I think it’s safe to say that if you’re visiting us here at Moving Writers, you’re probably the sort of teacher who enters a new school year with a sense of adventure and possibility. I’m also going to guess that you already seek the positive in your students and offer all sorts of wonderful opportunities […]
Author: Michael Ziegler
Poppin’ and Writin’ All Summer Long
I’ve been learning a ton on Twitter recently, like the fact that many of you are already on summer vacation. And I am not. I eventually moved past that, though, and decided to write this post anyway. After all, we’re all colleagues and once I’m finally on summer break too in a couple weeks, I’m […]
Teaching From My Twitter Feed: Fun with Satire Personas
My students are at that time of year where they need to be constantly entertained. They like the satire unit we’re in the midst of (some of them have even said so out loud!), but their attention spans are starting to resemble that of my eight year old this afternoon as the rain poured down […]
The First Two Minutes: Practicing Close Analysis with Opening Sequences
If you want students to write deep analysis, try starting with a medium and “text” that’s familiar to them: The opening sequences of their favorite TV shows.
Also Twitter: A Useful Tool for Teaching Structure
An exploration of how Twitter can provide quick mini-lessons on writing structure.
Reading Like a Writer in Troubled Times
We’ve been studying up on the idea of journalistic “angles”, in preparation for the writing of our big narrative journalism piece. It’s an unfortunate and important time to be examining such things with high school students. Where we’d normally examining several models about random topics and attempt to uncover the underlying purpose or persuasive efforts […]
Narrative Journalism and the Tricky Power of Voice
Using narrative journalism to explore the nuance of journalistic voice will help students become more savvy news consumers.
Teaching From My Twitter Feed: Fun with Maps
A post exploring two Twitter accounts that provide a wealth of interesting visual material for your classroom writers!
Test Prep for Below-Grade-Level Writers
Test Prep for below-grade-level writers needs to involve strategies that build them up without overwhelming them
Researching the Future
This piece explores ways to let your below-grade-level learners imagine and envision a pathway to their career aspirations all through the use of research writing.
