The Worst Activities to Use in ELA (and How to Make Them Better) [S7 EP. 255]

Listen to the full episode below:

You know that feeling when you plan an end-of-year activity that sounds great on paper… and then completely falls apart in the classroom? We’ve been there—more than once.

In this episode, we’re taking an honest look at those “fun” end-of-year activities that didn’t quite land. From character tattoo assignments that took a strange turn to creative projects that quickly unraveled, we’re sharing some of our own missteps so you don’t have to learn the hard way.

But this isn’t just story time—we’re also offering up practical ways to rethink your approach to end-of-year planning. We talk through strategies for adding structure and clarity to open-ended projects, making creative writing feel manageable, and designing research assignments that don’t overwhelm students (or you). Whether it’s tweaking how you assign one-pagers or reimagining final research into something more collaborative and discussion-based, we’re focusing on what ACTUALLY works at this point in the school year.

We also dig into why “choice” isn’t always the magic solution, how to keep engagement up without burning yourself out, and how small shifts in structure can make a big impact—especially when students (and teachers) are running on fumes.

If you’re staring down those final weeks and wondering how to end strong without losing your mind, this episode will give you both the encouragement and the actionable ideas you need to finish well. Check the show notes for everything we mention—and maybe send this one to your teacher bestie who’s already over it.

PS: Camp BNT 2025 is coming soon!! If you aren’t already following us on Instagram, join us there because we’re dropping hints about the authors that will be participating this summer. We can’t wait to share the line up!

topics discussed:

  • A trending assignment of asking students to create a tattoo for a book character (and what goes wrong with assignments like this!)

  • Ideas for assessing open-ended ELA activities

  • The more narrow your prompt is, the better the results will be

  • How to assign structured form poetry in a way that feels like a fun game

  • Shifting from written work to seminars, presentations, debates, etc. at the end of the year

  • A go-to for creative writing: “share your first line or your best line”

  • End of year research passion projects gone wrong (and how to make them better!)

  • Alternative options for traditional research papers

resources:

check out other bnt episodes:

More about Brave New Teaching:

Join hosts Amanda Cardenas (Mud & Ink Teaching) and Marie Morris (The Caffeinated Classroom) in discussions about being brave, trying new things, and all things teaching! As seasoned classroom teachers, Amanda and Marie bring their experience, insight, energy, and oh, so many opinions and ideas... It's time for all teachers to take their classroom and teaching practice into their own hands!

Tune in on your favorite podcast apps like Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify.

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