In today’s budget-conscious and time-stressed schools, virtual field trips are a great way to excite students without leaving the classroom. Teaching expert Barbara Blackburn shares a sample lesson idea and some good places to hunt for relevant field trips.
As science teachers pursue Next Generation Science Standards, many wonder how STEM and NGSS match up. Can a good NGSS-aligned science lesson be a good STEM lesson too? Anne Jolly and guest Marsha Ratzel offer insights via the Matchstick Rocket Challenge.
Mindful Co-teaching / Two Teachers in the Room
by Elizabeth Stein · Published 04/12/2015 · Last modified 01/22/2020
Teaching responsibilities pile high this time of year, writes teacher-coach Elizabeth Stein, and it’s important to keep our professional and personal lives “in the moment.” Stein shares ideas and resources to help fellow educators accomplish both goals.
The Teacher’s Guide to Tech 2015 by Jennifer Gonzalez welcomes educators into a comfortable space to explore new tech tools, says reviewer Sandy Wisneski. Readers will find practical text & video suggestions for selecting and implementing tools efficiently.
Lots of lessons you find on the Internet don’t meet the minimum criteria for a good STEM learning experience. In her latest STEM By Design post, expert Anne Jolly explains how to take a potential STEM lesson and boost its power. Lesson sources included!
Kids on the Cusp / Standardized Testing
by Mary Tarashuk · Published 03/26/2015 · Last modified 11/16/2019
Most teachers Mary Tarashuk knows are salmon, with a deeply embedded instinct that urges them to keep swimming upstream against mighty currents (including CC standardized testing) to find their way back to real teaching that makes real sense for real kids.
Reading Linda Rief’s Read Write Teach is like sharing coffee with a master teacher. Her experience, advice and inspiration make it feel like a very helpful conversation. Reviewer Tyler McBride tries one of her activities and shares the successful results.
Working Draft / Writing with Students
by Kevin Hodgson · Published 03/10/2015 · Last modified 12/05/2019
Kevin Hodgson is always on the look out for different ways to engage his 6th graders as storytellers. Recently he introduced Storyteller Cards, a Kickstarter project, and asked them how each card’s character, setting & action might enliven their writing.
Inclusion Classrooms / Two Teachers in the Room
by Elizabeth Stein · Published 03/01/2015 · Last modified 11/28/2019
Elizabeth Stein gives readers a look inside an inclusive classroom as Mrs. Rhodes and Mrs. Copeland share their love for learning with students while putting UDL techniques into action. Elizabeth shares five co-teaching tips that come alive in the two teachers’ high energy classroom.
Kids on the Cusp / Standardized Testing
by Mary Tarashuk · Published 02/26/2015 · Last modified 11/15/2019
Teacher Mary Tarashuk has reasserted her “Irish Zen” following the full frontal assault on PARCC testing in her last post. She describes how her fourth graders had fun learning about Chinese New Year while also practicing for the high stakes test in prescribed ways.
