Election Support and Issues with Leveled Text

NewsELA has ready-made lessons to help support teaching the election and surrounding issues. Leveled texts available for differentiated instruction. Very cool!

Scholastic Arts & Writing Awards

The Scholastic Arts & Writing Awards are open to teachers and librarians (remember them?) for students in Grades 7-12 in Delaware and nationally. This program supports and encourages creative writers and the submissions cover these categories:

1. Critical Essay
2. Dramatic Script
3. Flash Fiction (my favorite!)
4. Humor
5. Journalism
6. Personal Essay/Memoir Poetry
7. Science Fiction/Fantasy
8. Short Story
9. Writing Portfolio for Seniors

This program is in its 93rd year and has given student awards to Sylvia Plath, Truman Capote, Stephen King and Lena Dunham.

My 8th grade students from Mariner Middle school together with Dana Orton's have won numerous awards and enjoyed an Awards Ceremony in Dover, Delaware for state winners.

I encourage you to submit student work by the deadline, December 16, 2016!

Contact me for assistance! 

The PEE Method: Structuring Writing in All Classrooms

for Writing 

PEE (Point, Evidence, Explain) 
PEE is an acronym: Point, Evidence, Explain.

This provides a framework for structuring essay paragraphs.
First, a statement is made. Next, evidence is given to back up this statement. Evidence could take the form of an example, a fact or a quotation from another text. Finally, the point is explained in more detail to convey the author’s thoughts, knowledge and understanding.

When teaching students to use PEE, three options you can call on are as follows:
a. Display posters showing the PEE method around the room or place hand-outs in students’ books.
b. Model an example of PEE based on the writing task you have set.
c. Encourage students to use the method check that they are doing

Resources for Social Studies, Science and Technical Writing

These resources help to illuminate this CHAT Goal:

B3. Literacy standards in all subject areas

Grades 6-8 

ELA Standards for History/Social Studies

ELA Standards for Science and Technical Subjects

Argument and Informational Text-based Writing Rubric for History/Social Studies & Technical Subjects

Grades 9-10

ELA Standards for History/Social Studies

ELA Standards for Science and Technical Subjects

Argument and Information Text-based Writing Rubric for History/Social Studies & 

Technical Subjects

Grades 11-12

ELA Standards for History/Social Studies

ELA Standards for Science and Technical Subjects

Argument and Information Text-based Writing Rubric for History/Social Studies & 
Technical Subjects

CHAT Goals

CHAT Goals for 2015-2017

(CHAT=Cape Henlopen Action Teams)

Year 1 and Beyond Goals - bring to routine use during the 2015-2016 SY

A1. Review, revise, analyze and use common assessments tied to the standards (including state assessments)

A2. Support claims with evidence in all subject areas

A3. In Mathematics, focus on the major work of the grade/course

Year 2 and Beyond Goals - bring to routine use during the 2016-2017 SY

B1. Ongoing formative assessments with feedback tied to the standards

B2. A balance of literature and informational texts across the content areas

B3. Literacy standards in all subject areas

B4. Foundational skills

From the NY Times "How to Teach with Picture Prompts"

The New York Times Learning Network has a new feature.  They call it Picture Prompts. The article gives you the tools to bring reluctant writers and visual thinkers to the table to do some short writing pieces around interesting and provocative pictures. Relevant and fascinating!

Easy to use. This resource offers lesson plans that relate to the NY Times content. Current. Reliable. Complex

Reading/Writing Project Units from DOE

The Delaware Language Arts and Literacy group has posted a resource that may interest teachers who are developing units of study. These are extensive units that are CCSS aligned and can be used as a guide or in general. Many are integrated.

Reading/Writing Project 2013-2014

• Grade K:    Being a Good Kindergarten Citizen - Integrated ELA & Social Studies, Informational Writing
• Grade 2:    Volcanoes and Erosion - Integrated ELA & Science, Informational Writing
• Grade 3:    Native American Unit - Integrated ELA & Social Studies, Informational Writing
• Grade 3:    Economics - Integrated ELA & Social Studies, Informational Writing

      

      Reading/Writing Project 2014-2015

• Grade 3:    National Treasures - Symbols of Friendship & Freedom - Integrated ELA & Social Studies, Opinion Writing
• Grade 5:    Shaping Our Nation - Integrated ELA & Social Studies, Opinion Writing
• Grade 9:    Argumentation Writing & Research - Integrated ELA & Social Studies, Argument Writing

      

      Reading/Writing Project 2015-2016

• Grade 1:    What Makes It Rain? - Integrated ELA & Science, Informational Writing
• Grade 4:   
• Grade 7:    Are You Thirsty? - Integrated ELA, Science & Social Studies, Argument Writing
• Grade 10:  To Drone or Not to Drone - Integrated ELA & CTE, Argument Writing

Literacy Resources

Three new resources as you plan your lessons and units:

Unbounded: free, high quality, standards aligned curriculum resources for K-12. ELA materials draw from the Critically acclaimed Engage NY content and have been sequenced by experts in curriculum design and instructional implementation.

Factinista: a website that curates and organizes articles about a wide variety of topics.

Listenwise: Podcasts organized by topic to help teachers extend learning. Amazing resource! "Listenwise makes it easy to bring authentic voices and compelling non-fiction stories to the classroom. We curate the best of public radio to keep teaching connected to the real world and build student listening skills at the same time."

Sources: Theresa Bennett and Kathy Kelley, ELA Delaware Department of Education, Amy Baker-Sheridan, IRSD

Literacy Resources

Three new resources as you plan your lessons and units:

Unbounded: free, high quality, standards aligned curriculum resources for K-12. ELA materials draw from the Critically acclaimed Engage NY content and have been sequenced by experts in curriculum design and instructional implementation.

Factinista: a website that curates and organizes articles about a wide variety of topics.

Listenwise: Podcasts organized by topic to help teachers extend learning. Amazing resource! "Listenwise makes it easy to bring authentic voices and compelling non-fiction stories to the classroom. We curate the best of public radio to keep teaching connected to the real world and build student listening skills at the same time."

Sources: Theresa Bennett and Kathy Kelley, ELA Delaware Department of Education