It makes sense that an emphasis on new ways of reading and writing fits easily within the Common Core umbrella. After all, a primary thrust of the new standards is college and career readiness. How can young people be prepared to thrive in today's society--in which people are connected 24 hours a day by media and coworkers may well live in…

Describes a sixth-grade language arts classroom's experience with the "Write for Your Life" project, which led to a partnership between University of Texas faculty and Austin classroom teachers. Students construct life narratives, generate questions from these narratives, and conduct investigations to learn about their experiences.…

Describes Apple Computer's Early Language Connections (ELC) program. Designed for K-2 grades, ELC integrates Macintosh computers, children's literature, instructional software, and other curriculum materials, including sample lessons constructed around thematic units. The literature-based product uses a whole-language approach (with phonics…