Proper Noun Grab Bag
Grades 4-12
ELA Grammar Capitalization Mathematics Science Social Studies Providing evidence
Students practice identifying proper nouns and preparing to use them in their writing. The tactile and graphic aspects of the activity help make it especially useful
for kinesthetic and visual learners. As they consider physical objects and visual cues, students explore aspects of this often-misunderstood part of speech.
Students demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar. More specifically, they practice recognizing the rules for capitalization of proper nouns.
Homonym Sketches
Grades 4-12
Vocabulary Academic vocabulary Domain-specific vocabulary Reference materials Vocabulary Word meanings ELA Spelling Mathematics Science Social Studies
Small teams of students work together to quickly sketch illustrations for sets of homonym words. They then choose the illustrations that they like best (that will help them remember the difference between the homonyms) and record them in personal dictionaries or vocabulary study guides.
Students concentrate on the meanings of sound-alike words. They also improve their spelling and gain an important skill for independent vocabulary acquisition. It is especially valuable for English language learners.
Stopping Run-ons
Grades 4-12
Reading Together Textual analysis Writer's Craft Revising and editing ELA Grammar Capitalization Punctuation Mathematics Science Social Studies
Students edit one long, run-on (or fused) sentence to create a series of shorter, grammatically-correct sentences.
Students gain practice in revising and editing while reinforcing their understanding of punctuation and capitalization. In order to complete the task, they have to do simple textual analysis of the supplied “run-on” sentence and make appropriate editing choices.
Exploring Cause and Effect
Grades 4-12
Reading Together Text structure Textual analysis ELA Mathematics Science Social Studies Speak & Listen Conversation Providing evidence Reasoning Persuasion
Students actively seek out key words and phrases that indicate cause and effect relationships in a text. This reinforces their understanding of how identifying specific text structures can help improve comprehension.
In this close reading strategy, student readers learn to analyze a text, examine its structure, and identify any cause and effect structures embedded in the text – while reviewing content. During the discussion step of the activity, students gain experience in conversation, persuasion, reasoning, and citing evidence.
Identifying Text Structures
Grades 4-12
Reading Together Citing evidence Text structure Textual analysis ELA Mathematics Science Social Studies Speak & Listen Conversation Providing evidence Reasoning Persuasion
Students read short texts to determine which category they fit into: description, sequence, cause and effect, compare and contrast, or problem and solution.
In this close reading strategy, student readers learn to analyze an informational text to determine its structure – while they are reviewing or learning content. During the discussion step of the activity, students gain experience in citing evidence, conversation, persuasion, and reasoning.
Resource: Growth Mindset and Literacy Achievement, A Proven Plan for Success
Grades 4-12
Resources Teacher Resources
Teachers and school leadership have the power to make the necessary changes to turn around stigmatized schools. Watch Dr. Katie McKnight’s presentation from the 2018 National Title I Conference in Philadelphia, PA.
This session gave Title I educators the opportunity to discover tangible ways in which the centers based approach can create long-term literacy achievement and a sense of growth mindset that will be recognized by teachers, the community, and the students themselves.
Exploring Sequence
Grades 4-12
Reading Together Close reading Textual analysis Teacher-led Assessment ELA Mathematics Science Social Studies Speak & Listen Conversation Reasoning
Students examine a text and actively seek out key words and phrases that indicate time and sequence. This reinforces their understanding of how certain words and phrases serve as "clues" in understanding a complicated text. Next, students create a visual representation of the sequence that is presented in the text.
In this close reading strategy, students learn to analyze a text, examine its structure, and follow the development of sequential ideas and events – all while reviewing content. During the discussion step, students gain experience in conversation, persuasion, reasoning, and citing evidence.
Differentiated Reading List Examples - Grades 11-12
Grades 11-12
Reading Together Center Planning Tools Teacher Resources Teacher Tips
It helps to review examples of reading lists that other teachers have used effectively. Use these examples as inspiration. Feel free to borrow what works and adapt as necessary to suit your needs and the needs of your students.
You’ll see that giving students a choice in what to read brings about significant gains in their engagement, productivity, and growth. But maybe the greatest advantage of giving students a choice of reading material, is that students of varied ability levels and interests all have an opportunity to engage with their reading.
Differentiated Reading List Examples - Grades 9-10
Grades 9-10
Reading Together Center Planning Tools Teacher Resources Teacher Tips
It helps to review examples of reading lists that other teachers have used effectively. Use these examples as inspiration. Feel free to borrow what works and adapt as necessary to suit your needs and the needs of your students.
You’ll see that giving students a choice in what to read brings about significant gains in their engagement, productivity, and growth. But maybe the greatest advantage of giving students a choice of reading material, is that students of varied ability levels and interests all have an opportunity to engage with their reading.
Resource: The Adolescent Brain
Grades 4-12
Resources Teacher Resources
Active educational strategies – particularly those that incorporate a social element, like Literacy & Learning Centers – help middle school and high school teachers take advantage of a developmental stage in which their students’ brains are particularly adaptable and malleable. To quote cognitive neuroscientist Sarah-Jayne Blakemore, “It’s a fantastic opportunity for learning and creativity.”
Watch this short TEDTalk to see how Blakemore compares the prefrontal cortex in adolescents to that of adults, to show us how typical “teenage” behavior is actually caused by the growing and developing brain.
