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Learning from Graphica: Conferring with Students

In this lesson series from a 4th grade classroom, Sarah Thibault introduces students to a writing activity. Students will be creating their own comic books, after extensive preparation and experience with graphica. In this installment, Sarah confers with students during writer's workshop as they brainstorm character traits. Students will be creating their own comic books, after extensive preparation and multiple reading and writing activities.

Inferring Read Aloud Part I

Katie Doherty demonstrates how she uses picture books to teach inferring strategies to her sixth graders in this video series. Part I is a presentation of the book to students.

Conferring with Leonela: A Two-Day Progression

Leonela is a six-year-old student whose first language is Spanish. In these videos of conferences with Ruth Shagoury filmed over two days, she makes connections between her drawing, writing, and experiences at home and in Mexico.

Collaborative Team Meeting: Assessing and Planning Together

Gail Boushey leads a collaborative planning meeting between 4th grade teachers, literacy coaches, and the principal early in the year.

Desk Area Reorganization

In this brief time-lapse video, The Sisters (Gail Boushey and Joan Moser) help Carrie reorganize her desk and rug area for better access to literacy materials and teaching supplies.

A Literacy “Playground”: Cheryl Cole’s Second Grade Classroom

Aimee Buckner hosts this video tour of Cheryl Cole’s second grade classroom at Brookwood Elementary School in Gwinnett County, Georgia. Cheryl shares the many strategies she uses to promote literacy learning in a warm, friendly environment.

Student Storage Areas: Tips for Reorganizing

“The Sisters” (Gail Boushey and Joan Moser) talk with Kelly about strategies for reorganizing student storage areas, considering access, group supplies, and how the materials are used.

Rule of 3: Writer’s Craft Whole-Class Lesson

Aimee Buckner teaches her fourth-grade students about the “Rule of 3” in writing.

Decluttering a Storage Area

In this time-lapse video, “The Sisters” (Gail Boushey and Joan Moser) help second-year teacher Carrie declutter a storage area in May, talking through decisions about what to keep and what to throw away, and simple tricks for dressing up shelves.

Rule of 3: Mini-Group After Whole-Class Lesson

In this second video of a three-part series showing a teaching progression for the Rule of 3, Aimee Buckner has asked students who might want a little more information or help after the whole-class lesson to stay for a small group.

Narrative Nonfiction in Fifth Grade, Part 1

In this lesson from a fifth-grade classroom, Aimee Buckner guides students in a notetaking process to help them understand the qualities of nonfiction narrative writing.

Organizing Reading Area Supplies

In this time-lapse video, “The Sisters” (Gail Boushey and Joan Moser) help Kelly reorganize the area of the classroom where she has small-group reading instruction. In the process, they talk through how to label and organize sets of books that are shared across grade levels.

Rule of 3: Conferring

In this final video of a three-part series showing a teaching progression for “Rule of 3,” Aimee Buckner confers with individual students during writing workshop, checking in to see how they are applying the concept to their writing.

Crafting Characters in Writer’s Workshop

If you are looking for a “peppery” heroine, Mary from The Secret Garden is one for the ages. In this video of a lesson in writer’s workshop, Franki Sibberson shows how shared text can be used to help young writers understand character traits and development.

Middle School Classroom Makeover Part III

In this third installment of a three-part video series, “The Sisters” (Gail Boushey and Joan Moser) help 7th grade teacher Erin declutter and rearrange her classroom. This installment focuses on the challenges of classrooms with very little storage space.

Meeting Area Makeover

“The Sisters” (Gail Boushey and Joan Moser) help first-year teacher Christine reorganize her meeting area so that it is less cluttered and easier for students to access the materials they need . . . without disrupting lessons.

Tips for Displaying Student Work

In this six-minute video, “The Sisters” (Gail Boushey and Joan Moser) help a colleague dress up her displays of student work.

Middle School Classroom Makeover Part II

In this second of a three-part video series, “The Sisters” (Gail Boushey and Joan Moser) help seventh-grade teacher Erin declutter and rearrange the media area of the classroom, creating a cozy library space.

Preparing Walls for Displays

In this four-minute video, The Sisters (Gail Boushey and Joan Moser) help a new teacher “frame up” an area of the room for future displays of student work, in a way that draws attention away from book bags and other clutter.

Conferring with Eddie

Eddie is a six-year-old student who speaks Cantonese as his first language. In this conference with Ruth Shagoury, little English is spoken, and yet there is much communication through gestures and shared history.

From Cross Checking and Retelling to Main Ideas: Helping Advanced Readers Develop Skills

In this five-minute video, Gail Boushey confers with Amanda, a second-grade student reading at a fourth-grade level early in the school year.

Moving into “Big Fat Chapter Books”: Conferring with Elyse

In this conference with seven-year-old Elyse, Joan Moser helps her set a reading goal that will help her move into “big fat chapter books.”

Book Matchmaker: Texts for “Outdoorsy” Boys

Those “outdoorsy” boys who love to fish and four-wheel all summer long can be a challenge to hook with books when they return to classrooms in the fall.  This Book Matchmaker feature presents a video preview of new titles to entice these intermediate readers, as well as a print supplement of additional suggestions.

Bookroom Tours – Part I

In this three-minute video, The Sisters (Gail Boushey and Joan Moser) take viewers on a tour of an elementary bookroom. The books are arranged by levels.

Listing Strategy: Minilesson

Aimee Buckner presents a listing strategy minilesson in writing workshop.

Quick Take: Protocols for Teacher Study Groups

In this three-minute Quick Take video, Clare Landrigan describes the teacher study group protocol she uses to foster shared understanding and allow for differentiated learning among teachers.

Bookroom Tours Part II

In this three-minute video, “The Sisters” (Gail Boushey and Joan Moser) continue their tours of school bookrooms. The focus in this presentation is on the checkout system.

From Compliments to Naming the Craft: Fifth-Grade Writing Workshop Share Session

This whole-class share session in Lesley Fowler’s fifth-grade classroom is the culmination of a nonfiction writing unit. Over the course of the year, students have moved from complimenting their classmates during these share sessions to writing down specific aspects of the piece they enjoyed or had questions about during the reading.

Conferring Notebook for Coaches

Gail Boushey shares the simplicity of her coaching notebook.

Literacy Room for Teachers Tour

In this four-minute video tour, Jennifer Allen describes how she arranges and displays materials in the “Literacy Room,” the space that has become invaluable in supporting teachers’ professional development in literacy instruction.

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