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Nonfiction Research Group in Fifth Grade

Katherine Sokolowski meets with a group of fifth graders who are all researching the use of nets in fishing and the environmental effects of the process. She works to build connections among classmates as well as research skills.

Book Talk: When We Broke Up

Christy Rush-Levine piques the interest of her eighth graders in When We Broke Up by Daniel Handler.

Tweeting a Favorite Author

Katherine Sokolowski helps one of her fifth-grade students compose a tweet to a favorite author.

A Formula for Great Book Talks

Christy Rush-Levine explains her formula for successful book talks in middle school that grab students' attention. We've also included a sample book talk.

Building Annotation Skills with Partners

Gretchen Taylor works from homework surveys to help her middle school students collaborate with partners to build annotation skills.

Developing Individualized Convention Checklists with Students

Melanie Meehan works with third graders to develop personalized conventions checklists.

Modeling Nonfiction Writing for English Language Learners: Part 3

Stella Villaba models nonfiction writing for her first- and second-grade English language learners, and in the process integrates vocabulary instruction into her lesson. This is the final video in a three-part series.

Modeling Nonfiction Writing for English Language Learners: Part 2

Stella Villalba models nonfiction writing for her first- and second-grade English language learners, and in the process integrates vocabulary instruction into her lesson. This is the second video in a three-part series.

Modeling Nonfiction Writing for English Language Learners

Stella Villalba models nonfiction writing for her first- and second-grade English language learners, and in the process integrates vocabulary instruction into her lesson. This is the first video in a three-part series.

From Compliments to Challenges: The Conferring Card

Melanie Meehan uses a conferring card in her writing conference with Cara to ensure she has a record of the strengths and revision possibilities they discussed.

Pausing for Reflection in Second Grade

Sean Moore helps his second graders remember the classroom routines and protocols for sharing reading reflections through a circle group.

Maintaining Momentum As a Writer

Jennifer Richard Jacobson chats with a group of fifth graders about how to generate ideas for writing independently each day.

Kindergarten Reading Conference: Building Confidence

Mandy Robek finds that kindergartner Mikey is lost in knowing how to use his time well during reading workshop. Her conference moves him from deflated to inspired.

Conferring Over “Finished” Writing

Ruth Ayres challenges Grant to add paragraphs to his “finished” piece.

Owl Research Brainstorming: Partner Work

Andrea Smith’s fourth graders are working on an Owl Research project that integrates reading, writing, talking, listening, and content literacy.

Understanding Character Traits: Part 3

 Jason DiCarlo completes his lesson on character traits in third grade. This is the final installment in a three-part series.

Understanding Character Traits: Part 2

Jason DiCarlo continues his third-grade reading workshop lesson on character traits with a mentor text. This is the second video in a three-part series.

Understanding Character Traits Lesson

Jason DiCarlo leads a lesson in third grade on character traits. This is the first video in a three-part series.

Making Home Connections While Conferring

Ruth Ayres meets with Zoey, a quiet writer who is drawn into the conversation through family stories and a mentor text with vivid illustrations.

Conferring with Jeri in Kindergarten

Mandy Robek demonstrates the strategies of teach, prompt, and reinforce when conferring with kindergartner Jeri.

A Thesis Statement: Conferring with Connor

Ruth Ayres confers with sixth grader Connor about constructing a thesis statement.

Beginning a Novel with Close Reading

Aimee Buckner helps a fourth-grade boy tease out emerging themes in the first pages of the novel Morning Girl.

From Strengths to Revision: Conferring with Connor

Karen Terlecky confers with fifth-grade Connor about his writing, demonstrating the routine of celebrating strengths first, and then making suggestions of new techniques to try.

Stories from Illustrations: Conferring with Kendall

Ruth Ayres draws out the story-writing possibilities with first-grader Kendall by conferring over her illustrations.

Understanding Fiction and Nonfiction in First Grade: Independent Practice

Erin Quealy circulates among student partnerships in her first-grade classroom, checking in to see how well individual students are understanding the different attributes of fiction and nonfiction after her minilesson. Others viewing the demonstration lesson observe, take notes, and interview students.

Understanding Fiction and Nonfiction in First Grade: Venn Diagram

In this conclusion to a whole-class demonstration lesson, Erin Quealy uses a Venn diagram to bring together student artifacts for a whole-class discussion of fiction and nonfiction after a minilesson and independent practice.

Understanding Fiction and Nonfiction in First Grade

This is a demonstration lesson in a first-grade classroom on understanding the difference between fiction and nonfiction led by Erin Quealy. It is the first video in a three-part series.

Second-Grade Reading Group

Heather Rader demonstrates the importance of a varied reading diet to a second-grade group, sharing her own stack of books.

Restarting a Writing Draft in Fourth Grade

Beth Lawson confers with Michael, a fourth-grade writer who struggles with focus and basic conventions.

“How Can I Help?” Conference

Ruth Ayres helps a fourth grader reflect on whether she is finished with her personal narrative, and how Ruth might assist her.

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