01/06/2026
Middle schoolers are funny.
Ask them to write a story and suddenly they’re “too cool” for school.
Ask them to create their own video game and they’ll spend 45 minutes debating whether a mushroom village should be located in the clouds or underground. 😂
That’s exactly why I love this project.
Students design an original video game from the ground up, developing characters, settings, conflicts, objectives, and storylines while practicing the same ELA skills we’d normally teach through more traditional assignments.
The result?
🎮 Students are engaged.
📝 Students are writing.
💡 Students are thinking creatively.
🙌 Teachers aren’t fighting for participation.
It’s one of my favorite projects for those weeks when everyone needs a little spark of excitement but you still want meaningful academic work happening.
And honestly? The games students create are often more creative than anything I could have imagined myself.
If you teach middle school ELA, this one is always a hit.
Link: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/The-Video-Game-Project-An-ELA-Activity-for-Big-Kids-Digital-Printable-2467085
26/05/2026
One of the biggest mistakes I used to make with literary analysis was expecting students to suddenly become independent writers overnight.
Now I use gradual release EVERY step of the way:
✔ mentor texts
✔ modeled trackers
✔ shared practice
✔ independent evidence collection
✔ model essays
✔ scaffolded thesis writing
By the time students write their final essays, they feel prepared instead of overwhelmed.
I shared the entire process I use with both fiction and nonfiction texts on the blog today!
🔗https://musingsfromthemiddleschool.org/2026/05/middle-school-literary-analysis-with-any-text.html
23/05/2026
‼️COMING SOON‼️
I completely changed up how I teach my students to write a literary analysis essay this year!
I can’t wait to share more about it!!
26/05/2026
23/05/2026