Middle-school students must be able to write explanatory/informational, argument, and narrative genre pieces and respond to literature, both for standardized tests and, more importantly, real-world writing. With a balanced literacy approach, Wolfe provides core instruction, teaching strategies, and mini-lessons on these text types, each of which can be delivered in a four- to six-week time period. Each mini-lesson includes applicable Common Core Standards, materials lists, overviews, plann...

Teaching English language arts at grades K-5 is both a science and an art. Educators must teach literacy skills and content with best practices, while also keeping focus on each student’s individual needs. They are challenged to monitor students working independently while also conducting small group instruction. And they must focus on providing differentiated support with a rather complicated text. With increased attention to rigor, requirements, and personalized instruction, it can be a ...

Elementary-school students need to learn to write explanatory/informational, argument, and narrative text types and respond to literature, both for standardized tests and, more importantly, real-world writing. With a balanced literacy approach, Wolfe provides core instruction, teaching strategies, and mini-lessons on these text types, each of which can be delivered across content areas or as a complete unit of instruction. Mini-lessons are provided for grades 3-5 and include materials list...

Discover all about how students learn to read and write! This teacher resource examines current research on the science of reading and discusses what it means for classrooms today. From detailed background information to meaningful classroom tips, authors Jennifer Jump and Kathy Kopp provide everything teachers need to help students develop writing skills. Perfect for professional development, this book includes key words for teacher understanding, teaching checklists, top must-dos, and ot...

In this encouraging nonfiction reader, children visit an actual space camp! Readers will learn what astronauts eat, where they sleep, and how they prepare for journeys into space through the help of robots and simulators. Featuring vibrant images, informative text, and fun, interesting facts, readers are encouraged to discover what they would want to explore in space!

This practical, very effective resource helps elementary school teachers and curriculum leaders develop the skills to design instructional tasks and assessments that engage students in higher-level critical thinking, as recommended by the Common Core State Standards. Real examples of formative and summative assessments from a variety of content areas are included and demonstrate how to successfully increase the level of critical thinking in every elementary classroom! This book is also an ...

In the second book in the Uncomplicating Mathematics Series, professional developer Marian Small shows teachers how to uncomplicate the teaching of algebra by focusing on the most important ideas that students need to grasp. Organized by grade level around the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics, Small shares approaches that will lead to a deeper and richer understanding of algebra for both teachers and students. The book opens with a clear discussion of algebraic thinking...

Teachers know how important it is to develop children’s fine motor skills as a stepping stone to future learning. Christy Isbell’s book, Mighty Fine Motor Fun, provides teachers with the tools and information to teach fine motor skills to children ages three to five. Isbell covers a wide range of current research on fine motor development, from developmental differences between boys and girls to guideposts for what is developmentally appropriate for children at each age. The activ...

Teaching English as a second or foreign language is full of challenges: How do you hold students' interest? How do you ensure that they get enough practice to really learn?The Fifty Ways to Teach series gives you a variety of drills, games, techniques, methods, and ideas to help your students master English. Most of the ideas can be used for both beginning and advanced classes. Many require little to no preparation or special materials. The ideas can be used with any textbook, or w...

What do children need to learn first? Their ABCs? Their numbers? As it turns out, the “what” children need to develop is their social intelligence and emotional intelligence, the essential building blocks for all future learning. Best-selling author Pam Schiller provides information, activities, and experiences that develop the seven skills children need in order to become successful learners. These include social intelligence skills, such as relating to and playing with others, as well as...

Just as successful athletes must identify personal strengths and weaknesses, set goals, and engage in focused practice to meet their goals, so must teachers. Crafted around a detailed compendium of over 270 ready-to-use reflection strategies and organized under 41 elements of effective teaching, this book combines a model of instruction with goal setting, focused practice, focused feedback, and observations and discussions to improve your instructional practices.

Without grammar, you can't say much; but without vocabulary, you can't say anything.Vocabulary is the foundation of successful language learning. ESL/EFL learners need to be familiar with a great many words if they want to read, write, listen, or speak with ease. In addition to the sheer number of words and phrases students need to learn, what makes vocabulary acquisition so tricky is that one "pass" is never enough. In order to really "know" a word, learners need to know, among ot...