Facing New Curriculum With Confidence
When the new Alberta ELA curriculum introduced morphology in 2022, terms like phonemes, morphemes, and roots felt intimidating to Bobbi-Jean Robertson. “When I saw the word morphology in the curriculum, I literally thought, ‘Pardon me?’” she admits. Bug Club Morphology quickly became her bridge to understanding the content, giving her the tools and confidence to teach morphology effectively.
Meaningful Texts That Engage Students
During the 2024/25 school year, having recently moved from teaching grade six to grade four at St. Benedict Catholic School in Edmonton, Robertson began using Bug Club Morphology with her students. She immediately noticed how engaging the reading passages were.
“I’ve used so many readers where I think, ‘Why would kids want to read this?’ Bug Club Morphology was so different. The Indigenous connections and the research behind the topics… even as an adult, I found them interesting.”
With roughly 30 percent Indigenous students in her class, she noticed the stories with Indigenous content resonated on a personal level. “When we read the drum story, you could feel the connection. It opened the door for students to share their culture.”
Ready-to-Use Resources at Her Fingertips
Robertson uses the 10 laminated Student Cards included with each lesson for partner work, small groups, or guided reading. She says the program's structure offers comprehensive teacher guidance, authentic student texts, and engaging lesson activities that help her set a clear focus.
“It’s all encompassing—reading, writing, word study, spelling tricks. I don’t have to go hunting for mentor texts. Everything I need is right there.”
She also reinforces morphemes during read-alouds and novel studies. “While reading, I’ll say, ‘Listen for words ending in -ful. Do you hear anything like what we saw in the drum story?’ It helps students notice patterns in real books.”
Noticeable Improvements
After using the program once a week last year, Robertson saw clear growth. “Both spelling and reading improved. It absolutely made a difference.” This year, she plans to increase usage to at least twice a week.
She notes a stronger understanding of word meaning, spelling patterns, confidence with parts of speech, and overall engagement. “And they like the stories. That alone is huge.”
"When asked by her district what strategies or resources she uses to support students' reading or writing at low levels, Robertson says her answer is always, Bug Club Morphology is one I always reach for.”
Feeling Equipped, Not Overwhelmed
Despite being new to morphology, Robertson says now she feels confident teaching it. “Bug Club Morphology helped me understand what I'm teaching, so I can explain it better to the kids. It’s practical, engaging, and just makes sense. This will be one of the resources I use for years to come. It just works.”