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.
Meaningful Math / Spring Math Tools
by Michelle Russell · Published 04/03/2018 · Last modified 11/26/2019
Just ahead: Eight weeks of standardized tests, field trips, sports, band, chorus, all altering the daily schedules for Michelle Russell’s school. So what’s a math teacher to do? She shares high-interest activities to ensure learning continues despite the disruptions.
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.
Close Reading the Media / The Grapes of Wrath
by Frank Baker · Published 03/26/2018 · Last modified 11/12/2019
Why do middle school students study The Great Depression? What do we want them to learn and understand about this period in American history? Media literacy expert Frank Baker offers a wealth of teaching ideas tied to the novel The Grapes of Wrath and its film treatment.
Student Civic Action / Working Draft
by Kevin Hodgson · Published 03/25/2018 · Last modified 11/12/2019
If ever there was a time to think about how to prepare our students for the larger stage of the public civic sphere, it’s now. Teacher Kevin Hodgson interviews author and educator Steven Zemelman who has been working with teachers to move kids from inquiry into action.
Take an alphabetical tour through advocating for your school in this new book from Robert Blackburn, Barbara Blackburn and Ronald Williamson. Former principal Mary Langer Thompson shares the highlights and suggests the book can be most helpful in ed leadership classes.
Mathematics author and consultant Jerry Burkhart is back with more ways to get students excited about the magic of numbers and ready to become “adventurous learners.” His interactions with a middle grades enrichment class may spark engaging ideas of your own.
We’re always talking to students about study habits, writes Roxanna Elden, but sometimes teachers need better methods for managing our own daily responsibilities. Good news! Embedded in some of the very lectures we give to our students are tips that can work for us, too.
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.
Articles / Picture Books / Wide Open Learning
by MiddleWeb · Published 03/05/2018 · Last modified 05/09/2024
When Megan Kelly uses wordless picture books in her middle grades classroom, she’s able to push her students deeper. Learn about some of the intriguing texts she uses to improve inference skills, reinforce vocabulary, inspire descriptive writing, and support ELLs.
