Refresh your routines with these year long back to school secondary ELA resources without the hours of prep!
Welcome back to a new school year, educators! As you step into your classrooms, ready to inspire and engage, having the right tools at your disposal can make all the difference.
That’s why we’ve put together a set of six comprehensive units specifically designed as back to school secondary ELA resources. These units are crafted to help you establish solid routines that promote a structured and stimulating learning environment from day one. Each unit integrates essential ELA skills with creative approaches to learning, ensuring that your students are not only excited to learn but also well-equipped for the year ahead.
Whether you’re looking to foster critical thinking, enhance writing skills, or encourage collaborative learning, these back-to-school secondary ELA resources are here to kick-start your semester. So, let’s get ready to make this school year one of the most dynamic and productive yet!
6 Back to School Secondary ELA Resources
We hope you find one (or more) things you need with these comprehensive back to school secondary ELA resources we’ve listed below!
Use this resource as you read any texts!
✅ Short Story Unit
✅ Novel Study
✅ Drama Unit
✅ Poetry Unit
Each spread is designed for a gradual release of responsibility:
1. IN (bell ringer)
2. THROUGH (teacher input/guided classwork)
3. OUT (exit/independent practice/homework)
⭐ Low-stakes, short prompts that include a variety of topics
⭐ Designed to be completed in 5 minutes or less
⭐ Perfect for middle school bell ringers or exit tickets
⭐ Boosts struggling writers’ stamina and confidence
⭐ Each prompt asks about personal experiences (no “right or wrong” answers)
Enjoy a FREEBIE of these journal prompts!
This is a great way to build classroom community! Students work in teams to collaborate, earn points, and eventually try to win the class competition.
Example puzzle topics:
✨ Twisted summaries
✨ Song titles by initials
✨ Famous first lines
✨ Children’s books by cake
✨ Cryptoquotes
✨ Perfect for students in grades 6-12 studying Shakespeare
✨ Each play is abridged to focus on major themes and character relationships
✨ Each script has casting information & is as flexible as possible
What plays and resources are included in this bundle?
Comedies:
The Comedy of Errors
Deceiving Christopher Sly
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Much Ado About Nothing
The Tempest
Twelfth Night
As You Like It
The Merry Wives of Windsor
Taming of the Shrew
Tragedies:
Juliet & Romeo
Macbeth & the Witches
Julius Caesar
Othello
Hamlet
Romeo & Juliet (set to pop songs!)
Histories:
Richard III
Collections:
Two-play combo: Romeo & Juliet
Four Play Bundle: Juliet & Romeo, Twelfth Night, Macbeth, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Four Play Bundle: Juliet & Romeo, Deceiving Christopher Sly, The Comedy of Errors, and Twelfth Night
Four Play Bundle: Juliet & Romeo, Macbeth & the Witches, Othello, and Julius Caesar
Four Play Bundle: Macbeth & the Witches, The Tempest, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Much Ado About Nothing
Four Play Bundle: Four Versions of Hamlet
Eight Play Bundle
All Plays & Guides
What you’ll teach:
✨ Persuasive techniques
✨ Ad analysis
✨ Propaganda
✨ Media literacy
✨ Bell ringers
✨ Projects
✨ PowerPoints
✨ Quizzes
✨ Engaging advertising analysis
✨ Interactive practice
✨ Creative projects
Your students will:
✨ Practice identifying & analyzing techniques in ads & commercials
✨ Create their own logo
✨ Perform a commercial skit
✨ Practice public speaking
✨ Learn through DOING
Key Takeaways for students:
✅ Analyzing photographs is like analyzing a text
✅ Elements of art are like figurative language for photographs
✅ Photographers consider audience, context, and purpose
This collection of lessons helps improve media literacy by having students analyze photographs as texts. Analyzing photographs (unlike literature) convinces students that there are no “right answers” and that analysis is, instead, all about your evidence.
Each photo analysis activity is independent, making this an easy unit to teach analyzing photographs and media literacy during standardized testing or other times that you may not have all students in the classroom at the same time. Everything is highly scaffolded so that students can work on it independently, and can easily pick up where they left off.
Perfect media literacy unit for:
✅ 7-10 ELA
✅ Pre-AP
✅ Yearbook & Journalism
And just like that, you’re all set to start the school year on a high note! With these back to school secondary ELA resources and a survival guide, you’re not just preparing lessons—you’re setting the stage for a year of engaging learning and growth.
Dive into these units, mix them up with your unique teaching style, and watch as your classroom transforms into a vibrant community of learners. Here’s to a fantastic start and an even better year ahead. Cheers to new beginnings and endless possibilities!
