February Lesson Plans for Middle School ELA

February lesson plans for middle school ELA need to help students stay energized during this dreary winter month. February is here, and with it comes the hearts, candy, and flowers that signal Valentine’s Day. Today let’s talk about something else that many of us have a passion for – teaching.

Let’s talk about February lesson plans for middle school ELA.

During the month of February, my classes focus on two very important skill sets:

Critical Thinking Skills I want students to think critically about the messages they receive each day in the media works they consume. It is very frustrating when students parrot what they have heard others say without any sort of independent thought. In order to counter this, you have to teach critical thinking skills. There are many ways to encourage and develop students’ critical thinking skills. One of my favourites is the PSA Analysis Unit described in the next section. Find this resource on Shopify CAD or Teachers Pay Teachers USD.
Persuasive and Argument Writing Hand in hand with critical thinking skills is the ability to craft a quality argument. During the month of February, we work on persuasive and argument writing as well. While many of my discussion and essay questions throughout the year have at least some aspect of this, we focus on these skills using the Rant Writing Unit described in the next section. Find this resource on Shopify CAD or Teachers Pay Teachers USD.

Reading Focus

Reading Journal Entries These journal entries from my Independent Reading Journal Assignment help keep your students organized during independent reading. The reading tracking forms help students stay organized and purposeful during readers’ workshop or independent reading time. Find this resource on Shopify CAD or Teachers Pay Teachers USD.

Writing and Speaking Focus

Rant Writing Unit – Rant writing is an engaging way to bring persuasive writing into the classroom. Students rant and complain to each other daily, why not channel that creative energy into some high-quality writing? Once students have completed the written portion of the Rant Writing Unit, they prepare an oral presentation for the class. Find this resource on Shopify CAD or Teachers Pay Teachers USD.

Argumentative Essay Writing Unit – This scaffolded argumentative essay writing unit follows the gradual release model (I Do, We Do/You Do) for student learning. Teachers will teach the skill to the whole class and then give students time to practice this skill with a partner or by themselves before requiring them to use it independently. Students will learn how to write an argumentative essay. Each skill is broken down into a different lesson to help students grasp each new concept. Find this resource on Shopify CAD or Teachers Pay Teachers USD.

Focus on Media Literacy

Analyzing Public Service Announcements and Commercials In this unit students will learn about the various techniques advertisers use to make commercials and public service announcements effective. Lessons include target audience, commercial techniques, PSA techniques, and effective camera angles and shots. This unit culminates with a student-created PSA project. Find this resource on Shopify CAD or Teachers Pay Teachers USD.

Try to make this month fun with some holiday-themed activities and readings. February is far from the holidays and March Break.

Holiday Focus

Valentine’s Day Unit – This engaging Valentine’s Day Unit for middle school grades contains five different activities that will help reinforce your students’ reading, writing, and creativity skills. Students will learn about the historical background of Valentine’s Day traditions and prepare for a discussion about current Valentine’s Day customs. Find this resource on Shopify CAD or Teachers Pay Teachers USD.
Chinese New Year – In this Chinese New Year Non-Fiction Article teachers get access to 1 non-fiction article and 3 reading activities to assist with reading comprehension, standardized test prep, and cross-curricular learning. Find this resource on Shopify CAD or Teachers Pay Teachers USD.
Groundhog Day – Use this Groundhog Day Non-Fiction Article to help students work on their reading and writing skills. They also get to learn about the adorable yearly tradition. Find this resource on Shopify CAD or Teachers Pay Teachers USD.
Valentine’s Day Digital Escape Room – This Valentine’s Day-themed digital escape room provides students with the opportunity to work independently or with their peers to solve 11 Valentine’s Day-themed challenges. Students must solve these required challenges to “escape” the English teacher workroom supply closet they accidentally got locked in. Find this resource on Shopify CAD or Teachers Pay Teachers USD.