Notes from the Inkpot
Writing, teaching, creating - one ink-stained idea at a time.
How to Teach The Crucible: Context, Chaos, and Classroom Activities That Actually Work
Teaching The Crucible works best when you keep context manageable, lean into fear and reputation, and give students structured ways to talk before they write. In this post I’m sharing practical classroom strategies, discussion ideas, revision activities, and two resource bundles — plus a free set of Act 1 discussion cards to get you started.
10 Graphic Novels for Reluctant Readers (That Actually Work in the Classroom)
Graphic novels are brilliant for reluctant readers because they reduce cognitive overload without reducing complexity. Here are 10 classroom-friendly titles, why they work, and how to use them — plus an affiliate note and a link back to “10 Personal Reading Rules We Should Let Students Break.”
How to Teach Animal Farm: Practical Strategies, Discussion Ideas, and Activities That Actually Work
Teaching Animal Farm works best when you slow students down and focus on how Orwell builds power through language, propaganda, and responsibility. In this post, I break down how to teach it without drowning students in context, share activities that actually work in the classroom, and include a free set of Chapter 1 creative writing prompts you can use straight away.