Teaching and learning in grades 4-8
In an era when imaginative exploration of language is missing from many ELA classrooms, Ralph Fletcher’s wonderful book, Pyrotechnics on the Page: Playful Craft that Sparks Writing, celebrates playful writing, says reviewer Kevin Hodgson.
STEM curriculum writer Anne Jolly spent a week in math and science classrooms with students, testing teachers’ STEM lesson ideas. Great student comments!
Laurie Wasserman interviews her history co-teaching teammate Pauline Walker about her 54 year career (so far) in the classroom.
This compilation from our first MiddleWeb site features information about creating and using rubrics effectively and a variety of exemplars.
In this MiddleWeb Classic post, literacy coach Juli Kendall shares a rubric used in her middle school across content areas to evaluate a student’s level of inference with academic texts.
Teachers will find creative alternatives to the traditional book report that tap into student interests and creative writing in Ban the Book Report: Promoting Frequent and Enthusiastic Reading, says reviewer Nicole Warchol.
Reading Without Limits: Teaching Strategies to Build Independent Reading for Life, a practical guide to developing and sustaining lifelong readers, “almost brought me out of retirement,” says veteran middle grades teacher Beverly Maddox.
To help readers grasp how engineering principles are integrated into math & science curriculum, Anne Jolly reveals the anatomy of a real STEM lesson.
In her 2nd post about the power of high expectations for all students, special educator Elizabeth Stein shares the views of a diverse group of 7th graders.
Vocabulary Strategies That Work: Do This – Not That! is an excellent book for all teachers who want to strengthen students’ grasp of the vocabulary associated with their subject, says ELA teacher Brooke Schultz.