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Engaging Earth Day Literacy Activities for Grades 4–9
Elevate your classroom discussions with these Earth Day literacy activities for grades 4–9. From analyzing the history of the environmental movement to mastering evidence-based persuasive writing, discover how to use scaffolded lessons to build critical thinking and empower student voice.
Anne Markey
2 days ago4 min read


Earth Day Activities That Extend Learning Beyond April 22
Discover engaging Earth Day activities that keep students inspired long after April 22. Learn how to use environmental literacy, persuasive writing, and creative projects to empower student voice and build sustainable habits that last all school year.
Anne Markey
Mar 244 min read


Earth Day Lessons That Build Reading, Writing, and Critical Thinking
Earth Day presents a powerful opportunity to help students explore real-world issues while strengthening essential literacy skills. Instead of relying on simple crafts or worksheets, teachers can use Earth Day lessons that engage students with reading, writing, and critical thinking skills that matter long after April 22nd. When students connect environmental topics with deep thinking and purposeful reading and writing, learning becomes memorable and meaningful. Curriculu
Anne Markey
Mar 103 min read


3 Reasons Your Students Miss the Meaning (and How to Fix It)
Discover 3 Reasons Your Students Miss the Meaning and how to fix it with a structured Weekly Reading to Writing Cycle. Enhance comprehension now!
Anne Markey
Feb 175 min read


Black History Month Writing Projects That Celebrate Canadian Voices
Explore Black History Month writing projects that celebrate Canadian voices. Engage students in meaningful learning and reflection with these projects.
Anne Markey
Jan 274 min read


What Is Making an Inference and Why It Matters in Reading Comprehension
Making an inference is one of the most important reading comprehension skills teachers can help students develop. It allows students to read between the lines, using clues from the text combined with their prior knowledge to draw logical conclusions. Unlike directly stated facts, inferences require critical thinking, making this skill essential for understanding stories, informational texts, and test passages. In this post, I’ll explain what it means to make an inference,
Anne Markey
Dec 30, 20253 min read


From Fragment to Fluency: Simple Sentence Expansion Strategies
Middle-grade writers often struggle with sentence fragments, short choppy sentences, or run-ons. Even students who understand grammar in theory may produce writing that feels disjointed, simplistic, or hard to read. This is especially true for EAL learners, who are simultaneously building language skills while learning how to write fluent, coherent sentences. The good news? Sentence combining and daily micro-writing tasks can transform even hesitant writers into confident, f
Anne Markey
Dec 23, 20254 min read


How to use spiral review in reading Lessons
If you’ve ever taught a reading comprehension skill in September only to have students forget it by October, you’re not alone. As teachers, especially those working with English language learners, we know that mastery doesn’t come from a single lesson. It grows through consistent, repeated exposure. That’s where spiral review becomes a game-changer. Today, I’m breaking down why spiral review works best for reading comprehension and exactly how to use spiral review in readin
Anne Markey
Dec 16, 20255 min read


How to create a weekly reading to writing cycle & Beat the Post-Holiday Slump
The winter months are tough, aren't they? Post-holiday fatigue sets in, the days are short, and student engagement can feel like trying to pull a wool sweater over a grumpy cat. As ELA and EAL teachers, we face a big challenge: how do we keep the academic rigor high—pushing for deep comprehension and evidence-based writing—when student energy is running on fumes? The answer isn’t more flashy activities; it’s creating a weekly reading to writing cycle . Unstructured ELA tim
Anne Markey
Dec 2, 20254 min read
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