# data[].attributes.headline
Ways to Add Movement to the ELA Classroom

# data[].attributes.subject
Ways to Add Movement to the ELA Classroom

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Whether your students are lethargic or super-charged, adding movement to your lesson plans will help to solve both issues. Not only is it healthy to move throughout the day, but it can also help students focus and become more engaged with the content they are trying to master. Due to the nature of English classes, ELA students often find themselves needing to sit to read or write for long periods of time. Therefore, finding ways to add movement in your English literature class is especially important. Here are some ideas for adding movement in the classroom.

10 Ways to Add Movement in your ELA Classroom:

1. Walk and Talk - One really simple way to add more movement in your classroom is to place your discussion questions around the room instead of projecting or placing them on students' desks. In the top picture above, you can see that I printed off political cartoons from an Animal Farm PowerPoint and had a discussion question with each. Instead of projecting the PowerPoint and having students discuss each slide at their desks, I put them into 7 groups and rotated them around the room every 5 minutes. Not only did this help to keep the discussion on track time-wise, but it also got students moving.

2. Literary Yoga- For a truly unique way to add movement in your secondary English literature class, try out Literary Yoga. This yoga sequence is meant to accompany any text and provide a much-needed brain break during long chapters. Yoga has many benefits for both the mind and the body, so this resource is designed to give students thinking time, promote mindfulness, and engage in kinesthetic learning.

3. Socratic Soccer Ball- Here is another low-prep way to add movement on a whim when you see that students are unfocused or unengaged. I keep this soccer ball on hand and break it out when I want students to stand up, think critically, and refocus their energy on a task. If you want a full set of 35 questions to write on your own ball, you can get those sent to your email by using the form here:

4. Vocabulary Games- Games are a fun way to add movement in your classroom! For ELA specific games, here are some ideas from Melissa at Reading and Writing Haven: You can find lots of vocabulary game ideas from Melissa's blog post here: If you need even more vocabulary game ideas, you can also check out my post here:
Games are by far one of my favorite ways to add movement in middle and high school classrooms. We play truth or dare, dice games, speed dating, three truths and a lie, and so on. I use games as station activities, practice opportunities, and review lessons. Students appreciate the opportunity to move around and be creative, and teachers are grateful for a meaningful lesson they don't have to grade. Games bring vocabulary, grammar, writing, poetry, and figurative language to life!

5 Vocabulary Activities for Older Students and for some more ELA game inspiration, check out Melissa's bundle here: ELA Games How and Why to Use Word Walls with Older Students

5. Public Speaking Practice- Certainly, students will move with public speaking activities. Because of the nature of speeches, students will be up, moving, and gesticulating. Check out these low-key and fun activities that will get students moving from Lauralee at Language Arts Classroom: Public Speaking Activities . In addition, if you want students engaged with teaching others, try this free public speaking activity where movement and tone influence the message: Free Public Speaking Activity for Tone

6. Rotation Stations- Without a doubt, stations are another way to incorporate movement into the classroom. Amanda from Mud Ink and Teaching has compiled an awesome collaborative blog post with six great ideas for stations. You can read that here: 6 Ideas for Learning Stations in Your ELA Classroom

To add, here's a note from The Language Arts Classroom: Movement can add spark to any lesson. For instance, when I teach informational texts, I use stations. Students and I will read an article together, and then they will rotate around essential questions. As a final step, students get to choose which questions they answer (three out of five), and as they walk, they actually are studying every question. Read more here at: Student Inspired Nonfiction Resources

7. Question Trails- Abby from Write on With Miss G loves finding creative ways to incorporate kinesthetic learning into her teaching. Her favorite tried-and-true lesson is a question trail, an engaging activity that gets students up and moving on a quest around the room. A question trail is an activity comprised of different multiple choice "stations" or "spots" around the classroom. At each station, students answer a multiple choice question. Each answer (a, b, c, or d) will send the students to a different station. If students answer each question correctly, they will travel to each station and complete a full circuit. If students answer a question incorrectly, they will eventually find themselves at a station they've already completed, which tells them that they need to backtrack. This gives you clear, immediate feedback. You will quickly see who is getting it ("on the trail") vs. who is not ("off the trail"). If you want more information on question trails, check out this For print-ready question trails on literary devices, vocabulary in context, a fun winter-themed trail, and more, check out this growing bundle . To create your own question trail, check out this that will save you lots of time.

8. Discussion Configurations- Sometimes just the simple act of having students get up and rearrange their seating can be enough movement to focus their energy on a new task. Amanda from Mud Ink and Teaching adds: Hosting a Fishbowl discussion is one of my favorite ways to get kids out of their seats and talking to each other. The basic principle of a Fishbowl, as each teacher's format is a bit different from the other, is that students move from inside the fishbowl to outside the fishbowl freely during the period as they are discussing the issues at hand. Get started here!

9. Writing the Wall- My students don't really write on the wall of course, but I do like to set up my classroom for impromptu uses of wall space when the time strikes. Instead of having students set idle at their desks, they can take their learning, opinion, or example to the wall. To do this, I set up two scrolls of newspaper end rolls (cheap or free!) and leave my whiteboard open on both ends. You can see a tutorial for how I made the scrolls here: High School Classroom Decor

When you have students act out scenes from plays or novels, you can bring any text to life (not to mention bringing your students to life in the process!). It doesn't take a lot of time to add acting movement in your classroom either. I like to do "mini-plays" in which I choose a short but very important scene, have students interpret it on their own, paraphrase into a script, and then act it out all in one class period. If you want a guide to help you implement this in your own classroom, you can check that out here: 10. Act It Out- Act It Out!

I hope that these ideas will help you add movement, energy, and focus to your English Language Arts classroom. Be sure to leave a comment if you want to add any ideas to the list!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
10 Ways to Add Movement in the ELA Classroom

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Whether your students are lethargic or super-charged, adding movement to your lesson plans will help to solve both issues. Not only is it healthy to move throughout the day, but it can also help students focus and become more engaged with the content they are trying to master.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
I listen to podcasts to learn, be inspired, and get motivated almost every day. When I need to be inspired or get a fresh idea, I know I can pop in my earbuds and get what I need from other educators who are out there sharing through this media. Listening to podcasts is truly personalized professional development at it's finest.

If you've never listened to podcasts before or want to try out some of my personal favorites, here is this year's EDU Podcast Tasting 2.0:

You can use the menu on your own to explore great education podcasts and you can share it with teammates! If you are a school leader, you can consider using it to allow staff to personalize their professional development and care for their minds and bodies with Podcasts and Pedometers. Read my original post about Podcasts and Pedometers here and to see last year's Podcast Tasting Menu which offers different podcasts.

Last year on my campus, we offered Podcasts and Pedometers to staff as PD. Here's how it worked - staff came to work early or stayed late for 30 minutes outside of their contract hours. During those 30 minutes, they listened to a podcast as they walked around the building or jogged outside and filled out a half sheet of paper which asked them to record what podcast they listened to, one reflection, and one application for their classroom or practice.

This year, for version 2.0, I am taking a note from Jennifer Bell, Principal at Kirk Elementary, who offered podcast PD but utilized a Google Form for staff to record their reflections and applications.

I am also adding a gamification feature that staff can "unlock" the ability to listen at home, in the car, or anywhere outside of our school building after completing 2 sessions on campus and checking in with an administrator after. These check-ins are just to make sure they understand the process, are able to listen to the podcasts on the menu, are able to complete the Google Form reflection to receive credit, answer questions, and show them how to subscribe to podcasts if they don't know how.

Staff may complete as many or as few 30-minute sessions as they choose up to the set cut-off date. At that time, we will give staff hours in the professional development system for their listening and reflections!

Intrigued by this Podcast Tasting Menu idea? Check out these other examples that were created and shared with me this year:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
I listen to podcasts to learn, be inspired, and get motivated almost every day. When I need to be inspired or get a fresh idea, I know I can pop in my earbuds and get what I need from other educato...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Laura  Randazzo – Solutions for the Secondary Classroom

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
You've wrapped your last major unit and final exams are still a week away. You could spend five days playing Review Jeopardy (uh...no, thanks) or you could grab some of these tried-and-true resources that'll keep kids focused until finals. Click on the lesson title to learn more about each item. Some are free and some cost a few bucks.

1. Words to Live By
Compare and contrast the advice adults give to teens by using Polonius' speech to Laertes in Hamlet, Rudyard Kipling's "If," and the famous "Wear Sunscreen" newspaper column that went viral a few years ago. The lesson also includes a creative writing activity where students flip the script and build their own Guide to Life, giving advice to middle-aged adults about how to live a full and satisfying life. This video also makes a charming post-activity supplement:

2. Toughen Up, Snowflake
View the commencement speech given by David McCullough to the graduates of Wellesley High School where he calls into question the selfishness that's bred when children are raised to believe they are special and unique. The video went viral in 2012 and the speech often gets students riled up, thinking about not only the way they and their classmates were raised, but also the effectiveness/ineffectiveness of McCullough's rhetoric.

3. Steve Jobs' Advice to Grads
Another great graduation day speech comes from Steve Jobs, who skillfully uses Aristotle's rhetorical tools as he addresses the crowd at Stanford University. Kids enjoy the speech and I like hearing them discuss my questions about the specific techniques Jobs uses to reach his audience.

4. Best Commencement Speeches, Ever.
The day after I use the McCullough or Jobs speech, I'll take my students to the computer lab and have them choose another commencement address from NPR's site of 350+ "Best Commencement Speeches, Ever." Kids usually choose celebrities they know, such as Jim Carrey, Katie Couric, Barack Obama, Andy Samberg, and Ellen Degeneres, but there are also great writers on that list that you could assign as a bridge to a book you've studied this year, such as Elie Wiesel, Toni Morrison, Ray Bradbury, Barbara Kingsolver, and John Green.

5.Two-Sentence Storytelling
One of my all-time favorite single-day lessons is Micro Fiction, where kids play with the idea that an entire story can be told using just two sentences. Genres covered include drama, horror, sci-fi, and romance.

6. The Power of Earbuds
The Listen & Learn series has been a hit with my classes. I give them a narrative non-fiction podcast - each about 20-30 minutes, high-interest, school-appropriate. My students love listening to these compelling real-life stories and I love the lively post-listening discussions the programs have sparked.

So far, here are the topics available:
#1 - The case of a live endangered tiger kept on display at a Louisiana truck stop
#2 - The story of an LAPD officer who dove into La Brea Tar Pits as part of a criminal investigation
#3 - The case of a woman whose identity was stolen when she was 11 years old
#4 - The story of an 11-year-old boy who was the sole survivor of an airplane crash
#5 - The story of racism and heartbreak at a high school senior prom
#6 - The case of a woman who claimed she could communicate with the dead
#7 - The story of a 9-year-old girl who survived a shark attack and info/research on attack prevention

7. A Video that Could Change the World
Billions in Change is a high-quality 43-minute documentary that focuses on 5-Hour Energy founder Manoj Bhargava and his pledge to use 99 percent of his $4 billion empire to help solve the global problems of energy, fresh water, and disease prevention. In this lesson, students are given questions to answer while they view the film and deeper-thinking questions to complete once the video has finished.

8. 10 Supreme Court Cases Every Teen Should Know
Add real-world relevancy to the last week of school with this free lesson where kids read a New York Times article that summarizes 10 important Supreme Court decisions that directly impact their lives. The lesson includes a small group presentation option that usually allows the activity to fill two days.

9. How to Read Editorial Cartoons
Let art meet logic with an overview of four persuasive tools used by editorial cartoonists (symbolism, exaggeration, labeling, and analogy) with real-world examples of classic political cartoons. Then, use modern cartoons to help students see how these same tools are used today. Finally, have students analyze a specific cartoon and even create one of their own.

10. Show a Movie and Still Learn Something? Inconceivable!
We analyze text all of the time. This time, let's analyze one of the best films ever made - The Princess Bride. Viewing of the film is spread out over four days (about 25 minutes per lesson) as students also engage in supplementary activities, such as examining a debate on the merits of fairy tales, applying the Chivalric Code to four main characters, sharpening their pencils for creative writing tasks, and diving deep into an analysis of Rob Reiner's film.

There you are. These are my favorite high-interest, low-prep lessons for this time of year. All also work as emergency sub materials, as planning is minimal and answer keys are included. If you need even more activities to soak up just parts of a class, be sure to give these sponge activities a look:
* Worksheet designed to work with any TED Talk
* Worksheet designed to work with any online or print current events article
* Father's Day poetry card activity
* Just Give the Word game worksheet
* Word ADDiction game worksheet
* Brain Teaser slides

Teach on, everyone!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Note: This is an updated repost featuring some of my favorite end-of-the-year lesson ideas. You've wrapped your last major unit and final exams are still a week away. You could spend five days playing Review Jeopardy (uh...no, thanks) or you could grab some of these tried-and-true resources that'll keep kids focused until finals.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Laura  Randazzo – Solutions for the Secondary Classroom

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Learning lessons from my first experience with stations, I'm happy to report that my second lap around the track with this technique was more successful. Right before we left for our two-week winter vacation, I used Poetry Creation Stations with my freshmen. The result? Oh, this one's a keeper.

With the help of a few student volunteers, we rearranged the classroom's regular set-up into "tables" of three-to-four desks. I built five different activities, creating two sets of each station to help control traffic. Over two class periods, students visited all five stations and worked individually to complete each task. Here are (almost) all of the materials you'd need to use the same procedure with your classes (Click on the photo bar to enlarge the images):

Blackout Poetry
You'll need:
* This instruction sheet to place at the station
* Two or three internet-enabled devices for students to view the instructional Prezi
* Dark markers and/or crayons
* Photocopies of novel pages for students to mark - here are the pages I used from Fahrenheit 451, Of Mice and Men, and The House on Mango Street (works we've discussed or studied this fall), but you could copy pages of any novels your students might enjoy. Be sure to print two or three per student. Most of my kids wanted to do more than one of these.

Paint Chip Poetry
You'll need:
* This instruction sheet to place at the station
* A variety of paint chip sample cards from your local hardware store (choose ones with poetic-sounding or interesting paint color names)
* Paper and pens/pencils

Reversal Poetry
You'll need:
* This instruction sheet to place at the station
* Copies of this fill-in-the-blank form
* Paper and pens/pencils

Acrostic Poetry
You'll need:
* This instruction sheet to place at the station
* Examples of strong acrostic poems on an overview sheet ( These materials are available in my shop for two bucks, but you can also find lots of great examples at various poetry websites and build your own overview sheet.)
* Envelope filled with topics (We used popular film titles.)
* Paper and pens/pencils

Roll of the Dice Poetry
You'll need:
* This instruction sheet to place at the station
* Enough dice so that each person at the station has two dice to roll
* Paper and pens/pencils

I planned on giving students about 20 minutes at each station, but ended up only suggesting, not requiring, that they move at the time mark. Whenever I'm deep into creating something cool, I don't want to uproot and start something new until my first task is done. My freshmen were the same and both days had a gentle ebb and flow of student bodies as they slid from station to station on their own timetable.

My kids were focused as they worked, so I decided not to collect any of their poems because the stations were designed for creativity, not assessment - that'll come in January. If students had veered off task, though, I would've assigned them to bundle their five poems, placing their favorite on the top of the stack for grading. I'm always a fan of they-write-five/I-grade-one assignments. Happily, though, I was able to bypass the grading altogether and just enjoy reading over shoulders and helping writers who sought my advice smooth out any rough patches.

Toward the end of the second day, one early finisher asked if he could use the remaining time to study for another class. My answer was no and I directed him to revisit a favorite station to create another poem. If I'd allowed that geometry textbook to crack open, I just know the focus of the whole classroom would've shifted from the poetic to the practical. Glad I held the line.

Finally, a shout-out to Barbara Comstock, a talented teacher-friend in my school district. Most of these stations are adaptations of ideas that she shared with us back in October, which you can read more about here.

Teach on, everyone!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Learning lessons from my first experience with stations, I'm happy to report that my second lap around the track with this technique was more successful. Right before we left for our two-week winter vacation, I used Poetry Creation Stations with my freshmen. The result? Oh, this one's a keeper.

# data[].attributes.headline
Sharalike--create an audie slideshow video

# data[].attributes.subject
Sharalike--create an audie slideshow video

# data[].attributes.body
free video creation toll
can be used in web browser, IOS app, or Android app

# data[].attributes.body
Google recently released a new interface for Google Books. Can be used with students as young as sixth grade. (Can be used to find books to download and print for younger children.)

# data[].attributes.body
use Google Slides--post an image--crop it into four pieces/sections (vertically or boxes); each box students record what do you hear, see, touch, taste, & smell--then reveal whole image with title (Flint, Michigan) with Hyperlink to article about content of image; connecting the news to your world (text to text, text to self, text to world)

# data[].attributes.body
add images and notes--journal entry
add icons to mark locations--correspond to the legend.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

# data[].attributes.body
Used to manage student cell phone use at school--VERY EFFECTIVE
Students earn points for not using their phones at designated times; students must put the app on their phones and then join each teacher's class. Remove classes at the end of a semester.
Teachers are notified if student tries to delete the app.
SCHOOL-WIDE INITIATIVE--in technology plan; ERICA from NCCAT is contact person

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Pocket Points: Mobile app that rewards you for staying off your phone

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Pocket Points is a mobile app that rewards students to not use their phones during class.

# data[].attributes.body
should enhance lesson not replace teaching

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Easily create beautiful interactive video lessons for your students you can integrate right into your LMS. Track students' progress with hassle-free analytics as you flip your classroom!

# data[].attributes.body
CYOA type game; use in AIP Tribal Council or with The Glass Castle--suggestion play in partners or individually; 3 strikes your out; three life lines (break bank, sell plasma, loan shark); follow with seminar (toughest decision, challenges, experience, shocking, how can this situation be prevented)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Urban Ministries of Durham serves over 6000 people every year who struggle with poverty and homelessness. Spent is an interactive game created by McKinney that challenges you to manage your money, raise a child and make it through the month getting paid minimum wage after a stretch of unemployment.

# data[].attributes.body
Synced with Quizlet (with an account): go to game, choose ..., export--copy text; go to Gimkit--paste text DONE
- ONLY FIVE KITS on free version; even if you delete kits, you do not get them back
SUGGESTION: Start $1000 level and then go up the more they play it and gain experience with the power ups.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Gimkit is a game show for the classroom that requires knowledge, collaboration, and strategy to win. Get started for free!

# data[].attributes.body
show an image from a historical event or interesting image or famous work of art--ask kids "What's the story?"
Examples--Little Rock Nine--Warriors Don't Cry, they march; drowning in a sea of white; a movement begins with a step--Migrant Workers--Is this really the American Dream?; we bend so you don't break--Hiroshima--etc.

# data[].attributes.body
Go to Google Chrome Web Store to download extension
screenshot and screen video recorder
pencil=edit; check=save
do not have to sign up for a free account
if you plan to annotate image, leave yourself a little extra room
can save to Google Drive or download to Chromebook
NAME YOUR SCREENSHOT
options to: record video, blank screen, browser window, delayed screen, entire page, visible part of page, selected area, fragment, selected scroll

# data[].attributes.body
change page color by going to FILE--PAGE SET UP--page color (choose whatever color you want)

USE TEMPLATE--change edit at end of shareable link URL to template/preview
***Only do after you have finalized the document because you cannot make any changes to the document once it is in preview mode***
(similar to changing edit to copy, but it allows users to see what they are copying)

# data[].attributes.body
Use with Seniors as example of presentation for social issue topic

# data[].attributes.body
online sticky note--similar to Padlet
NO LIMITATIONS
teacher can edit, drag, or delete ANY sticky; students can only manipulate their own sticky notes
MUST TEACH KIDS to drag sticky to side or they will all pile up in the middle

# data[].attributes.body
quiz feature: short answer, multiple choice, true/false

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Review student understanding at the class, individual student, or question-level.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Host interactive online meetings | Poll Everywhere

# data[].attributes.body
Chrome Extension--one click to create a new doc, spreadsheet, slide, or drawing
A MUST HAVE

# data[].attributes.headline
Tab Scissors & Tab Glue (Google Extensions)

# data[].attributes.subject
Tab Scissors & Tab Glue (Google Extensions)

# data[].attributes.body
Chrome Web Store--search for extensions (white shopping bag icon)

scissors--cuts screens into 2 WORKING screens; can drag and drop tabs from one screen to the other.

glue--puts screen back together

# data[].attributes.body
ask multiple choice questions
each kid gets a "Plicker" (QR Code) card--assigned by number; hold up answer (A, B, C, or D); teacher scans cards by using phone or chromebook

# data[].attributes.body
teacher creates question; students go to mentimeter.com and enter code to answer questions for QUICK feedback -- various templates and inspiration available at https://www.mentimeter.com/app/templates

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Enter the Code to Join & Vote on a Presentation - Mentimeter

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Enter the code from the Mentimeter presentation to join in and start voting. Make your voice heard!

# data[].attributes.body
inner circle/outer circle
inner circle 2 minutes to talk (outer circle listens); outer circle 1' to offer feedback or ask questions; rotate to the left--inner circle goes again (same information with new audience); rotate to left--inner circle goes again (same topic with new audience); student creates Flipgrid for teacher to assess

MOVEMENT WITH TECHNOLONGY

# data[].attributes.body
Data & Assessment; Digital Citizenship; Digital Content & Instruction; Leadership in Digital Learning

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
New! Introducing ContentNav

Using the power of AI-driven search and ranking, provide the most relevant content you need to inform instruction.

Learn how you can support personalized learning for your students and staff with PowerSchool Schoology Learning.

Read the Benefits Overview

The Most Comprehensive K-12 Teaching and Learning Solution

The leading learning management system that enables K-12 school districts to improve student performance and empower educators.

Learn how PowerSchool Schoology Learning fits into our new Personalized Learning Cloud. Provide everything an Academic team needs all in one place!

The Leading K-12 Learning Management System

Leverage a complete set of online teaching and assessment tools needed for today's learning environments-all in one integrated platform.

Get the Most from PowerSchool Schoology Learning

Interoperable classroom tools are no longer a nice-to-have-fortunately, PowerSchool Schoology Learning has deepening integration with PowerSchool's suite of solutions.

Additional Resources on PowerSchool Schoology Learning

PowerSchool Schoology Learning FAQ

When you have your parent access code, go to: app.schoology.com/register.php.

1. Click the "Parent" button below the "Instructor" and "Student" buttons in the "Sign Up for Schoology" section.

2. Enter the access code you received, and click Continue.

3. Enter your name and email (not the student's) and choose a password.

To sign in with your existing account, open the PowerSchool Schoology app in your web browser or mobile device:

1. Go to app.schoology.com.

2. Enter your email address and password and tap Sign In to complete.

Technically, yes. However, most schools and districts using Schoology Learning have opted to have just one LMS to increase consistency and productivity throughout their organization.

Technically, yes. However, most schools and districts using Schoology Learning have opted to have just one LMS to increase consistency and productivity throughout their organization. Schoology Learning also provides additional features, including standards mastery tracking, parent engagement, support for younger learners, and an enhanced overall look and feel of course layouts that Google Classroom does not support.

PowerSchool Schoology Learning has over 20 million users across 60,000 schools across the globe. To learn more about bringing Schoology Learning to your school, please request a live demo of our LMS solution.

Ready to Learn More?

See how our K-12 learning management system can help support student growth and performance to ensure learning continuity.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Schoology Learning K-12 learning management system makes it easy to implement hybrid learning and integrate your favorite teaching and learning tools.

# data[].attributes.body
1. exit tickets
2. digital portfolios
3. work around 3 board limit by recycling boards