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Making the reading-writing connection for students in the Common Core era requires models of good literature, a keen understanding of the text craft and structure, and solid skills in writing conventions. This season’s crop of writing guides provides students with all of the above.
In addition to reinforcing some of the basics, the concept books highlighted here encourage kids to explore their familiar milieu with a fresh eye, hone observation skills and learn to note details, and begin to organize and categorize information. The stunning visuals and clever use of language exhibited in these offerings will also rouse imaginations and fortify vocabularies.
Authentic learning can only take place in the context of rich curriculum; it’s about encountering big ideas, raising and answering questions, and making sense of evidence. Join Mary Ann Cappiello and Myra Zarnowski as they launch their 2013-14 “On Common Core” column focusing on strategies for integrating content, standards, and children’s and young adult literature into an inquiry-based curriculum.
As educators, it’s essential that we teach our students how to become informed citizens–to examine evidence and argument related to the issues that shape political opinion and decisions. It’s as Common Core as it gets.
As students around the country return to school, those in New York City are facing a future without certified school librarians, as the NYC Department of Education (DOE) has asked to be excused from a decades-old state mandate on minimum staffing requirements.
The first round of Common Core assessment results are in. What do they tell us, and what should librarians be asking? Marc Aronson weighs in.
What if we said it doesn’t matter what you are teaching—we want your students to examine and understand how thinkers and creators come together to argue, share, compete, build, and yield exponential leaps in thinking, creativity, and invention?
As the authors of new title on inquiry and literacy note, “simply reading about science” cannot replace the “actual doing of science.” Here are a few new titles that offer guidance and suggestions on incorporating hands-on and project-based learning in science and other classrooms.
It’s all too easy to dismiss colorful, fun books of this sort, with their brief chunks of text and apparently oversized photos, as merely motivational in nature.
The very language of the Common Core State Standards calls for librarians’ key skills: research; equipping students to access, evaluate, and synthesize information; and strengthening literacy. Paige Jaeger, a coordinator of school library services in Saratoga Springs, NY argues that librarians can build a strong case for a seventh shift in the CCSS: research.
Are there lessons to be learned from those perennial state assignments? On a road trip, Marc Aronson reconsiders his position.
The authors of the Common Core State Standards don’t spell out how text should be taught–that’s been left up to teachers and curriculum developers. A new book offers a framework for developing a content-rich, standards-based curriculum.
The Common Core State Standards place strong emphasis on vocabulary, and librarians are in a prime position to actively support this shift. This month’s “On Common Core” column shares how, including selecting read-alouds with robust language, helping students find engaging (and challenging) nonfiction books that match their interests, carefully choosing titles for reading lists, and initiating independent reading incentives.
The Institute of Museum and Library Services and the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading today unveiled a new report on the role of museums and libraries in early learning, and issued a call to action for policymakers, schools, funders, and parents to include these institutions in comprehensive early learning strategies.
A teen asks, “Why should we care about history, anyway? It’s over.” Marc Aronson replies.
These audiobook versions of time-honored classics shine a spotlight on language, lyrical expression, and character development. Try pairing them with their film adaptations for excellent compare and contrast opportunities.
How can we use the summer to provide kids with more opportunities to grow confident as nonfiction readers? The authors offer suggestions and recommend a few reading lists to share with students.
What lies ahead for teachers and librarians just embarking on the Common Core journey? Marc Aronson shares his thoughts and insights.
Education buzzwords—whole language, multiple intelligences—come and go, but 45 states chose to adopt the Common Core Learning Standards. The questions educators now face are what types of instruction help students develop these skills? And how do librarians insert themselves into these critical discussions?
The focus on the close reading of texts suggests a new idea to SLJ’s columnist—an idea that taps librarians’ expertise and offers an exciting approach to inquiry.
