Future of History / History & Current Events
by MiddleWeb · Published 07/22/2020 · Last modified 08/12/2020
How can social studies teachers sufficiently teach about systemic racism and oppression without making this lens the only way students see history and its connections to current events? Sarah Cooper and Lauren Brown continue their chat about teaching U.S. History in 2020.
Jennifer Sniadecki and Jason DeHart dive deep into using picture books in upper level classrooms to meet state standards and increase student mastery. In this 3rd post on the topic they share examples, research, and stories from their own teaching experiences.
When we scratch our heads and wonder how can we prepare our students for a world increasingly dominated by artificial intelligence, Anne Jolly wants us to remember a great place to learn teamwork, technical skills, work ethics and social responsibility. STEM class!
How can teachers plan successfully this summer when they don’t know what teaching will be like in the fall? ELA/science teacher Jeremy Hyler is investing time creating lessons driven by Hyperdocs – a flexible strategy he can use face to face, online, or in a blend.
In Part 2 of a series on using picture books in middle school, Jennifer Sniadecki and Jason DeHart focus on “the simple power” of stories with minimal text to set the stage for lessons, provide background knowledge, and make efficient use of daily class time. Example: Eva Bunting’s Terrible Things.
African American History / Future of History
by Lauren S. Brown · Published 06/19/2020 · Last modified 02/15/2022
The Chicago district where Lauren Brown teaches has wrestled with issues of equity centering around race with new urgency in recent years. Amid the pandemic and the rising Anti-Racist Movement, she believes part of the answer is deepening curriculum and teaching Black history throughout the year.
Students at ages 9-13 still want to hear their teachers read aloud, want to sit on the rug, want to engage in stories. Jennifer Sniadecki and Jason DeHart share evidence that picture books are also an effective way to teach figurative language and other ELA standards.
Future of History / Pandemic Learning
by Sarah Cooper · Published 06/14/2020 · Last modified 10/19/2022
With her eighth graders’ online history podcast project now complete, Sarah Cooper shares six takeaways that have helped her imagine not only how to improve this assignment in future iterations, but how she can continue to grow as a teacher facilitating remote learning.
Video documentation is a powerful tool in news reporting, whether it’s done by professional journalists or by ordinary people with instant access to video cameras. Frank Baker looks at the history of news video as a “primary source” for historians and middle grades teachers.
The limitations of funding, square footage, and time can make classroom design a daunting task, writes reviewer Eileen Hornbostel. To meet those challenges, Jessica Martin offers Strategic Classroom Design, a detailed guide to creating effective learning environments.
