Ideas, Tools, and Expert Advice
to Get the Most Out of Teaching

I enjoy teaching, and you can too!

After 35 years teaching upper elementary students, I still love it. What’s the recipe for a long, fulfilling career? To survive, happy teachers organize, plan, and simplify. To thrive, they learn, engage, and dive in. Read on for ideas, tutorials, and inspiration to enjoy teaching.

Brenda Kovich, NBCT

6 Steps to Enjoy Teaching

Using a Story Arc to Summarize and Find Theme

July 2, 2017

Brenda Kovich

English Language Arts, Literature

No Comments

Using a story arc helps kids understand story elements. That makes it great for summarizing and finding a theme. Furthermore, it establishes a reading-writing connection. Once kids make sense of the arc…

Scaffold mystery reading instruction with inference activities, short stories, and novels.

By Reading Mysteries, You’ll Unlock Their Critical Thinking Skills

June 4, 2017

Brenda Kovich

English Language Arts, Genre Studies, Mystery

No Comments

Reading mysteries really boosts comprehension. Why? Kids must read closely and make inferences. Critical thinking soars! Try this scaffolded approach. Get ready with simple inference activities. Next, get set with short stories. Finally,…

3 Mystery Writing Activities That Your Kids Will Love

May 28, 2017

Brenda Kovich

English Language Arts, Genre Studies, Mystery

No Comments

Looking for mystery writing activities for kids? They’ll love writing full-length mapped mysteries. But if you want something a little different – or are running short on time – try…

Fun Mystery Unit Activities – Let Your Kids Think Like Detectives!

May 21, 2017

Brenda Kovich

English Language Arts, Genre Studies, Mystery, Mystery Activities

No Comments

Mystery activities for kids = fun! Let them think like detectives. They’ll love cracking codes, experimenting with invisible ink, fingerprinting, making observations, and more! At home or in the classroom,…

It’s Important to Choose the Best Mystery Novels for Kids

May 7, 2017

Brenda Kovich

English Language Arts, Genre Studies, Mystery

No Comments

Looking for the best mystery novels for kids? Be careful. Some don’t model elements of the genre. Others don’t quite make sense. When making the choice for your class, consider…

How to Modernize Novel Studies with Google Sites

January 22, 2017

Brenda Kovich

Enjoy Teaching, Learn, Technology

No Comments

Digital novel studies give kids audio-visual experiences that paper and pencil just can’t provide. Take your students on a five-minute virtual field trip. Show a photo to illustrate a concept. Let…

Martin Luther King Resources – ELA Activities You’ll Love

December 29, 2016

Brenda Kovich

Biography, English Language Arts, Genre Studies

No Comments

Martin Luther King resources are here! Engage your intermediate-grade students with text, activities, video, audio, and crafts. (more…)

Teaching Possessive Nouns in Three Days Is Easy

October 23, 2016

Brenda Kovich

English Language Arts, Language

No Comments

Teaching possessive nouns can be a train wreck. But have no fear! Your third, fourth, and fifth grade students can learn this tricky skill in just three days. (more…)

View All Posts

Ideas, Tools, and Expert Advice
to Get the Most Out of Teaching

I enjoy teaching, and you can too!

Using a Story Arc to Summarize and Find Theme

By Reading Mysteries, You’ll Unlock Their Critical Thinking Skills

3 Mystery Writing Activities That Your Kids Will Love

Fun Mystery Unit Activities – Let Your Kids Think Like Detectives!

It’s Important to Choose the Best Mystery Novels for Kids

How to Modernize Novel Studies with Google Sites

Martin Luther King Resources – ELA Activities You’ll Love

Teaching Possessive Nouns in Three Days Is Easy

Visit my TPT store!

Brenda Kovich

Sign-Up for Updates

Site Links

Ideas, Tools, and Expert Adviceto Get the Most Out of Teaching

I enjoy teaching, and you can too!

Visit my TPT store!

Ideas, Tools, and Expert Advice
to Get the Most Out of Teaching