The Power of Picture Books
The Power of Picture Books

Author: Mary Jo Fresch

Publisher: National Council of Teachers of English (Ncte)

Published: 2009

Total Pages: 164

ISBN-13:

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Picture books aren't just for little kids. They are powerful and engaging texts that can help all middle school students succeed in language arts, math, science, social studies, and the arts. Picture books appeal to students of all readiness levels, interests, and learning styles. Featuring descriptions and activities for fifty exceptional titles, Mary Jo Fresch and Peggy Harkins offer a wealth of ideas for harnessing the power of picture books to improve reading and writing in the content areas. The authors provide a synopsis of each title along with discipline-specific and cross-curricular activities that illustrate how picture books can be used to supplement--and sometimes even replace--traditional textbooks. They also offer title suggestions that create a "text set" of supporting resources. By incorporating picture books into the classroom, teachers across the disciplines can introduce new topics into their curriculum, help students develop nonfiction literacy skills, provide authentic and meaningful cultural perspectives, and help meet a wide range of learning needs.

The Power of Our Words for Middle School
The Power of Our Words for Middle School

Author: Responsive Classroom

Publisher: Center for Responsive Schools, Inc.

Published: 2016-04-27

Total Pages: 82

ISBN-13: 1892989867

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When the language we use with our students is positive, clear, and purposeful, our classrooms are transformed. This practical book focuses on five types of positive teacher language: Envisioning languageReinforcing languageReminding languageRedirecting languageOpen-ended questions Book features: Guidelines for using each type of languagePractical tips to strengthen your use of languageNumerous examples to use as modelsCharts to help you track your progress

Middle School Matters
Middle School Matters

Author: Phyllis L. Fagell

Publisher: Da Capo Lifelong Books

Published: 2019-08-06

Total Pages: 343

ISBN-13: 0738235091

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A counselor and popular Washington Post contributor offers a new take on grades 6-8 as a distinct developmental phase--and the perfect time to set up kids to thrive. Middle school is its own important, distinct territory, and yet it's either written off as an uncomfortable rite of passage or lumped in with other developmental phases. Based on her many years working in schools, professional counselor Phyllis Fagell sees these years instead as a critical stage that parents can't afford to ignore (and though "middle school" includes different grades in various regions, Fagell maintains that the ages make more of a difference than the setting). Though the transition from childhood to adolescence can be tough for kids, this time of rapid physical, intellectual, moral, social, and emotional change is a unique opportunity to proactively build character and confidence. Fagell helps parents use the middle school years as a low-stakes training ground to teach kids the key skills they'll need to thrive now and in the future, including making good friend choices, negotiating conflict, regulating their own emotions, be their own advocates, and more. To answer parents' most common questions and struggles with middle school-aged children, Fagell combines her professional and personal expertise with stories and advice from prominent psychologists, doctors, parents, educators, school professionals, and middle schoolers themselves.

The Secret Power of Middle Children
The Secret Power of Middle Children

Author: Catherine Salmon Ph.D.

Publisher: National Geographic Books

Published: 2012-07-31

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 0452297931

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Middle children are underachievers, overshadowed and overlooked, right? Wrong. Combining research in evolutionary biology, psychology and sociology with real-life stories, psychologist Catherine Salmon, Ph.D., and journalist Katrin Schumann reveal what it really means to grow up in between, including how: • Middles receive less financial and emotional support from their parents, but become remarkably successful and innovative adults • Middles can be stubbornly independent as teens, but are extraordinary team players later in life • Middles are often seen as outcasts, but are actually far less likely to get divorced or be in therapy than their siblings. With surprising insights into how our birth order affects us, as well as constructive advice on how to maximize advantages and overcome drawbacks, The Secret Power of Middle Children shows middleborns at any age (and their parents) how to use what seems to be a disadvantage as a strategy for personal and professional success.

The Power of Our Words
The Power of Our Words

Author: Paula Denton

Publisher: Center for Responsive Schools, Inc.

Published: 2013-11-19

Total Pages: 191

ISBN-13: 189298959X

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Simple changes in a teacher's language can bring about profound changes in students and classrooms. By paying attention to your words and tone of voice, you will: Increase students' engagement with academicsBuild positive communityMore effectively manage your classroom That is the message of The Power of Our Words, a book that has changed the teaching lives of tens of thousands of educators since it was first published in 2007. In this updated second edition you will find practical information to help you: Lead students in envisioning themselves achieving successUse questions that encourage deep and creative thinkingListen to students in ways that support their growthReinforce students efforts and remind or redirect them when they go off track. Throughout, you will find an increased emphasis on using teacher language to support academic engagement and critical thinking skills as called for in the Common Core State Standards. And an updated, livelier format makes this second edition even easier to read.

The Power of the Adolescent Brain
The Power of the Adolescent Brain

Author: Thomas Armstrong

Publisher: ASCD

Published: 2016-07-12

Total Pages: 218

ISBN-13: 141662189X

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Moody. Reckless. Impractical. Insecure. Distracted. These are all words commonly used to describe adolescents. But what if we recast these traits in a positive light? Teens possess insight, passion, idealism, sensitivity, and creativity in abundance--all qualities that can make a significant positive contribution to society. In this thought-provoking book, Thomas Armstrong looks at the power and promise of the teenage brain from an empathetic, strength-based perspective—and describes what middle and high school educators can do to make the most of their students' potential. Thoroughly grounded in current neuroscience research, the book explains what we know about how the adolescent brain works and proposes eight essential instructional elements that will help students develop the ability to think, make healthy choices, regulate their emotions, handle social conflict, consolidate their identities, and learn enough about the world to move into adulthood with dignity and grace. Armstrong provides practical strategies and real-life examples from schools that illustrate these eight key practices in action. In addition, you'll find a glossary of brain terms, a selection of brain-friendly lesson plans across the content areas, and a list of resources to support and extend the book's ideas and practices. There is a colossal mismatch between how the adolescent brain has evolved over the millennia and the passive, rote learning experiences that are all too common in today's test-obsessed educational climate. See the amazing difference—in school and beyond—when you use the insights from this book to help students tap into the power of their changing brains.

Refocus and Recharge! 50 Brain Breaks for Middle Schoolers
Refocus and Recharge! 50 Brain Breaks for Middle Schoolers

Author: Responsive Classroom

Publisher: Center for Responsive Schools, Inc.

Published: 2016-09-06

Total Pages: 106

ISBN-13: 1892989875

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These quick, easy-to-learn activities give students much-needed mental and physical breaks, plus safe, structured ways to interact with peers. As a result, students are refocused and recharged and can more fully engage with the content you teach. Some brain breaks, like "In the Bag," are calming and reduce stress; others, like "Twisted Brain," energize bodies and minds. And you can use brain breaks anywhere, anytime! This handy book includes: Clear, easy-to-follow instructionsTips for successSample words and actionsSuggested variationsReproducible handouts

Patterns of Power, Grades 1-5
Patterns of Power, Grades 1-5

Author: Jeff Anderson

Publisher: Stenhouse Publishers

Published: 2017

Total Pages: 458

ISBN-13: 1625311850

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Jeff Anderson and literacy coach Whitney La Rocca take you into primary and intermediate classrooms where students are curious about language, engage with the world around them, and notice and experiment with the conventions all writers use. Instead of chanting grammar rules or completing countless convention worksheets, we invite young writers to explore conventions as special effects devices that activate meaning. Our students study authentic texts and come to recognize these "patterns of power"--the essential grammar conventions that readers and writers require to make meaning. The first part of the book introduces a vibrant approach to grammar instruction and sets up what you need to immerse yourself in the Patterns of Power process, inviting students to experiment and play with language. The second part of the book offers over seventy practical, ready-to-use lessons, including: Extensive support materials Over 100 mentor sentences, curated for grades 1-5 Student work samples Tips and power notes to facilitate your own knowledge and learning Examples for application In Patterns of Power Jeff and Whitney suggest that taking just five minutes from your reading workshop and five minutes from your writing workshop to focus on how the conventions connect reading and writing will miraculously affect your students' understanding of how language works for readers and writers.

What Every Middle School Teacher Should Know
What Every Middle School Teacher Should Know

Author: Dave F. Brown

Publisher: Heinemann Educational Books

Published: 2007

Total Pages: 324

ISBN-13:

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Offers middle school teachers practical advice on how they can adapt their instruction methods to meet the needs of diverse students and cope with the emotional challenges they face in the classroom.

Bringing School to Life
Bringing School to Life

Author: Sarah K. Anderson

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

Published: 2017-11-08

Total Pages: 201

ISBN-13: 1475830629

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Place-based education is on the rise. Tired of “teaching to the test,” educators are looking for authentic ways to connect their curriculum to real life. The place-based approach brings students into their communities to learn necessary content and skills by working to meet the needs of local agencies and organizations. Students are more engaged because they know they are doing real work, teachers are reinvigorated by creating exciting learning opportunities, and the school takes on a more active role in the community. At the heart of this process is the place itself: the land, the history, and the culture. Bringing School to Life: Place-Based Education across the Curriculum by Sarah Anderson offers insights into how to build a program across the K-8 grades. Anderson addresses key elements such as mapping, local history, citizen science, integrated curricula, and more. Additionally, Anderson suggests strategies for building community partnerships and implementation for primary grades. This book goes beyond theory to give concrete examples and advice in how to make place-based education a real educational option in any school.