Structured Program Assists Students in Completing Online Work As more classrooms are becoming 1-to-1 with students and technology, two high school teachers chose to differentiate through tiering processes with the […]
Category: Content Area
Science and Robotics Clubs
Afterschool Science Club Gives Students the Ability for More Hands-On Activities I started this program to get kids excited about science and learning. I send permission slips home with the […]
Minecraft Camp Invites “Struggling” Students into School-Based Literacy Activities
Program Designed to Help Struggling Students with Literacy What: This activity took place in a Title I school in which over 90% of the students qualify for free or reduced […]
Collaboration with Dry Erase Boards
Dry Erase Boards Creates a Culture of Conversation While Encouraging Small Group Interactions In the realm of education and instruction, collaboration is a hot topic. The mathematics classroom thrives on […]
Linking Theory to Practice to Support Authentic Learning for Preservice Teachers
Seminars Created for Student Teachers For decades research polls have identified school discipline and classroom management as among the top challenges most teachers at some point face during their professional […]
Transitioning Toddlers
Elicited Transitioning Strategies Help Toddlers Throughout the Day When you look at a typical toddler schedule, it might go like this: Drop-off, breakfast, free-play, potty, snack, circle time, outside, potty, […]
The Egg Drop Project
Hands-On Activity Helps Students Integrate STEM Concepts with Content Writing 7th grade science, math, and English honors teachers at Southside Middle School developed a cross-curricular egg drop project to integrate […]
Flocabulary
Online Music Videos Help Keep Students Engaged in the Classroom Flocabulary is a website that can be found at www.flocabulary.com and the free videos can be accessed from any classroom or home. […]
Social Media in the Classroom
Social Media Connects Students with Others at All Times After becoming a connected educator myself, I began to understand the possibilities of connecting my students through social media. After checking our […]
Assessment: A Window Into Students’ Thinking. Look, Listen, and Learn!
Professional Development Workshop Created to Help Teachers Meet Student Needs In May 2015, Southside Middle School, participated in an AdvanceED diagnostic review. One of the findings and identified improvement priorities […]
Game Based Learning in Science Classes
In-Class Games Help Students Apply Key Concepts In my high school science classes I attempt to keep lecture time down per each one hour class. The remainder of the time […]
Jigsaw Activity in the World Language Classroom
Interactive Activity Helps Students Create Their Own Learning During our unit on travel and transportation, I wanted to design an activity that was more interactive than simply finding information from […]
Math Thinkers – Math Talkers
Students Learn to Try Multiple Strategies to Solve Math Problems Young students learn how to explain their math reasoning and thinking using math strategies. Students can verbalize how they solve […]
Let’s Get Visual
Visual Cue Cards Enhance Classroom Management This summer, I attended a conference on appealing to special needs students. There were many strategies presented about adding more visual elements to your […]
Alternatives to saying “Good Job!”
Teachers Work to Change Their Daily Language This presentation will include 10 main tips for changing our teaching language from general to detailed, expressive and meaningful. Suggestions: 1. Use sentence […]
A Great Way to Integrate: Language Arts and Social Studies Combined
Two Departmentalized Teachers Integrate Lessons to Help Students Become More Engaged Two departmentalized teachers share how they integrate their subject matter to make lessons meaningful for their students. There are […]
Kennedy Assassination: Crime Scene Investigation
Unique Class Assignment Encourages Students to Use Problem Solving and Communication Skills Students travel back in history to 1960 to the presidential election between Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy. […]
Learning Centers: Not Just for Elementary Students
Learning Centers Enable Teachers to Cover More Content and Increase Student Participation When secondary teachers struggle to keep students engaged learning decreases. The use of active learning centers increases student engagement, […]
Ultimate Frisbee as Civic Engagement
Playing Ultimate Frisbee Helps Enhance Communication Skills The Ultimate Frisbee Club at Northside Middle School was created after students showed an interest in playing the sport. However, it was selected […]
Sensory Circuits
Bringing a School Together to Increase Motor Ability in Students Upon a new assignment to this elementary building, the Occupational Therapist quickly became aware that there were options to […]
Golden Beads: A Golden Ticket for Teaching Math
Use of Beads Helps to Introduce Mathematical Concepts The Golden Beads are used to give a concrete introduction to the decimal system. The Golden Beads, like all Montessori materials, are […]
Student Led Book Clubs
Book Club Allows Students to Take Ownership for Their Reading Book Club was originally created through collaboration with a third grade teacher(me) and fifth grade teacher who were seeking a […]
Intervention for All: Encouraging Growth of Language Arts Mastery
English Enrichment Program Allows Students the Opportunity to Experience in Depth Exploration of Class Standards At Northside Middle School, we knew a key component to achieving success in the mastery […]
Co-Teaching
Use of Two Teachers in the Classroom Creates a Calm Environment for Children to Learn Co-Teaching is not easy and for some can be uncomfortable. Once you have the right […]
Growing a STEM program with Rube Goldberg Machines
After School Program Allows Students to Excel in an International Event to Promote the STEM Field The Rube Goldberg Machine Contest originally began as a competition against Purdue engineering organization. […]
Study Buddy Time
Older Students Help Younger Students Succeed in a Dual Credit Math Class This is a technique that we used in a dual credit math class that had 4 eighth grade […]
Best “Cs” in the Classroom
Use of the 5 C’s in the Classroom Helps to Engage Students Project Based Learning: In choosing rubric design and criteria to guide students as they research, analyze, and present […]
Engaging At-Risk Students for Complex Learning
Training Staff to Respond to the Mental States of At-Risk Students Leads to Increased Academic Performance At-Risk students have faced challenges in education over time, but with the progression into […]
Using the Spanish Subjunctive Mood in the Real World
Students Get the Opportunity to See the Spanish Subjunctive Mood Applied to the Realities of Their World After a thorough introduction to and MANY practice activities with the uses of the […]
WIDA English Learner Standards and School-wide Professional Development
Staff Meetings Increased Teachers’ Knowledge of the WIDA English Language Development (ELD) Standards Rhoades Elementary, in the MSD of Wayne Township, Indianapolis, is a Title I building with approximately 25% of […]
Results with Readers Workshop in First Grade
Reading Workshop Helps Develop Life-Long Passionate Readers Readers Workshop in our classroom is an extended period of time during our Language Arts Block devoted to reading and responding to literature. […]
The Roots of Rap
Students Learn About Slavery and How its Effects are Still Present Today in Rap Music This project is intended to help students draw connections between the history of oppression (slavery) […]
Have You TITHED?…Taught In The Hallway Every Day?
Math Students More Successful as Teacher Utilizes Instructional Activities During Transitional Times Throughout the School Day My students deserve the best education opportunities they can get. A lot of my students […]
Black History Month Essay Contest
Essay Contest Brings Local Students and Their Community Together Anderson High School actively sought community participation in sponsoring a Black History Month Essay Contest taking place during the month of […]
Use of Quarter Courses to Increase Curriculum Diversity for High Ability High School Students
Quarter Length Courses Allow Students the Choice Between Multiple Narrowly Focused Subject Matters Throughout the Semester Quarter courses were developed to increase the diversity of courses available to high ability students. […]
Integrating Science into Physical Education
Teaching Students About the Connections Between Physical Education and Science Helps Them to be Actively Engaged I focused on integrating science into our physical education program throughout the year. My […]
Turning Caps/Lids into Tables
Children’s Involvement in Collecting Plastic Caps and Creating Tables Enhances Environmental Awareness We first became aware of Green Tree Plastics, Inc. and their ABC Partnership program when two former CUMNS […]
Authentic Assessment in Early Childhood Education
Gathering Information About Children Through a Variety of Ways Latin derivative of the word “assessment” is “to sit beside and get to know”…Let’s get to know our children by using […]
The 10 Day Push
Last Minute Review Helps More Students Pass the English 10 ECA Kay Winter, former AHS instructional/ data coach, heard about The 10 Day Push used at another high school with […]
The Shot Heard Round the Town: Engaging Young Children in the Work of Social Justice
Students Concerns Spark Community Involvement When students became concerned with gunshots they were hearing in their neighborhood, we were called into action. Leaving this teachable moment as just a classroom […]
Classroom Engagement
Professional Development Session Helps Teachers to Improve Student Engagement After thoroughly reading Dr. Robert Marzano’s “The Art and Science of Teaching,” Storer staff members conducted a professional development session where we […]
Cultural Literacy in English Enrichment
Enrichment Course Enhances Students Knowledge of Cultural Experiences The English Enrichment courses at Muncie Community Schools were designed to provide students with extra exposure and practice in key English/Language Arts skills. As […]
Making Science A Priority In Today’s Classroom
Activities Help Students Learn to Foster an Appreciation for Science Using STEM activities; along with detailed lab manuals, will help you to foster an appreciation for science with your students. […]
Community Inclusion: Bringing a Novel to Life
Using Classic Literature to Inspire Student Success Through Inclusion So many great works of literature connect to universal themes experienced by our students. Students in high school with functional reading […]
Making the Reading and Writing Connection
After School Program Helps Students with Reading and Writing Wes-Del Elementary Comp Camp was begun several years ago by Shirley Thacker. Comp Camp is held in the spring, fall, and in […]
Hands-On Projects in AP Physics
Students Apply Concepts Learned in Class to a Real World Environment Each project was implemented to provide students opportunities to directly test physics concepts in a real world environment. Egg-Drop […]
Celebrating Me, Celebrating You: We Are Alike and Different
Students Learn About Culture and Diversity This unit is literacy based, integrating culture and diversity. A center-based, hands-on approach is used to facilitate instruction and differentiation, while promoting tolerance, diversity, […]
Online Professional Development
Ways to Enhance Teacher Development Sustained professional development time has been curtailed due to changes in school scheduling. In addition, there is an online course management tool (MBC) that was […]
Student Literacy Projects in the Virtual Setting
Literacy Projects Helps Virtual Learning Students The virtual learning world is still a new one. Many projects, and project ideas, begin in the brick and mortar setting. Teachers in the […]
Interactive Science Notebooks
Use of Interactive Science Notebooks Enhance Students Organizational Skills A study source to enable you to be a creative, independent thinker and learner! Your Interactive Science Notebook (INB) will increase […]
Simple & Compound Machines
Using Science in Daily Life Through our unit on simple & compound machines students will “explore the significance of science in their lives”, have “hands-on inquiry that involves a series […]
Directions in Disney World
Creating Disney World Directions in Spanish Helps Students Learn Second year Spanish students have a unit on giving formal commands. Giving directions to a stranger at Disney World makes the exercise […]
Article of the Week
News Articles Help Students Develop Reading Skills The Article of the Week is based on a concept developed by educator Kelly Gallagher. Gallagher recognized that the chief reason his students […]
Interactive Notebooks In Middle School Language Arts
Interactive Notebooks Help Students Organize and Synthesize Information The purpose of the interactive notebook is to enable students to be creative, independent thinkers and writers. Interactive notebooks are used for class notes […]
All Pro Dad’s Breakfast Program
Fathers Join Children for a Monthly Breakfast at School This practice is encouraging and increasing parental involvement by creating a forum for fathers to connect with their children. During this […]
Reciprocal Reading
Group Reading Encourages Continual Engagement Based on the four fundamental comprehension skills (summarizing, questioning, clarifying and predicting), this research-based approach challenges all readers to think within, about and beyond the […]
Renaissance 4th-8th Grade Reading
Students Read an Impressive Variety of Literature and Share Their Findings The Upper Elementary Reading Program is one of the great strengths at Renaissance Academy. Students read an impressive variety […]
Placement
Placement Testing We test new students with a 32-question placement test. This is combined with the student’s mathematics SAT score and adjusted based on the courses the student has already […]
Solar House Activity
Construction of a Solar House Promotes Sustainability Education This is a Solar House construction activity originally from Wendy Van Norton developed for College Board AP Environmental Science but can be […]
High School Social Studies
Exercise to Encourage Students to Embrace Politics Teaching the American Presidential election of 1960 using the commercial simulation “1960: Making of the President” (Z-Man Games: 2007). This is a relatively […]
Data Drive Instruction
Data Team Summaries Drive Educational Instruction Grade level teams meet weekly to discuss both formative and summative data. For example, upper grades use daily math work to form small intervention […]
Reading and Writing Across Subjects
Writing Enhances Student Achievement This is an assignment that would benefit most a high school level 3 French class. However, it can be altered to fit other levels and other […]
Aluminum Can Recycling
Children Learning About Recycling as They Help the Ronald McDonald House Our 4/5s preschool class collects, crushes and recycles aluminum cans. Can crushing is an active center in our classroom each day. […]
Utilizing Expeditionary Learning
Expeditionary Learning Creates Positive Changes Utilizing Expeditionary Learning as the structure of my teaching has achieved incredible results. In an Expeditionary Learning model, each semester, the teacher creates and executes […]
Literacy Framework: Focus on LLI
Workshop Models Help Benefit LLI The Project School Literacy Model is based on the systematic coordination of curriculum and instruction best practices that we have researched and selected to work together […]
Vocabulary Call and Response
Transitional Practice Helps Students Learn Vocabulary Vocabulary Call and Response is a best practice that can be used during transitional times throughout the day. Students are introduced to a new […]
Success
Remediation, Maintenance, and Enrichment Period Helps Students Achieve Success We offer a Success period at the beginning of each day. Our periods are tiered into three levels for both math […]
Streamlined Fitness Infusion Heart Rate Technology PE Program
Instruction Used to Increase Heart Rate We developed a streamlined pattern skill development curriculum in order to improve our heart rate time on task with our heart rate technology in […]
Staff-led Professional Development: Analyzing Marzano’s ‘The Art and Science of Teaching’
Professional Development Day Helps Teachers to Improve Student Performance and Engagement Our staff was given copies of Marzanos The Art and Science of Teaching and felt it was best addressed […]
A Response to Intervention (RTI) Model for Elementary Grades
Increasing Individualized Reading and Mathematics Instruction Helps Failing Students Burris Laboratory School developed a Response to Intervention (RTI) model during the 2010-2011 school year as a collaborative project among elementary teachers […]
Read Like A Historian
Social Studies Teaching Strategy Helps Children Learn Read Like a Historian is an instructional strategy that emerged from Anderson High School’s implementation of the RAISE (Reading Apprenticeship) efforts to improve […]
Studying World Language in High School
This is an assignment for 1st or 2nd year students of Latin who are in high school in grades 11 or 12. This project revolves around culture as it is an integral part of the study of any world language. The Romans are known for their great works of architecture and engineering. Some of these are the amphitheaters, temples, baths, aqueducts, military camps, streets, to list just a few.
My Friends and Me
Making Discoveries with Friends Enhances Personal and Social Growth MY FRIENDS AND ME is a program of group activities and versatile materials to help nurture the personal and social development […]
Mini-assessments for High School Biology
Assessments Help Teachers Improve Students Biology Knowledge Starting in the summer of 2013 the biology teachers at Anderson High School in an effort to get ahead of the day when […]
Lost Generation Literature: Parisian Salon Simulation
Simulation of Literary Characters Sparks Higher Level Thinking This literary salon simulation is the final exam and major scholarly project of the Lost Generation Literature class I teach at the […]
The Language of Anatomy
Creation of a Life-Size Body Helps Students Learn Anatomy A comprehensive, semester long project creating a life-size shell of the anatomy student from the inside out! Issues this Best Practice […]
iLit Reading Instruction
Student Personalized Learning Support Helps Students Who Struggle With Reading Pearson’s iLit core reading program for struggling readers is designed to meet the national crisis of students who simply cannot […]
High School World History Lesson: How & Why Major Cities Around the World Developed and Expanded 1500-1820
Using NPR as a Model to Present Historical Information About a Major City Students used an NPR article about “How Paris Became Paris” as a model; chose a major city […]
Fluency Development Lesson
Developing a New Way to Build Reading Fluency and Comprehension In The Fluent Reader, Timothy Rasinski describes “slow, disjointed, and labored” reading from struggling readers as an underlying factor in […]
Environmental Design for Infant Care
Classroom Design Meets the Needs of Infant Care Best practice for infant care focuses on the unique characteristics and needs of each individual child. Our best practice is exhibited by […]
Dramatizing Within and Outside the Context of Text to Engage and Motivate Learners
Drama Performances Increase Student Engagement Students utilize a variety of drama performances in order to enhance their thinking and understanding of the concepts from the text. Issues this Best Practice […]
Constructing a Constructed Response
School-wide Initiative Helps to Improve Student Writing Northside Middle School implemented a school-wide initiative to improve student writing on extended and constructive response questions. We implemented a formula for all […]
Bottledome!
Student Driven Activity Sparks Learning About an Ecosystem Building a little ecosystem in a bottle! Issues this Best Practice Addresses: Inquiry-based instruction/ Ecosystem concepts and standards Major Challenges to Implementation: […]
Blogging in the Classroom—A remedy for Disinterested Writing Students
Blogging Serves as a Way to Practice Communication Skills My students participate in weekly blogging activities. These activities are designed to have students practice writing paragraphs in proper form, help […]
Analyzing Poetry
Students Find Elements in Poems I teach students to analyze poems by introducing them to a list of elements that appear in many poems and helping them learn to find […]
iPads Help Level the Playing Field
Technology is integrated into the curriculum through the use of iPads. Students utilize the iPads through skill building and practice, creating projects, and researching classroom topics as well individualized projects. […]