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EdReports ELA Texts Ratings

The Opportunity Myth

What happens when a research team partners with diverse school systems and takes the time to listen to the students' views, experiences and thoughts. This is a TNTP project explains that the opportunity myth is a promise that success in school, a diploma, is the launch for success in life.  They found that the educational system is flawed.

FASCINATING! 

Link to the Website 

"On the whole, then, most students we studied were “doing well” in school—one of the most important keys to success later in life, according to American mythology. But when we looked at how these students were doing based on the bar set by actual standards for college readiness—the bar students themselves said they aspired to—the opportunity myth emerged. While students succeeded on more than two-thirds of their assignments, they only demonstrated success against the grade level standards 17 percent of the time on those exact same assignments." 

"That gap exists because so few assignments actually gave students a chance to demonstrate grade-level mastery. To be clear, “grade-level mastery” doesn’t mean students must have read a particular list of books. It means they have had the chance to practice a core set of grade-level-appropriate competencies for processing information, thinking critically about texts, and solving problems using evidence. Those are essential skills that can make the difference between graduating ready for college or the workplace, or not."

What's Going On in the Cape District?

 Thoughtful Social Studies posters from Beacon's Dr. Comroe's class

Boomerang building in Cape's Mr. Griswold's class with a competition to follow.

Discussion and project around human needs in Mrs. Linda Marvel's classes.

2018 National Book Finalist Announced!

Finalists for the 2018 National Book Awards just announced: Florida by Lauren Goff (domestic and wild world), The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai (tragedy and loss, 1980's Chicago), The Friend by Sigrid Nunez (friendship, grief, healing woman and dog) to name a few. 

Summer Reading Research

Book Trust - free books for kids

The Importance of Summer Reading

ALA Summer Reading Programs Research

National Summer Learning Association

Poem: Natural Criminal

Natural Criminal

Francisco X. Alarcón, 1954 - 2016

translated by Francisco Aragón

Taken from Poets.org

I am
a nomad
in a country
of settlers

a drop
of oil
in a glass
of water

a cactus
flowering
where one
can’t and
shouldn’t
flourish

I am
history’s
fresh and
living wound

my crime
has been being
what I’ve been
all my life

Disciplinary Literacy

The Annenberg Foundation offers a comprehensive resource for teachers  seeking information about Disciplinary Literacy. This is taken from the website LEARNER.ORG 

Adolescent students are expected to develop knowledge and understanding of each discipline in school through very focused instruction that includes attention to related reading and writing practices, collaborative discussions about ideas, and ongoing assessment of learning. Within each discipline, these practices differ due to the nature of the content, the structure and language of texts, and the purposes for reading and writing. However, an overarching goal in each discipline is to teach students how to read, write, think, and talk like an expert in the field.

This unit will explore the important ideas related to purposeful teaching and learning in the disciplines offered in middle and high school. The ideas are organized around general understandings of literacy practices, instruction and assessment practices, curriculum, and student engagement/motivation in learning.

Spooky Stories for October from Common Lit

Common Lit is a GREAT ongoing resource for teachers.

This month they are featuring Spooky Stories but they have a very deep well of materials that are leveled and interesting! They have guided reading information, an assessment and discussion questions.  Perfect!

A sample of the offerings: The Monkey's Paw, The Most Dangerous Game, The Wives of the Dead, Was It a Dream? and The Cask of the Amontillado!  Honestly how can you resist POE? in October?

The Most Dangerous Game (Richard Connell)  - short video with student actors

The Cask of the Amontillado (Poe) - short video