Some fear rushed math curriculum may not provide solid foundation
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/03/AR2008060303438.html?hpid=topnews
As more schools across the U.S. introduce algebra to eighth-graders, others are pushing younger students even faster in mathematics. The trend worries some parents and educators, who say some students are being placed in classes for which they're not yet prepared.
The Washington Post (6/4)
Interactive Math Sites
http://www.kenton.k12.ky.us/SmartBoard/smartmath.htm#interactiveonline
...a teacher-created list of interactive mathematics sites to use with the whole class via an interactive whiteboard or TabletPC
Tiered Math & Science Assessments
http://challengebychoice.wordpress.com/
Geoffrey Smith, the middle level principal at Jakarta (Indonesia) International School, is a long-time subscriber who enjoys our resources and wants to give something back. Did he ever! This website developed by JIS teacher Dave Suarez shares a tiered approach to teaching "extremely diverse" student groups. Suarez hopes other MS teachers will contribute their own ideas. At the page titled "Tiered Instruction and Assessment," you'll find Suarez's rationale for (and results of) differentiating for diverse readiness levels. In his model, students are given the responsibility for determining their own readiness for assignments at various challenge levels. A series of videos demonstrates how this works in actual classrooms. You'll also find examples of math and science units and assessments "tiered by challenge." In the Other Readings section peruse Dave's recent article in Educational Leadership (11/07) and descriptions of language arts applications. We asked several middle school teachers to examine the site -- they were impressed by its intellectual depth and practical application. Kathie, an inner-city teacher, told us:
"These are wonderful differentiation resources. In my school we're using data to uncover students who are 'getting lost' in our classes, so this comes at a very good time."
Secrets for science educators
http://www.teachermagazine.org/tm/articles/2008/09/10/01tln_jolly.h20.html
When science educator Anne Jolly, who was named Alabama's 1994 Teacher of the Year, began teaching she was shocked to find practically no equipment, a less-than-pristine classroom and skeptical students. She offers tips to help other teachers develop business partnerships and grants to obtain needed supplies, find new ways to engage students and help them learn teamwork and enlist the support of colleagues and parents.
Teacher Magazine (9/10)
Teaching children helps high-schoolers master science concepts
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/30/AR2008053003300.html
More than 300 Virginia high school freshman and sophomores not only showed off last week what they learned in their school's biotechnology program, but taught basic scientific concepts to area elementary students. "We make believe we are doing it only for the little kids, but we are doing it for us, too," said Larry Nemerow, the school's biotechnology coordinator. "There is no higher form of learning than teaching."
The Washington Post (6/1)
Earth Science: Project Centered Teaching
http://www.edutopia.org/sakhalin-finnie
We'll stretch the definition of middle school to include 9th grade today. Sakhalin Finnie teaches science to freshmen at the Harbor Teacher Preparation Academy, in Wilmington CA (part of the Los Angeles Unified School District). A former chemical engineer, she was recently named one of Edutopia's "Daring Dozen" for 2008. Her kids won the district earth science challenge this year with a 10-week project that fit nicely into the geo-dynamics of their local terrain.
Finnie's students designed an emergency earthquake plan for the home, complete with emergency kit. They also created an illustrated newspaper that "tells someone who doesn't know anything about earth science" all about earthquakes, volcanoes, and plate tectonics just how they're all related. The kids clinched their contest victory with a five-minute earthquake safety commercial, presented in the form of a rap song. Kind of a feet-on project.
Hands-on design work helped middle-schoolers grasp physics concepts
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008
Motion, force and electricity made a lot more sense to Patricia Herr's eighth-grade science class after the students built a roller-coaster inside their classroom. "She has developed many creative ways to encourage her students to explore science and to hone their talents," said dean Kate Splendore, who was among those who nominated Herr for a local award that Herr subsequently won. "She is constantly exploring new ideas and challenging herself as well as her students to think outside the box," Splendore wrote.
The Washington Post
Tiered Math & Science Assessments
http://challengebychoice.wordpress.com/
Geoffrey Smith, the middle level principal at Jakarta (Indonesia) International School, is a long-time subscriber who enjoys our resources and wants to give something back. Did he ever! This website developed by JIS teacher Dave Suarez shares a tiered approach to teaching "extremely diverse" student groups. Suarez hopes other MS teachers will contribute their own ideas. At the page titled "Tiered Instruction and Assessment," you'll find Suarez's rationale for (and results of) differentiating for diverse readiness levels. In his model, students are given the responsibility for determining their own readiness for assignments at various challenge levels. A series of videos demonstrates how this works in actual classrooms. You'll also find examples of math and science units and assessments "tiered by challenge." In the Other Readings section peruse Dave's recent article in Educational Leadership (11/07) and descriptions of language arts applications. We asked several middle school teachers to examine the site -- they were impressed by its intellectual depth and practical application. Kathie, an inner-city teacher, told us:
"These are wonderful differentiation resources. In my school we're using data to uncover students who are 'getting lost' in our classes, so this comes at a very good time."
National Institutes of Health (NIH): Office of Science Education
...a large collection of lesson plans and resources specifically intended for teachers in grades K-12
University's new site meant to aid history teachers
George Mason University has won $7 million in federal funds to run an interactive Web site meant to improve history instruction across the U.S. The site includes customized lesson plans, discussion forums and a database of state history instruction standards.
The Examiner
Life in the Roman Republic
http://www.judithgeary.com/id2.html
You'll find several excellent articles about life in the Roman Empire at this website developed by author Judith Geary, in connection with her YA historical novel "Getorix: The Eagle and The Bull." The free articles include topics like "Republican Roman Names" and "Big Changes in Ancient Rome." Geary teachers at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. Here's a detailed review of the novel: http://snipurl.com/getorix1
Top Geography Sites –Oh it's a blog!
http://snipurl.com/lferlazzo_geography
Larry Ferlazzo, the California teacher who identifies and organizes ELL-friendly teaching resources, recently posted his top 12 "Best Websites For Learning & Teaching Geography." Most are middle-school friendly too. Larry decided not to include Google Earth. His
rationale: "It requires a download and, two, I just haven't found it particularly useful." The resources are posted on Larry's blog, so you're free to disagree and share your favorites. If your school system is still blocking ALL blogs, this is one more example of why that's a dumb policy. Blogs are tools to transmit content across the Web and include a mechanism that makes it easy to keep up with new material. In terms of content, they are not inherently better or worse than websites. Yet many IT folks continue to impose a blanket ban on blogs. Smart systems are more discriminating and give teachers routes by which they can get to blog-based materials that improve teaching and learning. Which brings us to...
Mostly Medieval
http://www.mostly-medieval.com/explore/
While we suspect that many teachers who enjoy the opportunity to enchant students with goings-on in the Middle Ages already know about this site, it's a big Web out there. The Internet Scout describes Mostly Medieval as "a rather fine potpourri," originally created by novelist Susan Wallace for her own research. Sections include "Ballads," "Beasties," "Book of Days," "God and War," and "Heraldry."
In "Ballads," for example, visitors can read (and perhaps sing) through such Top 10 medieval hits as "Robin Hood and Guy of Gisborne," "Gude Wallace," and (shiver) "The Unquiet Grave." Inside the "Book of Days," young researchers will learn more about holy days and celebrations throughout the year. And there's an A-Z index to look up specific topics of interest.
Sixth Graders Analyzing Emily Dickenson?
http://snipurl.com/el_paideialiteracy
Could your sixth graders make sense of these lines from poet Emily Dickinson? "Tell all the Truth but tell it slant- / Success in Circuit lies / Too bright for our infirm Delight / The Truth's superb surprise / As Lightning to the Children eased / With explanation kind / The Truth must dazzle gradually / Or every man be blind-." You might not think so, but Terry Roberts and Laura Billings of the National Paideia Center want to convince you otherwise in their recent article "Thinking is Literacy, Literacy Thinking." They describe how two middle school teachers in North Carolina overcame their own doubts as they learned to coach a class of heterogeneous 6th graders through an examination of the poem. Pretty awesome! And it's not just about English - they offer examples in MATH AND HISTORY, too.
Quick Resource: Persuasive Writing
http://www.eduhound.com/cttarchives/032008ctt.cfm
A recent issue of Classroom Tools and Tips (from EduHound) pulls together a nice collection of web resources about persuasive writing.
You'll find basic principles, lesson plans and activities, and several strategies to involve students in writing editorials and other opinion pieces.
Technology transforms physical-education classes
http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/top-news/?i=54082
Video games like "Wii Fit" and "Dance Dance Revolution" are transforming physical education across the country, giving some advocates hope that the trend may help stem rising rates of childhood obesity. "It's motivating for students, it's intriguing to them, it really captures people's attention, and it gives you a vehicle for talking about healthy lifestyles and consistent physical activity patterns," said Fran Cleland, president of the National Association for Sports and Physical Education.
eSchool News (6/10)
Educator uses practical lessons to reach struggling students
http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2008-05-28-teacherteam-schroeder_N.htm
Alternative-school teacher Alvin "Corky" Schroeder, 58, uses his shop classes to help students learn math, physics and art. "If I lectured them, they would fall asleep," said Schroeder, who struggled with dyslexia and attention-deficit disorder as a child. "I'm a con man. I do what it takes."
USA TODAY (5/28)
Curriculum
New site helps teachers use Google Earth in classrooms
http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/site-of-the-week
A new teacher-created site allows educators to share lesson plans incorporating the free Google Earth software. In addition to dozens of lesson plans, the site offers guides to help teachers become more comfortable with the software.
eSchool News (4/2)
Our Pal Bill: Integrating LA and SS with Web 2.0
http://www.edutopia.org/voicethread-interactive-multimedia-albums
We've mentioned sixth grade teacher Bill Ferriter enough times to send him an invoice for public relations work. But hey, the guy is good -- as evidenced by this recent Edutopia feature highlighting his Web 2.0 teaching strategies. The story provides a fulsome description of the innovative work Bill and his kids are doing the free web tool "Voicethread." What's that? "VoiceThreads might best be described as interactive media albums," the article explains. "They are essentially online slide shows of images, documents, or videos that enable viewers to comment on any slide (or at any point in the video) by typing, recording an audio or video comment, or drawing on the image itself." Read the story and find out how Bill is using this tool (and others) to integrate his language arts and social studies instruction.
Are We Teaching in the Dark
http://snipurl.com/el_prensky
Marc Prensky, a leading advocate for technology-infused learning, is making the rounds of education conferences and large-district PD days, pushing his message that NetGen students actually have greater learning opportunities outside of school than in the classroom. In this recent article for Educational Leadership (03/08), Prensky uses a "light/dark" analogy to make his case that educators are failing to capitalize on digital tools and the Internet. School systems, he says, have somehow decided that "all the light that surrounds kids -- that is, their electronic connections to the world -- is somehow detrimental to their education. So systematically, as kids enter our school buildings, we make them shut off all their connections." He has some ideas about how to turn on the lights for reluctant learners.
Big List of Classroom Management Resources
This huge list of classroom management resources was originally
developed by graduate students at Monmouth University and is
regularly updated. There are classroom management techniques tailored
to elementary and secondary education, discipline ideas for new and
experienced teachers, tips for handling special education,
suggestions for getting organized, strategies for preventing behavior
problems, sample classroom rules, ways of creating a caring
community, and more. A companion feature offers the cream of the crop
at The Really Best List of Classroom Management Resources!
