Ideas from a Reading Specialist–Current blogs consist of free online sites and programs for a reading classroom.
Halloween is the perfect time to tell spooky stories, and what better way to celebrate the season than with some classic tales from the public domain? Here are five timeless Halloween short stories and suggestions for follow-up that are sure to give your students a good scare! “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allen Poe This […]
As teachers begin a new school year, there are several things that they need to consider to ensure a smooth and successful academic year. It is important for teachers to establish clear expectations for their students regarding behavior, classroom rules, and a positive learning environment. Many groups I have participated in start by developing norms. […]
Lexile.com is a great resource for finding books and other reading materials that match the individual reading level of your students. It also provides information about reading assessments and other resources to help you and your students improve reading skills. Lexile.com is not new, and Reading Specialty has a previous blog post about readability which […]
Everyone looks forward to summer, yet it seems like boredom can quickly set in. Here is a list of activities/challenges for your students or for parents to share with their kids. Set a goal and see how many can be accomplished! Create Tap into your creative side. *Write a poem. *Compose a song. Write the […]
12 Ideas to Promote Independent Reading in Your School or Class Librarians can be your best friend! Our school librarian provided monthly opportunities for our kids. They KNEW kids and they KNEW teen literature. They provided information on library resources,book talks, book speed dating, lessons on research, special presentations for banned book weeks, and information […]
This project began as famous couples (in honor of Valentine’s Day). It quickly morphed to famous duos and it is appropriate for any day of the year. The list of duos includes people in history, fictional characters, and pairs in pop culture. Each student selects one of the pairs: Mickey and Minnie Mouse Dr. Jekyll […]
Starting the New Semester With Your Students January has traditionally been a time of both reflection and looking forward and setting goals. It is a good time for a reset in your classroom. Guide your students to reflect on their first semester and begin to look forward to the second semester. Students will benefit from […]
Studying Charles Dickens in December is a highlight for Language Arts teachers. Here are 4 sites to help with your classroom study. Charles Dickens Info This website features three sections: The Life of Dickens The Work of Dickens A Christmas Carol Included in the website you will find a quiz, interactive resources, book and short […]
Trying to find classroom activities that capitalize on the interest of the holidays, provide meaningful classroom experiences, and avoid controversy can be challenging. This time of year can also be very stressful for teachers as they juggle report cards, conferences, curriculum demands, parent communication, meetings, and their own family obligations. Try this low-prep Thanksgiving activity […]
1. R.L Stine Story Club Podcast R. L. Stine Story Club has a collection of podcasts designed for ages 8 and up. The episodes are stand alone. Ariel Winter (from Modern Family) is the narrator (club president) and there are more than 20 episodes for your students to enjoy. Click here to be directed to […]
Losing 5 minutes of instructional time a day over a 180 day school year will result in a loss 900 minutes or 15 hours. The precious minutes at the beginning and end of class add up! Sometimes your great lesson ends a few minutes before the end of the hour. This blog post gives you […]
Help your students avoid the summer reading achievement slide and give them some fun opportunities to encourage reading this summer. Check out these possibilities to keep reading a part of the lives of your students during school vacation. Books-A-Million Award-winning author Kate DiCamillo and Candlwick Press have teamed with Books-A-Million for a fun summer challenge. […]
I was going through my list of potential blog topics, trying to decide which topic I would write about next. In an uncanny coincidence, I opened an email from a student who had used the resources in an old blog post. The email stated, “Yesterday my youngest was given a paper on the Statue of […]
The International Literacy Brief “Reading Fluently Does Not Mean Reading Fast” defines fluency as “reasonably accurate reading, at an appropriate rate, with suitable expression, that leads to accurate and deep comprehension and motivation to read.” Accurate reading involves developing automaticity. Reading accurately involves decoding and instant word recognition which allows the reader to concentrate on […]
And free resources to help you do it! The Amazon River is in Africa. Dallas is a state. You can drive to Hawaii. Yes–HIGH SCHOOL students have all made these comments in my class. It is no wonder why they have trouble understanding things they read in their book when they have no idea where […]
My husband was consulting with a company which used Trello. He was talking about how they used it at the company, and I decided to have a look. So….now I am addicted. I love Trello. I use it daily. Trello is a visual collaboration tool which helps with planning and organization. Essentially it is a […]
Holiday Fun With Academics! Halloween is fun for fall and provides a great theme for the classroom. It can provide interest for even a reluctant learner! Here are some ideas for the virtual or in-person class.SPOOKY MUSIC Spooky Music My personal preference is for instrumental background music. I feel like it is less distracting as […]
Reading comprehension is a very complex task. The background knowledge and vocabulary students have relating to what they are reading makes a huge difference in how they understand a text. I have no clue what I just read! As adults, we have all experienced this. Even with college degrees and as an avid reader, there […]
All of us like to feel like we have power over a situation. Students are no exception.Now, more than ever, students need to feel they have some control over their lives. Making a choice has been known to reduce stress. It makes us feel good. Most importantly, as a student making the choice then gives […]
Starting the school year can be stressful, but with all the added complexities of COVID, this year may be especially difficult. Establishing additional health related routines, addressing fears, and planning for uncertainty has just made the job even more difficult. Now, perhaps more than ever, starting the year purposefully is extremely important. Harry Wong, guru […]
My grandson was approaching “tablet age” about the time I took an interest in Boom™ Cards. I’ve enjoyed making some Boom cards for this 2 1/2 year old boy. You might enjoy it also, and personalized decks are fun to create using this program. (Consider yourself warned–it is a bit of a rabbit hole and […]
Develop the background knowledge of your students by sharing a historic event from each day. This post gives you an event which occurred each day in history from May 18-24. An online link for each day is also included. In this blog post you will find Plessy v. Ferguson, Guantanamo Bay, Hubble Telescope, Plato, Sir […]
Improve the reading of your students by helping them to develop background knowledge. Share an event with your students based on each day in history. Check out the links to related free resources to help with your lesson. Included May 9-17: Crown Jewels, FBI, Euro, Donner Party, Louis Armstrong, US Constitution, Gasoline Rationing, China Cultural […]
Present an event which occurred in history to your students each day. Develop background knowledge as you discuss the event. Use the free online resource to supplement your resource. In this blog post: Osama Bin Laden, Kentucky Derby, Freedom Riders, Cinco De Mayo, Henry David Thoreau, Palace of Versailles, Mount Everest May 1–May Day May […]
A great way to develop background information on a variety of topics is to post an event from history for each day. Check out the events listed from each day April 25-30 and use the free online resources in this blog to supplement your teaching. April 25–Watson and Crick Watson and Crick formally announce they […]
Develop the background knowledge of your students by sharing a historic event from each day. This post gives you an event which occurred each day in history from April 17 to April 24. A corresponding free online resource is linked. Check out the following topics: Bay of Pigs, Paul Revere, Boston Marathon, Columbine, Red Baron, […]
Share a historic event each day with your students. This is a great bell-ringer! Post on Smartboard or write on white board and discuss with your students to develop background knowledge. If you are searching for a way to develop reading skills, check out the differentiated passages (with comprehension questions) at the bottom of the […]
Free online resources for each of these topics: April Fool’s Day, White House Easter Egg Roll, Pony Express, Maya Angelou, Helen Keller, Sacajawea, History of the Internet, Buddhism April 1–April Fool’s Day A day of practical jokes and pranks is held every April 1. Looking for April fools’ Pranks for kids? Check out 41 Genius […]
Free online resources for each of these topics: St. Patrick’s Day, History of the Railroad, Wyatt Earp, Harriet Beecher Stowe and Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Pocahontas, The Equal Rights Amendment, Patrick Henry, Harry Houdini March 17–St. Patrick’s Day Shamrocks? Leprechauns? St. Patrick? St. Patrick’s Day is March 17. Looking for a St. Patrick’s Day book? Penguin […]
Free online resources for your classroom on each of these topics: Franklin D. Roosevelt and the New Deal, Salvation Army, Richard Byrd, Truman Doctrine, K-9 War Dogs, Albert Einstein, Julius Caesar, and the Red Cross March 9: Franklin D. Roosevelt and the New Deal March 9, 1933 Franklin D. Roosevelt submits the first of his […]
Free online resources for each of these topics: Salem Witch Trials, Theador Seuss Geisel, Child Labor, Hindenburg, Boston Massacre, Dred Scott, Challenger March 1–Salem Witch Trials March 1, 1692 the Salem witch trials begin in Massachusetts. The Stanford History Education Group consists of Stanford faculty, and graduate students seeking to improve education. One of the […]
Free online resources for your classroom on each of these topics: The Alamo, Japanese-American Internment, Muhammad Ali, World Trade Center, Mardi Gras, Branch Davidian Raid, February 23–The Alamo The siege of the Alamo begins February 23, 1836. Thealamo.org offers a variety of resources for the classroom. One interesting feature allows students to look at the […]
Ku Klux Klan, Missouri Compromise, Dust Storms, Iwo Jima, US Post Office, Malcolm X, Dolly the Lamb February 16 Ku Klux Klan Ten members of the Ku Klux Klan were arrested February 16, 1952. National Geographic has a short approximately 2 min video giving a brief history of the Ku Klux Klan. February 17 Missouri […]
Boy Scouts, Daylight Savings, Chinese New Year, Nelson Mandela, Abraham Lincoln, Galileo, Valentine’s Day, Socrates February 8–Boy Scouts Incorporation of Feb. 8, 1910 on Boy Scouts of America A Popular Mechanics article published February 6, 2019 entitled “10 Wild Things You Didn’t Know About Boy Scout History” is a delightful collection of fun facts your […]
Greensboro Sit-In, Groundhog Day, Ferdinand Magellan, United Service Organization (USO), Mexican Constitution Day, Ronald Reagan,Beatles, February 1 Greensboro Woolworth Sit-In February 1, 1960, four black college students sat down at a “whites-only” lunch counter in Greensboro NC and refused to leave. C-span classroom has a Greensboro, North Carolina Woolworth Sit-In video with three clips including […]
February is such a great time of year with So Many FUN Holidays to CELEBRATE!We’ve teamed up to give you a HUGE BUNDLE of Middle School Resources for February! You’ll get the products shown for a great selection of activities for your middle schoolers. Check them out here: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/…/Search:FEBRUARYPRODUC…⭐️It’s EASY to Enter⭐️ Comment on this post by answering […]
February 4, 2020, a free virtual field trip for classrooms with a WWII theme. Electronic Field Trip Date and Time The National WWII Museum is offering two electronic virtual field trips on Tuesday, February 4 at 9 AM and again at noon (CDT). Each presentation is scheduled to last one hour. ‘ Topic The presentation […]
Winston Churchill, Winter Olympics, Amnesty International, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the Eiffel Tower, Smithsonian Institute, Wright Brothers, Jackie Robinson January 24 Winston Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945 and again from 1951 to 1955. A well-developed documentary is available from The People Profiles covering from […]
Prohibition, Doomsday Clock, Martin Luther King Jr, Tokyo Rose, Barack Obama, Concorde, CIA, Poll Tax January 16–Prohibition Prohibition was a nationwide constitutional ban on the production and sale of alcoholic beverages from 1920 to 1933. January 16, 1919 prohibition takes effect. PBS.org has a number of activities for teachers to use in their classroom related […]
Share a historic event each day with your students. This is a great bell-ringer! Post on Smartboard or write on white board and discuss with your students to develop background knowledge. If you are searching for a way to develop reading skills, check out the differentiated passages (with comprehension questions) at the bottom of the […]
Share these events for each day in history with your students. Use the free resources to supplement your instruction. Differentiated comprehension passage available at the bottom of the page from Reading Specialty! January 1–New Year’s Day and History of Calendar Julius Caesar 45 BC decreed January 1 the beginning of the year. This YouTube video, […]
December 16 Boston Tea Party The Boston Tea Party was held in protest against “taxation without representation” on December 16, 1773. Secondary students in AP or US History Classes or in AP Economics classes will benefit from the lesson “From Tea to Shining Sea: A primary Document-Based Unit on the Boston Tea Party.” The unit […]
More free resources from Reading Specialty! Check out these topics! Eli Whitney Nuremberg Trials Alfred Nobel and the Nobel Prize UNICEF Marconi Nobel Prize Saddam Hussein Three Gorges Dam Bill of Rights December 1 December 1, 1955 Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on the bus beginning a boycott which became important to […]
Free Resources corresponding to a Day in History for each of these topics/people: Scott Joplin Carrie Nation History of Thanksgiving Thanksgiving Day Macy’s Parade Basketball–James Naismith John F. Kennedy Mark Twain November 24 Scott Joplin, King of Ragtime, was born November 24, 1868. Audio files of the piano works of Scott Joplin are available here. […]
Free Resources corresponding to a Day in History for each of these topics/people: Alaskan Pipeline, Chichen Itza, NAFTA (North America Free Trade Agreement), Gettysburg Address, International Space Station, Iran-Contra Affair, Battle of the Sexes (Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs), and the Marx Brothers. November 16 President Richard Nixon asked Congress to pass a bill […]
Free resources for Carl Sagan, David Livingston, Veteran’s Day, Elizabeth Stanton, Military Draft, Nellie Bly, and Articles of Confederation November 9-Carl Sagan, astronomer, was born November 9, 1934. Voyager I left NASA in September of 1977 to study the solar system and space. Today, 42 years later, the spacecraft still receives commands and transmits data. […]
Free Resources for Stamp Act, Dewey Defeats Truman, Annie Oakley, Jane Goodall, Guy Fawkes, Apartheid, Marie Curie, the Louvre Are you looking for free resources to accompany events which occurred today in history between November 1-8? Check out these free online resources. Develop cultural literacy with your students while exposing them to these topics! November […]
Featured this blog: China and the United Nations, Patriot Act, New York City Subway, Statue of Liberty, Genghis Khan, Anne Frank, Halloween History and Customs Share an event which happened on each day in history with your students and use the online free resources to help your students gain background information. October 25, 1971, the […]
Mother Teresa, The Alaska Purchase, Yorktown, Calico Jack, Florence Nightingale, Ringling Brothers, New Orleans Mint, Stock Market Crash and the Great Depression Teachers are so busy and Reading Specialty is here to help! Developing background information is critical to help our students comprehend. Use our Day In History events to talk about important topics which […]
Free Resource Corresponding to a Day In History for each of these topics/people: The Washington Monument, Susan B. Anthony, Hillary Clinton, Columbus Day, Margaret Thatcher, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Thomas Edison, John Brown Many struggling readers in upper grades do not have the background information the writer expects and therefore have difficulty comprehending material. Help your […]