Ready to refresh your dystopia unit? In this episode, we explore how to make the genre feel fresh, relevant, and engaging for today’s students by rethinking essential questions and diving deeper into structure, theme, and skill connections. From moving beyond the classic “Is America a dystopia?” debate to exploring what it means to rebuild a broken world, you’ll get ideas for inquiry-driven lessons that inspire critical thinking and connection to real-life issues. This is a kickoff to our three-part dystopia series, so head back here next week!

Resources:

• NEW: Watch this episode on YouTube!
• Teaching Dystopia Workshop
• Join Happy Hour!
• Shop more BNT resources
• Free Training: Down with the Reading Quiz
• Join Curriculum Rehab
• Connect with us on Instagram @bravenewteaching
• Follow Marie on Instagram: @wellhelloitsmarie
• Follow Amanda on Instagram: @mudandinkteaching
• Let us know what you think! Leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

Related Episodes:

• Episode 61, Living in a Dystopian World
• Episode 81, Essential Question Workshop: Dystopia (Woohoo!)
• Episode 171, New Dystopian Texts & Supplements for Your ELA Classroom
• Episode 172, 3 Secrets to Teaching Dystopia
• Episode 259, Teaching the Hero’s Journey: A Fantasy Choice Unit Approach for 11-12 Grade ELA

SHOW NOTES: https://www.bravenewteaching.com/home/episode272

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Get your FREE Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs gateway lesson: shop.bravenewteaching.com/cloudy
Check out Curriculum Rehab here!

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📚 BNT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & RESOURCES 👩‍💻

• Join Happy Hour!
• Curriculum Rehab
• Down with the Reading Quiz
• Shop the BNT Resource Library
• Connect with us on Instagram @bravenewteaching
• Subscribe to our YouTube Channel

In this “State of the BNT Union” episode, we’re sharing where the Brave New Teaching podcast is headed next, from a new focus on YouTube and refreshed dystopia content to better-organized resources for teachers...plus a peek at the projects we’re most excited about this year.

Along the way, we’re swapping back-to-school recommendations, current reads (with honest reviews and teaching tie-ins), favorite products, and the bookish creators lighting up our feeds. And, of course, there’s a big announcement about where one of us will be spending the school year, changing things up in the best possible way!

✨ Grab all the resources and books we mention in the show notes: https://www.bravenewteaching.com/home/episode271

"Send us a message - please include your contact information so we can chat soon!"

Get your FREE Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs gateway lesson: shop.bravenewteaching.com/cloudy
Check out Curriculum Rehab here!

Support the show

📚 BNT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & RESOURCES 👩‍💻

• Join Happy Hour!
• Curriculum Rehab
• Down with the Reading Quiz
• Shop the BNT Resource Library
• Connect with us on Instagram @bravenewteaching
• Subscribe to our YouTube Channel

We’re calling it: independent reading is the back-to-school move of the year! In this episode, we’re getting honest about what it takes to build a reading culture that actually sticks, without burning you (or your students) out by October. We share the real talk on what’s worked, what hasn’t, and how our thinking has shifted post-COVID to make independent reading more joyful, flexible, and student-centered.

This isn’t just a planning convo. It’s a mindset shift. We’re talking about modeling our own reading lives, creating routines that support real growth, and designing a program that meets students where they are. Whether you’re launching independent reading right away or easing in later, this episode will help you build an experience that’s authentic and doable!

Related Episodes:

• Episode 96, How to Select Choice Reading + Our 20 Favorite Classroom Books
• Episode 110, August Dreams (September Realities) Back to School
• Episode 139, Independent Reading Series (Interview w/ Dr. Jenna Copper)
• Episode 140, Independent Reading Series (Interview w/ Abby Gross)
• Episode 250, Teachers React: The Elite College Students Who Can’t Read Books - Part 1
• Teachers React: The Elite College Students Who Can’t Read Books -Part 2

SHOW NOTES: https://www.bravenewteaching.com/home/episode270

"Send us a message - please include your contact information so we can chat soon!"

Get your FREE Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs gateway lesson: shop.bravenewteaching.com/cloudy
Check out Curriculum Rehab here!

Support the show

📚 BNT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & RESOURCES 👩‍💻

• Join Happy Hour!
• Curriculum Rehab
• Down with the Reading Quiz
• Shop the BNT Resource Library
• Connect with us on Instagram @bravenewteaching
• Subscribe to our YouTube Channel