Did you ever wonder if llamas really spit? How about what are ten strange holidays? Wonderopolis is a web site sponsored by Thinkfinity that poses questions like this accompanied by a picture or video and then text that answers the question. This would be a great way to add some novelty into a lesson, stimulate [...]
Entries from March 29th, 2012
Traveling the Middle Lane
March 24th, 2012 · No Comments · Traveling the Middle Lane
This is my periodic post on the life of a middle school teacher. As part of a commitment to myself to “open my classroom door” in order to improve my practice and share my learning, I decided to videotape my class and share it with other teachers. My students’ curiosity was immediately engaged when they [...]
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New England Day of Discovery: Renewed, Re-energized, and Ready to Go … Again
March 18th, 2012 · No Comments · Professional Learning Community, reading and technology
Who would think that spending one of my precious weekend days at school would renew and re-energize me for my next week at school? Well, that is exactly what happened after spending last Saturday at the New England Day of Discovery! Several factors helped create a wonderful day. First, it was great being surrounded by [...]
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Grammar Games
March 11th, 2012 · No Comments · reading and technology
Some of my seventh grade students are still missing basic grammar skills. My dilemma is that I need to help them improve these skills even though it is not my primary instructional focus. I use pictures like these as one way to show students how important these skills are. Another approach is to share great [...]
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Car Conversations
March 8th, 2012 · No Comments · education issues, reading and technology
All parents eventually learn that the best conversations occur in the car! There is something unforced about these chats. You are doing something else and “talk happens.” Plus, you don’t even have to look at each other. You can also learn a lot about your children as you drive a car load of your children [...]
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Watching vs. Seeing
March 6th, 2012 · No Comments · reading and technology
The Film Foundation has created a wonderful curriculum, The Story of Movies. This curriculum uses three movies To Kill a Mockingbird, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, and The Day the Earth Stood Still to examine movie making. The movie that I plan on using with my students is Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. The curriculum [...]
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Can Movies Improve Reading?
March 4th, 2012 · No Comments · reading and technology
Visualizing while reading is a critical skill for good reading comprehension. Teachers might instruct students to create a movie in their heads while reading, or they might question students about what sounds they “hear” while reading a passage. This instruction or questioning helps students visualize what they are reading. So can making movies and analyzing [...]
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