Can Pop Culture and Shakespeare Exist in the Same Classroom? The answer is “yes,” says reviewer Judi Holst. All that prior knowledge can help students understand and discuss complex text. The authors show how to make complex text pop.
Kids on the Cusp / Summer Activities
by Mary Tarashuk · Published 08/20/2014 · Last modified 11/18/2019
Mary Tarashuk shares gems from her history curriculum treasure hunt, all discovered while surfing on the Web during her beach vacation. Her online pirate crew added to her store of resources for the year ahead and helped her strengthen her internet sea legs.
Shirley McPhillips’ Poem Central invites students to move through poetry that we might not know exactly how to teach and to live with those words on their own terms – not needing us to facilitate all meaning and experience for them, says Jenni Miller.
Movies and television are recognized in the Common Core standards as forms of “text” that deserve serious study. Media literacy expert Frank W. Baker suggests ways that the Emmy Awards might serve as a way to engage students around familiar media.
When students are challenged to “close read” a movie, they must not only learn how to deconstruct the story, they must also understand the many techniques that are used by filmmakers to create the total effect, says expert Frank Baker.
After lots of looking reviewer Judi Holst has found just the book she needs to learn how to flip effectively in her English classes. She highly recommends Troy Cockrum’s new book for its easy-to-follow steps and adaptable lesson plans.
Teaching with Comics / Working Draft
by Kevin Hodgson · Published 06/17/2014 · Last modified 11/27/2019
Often students are given graphic novels in a last-ditch effort to spark an interest in reading. In Kevin Hodgson’s 6th grade classes, comics are treated seriously as tools to promote better writing & deeper comprehension, using a unique skill set.
Teachers and parents alike can find helpful interventions for children’s and teen’s tangles with the Worry Monster in psychologist Daniel B. Peters’ Make Your Worrier A Warrior. Reviewer Lorie Shiveley describes how she has used several ideas in her own classroom and family.
Ariel Sacks says that by teaching novels “whole” she has been able to ignite interest in books, deepen discussions & improve reading comprehension. In this informative article, Sacks shares her rationale, her method, and reactions from her middle school students.
California teacher and author Larry Ferlazzo is the Internet’s impresario of education resources. He tells us the story behind Websites of the Day, his great act of curation, and more.
