Featured Strategy
Anticipation Guides
Anticipation guides are beloved by teachers because of their ability to engage all students. These guides challenge students to explore and analyze new information, and to think critically about what they may already know about a topic. In this way, anticipation guides add meaning to the reading even for students who might not be engaged by the topic at first.
Read more »
Featured Glossary Term
Scaffolding
Definition: A strategy in which students read story scripts or poetry aloud during an informal skit or performance. In this active approach to reading, a student assumes the role of a character and reads his script aloud. A teacher works with small groups of students to help them read their scripts accurately, fluently, and with proper inflection. This experience can improve a child's reading fluency, comprehension and self-confidence.
Featured Resource
Teacher's Guide to Using Video
Video is a powerful medium. And kids' unrelenting fascination with videos is motivating many educators to find ways to leverage them for all kinds of purposes. But the best ways of using videos are not always obvious. Teachers want to know: Among all the millions of videos out there, how do you find the best, across the content areas? Who are the great content creators, and what are the most well-curated sites? What kinds of videos are best for actual instruction? How do you get students engaged in discussion after watching videos? Hold your questions! KQED's Mind/Shift guide has answers for you.
Read article »
Research & News
Pay Attention to Attendance
Women and girls are historically underrepresented in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields. The authors of this blog post from Scientific American believe that one way to interest more girls in science is through storytelling rather than relying on outdated and fact-laden textbooks. The post provides several examples of recent books that tell fascinating science-based stories and intertwine science and stories.






