Choice Lit Topic: Content Literacy
Reading and writing across the curriculum is sparking more interest than ever among teachers and school leaders. Here are the resources you need to build more writing into your math curriculum, more reading and talk into your science program, and especially, how to infuse more nonfiction texts into your teaching throughout the school day.
Results
Writing to Learn
“Literacy is not just the responsibility of ELA teachers; it is every teacher’s responsibility.” This is my administrators’ belief statement, and we spent the last several years implementing this belief...
Whole-School Animal Research
“Who was the winner? What’s our animal for next year?” asks a group of fourth graders at the end of the school year. The rising fifth graders have voted on...
Now What? We Went on a Field Trip
Field trip. Those two words can get very opposite reactions when brought up in a conversation with teachers. There are teachers who love going on field trips and those who...
Delving Deeper Through Inquiry-Based Learning
One March 14, a day affectionately known by many math teachers as Pi Day, Brooke strode into the classroom and proudly announced, “I can name the first 100 digits of...
Literacy Skills in All Content Areas
Literacy is inherent in all content areas, but sometimes we feel most comfortable relegating it to the domain of language arts classes. After all, there are so many standards to...
Morning Message 5 — Meaning and Content Connections
The day I posted this morning message, the room was buzzing. Kids walking in the door were beckoned by those already gathered around the morning message. Snippets of their conversation...
Routines That Normalize Mistakes
Lawrence slunk down in his seat, staring at his notebook. The rim of his eyes welled with just the faintest pooling of tears, and his knuckles gave away the telltale...
Math Debates: A Powerful Sense-Making Routine
In a bag of marbles, 3⁄5 of the marbles are blue and the rest are red. If the number of red marbles is doubled and the number of blue marbles...
Best Wrong Answer
“You want us to get the answer wrong?” Meera asks. “Yes, I want you to think about common mistakes a fourth grader might make on this problem. What is the...
Picture Books with Recipes to Foster Math Engagement
It never fails. The years when I read Thunder Cake by Patricia Polacco, the last page turns into a flurry of questions. What is in a thunder cake? Did you...
Math Is Everywhere
“Look, Mrs. Parks, there is math in my snack!” “There’s math in my snack too!” “That tree is math—it’s a triangle!” As I marveled at these noticings (and snapped some...
Read Alouds in Content Classes
“I’m not really into reading today. Can we just watch a video or something?” “Sure, Maddie, we can develop certain skills, as well as very good content knowledge and understanding,...
Short Research Projects in the Intermediate Grades
VIDEO: Katherine Sokolowski meets briefly with a group of fifth-grade girls to go through the notes they are taking for their environmental studies project and talk through next steps. ARTICLE:...
Building Interest Through Artifacts
Far too many of my students have not been out of the town in which they live. If they have, it has been to visit a relative or attend an...
Magic Connections: Young Adult Literature in a Social Studies Class
When my students come into my room at the beginning of the year and all of the introductions are done, school supplies for the year are discussed, and general rules...
Jane Goodall Inquiry: Introducing Expectations
At the start of the school year I like to ease my students into the type of learning we will do throughout the year. In seventh grade we share text,...
A Fresh Take on Persuasive Writing
Can I persuade you to take a fresh look at teaching persuasive writing? This genre has become a pet peeve of mine. It is time to bring it up to...
Reading That Changes Us
This year, inspired by Kelly Gallagher's "Article of the Week" activity, our seventh graders started reading a weekly nonfiction article. This weekly reading has many benefits, including building background knowledge,...
Readers’ Guides: Helping Students Think About Informational Text
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.5With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach. Teachers are often waging a small...
Content and Context
For years, my tennis partner tried to get me to change the grip on my forehand volley. She’d rotate my hand, we’d hit a few, and then we’d move into...
Group Meeting: Sharing Resources for Animal Study
Katherine Sokolowski helps her fifth-grade students expand their territory for their animal research projects by sharing information sources and peer connections.
