Common Core Reading Lessons: Pairing Literary and Nonfiction Texts to Promote Deeper Understanding is a winner! Authors O’Reilly and Stooksbury take a positive, practical approach for dealing with the CCSS’s emphasis on nonfiction, says reviewer Anne Anderson.
The Common Core Writing Book: Lessons for a Range of Tasks, Purposes, and Audiences by Gretchen Owocki provides quick, practical strategies closely aligned with each of the standards, says reviewer Linda Biondi. A sure winner in grades 4 & 5!
Teachers who let students choose their own research paper topics are often overwhelmed by all the activity and material – and end up with poor results. Consultant Sarah Tantillo suggests adapting the Document-Based Question (DBQ) Approach instead.
Intentional Talk, says reviewer Linda Biondi, gives upper elementary educators an unparalleled look at the important role classroom discussions can play in deepening students’ mathematical understanding, as well as the tools & insights to create a culture of questioning.
In a 7th grade classroom where students are used to sharing ownership and know how to think on their feet, what does the teacher do when he asks a question and there’s absolute silence? Bill Ivey’s solution: Smile at all the parents in the room and trust the kids.
Educators can create classrooms where students control their own learning and still meet the demands of a Common Core curriculum, says middle grades teacher Pernille Ripp, author of “Passionate Learners: Giving Our Classrooms Back to Our Students.”
We can’t support rigorous learning unless we make sure students are ready for the experience, says teaching consultant Barbara R. Blackburn. She suggests three quick ways to assess prior knowledge, including the LINK small/whole group strategy.
If asking student writers to develop voice, stamina and range isn’t hard enough, says teacher educator Troy Hicks, we now have digital tools to contend with. Watch as Hicks helps his 6th grade daughter think through her creation of a book report video.
Creating Content with Your Tablet by Susan Brooks-Young is just the ticket for any teacher who wants to integrate tablets and apps meaningfully, no matter the grade level or type of device being used, says reviewer Jennifer Underwood.
In Dispositions: Reframing Teaching and Learning, Costa & Kallick present evidence of the important role dispositions play in student success and how to strengthen them. The book may be too scholarly for some readers, says reviewer Laura Von Staden.
