Teaching Middle School ELA
Welcome to the Teaching Middle School ELA Podcast, where we help English Language Arts teachers create dynamic, engaging lessons while balancing the everyday responsibilities of teaching middle school.
I’m Caitlin Mitchell, a longtime ELA educator and curriculum creator, and I know firsthand how challenging it can be to manage grading, planning, and student needs—while still trying to have a life outside the classroom. That’s why every Tuesday and Thursday, I bring you practical strategies, curriculum inspiration, and innovative teaching ideas to help you feel confident, prepared, and energized.
Whether you're looking to revamp your writing instruction, streamline your planning process, or engage even the most reluctant readers and writers, you’ll find actionable support here. You'll also hear real classroom stories, fresh lesson ideas, and occasional interviews with other passionate educators.
If you teach reading and writing to middle schoolers and want to stay inspired and up-to-date with best practices in ELA education, you’re in the right place. Tune in every week and let’s transform your teaching—together.
Teaching Middle School ELA
Bonus Episode: How to Turn a Mystery into a Full-Class Mock Trial
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How to Turn a Mystery into a Full-Class Mock Trial
Want to teach argument writing in a way your students will actually love? In this episode, I'm walking you through how to pair a murder mystery narrative with a full mock trial experience—no extra planning required.
You'll learn:
- How to launch The Bountiful Case mystery in your classroom
- How to guide students through claim, premise, evidence, and justification using our Case Report
- How to set up and run a full mock trial (including tips for large classes!)
- Ways to keep it simple—or totally zhuzh it up
This lesson is one of my favorite ways to build writing, speaking, and critical thinking skills—and you can get the full resource bundle completely free.
🎁 Download the Mystery + Mock Trial Kit here:
ebteacher.com/mysterytrial
💡 Want even more ideas like this? Join me for my free Summer Engagement Workshop, where I’ll show you how to bring this kind of energy and purpose to every part of your school year.
Register here: ebteacher.com/workshop