try these Halloween grammar activities and watch your students’ writing skills come to life! And, if you’re ready to start planning ahead, check out this blog post for some Thanksgiving grammar ideas!

The post Terrifyingly Good Halloween Grammar Activities to Engage and Educate appeared first on It's Lit Teaching.

I was once told to spend the entire first week of school doing nothing else by my admin! But when every other teacher at every other grade level is also doing getting-to-know-you activities, it’s hard to come up with something new. 

One day I asked a co-teacher for help, and she introduced me to the Life Map! It was perfect for quieter kids and could be rushed or stretched out as I needed. Here’s how to do the Life Map Activity yourself. 

Want to skip the prep work and make this a quick and easy activity? You can grab a no-prep Life Map Activity right here! Plus, it also comes with a second activity–making a Goal Map!

What is a Life Map?

A Life Map is what it sounds like: a map of a person’s life!

A Life Map will resemble a map of some kind. My template looks like a treasure map. If your students draw their own, it could look like a game board. 

The map should have a path drawn on it. Instead of the path going through locations, however, it goes through events in chronological order. 

These events are important events in a person’s life. When you have students create a Life Map, they’ll create a map of the important events in their lives that allowed them to reach the present day. 

Life Map Activity Step One: Decide How Detailed You Want The Product to Be

You can make Life Maps a long, creative activity that takes a whole class period. 

For this, you’ll want to give students big sheets of paper–larger than a standard letter but smaller than a poster board. You’ll also want to ensure students can access art supplies like markers, colored pencils, and rulers. 

Have students draw their own maps. They should include at least five events, but you could require more if you want the activity to take longer. 

Students should also illustrate each of their life events. These don’t have to be super detailed; students can draw a symbol or icon instead of a whole scene. But each event should be represented by some kind of image. 

If you don’t have time for this, want the Life Map to be a backup-only activity, or have a short class period that day, you can provide fill-in-the-blank maps for students instead.

For this option, I recommend grabbing my Life Map Activity here. It includes a printable template. Students just have to fill in the blanks with their important life events. You can have them add illustrations or not. 

Life Map Activity Step Two: Create Your Own Example

Once you know the scale of Life Map you want students to create, it’s time to create an exemplar. And there’s no better way to provide an example than by using your own life!

When you show students your Life Map, not only will they get a better understanding of what it is they’ll be trying to create, but they’ll get to know you better as well. We all know that earning trust is important for educating our students; consider this a tiny step in that direction.

Make sure your own Life Map fulfills the expectations you intend to set for your students. If you’re going to require seven life events, put seven events on your map. If you will require illustrations, include your own. 

Life Map Activity Step Three: Let Students Get to Work

After introducing the activity and showing off your example, let students get to work!

While students are working, be sure to walk around. The point of this activity is to get to know your students, so use the work time to do just that. 

Comment on their creativity. Ask questions about their illustrations. For students who are stuck or unwilling to share, offer less invasive ideas for events they can add to their maps–life the birth of a sibling, the first day of middle school, the day they discovered their favorite hobby, etc.

Life Map Activity Step Four: Have Students Share

You could have students go around the room and share their Life Maps with the class. It’s certainly an option. 

However, I think you’ll find that this option is very unappealing to most students. Introverts won’t want to speak to the whole class–especially on one of the first days of school when they may not know their peers very well yet. Those who are less artistic may not want to draw attention to their illustrations. 

Instead, try having students hang their Life Maps around the room. 

Then, give students time (set a visible timer for 5 or 10 minutes) to walk around the room and admire their classmates’ Life Maps. 

You could take it a step further by giving each student three Post-it notes. Each student should use the notes to leave an observation or compliment on three different Life Maps. 

Creating a gallery walk with students’ Life Maps is less scary, in my opinion, than presenting to the whole class. 

Conclusion

Life Maps are great activities for the first week of school. They can take less than fifteen minutes if you provide a template or fill a whole hour or more if you need them too. They allow students to get to know you and each other in a way that won’t spike their anxiety. 

If you’d like a Life Map (and Goal Map!) template, you can grab mine here!

The post How to Do a Life Map Activity appeared first on It's Lit Teaching.

Just need a few activities for the end of the year–not whole units? This post covers some great end-of-the-year activities for high school English classes.

Looking for more end-of-the-year tips? Check out this post for a list of things to do now to make back-to-school easier next year.

End-of-the-Year Units for High School English Idea #1: Novels to Explore Contemporary Issues

As we approach the end of the school year, it’s an opportune time to delve into novels that not only captivate our students’ imaginations but also prompt critical reflections on contemporary societal issues. Contemporary novels are great for the end of the year for two reasons.

First, they speak on recent issues. Because they’re immediately relevant for students, you won’t have to spend a ton of time and energy building up students’ background knowledge on historical context.

Second, generally, contemporary novels will be easier to read. Since you won’t be spending the majority of your time on comprehension, you can skip straight to juicy discussions and in-depth projects.

Here are three compelling novels that are perfect for sparking meaningful discussions in your high school English classroom:

1. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas:

Angie Thomas’ poignant exploration of race, identity, and activism in The Hate U Give provides an ideal platform for end-of-year discussions. As students navigate through the gripping narrative, they’ll engage with themes that resonate deeply with current social movements and foster empathy and understanding.

The Hate U Give, while long, is engaging and easy for students to understand. It will appeal to students’ sense of justice and will be a book they can’t help but talk about.

Check out this post to learn more about why I LOVE teaching this novel. You can also check out my done-for-you The Hate U Give Unit right here.

2. Internment by Samira Ahmed

My next suggestion is a little shorter but just as jam-packed.

In Internment, Samira Ahmed confronts readers with a chilling near-future scenario, where the repercussions of xenophobia and discrimination are laid bare. By delving into this dystopian tale, students are prompted to consider the fragility of civil liberties and the power of resistance, making it a timely choice for end-of-year study.

Internment is perfect for dystopia lovers in your class. It also allows for tons of historical and literary connections.

This post dives deeper into the perks of teaching Internment. You can save a ton of time with my no-prep Internment unit here.

3. Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

Lastly, Persepolis is the shortest novel on this list.

Marjane Satrapi’s graphic memoir, Persepolis, offers a unique perspective on the Iranian Revolution through the eyes of a young girl. This captivating coming-of-age story not only provides insight into a pivotal moment in history but also invites discussions on cultural identity, oppression, and resilience.

Graphic novels are fantastic for the end of the year. They’re easy to read, but Persepolis still offers rigor and lots of material to discuss. 

Learn more about how teaching Persepolis can be beneficial for your class, and snag a complete Perspolis unit right here.

End-of-the-Year Units for High School English Idea #2: Short Units for Quick Engagement

As the end of the year approaches, time becomes a precious commodity in the classroom. After all, there are assemblies, testing windows, and tons of distractions. Short, focused units offer an ideal way to engage students effectively while making the most of the remaining weeks. Here are some quick yet impactful unit ideas to consider:

1. Horror Short Story Unit

If you didn’t do any horror during October, the end of the year is the next best time.

Embrace the thrill of the unknown with a horror short story unit! This unit promises to keep students on the edge of their seats. If you want to skip the usual Edgar Allan Poe and Shirley Jackson, I have a few suggestions for stories and activities here. 

Students will sharpen their analytical skills while experiencing the spine-tingling excitement of the genre. Plus, horror short stories provide the perfect opportunity for lots of fun writing activities.

2. Flash Fiction Anthology

Short on time but eager to ignite students’ creativity? A flash fiction anthology provides the perfect solution. With its brevity and impact, flash fiction challenges students to distill their ideas into concise narratives while exploring a diverse range of voices and styles in modern literature.

3. Modern Poetry Showcase

Conclude the year on a poetic note by spotlighting the vibrant voices of contemporary poets. From Rupi Kaur’s raw emotion to Warsan Shire’s evocative imagery, students will explore the power of language and expression while honing their own poetic craft.

Let students choose their own poets to do a deep dive on and tie the whole unit together with an Author Study Project. It’s the perfect highly differentiated (low effort for you) project for the last few weeks of the year.

End-of-the-Year Units for High School English Idea #3: The Alchemist & The Personal Legend

Want to end your year with something less depressing than the usual literature? Want your students to spend May thinking beyond high school and planning for their future?

Then reading The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho might be perfect for you!

Firstly, The Alchemist is short and easy to read. It’s perfect for burnt-out students or seniors who don’t care now that tests are done and college letters are in.

Coelho’s story follows the tale of Santiago who pursues his dream–his Personal Legend–with determination. Unlike much of high school lit, it has a happy ending and inspires and empowers the reader.

While reading, you can have students identify their own Personal Legend and map out how to achieve it.

In my The Alchemist Unit, students first map out their Personal Legends on a legend map. While reading, students discuss some of the text’s big ideas including Personal Legends and personal development.

As the final assessment, I have students write an essay about their Personal Legend. This would be a perfect end-of-the-year project WITH OR WITHOUT actually reading The Alchemist.

By the end of the unit, students have applied Coelho’s lessons to their own lives and begun to come up with a plan for their lives after high school ends.

A Final Word On End-of-the-Year Units for High School English

As the school year draws to a close, these end-of-year units for high school English offer teachers a roadmap for engaging and inspiring their students in the final chapters of the academic journey. Whether exploring pressing social issues through compelling novels or embracing the concise artistry of short fiction, these units are sure to leave a lasting impact as students embark on their summer adventures.

The post The Best End-of-the-Year Units for High School English appeared first on It's Lit Teaching.

In this post, I will share first-year English teacher must-haves, so you can prepare (without wasting money or time on unnecessary materials!).

Not sure what else you need? Check out these preparations you need to make for any class you’re teaching for the first time.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links that earn me a small commission, at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products that I personally use and love, or think my readers will find useful.

Before You Buy A Single Supply

I’m going to present a list of materials and supplies that you’ll no doubt find incredibly helpful to have during your first year of teaching. 

But that doesn’t mean you should run out and buy them all!

You do not (and should not!) spend all of your own money on teaching supplies. In fact, I encourage you to spend as little as possible. Some purchases may be unavoidable, but spending hundreds of dollars your first year sets a bad precedent–and establishes bad habits. 

Instead, first, ask your school to provide the school supplies you need. Ask what they provide. Some schools provide a lot while others provide a little. You may have to fill out a request to get anything.

Some schools even have a fund for every teacher to use to get supplies–you’ll want to know about this before you go shopping with your own money!

You can even ask your new colleagues. Veteran teachers only have so much closet space. They probably have old classroom posters, books, furniture, or games that they’ve upgraded and now need to get rid of. 

Once you’ve exhausted your school’s resources, try social media. Lots of your friends will be happy to donate funds or supplies to a teacher just starting out. It might feel a little awkward, but remember–people are really giving to your students, not you. 

Lastly, where you can get thrifty. First, literally–check thrift stores for classroom books or decor. 

Then, watch for back-to-school sales, places with teacher discounts, and even yard sales. Remember to price compare with online sites like Amazon, and that buying some things in bulk can save you a ton over the years. 

As a first-year teacher, you’re making the least amount of money but have the most to acquire. If you can don’t have to spend your money, don’t!

First-Year English Teacher Must-haves #1: The Lit Teacher Series

Before you can begin worrying about the supplies you’ll need, it’s best to get a big picture of your curriculum, teaching practices, and daily procedures. 

That’s where The Lit Teacher Series comes in. 

It’s my completely FREE 7-day email series designed to help English teachers get ready for their first year. Each day, you’ll receive an email with advice, a freebie, and a small task to help you prep. Each day focuses on a different topic, like what to discuss with your mentor teacher and classroom management plan tips.

Going through the tasks presented in each email will give you a better idea of what you’ll need to tailor your classroom to your teaching style.

Get it here and get a jump start on everything you need in your first year!

First-Year English Teacher Must-haves #2: A Curriculum

You might be walking into a school district in which every day is already prescribed for you. Some districts have really strict curriculums–down to exactly what lesson you’ll need to teach each day. 

Other schools might have nothing to give you. In my first year, I was given absolutely no curriculum or syllabus–just told to figure it out and have fun. There wasn’t even a textbook or anthology.

Regardless of where you fall on the spectrum, lesson plans are probably stressing you out a bit.

You don’t need to have a whole year’s worth of curriculum mapped out, but knowing what texts you’ll be teaching or at least how you’re going to start the year can help. (Not sure where to start? No curriculum? Here are my recommendations for what to teach in September.)

If possible, ask about your curriculum. Find out what grades you’ll be teaching. If there’s an activity you know you want to do that requires specific supplies, add them to the list of supplies you’ll need. 

If you need your school to order books, get that request in ASAP! It takes forever for districts to approve the use of funds, even for books, and the sooner you get that order in the better. 

The first weeks of school are tough and stressful. Make sure you at least have everything you need for your first unit. Prioritize the beginning of the school year during your lesson planning. (And if you need back-to-school activities for your classroom, try these!)

(Teaching World Literature? Here are some tips for organizing your World Lit class.)

First-Year English Teacher Must-haves #3: Bulletin Board Supplies

Oddly, one of the most stressful preparations I had to make for my first year of teaching was figuring out how to decorate it. I had four blank walls and not a single poster to my name. 

Hitting a teacher store and spending a ton on posters and bulletin board borders sucked (not to mention the closest one was an hour’s drive away). There’s a better way.

If you can, get into your new classroom and measure your bulletin boards. That way, you won’t over-buy decorations.

Your school probably has those huge rolls of colored paper you can use for free, but I’m going to encourage you to skip the paper for your bulletin board. Instead, use fabric as bulletin board backing. 

This will cost a little extra upfront, but it will last all year. Never in my teaching career did I replace the backing of a bulletin board during the year because I always used fabric. 

Head to your local fabric store and check the scrap bins. You might luck out and find a scrap big enough for one or several of your bulletin boards. Otherwise, use coupons and sales to get fabric for cheap. 

You’ll also need bulletin board borders and probably some letters. Check the dollar store for cheaper options, but buying online can also be great. If your school has a Cricut or someone who cuts and laminates for you, you can also print letters at your school. 

Remember, this is your first classroom–but probably not your last. You might be asked to move classrooms at the end of the year. So don’t go buy a ton of large items that might not work in a different space!

And don’t get too attached to an idealized classroom setup. You might find that it doesn’t work for your students.

Don’t stress about what to put on your boards. You can always decorate them with student work!

First-Year English Teacher Must-haves #4: Essential Classroom Supplies

Here is a list of classroom essentials that you’ll want to make sure you have before the school year begins. I recommend hitting the Doller Tree and the Target dollar spot for finding some of these items on the cheap.

1. Post-its: trust me, you can never have enough
2. Pencils and Pens: even if your school provides some, you’ll be shocked by how quickly your students go through these; take whatever your school gives you and then buy more
3. Paper Clips: I don’t think I have to explain this one
4. Binder Clips: super helpful for keeping stacks of papers organized
5. Good pens in multiple colors: don’t let the students touch these and keep them for grading
6. Manila Folders: you’ll need these to stay organized; use them to keep papers in your filing cabinet or even as student folders in classroom bins
7. Organizational Supplies: At the least, I recommend having a “turn-it in” bin, a pencil holder, enough stackable trays so you have one for each class, and a drawer organizer for your desk drawer
8. An Electric Pencil Sharpener: if you have a mechanical pencil sharpener in your room, I promise your students won’t understand how to operate it, it will break, you will have pencil shavings everywhere, and lots of class time will be wasted sharpening pencils
9. Clipboard: make sure you have at least one for yourself (handy for taking attendance outside during fire drills), but work towards building a class set so your students can work outside on nice days or write while moving around the room
10. Chalk or Expo Markers and eraser: make sure you have what you need to use your chalkboard or whiteboard (if you have a chalkboard, I HIGHLY recommend chalk markers for anything you want to leave up for longer than a day)
11. Highlighters: you’ll need a few for you but if you can get enough for all of your students to use, this will open up some more activities for your students; this may be a supply your school will provide
12. Stapler and Staples: your school should provide you with one, but make sure you have at least one before school starts
13. Three-hole Punch: even if your students don’t keep binders, these come in handy from time to time; this is another supply your school should be able to give you

These basic supplies can become a major investment. Small items add up quickly! Again, don’t spend your own money unless you have to!

If you want to start building your classroom library, too, check out this post for tips on getting started frugally.

First-Year English Teacher Must-haves #5: Calendar or Lesson-planning Document

While I don’t believe that you need a minute-by-minute lesson plan for every day of the week, you’ll certainly need a space to plan your teaching calendar. 

It’s going to be very, very tempting to buy a cute and expensive teacher planner (I see you, Erin Condren!). But don’t. 

Your goal, after all, is to actually make money teaching during your first year. 

And pretty pages don’t make for better lessons. 

Instead, hit up Marshalls, TJ Maxx, or Target for a date book you like. Make sure it has lots of space to write notes for individual weekdays. 

Alternatively, you could keep your planning notes on a digital document. I used a Google Sheets spreadsheet made by a co-worker that I loved. There was a tab for each month. Each day consisted of three cells: one for the warm-up, one for the lesson, and one for the lesson closing.

A digital planner is much easier to use if you need to make a lot of changes. Plus, you can include links to lessons or videos you’ll need that day. 

You’ll find a free, basic monthly planning page as part of The Lit Teacher Series when you sign up, too. 

Conclusion

It’s tempting to rack up a ton of credit card debt prepping for your first year. But try to restrain yourself. Shake down your new school, and ask new colleagues for any supplies they’d like to get rid of. 

Focus on acquiring the basics and don’t worry about making everything “cute” right away. You can slowly upgrade supplies as you work your way through your career. Better to make an Amazon order a few weeks into the school year than to buy too much and struggle to pay your bills. 

Need more first-year teacher tips? Check out this post!

The post 5 English Teacher Must-Haves For the First Year appeared first on It's Lit Teaching.

(Looking for more ideas to start your school year off strong? Check out my five engaging back-to-school activities!)

You can also skip the prep work and just grab my Back-to-School Stations for ELA here!

Why Back-to-School Stations?

Historically, the first couple of days of school have been spent reading the syllabus, going over class rules, and maybe learning about the teacher. 

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with this! These things need to be done.

But when your high school students have eight classes just like this, your presentation isn’t going to stand out. In fact, your students still won’t name your name after you spend an exhausting hour talking nervously to a bunch of teens you just met. 

Stations, however, are way more engaging than a sit-and-get. They set the stage for the rest of your class by telling students, “Hey, here you’re going to move, work, and have fun!”

The movement around the room will also help wake up those sleepy teens and introduce them to their new learning environment.

Lastly, stations are less energy for you. 

They DO require more prep than the standard syllabus-reading day. However, during your actual instruction time, you’ll be facilitating rather than speaking the whole time. 

This gives you time to wander, actually converse with your new students, and takes you off center stage. Personally, as a teacher with social anxiety, this made those nerve-wracking first couple of days of school much easier for me. 

How Many Stations Do You Need?

This will largely depend on how long your classes are. 

For shorter classes (forty-five minutes or so), three stations with simple tasks and easy directions will probably be enough. 

For longer classes (ninety minutes), you could do six short stations or fewer stations with longer tasks. 

However, if you really want students to do six stations but you have short classes, you could extend your back-to-school stations to two days too. 

The more stations, the more prep work you’ll need to do. However, once you create the materials for your stations, these can usually be reused over and over. 

Back-to-School Stations Ideas

So what kind of stations can you set up in your room? I encourage you to think about the work students will be doing throughout your class and try to have your stations reflect those activities. 

You will want at least one station where students can get to know you and another station where you can get to know them and they can get to know each other.

In my Back-to-School Stations Resource, I have students read a letter from me and write a response at one station. This is great for two reasons: they learn about me AND I get a writing sample from them.

At a different station in my Back-to-School Stations Resource, students fill out an “All About Me” worksheet and hang it up in the room. Then, they can check out their classmates’ as they move around from station to station and learn about each other. 

We were a one-to-one school, so I used another station to force students to find their device and use it to complete a reading survey. This gave me information about their reading habits while setting up technology for the rest of the class.

If you provide any kind of organizational system for students in your class, consider using a station to introduce students to it. One station in my Back-to-School Stations Resource has students labeling and decorating the folders they’ll keep in the classroom. 

You’ll probably want students to create goals early on. Why not use a station to do it?

If you have a classroom library, put it to work! In my Back-to-School Stations Resource, students start a To Be Read sheet. This forces them to–gasp!–actually start touching books and thinking about what they’ll want to read.

More Ideas

When coming up with your stations, prioritize the routines you’ll be using year-round and the systems you want to set up early.

Here are some other station ideas to consider:

• Create a “word of the year”
• Create a vision board for the year
• Write a letter to your future self
• Create a reading/studying/homework calendar
• Annotate/read a syllabus
• A quiz about the teacher
• Watch book trailers
• Student survey
• Create a name plate/tag
• Create a bookmark

Back-to-School Stations Prep Work

Once you know how many stations you’ll be using and what tasks you want students to accomplish, it’s time to start the prep work!

First, you’ll want student-friendly directions at each station. 

Depending on what you want students to do, you might also need to create some supplemental resources for each station. For example, if you want students to read a letter from you, you’ll first have to write that letter. 

Hot tip! Leave multiple copies of the directions and your supplemental resources at each station. Then, also have a few backup copies hidden on your desk. I don’t know how, but students will make these disappear during their rotations somehow. 

I finally started putting my station directions in some dollar store picture frames to make sure they were easy to find and didn’t end up in student folders. 

Lastly, you’ll need to make sure you have enough materials for each station. Maybe you need highlighters at one station. Or perhaps your providing folders to decorate at another station. 

Make a list of everything you need to prep, gather, or buy. Then create and get those materials!

How to Run Your Back-to-School Stations

On my first day of class, I liked to have students do a classroom scavenger hunt. Then, we did back-to-school stations on the second day. 

If all of your stations will take approximately the same amount of time, you can run your stations in very structured rotations. 

Have students each sit at a station or count them off and assign them to a specific station. Then, put a timer on the board. At the end of the time, students will all get up and rotate to the next station. 

This is orderly and will probably lead to less goofing off and more productivity. However, if you have some short tasks and some long tasks, students might not be able to always complete their station. 

You can also let students self-pace through the stations–as long as they complete them all. If you choose this route, you may also want to provide students with a checklist of the stations. That way, they know exactly what they’ve completed, what they haven’t, and what the expectations are. 

During the actual day, you can choose to wander around the class checking in or posting up at a particular station. 

I always liked to hang out by the classroom library station making reading suggestions for students. However, if a student needed help elsewhere, I was still free to float and assist. 

Conclusion

One beautiful thing about back-to-school stations is that you can customize them to suit your class. 

If, however, they sound like a ton of prep work, then I suggest checking out my done-for-you Back-to-School Stations. All of the directions are editable, so you can still customize tasks for your classroom.

But you’ll also get templates and worksheets to cut the prep work down significantly. Learn more and grab the stations here!

The post How to Run Back-to-School Stations for High School English appeared first on It's Lit Teaching.