CSU_TLship

Even after kids can read on their own, they benefit from being read to. Here are 10 good things that come of it.

Making inferences and predictions are highly related comprehension strategies. In fact, most books for teaching comprehension lump them together. This article focuses on separating inference and and prediction for young readers and provides example texts.

What do you look for when selecting print texts for your high school students to teach them about visual literacy? Appropriate themes, complexity of ideas, rich and beautiful illustrations, evidence of depth and layers of meaning, a variety of text type. This post present 6 titles that meet each of those requirements with the added bonus of all being by Australian authors and illustrators. Teachers notes and essays are provided for each title

Kindergarten through 2nd grade are crucial years, because they are the foundation for academic language and content knowledge that will influence students' future literacy in all subject areas. We teachers must engage students in rich, content-based curriculum that inspires, challenges, and provides them with tools to become lifelong learners. To do so, we must challenge some long-standing beliefs about literacy instruction in the early grades.

A fascinating post on the long history of the bookmark.

Social impact games are a genre that seek to effect positive changes in society through play. Often, players are put in roles (known as "player agency") and must make decisions that have impactful consequences. These games are not necessarily designed for teaching; rather, the goal is to enable players to have empathy about social issues.

Flipped learning in the STEM classroom can be fascinating and fun. As you may know, YouTube-a flipped learning marvel in its own right-features many custom user channels designed specifically to cater to the needs of STEM teachers and learners. Below are 15 of the coolest and most popular STEM YouTube channels you'll find. Have fun exploring, learning, and flipping out over STEM.

Teaching Channel link to a range of videos for ideas and inspiration in teaching STEM that include a lesson objective and some focus questions.

There are very few iPads apps which specifically target critical thinking skills. Those listed here provide an interesting mix of literature, gaming, conflict resolution, etc.

As STEM becomes more embedded in the educational consciousness, it's not surprising that more and more blogs on the subject are cropping up all over the Web. Teachers and students will always need tools, resources, and advice on the subjects that interest them. The STEM blogs we're seeing today have all that and more just a click away. The following 6 STEM blogs are some of the best out there. As your STEM journeys continue both in and out of the classroom, you'll find the information and resources they provide indispensable.

By giving students an idea of what it is like to walk in someone else's shoes, all literature that deals with big ideas and emotions is good for teaching empathy. Still, I have found a few types of stories that I go to when I really want to get my students working to think about how other people live.

Essential Questions: 3 points to add depth - Read about the power of 'why?', open-ended questions and the perspective of age to add layers to responses.

Excellent interactive site targetting primary studnets but some contwould stimulate discussion with older students. The interactive climate change map (from the Weather and Climate menu button) is an excellent start. Site includes games, videos to view, things to make and much more with a menu that addresses science concepts.

By Doug Lemov writing for Educational Leadership. To help students master nonfiction reading, we must design instruction that builds their background knowledge. Supports early stages of inquiry learning - tuning in, immersion, exploration.

360 video gives students the power to explore a space from every angle. YouTube hosts a range of 360 video content and one of my favorites is from the BBC. On the BBC's YouTube channel you'll find different types of video options for a virtual visit to places around the world. As you search through their content you'll see that they've tagged their videos as 360 to make it especially easy to find.

In an age where the majority of us get our news through social media, the rise of fake news sites, hoaxes and misinformation online is concerning, especially considering that many young people lack the skills necessary to judge the credibility of information they encounter online.

Alan November article covers: Did the assignment build capacity for critical thinking on the web? Did the assignment develop new lines of inquiry? Are there opportunities for students to make their thinking visible? Are there opportunities to broaden the perspective of the conversation with authentic audiences from around the world? Are there opportunities for students to create a contribution (purposeful work)? Do students own their learning?

Students need good reading skills not just in English but in all classes. Here are some ways you can help them develop those skills. However, teaching reading skills in English classes and across the disciplines is an almost guaranteed way to help students retain content. Unfortunately, the tendency to focus on the content is a real enemy to the ultimate goal of building reading skills.

Critical Thinking Skills Cheatsheet is a simple infographic offering questions that work to develop critical thinking on any given topic. Whenever your students discover or talk about new information, encourage them to use these questions for sparking debate and the sharing of opinions and insights among each other. Together they can work at building critical thinking skills in a collaborative and supportive atmosphere.