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Middle School Café – Strategies & Support for Middle School ELA Teachers

Middle School Café – Strategies & Support for Middle School ELA Teachers

Education:How To

Winter Break Countdown: Easy, Inclusive Activities for Middle School ELA [Ep. 4]

Winter Break Countdown: Easy, Inclusive Activities for Middle School ELA [Ep. 4]

2022-11-22
Download Right click and do "save link as"

The countdown to winter break is on—but these final weeks can feel like the longest of the year. In this episode, I’m sharing easy, low-prep activities that help keep students engaged and bring just the right amount of festive fun to your classroom.

We’ll talk about how to approach holiday celebrations in a way that’s inclusive, respectful, and representative of the students and community you serve. You’ll hear tips for inviting students into the planning process, thinking seasonally when holiday celebrations aren’t an option, and keeping classroom routines fresh without adding to your stress.

Whether you’re looking to shift the energy in your room or simply survive the stretch to break, this episode is packed with practical ideas you can use right away.

Read more in the show notes. 

Related episodes and blog posts: 

  • How to Celebrate the Holidays in Secondary ELA - Blog post
  • Teacher Self Care Starts Now: How to Recharge Over Winter Break

Resources mentioned in the episode:

  • Holiday Traditions Resource
  • Winter Visual Writing Prompts
  • Holiday Visual Writing Prompts
  • Creative Writing Holiday prompts
  • Elf and the Shoemaker - short story unit
  • A Kidnapped Santa Claus - short story unit
  • The History of New Year's Eve in Times Square
  • The History of the Poinsettia Nonfiction Reading Passage

Be sure to join the Secondary ELA Facebook group. If you’re loving this podcast, please rate, review and follow!


Website: https://middleschoolcafe.com/
Facebook Group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/secondaryela
Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/middleschoolcafe
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/middleschoolcafe/
TPT Shop:
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Middle-School-Cafe

view more

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Where Reading Feels Like Belonging - Building a Reading Culture [Ep. 56]
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Don’t Skip Genre Review: Why It Matters in Middle School ELA [Ep. 55]
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Using Reading Challenges to Engage and Stretch Student Readers [Ep. 54]
2025-06-24
Teacher Reflection: What Worked This Year—And What I’m Leaving Behind [Ep. 53]
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Student Reflection Strategies That Build Better Comprehension [Ep. 52]
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Make Reflection Part of Your Reading Routine [Ep. 51]
2025-05-06
Burnout Is Real: An Honest Conversation for Teachers [Bonus]
2025-04-29
Keeping Students Engaged with Simple Choice Strategies [Ep. 50]
2025-04-24
Student-Led Book Talks: A Meaningful Way to Keep Students Reading [Ep. 49]
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Strategies for Teaching Vocabulary with Purpose - Part 2 [Ep. 48]
2025-03-18
Teaching Vocabulary with Purpose Part 1 [Ep. 47]
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Holding Students Accountable While Fostering A Love For Reading [Ep. 46]
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The Power of Independent Reading in a Canned Curriculum Classroom [Ep. 45]
2025-02-04
Back in Action: A Fresh Chapter for the Middle School Café Podcast! [BONUS]
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Finding 'Just Right' Books: Cultivating Lifelong Readers [Ep. 44]
2023-09-19
The Power of Teacher Book Talks: Igniting a Passion for Reading [Ep. 43]
2023-09-12
Using Routines and Procedures in the Classroom to Build Classroom Community [Ep. 42]
2023-09-05
Building Strong Teacher-Student Relationships Beyond Getting to Know you Activities [Ep. 41]
2023-08-29
Unique Reading Engagement Ideas with Katie from Mochas and Markbooks [Ep. 40]
2023-08-22
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