Common Core in Action: Writing for an Audience

What is new and different in the Common Core? When it comes to the writing standards, a heavy emphasis on audience for one thing, and this is very good news. The "audience" for student writing was once the lone teacher sitting after school with her cup of coffee, a red pen, and a stack of essays or other writing projects. And sadly, she might have been the only one, besides the student writers, that ever read them! Let's take a look at the Common Core Anchor Standard in Writing that highlights audience. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.4: Produces clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. When asked, many kids, and even adults, might tell you the main difference between "school" writing and real-life writing is that the latter has an audience and the other does not. Keeping It Real Back to anchor writing standard 4. So let's consider then some ways to engage students in real-life writing, starting in second grade:

10 Mind Mapping Strategies For Teachers 10 Mind Mapping Strategies For Teachers by Andrea Leyden, examtime.com The adoption of Mind Maps in teaching has grown recently due to the benefits of using Mind Maps to learn and the availability of free online mind mapping software. Teachers have recognized the value of using Mind Maps to engage students, encourage creativity and, most importantly, teaching how to learn rather simply memorizing content. How do teachers harness the full power of Mind Mapping? Mind Mapping Strategies for Teachers Pre-class: Planning: Whether its lesson plans, design of your class curriculum for the school year or planning an assignment timeline, Mind Maps give you a clear and visual overview of what needs to be covered.Organizing: If you’re the type of person who regularly jots down ideas and thoughts, Mind Maps are the perfect tool to create structure and organization of a topic. In-class: Teaching: Online Mind Maps can be used in class to brainstorm and generate discussions. Outside class:

Five-Minute Film Festival: Digging Into the Common Core It's been nearly two years since I first wrote up "Resources for Understanding the Common Core State Standards," Edutopia's roundup page for all things Common Core, and the demand for tools and resources only grows as we get deeper into implementation. Like any major (and mandated!) educational initiative, the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) have their fans and their detractors, but if you're in one of the 45+ states that have signed on, they are here to stay. I highly recommend reading an excellent recent opinion piece from The New York Times, by Charles M. Blow, "The Common Core and the Common Good," which provides a compelling and succinct summary of the potential problems and the opportunities around the Common Core. Edutopia's team of bloggers have been exploring every corner of the Common Core. Video Playlist: Digging Into the Common Core State Standards Keep watching the player below to see the rest of the playlist, or view it on YouTube. see more see less

360 Degree Aerial Panorama | 3D Virtual Tours Around the World | Photos of the Most Interesting Places on the Earth | AirPano.com Using the iDiary for Kids App As A Thinking Book My classroom, for the most part is paperless. My students do not have notebooks, or binders, or folders that contain copious amounts of paper that will end up in the recycle bin as soon as they are able to bring it home. My students sit at desks, however, they rarely use the inside of them. My students all have a book box that contains the books they are currently reading and a writer's workshop folder that contains a few pieces of writing they are currently working on. Once students have filled out the preferences page and saved it, they can enter the app, and choose the book they want to work in (if you have more than one student using the iPad or the student has more than 1 book you can have multiple books on this page). The student chooses their book and enters their password. A great addition to this app is when the student starts to type, the book automatically enters a time stamp to the page in the column. How did I introduce this book to my students, you ask?