Media Literacy: Teaching about Visual Media
Students need the skills to read & discern messages in visual media, says Frank Baker, who uses Wall-E and other movies to teach “the language of film.”
Author: MiddleWeb
How I Became a YA Author
Russel Like shares his writer’s journey and invites you to support his first full-fledged children’s book, Prehistoric Pets, at Kickstarter. We did!
Building Background Knowledge
Whether you want to differentiate or just learn more about building prior knowledge, Jill Spencer’s book, Ten Differentiation Strategies for Building Prior Knowledge, is a helpful quick read, says reviewer Lucille Schauer.
Go Deep with SLCs
Student-led conferences should be more than feel-good experiences for students and parents. Fostering Student Accountability Through Student Led Conferences helped Laura Collander make SLCs matter in her classroom.
Visual Media: A New Literacy
Engaging students in creating and analyzing images & films is a key step in developing an important 21st century skill, says media literacy consultant Frank Baker.
PLNs & School Transformation
Although the authors of Personal Learning Networks: Using the Power of Connections to Transform Education favor transformation over more pragmatic ed reforms, reviewer Nicole Miller found this book about PLNs “informative, useful, and beneficial.”
Toward Authentic MS Research
Energize Research Reading and Writing: Fresh Strategies that Spark Interest, Develop Independence, and Meet Key Common Core Standards, Grades 4-8, a book championing the idea that middle grades students should do more authentic research, “comes not a moment too soon,” says ELA teacher Ariel Sacks.
Engaging Readers with Digital Tools
Lee Ann Spillane’s interactive online book Reading Amplified: Digital Tools That Engage Students in Words, Books and Ideas is “a fantastic resource,” says reviewer @dogtrax – perfect for literacy teachers who are ready to explore engaging technologies first-hand.
Safety Drill S in Effect
New Jersey fourth grade teacher Mary Tarashuk shares a powerful reflection on tragedy and teachable moments.
A Few of Our Favorite Things from 2012
Here are a few of our favorite MiddleWeb posts from 2012. Our thanks to the educators who have contributed articles, MW blogs, interviews, & book reviews!
