Leveled Books Why Leveled Books? As all teachers know, not all children in the same grade read on the same level or even read at their own grade level. So why make all children read the same book? Studies show that the best way to teach kids to read is to pair them up with books that are at their instructional or independent reading level. Students can build their fluency and comprehension skills when they read books that are on their target level, allowing them to concentrate on comprehension instead of struggling in decoding unknown words. Richard Allington states in his book What Really Matters for Struggling Readers (2001) that struggling readers are probably reading books that are above their reading level and should be provided with appropriately leveled texts. Think about this - how fluently would you be able to read a crocheting instructions? To learn how to find students' reading levels (independent, instructional, and frustional), go to the Running Records page.
I Love That Teaching Idea! Why Literary Fiction Isn’t Boring Have you ever wanted to savor a meal because you’ve never tasted anything so good? Well, if you’re new to literary fiction, or can never seem to “get into it,” this is how you should try approaching it. Think of the book as a meal with intricate scents, flavors and textures that you can’t quite recognize unless you spend a little more time with it, and give it some undivided attention. Because, trust me, sitting down a little longer than usual, to enjoy your meal, can be liberating, especially if accompanied by a great glass of red. (Getting specific: Agents explain what they want to get RIGHT NOW.) If guest columnist Jessica Bell could choose only one creative mentor, she’d give the role to Euterpe, the Greek muse of music and lyrics. Sensory information is, more often than not, a huge focus in literary works. I’m convinced that some people think literary fiction is boring because they have the wrong expectations. (What types of novel beginnings get an agent or editor to keep reading?)
Share Book Recommendations, Join Book Clubs, Learn more about your Favorite Books and Share Books with Friends. ereadingworksheets | Free Reading Worksheets 50 More Things New Teachers Need To Know « Gently Hew Stone “Don’t hit the kids and don’t hit on the kids.” If I had to summarize my best advice about teaching in just one saying, that would be it. However, last summer’s post, 50 Things New Teachers Need To Know, went into a bit more detail and has now garnered thousands of hits, making it this blog’s most popular post. During the school year between then and now, I’ve made some more notes and now have this new collection ready. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. 49. 50. Like this: Like Loading...
Life in the Middle Ages in the Best Children's Books The following books about life in the Middle Ages are sure to be a hit! The knights, the castles, the princesses, the jousting tournaments...it all adds up to a very exciting historical period. I clearly remember learning about the Middle Ages when I was in seventh grade. It was all so fantastical thatI was actually skeptical that it really did happen. As I made my scale model castle, complete with a moat, I vividly remember wondering if perhaps historians had gotten this one wrong. It seemed like Disney, not reality. :) Below are some of the best children's books about life in the Middle Ages, about castles and knights and princesses, etc. These books are for 6th grade, 7th grade, and/or 8th grade. Do you know of a good children's book about life in the Middle Ages? Go -from- Life in the Middle Ages -to- World History BooksGo -from- Life in the Middle Ages -to- the Best Childrens Books homepage
50 Things New Teachers Need To Know « Gently Hew Stone [Update: Please be sure to also check out 50 MORE Things New Teachers Need To Know.] Now that August is here, I’m thinking about the imminent start of the new school year. For years I’ve watched new teachers start their first year with no clue about how to manage all that gets thrown at them, and I’ve wanted to have something to give them, samizdat style, that lets them in on what really matters, what really works, and what they should studiously ignore. Minor disclaimer: I’m a high school English teacher in Las Vegas. Sit your desk in the front of the room, not the back: the thinking that students will act more maturely if they don’t know if you’re looking at them is wrong–they couldn’t care less. Like this: Like Loading...
Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird: Profiles in Courage Activity 1. History and cultural milieu of the deep South in 1930s America—an Introduction Use of the Internet, an LCD player, and speakers will be useful. Before beginning the novel, the students should read in class The Need for Change section of the EDSITEment-recommended We Shall Overcome: Historic Places of the Civil Rights Movement for general background information on what life was like for an African American living in the south under Jim Crow laws. In addition to this site, the class should also examine Remembering Jim Crow from the Edsitement approved History Matters website History Matters. Both Remembering Jim Crow and We Shall Overcome will help students get a sense of the world Harper Lee describes in To Kill A Mockingbird. Questions to Consider During Class Discussion: Define Jim Crow. Activity 2. Students should use dictionary.com, a resource available through EDSITEment-reviewed Internet Public Library, to look up both "moral" and “courage.” Activity 3. Activity 4.
Use Your Writing VOICES! Before I get on with the real topic of this post, let me thank all of you who were able to commiserate with me on the substitute situation. It seems like many of you have been there too! I think I finally have my friends back on track. It's amazing how long it takes to recover from one wacky day! Now, on to writing. . . At the start of the school year, I was looking for a new way to focus my friends on the six traits of writing and the reading strategies we use. You can see that the six traits are listed at the top, forming "VOICES." As we do a mini-lesson on a certain trait, I write a card that summarized the idea. Ideally, it would be better if a different student wrote the actual card each day. Here's why this bulletin board works so well. This works the brain of my friend in a couple of ways. I've also seen other teachers use this chart for goal setting. Obviously, all the different ideas/skills for each trait won't fit on the board, but that's okay.
Meridian Article: Virtual Circles Inquiry Question Will merging technology (on-line discussion board) with Socratic or Paideia seminars assist my students, especially the lower skilled ones, in enhancing their book discussions, their visualization of the text, and their overall engagement with the material? Introduction This inquiry project is about a fusion of three distinct strands: technology, reader response theory, and Socratic seminars. I have many lower-skilled students, many of whom may not attain the required "threes" to be promoted to the eighth grade. It was mostly for them that I launched this inquiry. I wanted to find out whether or not meeting the students on turf that was familiar and safe to them, i.e. on-line discussion boards, would assist them in talking about, responding to, and picturing what they read. And then I read Wilhelm's (1997) You Gotta Be the Book.
S.E. Hinton and The Outsiders Create Young Adult Lit | 338: American Literature since 1865–Spring 2012 S.E. Hinton (1948-) S.E. Hinton When S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders was published in 1967, it was not an immediate commercial success, yet it went on to sell over 14 million copies, a number that is still growing. Hinton was born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma to a middle class family and parents who she says left her alone with her writing. In 1975, Hinton published Rumble Fish, an adaptation of a 1968 short story she published in her university’s literary magazine. S.E. Today Hinton continues to write and most recently is writing screenplays for Some of Tim’s Stories. The selected reading is from The Outsiders (1995), Penguin Inc. Hinton, 2009 Works Cited Hinton, Susan. S.E. Until S.E. To realize the significance of S.E. 1950s, "juvenile delinquents" begin to be featured in film Original cover art The 1960s saw major cultural change for young people. The Outsiders (1983) "Go Ask Alice" a so-called problem novel published 1971 Hinton, Susan. Cart, Michael. Miller, Teresa. Hinton, S.E. by Bailey
Mystery Cube The Mystery Cube interactive has been changed to a new format: the Cube Creator. Summarizing information is an important postreading and prewriting activity that helps students synthesize what they have learned. The interactive Cube Creator offers four options: Bio Cube: This option allows students to develop an outline of a person whose biography or autobiography they have just read; it can also be used before students write their own autobiography. Specific prompts ask students to describe a person's significance, background, and personality. Mystery Cube: Use this option to help your students sort out the clues in their favorite mysteries or develop outlines for their own stories. Story Cube: In this cube option, students can summarize the key elements in a story, including character, setting, conflict, resolution, and theme. Create-Your-Own Cube: Working on a science unit? Students can save their draft cubes to revise later. Grades 6 – 8 | Lesson Plan | Unit Bio Cube