During the barrage of mandatory assessments each spring, it can be tempting to “decide to do very little with our students” between tests, says Curtis Chandler. But why not make every minute count? Teachers can do just that with these engaging cross-curricular activities.
Future of History / History Perspectives
by Lauren S. Brown · Published 04/03/2018 · Last modified 11/13/2019
In teaching history, how much weight should we give to Logos (the facts), Pathos (the human impact), and Ethos (the morality) as we try to engage students in the meaning of great events? Middle school history teacher Lauren Brown reflects on her WWII/Holocaust unit.
Research-based essays help our students fluently build, develop, and expand on their ideas. But in the real world, not every research process ends in a full-blown essay, says Angie Miller, who shares eight fun ways for students to practice and incorporate research skills.
Articles / STEM in Fiction / Wide Open Learning
by MiddleWeb · Published 04/01/2018 · Last modified 06/22/2020
More emphasis on STEM studies has more language arts teachers working to integrate compatible nonfiction. But what about fiction? Megan Kelly shows how novels with STEM themes let students make an emotional connection to characters while learning scientific concepts.
Diane Heacox presents differentiation tools that can be used immediately, and provides guidance for adapting them for a range of ages and content areas, ELLs, gifted students and kids with IEPs. Jeny Randall agrees with Heacox’s advice, “Start small, but start somewhere.”
Among the ways educators can support and promote acceptance of LGBTQAI+ youth is by providing access to literature that features the challenges and joys these students experience. Librarian and author Christina Dorr suggests fiction and nonfiction titles for YA readers.
Co-teaching Reflections / Two Teachers in the Room
by Elizabeth Stein · Published 03/21/2018 · Last modified 11/24/2019
After helping a co-teaching team talk through their student engagement challenges, coach Elizabeth Stein shares some of the guiding questions that helped the two teachers unpack their differing goals and philosophies and begin to find ways to reach more students.
It's Not Easy Being Tween / Spring Learning
by Cheryl Mizerny · Published 03/11/2018 · Last modified 12/04/2019
With spring fever looming, Cheryl Mizerny breaks out her teacher-tested collection of apps and tools that can make her classroom more interactive, relevant and engaging – and her students more eager to learn. Check out Quizizz, Inklewriter and other digital all-stars.
Class Apps / Student Self-Assessment
by Curtis Chandler · Published 03/07/2018 · Last modified 12/12/2019
How do we help kids become skillful at evaluating their own work and performance against clearly established criteria? Curtis Chandler highlights quality self-assessment practices, sharing how-to’s and apps for rubrics, portfolios, data notebooks, concept maps and more.
John Merrow weaves a narrative that explores the history of America’s failed school reform efforts and offers a vision for ridding public education of our addiction to more of the same in favor of long-term, meaningful and sustainable change, writes teacher Rita Platt.
