Non-Fiction Picture Books for ELA Classes
Picture Books and Common Core A significant component of the many state 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…
Books for Boys
Perhaps, because so many elementary and middle school teachers are female, the books on our standard reading lists tend to appeal more to students of that same gender. Not sure if that's the case, but admittedly teachers of young men in all grades recognize that our male students often are…
GETTING INTO A TEXT
Take a Random Walk Ask students to write on a piece of paper any ten numbers between the first and last page number of the book you are using. For example, 3,7, 27, 59, 78, 87, 115, 143, 205, 212 Then instruct them to turn to those pages, skim the paragraphs…
Collected in the Summer for Use All Year
Tips for Teaching Here are some interesting links, ideas, and video you may find useful as you plan lessons to engage your students. Some will just be fun, others intriguing, some even challenging to you and your students. I'll add to it as I find new treasures. Enjoy! Simple Way…
Non-Fiction Text Features
Non-Fiction Text Features Here's an efficient way to introduce/review the concept of text features with your students using slides, a short video, a check list and copy of their textbook from science or history. 1. Show the Text Features Slide that points out different features one may find in non-fiction…
BACK TO SCHOOL ASSESSMENTS
CHECK IT OUT FOR YOURSELF Students like to know what they know so they'll know what they need to learn. When teachers know what students know, the teacher knows what needs to be taught. Why not invite your students to do a self-check during the first week of school to…
Write Right Away
Get' em Writing about Themselves Looking for ways to get to know your students while having them do authentic writing that builds on works you've read? Here are three ideas to consider that can serve as a beginning of the year formative assessments of reading and writing. No need to…
REFRESHING IDEAS FOR READING AND WRITING
READING AND WRITING POSTERS Periodically, I find interesting graphics that can be posted in classroom or projected during reading or writing assignments, just to remind students of what they've been taught and now are being asked to use as they read or write. USEFUL in opening weeks of school or…
ADD TO YOUR 2017-2018 TEACHING TOOLBOX
Fresh Strategies to Consider Teachers are generous colleagues and share what works for them in hopes that you'll see it try ideas that you can adapt, engage, and reach more students. Having taught middle school through graduate school students, I find that many of the strategies are interchangeable, especially those that…
Ready for New School Year?
New School Year - Are you ready? “I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something I can do.” (Hale, 1870) For many educators, the beginning of…