Teaching and learning in grades 4-8

A Fresh Way to Engage Students in Research

The Multigenre Research Project approach lets students truly show their learning and mastery on any topic they choose to explore. Melinda Putz provides teachers across subject areas everything they need to help students go deeper than PBL, says MGRP user Erin Corrigan-Smith.

Get Ready to SOAR into the New School Year!

A new school year can be filled with excitement – and stress. 5th grade teacher Kathie Palmieri suggests you SOAR into fall as you plan your structure and organization, assess your classroom, review and reset so you and your students can take flight in a welcoming environment.

New to STEM Teaching? Five Things to Do Now.

Whether you’re a recent teacher ed graduate, newly emergency certified, or an experienced teacher who’s suddenly learned you’ll be teaching STEM this year, you’re in good hands with veteran STEM teacher and curriculum designer Anne Jolly. Here are her five “do this first” tips.

SEL Picture Books for Middle School Advisory

Providing consistent opportunities for students to learn about and practice social emotional skills in middle school advisory can aid in their behavioral and academic growth. Teacher Kasey Short suggests 14 read-aloud picture books with questions that can support that growth.

Explore Story’s Power to Bring Us Together

In The Gift of Story John Schu shows how to use the roles of story as clarifier, healer, inspiration, compassion, and connector to bring reading alive. Literacy leader Sarah Valter loves how ‘Mr. Schu’ emphasizes the many ways stories can weave us all closer together.

Developing the “Why” for Middle Grades Math

Math students in the middle grades want the truth: “Why should math matter to me?” To show them, curriculum leader Christian Polizzi suggests making real-world connections, asking students for examples in their own lives, and having them create “personalized” math problems.

5 Civic Education Steps to Preserve Democracy

If we do not invest more of our school time and resources in creating well educated citizens, there will be dire consequences. Educators Shawn McCusker and Tom Driscoll offer educators five steps to make civic education more meaningful and help contribute to a healthy democracy.

A Deep Dive into How Learning Works

In How Learning Works: A Playbook education researchers John Almarode, Douglas Fisher and Nancy Frey offer teaching and learning strategies that can help students grow into independent learners. Education consultant Anne Anderson shares some highlights from her deep dive.

Aligning How You Lead with Who You Are

Engaging with What’s Your Leadership Story? by Gretchen Oltman and Vicki Bautista will help leaders – especially newer ones – articulate their purpose and bring their whole selves to school each day. School leader Sarah Cooper appreciates the book’s practical honesty.