The world's largest reviewer of books, multimedia, and technology for children and teens
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.
Author and Common Core expert Kathleen Odean reveals great titles to tap as you work with the new standards.
Authors of nonfiction for young readers model specific writing styles and techniques that demonstrate a command of the written word, engage and hook readers, and help to explain and contextualize important concepts.
By the time students reach grade 12, the Common Core State Standards require that 70% of their reading should be nonfiction. In order to fulfill this requirement in content area subjects, students will need to read more than their textbooks. Luckily, nonfiction writers for teens continue to create amazing narrative nonfiction that supports science and social studies, and that our kids will want to read.
April is National Poetry Month, and SLJ has compiled a list of tools and creative ideas for celebrating. From poetry slam best practices to Common Core curriculum connections, this roundup is chock-full of ways to approach the poetic form with kids all year long.
In adopting the Common Core State Standards, U. S. educators are part of a larger educational reform movement. From England to Japan countries around the world are debating a national curricula. Why are so many nations considering one? And where does the impetus to do so come from? Marc Aronson ponders these questions in his latest Consider the Source column.
The ability for teachers and students to embed their own content into digital texts, write notes, and get feedback on student reading—classroom reading just got a lot more dynamic. SLJ columnist Jeff Hastings test driives Gobstopper and Subtext.
With its emphasis on research, learning, investigating, and arriving at one’s own conclusions, History Day is a perfect complement to the new education guidelines.
How are New York’s librarians doing when it comes to Common Core? Find out as SLJ columnist Marc Aronson talks to educators who are in the trenches.
Knowing the research behind text complexity is critical to understanding the Common Core’s call for more complexity, and how reading for pleasure fits in.
Common Core’s “Next Generation Science Standards” will be released this month, and although critics say the new guidelines still need work, they’re a step in the right direction.
Inquiry and nonfiction are closely related and books that explore the work of scientists can be ideal mentor texts as students develop skills that are essential for learning.
When it comes to putting Common Core Standards into action, there’s one word for where we’re at as a nation: patchwork. Marc Aronson points out what school librarians can do to remedy the situation.
With their emphasis on clear observation, logical thinking, and well-drawn conclusions, mysteries support many Common Core State Standards and lend themselves to an array of interesting writing assignments. These audiobooks are sure to spark student interest.
Marc Aronson explores the fundamental clash between guided reading and Common Core.
“Talking takes time” note the authors, but allowing students time for conversations about the texts they are reading is essential.
Ready or not, here they come. At almost every school I visited this year, teachers asked me to address the Common Core (CC) standard in my workshops. Planning lessons with CC in mind presents a challenge, but it doesn’t have to be difficult. These sites are designed with the express purpose of helping plan lessons around Common Core.
Good nonfiction titles rise to the top as librarians focus their content needs to meet the Common Core State Standards. New releases by our favorite authors and illustrators include an environmental bilingual poem, a picture-book biography, a fact-filled science title, and a narrative account of a bird’s 7,200 mile migration.
History texts for young readers and young adults should invite them to participate in the process of thinking about, and thus re-imagining, who we are and how we got that way. Using annotated citations and other methods, our goal should be to let kids in on the process.
