Many of my advanced students will hesitate to write until they believe they have the “perfect” idea. This self-imposed pressure hinders creativity.

The goal of this task is simple: stop overthinking, and start writing.

Once students force themselves to write – ideas blossom.

Worksheet Link:

Write the Worst Essay Of Your Life: Worksheet

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I give away all of my teaching resources for free, and I hope to keep it that way.

Here is my entire Google Drive, by the way: https://briantolentino.com/my-google-drive-resource-library/​

That means Tolentino Teaching depends on donations from educators like you. If you’ve found my resources helpful and would like to support the work I’m doing, feel free to donate below.

Every donation helps me continue creating and sharing free resources with teachers everywhere.

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It is also the structure my district promotes for expository, argumentative, and analytical writing.

I plan to add more CER resources over the next month, but I wanted to share what I have so far.

I hope these resources help!

Video:

Click on the worksheets for the link:

More CER worksheets here:

CER Worksheets

Thank You For the Support!

I give away all of my teaching resources for free, and I hope to keep it that way.

Here is my entire Google Drive, by the way: https://briantolentino.com/my-google-drive-resource-library/​

That means Tolentino Teaching depends on donations from educators like you. If you’ve found my resources helpful and would like to support the work I’m doing, feel free to donate below.

Every donation helps me continue creating and sharing free resources with teachers everywhere.

Thank you for your support!

Donate Here

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Main Email Newsletter

For this task, students will write a 100-word story inspired by a song.

Think of it as musically inspired microfiction: listen, imagine, and turn the feelings, images, and characters inspired by the song into roughly 100 words.

Some students, of course, will be confused.

They’ll ask:

“How am I supposed to write a story from a song? That doesn’t make sense.”

Good.

That’s exactly the kind of creative confusion you want students to sit with for a while.

It’s a strange task, and that’s the point. There isn’t one obvious path from a song to a story. Students have to make connections and take creative risks to figure it out.

Give them some time. Feed them a few ideas and examples.

The stories will come.

Click on the worksheet for the link.

Now let’s talk about song choices for this task.

Every classroom responds to songs differently. So these are just some of the songs I’ve used.

Hans Zimmer: Time

Hotel California: The Eagles

Zach Hemsey: The Way

Toto: Africa

Thank You For the Support!

I give away all of my teaching resources for free, and I hope to keep it that way.

Here is my entire Google Drive, by the way: https://briantolentino.com/my-google-drive-resource-library/​

That means Tolentino Teaching depends on donations from educators like you. If you’ve found my resources helpful and would like to support the work I’m doing, feel free to donate below.

Every donation helps me continue creating and sharing free resources with teachers everywhere.

Thank you for your support!

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I love the drawing activities, but even more, I love its message about our abilities—and the beliefs we have about what we can and can’t do.

Here’s the video and a response worksheet you can use with your students.

Video: Why People Believe They Can’t Draw—and How to Prove They Can

Click on the worksheets for the link:

Thank You For the Support!

I give away all of my teaching resources for free, and I hope to keep it that way.

Here is my entire Google Drive, by the way: https://briantolentino.com/my-google-drive-resource-library/​

That means Tolentino Teaching depends on donations from educators like you. If you’ve found my resources helpful and would like to support the work I’m doing, feel free to donate below.

Every donation helps me continue creating and sharing free resources with teachers everywhere.

Thank you for your support!

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In one class of 16-year-olds, most of the students were fluent in three languages: Georgian, Russian, and English.

We could have academic conversations, in English, about European geopolitics. And we could compare and contrast American and Russian literature.

(Although they would tell me that I should learn Russian to be able to truly appreciate the beauty of Russian literature.)

Most of these students had never even visited an English-speaking country.

And somehow, they were able to do all of this without Common Core standards or constantly being asked to find the main idea of a text.

Their textbooks were old and their resources weren’t fancy.

But they were expected to read books. Entire books.

Now I’m not suggesting that reading books is some kind of educational panacea.

But it should at least be the expectation if we want to develop well-rounded readers, writers, and thinkers.

So today’s resources revolve around one topic: reading.

Create Your Personalized Reading Plan

Worksheet Here:

Get more Reading Resources here:

Reading Resources

1. Periods of deep focus, or what I call “focus bubbles.” This is where the room is silent and students think, read, and write without distractions.

Here is an explanation of Focused Silence:

Focus Activities: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GcH-extQwyC3qZHdoTsLmCG5CCuRi_ymK7MfnrN-iqc/edit?usp=sharing​

2. Collaborative moments like think-pair-share, discussion, and group problem-solving.

Link: https://briantolentino.com/think-pair-share-activities-updated/​
​

3. And Brain Breaks (Games, Trivia, and More)https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1C07Wa0VKnnnhc3bfQ6j6ha_WeTMc7PJK?usp=sharing​

​https://briantolentino.com/13-icebreaker-activities-for-your-classroom/​

​

Today I am adding a new resource for the Brain Break category.

And here is another Brain Break activity I added a few months ago.

10-Minute Brain Break: Definition Dash

Thank You For Your Support

I give away all of my teaching resources for free, and I hope to keep it that way.

That means Tolentino Teaching depends on donations from educators like you. If you’ve found my resources helpful and would like to support the work I’m doing, feel free to donate below.

Every donation helps me continue creating and sharing free resources with teachers everywhere.

Thank you for your support!

Donate Here

But I’m feeling a little better today, so that’s a win.

Anyway, instead of watching Netflix all day, I created two new resources.

(I have nothing against Netflix, by the way)

First up: Spider-Sense Training: The Ultimate Directions Challenge—now with a video prompt.

(And yes, I realize I use the word ultimate in about half the things I create.

Just go with it, bruh. It’s a great word.)

Click here for the video:

Click on the link below to get the rest of the newsletter.

Newest Resources

ONE word a day not only adds up, but it builds momentum.

Momentum builds confidence.

Confidence breeds action.

Before you know it, you have a student who is curious and confident about learning words.

​

I’ve updated my Word of the Day activities.

Check them out here:

Word of the Day Activities

Let’s Talk Vocabulary

The purpose of these activities is for students to play and experimentwith language. One word a day is not the most “efficient” system for learning vocabulary. However, one word a day allows students to build momentum and confidence when it comes to acquiring vocabulary.

Experimenting with language:

Every Word of the Day activity comes with a writing prompt. I encourage students to use this opportunity to experiment with words. If students have encountered a new word in history class, they can try inserting that word. If students have heard a new word in a movie, they can try writing that word. The goal is for students to build their “word consciousness,” and for students to experiment with words in their speech and writing.

“Word consciousness involves being aware and interested in word meanings” (Graves & Watts-Taffe, 2002).

I always enjoy reading Michael F. Graves’ research on vocabulary instruction. He offers practical, research-based insights that teachers can apply immediately in the classroom. If you’re interested in helping students build stronger vocabularies, this is an excellent article to read.

Building Word Consciousness

You can check out my teaching resources here:

Tolentino Teaching Website

Last school year, while my eighth graders were on break, I noticed a group of students huddled around a Chromebook.

It was obvious they were causing trouble.

I walked over as quietly as I could and peeked over their shoulders.

To my surprise, they were answering “Would You Rather?” questions.

I was stunned.

These were the same students who, if left unsupervised for five minutes, might try to dismantle a bathroom.

Yet there they were--arguing, debating, laughing, and questioning one another.

Incredible, bruh.

Why “Would You Rather?” Questions Work

Would You Rather questions are silly, lighthearted, low-stakes activities that spark serious thinking.

They put your mind on the intellectual defensive.

Consider this question:

Would you rather teach with no technology or no textbooks?

It’s a simple question, yet instantly your brain begins building an argument.

Suddenly, you’re weighing the benefits of technology against the value of textbooks. You begin recalling past lessons, memorable classroom successes, frustrating moments, and the trade-offs of each option. Your experiences become evidence and your beliefs become arguments.

In other words, your mind goes to work.

There isn’t a correct answer. There are only competing ideas that must be evaluated, compared, and defended.

That’s what makes Would You Rather questions so powerful. They disguise critical thinking as play.

​Would You Rather Resources

Here are some Would You Rather resources to get your students evaluating, comparing, justifying, and defending their responses.

Link here: Would You Rather Resources

Warning: this story roars with onomatopoeia.

The Dead Rat

A few weeks ago, my wife gasped.

“Ahh! There’s a giant dead rat floating in the pool!”

“Ugh...“ My stomach dropped.

She pointed through the sliding glass door.

“It looks so gross,” she warned.

I slowly slid the door open—ssshhhrrr.

Peeking over the edge of the pool, I saw...

a plastic Tyrannosaurus rex.

Dun... dun... duhhn.

Let’s talk onomatopoeia.

If you’re looking for resources to get your classroom buzzing, check out the activities below.

10-Sentence Onomatopoeia Challenge

The Ninja!

Use Onomatopoeia in a 100-Word Story!

Onomatopoeia Writing Challenge!

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Writing conventions (punctuation, capitalization, spelling, and grammar) do more than make your writing clear—they train you to notice the details.

And details matter.

Whether you’re a mechanic, an accountant, an athlete, or a writer, mastery is found in the small things. The people who consistently excel aren’t just talented; they pay attention to what others overlook.

As part of my “back to basics” push this school year, I am emphasizing conventions.

I want my students to become more attentive to the details of language.

Capitalization

One thing I want to do more this school year is write alongside my students. When they write, I’ll write too. And then I’ll share what I created.

I tried it yesterday in summer school. While my students were writing, I wrote this layered allusion.

Resources

Here is my latest resource on capitalization. I hope it helps!

Capitalization Mini-Lesson

Thank You For the Support!

If any of my resources have helped you and your students, feel free to Buy Me a Coffee by clicking the link below. Thanks again!

Donate Here

I teach students to vary the length of their sentences because it forces them to think about the rhythm of their writing and how it glides, pivots, spins, and moves.

In the same way a soccer player must master different dribbling lengths to control the ball, a writer must master different sentence lengths to control ideas.

A soccer player uses a long dribble to push the ball into space, gather speed, and create separation from a defender as they gallop down the pitch.

Then, when defenders near, they switch to short dribbles and bursts as they near the goal.

Writing is similar.

Long sentences give writers space to develop ideas and build momentum as one thought races into the next and pushes the reader forward.

Short sentences make a point.

They are used for emphasis.

They announce the arrival of something important.

Goal!

Here is the video I created on the topic. I have included an activity that you can share with your students.

Vary Sentence Length Video

Vary Sentence Length Worksheet

Vary Sentence Length (Google Doc of Activities)

Newsletter Link

But I do enjoy asking questions.

So here are a few that I keep coming back to:

Why do so many students seem to be struggling with foundational skills?

Why are so many teachers reporting concerns about reading, writing, attention, and basic academic habits?

And why does there often seem to be a disconnect between what teachers are experiencing in their classrooms and what is being emphasized by educational leaders?

Every day, I receive thousands of comments, emails, and messages from educators around the world. While every school and community is different, certain themes emerge again and again.

One of the most common is concern over foundational skills.

Teachers consistently tell me that many students are struggling with skills that once seemed routine.

Now, that doesn’t mean I have the solution. I don’t.

But I do have some ideas.

With that in mind, I’ve put together a collection of activities centered around a simple theme: back to basics.

If you have thoughts on this topic, I’d love to hear them. Send me an email and share what you’re seeing in your classroom. I may feature some of your ideas in a future newsletter or social media post so we can continue this conversation together.

Resources Here

10 Ways to Rebel at the End of the School Year as a Teacher

1. Fart in class. Then immediately blame it on the student who has been giving you problems all year.

2. Give extra credit for writing about giant squid. Don’t tell students why.

3. Randomly award “aura” points for sneezing.

4. Plug in the pencil sharpener so it sits on the floor.

5. Call on random students that don’t exist.

6. Declare a student the “Assistant Regional Manager of Learning.”

7. End class with an inspirational quote: “Those who doubt you probably have a good reason why.”

8. Make students write with their non-dominant hand and insist it’s a research-based strategy for building grit and resilience.

9. Tell students they can’t leave class until they can read an analog clock.

10. 10. When students ask what you’re doing this summer, say “Swimming across the Pacific, bruh.”

Get my newest resources here:

Newest Resources

For those of you who are new here, this is what I do: I create resources and share them for free. That’s it.

If something helps you and you want to support my work, feel free to donate. If not, no worries at all.

Anyways, in today’s email, I’ve included a few of my newest resources along with some ebooks I created a few years ago. The goal of these ebooks is simple: to freshen things up and make writing feel more engaging and creative for students.

Click here:

Resources

I’m currently organizing my Google Drive, and soon I’ll be offering full access to it for a one-time payment of $100. This will also include every new activity and resource I create during the 2026–2027 school year.

That said, I want to be clear: all of my resources will continue to remain free on my website.

The Google Drive access is simply meant to give teachers a more convenient option.

Anyways, here are a few “choose a prompt” activities that can be a fun change of pace for students. They are set up in eBook format, which makes the experience feel a little more interactive and engaging for many students (as long as your school allows access to YouTube).

Choose a Prompt eBooks!

It’s May.

I’m exhausted, bruh.

What is your current teacher fatigue level?

1) “I’m thriving.” My energy is high and my lessons are organized. Is it October?

2) “Running on routine.” I have my routine down and things are easy peasy.

3) “One minor inconvenience away from going cray” If we lose Wi-Fi, I’m gonna slap someone.

4) “Emotionally absent.” I am physically in the classroom, but emotionally I’m on a beach in Hawaii.

5) “End-of-year coasting.” The class is surviving on movies, review games, trivia. Don’t tell anyone, please.

6) “Replying to emails in my head only.” I saw your message. I simply cannot process it right now.

7) “Held together by coffee and countdowns.” The only thing keeping me alive is seeing single-digit school days left.

8) “Accidentally called a student by my cat’s name.” Cognitive function is declining rapidly.

9) “I don’t care anymore” The chaos and noise and insanity of it all, whatevs.

10) “Summer break is not a want. It is a medical necessity.” No explanation needed.

Anyways, here are my latest resources. I hope they help!

Link: Brand New Resources Here!

Hello Teachers,

“A sense of humor is part of the art of leadership, of getting along with people, of getting things done.”

-Dwight D. Eisenhower

“Laughter lowers the affective filter and opens the mind to learning.”

-Stephen Krashen

Silliness is serious work.

That’s exactly why this week’s resources are designed to bring a little more of it into the classroom.

Wish everyone the best! The end of the school year is almost here, bruh.

Link to Activities Here:

"Silly" Classroom Activities

I feel that—except my “jumper cable” moment hits around Wednesday. By Friday, I need full roadside assistance.

Even the best teachers get overstimulated. This isn’t a classroom management issue. It isn’t a failure of the teacher.

It’s the environment.

This time of year, the noise, the pace, and the constant demands start to pile up. Feeling exhausted and overstimulated right now isn’t unusual—it’s expected.

So if you’re feeling it, you’re not alone. The finish line is in sight.

Here are a few end-of-the-year activities that might help you and your students finish strong.

Link to activities here:

End-of-the-Year Resources!

In an age of distraction, schools must become sanctuaries for focus. More than ever, we need to teach students how to engage in deep work–how to concentrate, think critically, and stay present in a world that pulls them in every direction.

“Distracted busyness” has become the norm in many classrooms. Yes, students are working–but that’s not the same as working deeply. To truly unlock potential, students must learn to engage in deep, focused work. And deep work is best cultivated in silence.

Last year, I implemented 20 minutes of Focused Silence in every class.

No talking.
No bathroom breaks.
No wandering eyes.

Just silence—and focus.

The result? My students showed the highest growth in I-Ready scores in the school. Their state test scores also improved significantly.

But boosting test scores wasn’t the real goal.
The real goal was to teach students the value of deep work.

It is through focused silence that we learn how to resist distractions and cheap dopamine.

It is through focused silence that we learn how to hold ideas in context and think broadly.

It is through focused silence that we learn how to be patient and calm.

Focused silence is not only important for learning, but an antidote to the anxieties of modern living. Our society is distracted, unfocused, and in a hurry. Focused silence forces students to sit, think, and discover their thinking.

And yes, not all students have the capability for focused silence. But most do. In fact, many students with ADHD and other challenges–when given a chance–thrive in silence.

Link to Focused Silence Resources Here:

Focused Silence

Focus Activities Here:

Focus Activities