3rd
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Assessing Student Writing
Don't let the pressure of standards and testing take away from the joys of writing workshop. Franki Sibberson explains how assessment helps her infuse energy and excitement into her writing program.
Hooked on Series: Great Series Books for Transitional Readers
Finding the right series for a transitional reader is a gift. Franki Sibberson shares her favorite finds.
Planning for K-3 Author Studies (eGUIDE)
Gayle Brand knows the power of author studies and shares her activities, unit plans and year-long glances to support students identification as readers and writers.
My Son Clark Kent
Lisa Koch shares a parent's perspective of the damage too much emphasis on reading levels in the classroom does to her young son.
The “All About Us” Board: Linking Literacy and Community Building All Year Long
Suzy Kaback has terrific tips for an ever-evolving “All About Us” bulletin board to use from the first day of school to the last.
Comprehending Graphic Novels: A Primer for Teachers
Mary Lee Hahn provides a quick primer for teachers new to graphic novels, as well as suggestions for using these novels to teach comprehension.
Writing Workshop Share: Talking About Revision Tools
In this video of a discussion after writing workshop in Franki Sibberson’s classroom, intermediate students share the tools they used in revision.
Organizing Writing Groups
Franki Sibberson describes how she organizing writing groups in her grades 3 and 4 classroom, and shares a video of a writing group considering leads.
Using Foam Boards in Writer’s Workshop
Franki Sibberson explains how she extends the wall space in her classroom for instruction through the use of foam boards.
Power Tools
Aimee Buckner shares three essential "power tools" for writers.
Common Core Conversations: Increasing Argumentative Writing
Teachers continue to puzzle over and sort through the terminology in the Common Core related to opinion and persuasive writing. Amanda Adrian and Heather Rader consider terms and teaching strategies.
“I Am the Book”: Helping Emergent Bilingual Learners Connect with Books
Jesabel Centeno helps her emergent bilingual learners respond orally to texts and share favorite books with classmates.
Whole Class Interviews: Building Community in Writing Workshop (TEMPLATE)
Interviews early in the year are a potent tool for building a class community.
Word Study is More Than Spelling
Franki Sibberson works to expand her views of spelling and word work, redefining routines in her grades 3 and 4 classroom.
A Strategy Lesson for “Drive-Thru” Readers
Who is a “drive-thru” reader? One who zips through the start of a book and discards it before finishing, moving ever more quickly through random books. Aimee Buckner has some minilesson suggestions for dealing with those students who can’t or won’t finish any books they start.
Gratitude Week
Gigi McAllister shares the tradition of Gratitude Week. It gives students an authentic writing experience that has a ripple effect of spreading joy and gratitude throughout the school. It also shows them the significant impact that their words can have on others.
Going Deeper with Math Curricular Materials
Mallory Messenger guides us in taking what our district-adopted math curriculum resources provide and planning small changes by using problem stems and student problem posing to increase the rigor and make mathematical experiences accessible for all students.
Writing as an Act of Resistance and a Source of Strength
In this beautiful personal essay, Stella Villalba reminds us that writing is a source of strength, and developing a community of writers is essential in post-pandemic classrooms.
Launching a Classroom Library
Melissa Styger slows down the launch of the classroom library to ensure it is a valuable resource all year.
Field Experience: Supporting Independent Reading, Choice and Stamina
Helping students learn to choose books and develop stamina are important to developing independent readers. Ruth Ayres designed a field experience with opportunities to see minilessons, small group instruction, team meetings and a share session that support independence in readers.
Trusting the Letting-Go Moments
Mandy Robek writes a powerful essay about giving her students more decision-making power in sharing their learning. In the release of letting go, she found ease in the joy of learning.
Nonfiction Books for Compassion, Inspiration, and Heart
Mandy Robek set out on a quest to discover new nonfiction books with characters who offer inspiration, compassion, and heart. Here are eight new titles you won’t want to miss.
Books That Sustain the Linguistic Lives of Multilingual Learners
We need more bilingual books! Stella Villalba explains why these books are essential and provides a booklist to help sustain the linguistic lives of multilingual learners.
Talking Through Characters
Melanie Meehan shares activities that help students talk about their characters before writing about them in a realistic fiction unit.
The Shades of Sadness: Character Feelings and Traits
Melissa Quimby is disappointed with the way her students expressed depth of character traits and feelings. By building on their strengths, Melissa creates a tool for students to use and adapt as they learn to be more specific and intentional about describing characters.
Unlocking Student Thinking: The Power of Problem Posing in Story Problem Contexts
Choice Numeracy | Problem posing is a strategy that involves students creating mathematical problems to solve or reworking given problems to change them in some way. Mallory Messenger shows how this strategy allows students to explore and test their current thinking. Download the Problem Posing with Problem Stems Recording Sheet to get started in your classroom.
Book Matchmaker: 3rd Graders Reading Below Grade Level
In this installment of Book Matchmaker, Franki Sibberson shares her favorite books for 3rd graders who are not at grade level, but don’t want to read texts that will embarrass them in front of their peers.
Picture Books for Naming Emotions
Mandy Robek continues her series on picture books for understanding emotional turmoil in students. In this installment, she shares a list of books that can help children name emotions.
Connecting with Students at Home
Julie Johnson learns some important lessons about connecting with students remotely, and few of them are about technology.
Collecting Ideas in the Writer’s Notebook
Ruth Ayres confers with third grader Jade about the importance of the “collecting” phase for writers.
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