7th Grade Computer Science Lesson on Testing and Refining Programs
You know how it goes this time of year in the classroom. We are constantly checking the calendar against the pacing guide, especially in middle school computer science, where the push toward project completion often squeezes out the quieter, more technical work of... read more
Teaching the Black Death in 7th Grade Social Studies
When you start planning your unit on the Middle Ages, the bubonic plague often feels like a topic that could take three weeks or three minutes. You do not need an entire month to get the point across, nor do you want to skim over it so quickly that the students lose... read more
Helping 7th Grade ELA Students Build Strong Persuasive Speeches
A parent once asked me why their seventh grader seemed so talented at debating their bedtime but struggled to write a single coherent paragraph for a school assignment. It is a common frustration because students often have plenty of passion but lack the tools to... read more
Teaching 7th Grade Students About Feudalism and Life in Medieval Europe
The biggest mistake seventh graders make when studying the Middle Ages is treating it like a fantasy story where the only thing that matters is how shiny a suit of armor is. They focus on knights and dragons while missing the entire structural backbone of the time.... read more