One Teacher's Adventures

My Grade 8's are in the middle of a science unit on light and optics.  Last week, we were looking at the properties of shadows and why they are created.  It was a beautiful day, so I decided to bring my class outside to trace some shadows that they could find. I then challenged them to find an image in the shadow and fill in the details with lines and colour to create shadow art. The students saw animals, plants, objects, space, and underwater scenes.  I love the way they turned out and I really love that this was a simple activity that the kids enjoyed.  Plus, it can be done with any grade and with students at any level.  Here are some of their creations. Looking for more great tips and ideas for middle school? Subscribe to my email list and receive an exclusive FREE sub plans resource. It includes plans for math, ELA, science, social studies, and Core French. Click  here  to subscribe.

  I've used this format to teach independent novels to students in grades 5-9.  Because it is so open-ended, it allows for easy differentiation of kids in the same grade, or for kids in split classes. I like this project a lot because it is very student-centred, and once I hand out the project outline, the students can work at their own pace.  Because there is so much choice involved, the quality of work is usually very high, as well. I have borrowed pieces of this from other bloggers and teacher friends.  I've also been adding to it/changing things around for a few years, and I have forgotten which pieces came from whom.  If you see one of your ideas, please know that I love it (which is why it's still in my project), and let me know in the comments so that I can credit you! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Choice Novel Project Over the next four weeks, you will complete a choice novel study p...

When I was in University, my reading professor gave us the idea of a one-page basic book report for young readers.  She called it the Bare Bones Book Report.  Basically, she folded a piece of paper into quarters and had us fill in each quarter with a different aspect of the book (character, plot, setting, and conflict).  She only wanted the bare bones of the book. I've used versions of this idea for so many assignments, with elementary, middle, and high school students.  Last year, I used it as a note-taking strategy in Grade 8 Social Studies.  As my students watched a film about the crisis in the Middle East, they took notes in the four section of the paper with these headings: Important People, Important Places, Vocabulary to Know, Questions I Have.  With a Grade 4/5 class, I used it when I was teaching connections in reading.  My students made notes about the connections they made in their free choice books. The ...