380: The Easiest Last Day in ELA (Community Favorite)
05/28/25 • 8 min
Last year, at this time, I was preparing to move from Bratislava to California when I released the episode we’re revisiting today, all about the easiest way to approach the last day in ELA. And it turned out to be the most popular episode I’ve ever released, with more than 25,000 teachers tuning in.
So it seems only fitting that as the end of the year approaches once again, and my life is ONCE AGAIN in boxes, preparing for our move on Thursday for a very new and exciting job for my husband in the Midwest, I would share this episode one more time.
I hope it will make your last day of school a fun, creative, LOW-STRESS day that gives you a chance to say goodbye to your kiddos in a way that feels meaningful and relaxed.
Lighthouse members, you'll find the last day stations in your seasonal section under "Spring."
For folks in search of my version of these stations on TPT, here they are: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Last-Day-of-School-Stations-for-ELA-13423108
Go Further:
Explore alllll the Episodes of The Spark Creativity Teacher Podcast.
Snag three free weeks of community-building attendance question slides
Join our community, Creative High School English, on Facebook.
Come hang out on Instagram.
Enjoying the podcast? Please consider sharing it with a friend, snagging a screenshot to share on the ‘gram, or tapping those ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ to help others discover the show. Thank you!
Camp Creative: Your Shiny New Short Story Toolbox is coming June 23-27.
In this fun and free 5 day summer workshop, you’ll...
⭐ Learn about 5 fabulous short story options from me (plus SO MANY others from the thousands of other teachers at camp!)
⭐ Walk through 5 creative out-of-their-seats and/or outside-the-box short story lessons (bye bye, comprehension questions)
⭐ Take away 5 classroom-ready curriculum kits for next year (hello, major time-savers!)
Each day’s materials are designed to take just 10 minutes to peruse, and they come straight to your email so you can join us day by day or, if you're busy (or still teaching), catch up later.
Sign up here: https://sparkcreativity.kartra.com/page/CC2025
Last year, at this time, I was preparing to move from Bratislava to California when I released the episode we’re revisiting today, all about the easiest way to approach the last day in ELA. And it turned out to be the most popular episode I’ve ever released, with more than 25,000 teachers tuning in.
So it seems only fitting that as the end of the year approaches once again, and my life is ONCE AGAIN in boxes, preparing for our move on Thursday for a very new and exciting job for my husband in the Midwest, I would share this episode one more time.
I hope it will make your last day of school a fun, creative, LOW-STRESS day that gives you a chance to say goodbye to your kiddos in a way that feels meaningful and relaxed.
Lighthouse members, you'll find the last day stations in your seasonal section under "Spring."
For folks in search of my version of these stations on TPT, here they are: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Last-Day-of-School-Stations-for-ELA-13423108
Go Further:
Explore alllll the Episodes of The Spark Creativity Teacher Podcast.
Snag three free weeks of community-building attendance question slides
Join our community, Creative High School English, on Facebook.
Come hang out on Instagram.
Enjoying the podcast? Please consider sharing it with a friend, snagging a screenshot to share on the ‘gram, or tapping those ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ to help others discover the show. Thank you!
Camp Creative: Your Shiny New Short Story Toolbox is coming June 23-27.
In this fun and free 5 day summer workshop, you’ll...
⭐ Learn about 5 fabulous short story options from me (plus SO MANY others from the thousands of other teachers at camp!)
⭐ Walk through 5 creative out-of-their-seats and/or outside-the-box short story lessons (bye bye, comprehension questions)
⭐ Take away 5 classroom-ready curriculum kits for next year (hello, major time-savers!)
Each day’s materials are designed to take just 10 minutes to peruse, and they come straight to your email so you can join us day by day or, if you're busy (or still teaching), catch up later.
Sign up here: https://sparkcreativity.kartra.com/page/CC2025
Previous Episode
379: 6 ELA Review Activities for a Strong Finish
A few engaging review activities for ELA come in handy around this time of year, as the calendar takes over and students pop off to random awards ceremonies, spirit events, and slideshows. Sometimes you see them for one day in a row, sometimes two, but getting in a groove is definitely a challenge!
So, in case you're in search of creative review activities that will get students looking back over all that they've learned before a final project or exam, or just before heading off into the summer horizon, here are six. I'm going to base them on a fun review choice board I made for The Lighthouse seasonal section. So, Lighthouse members, be sure to snag it if you like the sound of all this! And if you're not in The Lighthouse yet, it will be opening up in June for new folks, so be sure you're on my email list so you don't miss the invitation.
Go Further:
Explore alllll the Episodes of The Spark Creativity Teacher Podcast.
Get my popular free hexagonal thinking digital toolkit
Join our community, Creative High School English, on Facebook.
Come hang out on Instagram.
Enjoying the podcast? Please consider sharing it with a friend, snagging a screenshot to share on the ‘gram, or tapping those ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ to help others discover the show. Thank you!
Next Episode
381: What if We're thinking Too Small When it Comes to Short Stories? (And Sometimes, Not Small Enough)
I never met a short story I liked back in high school.
If I was going to read, I wanted to READ.
I wanted to get caught up in the plot, get to know the characters, inhabit the action, spend some time in another world.
I certainly didn't want to finish half an hour after I began. No matter how lovely the language or innovative the miniature plot. My eyes just drifted over short story sections at bookstores and libraries like they weren't there, and I honestly can't remember the name of a single story I read in high school that has stayed with me.
I know, I know, I should start my podcast with a more chipper intro. But here's the thing - I've got a new take on the world of short stories. Yes, I could talk to you about the stunning language of Hemingway short stories I discovered in grad school. (Here's looking at you, "Hills like White Elephants"). Or I could share Ursula LeGuin's unique Giver-in-miniature, Those Who Walk Away from Omelas (though you might have a little trouble keeping everyone serious during the paragraph about orgies). I could even dig into Poe, that intriguingly murky figure, with his loveably creepy Raven, and how well he lends himself to escape rooms.
But I've shared about popular classic short stories before. And reviewed popular contemporary collections for teens too. Even given you a walkthrough of designing an escape room for Poe.
Today, my aim is a bit different. As Camp Creative: Your Shiny New Short Story Toolbox, my summer Pd session gets closer (you can join us free here), I've been thinking a lot about different takes on the short story. Flash stories, audio stories, verse stories, graphic stories, multigenre stories. What if we added THESE to our short story toolbox?
Camp Creative : Your Shiny New Short Story Toolbox is coming June 23-27.
In this fun and free 5 day summer workshop, you’ll...
⭐ Learn about 5 fabulous short story options from me (plus SO MANY others from the thousands of other teachers at camp!)
⭐ Walk through 5 creative out-of-their-seats and/or outside-the-box short story lessons (bye bye, comprehension questions)
⭐ Take away 5 classroom-ready curriculum kits for next year (hello, major time-savers!)
Each day’s materials are designed to take just 10 minutes to peruse, and they come straight to your email so you can join us day by day or, if you're busy (or still teaching), catch up later.
Sign up here: https://sparkcreativity.kartra.com/page/CC2025
Go Further:
Explore alllll the Episodes of The Spark Creativity Teacher Podcast.
Grab the free Better Discussions toolkit
Join our community, Creative High School English, on Facebook.
Come hang out on Instagram.
Enjoying the podcast? Please consider sharing it with a friend, snagging a screenshot to share on the ‘gram, or tapping those ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ to help others discover the show. Thank you!
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