In the United States, February is Black (African-American) History Month, a time when many teachers tailor lessons to feature the contributions of African-Americans. Since the oral tradition is significant in African-American history, and since oral language skill is one of the English Language Arts and Common Core Core Standards for ELA many are expected to [...]
Like many educators, I like to take advantage of opportunities to visit new places and learn about new people. Well the people we learned about in South Africa are not new, in fact that live in what is called the Cradle of Humankind. See photos taken during a visit the Lesedi Cultural Village – May [...]
A significant component of the new Common Core Standards is the reading non-fiction informational texts across the curriculum. Here are ideas to get you started incorporating non-fiction to support and expand your lessons in English Language Arts. Use these books to help establish context for both fiction and non-fiction readings you plan to assign and [...]
Teacher Resources You May Find Useful Click on any of the lines to be taken to explanations, assignments, and other examples of ways to enhance teaching and improve learning. GENERAL GRADING GUIDELINES General Grading Guidelines for Writing Assignments General Grading Guidelines – Slides BOOK REPORTS Collage on Common Book or Story – See Chapter 1 [...]
Most of us are required to teach both fiction and non-fiction reading and writing. One assignment that pulls to the two kinds of reading and writing together is based on that could attract attention, reaction, and/or response from literary characters. The strength of this assignment is the student choice within the confines of curriculum requirements, [...]
Current Events on Issues of Prejudice You are to find news articles about a current issue of interest to you that reflect prejudice, tolerance, or intolerance in modern society. Follow the progress of the issue during the next few weeks, clipping, copying and pasting into your print or digital journal as many articles about the [...]
Looking for resources to help provide background to enhance your instruction on lessons relating to issues of African-American History? This website,‘Filling in the Gaps in American History” provides a wealth of information you have difficulty finding elsewhere. Introduction to FIGAH and Basic Information Mothers of Invention Free Black Communities Examples of presentation and programs offered [...]
Monkey Bridge by Lan Cao is an autobiographical novel that I enjoyed teaching to high school students because it introduced them to life in Vietnam before, during, and after the Vietnamese War when a twelve year old girl immigrates to the United States in 1975. I found, however, that students whose prior knowledge is rather [...]
After introducing students to the Nine Yardsticks of Value, a good way to determine how well they understand the concepts and can apply them to an independent project, is to assign this author project. Each year, I’d choose to read one of the Nobel Laureates who was new to me, usually one the students [...]
