Fail Safe Strategies For Science And Literacy

Effective teaching can be found where science and literacy overlap. This book helps teachers streamline busy schedules by focusing on cognitive skills shared by science and language arts. Designed to help build teacher confidence, it offers the background and insights teachers need to support students as they make sense of science content through language arts study. This unique approach pairs thinking routines from literacy—Observe and Wonder; Predict and Infer; Sort and Categorize; Analyze and Interpret; and Conclude and Apply—with hands-on science activities. The engaging strategies offer a fail-safe way for students to build knowledge and skills across the curriculum.

A unique approach that focuses on developing the cognitive skills common to science and literacy. Fail-safe strategies and activities can be easily implemented by any teacher wanting to engage students.

"Fills a niche for content teachers who teach reading strategies, particularly in light of the standards movement." — Christene Alfonsi, Teacher, Fairfield High School, OH "From a fairly concise book, teachers get an important overview about a ′system′ approach to literacy. All teachers get specific tools and strategies and some very useful information that could change their paradigm along the way." —Allyson Burnett, Instructional Interventionist, Alief Hastings High School, Houston, TX Put a strong literacy system in place to improve student achievement! In contrast to the primary grades when children are learning to read, students in grades 4 through 12 are expected to learn content as they read, yet they may still struggle with reading basics. Improving Reading, Writing, and Content Learning for Students in Grades 4-12 provides a realistic and systematic process for improving reading and writing while enhancing content knowledge and skills. Based on proven evidence in multiple schools over a 10-year period, this excellent new resource presents specific strategies and successful examples that educators can immediately implement to improve day-to-day classroom success, while also boosting the success rate on standardized assessments. Aligned with the National Reading Panel Report, this book helps teachers focus on: Creating a classroom community that is academically and psychologically safe for learning Responding to non-negotiable expectations of daily practice Building vocabulary, reading comprehension, and higher-order and critical thinking skills Developing fluency in reading Engaging families and the community Teachers can create the best environment and instructional experience for all students to maximize literacy learning and standards-based achievement. This outstanding book will be a source of reflection for continuous improvement!

Find the right balance between all aspects of literacy learning, including reading, writing, speaking, and digital literacy - and fit it all into a daily 100-minute literacy block!

Writing nonfiction is a key skill that students will need throughout their school lives, and beyond. This remarkable book is designed to help teachers develop a writing program that will enable their students to harness all of their Nonfiction Writing Powers: to Describe, to Instruct, to Compare, to Persuade, to Explain, and to Report. It illustrates ways to encourage students to write because they have something to say, and to recognize that writing well means considering intent and purpose, and choosing the best form of expression. Ideal for teaching writing in the content areas, the book includes guidance on linking writing forms to Science, Social Studies, and other subject areas.

When students say that reading is boring, difficult, overwhelming, or they cannot find a good book, it is almost impossible to sell them on the idea that reading is fun and worthwhile. Sometimes Reading is Hard shows teachers how to develop the skills students need to be successful and how to cultivate passionate, lifelong readers. An intriguing look at the science of reading, the book helps teachers understand the foundations upon which language and reading are learned so they can make their own good decisions about programs, resources, strategies, and activities. Classroom vignettes, promising practices, and step-by-step activities illustrate how teachers can weave teaching the skills of decoding, vocabulary, comprehension, and fluency with real reasons to read. This hands-on teacher resource shows what a comprehensive, research-based reading program looks like in action.

This timely book uses thinking structures to deepen student writing. It revolves around “brain pockets” to help students appreciate the qualities of different writing forms. Some powerful examples include memory pockets for personal narrative writing, fact pockets for nonfiction, and imagination pockets for story writing. Detailed lesson plans are featured along with sample anchor books and book lists. Based on extensive classroom testing, student samples throughout the book illustrate this unique approach to teaching writing. Suggestions for setting up an effective writing program and assessment tips for guiding instruction complete this comprehensive approach to developing a year-long writing program.

How can we build a strong literacy foundation for children? This book appreciates that learning and language development start with the play episodes, oral language practices, wordplay activities, print encounters, reading events, and writing experiences that children engage in during the early years of life. Filled with rich language activities, The Cornerstones to Early Literacy shows teachers how to create active learning experiences that are essential to building early literacy. This comprehensive handbook is organized around the following topics: Play Experiences - Understanding the early stages of learning and all aspects of the play-literacy connection ; Oral Language - Supporting opportunities for child talk with suggested conversation starters and events that involve personal timelines and storytelling ; Language Awareness and Word Play - Creating a balanced approach to language learning using games and activities that involve literature, music, choral speaking, sound games, and more ; Print Encounters - Discovering, reproducing, and creating all forms of environmental print ; Reading Events - Integrating read-aloud and shared book experiences with proven strategies for supporting and observing young readers ; Writing Experiences - Identifying early writing characteristics and techniques for moving children along in their writing.