Current Events / Future of History
by Sarah Cooper · Published 07/29/2018 · Last modified 12/14/2019
When Sarah Cooper launches an op-ed writing project, students respond best if they have wide latitude to choose a topic, picking an issue that sparks a personal connection. Beyond research and writing, the highlight for kids is sharing their op-eds with an audience.
Google Docs can make writing tasks more efficient, providing teachers and students with templates, commenting features, voice typing, and more. While 30 million U.S. students now use Docs, Curtis Chandler says many do not take full advantage of its “power-up” features.
Future of History / Silent Conversation
by Sarah Cooper · Published 05/15/2016 · Last modified 12/02/2019
Near the end of Sarah Cooper’s unit on the film Glory, she wondered what her 8th grade history students found most interesting. Read about the “silent conversation” she facilitated to help them replicate the authentic adult experience of “browsing history.”
Despite her strong commitment to 21st century collaborative learning, Amber Chandler admits she’d “always held back from allowing my students to work together on their writing.” Would everyone be engaged? Could it be graded? Then her kids showed her the way.
