readers

Monumental Women: A Timely Short Text Set

Written by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim

Did you know that August 26, 2020 marks the 100th Anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment?  As women, we are thankful for the many who fought for our right to vote.   The very first statue of women in Central Park will be unveiled this week to commemorate the 100th Anniversary and the millions of women it took to get the 19th Amendment into law. The statue will feature three suffragists -- Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, and Sojourner Truth -- who represent this hard work.  You can watch the unveiling LIVE on Wednesday, August 26th beginning at 7:45 a.m. by visiting THIS LINK or visit it at a later time where it will be archived.   

This post will feature short texts at your fingertips focused on women and women’s suffrage that can be used in real time or to look back in the days and months to come.   

BUILDING SOME BACKGROUND

There are a lot of great books, texts and resources about women and the women’s suffrage movement.  Here, we highlight a few of our favorites that can be used as:

  • Whole group mini lessons, shared reading, or read aloud

  • Small group work led by the teacher, by students, or a combination of both

  • One-to-one during teacher/student conferring or for independent reading

PICTURE BOOKS

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LINKS TO THESE TITLES [for reference or purchase]

Finish the Fight!: The Brave and Revolutionary Women Who Fought for the Right to Vote by Veronica Chambers  and The Staff of the New York Times

Equality's Call: The Story of Voting Rights in America By Deborah Diesen

History Smashers: Women's Right to Vote By Kate Messner

Bold & Brave: Ten Heroes Who Won Women the Right to Vote by Kristen Gillenbrand

Marching with Aunt Susan: Susan B. Anthony and the Fight for Women's Suffrage by Claire Rudolf Murphy 

How Women Won the Vote: Alice Paul, Lucy Burns, and Their Big Idea by Susan Campbell Bartoletti 

My Name Is Truth: The Life of Sojourner Truth by Ann Turner 

Elizabeth Started All the Trouble by Doreen Rappaport

OTHER ARTICLES, VIDEOS & OTHER SHORT TEXTS

TRY THIS!

Step 1

Share one (or more) picture books or resources with students about the Women’s Suffrage Movement.  Invite conversation around the ideas that are shared.  Ask students if they have any questions or wonderings about voting rights, either related to today or in the past.  Jot those questions down to reference later.  Or, show the students a photograph or drawing of the new statue.  Ask them what they notice about the three women depicted. There is a great deal of symbolism included.  Then introduce the three important figures through some of the resources above.

Step 2

Pose the following questions and ideas to students, with the whole group or in small groups, and provide time and space for some conversation.

  • Did you know that Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, and Sojourner Truth were all from the same state?  Do you know what state they are from? [New York]

  • Was Susan B. Anthony alive when the 19th Amendment was passed?  

  • What is an Amendment and how does it become official?

  • In 1872, fifteen women voted illegally.  Who were they and what happened to them?

  • What are the rules around voting today?  Can everyone who lives in the U.S. vote?  

  • Why is this new statue so important?  Why do you think there are so few statues of historical women?

  • What other historical women do you think should be depicted in a life-sized statue?  Why?

As students share, listen in and note students’ background knowledge, misconceptions, and wonderings.  For more on ways to kidwatch, check out the Kidwatching section.

Step 3

If time and interest permit, invite students to form mini-study cohorts (small groups no larger than 3-4) to research and learn more about a voting topic of their choice. Each mini-cohort can focus on the same topic OR they can research a variety of topics.  The main goals would be for students to have an opportunity to:

  • Read more (volume!) about a related topic of interest

  • Collaborate with peers, either by researching together or sharing new information they’ve learned with others

  • Use short texts to pique interests, potentially leading to reading even longer texts 

Step 4

Determine how long you’d like to dedicate to this learning experience and share that timeline with students.  A reminder that this opportunity can be a one-day exploration or more, depending on the time you have available and the goals you’ve set with students.

A FEW WORDS ABOUT TEXT SETS

This is the perfect opportunity to use a text set.  We love to use a curated set of texts about a topic or related topics.  Start general and get more specific (e.g show an image of the new statue and then explore the woman depicted and the movement.  Or, go the other direction and read one of the woman’s life stories and then talk about the Suffrage Movement and the statue.  By reading a number of different short texts, the readers get a broader view of the topic.  And, they get to explore the topic further.  You can start by reading a text together and then inviting your students to pick another text that is of interest to them.  

COMING SOON!

Short Texts:  Mighty Mentors That Move Readers and Writers Forward by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim (Benchmark, 2021).

Short Texts at Your Fingertips: Launching into Summer Reading

Written by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim

SHORT TEXTS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS: LAUNCHING INTO SUMMER READING

For the past ten weeks, we have offered a series called Short Texts at Your Fingertips.  One or two times each week, we provided teaching ideas around a different type of short text that is easily found in the home, so that no family feels under-resourced. The ideas we have shared were easily integrated into any curriculum and pedagogy, from Workshop to basal. If you are a caregiver, teacher, or curriculum director, these brief but mighty texts and lessons are our way of saying thanks. And our way of giving children authentic and enjoyable reading and writing engagements each day. For some, summer is already in full swing.  For others, summer is just a few short weeks or days away.  Regardless of when your school year ends, it’s important that students of all ages keep reading and writing across the summer months.  In this blog post we talk about the WHY and HOW to create voluminous readers this summer!  Stay tuned for next week’s blog post where we wrap up this series talking about the WHY and HOW to create voluminous writers this summer!

SUMMER READING

Readers bring so much to the reading experience. We love chapter books and novels, but we also know that for some kids short, interesting texts  will  keep them reading.  We think about reading as eyes on print - eyes on print - EYES ON TEXT.    It doesn’t matter if you are reading a long text or a short one, reading often with many pages turning is what creates voluminous reading.  We want kids to be in the driver’s seat so that they can create reading habits that last into adulthood.  Choice helps kids to feel empowered.  We often tell students that becoming a stronger reader requires building muscles.  When we are building our basketball or soccer muscles, our karate muscles, our art muscles (or even cooking muscles), we have to practice in order to get better and stronger.  The same is true for reading -- we get better at reading and build our reading habits when we read widely [lots of text types] and deeply (reading lots about a topic, idea, or author).

TRY THIS!

Step 1

Ask students what they want to read about.  Do they want to read:

  • Fiction or nonfiction?

  • Short texts or novels/chapter books?

  • Books and texts by the same author or different authors?

  • With someone or on their own?

If you want to find out about students’ interests and curiosities, consider using one of these surveys:

Step 2

Ask students to set up a summer reading goal.  Ask:

  • How many days each week will you read? 

  • How many minutes will you shoot for each time you read?  

If it’s helpful, ask students to set up a summer reading calendar outlining the days and times they plan to read.

Step 3

Ask students to identify different spots for their summer reading.  Create a short list of places that might be a perfect reading nook such as:

  • Comfy chair

  • Snuggled up on a couch

  • On the porch or in the backyard

  • At the park on a bench

  • Under a favorite tree

  • In the car

  • On the beach or at the pool

  • On the airplane or train

  • In bed on a rainy morning

Step 4

Ask students to gather a stack of summer reading books and texts.  Consider creating a stack and taking a picture of the spines to celebrate summer reading goal setting!  Here’s an example:

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Step 5

Visit the local library regularly (either online resources or if possible, in person).  And, make sure all readers have their own library card!  

Step 6

If it’s short texts that you are interested in, check out our blog series which is filled with lots of resources that can be found right at your fingertips! 

And don’t forget to think about how you will make these  short texts easy to access and use.  Maybe you have a basket or tub filled with inviting short texts or longer texts with the short pieces bookmarked and ready to go at a moment’s notice.  Or, if you have some printed short texts, fill a binder, manilla folder, or two-pocket folder so that you can store them easily and read them over and over again.

FOR MORE RESOURCES, CHECK THESE OUT!

COMING SOON!

Short Texts:  Mighty Mentors That Move Readers and Writers Forward by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim (2022)

Short Texts at Your Fingertips: Articles

We offer you Short Texts at Your Fingertips. One or two times each week, we provide teaching ideas around a different type of short text that is easily found in the home, so that no family feels under-resourced. These ideas can integrate into virtually any curriculum and pedagogy, from Workshop to basal. If you are a caregiver, teacher, or curriculum director, these brief but mighty texts and lessons are our way of saying thanks. And our way of giving children authentic and enjoyable reading and writing engagements each day. 

Written by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim

SHORT TEXTS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS: ARTICLES

Articles are a perfect short text.  Found in newspapers (the old-fashioned ones still found in driveways and at newsstands and now also online), in magazines and on websites, they are easy to find and easy to share.  While we all want to be careful about how much of current events we share with children, there are lots of fascinating articles to share with any age group.  Sports stories are often the hook needed to get a reluctant reader interested.  And, if you read about a game you watched or attended, you bring lots of background knowledge to your reading.  We are particular fans of the quirky human interest story: the armored truck with the faulty door that spills thousands of dollars in cash all over the highway or the message in the bottle that washes up a 100 years after it was dropped into the ocean on the other side of the world.  There really is an article for everyone.

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TRY THIS!

Step 1

Find an article you want to share.  There are lots of places to find articles.  One excellent source is your local newspaper.  It is a great source of information about your town or neighborhood and is likely to be filled with issues and events of interest to your young readers.  Local papers usually have online platforms, making it easy to share the article or get a printer-friendly copy in readers’ hands. In addition, there are many online sites to peruse so take a look at the resource list provided below.  

First, select a subject matter that will interest readers.  Consider a:

  • Current event

  • Human interest story

  • Sporting event

  • Historical event (old newspapers also have fascinating articles)

Next, ask yourself, will you and your students read the article:

  • All together?

  • Partially together and partially on their own?

  • On their own?

Step 2

Discuss the article.  There are many ways to guide the discussion such as:

  • Look at the features of the article and talk about their importance. 

    • Headline -- What is this article about?

    • Byline -- Who wrote this article?  Can you figure out their job at the publication?

    • The “Lead” --  How does this article begin?  What’s the pithy sentence or two right at the top to catch readers’ attention?

    • Photograph / Image -- What do you see?  Is there a caption?  If so, what does it teach you?

    • Quotes -- What are some one-liners from the article worth noting?

  • To keep the conversation going, considering asking:

    • What are some facts from this article?

    • Do you have any connections or new ideas based on your reading?

    • What are your opinions about this article?

    • What other questions do you have about what you read? 

Step 3

Ask students to brainstorm a list of interesting topics that they may want to learn more about (such as animals, space, rainforest).  Then, invite students to go on an article hunt and find 1-2 articles related to any of the topics that were generated.  Ask students to share the articles with their peers.  This can lead to high interest, voluminous reading filled with texts curated by students for students.  For more on ways to curate texts to inspire voluminous reading, check out this blog post.

Step 4

Give students opportunities to write their own articles for their peers or for online publication submission.  Check out these two resources:

  • Time for Kids  - A great site which includes articles by grade level. 

  • Google has some free templates that students can use to create their own newspapers. 


FOR MORE  RESOURCES, CHECK THESE OUT!

  • DOGO News - A great site that one can search by topic.

  • Scholastic News  - A tried and true publication which is organized by grade level.

  • News For Kids  - Lots of interesting articles organized by date, with the most recent articles at the top.

  • KidsPost  - This the kids’ section of “The Washington Post”. 

  • Teaching Kids News - A site started by a parent and a teacher and geared for grades 2-8.

COMING SOON!

Short Texts:  Mighty Mentors That Move Readers and Writers Forward by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim (2022)

Co-Planning: Reading & Writing Mini-Unit Focused on Expert Studies [PART 4]

Written by Julie Wright & Barry Hoonan

HOW WE GOT INTO PROFESSIONAL CAHOOTS WITH ONE ANOTHER

We’ve had the pleasure of knowing and working with one another for the past seven years.  We met at a school in Harlem, Julie as an Instructional Coach and Barry as a Model Classroom Teacher and Instructional Coach. Our work continued well past that experience.  With Barry out west and Julie on the east coast, we’ve spent the majority of our years working across 3000 miles.  Highlights include Sunday morning co-planning sessions and co-authoring What Are You Grouping For?, Grades 3-8: How to Guide Small Groups Based on Readers -- Not the Book.  We’ve always enjoyed being THINKING PARTNERS and we believe educators need someone to think beside now, more than ever.

A DISCLAIMER OF SORTS

As we navigate and co-plan learning during the weeks ahead, here are a few shared agreements:

  1. We are not going to edit these videos which means it might be clunky at times.  You might get a barking dog, tech glitches, or family interruptions.  We know you’ll be able to relate and hope you’ll be understanding.

  2. The ideas we share are NOT “the way” or “the right way” -- they are just one way to approach things.  And, we are figuring it out as we go along too. We hope you’ll take the big ideas we are discussing and — adopt, adapt or improve upon them — making them fit your settings, interests and needs. 

  3. We suggest focusing on process -- our work will continue to unfold between video segments.  That’s why if you pop back into our shared document links, you’ll notice changes because we’ll be adding ideas.  That’s because responsive plans evolve across the days and weeks.

HERE’S WHAT WE ARE UP TO

  • Kids have been learning from home for several weeks now.  Barry and Julie have a co-planning routine and they “meet” about 1-2 times each week.  Sometimes we switch on the video, other times we don’t.

  • Barry’s students have settled into a learning from home routine, sort of.  Each week brings about new celebrations and new challenges.  

  • Kiddos are knee-deep in an Expert Studies mini-unit. They are taking a 3-day pause from the unit to experience “camp”. During this time, they would typically spend 3 days out in the woods to experience outdoor exploration and learning as a community. Due to the pandemic, camp will take a different form this year.

THINGS WE ARE THINKING ABOUT NOW

  • How can kiddos use their “camp” experience to fuel the end of the Expert Studies mini-unit?

  • What if kiddos do a 2 minute presentation to a small group focused on their expert study and use that as a dress rehearsal for the end demonstration? If we used this as a mid-process reflection, maybe they could figure out what they need next.

VIDEO

If you are interested in watching a coach and teacher co-plan — working as THINKING PARTNERS in response to the unique times we are currently experiencing — check out this video.

OTHER LINKS & RESOURCES

Our DRAFTY, dynamic, in-motion, evolving plans: Co-Planning: Julie & Barry

Planning Templates: Co-planning Templates

Small Group Plans: Small Group Reading & Writing Lesson Plans to Adopt, Adapt or Improve [During Remote/Distance Learning]

Interested in post-it note planning, check out one of these resources: Chapter 8 & 9 Resources from What Are You Grouping For?, Grades 3-8: How to Guide Small Groups Based on Readers -- Not the Book.

BARRY’S REFLECTIONS

  • We’ve got small groups meeting. Do we need to switch them up or would it be beneficial to keep them the same?

  • How, when, where can I use some co-created texts from last year [Barbie study] to inspire the work in this mini-study?

  • I need to collect artifacts from last year’s students and use them as models for anyone who needs them.

JULIE’S REFLECTIONS

  • How can we use the ideas in this Expert Study mini-unit to ignite summer reading, writing, and talking about things that you find interesting?

  • What will kiddos do this summer in lieu of some typical summer activities? Are there new ways to host “meet ups” or “check ins” for kiddos who want and/or need it?

WANT TO SUBMIT A QUESTION or CONNECT WITH US?

If something we’ve shared inspires new ideas or ignites some questions, reach out to us using THIS FORM and we’ll do our best to get back to you!

Short Texts at Your Fingertips: Field Guides

We offer you Short Texts at Your Fingertips. Twice each week, we provide teaching ideas around a different type of short text that is easily found in the home, so that no family feels under-resourced. These ideas can integrate into virtually any curriculum and pedagogy, from Workshop to basal. If you are a caregiver, teacher, or curriculum director, these brief but mighty texts and lessons are our way of saying thanks. And our way of giving children authentic and enjoyable reading and writing engagements each day. 

Written by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim

SHORT TEXTS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS: FIELD GUIDES

Field guides are generally used to identify something in nature.  There are field guides available for endless subjects: birds, butterflies, trees, mushrooms, rocks and minerals- we could go on and on.  A field guide presents lots of  information and facts to help teach how to identify a particular species or type within a group.  Many of us have at least one field guide on our bookshelf and this is the perfect opportunity to dust it off and use it as a short text!  If you don’t have a field guide of your own, there are plenty of online resources to access.

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VIDEO 

If you’d like to see a short video on how to use field guides to entertain, inform, and inspire watch here.

TRY THIS!

Step 1

Take a look at your bookshelf.  Maybe there is a field guide waiting there.  If there is more than one, pick the one about the subject most interesting to you.   If you don’t have a physical field guide, find one online (see the resource list below).  Thumb through the guide and orient yourself to its structure and features.  Field guides are designed to be used as a quick reference (possibly in the field).   Decide which entry/entries  you want to look at more closely.   

Some things to consider:

  • How is this particular guidebook set-up?

    • Are there sections? 

    • Are the entries organized by type, by color, by region?

  • Look through the first part of the book.  This is usually where the structure of the book is explained and some important facts are provided.

  • Think about how you might use the guide if you were outside. 

    • Would you want to mark particular pages for easy reference?

  • Consider how this book is meant to be used.  

    • Does the author intend for it to be read cover to cover?

Step 2

Take a closer look at a specific entry in your field guide.

Here are two different examples:

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Here’s what we noticed:

  • The bird guide on the left uses bold headings to identify characteristics about a bird.  It includes a map and it is organized by color (see the oval on the top right).

  • The bird guide on the right shows similar species together on the same page.  Arrows show the most distinguishing marks.  On the opposing page there is information about each bird.

  • Both examples give distinguishing characteristics of the object featured.

  • Some guides have photographs, some use illustrations.

Step 3

Look for other reading, writing and talking opportunities using this short text type:

Reading  Ideas  

  • Compare entries in two different field guides (see above). How are they the same?  How are they different?

  • Look at  field guides about two different things (for example birds and mushrooms). What is included in both?  What features are particular to the thing being studied? 

  • Explore new vocabulary words.  Are there words you have never seen or heard before?  How can you find what they mean?

  • Learn how to use other text features including the Table of Contents, Index and Glossary.

Writing  Ideas  

  • Write your own field guide entry for the guide you have.  Use the features and structure of the guide to help you.

  • Write your own field guide about a subject you know well.

    • You could write about a habitat you know well (e.g., your bedroom, the kitchen).

    • You could write about a category of things (e.g., your stuffed animals, tools used to draw and write).

  • Use the field guide to add details to another piece of writing (e.g., include a more detailed description of what a character sees).

  • Start a “Life List” for the subject in the field guide (e.g., record your personal sightings).

 Talking  Ideas 

  • Consider who wrote this field guide?  How did the author prepare to write this book?  How is the preparation different than it would be to write a fiction picture book?

  • Compare the illustrations to a photograph.  What are the advantages to a photograph?  What can the illustration show that a photograph cannot?

  • Discuss who uses field guides and when?  

  • Compare field guides and think about what background knowledge a reader needs to use the guide.  Are different guides written for people with different background knowledge?

Step 4

Look for other field guides and explore those too!

FOR MORE RESOURCES, CHECK THESE OUT!

To find a field guide about virtually anything, go online and type “free online field guide about_______”. Here are some examples you might enjoy.

To find more general information about field guides, check this out.

Check this out if you are interested in some fun, simple printable field guides for kids.

For more ideas about creating your own field guide, check this out.

CO-AUTHOR: ELIZABETH KEIM

Elizabeth Keim is a New York City based educator with more than 25 years of experience. She is currently an AIS Reading Teacher/Reading Recovery teacher for a school in Mamaroneck, New York. Previously she taught in District 2 in Manhattan,  serving as a classroom teacher, reading specialist, and library teacher. In each of these roles,  she knows that, "it is all about finding a text that truly captures a particular reader."  She has taught Undergraduate and Graduate level courses at  New York University and Bank Street College of Education, as well as workshops for teachers and parents.  An avid birder, Elizabeth enjoys her time in Central Park every spring and fall. Her most thrilling sightings to date are: A rare Kirtland's warbler and the tutti frutti colored Summer Tanager.

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Short Texts at Your Fingertips: Game Directions

We offer you Short Texts at Your Fingertips. Twice each week, we provide teaching ideas around a different type of short text that is easily found in the home, so that no family feels under-resourced. These ideas can integrate into virtually any curriculum and pedagogy, from Workshop to basal. If you are a caregiver, teacher, or curriculum director, these brief but mighty texts and lessons are our way of saying thanks. And our way of giving children authentic and enjoyable reading and writing engagements each day. 

Written by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim

SHORT TEXTS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS: GAME DIRECTIONS

If you are like us, we have favorite go-to games that get played over and over again and some games that we hardly take off the shelf.  Often, that’s because it’s easier to grab the game that we love and already know how to play versus new and unfamiliar ones. Card games, board games, dice games, puzzle games, cooperative games, and more...all include a short text in the form of a set of directions that create reading opportunities galore!   

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A messy, but game-filled, shelf filled with oodles of directions to read and enjoy!

VIDEO 

If you’d like to see a short video on how to use game directions to entertain, inform, and inspire watch.

TRY THIS!

Step 1

Take a look at your game shelves.  Grab any card, board, or dice game that sounds like fun and that you want to play.  If you don’t have any board or card games, you can look for games online and take a look at the resources below for some ideas. Once you find the game you want to play, pull out the directions and preview them.  Decide if you want to read the directions once all the way through or read them one section at a time.  Consider asking:

  • What do you notice about how the directions are set up?

  • Do the directions have headings or subheadings that help you navigate the text?

Dice, card and board games are great because they are easily transportable and can be played in many places.  We are tired of being inside, so we’re taking some of our games outside.

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Step 2

Take a closer look at the game directions. Here’s an example of some game directions we love.  

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Here’s what we noticed:

  • The directions are folded like a leaflet or flyer.

  • There are a few headings that help us orient to the game such as Object, Setup, Get Ready.

  • The game directions are listed in numbered steps.

  • There are colorful images that help demonstrate what the text is talking about.

This text is filled with reading, writing and talking opportunities.  For example, you could:

  • Play the game a few times and then read further to learn about Other Ways to Play.

  • Compare this 2-player version to the original Rubik’s Cube puzzle.

  • Visit the website of the Original Rubik’s Cube to learn about different types of Rubik’s Cubes and lots of hints, tips and challenges.

  • Read about and watch short clips on Speedcubing to learn about the world record holder for solving the Rubik’s Cube in the shortest amount of time. 

Step 3

Look for other reading, writing and talking opportunities using this short text type.

Reading  Ideas  

  • Depending on the difficulty of the game, reread or revisit the game directions as needed.  

  • Compare directions from one game to another.  How are they similar?  How are they different?

  • Pick a game -- one that you enjoy, one that is challenging, or one that has you intrigued -- research the history of the game.

    • Who is it made by?

    • Has the company been around for a long time?

    • What other games do they make?

  • If the directions are written in more than one language, compare the sets of directions.

Writing  Ideas  

  • Rewrite some of the directions to your favorite game, making changes that you think would make the game even better.

  • Write, draw or redesign the game box or container.  What would you keep the same?  What would you change?  

  • Create your own game, including writing the directions.

  • Write a game review for your favorite or least favorite game.

Talking  Ideas 

  • Share the strategies you used to play the game.

  • Talk about your favorite types of games and explain why you like them.

  • Talk about your least favorite types of games and explain why you don’t like them.

  • Discuss the games you know how to play without any written directions such as 20 Questions, I Spy, The License Plate Game, and Hopscotch.  How did you learn to play them?

Step 4

Look for other images that you find and read those too! 

FOR MORE RESOURCES, CHECK THESE OUT!

  • Check out some of the largest game companies for types of games, interesting facts, and different versions of the same game.

  • There are a lot of games online.  We suggest searching for the types of games that pique the interests and needs of the players.  Some criteria you can use as you search include:

    • Age Ranges [Ex. Ages 7 and up]

    • School [Ex. Preschool, Elementary]

    • Type [Ex. Card, Dice]

    • Number of Players [Ex. 2 Players]

    • Difficulty Level [Ex. Novice, Experienced, Expert]

    • Ratings [Ex. 1 Star, 2, Stars]

  • Other sites you might find helpful for online games include:

COMING SOON!

Short Texts:  Mighty Mentors That Move Readers and Writers Forward by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim (2022)

From Ed Consultant to Teacher Mom: Reflection #4

Three weeks ago I would have said that I know my kids deeply.

I think I was wrong.

Of course, like all parents, I know my kids. I know their patterns, their likes and dislikes, what makes them laugh and what scares them. I know what they like to read and their favorite spots to write and complete homework. I know the at-home and on-the-weekend and in-the summertime kids. .

I think I assumed I knew my kids as students. However, I’m realizing that I don’t know them, really know them, as students, like I am getting to know them now. How could I? They’ve spent the majority of their learning-selves at school. And, now, their learning-selves are at home. The difference at this point, is their learning-selves at home excludes one of the most important aspects of learning which is the social capital they receive from learning with and from peers.

Creating Learning-at-Home Rituals

For the past 2 weeks, I’ve been working to co-create rituals and routines with my kids so that they have things they can count on each day. We created shared agreements about when we would:

  • Get up and get moving [9:30 a.m.]

  • Join together at the breakfast table & get organized for the day [9:45 a.m.]

  • Work through assignments posted online for each of their school classes [10:00-2:00 with lunch thrown in there somewhere]

  • Unstructured refuel yourself time filled with choice activities such as art, backyard play time, trail walks, puzzles, gaming, etc. [2:00-3:00]

  • “Mom School”, as my boys call it, where we spend time reading, writing and thinking together [3:00-4:30]

Kidwatching My Own Kids at Home

This pandemic has given me opportunities to study my own kids in new ways. I’m learning more about them each day as readers, writers, mathematicians, citizens, scientists, artists, siblings, chefs, gamers, backyard explorers, family members, comedians, and as dog-lovers. Through kidwatching, I’ve learned that one or more of my kiddos:

  • has interest, stamina, and finds pleasure in paint-by-numbers

  • uses cooking / dessert making at the 5:30 p.m. hour as celebration for completing all online assignments from school

  • actually talks more during the dinner hour since the pace of our lives has slowed down a bit

  • has learned to do a backflip on the trampoline and has taught the dog to jump on the trampoline too

  • finds joy in beating his mom at a friendly game of trampoline COVID-19 basketball [formerly called HORSE]

  • felt “cheated” out of book club time when we had a day where our schedule was a little clunky

  • thinks our digital COVID-19 writing buddies experience might be kind of fun

When we first started learning at home together, I thought it was short term. I went into the what should we do to get through the next week or two mindset. Now that we have a clearer view that we’ll be going from short to longer-term, I decided to get my boys’ perspectives about who they think they are as learners — at school and at home. I gave my boys this Who Are You as a Learner note catcher.

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To be honest, they weren’t sure what to do with it at first. I think it felt very school-like to them. I told them I wanted them to self-reflect about their interests, passions, curiosities, successes, habits, etc. so that I could think about them as learners in both environments. I’m not going to share their responses because they are for our work at home together, but one important point to mention is that we added ideas across several days. Like most kiddos, my boys started out reluctant about adding ideas. Maybe they felt vulnerable? Maybe they didn’t quite understand the purpose at first? Regardless, they needed more than one go at it before they started adding ideas that uncovered the deeper side of who they are as learners at school versus who they are as learners at home. Hint: Giving kiddos two post-it notes —one for ideas related to school and one for home — works great too!

Whether you are a parent at home who is educating your own kids OR an educator at home educating your students in their homes, I highly recommend giving kiddos an opportunity to reflect about who they are as learners — both at school and at home. Their responses just might shape your next moves as you provide the love and support they need as people and as learners during this time.

Learning Labs: Igniting Inquiry & Inspiring Change

I have this mantra—

good work produces good work

When my kids were babies, their pediatrician would say, “good sleep produces good sleep.” Across the years, it proved to be true. None of my kids ever slept well when they were overly tired. If they were well rested, they rested well. I think a similar concept applies in schools. When good work is happening—it’s contagious. Good work ignites inquiry. Good work produces more good work and, in turn, inspires change.

Recently, I had the pleasure of supporting a school district that also believes good work produces good work. They’ve worked hard to stick with things that create growth. I’m fortunate to be included in some of their exciting work. They believe, like I do, that our work in schools is complex and that change doesn’t happen overnight. In addition, they believe that collaboration makes a difference. Following are some highlights — told through reflections and images — from my recent work with Enumclaw School District.

Reflection #1: Asking important questions and co-constructing solutions yields high-leverage, action-oriented results.

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Reflection #2: Co-planning [through learning progressions or units of study] is essential because thinking together helps us close the knowing-naming-doing gap.

Reflection #3: Having choice in how we plan [templates, charts, high/low tech options, post-it notes, etc.] puts teachers in the planning driver’s seat—which is where they need to be!

Access to templates forthcoming [Benchmark, 2020].

Access to templates forthcoming [Benchmark, 2020].

Reflection #4: Learning Lab experiences are capacity building structures that create short and long-term impacts.

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Reflection #5: Time and space to work collaboratively is necessary if we want to ignite inquiry and inspire change.

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Writing to Make Sense of Our Work in Schools

Over a decade ago, a group of amazing women educators came together to study, define, collaborate, and write about what really matters in education. We spent a year — looking at research, creating sustainable professional learning structures, and naming and practicing our beliefs about learning. The positive implications from that time are deep and wide.

Across our year of study, we each kept a notebook filled with ideas, inquiries, and wonderings. Individually, we made a list of book titles that outlined what mattered most to us. These were books-to-be-written in the years to come. They captured what lived in our heads, hearts and guts and came directly from our years of teaching experiences and our love of education.

While miles separate us today, our work from that year continues to resonate with me. That year shaped me. It nudged me to think differently and it created space for me act bravely. I kept that notebook and continued to add to it. Eventually, the one notebook turned into seven—what fun—and out of those notebooks came writing that has helped me make sense of our work in schools.

I’m excited about some new books that I’ve written and co-written that are coming into the world—each with ties to that first writing crew all those years ago.

Side by Side instructional Coaching: 10 Asset-Based Habits That Spark Collaboration, Risk-Taking, and Growth [Benchmark, 2022]

Audience:  Instructional Coaches, Principals, Curriculum Directors, Department Chairs, Team Leaders [anyone who facilitates learning with and for others]

Gist: Every child deserves a teacher who has a thinking partner.  That’s because our work in schools is too complicated and important to go it alone.  The 10 Habits in this book are designed to create support structures for everyone and led by everyone—administrators, instructional coaches, department chairs, team leaders, grade level colleagues.  The key ingredient is working together in asset-based ways to build capacity across the learning community.  Whether you already have a well-established coaching program or you are trying to build support from the ground up, this book will give you lots of practical ideas, tips, tools, how-to lists, and protocols to support your efforts.  Although this book has a literacy focus, the 10 Habits are transferable to all content areas.

This book unpacks these 10 Habits:

1. Develop Relationships

2. Communicate Plans

3. Define Beliefs

4. Design Goals

5. Co-plan

6. Co-teach

7. Create Tracks

8. Reflect

9. Build Capacity

10. Prioritize Across the Year

BUY THE BOOK HERE!

What’s Our Response? Creating Systems & Structures to Support ALL Learners [FIRST Educational Resources, 2021]

Audience: Classroom Teachers, Intervention Specialists, Instructional Coaches, Administrators

Gist: In education time is never on our side.  Too much time is being spent in meetings to discuss students’ deficits and not enough time harnessing their assets. Students come to school each day with individual and collective wants and needs, and it’s our job to harness who and where they are. The RtI process doesn’t have to be a machine model approach with an over-reliance on short sided skill and drill; it can be a dynamic, flexible, in-the-moment response focused on good instruction.   This book explores how to keep students at the center of decision-making so that the focus is fidelity to our students instead of fidelity to content, curriculum or program by addressing 5 Problems of Practice with RtI which include:

  • We need to break out of the RtI box.

  • We need to honor and increase teacher autonomy and agency.

  • We need child study teams focused on students’ assets.

  • We need to increase students' thinking and doing time.

  • We need good instruction because that makes the best interventions.

This book will provide dozens of ready-to-use, solution-oriented tools to create asset-based systems and structures so that you are better positioned to create an instructional response that will support all students’ growth.

I’ve been blessed with incredible mentors, thinking partners, and editors. I’m inspired by a current writing group called The Radish Writers. Being a part of a writing tribe is one of the greatest gifts—if you don’t have one….go start one! Gather people who want to write and think and do together. It will inspire you. It will unleash you. It will change you.

BUY THE BOOK HERE!

Short Texts: Mighty Mentors for Readers and Writers

Audience: Classroom Teachers [K-5], Intervention Specialists [K-8], Instructional Coaches, Principals, Curriculum Directors

Gist: Short texts are everywhere, and so are the readers who love them.  In this anthology, learn how to select, plan with, and use short texts to increase reading volume and inspire opportunities for writing.  From novel excerpts to the writing on the back of a cereal box, short texts have so much to teach our students about the form and function of reading and writing in the world. And this amazing resource has so much to teach us about the power of “short” to help readers and writers go the long distance.

What you will find in this book:

  • CONSUME, PRODUCE, SHARE, EXTEND—a process for considering what texts we choose to consume, how we mine texts for what matters, whether we want to produce something to share with others, and opportunities to extend our reading and writing

  • 30 + short texts spanning non-fiction, fiction, poetry, environmental print and more!

  • One-page Planning Templates that help you think through the trickiest parts of each text type and the stickiest ideas 

  • Completed Planning Templates to give you a running start of ready-to-go lessons

  • Ways to use short texts with all your readers (whole class, small groups, and one-to-one) and across the content areas

  • Extensions for using each short text to inspire and inform writing

  • Resources and templates for you to start finding and using your own short texts

COMING SOON!

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