Writing with Mentor Texts – App Reviews in Grades 6-8
Posted on March 20, 2016Share This Content
info texts for students grades 4-8
Tips for using ‘Reading A to Z’ texts for close reading
Posted on April 8, 2015Reading A to Z is a common classroom resource for leveled informational texts. There are some good texts in this collection – I would just be cautious, read for quality, and choose with clear objectives or text-dependent questions in mind. Below I describe how a group of teachers and I chose excerpts from Reading A …Read more
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Please dump traditional book report requirements and try…
Posted on August 28, 2013My daughter is enjoying a new school in a new state, but I was dismayed to see the traditional, worn out book report requirements for her 5th grade class. I want to say first – her teacher is hosting some amazing learning experiences – they are currently studying the eye, are engaged in research reports …Read more
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Displaying Nonfiction in Your Classroom Library
Posted on August 11, 2013Here’s a model for displaying nonfiction in your classroom library. Notice how the books are facing forward in baskets – easy to flip through and find a title of interest. Also, if you zoom in, you’ll see the books are categorized and coded – “Transportation NF#5.” The codes are marked on the back of the …Read more
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Intriguing Notices as Mini-Lessons
Posted on August 2, 2013I’m always intrigued by the notices posted around us. Many are perfect for mini-lessons focused on close reading of informational text. Check out this one I saw in a restroom in Chico, CA. For a close reading exercise, I would put this on the document camera or Smart board and ask students some of the …Read more
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Museums as Nonfiction Sources with Central Ideas
Posted on July 1, 2013I’ve always found field trips frustrating. The students are very excited, but most of the learning is superficial. But what if we treated field trip locations as nonfiction texts that have central ideas? What if, while on a field trip to a museum, we did the kind of thinking we do to make sense …Read more
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Reading Aloud in Grades 6-8
Posted on September 26, 2012While it’s important for students to read as much on their own as possible, there are a lot of benefits to continuing to read aloud to them even in middle school. (I would argue through 12th grade even.) For students who are not reading “on grade level,” when you read aloud, they have an opportunity …Read more
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Nonfiction Text Set – Labor Movement in Chicago
Posted on September 12, 2012Since I work in the schools in Chicago, I think it might be timely to trace the history of labor movements in Chicago. The current teacher strike is part of a larger picture and long history of Chicagoans being at the heart of movements that have led to better working and learning conditions for everyone. …Read more
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Is anybody else sick of the five-paragraph essay? The book Writing with Mentors (Marchetti & O’Dell, 2015) was so refreshing to read as I ponder how to keep students excited about reading and writing analytically. The authors provide insight into how we can engage students in writing for authentic purposes in a variety of non-five-paragraph …Read more