6th
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Writing Homework
If your students are already comfortable with an unstructured requirement of 20-30 minutes of reading each night, you may find adding 10 minutes of writing at home works wonders in fostering writing skills. Katherine Sokolowski explains how the assignment works in her classroom.
My Middle Schoolers Can’t Spell!
Gretchen Taylor has a common teacher's lament about spelling, so she decides to do something about it. This is the first installment in a two-part series.
Close Reading and Multiple Layers in Middle School
Christy Rush-Levine uses striking texts that inspire multiple readings by her middle school students.
Using Close Reading to Analyze Propaganda
Propaganda, word clouds, and close reading engage students in Holly Mueller’s sixth-grade class.
Can Books Harm Children? Support and Censorship
Shari Frost asks a provocative question: Can books harm children? She explores practical ways for teachers to walk the fine line between support and censorship in matching books to students.
What Kenny Taught Me
Jennifer Schwanke has a student who just won’t sit still and behave appropriately in her middle school classroom. She finally gives up. That’s where the learning begins.
Reading Passports
Justin Stygles develops reading passports as an alternative to traditional reading logs with his fifth- and sixth-grade students.
Digital Boards for Formative Assessment
Katharine Hale has moved much of her reading response to digital boards, which are also a useful tool for formative assessment.
Effective Organization
Ruth Ayres has tips for organizing desks, tables, chairs, and materials to support literacy learning.
Shoebox Autobiographies
Susan Dee uses shoebox autobiographies to build community and relationships with students early in the fall.
Giving Audio Feedback to Student Writing
If you find yourself buried in student work that needs a response, you’ll enjoy suggestions from Bill Bass for using a nifty new online tool.
30 Books in 30 Days
Justin Stygles uses the 30 Books in 30 Days project to introduce his sixth graders to a wide variety of authors and genres.
Giving Up Television
Gretchen Taylor finds giving up television enables her to reconsider many habitual behaviors.
Nonfiction Book Blitz
Justin Stygles finds a nonfiction book blitz is the perfect unit for closing out the school year.
Final Literacy Contracts: Student-Generated Themes
Megan Ginther and Holly Mueller close out the year with their final literacy contracts. It’s time for students to take ownership of their learning, so they select the themes.
Capturing the Elementary Years with Photo Essays
Justin Stygles helps his sixth graders prepare to move to middle school with a photo essay assignment in the last weeks of school.
The Data Wall Debacle
Shari Frost has a suggestion for what shouldn’t be on classroom walls: student assessment scores. She explains why this practice can be harmful to students.
Nonfiction Graffiti Walls
Katie Doherty uses nonfiction graffiti walls as a tool for building response skills and community with her sixth-grade students.
Reading Interviews: Part 3
We conclude our video series of end-of-year reading interviews with Ruth Shagoury. In this installment, she asks students about how they have changed as readers throughout the year.
Writing Interviews: Part 3
Ruth Shagoury’s end-of-year writing interviews finish with questions about change and the teacher’s influence on writing.
Reading Interviews: Part 2
Ruth Shagoury asks sixth-grade students about reading at home and how they have changed as readers this year.
Writing Interviews: Part 2
Ruth Shagoury’s end of year writing interviews with sixth graders continue with questions about writing strengths and weaknesses.
Reading Interviews: Part 1
Interviews at the end of the school year can help students consider their growth as readers and writers. In this week’s video, Ruth Shagoury interviews sixth graders about their reading. This is the first video in a three-part series.
Writing Interviews: Part 1
Ruth Shagoury interviews sixth graders about their writing at the end of the year. This is the first video in a three-part series.
Reading Through Spring
Gigi McAllister has many suggestions for a strong reading finish to the school year.
End-of-Year Literacy Interviews
Ruth Shagoury explains why year-end interviews are so valuable, and includes questions to use in your interviews.
April Literacy Contracts: Discovery
Megan Ginther and Holly Mueller choose a theme of discovery for their April literacy contracts.
Creating Video with Students: Tools and Tips
Bill Bass gives advice and provides resources for creating video with high school students.
Simplifying Word Study
Max Brand has suggestions for simplifying word study.
March Literacy Contracts: Nonfiction Curiosities
This month’s literacy contract for middle school students focuses on nonfiction texts and growing independence in the classroom.
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