Mrs. Beers Language Arts Classroom

Memorial Day Activities for Middle School: Reader’s Theater and Close Reading

Erin Beers — Tue, 19 May 2026 15:54:39 +0000

Memorial Day activity for middle school students

ELA End of the Year Activities for Middle School

Erin Beers — Mon, 11 May 2026 16:10:25 +0000

The last weeks of school are a unique kind of chaos. Your students have completely checked out, state testing is behind you, and there is no way you are starting a new novel with three weeks left. As a middle school teacher, I find that ...

The Best Classroom Candy for Student Rewards

Erin Beers — Wed, 06 May 2026 20:42:15 +0000

After years in the middle school classroom, I have a good sense of what rewards actually motivate students. While there is plenty of debate about whether candy should be allowed in classrooms, there is no doubt that certain candy brands are more popular with middle ...

Middle School Novel Study: How One Book Teaches More Than You Think

Erin Beers — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 17:48:08 +0000

Novel study units are a HUGE part of my ELA classroom. I use them for whole class instruction, small groups, and independent reading, and after 25 years of teaching middle school, I can tell you they cover more standards than most teachers realize. When I ...

Teacher Appreciation Gift Ideas: Free Printable and What Teachers Actually Want

Erin Beers — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 21:47:28 +0000

Teacher Appreciation Week rolls around every May, and the question is always the same: What do you actually get a teacher? I have been on the receiving end of 25 years of handmade cards, sticky-note poems, and the occasional gas-station gift card. I love every ...

Wonder Novel Study: Teaching Character Analysis with R.J. Palacio’s Six Narrators

Erin Beers — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 01:54:36 +0000

Character analysis is one of the most engaging aspects of teaching R.J. Palacio's Wonder, and this is one of the rare books that offers an obvious playbook for teachers. Six narrators. Six perspectives on the same events. Six opportunities for your students to step outside ...