Author Archives: Marilyn Yung

Back to School Poetry: The Sometimes Poem from YA Author Kate Messner

Young adult author Kate Messner inspired one of my favorite back-to-school poetry projects for middle schoolers! I’ve updated my post about this activity for the 2021-2022 school term with updated links and a free PDF presentation to download. I hope you try this project. It’s a keeper! Click below to read the post:

Candy Memoirs: A Sweet Assignment for 6th and 7th

Hey there! I’ve updated this post about candy memoirs… one of my favorite memoir projects for middle schoolers. I’ve also added a free PDF with three student-written mentor candy memoirs! Please let me know what you think by leaving a comment or sending me a message via my Contact page.

Movie Captions and Text Create Unique Poems

When text passages from a novel mingle with captions or subtitles from its accompanying movie, interesting things happen. Here’s what I mean: I always watch movies with the subtitles on. It helps me catch every word of dialogue and also catch every nuance given through the sound effects.

A New Text Pairing for The Great Gatsby

Leslie Odom, Jr., self-improvement, and the American Dream Need an informational text to pair with F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby? A text that offers real-life tips your students can apply to their lives? Earlier this month, I discovered a non-fiction book that adds contemporary relevance to Jay Gatsby’s Jazz Age motivations while also servingContinue reading “A New Text Pairing for The Great Gatsby”

Teaching 9/11 Twenty Years Later

If you’re needing a round-up of resources for teaching 9/11, you’re in a good place. In this post, I’ve compiled links to all my 9/11-related articles. Hopefully, one of these will give you some ideas as you make plans to remember 9/11 in your classroom this year.

“A Sea of Troubles” Offers Text Pairings for Greater Relevance

A Sea of Troubles performs the task touted on the cover: it pairs texts for greater relevancy in contemporary times. However, its untouted task, fostering and teaching civility, is the cherry on top.

Create context for Gatsby with “Cosmopolis” documentary

Before you even mention to your students that they’ll be reading The Great Gatsby in your classes, know that they will have probably at least heard of it. But that’s about all. Use this @RicBurnsFilms video and viewing guide to build context.