The Spark Creativity Teacher Podcast | ELA

Ready to dive into genius hour with your students? Genius hour is an amazing way to develop their creativity AND ELA skillset. In this episode, learn how to rally student enthusiasm, structure projects, and come up with creative final products that make good use of ELA skills.  Go Further:  Explore alllll the Episodes of  The Spark Creativity Teacher Podcast . Join our community, Creative High Sch...

Want to do lit circles with your older students without the usual prescribed roles? Find out how one teacher made them work beautifully in her classroom.  I love how Krista integrated her lit circles with a full class non-fiction novel,  the way she stoked enthusiasm for her book choices by reading the first chapter aloud from ALL OF THEM, her advice for letting go of control when it comes to lit...

A literary food truck project is a great creative assessment for lit circles and choice reading. Find out how to take it digital in this interview with Amy Marquez and Alyssa Medrano, a creative librarian-English teacher team at Collegiate High School in Texas. Then sign up for the free food truck project curriculum right here.  Go Further:  Explore alllll the Episodes of  The Spark Creativity Tea...

Want to try mixing interactive QR codes into your lesson plans, classroom design, and school hallways? In this show, find out how to simply create QR codes and use them in five creative ways in your ELA program.  Go Further:  Explore alllll the Episodes of  The Spark Creativity Teacher Podcast . Join our community, Creative High School English , on Facebook. Come hang out on Instagram .  Enjoying...

Feel adrift when it comes to teaching writing in your ELA classes?  You'll find great tips in today's episode to help, like spiraling your writing instruction to improve its effectiveness, using mystery activities to help students get excited about writing argument, and using stations with specific tasks for better peer editing.  Get ready to dive into this big topic with special guest, Caitlin, f...

Wishing you could promote choice reading more effectively with students online? It IS possible to create a rich reading culture with your kids now. Check out these ten ideas for bringing choice books into the daily swing of things in your blended or remote classroom.  Teaching in person? You can still use these ideas! :)  Go Further:  Explore alllll the Episodes of  The Spark Creativity Teacher Po...

Happy New Year! In this episode, discover six ideas for re-connecting with your English students when you get back to school, no matter what your scenario.  Go Further:  Explore alllll the Episodes of  The Spark Creativity Teacher Podcast . Join our community, Creative High School English , on Facebook. Come hang out on Instagram .  Enjoying the podcast? Please consider sharing it with a friend, s...

Teaching a poetry unit? Need engaging poetry unit ideas you can roll out easily in Google Classroom? Today we're talking about digital poetry tiles, digital book spine poetry, online blackout poetry, spoken word, and digital "I am from" poem galleries. You'll love these easy wins! Go Further:  Explore alllll the Episodes of  The Spark Creativity Teacher Podcast . Join our community, Creative High...

Is your digital paper pile keeping you up at night? Google Classroom work may not fill your workbag, but it sure can weigh on your mind. Check out this episode for three easy ways to cut down your online grading time. Go Further:  Explore alllll the Episodes of  The Spark Creativity Teacher Podcast . Join our community, Creative High School English , on Facebook. Come hang out on Instagram .  Enjo...

In this episode, get ideas for better breakout rooms, building community in the remote classroom, teaching writing online, and much more with my guest Christina, from The Daring English Teacher.  Go Further:  Explore alllll the Episodes of  The Spark Creativity Teacher Podcast . Join our community, Creative High School English , on Facebook. Come hang out on Instagram .  Enjoying the podcast? Plea...

In search of fun, creative gifts this holiday season? Discover sixteen ideas in this first annual Creative English Teacher's Gift Guide episode. From teacher tees and wine labels to the best places to shop for books while supporting independent bookstores, this gift guide has great options to make shopping for your colleagues and friends (and maybe yourself) easy for you. Go Further:  Explore alll...

Want to try Jamboard, but not sure how? In this episode, discover creative classroom options for Jamboard, and learn how to avoid the common pitfalls. Guest Matt Miller from Ditch that Textbook shares creative uses for ELA!  Go Further:  Explore alllll the Episodes of  The Spark Creativity Teacher Podcast . Join our community, Creative High School English , on Facebook. Come hang out on Instagram...

Wanting to experiment with online writing wokrshop? Let Amanda teach you how! Writing workshop translates easily and simply to the online classroom. Find out how to use recorded mini-lessons, easy check-in strategies, and lots of student choice to help students thrive in your online workshops.   Go Further:  Explore alllll the Episodes of  The Spark Creativity Teacher Podcast . Join our community,...

In this episode, learn how to make a digital poetry tile set around any theme in three easy steps. Try this creative poetry writing activity on Google Slides if your students need a little break or as part of a poetry unit. You can sign up for your free gratitude digital magnetic poetry kit at nowsparkcreativity.com in the show notes.  Go Further:  Explore alllll the Episodes of  The Spark Creativ...

Build research into a fun virtual travel project. Who doesn't want to get away from it all sometimes in the middle of the year- this fun ELA project uses key ELA skills of research, curation, and multi-modal creation with a topic kids can get excited about.  Students will research a far-off destination they're interested in, curate and create the pieces of an online showcase to share the place wit...

Online discussions not flowing as they should? It's tough leading a virtual discussion in your ELA classes, especially with mics muted and videos off.  Try digital discussion warm-ups to help.  Go Further:  Explore alllll the Episodes of The Spark Creativity Teacher Podcast . Join our community, Creative High School English , on Facebook. Come hang out on  Instagram .  Enjoying the podcast? Please...

Podcasting is an ideal ELA project for students right now.   If you're diving in, let me be your guest speaker! In this unusual episode, I'm answering student questions about what it's like to be a podcaster.  My hope is that you will share this show with your students in the midst of an upcoming podcast unit.  Go Further:  Explore alllll the Episodes of The Spark Creativity Teacher Podcast . Join...

Want to use T.V. clips as one of your options to inspire rigorous, creative activities in your ELA classes? Listen in to these wonderful clip/project pairings from Danielle at Nouvelle ELA. Go Further:  Explore alllll the Episodes of The Spark Creativity Teacher Podcast . Join our community, Creative High School English , on Facebook. Come hang out on  Instagram .  Enjoying the podcast? Please con...

Hyperdocs are an easy answer to how to keep all students on track during blended learning. In this episode, learn how to create a hyperdoc for your unit in six easy steps. All you need is a Google Slide and a little creativity, and you're ready to rock and roll! Go Further:  Explore alllll the Episodes of The Spark Creativity Teacher Podcast . Join our community, Creative High School English , on...

Trying to give your distance learners some screen breaks? Here are some ideas to help ELA students do productive work away from the glow. In the rush to embrace all the (wonderful!) new technology, let's not forget that real books, pens, and paper can still be creative tools to help kids grow while protecting their eyes and brains from too much screen time.  Go Further:  Explore alllll the Episode...

Take your Literary Food Truck Festival online with the easy steps and free curriculum in this post and podcast from Spark Creativity. Go Further:  Explore alllll the Episodes of The Spark Creativity Teacher Podcast . Join our community, Creative High School English , on Facebook. Come hang out on  Instagram .  Enjoying the podcast? Please consider sharing it with a friend, snagging a screenshot to...

Do you love literature circles but worry they can't translate to a blended or virtual classroom? In this episode, find out how to bring them online. This is the second in this week's Back-to-School Blended series.  Go Further:  Explore alllll the Episodes of The Spark Creativity Teacher Podcast . Join our community, Creative High School English , on Facebook. Come hang out on  Instagram .  Enjoyin...

Want to get started with a First Chapter Friday program, but not sure how to do it with blended learning? Don't worry, this episode will show you how! Happy 100th episode! This is the first in a three-episode series called "Back-to-School Blended" coming out this week. Today it's virtual first chapter Friday, tomorrow it's virtual literature circles, and Thursday we'll dive into virtual literary f...

Podcasts are an easy, accessible, (FREE) and hands-free text option for students during blended learning. In this episode of The Spark Creativity Teacher Podcast, find out how to build a podcast unit, great podcast episode options for your ELA students, platforms to discuss podcasts together online, and more. We're talking with Ashley Bible from Building Book Love.  Go Further:  Explore alllll the...

Wondering how to flip your classroom so you can teach two separate groups of kids in person and online? In this episode, discover five flexible ELA unit ideas that require no texts, and how to teach them to your in-person and at-home groups at the same time. Go Further:  Explore alllll the Episodes of The Spark Creativity Teacher Podcast . Join our community, Creative High School English , on Face...