Argumentation is an important mathematical practice, highlighted by research and policy documents that describe ways to structure reform-oriented classrooms (Nardi and Knuth 2017; NCTM 2000; NGA Center and CCSSI 2010). Participating in argumentation can enhance students' mathematics learning as they make sense of mathematical ideas, provide…

The New York State Education Department (NYSED) has a partnership with Questar Assessment Inc. (Questar) for the development of the 2020 Grades 3-8 Mathematics Tests. Teachers from across the State work with NYSED in a variety of activities to ensure the validity and reliability of the New York State Testing Program (NYSTP). The 2020 Grades 6-8…

The New York State Department of Education (NYSED) has a partnership with Questar Assessment Inc. (Questar) for the development of the 2020 Grades 3-8 Mathematics Tests. Teachers from across the State work with NYSED in a variety of activities to ensure the validity and reliability of the New York State Testing Program (NYSTP). The 2020 Grades 6-8…

"Personalized Learning in the Middle Grades" shows how teachers in grades 5--8 can leverage the use of personalized learning plans (PLPs) to increase student agency and engagement, helping youth to establish learning goals aligned with their interests and assess their own learning--particularly around essential skills that cut across…

In education, "dialogue protocols," or "protocols," are structured guidelines that were developed to promote meaningful and efficient communication and learning. They are "vehicles for building the skills--and culture-- necessary for collaborative work. The authors share protocols that were found to transform practices…

The New York State Education Department (NYSED) has a partnership with Questar Assessment Inc. (Questar) for the online delivery of the 2023 Elementary-Level (Grade 5) and Intermediate-Level (Grade 8) Science Computer-Based Field Tests. Teachers from across the State work with NYSED in a variety of activities to ensure the validity and reliability…

Do your students need more opportunities do develop number sense and reasoning? Are you looking to get your students energized and talking about mathematics? Have you wondered how practical, replicable, and engaging activities would complement your mathematics instruction? This guide answers the question "What could I do differently?" by…

The detected decline in middle school students' school engagement during the period of young adolescence is concerning. As middle school can be perceived as a time in which plans for higher education and career considerations begin to take shape, planting seeds for future aspirations certainly seems appropriate. This article draws on the…

The aim of this study was to provide an effective teaching of the transformation of electrical energy into light energy to eighth-grade middle school students with visual impairment. The needs of these students were identified prior to designing the material. Their general and special needs were also taken into account. A case study approach was…

The New York State Education Department (NYSED) has a partnership with Questar Assessment Inc. (Questar) for the online delivery of the 2022 Elementary-Level (Grade 5) and Intermediate-Level (Grade 8) Science Computer-Based Field Tests. Teachers from across the State work with NYSED in a variety of activities to ensure the validity and reliability…

Good writers don't wing it--they have a plethora of skills. They list, picture, circle, strategize and revise to make language come alive. They know what to use and when. Like ace athletes, they are highly trained, well-versed in the techniques found in this lively book. "Writing Workouts" provides a method for instruction that gives…

The New York State Education Department (NYSED) has a partnership with Questar Assessment Inc. (Questar) for the development of the 2020 Grades 3-8 English Language Arts Tests. Teachers from across the State work with NYSED in a variety of activities to ensure the validity and reliability of the New York State Testing Program (NYSTP). The 2020…

Teaching grammar can be overwhelming and is often an overlooked part of effective instruction. "The Middle School Grammar Toolkit" to the rescue! Now in its second edition, this comprehensive guide makes grammar instruction fun and meaningful. You will learn how to: (1) Teach grammar in a practical and applicable way by presenting each…

The Common Core's Standards for Mathematical Practice encourage teachers to develop their students' ability to reason abstractly and quantitatively by helping students make sense of quantities and their relationships within problem situations. The seventh-grade content standards include objectives pertaining to developing linear equations in…

Lesson study cultivates teachers' capacity for formative assessment by placing student thinking front and center throughout. Lesson study is a form of professional development in which a team of teachers determines a mathematical focus, collaboratively studies student thinking about the topic, designs a lesson about this content, implements the…