As teachers and students are tossed by the currents of Covid-19, Katie Durkin plans to anchor and then expand her 7th graders’ views of themselves as readers by puzzling out a reading identity, reflecting and planning for the horizon, and charting a path forward.
Hands-On Physical Science challenges 6th-8th graders to develop ways to solve tasks and answer questions using a hands-on, inquiry-based approach, taking abstract physics and chemistry concepts and make them more concrete and real-world, writes teacher Tracy Albers.
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.
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.
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.
Middle schools and their students are special. By design 6-8 grade schools are intended to be communities, organized in houses or teams as the kids are exploring themselves and their world. All this helps in the leap to online school, says teacher Laurie Lichtenstein.
The Drama Book a great resource for introducing drama into the ELA classroom, especially for inexperienced teachers who are unsure how to best tackle it. It offers practical teaching advice and amazing lesson plans, writes middle school teacher Erin Corrigan-Smith.
Effective teaching means engaging kids intellectually, socially AND physically. Educators who work strategically to include elements of kinesthetic activity will have students who are attentive, making connections, and able to recall later on. Curtis Chandler shows how.
Academic conversations create lifelong learners who believe they have a voice in the conversation of ideas. Jeff Zwiers’ book provides novel and effective means to equip teachers with the tools to promote academic conversations, writes instruction director Kelley Pujol.
With unprecedented levels of stress among adolescents, and promising new research from leading institutions, there’s never been a better or more crucial time to implement mindfulness practices into middle school classrooms, says author-consultant Dr. Thomas Armstrong.
