Have students create content with a poem about their favorite place Many of my students are reading poetry. On Instagram. Okay, okay… I know. But whether or not you take verse found on Instagram seriously, poetry is experiencing a resurgence in popularity… thanks to social media, where many poets, including Rupi Kaur and others, gainContinue reading “The Favorite Place Poem”
Author Archives: Marilyn Yung
Call for submissions: Frederick Douglass wants your students’ essays
Give students a real-world audience This morning, I learned about an organization taking essay submissions from students around the world for possible online publication. The organization is called Frederick Douglass Family Initiatives. Founded in 2007 and based in Rochester, NY, FDFI is dedicated to the legacy of the abolitionist Frederick Douglass and the vision ofContinue reading “Call for submissions: Frederick Douglass wants your students’ essays”
Poetry Activity: The Cold Within
James Patrick Kinney’s poem meets Frost’s “Mending Wall” Looking for a poem to generate a rich and engaging discussion with your students? I recently came across a post in one of the Facebook Groups I belong to. As I scanned the comments on a particular post, I learned about a poem called “The Cold Within”Continue reading “Poetry Activity: The Cold Within”
Reading The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison… again
Reading it once is not enough. When author Toni Morrison died last August, I assigned an article about her life and career for our first weekly Article of the Week assignment of the year. I also read the first chapter of her first novel, The Bluest Eye, plus parts of the foreword to expose studentsContinue reading “Reading The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison… again”
New writing contest: Book blurbs!
Whether you’re distance learning or at school, start fall with this new contest With talk of a second corona virus wave coming late summer, knowing what “school” will look like in August or September is impossible right now. However, one thing I know for sure: on the first day of school, my creative writing classContinue reading “New writing contest: Book blurbs!”
The Ten Percent Summary
Jazz up the typical summary assignment Ever get tired of having kids write summaries? If you’re like me, it’s easy to become tired of summary writing. However, I also know it’s a skill that students need to practice from time to time. Summary writing helps students comprehend a text, prioritize its ideas, and convey theContinue reading “The Ten Percent Summary”
Headline poetry: capture 2020 with found words
2020 Tattle-Tale Truths Where have you been lately? Home cookies story hour A briefly noted breakthrough What are your symptoms? Untrue advice: A subtle silence A war of persuasion What tests should you expect? Action equities fire Next-level knowledge The might-have-been modern world A week ago, I started collecting about 100 words to make aContinue reading “Headline poetry: capture 2020 with found words”
Frederick Douglass Unit Plan, Resources, and Handouts
10 reasons to teach Douglass plus the unit plan As I promised last week in my post about Frederick Douglass graphic essays, I’m providing a link below so you can purchase a PDF of my unit of instruction for The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. Although this unit was designed for regular, in-personContinue reading “Frederick Douglass Unit Plan, Resources, and Handouts”
Headline poetry: At a loss for words? Let the words find you
Ever feel that words don’t exist to describe summer 2020? Ever feel as if words simply don’t exist to describe the summer of 2020? Here’s an idea: search through magazines, newspapers, mail, anything, and… let the words find you. I started this headline poem last night. I’m on step 1… searching and clipping. I haveContinue reading “Headline poetry: At a loss for words? Let the words find you”
When class discussions get controversial (and unfair)
I need this plan for better discussions in my classroom Because I am a writer first, and a speaker second, teaching via whole-class discussions does not come easily to me. When those class discussions involve racially-charged, controversial topics, it’s even more difficult. This difficulty can be blamed on two things: I teach at a nearlyContinue reading “When class discussions get controversial (and unfair)”