Content Category: Choice Literacy
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Write Today
Too many irons in the fire. This is a phrase I've heard most of my life. I started hearing it as a child, and today, decades later, my mom's voice stays...
Poetry that Celebrates Summertime and the Outdoors
Summer is the perfect time for poetry. The warm, relaxed days are filled with great images and memories. There are many poetry books for children that celebrate nature and the...
11/11/11: We Are One Celebration with Amy Krouse Rosenthal
Brenda Power and Shelly Hafford from Choice Literacy had the pleasure of joining our friends Gail Boushey and Joan Moser ("The Sisters") at the "We Are One" flash mob gathering...
Conferring About Chunking Words in Second Grade
Sean Moore confers with a 2nd grader who is learning the strategy of chunking words in reading. Notice how Sean focuses the student, refers to previous conferences, and previews an...
If You Like Junie B. Jones, You Might Like . . .
Getting hooked on a series is an important part of a child's reading development. I remember as a child getting addicted to Nancy Drew, the Betsy books, The Secret Seven...
What’s On Your Summer Pleasure Reading List? (Round-Up)
A lazy day, a cool drink, and a great book -- that's the perfect summer day for many literacy teachers. We don't get nearly as many days off in the...
Stuck on a Thesis: Conferring
In this conference with a 4th grader, Beth Lawson works with a student who has chosen a challenging essay topic and is struggling to develop his thesis.
Preschool Centers
Centers can be an effective teaching and learning strategy in preschools. In this video, Melissa Kolb shares her rationale for using centers in her Head Start classroom with video examples...
Preschool Thank-You Writing Center
Teachers Melissa Kolb and Andie Cunningham help preschoolers use the thank-you writing center in this quick two-minute video.
Learning to Write Engaging Nonfiction: A Middle School Partner Writing Study
This year I attempted to do something I had never tried before in my teaching career . . . planning and following through with a partner writing study, a study...
Book Matchmaker: Intermediate Read-Alouds
A Dog's Way Home by Bobbie Pyron is about Abby and her dog, Tam. Abby and Tam are inseparable. Tragedy strikes and they are separated. Both have trouble moving...
Sticky Notes to Determine Importance
In this conference from Beth Lawson's third-grade classroom, the focus is on the skill of determining importance in texts. Beth helps Sephina integrate sticky notes into her strategic reading of...
Beyond Harry Potter: Tapping Student Interest in Fantasy
Ever since the Harry Potter craze several years ago, the fantasy genre has been a popular one. I often have students in the library who would like to read more...
Conferring About Rereading Strategies
In this conference with a fourth grader, Aimee Buckner guides a child to think more deeply and critically about a book being read to the whole class, Goblins in the...
Reading Conferences in 5th Grade
Karen Terlecky confers with her 5th graders during reading workshop.
Book Matchmaker: Graphic Novels for a 6th Grader
Heather Rader, an instructional specialist, is looking for some graphic novels to share with a group of 6th grade girls. The girls are graphic novel fans and have already...
Respond, Reflect, Rejoice: The 3 Rs of Writing Celebrations
Almost two years ago I started a writing group. I knew if I wanted to keep writing, then I needed a group of other writers to hold me accountable. I...
Argumentative, Opinion, and Persuasive Writing in the Common Core
Change can be challenging, even scary. My daughter had a tough time getting back into the swing of things after winter break. We would be getting ready for the day...
How Do We Structure Small Groups? (Part 3 of the Grouping Series)
Fifth-grade teacher Pam was encouraged by her principal to transition from mostly whole-group instruction to include more small-group instruction, especially in the area of reading. The previous year she'd used...
Standards and Magic: Digging Deep and Being Spontaneous with Infographics
Recently, I experienced a rare kind of classroom magic with the 4th and 5th graders who participate in our school's environmental club. I had about fifteen minutes to plan our...
Setting the Stage for Historical Fiction
In this demonstration lesson from a fifth-grade classroom, Aimee Buckner works with students to construct an anchor chart for understanding the genre of historical fiction.
