Teaching and learning in grades 4-8

Empower Students to Own Their Learning

In this fun and easy-to-read book John Spencer and AJ Juliani guide readers through the steps to move students from compliance to empowerment, writes Laura Von Staden. The authors are realistic about possible obstacles and offer remedies. Be sure to read the Foreword!

How Many? Expand Kids’ Thinking about Math

Christopher Danielson takes kids, tweens and teens on a journey of exploration as they think about and interact with math in new ways. Based in his research and teaching, How Many? helps students see far beyond simple responses and think creatively, writes Linda Biondi.

A Summer’s Worth of STEM PD/Prep Ideas!

As you relax into summer break, keep an eye on what’s up with STEM learning. Expert Anne Jolly shares resources for keeping up with STEM news and lesson ideas as you reflect on what worked (and didn’t) last year and consider how to amp things up for next fall’s students.

Lessons to Power Up Your Super Spellers

In his latest book, Super Spellers Starter Sets, Mark Weakland provides a classroom resource to support the principles he presented in 2017’s Super Spellers – that spelling should not simply be a list of words to know for a test but a learned skill essential to literacy.

Writing Historical Fiction for Middle Grades Kids

Before she finally produced a successful manuscript, Dr. Malayna Evans had to think long and hard about how to integrate ancient Egyptian history into a story that would appeal to today’s kids. So she turned down her “scholar” and turned up her passion for the subject.

How to Get Your Students to Ask More Questions

Student-generated questions put kids in the driver’s seat, advancing learning and engagement, writes expert Jackie Walsh. To encourage students to ask more questions, teachers need to grow a classroom culture where questioning is valued. Walsh shares five strategies that can help.

Bringing Rigor and Engagement to Math and Science Classes

Authors Barbara Blackburn and Abbigail Armstrong give teachers a practical yet powerful classroom instructional tool for bringing rigor to Grades 6-12 math and science classrooms. Science educator Jennifer Sexton shares favorite strategies that will improve her practice.