I created this extra assignment for a student who requested more challenging work in my 7th grade ELA class. It is purposefully open-ended and is one of my favorite teaching materials for students who find normal ELA work too simple.

Click here to access a document of dozens of free writes and ESL conversation prompts. In my private tutoring sessions, I usually start with a free write, and I encourage my students to focus on getting ideas down on the paper rather than obsessing over spelling or grammar. Note: some of the ESL conversation topics may not be appropriate for all ages.

To prepare for a research report, I asked students to explore primary sources about Alaskan Native peoples. Here, I’ve attached the teacher guide and slide deck (one copy of the latter should be made for each student).

These lesson plans were adapted from the work of the previous teacher. I added the introductory lesson, connecting the idea of Circle Justice (from the novel Touching Spirit Bear) to the restorative justice movement in Chicago. I then wrote the prework section, creating a scenario that the students would use to run their own Circle Justice session. The students then graded themselves, using a provided rubric. (Directions and rubric are not included in this packet as they are not mine to share.)

A masterful short story by Gabriel García Márquez, translated into English by Gregory Rabassa. I have adapted it to lower the reading level, because the original uses many words that may be unfamiliar for a middle school audience.