The Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards in English Language Arts (ELA) represent the work of the ELA Standards Review Committee, who, during the 2019-2020 school year, reviewed the 2010 Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards in English Language Arts, other states' recently revised standards, current academic research, K-12 instructional best practices…

With the growth of online, virtual, and blended learning, there has been an increase in the demand for access to differentiated, quality online resources that are both student- and teacher-friendly for advanced or gifted and talented learners. The included resources have one or more combinations of exploratory, meaningful, and relevant content,…

Courses: This activity could be used in courses where persuasion, dialogue, and communication ethics are primary. Thus, a communication ethics course, or course units where students discuss ethics, would be appropriate. For instance, even a human communication course could use this activity to describe ethical treatment of "the other" or…

Course: Small Group Communication. Objectives: Students will identify their personality traits; synthesize the relationship between personality, small-group interdependence, and grouphate; and apply collaborative skills and knowledge of individual personality differences in building small-group success.

Have you ever imagined yourself as a teacher leader but were not quite sure whether you really had--or could develop--the necessary skills? Have you wondered what the first steps toward becoming a teacher leader might be, what kinds of approaches work best, and how you could overcome the inevitable challenges that come with leading your colleagues…

Courses: Interpersonal communication, relational communication, language and social interaction, professional communication, interviewing practices. Objectives: This single class activity enables students to understand the theoretical foundations of conversation and to develop their conversational skills by talking in dyads with classmates. Upon…

Human-made pollution is a large and complex problem that has harmful effects on communities and ecosystems. Understanding these impacts is essential, but it can be daunting when many types of chemical pollution are difficult to conceptualize, especially for elementary school students. Something every student can understand, however, is trash.…

While reading, writing, and arithmetic remain important, they are no longer enough. For learners to thrive, they must move beyond traditional literacies to modern fluencies--the unconscious mental processes that are learned, adapted, and applied in the context of real-world problems and challenges. In this book, the authors unpack the fluencies…

Establishing a student-centered classroom environment where learning puts students' interests first is essential for middle school students to learn and thrive. Student success does not simply rely on instruction; it relies on external factors such as school and classroom climate, positive relationships with their teachers and other adults, and a…

Skills in communication and collaboration can be just as important as content knowledge and technical skills in the workplace. So what are schools doing to foster these skills? English language arts teacher Alexis Wiggins adapted the Socratic seminar model to make it student-led and collaborative. Under her new approach, the Spider Web…

Physical educators generally understand the importance of the affective domain for student growth and development. However, many teachers struggle with assessing affective behaviors in a way that can be documented and reported. The five-step process outlined in this article can assist teachers in developing an effective way to assess the affective…

"Engaging Parents in Productive Partnerships" is an easy-to-read presentation of suggestions on how educators and service providers can effectively collaborate with parents including specific recommendations for individualized education programs (IEPs) for students who receive special education and related services. The skillful…

To graduate high school fully prepared for college and the workforce, students need more than basic literacy skills. They need to master the distinct approaches to literacy that are used in academic disciplines such as science, mathematics, and history--as well as Career Technical Education courses. Many students still struggle to master more…

The experiences of children's play have a profound impact on all areas of their growth and development. Memories of play can be vivid and detailed. These memories often have a treasured place in our hearts and minds. Educators and parents have a special opportunity to ask themselves, "What kind of memories of play do I hope for the children…

This article presents an engineering challenge that the authors have used for a number of years to kick off the science program. It immediately involves all the children, while setting the tone for inquiry and increased levels of student responsibility. The activity, entitled Construction Conundrum, is a lesson written in the design brief format…