Students often keep reading log’s in the classroom and/or at home. Have students add one question and give them the question stem to use. For example, have students make a question about the character traits and give sample questions with homework to create their own. The main character in the book is _________. ___Character Name____Continue reading “Reading log add-on”
Category Archives: critical thinking
Roles in Small reading Groups and Literature Circles are numorous
Choose the ones that fit for your classroom. Great for online teaching as well. It gives students a job to do as classwork that can rotate and take away monotony. Hands-on ELA at it’s best. New ideas for roles. Some great suggestions for struggling students.
ELA and Mathematics Can Be Taught Together
Like Stem and Science Education, using related literature and non-fiction articles can prove great integration of ELA and mathematics and social studies. Take the current disaster of the decade whether it is Hurricane Katrina or earthquakes in Syria, find the statistics of what level the hurricane or earthquake happened, and explain the chart levels toContinue reading “ELA and Mathematics Can Be Taught Together”
ELA and Stem can be taught through non-fiction
Use your favorite news or historical reading sites like Newsela or Commonlit to find related STEM subjects taught by your science or math teacher. Inquire about what is being taught to target specific levels of information that would fit with the teaching partner’s plans. For example, if the Stem or Computer Science teacher uses hamContinue reading “ELA and Stem can be taught through non-fiction”
How do I raise the level of my questioning while teaching online, facilitate, and get grades?
Try having a group analyze a text with this checklist for them to check off as they discuss. It allows students to be in charge of their learning and teachers to facilitate the level of their discussion without reinventing the wheel each and every time they complete a close reading analysis about a text. LiteracyContinue reading “How do I raise the level of my questioning while teaching online, facilitate, and get grades?”
Classic Poetry for elementary grades.
Let’s go from the top. “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” by Coleridge. Does that scare you? Nah! Let me show you a section you can pull and teach to upper elementary they will love, be engaged, and be motivated to learn. Lines 71-119 focus on the section of the poem where the mariner shootsContinue reading “Classic Poetry for elementary grades.”
Can I use harder texts to teach younger grades?
Yes, you can. A few tips are needed to get it to be successful. Remember, use classic poems to reach DOK 2 and 3 for higher-order thinking skills. Try using an excerpt instead of a full text. When choosing an excerpt, be careful to cut out a section that has meaning, metaphorical connections, or themeContinue reading “Can I use harder texts to teach younger grades?”
Old or new, educational ideas of learning alter and cycle the same ideas.
“A child is taught to walk upon smooth ground: and no persons, in their senses, would put an infant on its legs, for the first time, on rugged rocks.” “It seems to be a very plain direction to a teacher, to proceed from what is known to the next step, which is not known.” MariaContinue reading “Old or new, educational ideas of learning alter and cycle the same ideas.”
Teaching poetry to young and older students with themes makes it more inviting.
Teaching poems in isolation isn’t always the way to go when teaching students to appreciate great poetry. When teaching poetry, try choosing two or more poems with a similar theme and have students analyze them for comparative or contrasting elements and themes.
Common Core Objective Study. Need an opportune quote for the moment a character in the book messes up? Here’s one.
Common Core Objective Study. Need an opportune quote for the moment a character in the book messes up? Here’s one. “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt.” 0 Abraham Lincoln When a character from the book you are reading in class makes a mistake withContinue reading “Common Core Objective Study. Need an opportune quote for the moment a character in the book messes up? Here’s one.”
ELA On The Move 