Choice Lit Topic: Digital Literacy
Thoreau once wrote we are in danger of becoming the “tool of our tools,” but it’s doubtful he envisioned a day when there would be so much technology hardware and software to distract and empower us at the same time. Teachers who are grappling with iPads, laptops, kid blogs and cellphones in classrooms share their triumphs and struggles here.
Results
Our Favorite Online Reading and Writing Tools Round-Up (Part 2)
Our tech-savvy contributors remind us that learning with technology should be embedded with sound instructional practice and have new ideas for how that can be done. If you missed Part...
Our Favorite Online Reading and Writing Tools Round-Up (Part 1)
In this two-part round-up series, Choice Literacy contributors share some of their new favorite tools for integrating technology into their literacy instruction. A 20-year veteran teacher, author, and popular blogger...
The Lunch Lady and Gender in Reading
Franki Sibberson's students read a blog post together, and then talk about books for boys and girls. You can click here to read the original blog post from Jarrett J....
Embracing the Growth Mindset with Audiobooks
Have you ever been at a school or community event where kids are challenged to three-legged races or water balloon tosses? And then all of a sudden they announce a...
Audioboo, QR Codes, and Authentic Reading Response
This year I have given a lot of thought to authentic reading responses. I don’t know about you, but I do not typically finish a book and create some type...
Hindsight: What I Wish I’d Known Before My School Burned Down
As trite as it sounds, you never think it is going to happen to you, until it does and then hindsight is just that -- a lot of "wish I...
The “Tys” of Student Research: Safety and Credibility (Primary Research Series Part 2)
I’ve been feeling very “meta” lately as I research research about research. Christopher Lehman’s book: Energize Research Reading and Writing: Fresh Strategies to Spark Interest, Develop Independence, and Meet Key...
Beyond Text Features in Nonfiction Instruction
When I think back to my past teaching connected to nonfiction reading, I often (no matter the grade) did a unit on nonfiction text features. We worked for a few...
Putting the Search Back in Research
When I saw an entire subsection in the Common Core Writing Standards devoted to “Research to Build and Present Knowledge,” I rubbed my hands together and said, “It’s time.” My...
Science Challenge
Franki Sibberson's fourth-grade students share results from the weekly science challenge.
Getting More from Wonderopolis
Franki Sibberson uses Wonderopolis with her 4th grade students, helping them learn to research and dig more deeply at the site.
Building a Reading Community with Edmodo
Several years back I had the joy of hearing Donalyn Miller speak. At some point during the session she talked about teaching students how to be independent readers. She said,...
Vocabulary and iPhones: A Four-Step Process for Independent Student Word Learning
"Reading," Callie sighs as she rolls her eyes. Callie is a hard-working 17-year-old junior in high school. She is involved in many different activities in school and takes college prep...
Lists, Facts, and Reports: Conferring with Anna
Franki Sibberson confers with fourth grader Anna to help her connect report writing with her love of animal lists.
It’s Not About the Tool — It’s About the Learning
Schools have to prepare students for jobs that have not been created, technologies that have not been invented and problems that we don’t know will arise. Andrea Schleicher Incorporating...
Brainstorming Student Blogs
Franki Sibberson works with a group of students as they brainstorm how they will create a blog together.
Helping Students Develop Independent Previewing Skills
Franki Sibberson leads a group of 15 of her fourth graders in a lesson on finding books using Web-based resources.
Fun in January: A Mock Caldecott Unit
Every January the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, gives out media awards to the most distinguished books for children from the previous...
Poetry Friday in the Computer Lab
“Poetry Friday in the Computer Lab?” questioned one of my students on a Friday morning in mid-May as he scanned the daily agenda on the chalkboard. “How can we do...
Informational Snapshot Writing
I never pictured myself as a kindergarten teacher, but what does a first-year teacher do when she receives a call to interview for a kindergarten position? Ta-da! Instant kindergarten teacher....
Creating Anchor Charts with Multiple Classes
Three years ago my building was moving to a semi-departmentalization concept. Now I would be teaching my own homeroom reading and writing, but I would also teach two additional classes...
