A recent research study approached the idea of scientific literacy by assuming that a limited number of vocabulary words were important for the average person to understand scientific articles. Brossard,Dominique and Shanahan, James. Do They Know What They Read? Building a Scientific Literacy Measurement Instrument Based on Science Media Coverage. (pdf) They emphasize not general [...]
April 18, 2013
Next Gen Science Standards: What Topic at What Grade?
What is Common Core Science? In a press release on April 9, the NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards), it was announced that the final version of the new science standards are now available. Here some answers to questions being raised about the standards, a FAQ. Will the NGSS become the Common Core Science Standards? The [...]
April 9, 2013
Fact or Opinion: A CCSS ELA Lesson Plan
Facts. They are important. They are the basis of our educational system, the foundation of science and industry, and a clear emphasis in the Common Core State Standards. In both reading and writing, students will be expected to use fact based evidence of their comprehension and compositions. Yet our students are not always clear on [...]
March 18, 2013
Fake Website: Teach Students to Assess Websites
by Stephanie Bearce Years ago if a child asked a teacher the meaning of a word, the teacher’s automatic answer was “Look it up in the dictionary.” Now the temptation is to say “Google it.” The internet is here to stay and with it comes a plethora of information sites, access to online magazines, eBooks, [...]
October 29, 2012
Common Core Resources: Rubrics, science and latest news
Here are some updated resources, critiques, videos and comments about the Common Core for the week. From Turnitin.com comes six sets of Common Core rubrics for argumentative, informative and narrative essays from 9-10 and 11-12. You must give them an email, but then it is a free download. Each Friday, the New York Times posts [...]
October 16, 2012
Celebrate Nonfiction!
Guest post by Alexis O’Neill There’s a new award that shines a light on a formerly unrepresented class in early childhood books – the Correll Award for Excellence in Early Childhood Informational Text. This award will given to books that are written for the purpose of “informing the reader,” and employing a variety of structures, [...]
May 8, 2012
Common Core Standards and Science
UPDATE: Next Gen Science Standards were released in April, 2013. Here is a collection of recent videos with education experts talking about the impact of the Common Core State Standards on science education. UPDATE: The National Science Teacher Association and the Children’s Book Council review books each year and produce a list of recommended. Here [...]
May 20, 2011
Science Common Core Standards
UPDATE: Next Gen Science Standards were released in April, 2013. Common Core Standards for Science are in development. The English Language Arts standards addresses science in the Science, Social Studies and Technical Subjects Appendix (pdf download) and how they integrate reading, writing and listening into the subject areas. Essentially, in elementary school, the English Language [...]
