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Scaring Up Better Narratives Part 2

Just in time for Halloween, Aimee Buckner leads a lesson on brainstorming topics in writer's notebooks using the mentor text Some Things Are Scary. In this second installment of a three-part series, Aimee continues to confer with students and helps everyone refine potential writing topics in their notebooks.

The Sponge Summary Lesson Part 2

In this sequence of videos, Heather teaches a fourth-grade class, using the analogy of a sponge to explain how summaries work. In this second video, Heather presents the powerful analogy of a sponge for summarizing.

Scaring Up Better Narratives Part 3

Aimee Buckner leads a lesson on brainstorming topics in writer's notebooks using the mentor text Some Things Are Scary. In this final installment of a three-part series, Aimee continues to confer with students and shares a great tip for nonfiction research.

The Sponge Summary Lesson Part 3

In this sequence of videos, Heather teaches a 4th grade class, using the analogy of a sponge to explain how summaries work. In this third video, Heather and students cull down a text into the important points needed for a summary.

Main Ideas, Summaries, and Notes in a Reading Conference

In this conference with a fourth grader, Aimee Buckner tackles text choice, notes, and main ideas all in less than five minutes. You’ll notice teachers observing in the background; the conference is part of a demonstration lesson sequence.

The Sponge Summary Lesson Part 4

In this sequence of videos, Heather Rader teaches a 4th grade class, using the analogy of a sponge to explain how summaries work. In this fourth video, Heather and students discuss their summaries in progress

Conferring About Rereading Strategies

In this conference with a fourth grader, Aimee Buckner guides a child to think more deeply and critically about a book being read to the whole class, Goblins in the Castle.

Launching a Book Club in 4th Grade

In this video from Andrea Smith’s 4th grade classroom, students get organized for a small group author study of Andrew Clements.

Book Matchmaker: Intermediate Read-Alouds

Franki Sibberson shares some of her favorite read-alouds for the intermediate grades.

The Affect of Tech on Splrs

Heather Rader considers the cultural divide between teachers and students who are “screenagers” when it comes to texting.  If u r getting LOLed out in ur classroom u might want 2 read this.

Book Matchmaker: 5th Grade English Language Learners

Robin Heist is an elementary teacher looking for books for her older English language learners who are reading below grade-level expectations.

Top 10 Technology Tools for Teachers

If you're overwhelmed with the slew of new technology tools coming out all the time (and who isn't?), you might appreciate Scott Sibberson's Top 10 Tech Tools for Teachers. You are probably using some of the tools daily, and may discover a few new ones too.

Wild Facts

Wild Facts is a terrific example of how Andrea Smith's intermediate students naturally connect web resources with content learning.

Spelling Rules — Or Does It?

Heather Rader introduces a new spelling series and maps out the topics she’ll be tackling.

Three Rules Worthy of Spelling Inquiry

It seems like every spelling rule has an exception — so which ones must be taught? Heather Rader shares the three spelling rules worth any teacher’s time.

Strawberries, Fun, and Student Blogging

Andrea Smith evaluates the success of her new student blogging program.

Writers, Choice and Independence (Part I)

What does true independence look like among young readers and writers?  A chance comment from a visitor to Aimee Buckner's classroom gets her pondering the amount of choice children have during units of study.

Wonderopolis: Nonfiction, Technology, and Web-Based Independent Learning

Wonderopolis hits the sweet spot so many of us are looking for in web resources for students, delivering free, engaging, high-quality nonfiction text and video in small chunks that can easily be integrated into literacy and science workshops. Andrea Smith explains how she uses Wonderopolis daily with her students.

Graphic Organizer for Mystery Writing

Beth Lawson talks with her 4th graders about the elements of a good mystery, and shares a graphic organizer to help them develop realistic characters and themes.

Digital Reading: Another Facet of a Classroom Library

The good news?  There are lots of free and low-cost digital books for young readers on the web.  The bad news?  The quality of many of them is mediocre at best. Andrea Smith highlights three web-based resources for digital books that are affordable and also high quality.

Writers, Choice and Independence (Part II)

In this second installment of a two-part series, Aimee Buckner writes about the value of open choice writing units.

Tuesday Trades: A New Literacy Ritual in My Classroom

Tuesday Trades are a terrific way to increase peer book recommendations. Andrea Smith created this new weekly activity with her intermediate students, building on existing workshop routines.

Born Wonders: Tapping Student Interest in Animals, Babies, and Books

Cute Alert – what’s more adorable than babies or animals?  Perhaps baby animals!  Andrea Smith shares an addictive web resource that will instantly hook students of any age.  It’s zoo postings of newborn animals from around the world, with many literacy connections.

Letting Go After Holding on Tight: Reflecting on the Last Days of School

Andrea Smith writes about how our instincts as parents and teachers merge to make it so hard to say goodbye at the end of the school year.

Connecting Yoga and Character Traits in Literature Study

If you are a yoga devotee, you will enjoy this feature.  Ann Williams discovers yoga and literature mix beautifully as she helps her 4th grade students explore character traits.

Caught in the Middle: Tween Books to Excite Readers

What does research tell us about tween readers and capturing their interest in books? Teri Lesesne’s tween booklist integrates the research with recent publications sure to interest young readers.

Math Journals

Julie Johnson rekindles her love affair with math when she incorporates journals and sees her students become more adept at organizing and explaining their thinking.

Using Comics in Literacy Workshops

Franki Sibberson works with her 3rd and 4th graders to use comics in the literacy workshop.

Unexpected Gifts: Technology and Community in the First Days of School

Andrea Smith is surprised and delighted at what technology adds to her classroom in the early days of school.

Quick Takes: Advice on Book Hogs

In this quick take video, Franki Sibberson gives advice for dealing with "book hogs" — those students who try to grab any new book when it appears in the classroom library.

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