All in One Podcast for Middle School Language Arts Teachers

If you’ve ever spent an entire Sunday planning lessons only to feel behind again by Wednesday, you’re not alone. One of the questions I hear most often from teachers is  how to plan lessons  efficiently while still creating meaningful learning experiences for students.   After 34 years in the classroom, I learned that effective lesson planning doesn’t have to take hours. In fac...

The end of the school year is a unique mix of excitement, exhaustion, and unpredictability—especially in middle school ELA. Between assemblies, schedule changes, and restless students, it can be tough to keep learning meaningful without burning yourself out. That’s why having a set of low-prep, high-engagement end of year activities is essential. In this podcast, you’ll find simple, effective end...

May is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, making it the perfect time to introduce students to powerful stories that highlight diverse voices, experiences, and perspectives. These novels not only build empathy and cultural awareness, but they also engage middle school readers with relatable characters and meaningful themes. We will discuss: I Am Kavi   by Thushanthi Ponweera In th...

Earth Day is more than just a calendar date—it’s a chance for students to connect with the natural world, think creatively, and practice essential reading and writing skills. Middle schoolers in particular benefit from hands-on, reflective activities that combine literacy with environmental awareness.  Whether you’re looking for low-prep, free activities or structured lessons that guide stude...

April is National Poetry Month, and it’s the perfect time to inspire middle school students to explore their creativity with words. If you’ve ever wondered how to write poetry in a way that’s fun, accessible, and engaging, these five activities are a great place to start. Each encourages self-expression, creativity, and a love for language, while giving teachers easy-to-use tools to guide students...

Spring in middle school is a vibe. The energy shifts. The sun stays out longer. Students start thinking about summer. And while that excitement is fun, it also means we need engaging, purposeful spring classroom activities that keep learning on track.  Listen here for ideas on  meaningful spring classroom activities for your middle school ELA classes. We will discuss: 1. Poetry&nbsp...

Women's History Month is an important opportunity for middle school students to engage with stories that highlight women's voices, experiences, resilience, and contributions throughout history and today. The following Women's History Month books are meaningful, engaging, and well-suited for middle school readers. Each title encourages reflection, discussion, and deeper understanding — ma...

Black History Month is an important opportunity for middle school students to engage with stories that highlight Black voices, experiences, resilience, and contributions throughout history and today. The following Black History Month books are meaningful, engaging, and well-suited for middle school readers. Each title encourages reflection, discussion, and deeper understanding — making them excell...

Our middle schoolers love to celebrate special days such as Valentine’s Day, but they need activities appropriate for their age group. Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to celebrate kindness, creativity, and friendship in the classroom. Whether you’re looking for ways to engage your middle school students in a little extra fun or to integrate meaningful lessons about love and empathy, these five...

Looking for great winter books to share with your middle school students (or to read yourself) this season? Whether you’re cozying up by a fire or tracking themes of resilience and survival through the cold, these titles bring winter to life — from magical lands to challenging natural environments.  Below are some winter-themed favorites that work well for classroom reading, discussion groups...

Coming back from winter break can feel a little chaotic — students are excited, routines feel rusty, and everyone needs time to ease back into learning. That’s why planning intentional New Year’s activities is so important for middle school teachers. Listen for a simple, teacher-friendly plan for New Year’s activities for middle school classrooms. These five New Year’s activities work especially w...

December is the perfect month to curl up with a good book. The shorter days, crisp air, and festive season set the scene for stories that are cozy, exciting, and full of holiday spirit. Whether your students or young readers enjoy adventures, humor, or tales inspired by cultural traditions, this list of December novels for middle school has something for everyone. Each one is a great pick for clas...

Teaching in December can feel like trying to herd middle schoolers through a snowstorm. Between early dismissals, holiday excitement, and students’ shorter attention spans, keeping your ELA classroom productive is a real challenge. But it doesn’t have to be stressful!  We will discuss 5 types of activities in this episode: 1.  ELA Games 2. Creating Gifts with Words 3. Fast- Finishers 4....

Middle school is a wonderful time for students to explore stories that expand their view of identity, heritage, and culture — while also enjoying strong characters, engaging plots, and thoughtful themes. These five Native American Heritage books do just that.  We will discuss these 5 Native American Heritage novels: Indian No More  by Charlene Willing McManis and Traci Sorell Race t...

Bringing Native American activities into the classroom not only honors diverse voices but also helps students explore themes of identity, family, and connection to the natural world. Whether you’re teaching during Native American Heritage Month or weaving Indigenous texts into your curriculum all year long, these Native American activities will help your students engage with stories that are meani...

Halloween is the perfect time to get students excited about reading—stories with a little creep, mystery, and imagination are ideal for middle schoolers. Listen here for 5 Halloween books that strike just the right balance between spooky and engaging. We will discuss: 5 great "spooky" books Ideas for using them in the classroom Activities to go along with all of these books Let's connect! Membersh...

Autumn is the perfect season to bring fresh energy into your middle school ELA classroom. With cooler weather, colorful leaves, and plenty of seasonal inspiration, it’s an ideal time to spark creativity and keep students engaged in reading and writing.  In this post, we’ll explore five engaging autumn classroom activities for middle school ELA. Each activity is designed to be flexible, fun, a...

September is the perfect time to refresh your classroom reading list, especially as we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. Middle school students can gain empathy, cultural understanding, and inspiration through stories that reflect diverse experiences. In this episode, we will discuss 5 books that are perfect for September reading. There are ideas to go along with each novel, plus a link to my You...

Join me for season 3! One podcast a month will focus on 5 activities that you can easily implement in your middle school classroom for this month/season. In this episode, we will discuss 5 engaging bell ringers for your students. We will discuss bell ringers for: Seasonal activities Vocabulary Grammar Poetry Reading Skills Let's connect!  Membership:    Join the All in One Middle Sc...

Join me for season 3! One podcast a month will focus on 5 books that are perfect for this month/season. In this episode, we will discuss 5 books that are perfect for the back-to-school season. There are ideas to go along with each novel, plus a link to my YouTube channel where I read these books as part of my "First Chapter Friday" series. The books included this month: The 6th Grade Nickname Game...

Join me for season 3!  One podcast a month will focus on 5 activities that you can easily implement in your middle school classroom for this month/season.  In this episode, we will discuss 5 engaging activities to do on the first day of school . We will discuss: Icebreakers Meet the Teacher Read Alouds Letter to Your Future Self Classroom Scavenger Hunt   Let's connect! Membership:...

Join me in this year-long series on classroom management. Each month, we will look at tips and tricks for creating a better classroom management plan.  This is the tenth and final episode in the series, with a focus on adjusting expectations for the end of the year. It's the end of the year, and there is no type of busy like "teacher-busy" during this time. Your to-do lists both at work and h...

It’s April, and for ELA teachers, that means National Poetry Month! Poetry is the subject that kids think they hate…until they have a skilled teacher who brings passion and creativity to the unit. Listen here for 5 powerful poetry activities to do with your middle schoolers for National Poetry Month. We will discuss: "Black Out" or "Found" Poetry Poetry Brackets Competition Poetry Escape Rooms Nov...

Join me in this year-long series on classroom management. Each month, we will look at tips and tricks for creating a better classroom management plan.  This is the ninth in the series, with a focus on adjusting expectations for the end of the year. The end of the year is upon us, and it's time to get prepared. If you've been a teacher for at least one year, you know that the end of the year i...

If you are struggling with how to plan your year or just need some fresh ideas, then you are in the right place! Join me for a 10-month mini-series on creating an ELA curriculum map for your middle school classes. This month, we will focus on creating a novel study. We will discuss: Why novel studies are important What type of novels work well How to select your lessons How to incorporate vocabula...