Are your students getting a bit antsy?  Is their attention span seeming to shorten?  Are you looking for something different to interest and excite them?  Something out of the norm that still covers critical content, but in a fun and different way?  If so, my leveled readers' theater plays might be perfect for you!

My leveled readers' theater plays are content-based historical plays with parts written at specific grade levels so even your most struggling readers can have success and learn about history while also working on their reading fluency.

When I use them in my classroom, I provide a reflective writing prompt between each play that gets them to make connections between the play and the content we are studying.  They come in groups of three and can be found at both my and my wife, Jen Robinson's stores.  If these sound like they may be for you, click the links below to check them out, and as always, if you think someone else may benefit from these, please pass this post on!

• FREE SAMPLE!
  • Time to Vote!
• World History
  • Ancient Egypt
  • Ancient Greece
  • Ancient Greek Mythology
  • Ancient Rome
  • Middle Ages
• American History
  • Eastern Woodlands Native Americans
  • Pacific Northwest Native Americans
  • Great Plains Native Americans
  • Southeast Native Americans
  • Southwest Native Americans
  • Native American Bundle
  • The Age of Exploration
  • The Revolution
  • The Three Branches of Government
  • U.S. Expansion
  • The Civil War
  • Civil War Battles
  • President's Day
• Geography
  • Regions of the United States (Northeast, Midwest, Southeast)
  • Regions of the United States (Southwest, Mountain, Western)
  • California
  • Michigan
  • Texas
  • Florida
  • Massachusetts

One of the growth goals I set for myself last year was to increase my students' vocabulary.  I had always done vocabulary activities like KIM charts, Vocabulary Connection Charts and Vocabulary Task Cards, but upon further reflection, I realized that I was only really installing then using vocabulary terms with my students, and not overtly practicing it.  I felt I could do better.

One day while driving to school, a great idea hit me!  I had stumbled on a quick and easy way for my students to review all their vocabulary terms every day, and it would only take about two minutes of class time!

I call it A-B Partner (or Shoulder Partner or Letter Partner) Vocab Review, and we do it at the beginning of nearly every class.  I project one of our unit's vocab words, and person A defines it to person B.  If person B thinks they are correct, they give person A a quick thumbs up.  After 10 seconds, person B gets to define the next word and so on.  All told, 12 words takes 120 seconds (2 minutes)!  Sometimes I vary it by projecting the definitions rather than the words and the students must recall the words as sometimes assessments ask vocab questions either way.

I love this strategy.  It's quick, easy, and effective.  My students get engaged in the vocabulary, can see their progress day-to-day, and have averaged well over 90% on vocab quizzes since I started it!