Today's zinger: It's Sunday, so today's zinger isn't from a student. My parents are in town this weekend, and on the way to church this morning, my mom turned to my dad and said, "We need to get one of those Joe Frazier Grills." I laughed so hard my husband had to grab the steering wheel.
Today's tip: Go to used book sales just an hour or two before they close up. At a local church fundraiser yesterday, I got novels for my classroom for $10 a bag.
Today's resource: xtranormal.com
This site is a fun way reinforce content and have students practice manipulating new vocabulary. Students create a mini cartoon movie with whatever content they want. When students are finished, they post their links on a class Goodledoc, and we watch each others' films.
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Chicken Feet
Today's zinger: I overheard two of my girls talking today about the "chicken feet" in their essays. When I asked what they were talking about, they both threw up their hands and showed me air quotes.
Chicken feet=quotation marks!
Today's tip: Try blogging as a way to force proofreading. Grade these "journal" entries purely on mechanical correctness. When students realize that their entries are live online for all the world to see, they are much more careful.
Today's resource: WallWisher.com is great way get input from students anonymously. They can discuss literature, manipulate vocabulary, throw out theories they would never risk sharing. It's free, and kids enjoy it.
Chicken feet=quotation marks!
Today's tip: Try blogging as a way to force proofreading. Grade these "journal" entries purely on mechanical correctness. When students realize that their entries are live online for all the world to see, they are much more careful.
Today's resource: WallWisher.com is great way get input from students anonymously. They can discuss literature, manipulate vocabulary, throw out theories they would never risk sharing. It's free, and kids enjoy it.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Point Blank Range
Today's zinger: A history teacher contributed today's post when he noticed that, on the essay portion of a test, many of his students referred to the location of an assassination as Point Blank Range. Give it a minute; it'll soak in.
Today's tip: As your school begins to plan summer reading assignments, consider using an asset model rather than a deficit model. The students who do the reading start the year with a good grade on a reading test or some other type of assessment; the students who don't do the reading miss out on that reward. Students who hate reading are probably not motivated by the fear of failing a test.
Today's resource: As we prepare for the AP English exam, consider using the syntax test for review:
AP English Syntax Test
Today's tip: As your school begins to plan summer reading assignments, consider using an asset model rather than a deficit model. The students who do the reading start the year with a good grade on a reading test or some other type of assessment; the students who don't do the reading miss out on that reward. Students who hate reading are probably not motivated by the fear of failing a test.
Today's resource: As we prepare for the AP English exam, consider using the syntax test for review:
AP English Syntax Test
Friday, April 20, 2012
A Texting Breakthrough
Today's zinger: (Teachers, get ready to be jealous. I'm just sayin.) This morning, one of my AP English students moped into my room and flopped down on what has been dubbed the counseling chair.
"My friends are irritated with me," she sighed. "When I text these days, I write whole paragraphs and complete words. I even proofread. It takes me forever to write a text! Thanks a lot."
Today's tip: Use found poetry as an assessment tool. To check students' connection with the theme of a chapter or novel, have them gather words, phrases, and sentences that catch their attention and have an emotional impact on the reader. Students then use their choices to create a poem whose theme is the same as the passage.
Today's resource:
I have a few freebies posted on my TpT site right now.
Freebies
"My friends are irritated with me," she sighed. "When I text these days, I write whole paragraphs and complete words. I even proofread. It takes me forever to write a text! Thanks a lot."
Today's tip: Use found poetry as an assessment tool. To check students' connection with the theme of a chapter or novel, have them gather words, phrases, and sentences that catch their attention and have an emotional impact on the reader. Students then use their choices to create a poem whose theme is the same as the passage.
Today's resource:
I have a few freebies posted on my TpT site right now.
Freebies
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Race on Shuffle
Today's zinger: (I collected five today, but I'm going to ration them.) My sophomores started reading Elie Wiesel's Night today. During an energetic, synapse-popping debate about whether Judaism is an ethnicity, religion, race, or nationality; we started talking about the "racial" mixture we have in our class. One student, when asked about his background, said, "I'm black, white, Hispanic, even got a bit o' Native American in there. My heritage is just on shuffle."
Today's teaching tip: To prevent being asked five times a minute if you have a pencil, band aid, White-Out, stapler, or safety pin, simply hang a clear plastic shoe caddy over your door. Each pocket holds one category of frequently borrowed supplies. Develop a routine for when students can get up to get what they need, and the questions end.
Today's helpful item: This AP style analysis visual is a great place to start reviewing for the May 14 exam:
Style Analysis Tool Box
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Today's teaching tip: To prevent being asked five times a minute if you have a pencil, band aid, White-Out, stapler, or safety pin, simply hang a clear plastic shoe caddy over your door. Each pocket holds one category of frequently borrowed supplies. Develop a routine for when students can get up to get what they need, and the questions end.
Today's helpful item: This AP style analysis visual is a great place to start reviewing for the May 14 exam:
Style Analysis Tool Box
View my profile on
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Legos, Eggos, and Portals
Today's zinger: My AP Lang. students were reviewing argumentation today, and when I asked what the three persuasive appeals are, one student shouted confidently, "Eggos! Legos! and Portals!" If you're an AP nerd and think this one is as funny as I think it is, please comment below.
Today's tip: Don't go to Costco hungry. Really. Don't do it. I know this has nothing to do with teaching, but I just unloaded the back of my pickup, and this advice is on my mind.
Check it out: Here's a simple scavenger hunt for reviewing syntax.
Syntax Scavenger Hunt
Holla! It's only a dolla!
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Today's tip: Don't go to Costco hungry. Really. Don't do it. I know this has nothing to do with teaching, but I just unloaded the back of my pickup, and this advice is on my mind.
Check it out: Here's a simple scavenger hunt for reviewing syntax.
Syntax Scavenger Hunt
Holla! It's only a dolla!
View my profile on
Monday, April 16, 2012
Something Terrible
Today's zinger: One of my sophomores walked into my classroom this morning shaking his head. "Mrs. Kratzer," he said, "you have done something terrible to me. I LIKE reading."
Today's tip: To save time pairing students, assign each person a "side partner" and a "row partner". When you want a quick get-together for collaboration, a simple "Turn to your row partner" gets the job done.
Freebie! Here's a handy persuasive speech rubric.
Persuasive Speech Matrix Rubric
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Today's tip: To save time pairing students, assign each person a "side partner" and a "row partner". When you want a quick get-together for collaboration, a simple "Turn to your row partner" gets the job done.
Freebie! Here's a handy persuasive speech rubric.
Persuasive Speech Matrix Rubric
View my profile on
Friday, April 13, 2012
My skirt will go with anything
Today's zinger: Just like my best friend, my skirt will go with anything.
I wish I could claim this gem as one of my own, but I can't. I saw this one in a list of sentences from a North Carolina standardized writing test.)
Today's teaching tip: On short one-passage AP multiple choice practice, humble yourself by taking one "cold" while the students are taking it. You'll get a good feel for the stress they're feeling, especially since you know you'll be judged. It is likely that you will miss a couple, and the rapport points you'll score will be immeasurable. Debate the answers with the students before looking at the key!
The AP English Language and Composition Exam is May 16, and I have highlighted some review materials on TpT.
AP Exam Review
I wish I could claim this gem as one of my own, but I can't. I saw this one in a list of sentences from a North Carolina standardized writing test.)
Today's teaching tip: On short one-passage AP multiple choice practice, humble yourself by taking one "cold" while the students are taking it. You'll get a good feel for the stress they're feeling, especially since you know you'll be judged. It is likely that you will miss a couple, and the rapport points you'll score will be immeasurable. Debate the answers with the students before looking at the key!
The AP English Language and Composition Exam is May 16, and I have highlighted some review materials on TpT.
AP Exam Review
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
I freakin' learn, yo.
Today's zinger (Compliments don't get much better than this one): "Mrs. Kratzer, you can TEACH. I freakin' learn, yo!"
When I have writing instruction in my lesson plans, I wake up before my alarm and beat the custodian to school. More than literature, speaking, or any other strand of ELA, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to teach students how to write. A bonus is my passion for teaching teachers about writing instruction. There's nothing like seeing one of my peers light up in one of those Aha! moments. Here's my teacher tip for the day: When teaching students to support and elaborate, have them color code their work. Blue is for concrete details, factual information that can be documented or found in the text. Red is for topic sentences and elaboration. The job of elaboration is to connect the blue concrete detail to the debatable idea in the topic sentence. I'll dig out a color coding lesson plan and get that posted soon.
Here's a lesson plan on teaching tone, and I've used this lesson with every level of high school student:
Introduction to Tone
Here's a great PowerPoint for visualizing tone:
Using Images to Introduce Tone
When I have writing instruction in my lesson plans, I wake up before my alarm and beat the custodian to school. More than literature, speaking, or any other strand of ELA, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to teach students how to write. A bonus is my passion for teaching teachers about writing instruction. There's nothing like seeing one of my peers light up in one of those Aha! moments. Here's my teacher tip for the day: When teaching students to support and elaborate, have them color code their work. Blue is for concrete details, factual information that can be documented or found in the text. Red is for topic sentences and elaboration. The job of elaboration is to connect the blue concrete detail to the debatable idea in the topic sentence. I'll dig out a color coding lesson plan and get that posted soon.
Here's a lesson plan on teaching tone, and I've used this lesson with every level of high school student:
Introduction to Tone
Here's a great PowerPoint for visualizing tone:
Using Images to Introduce Tone
Monday, April 9, 2012
MacBETH
Today's student zinger: "What?! Macbeth is a DUDE!?"
My English 12 students were about halfway through Act I when a student asked this question. For followers who keep up with the zingers, this young lady is the same one who produced "Tequila Mockingbird."
I decided to change format a bit today and start adding a teaching tip on each blog. Here's today's tip: Buy a cheap "clapper" or some sort of irritating noise maker at a dollar store and use it to herd the cats during loud exercises. When I need my students' attention, instead of yelling over them, I use the clapper. We rehearse on the first day of school so that they have an automatic silent response to the sound. Works like a charm!
I've been working on a visual review for the AP English Language exam. Here's the link:
AP Style Review Tool Box
My English 12 students were about halfway through Act I when a student asked this question. For followers who keep up with the zingers, this young lady is the same one who produced "Tequila Mockingbird."
I decided to change format a bit today and start adding a teaching tip on each blog. Here's today's tip: Buy a cheap "clapper" or some sort of irritating noise maker at a dollar store and use it to herd the cats during loud exercises. When I need my students' attention, instead of yelling over them, I use the clapper. We rehearse on the first day of school so that they have an automatic silent response to the sound. Works like a charm!
I've been working on a visual review for the AP English Language exam. Here's the link:
AP Style Review Tool Box
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
King Kong
Today's student zinger: "I stick out like King Kong at a convention for dwarves."
I've been working lately on funky sentence structure with my high school English students. Here's a fun "station" to use in a sentence structure rotation:
Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers
I've been working lately on funky sentence structure with my high school English students. Here's a fun "station" to use in a sentence structure rotation:
Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Bottled Water
Student: "What do you mean you didn't have bottled water when you were a kid? What did you drink water out of?"
Me: "A glass."
Before I deal with the concepts in a novel, I often have students read the entire book and take a "Did you read it?" test that simply provides accountability. Two of my "DYRI?" tests are available on Teacherspayteachers this week. Click on the links below if you're interested.
The Things They Carried
The Bluest Eye
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Me: "A glass."
Before I deal with the concepts in a novel, I often have students read the entire book and take a "Did you read it?" test that simply provides accountability. Two of my "DYRI?" tests are available on Teacherspayteachers this week. Click on the links below if you're interested.
The Things They Carried
The Bluest Eye
; ?>
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