Reading and Understanding Outside the Text

Questions play a crucial role in helping students master what they’re reading, she said. She cited a question that might be posed by instructional materials or by a teacher: “In the Gettysburg Address, Lincoln says the nation is dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Why is equality an important value to promote?”
“It gets kids off and running, but we’ve totally left the text,” Ms. Pimentel said. “They don’t need the text to answer that question.” --An innovative curriculum builder

Creating a story in your classroom

This is a great site for the students in your classrooms to create their own stories. Take the Tour when you get to the site; I think you will enjoy using it in your rooms!http://storybird.com/

The History of English

very cute site with short video clips about the history of English.. The kids will like the animations a lot!!!
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?p=PLA03075BAD88B909E

STAAR/EOC testing information

This is a very important site for ALL teachers to get information concerning updates and testing requirements for the STAAR testing!
http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/staar/

Successful Teaching

The Brain's Need for Input

Challenge your students in every way possible!!

Brain Webbing (Why memorize and regurgitate doesn't work anymore!)

Brain-Webbing and Mind-Melding in Geography
By: Sawyer, Christian

One of the author's most challenging and rewarding features in teaching AP Human Geography to high school-age thinkers is helping his students forge connections among the terms and concepts covered--"to see the connections among the dots." Too often, he finds his students first approach learning through the "memorize and regurgitate" modality--breaking down the chapters and notes into discreet, memorized "terms," when Human Geography is built more on the relationships "among" ideas and skills. Given this challenge, the author has experimented with numerous teaching strategies to try to help his learners move beyond this order of thinking towards a more integrated, conceptual understanding of the interconnected layers of Human Geography. He has tried various notecard constructions, outlining methods, and review games. In this article, he discusses his most successful approach yet, a process he calls "brain-webbing and mind-melding," which is built upon the framework of concept mapping.

Hands-on learning ( Funny stuff!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwPWDyE3ORs&feature=player_embedded

Thought for the day......

"As we increasingly master our perceptions, beliefs, and
thought/feeling patterns, we magnetically attract
that which we most desire."
— Luanne Oakes: Was a holistic doctor, author, and composer

Wilford Gordon McDonald Partridge

A wonderful book to teach kids about empathy!!! It can be adapted for ANY age!!!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=usnOEnTXabw

Solar System Curriculum

http://www.kidsastronomy.com/solar_system.htmWonderful site for your students to explore the Solar System!!!

Student's engagement with regards to editing

http://www.stenhouse.com/shop/pc/viewprd.asp?idProduct=9094&r=sb110708b&REFERER=
This is a wonderful link about teaching the students how to edit their own writing. Editing SHOULD NOT be taught in isolation, but rather built right into the writing process. Students that are shown creative sentences and the mechanics behind them will learn that when writing; a process of inquiry will automatically occur in their writing draft, not just during the editing phase. Read the introduction and Chapter 1, especially page 10-14! Great stuff!

Wordle - A fun way to create vocabulary art!!

http://www.wordle.net/

Curriculum

This is the launch of Imagination...... Come Wonder With Me!! You will find all types of resources to help your learning environment in your classroom. Hopefully, this blog will aid you in your creative endeavors!