“…We’ll take a cup of kindness yet / for auld lang syne.”  ― Robert Burns

Wow, 2024.  Another calendar year down and half a school year to go!  Those two weeks of Christmas break go by so quickly and they can sometimes be so hustle and bustle that there isn’t much time to recover from the first semester to prepare for the second one.  Everything just keeps marching forward.

Third quarter, for many (and definitely for me), is generally the longest.  In my district, it’s a time of heavy test prep and very few days off.  We plough through it, and I tick the days off my summer countdown to give everyone a little light at the end of the long testing tunnel. 

I have found that during this time, it’s important to have some engaging units, lessons and standards and skills practice up your sleeve to get everyone through and prepared.  Here are a few resources that are not only great for a for a variety of classroom needs, but are great to help students build the skills they need for the, rapidly approaching, testing season.

Standards and Skills: Juxtaposition; Mood and Tone; Main Idea and Details; Theme

These are a handful of literary devices that students notoriously get mixed up and/or struggle with.  Juxtaposition is my most popular lesson, but my lesson for theme uses my favorite animated short:  “The Short Story of a Fox and a Mouse.”  It’s a beautifully animated short.  I have linked it here if you’re interested in giving it watch!  

Short-Story Unit:  “Flowers for Algernon”

A sweet, if rather depressing short-story unit that gives students practice with characterization, inference, vocabulary and includes some fun mid-unit activities, like making a Rorschach, to help break things up a bit!

Poetry Unit:  “The Highwayman”

This is not one of the more commonly taught poems, but it’s such a good one!  This unit includes an original article to build background knowledge on historical highwaymen, as well as some musical interpretations of the poem for students to practice their comparison and contrasting skills.

And, if you’re looking for a free and fast reflection handout I have one available in my Free Little Resource Library!  

Happy New Year and Happy Teaching!

M.D. Saints
Reading the Rapids
Liberty Dog Writing Co.

I’m certainly glad there are some little creatures that were able to get in some good relaxation time!