Lessons To Captivate Your Middle School ELA Students

 When it comes to middle school students, getting them truly engaged in their lessons can be a little…challenging to say the least. But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible! When I am working with my students, I am always looking for ways to do my lessons that will spark their creativity. Interactive activities always seem to do the trick. 

If you are looking for ELA activities that will not only captivate your students but truly motivate them to succeed, you’re in the right place! I’m sharing some of my favorite middle school activities that work every time, without fail! 

Escape Rooms

If you haven’t tried escape rooms with your students yet, what are you waiting for?! An escape room is basically a game where the players (students) are “locked” in a room and have to find clues and solve puzzles to “escape” within their set time limit. 

You can easily adapt escape rooms to make them educational. Incorporate topics you’ve been teaching into the game so students can practice while they play. It’s that easy—and let me tell you, students absolutely love it!

Don’t have time for all the prep? I have you covered! In honor of Thanksgiving rapidly approaching, I created this Reading Comprehension Thanksgiving Digital Escape Room!

Students will enter six different rooms to demonstrate their mastery of text structures, author's purpose, and reading comprehension. Check it out! 

Collaborative Storytelling

I adore using storytelling as a way to foster inspiration and spark creativity. What makes it extra fun is that, instead of creating a story on their own, students work in groups to craft a story together. They pass it around, taking turns adding sentences or paragraphs.

I love this activity because it lets students practice creative writing while improving communication skills. Plus, it’s a great way to boost their confidence in their writing abilities. You can tailor the prompts to connect with a book you’re reading in class or another topic they’re learning about. The possibilities are endless, and it’s simple and free!

Battle of the Book Clubs

Split your class into groups and have each of them choose a book out of a curated list with a variety of genres and topics.  Have them read it together over a period of time and after that, encourage them to analyze characters, plot, themes, and writing style.

Here’s where it gets fun! Each group should create a persuasive presentation summarizing their book and why it should be chosen to be the class favorite. They can create a poster, use props, or make a digital visual to go along with their presentation. After presentations are complete, the class will vote for their favorite book, with the winning group receiving a special prize or recognition. 

This activity will not only enhance their reading comprehension and critical thinking skills but also foster teamwork, creativity, and public speaking abilities!

I hope you and your students love these activities and ideas! Each student is different so have fun playing around with ways that you can adapt these activities to best meet the needs of your students. Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving!