Tagged: middle grades

Take 5! for Science: 150 Helpful Prompts

Take 5! is a handy science resource targeted for K-5 teachers that can also help differentiate instruction in higher grades, says Laura Von Staden. The year’s worth of prompts will help young students to tie science, writing and critical thinking together.

Involve Hesitant Writers in Co-creating Text

Recent research finds that hesitant adolescent writers seldom respond positively to mentor texts by “stellar” peers. Instead, poet and educator Sara Holbrook suggests a co-creation framework that scaffolds the student writing process in a collaborative poetry workshop setting.

Humor in the Classroom

Where does humor fit into the classroom? Just about anywhere! Check out these refreshed resources on why humor works, how to share it, and where to find it. Funny math, ELA, social studies, and science resources abound.

Writing Every Day in Every Content Area

Even before you view the lessons and become acquainted with the many cross-curricular strategies the authors of Smuggling Writing share, you’ll discover a matrix that unifies the strategies, literacy strands, samples, lessons, digital applications and CCSS.

10 Motivators to Promote Playful Learning

Laura Robb believes play is essential to success. Her “Big 10 Student Motivators” can help encourage collaboration, playful learning, innovative thinking, and student engagement in reading, writing, researching, discussing, and analyzing across all subjects.

Triptiks Can Rev Up Student-Driven Learning

Remember AAA’s Triptiks – the travel resource kits put together for members? If so, you have some inkling of consultant Mike Fisher’s idea to rev up mid-grades curriculum across content areas by having students create their own project-specific learning journeys.

Engineering Language Arts to Excite MS Kids

In 112 pages, Elyse S. Scott shares how she engineered (designed and created) lessons to achieve the learning goals for her 8th graders. The ELA activities and projects she shares are sure to produce readers, writers, and thinkers, says reviewer Anne Anderson.