The Sparkly Notebook

Mastering the ELA Standards in Middle School

ELA Teacher

Interventions Made Easy with the Standards-Based Product Line

Middle School ELA Interventions Made Easy with the Standards-Based Product Line from The Sparkly Notebook

As a teacher, one of the most challenging things to manage is the variety of needs in your classroom.

Some students are sprinting ahead, some are stumbling over simple concepts, and others seem to grasp most things but still have moments when they need extra support.

How’s a teacher supposed to keep up?

Providing interventions for students can be time-consuming and overwhelming, so we’ve created a Standards-Based Product Line specifically for Middle School ELA teachers. These tools help you teach more efficiently while ensuring your resources are aligned with what students need to learn.

6th Grade ELA Bundle
Full 7th Grade Bundle (ELA Standards)
7th Grade ELA Bundle
8th Grade Standards-based Learning Language Bundle
8th Grade ELA Bundle

Today, let’s talk about how you can make interventions easy with our standards-based resources.

1 | Figure Out What They’re Missing

The first step in any intervention is knowing exactly where students need help. That’s where the standards checklists included in the Standards-Based Product Line come in handy.

These checklists make it simple to track which skills your students are mastering and which ones need more work. For example, if a student struggles with understanding figurative language, the checklist will highlight it, so you know exactly where to focus.

2 | Grab the Right Tools for the Job

Each standard in the product line has its own dedicated unit, making it easy to pull out activities and tasks based on your students’ needs and what the checklist shows.

The resources in the Standards-Based Product Line are packed with everything you need:

  • Worksheets and handouts to give students extra practice.
  • Projects that make learning hands-on and fun.
  • Assessments to check if they’ve mastered the skill.
  • Posters and visuals to reinforce the concept.

For example, if a group of students needs extra practice summarizing text, you can assign activities from the summarizing unit while the rest of the class moves forward.

3 | Check Progress and Keep Moving Forward

Once students finish their intervention work, use the included assessments to measure their progress. If they’ve mastered the skill—awesome! Celebrate their success and move on to the next thing. If they’re still struggling, no worries. You can adjust their plan, assign more practice, or revisit the concept with them in a small group.

Start Making Interventions Easy!

With The Sparkly Notebook’s Standards-Based Product Line, interventions become simple and effective. You can identify learning gaps, grab the right resources, and watch your students grow—one standard at a time.

Not sure where to start?

We have written blog posts about each of the resources available in this product line. Click on the standard you want to look at further below to see how the resource breaks down the standard.

Writing Standards: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Language Standards: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Speaking & Listening Standards: 1-3, 4-5

Reading Literature Standards: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Reading Information Standards 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Advice for Working with Gifted Learners in Middle School ELA

Today, we’re giving some advice for working with gifted learners in middle school ELA. These ideas are ones that we particularly resonate with.

Teaching middle school English Language Arts (ELA) can be an exciting yet tricky experience, especially when it comes to connecting with gifted learners. 

With so many strategies for differentiation floating around, it can be hard to figure out what really works in your unique classroom. 

In last week’s post, we gave three tips for adjusting plans/resources for gifted learners. Click HERE or on the image below to learn more!

3 tips for teaching gifted students in middle school ELA

Today, let’s dive into six practical tips specifically designed for middle school ELA teachers looking to engage and support gifted students.

6 Tips for Working with Gifted Learners in Middle School ELA

1. Challenge Them to Enter Competitions

Gifted learners love a challenge, and sometimes they benefit from getting feedback and encouragement from sources other than their teachers. Encourage them to join writing competitions, poetry slams, debates, or literary contests. These experiences not only allow students to show off their talents but also help them sharpen their skills under pressure.

Competitions can create a sense of community and camaraderie as students share their experiences and celebrate each other’s wins. Plus, the thrill of competition can really motivate them to push their writing to the next level. And don’t forget—participating in debates or group contests helps them grow as speakers and introduces the challenge of collaboration.

2. Remind Them That Less Is More

In middle school writing, it’s easy for gifted learners to get carried away with flowery language and long explanations. Encourage them to focus on clarity and conciseness. Remind them that effective communication often means being straightforward and choosing their words wisely.

Try limiting their word count. Instead of saying an essay should be over 750 words, challenge them to make the same point in fewer than 500 words. This forces them to hone in on what’s truly important in their writing.

Once they’ve finished their essays, emphasize the importance of giving and receiving feedback in a friendly way. Peer reviews can be a great tool, allowing students to offer constructive feedback on each other’s work. This not only sharpens their writing skills but also helps them appreciate different perspectives.

3. Create a Book Club Based on Their Interests

Gifted learners often have specific interests when it comes to literature. Starting a student-led book club can be a fantastic way for them to explore genres and themes that excite them while also sharing their interests with classmates.

This approach fosters a love for reading and allows for deep discussions. Give them some choice in reading materials and encourage creative presentations of their thoughts, whether through discussions, projects, or presentations.

Set aside specific time in class for the book club to meet weekly, letting students take turns choosing what to read next. Join in on these discussions and look for opportunities to challenge their thinking or introduce relevant projects as needed.

If you don’t have time to do a full book club, consider picking some of these high-interest paired passages for them to read and discuss as a group!

8th-9th Grade Paired Passage Bundle

4. Don’t Turn Them into Teachers

It might be tempting to have gifted students help tutor their peers, but this can sometimes lead to frustration and disengagement. Instead, focus on giving them opportunities for exploration and leadership without the pressure of teaching others.

Let gifted students lead group discussions or facilitate projects. This way, they can take on a mentor-like role without the expectation of being a formal instructor. This balance can help them develop leadership skills while keeping their passion for learning alive.

5. Have Them Rate Their Experience with the Topic You’re Teaching

Feedback is essential for growth, and gifted learners tend to be reflective about their learning experiences. Before diving into a new unit, ask them to rate how challenged they feel by the topic. Use their feedback to determine if any adjustments are needed.

Make sure to have them rate their comfort level with soft skills, too. For instance, if a student understands the content but struggles with teamwork, discuss that a primary focus will be appropriate behavior with peers during group work. Create a rubric to help them work on this skill.

This feedback provides you with valuable insights and encourages students to articulate their thoughts on the learning process. Use their input to shape your future lesson plans and tailor your approach to better fit their interests and needs.

6. Group Gifted Learners Together

Grouping gifted learners together can create an environment where they feel comfortable expressing themselves and taking risks. This setup allows for richer discussions and the chance to tackle more complex materials.

While it might be tempting to mix advanced students with those who are struggling, this often doesn’t provide the intellectual challenge that gifted students need. Instead, group them with peers who will stimulate their thinking.

Encourage collaboration on projects, debates, or creative writing endeavors, ensuring they have the space to challenge one another and share their insights.

Conclusion: Not a One-Size-Fits-All Situation

Every gifted learner is unique, and there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to teaching them. It’s crucial to stay flexible and responsive to their individual needs, interests, and learning styles.

By incorporating these strategies into your middle school ELA classroom, you can create an inclusive and stimulating environment that nurtures the potential of every gifted student. Remember, the goal is to inspire a lifelong love of learning while encouraging them to reach new heights in their academic journey.

Happy teaching!

Goals for a Stronger Second Semester: A First-Year Teacher’s Guide

Setting goals for a stronger second semester should be on every first-year teacher’s to-do list as you enter winter break!

Congrats on making it through your first semester as a teacher! Yay! You did it!

Now that you’re halfway through the school year, you have a much better grasp of what this teaching thing actually takes. So now, it’s time to reflect and improve. Today, we’re giving you some topics to reflect on with the goal of helping you assess how you did and find areas where you’d like to improve going into the second semester.

Setting Goals For a Stronger Second Semester

Academic Goals

1| Get a Handle on Classroom Management

We’re going to start with the biggie: how is your classroom management going? 

The second semester is a great time to set new boundaries, procedures, and expectations in your classroom. Depending on how your school is set up, you may have a brand-new group of students going into the second semester, which makes it the perfect time to reevaluate classroom management in middle school.

If you have the same group of students again, it’s okay to come into the classroom and change things up. Just be honest with your students. Tell them things haven’t been working very well, and you think that you can do better.

As you consider what new boundaries, procedures, and expectations you want to have for your classroom, talk to seasoned teachers and other people who work with this particular group of students to see what has been working well for them. You might also use this time to read a few books on classroom management as a way of generating some ideas moving forward.

Here is a guide I used as an instructional coach to help teachers with classroom management. Try some of the strategies in your classroom!

Classroom Management Professional Development

2| Mix Up Your Teaching Style

Now that you’re more familiar with your content, this may be a good time to introduce some new learning opportunities for your students. Try introducing things like project-based learning, collaborative activities, or maybe even some new tech tools that you think your students might be interested in.

Challenge yourself to try at least one or two new methods in the second semester that you didn’t try in the first. Although it’s sometimes hard to try something new, remember that you’ve already been working with these types of students for a whole semester, and now you’re less likely to be surprised by how they handle new tasks and challenges.

3| Boost Student Engagement

The second semester is also a great time to really work on boosting student engagement by adding in topics and activities that you know your students enjoy. You can implement this strategy by asking students to fill out a questionnaire or give you feedback on which activities have been their favorites.

You may also spend some time talking with other teachers who teach the same students as yours to see if there are ways to introduce more collaboration between classes. This can help boost student interest. Often, as students see you get more creative with your teaching, they are also more likely to become more creative as well.

One way to get student’s interests into the classroom is by using hand-picked paired passages. Check out our high-interest paired passage options by clicking here! *There are informational bundles or argumentative bundles…or you can grab these which include both bundles!

8th-9th Grade Paired Passage Bundle

Personal Goals

Next, let’s spend some time talking about personal goals and how you can improve personally going into the second semester.

1| Make Self-Care a Priority

By now, you should have been getting a paycheck for at least 4 or 5 months. Start setting aside some of that money for self-care activities. This may involve engaging in a new hobby, taking yourself out to a movie once a month, or even getting a massage on your days off from school.

Make investing in self-care part of your monthly budget, and don’t feel guilty about taking some time for yourself or trying something new. Teaching is really hard. It uses up a lot of our creativity and mental energy, often leaving little time for anything else. Schedule self-care activities well in advance, and make them a priority. You should never cancel self-care opportunities on your calendar. If you can’t make a date work, always reschedule.

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Mental health check-in!
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2| Connect with Colleagues

Next, take some time to connect with colleagues. Seek out a few people in your school and have some actual conversations with them. Other teachers understand what your day-to-day life looks like, and they can be some of the best people to talk to about what’s going on and to gain insights into the situations you’re facing at school.

But don’t stop at just talking about school. You also need to take the time to actually learn about your colleagues. Ask them a few pointed questions about their lives, how their break was, or any other details that you think they would want to share. The goal of your initial conversations with your colleagues is to get them to talk more than you do.

3| Seek Out Professional Development

After the first semester, it’s also a great time to seek out professional development opportunities. Not only will these opportunities often count toward your recertification credits and other educational requirements, but they will also put you in a room with people who are working on the same kinds of things that you are.

Many first-year teachers haven’t been out of school that long, but prior to teaching in the actual classroom, you didn’t really know what you didn’t know. Now that you do, you know what kinds of opportunities you need to be looking for to expand your understanding of teaching middle school students.

4| Embrace a Growth Mindset

Finally, embrace the growth mindset. You are just learning. You have only completed one semester of teaching, which means that you’re still a novice as far as teaching is concerned. You have a lot to learn, and even though you’re expected to know everything when you’re standing in front of your students, other teachers, administrators, and parents don’t necessarily have that same expectation for you.

Take the time to learn from others, acknowledge your own mistakes and shortcomings, and look for opportunities to improve. Even the hardest days as a teacher can come with great learning opportunities. Don’t be afraid to talk through situations with other teachers, and seek advice and ideas from others when necessary.

Want to work on a growth mindset with your students, too? Check out this growth mindset, digital activity bundle!

You are going to continue to grow, and eventually, you’ll feel like you’ve got this teaching thing figured out… just in time for a new group of middle schoolers to walk through the door.

3 Ways to Incorporate Video Games into Middle School ELA

Today we’re providing 3 ways you may not have considered to incorporate video games into middle school ELA.

Welcome back to our Student Interest Series! So far, we’ve discussed technology, sports, and animals. Today, we’re diving into video games.

The goal of this series is to help teachers find ways to integrate student interests into the classroom. In addition to resources like paired passages on various topics, we offer a myriad of activity ideas to incorporate these high-interest subjects into middle school ELA classes.

Our aim is to connect with students and make them excited about what they’re learning. By investing in their interests, we show that we care about what matters to them.

In today’s blog post, we introduce three ways to incorporate video games into your middle school ELA curriculum. Some of these ideas might be familiar, but you’re likely to find one or two that are new and exciting.

Let’s get started!

3 Ways to Incorporate Video Games into Middle School ELA Activities

As we explore these ideas, keep in mind that not all video games are appropriate for classroom use. We encourage you to try the games yourself before introducing them to your students.

#1 | Video Game Resources

Begin by incorporating video game resources into your everyday activities. Our store offers a set of Video Game Paired Passages suitable for grades 5 through 9. This would be an easy place to start.

Paired Passage: Video Games

These paired passages are fantastic for initiating discussions, using them as reference materials for writing prompts, practicing citing, and more. While these are just a few examples, you can find a variety of video game-related resources on TPT that can be integrated into your classroom right away.

#2 | Video Game Writing

Next, focus on writing related to video games. Video games are essentially built on stories. The characters, levels, and tasks are all parts of a larger narrative.

Have students practice writing in the voices of video game characters. Play a short segment of a game, then pause and ask students to create a pop-up that expresses the character’s thoughts in that moment. After all, someone has to craft those in-game pop-ups and expressions—why not your students?

Writing for video games is a lesser-known but fascinating job. Like a book, a video game has a plot, conflicts, protagonists, antagonists, subplots, and characters. As a class project, students could form groups to create their own video game. They would design characters, craft the story, develop tasks, and build the world, showcasing their ELA skills in an engaging, high-interest way.

#3 | Video Game Character Back Stories

Our third idea focuses on characterization. Ask students to select a video game they enjoy and write a backstory for one of its characters.

Recently, we’ve seen video games like Mario Brothers inspire movies that explore character origins. Your students can create similar backstories. They will outline important events and activities in the character’s life, revealing how the character reached their current point in the story.

To develop these backstories, students need to understand characterization and immerse themselves in the game’s world. Provide them with the time and space to explore and craft a detailed backstory.

So, how do you feel about these three ways to incorporate video games into middle school ELA? Are you excited or a bit nervous?

Even if you’re not well-versed in video games, your students can guide you through this process. Start with Video Game Paired Passages, then discuss additional project ideas with your students. You might be surprised by their creativity and how they present their ideas.

Have fun with this!

Happy planning!

Grab FREE Middle School ELA Standard Breakdowns Below!

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Making Learning Fun: Using Animal References in ELA

As you strive to find more ways to make ELA fun for middle school students, consider using animal references to enrich your classroom!

Animals are often a fan favorite. These wonderful creatures frequently attract attention at events like state fairs, petting zoos, carnivals, and, of course, city zoos and parks.

Given that animals are a high-interest topic for many people, not just kids, why not use animal references to enhance your classroom?

Incorporating animals into your middle school ELA classroom isn’t all that complicated. By selecting some engaging texts, utilizing animal-related resources, and creating opportunities for students to discuss and work on projects related to animals, you can provide numerous chances for them to learn about animals while practicing their ELA skills.

Let’s explore some practical ways to use animal references to enrich your classroom.

Making Middle School ELA Fun with Animal References

Animal-Themed Texts

As with most ELA activities, the easiest place to start is by choosing the right books for your classroom library. While students can also research on their Chromebooks or computers, sometimes a good old-fashioned book with pictures is a great starting point.

Reference resources like National Geographic and other nature-related periodicals offer students a chance to practice their reading while learning about topics they enjoy.

Additionally, consider having books on hand where animals play a primary role in the narrative or plot. There are many books with main or important animal characters, so consult your librarian or media specialist to find the best options for your students.

Animal-Themed Resources

Another way to incorporate animal-related topics into your ELA classroom is by using animal-themed resources. For example, a Zoo-Themed Paired Passage can be utilized in various ways, bringing a topic that students are genuinely interested in into your curriculum.

Paired Passage: Should We Ban Zoos.

One of the benefits of Zoo-Themed Paired Passages is their versatility. You can use them to work on reading comprehension and fluency, as a basis for a Socratic seminar, or as a starting point for a research project. With this one resource investment focused on a high-interest topic like animals, you can engage in multiple enjoyable activities.

If students are particularly interested in specific animals, you can search Teachers Pay Teachers for resources related to those animals. Spending a little extra time and money on these resources can save you a lot of effort in the long run and show students that you are willing to integrate their interests into the classroom.

Animal-Themed Projects

Finally, let’s discuss animal-themed projects. The middle school ELA classroom is an excellent environment for students to create projects based on their high-interest topics. Don’t hesitate to develop some animal-themed projects.

These projects can take various forms. For example:

  • Students can create graphic novels featuring animal-themed characters they have developed, working on plot and characterization. This also allows students with an interest in art to incorporate their skills or collaborate with others who share that interest.
  • Students can research the current state of their favorite animals, exploring whether the animals are endangered or have unique characteristics. This can deepen their interest and inspire them to use their passion for animals to make a positive impact.
  • Students can also reach out to local zoos to create documents or social media posts for the zoo, contributing to their marketing efforts. Communicating effectively and building support through writing is a valuable skill that aligns with the modern ELA curriculum.

Hopefully, these animal-themed ideas will find their way into your classroom. Take the time early in the semester to learn about your students’ interests and get creative with incorporating them into your projects, whether you’re adapting existing ones or developing new ones.

Even if your flexibility is limited when using animal references in ELA, using animal-themed resources like the Zoo-Themed Paired Passages can demonstrate your commitment to your students’ interests without adding significant hassle to your planning.

Happy planning!

Grab FREE Middle School ELA Standard Breakdowns Below!

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4 Fun Activities for Character Analysis

Looking for ways to make character analysis more exciting in your middle school class? Check out these four fun activities to help students dive into understanding characters.

I’ve always loved teaching character analysis. There’s something really enjoyable about exploring how a character thinks, feels, and grows throughout a story—it’s a bit like making a new friend. 

I often have to remind my students that characters aren’t just placed in books randomly; they have a reason for being there, even if it’s not obvious at first.

Middle school students often don’t realize why character analysis is important. 

They might see characters just as tools to move the plot along without thinking about their deeper role. That’s why these activities are great—they help students see characters in a new light.

4 Fun Activities for Character Analysis in Middle School ELA

Activity #1: Track a Theme Through a Character

First up, tracking a theme through a character. 

Characters are often there to help show or advance a theme in the story. For this activity, instead of focusing on the main character, have students track a minor character who appears several times. 

Ask them to note each time this character shows up and how their actions or interactions relate to a theme you’ve chosen. 

At the end, students can write a short essay or give a presentation about their findings.

Activity #2: Character Diary

Next, let’s talk about the Character Diary. 

This isn’t a new idea, but it’s still a fun one. 

In a Character Diary, students write from the character’s point of view. They imagine what the character is thinking and feeling during different parts of the story. 

You can ask students to focus on minor characters or stick with the main ones. 

Either way, they’ll get a better understanding of the characters’ inner lives.

Activity #3: Character Interaction Chart

Another cool activity is the Character Interaction Chart. 

This chart helps students see how characters interact and why those interactions are important. It’s like a flowchart where students add boxes or circles each time characters meet or interact. 

As they follow the main character through the book, they’ll note each interaction—who is involved, why the interaction matters, and what we learn from it. 

You can even have students debate why certain interactions are important or not.

Activity #4: Character Development Timeline

Finally, the Character Development Timeline. 

This activity helps students see if a character changes or stays the same throughout the story. 

To create a Character Development Timeline, students create a timeline that shows moments of growth or change for the character. They move events up or down on the timeline to show if the character is growing or staying flat. 

This activity can lead to great class discussions, where students share their thoughts on whether the character really changed or not.

We hope these four fun activities for character analysis engage your middle school students. 

If you’re studying The Breadwinner or The Hobbit, we’ve got resources with these activities already included. Just click the links below to check them out!

The Hobbit pre-reading activity
The Breadwinner Activity Set

Happy reading!

Grab FREE Middle School ELA Standard Breakdowns Below!

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Integrating Historical Content into Writing Activities

Integrating historical content into writing activities can enhance students’ understanding across different subject areas and build their prior knowledge on multiple topics simultaneously.

Although cross-content teaching is not a new concept in middle school education, it is still not as widely practiced as it could be. 

Many teachers continue to work in isolation, following a “closed door” approach where what happens within the classroom remains separate from other disciplines. 

However, this approach is outdated. 

Today, teachers must align their instruction with standards, ensuring students receive a comprehensive education with the necessary skills and resources. 

Collaboration with special education teachers and grade-level teams is now essential to support diverse learning needs effectively.

Despite these collaborative efforts, cross-content teaching is not as common as it should be. 

The Middle School ELA standard RL.9, which involves comparing and contrasting fictional accounts with historical accounts, provides a valuable opportunity to integrate history into your writing curriculum. This standard aligns perfectly with efforts to collaborate with history or social studies teachers, allowing students to engage with both historical content and ELA skills simultaneously.

Using Social Studies Connections in Writing Activities

The RL.9 standard requires students to encounter historical events through literature. To implement this standard effectively, talk with your grade-level social studies teacher to find out what historical events or topics students are currently studying or will soon study.

Then, take that information and identify fictional accounts that align with their social studies curriculum. 

Collaborate with your social studies teacher to integrate activities related to this historical content into writing activities. Then blend those writing activities into their social studies block as well as their ELA block. This approach allows students to explore the same content in two different subject areas, deepening their understanding of historical events while developing their ELA skills. It also demonstrates to students that their teachers are working together to provide a more cohesive and enriching educational experience.

In addition to collaborating with your social studies teacher, consider using RL.9-focused resources to structure your teaching. 

These resources can be used independently or as a supplement to your classroom instruction and collaboration with your social studies counterpart.

For more information about RL.9 and other ELA resources, check out our blog post series on teaching Middle School ELA standards. 

Click the link below to access our detailed blog post on RL.9, where you’ll find additional tips, learning targets, activities, and project ideas to help you plan this unit effectively.

How to Teach RL.9 in Middle School ELA
Blog Post (How to Teach RL.9 in Middle School ELA)

Grab FREE Middle School ELA Standard Breakdowns Below!

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Using Junk Food Paired Passages as a Halloween Theme

Add to your Halloween celebration this year by using this Junk Food Paired Passage as a prompt for both debate and writing exercises with your middle school students.

Halloween is a holiday celebrated with a bounty of treats. Whether students are enjoying school parties or trick-or-treating in their neighborhoods, their bags are often filled with sweets and goodies. 

As we plan how to incorporate Halloween into the school day, one approach is to use THIS argumentative paired passages about junk food.

Paired Passages: Junk Food

These passages explore the pros and cons of having junk food in schools. 

They present opposing viewpoints on whether junk food should be allowed in the school environment, making them perfect for a Halloween-themed debate.

As students prepare for and enjoy the Halloween season, consider having them read these passages and debate their own opinions on the subject. 

Should junk food be allowed in schools on Halloween? 

Can they construct a solid argument without letting personal opinions interfere?

Using the Junk Food Paired Passages for Writing Practice

Using Junk Food Paired Passages as part of your Halloween activities can also serve as a springboard for a complementary writing activity. 

Have students explore whether teachers and schools should be permitted to host Halloween parties or distribute candy as rewards. After reading the passages, students will have a foundation for their arguments, but they can also add in some additional research of their own.

Divide the class into two groups—one supporting the positive aspects and the other focusing on the negatives. 

Allow them time to research and develop their arguments, and since this is just practice, let them work in groups or pairs as well. 

For an added challenge, students could create presentations or suggest alternative snacks and items that could be allowed instead.

Halloween is a fun time of year, and there are many ways to celebrate it in the classroom. In addition to these paired passages, we also offer digital escape rooms focusing on ELA skills that can be used with your students leading up to Halloween.

Enjoy the season and use this festive time as an opportunity to practice debating and writing in a way that connects to your students’ lives.

Check out these additional Halloween activities for even more holiday fun!

Halloween Digital Escape Room - Reading Comprehension
Halloween Escape Room: Reading Comprehension
Halloween Digital Escape Room - Figurative Language
Halloween Escape Room: Figurative Langugage

Happy Halloween, everyone!

Sign Up for a FREE plot structure digital escape room!

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 


 

Our three most popular paired passage sets

When you’re looking for new resources for the new year, make sure that you take the time to check out our three most popular paired passage sets for middle school ELA.

If you’re anything like me, then at the beginning of the year, when you’re planning your content and checking your list of standards, you’re also on the lookout for some great resources that you can use to supplement the learning you already have planned.

I love finding resources that I can use in lots of different ways, and for me, paired passages are one of the most multi-functional resources in my teaching toolbox.

The Pros of Paired Passages

Paired passages are awesome for the middle school classroom because the passages are grade-level appropriate, connected in content, and based on high-interest topics.

Since so many of the standards we focus on in middle school ELA require passages in order to practice, the more high-interest paired passages you can have available, the better.

Grab FREE Middle School ELA Standard Breakdowns Below!

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Paired passages can be used to support writing assignments and skills, to practice reading comprehension skills and strategies, and to form the basis of communication lessons like Socratic Seminars.

Paired passages give sources for students to use to make points or as evidence in their writing or during speaking practice.

In addition to all the ways I listed above, we also wrote a post about NEW ways you can use paired passages in middle school ELA. Click here to read that blog post!

Our Three Most Popular Paired Passage Sets

For some people, going into The Sparkly Notebook store and sorting through the tens of different paired passage sets available can be a bit overwhelming.

Let’s make it easy by sharing a secret with you.

We’re letting you in on our top 3 most popular paired passage sets. These tried-and-true sets are super high-interest and great for use with middle school ELA. Although each of these is grade-level specific, we have many of the same topics available for all three grade ranges. 

Click on the images below to take a closer look at each of our top three passages.

#1 | Video Games

The first is a paired passage set that discusses video games. This set is for 4th and 5th grade students, but we also have video game sets for 6th and 7th grades as well as 8th and 9th grades. 

Easy Middle School ELA Activities for the Weeks Surrounding Spring Break (Video Game Paired Passages)
Paired Passages – Video Games

#2 | Social Media Effects

The second paired passage set is about social media. Social media is a hot and very popular topic of debate and discussion in middle school ELA. This set is awesome for introducing some new thoughts or points that students can use to support their position.

Again, this set is designated for 6th and 7th grade, but we have sets available for the other grade levels as well.

Paired Passage Social Media Effects
Paired Passages: Social Media Effects

#3 | Phone-Themed Passages

Finally, rounding out our top three most popular paired passage sets are our phone-themed passages.

These passages about phones approach the topic of cellular devices from a couple of different angles. This particular set is for 8th and 9th grade students, but we have sets available for the younger grades as well.

Paired Passage: Iphone vs Android

Hopefully, you will find these paired passage sets as helpful and multi-functional as we do! To get the most bang for your buck, be sure to read our other blog posts that discuss our paired passages more in depth and how to use them in a variety of ways!

Using Paired Passages for Bell Ringers or Exit Slips
5 Things to Consider When Using Paired Passages in Middle School ELA
Practice Test-Taking Strategies with Paired Passages
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3 Ways to Use These Parts of an Essay Task Cards

New! 3 ways to use these Parts of an Essay Task Cards that we’ve never discussed before!

As middle school ELA teachers, teaching about good writing habits is a daily occurrence in our classrooms. At the center of most of these conversations is going over the parts of an essay. 

To help teachers review the parts of an essay with their students, we have created a set of task cards. These task cards include several examples of the 3 parts of an essay (Intro, Body, and Conclusion). As students work toward mastering how to write and identify the different parts of an essay, these task cards give them an opportunity to practice and review some good examples of each.

Although we could just send you over to the task cards, we want to take the time to give you even more value.

Parts of an Essay Task Cards

Parts of an Essay Task Cards Scoot Activity

Before we provide three new ways to use these task cards, let’s talk about how the activity is presented in our original resource.

To do the activity as written, students will read the task cards and decide what part of the essay the task card represents. They will write their answer on their answer sheet. 

It’s pretty simple but effective.

Let’s learn some additional ways to use the cards.

3 NEW Ways to Use These Parts of an Essay Task Cards

#1 | Sorting Activity

This is more about analyzing the reading than specifically identifying the parts of an essay, but what your students come up with could really surprise you.

Give a group of 3 students all of the task cards. Ask them to sort the cards in any way they want.

Now, what you will find is that many students will sort the cards into categories you’ve never even considered.

If students first sort them into Intro, Body, and Conclusion, give them their props, but then ask them to sort them again, focusing on something else.

Students may sort them into fiction and non-fiction categories or into different point-of-view categories. They may sort them in another way.

The cool thing about this way of using these cards is that you don’t know what you’re going to get, and you’re giving students an opportunity to explain their reasoning for sorting the way they do.

#2 | Paragraph Maps

Hand out a card to each student. Ask them to write each sentence from the paragraph onto a separate line on a sheet of paper. Then, ask them to write the purpose of the sentence next to the line.

This activity draws attention to the word choice and structure of the paragraphs. It isn’t just enough to know what kind of information is found in each type of paragraph, but also to consider the purpose behind each word or sentence. 

Identifying and creating clear, concise writing is an important aspect of the writing process.

#3 | Word Choice Changes

Going back to the importance of word choice, try out this word choice activity with students to see how words can change or improve a passage.

Hand out a card to a pair of students and ask them to find at least two places in the paragraph where they can make the writing more concise (reduce the number of words used) or change a word to make the meaning more powerful.

Let’s do an example using the paragraph below.

Another interesting fact about reindeer is how they stay safe during cold weather. Their noses are specially designed to warm the air before it gets to their lungs, and their hooves shrink during the winter to better withstand the hard ground. During blizzards, reindeer can stay together because their knees make a clicking sound, which makes it easier for them to know where their herd is.

The first sentence feels wordy here, so I could make it more concise by saying…

Cold weather safety is another interesting reindeer anecdote. 

This sentence sounds more professional and also cuts the sentence from 15 words to just 8 words.

To improve the word choice, I could focus on the word “hard.” What if I used snow-hardened instead of hard ground? Is this a stronger choice…maybe. The discussion associated with this activity is part of what makes it so much fun.

There you go, 3 NEW ways to use these Parts of an Essay Task Cards. These additional activities are designed to work on even more skills that students need, including problem-solving, analysis, word choice, and writing clearly and concisely.

Isn’t it nice when you can use one resource for so many different things?!?

For some additional resources on teaching students how to write, check out this blog post on the W.4 standard.

How to teach W.4 in Middle School
Blog Post (How to teach W.4 in Middle School)

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