It can be challenging at the end of the school year for a teacher to keep students engaged and learning while matching their level of anticipation for summer break. This past school year a third-grade teacher came to discuss an… Read More ›
#AASLstandards
A Passion Project to Help Juniors Enjoy Research
It’s that time of year again when juniors are on their way to being academically exhausted. Our Advanced Placement English Language & Composition teachers tackled this fatigue by introducing passion projects to their 11th-grade classes. Allowing students to choose topics… Read More ›
Compare and Contrast: A Lesson With Picture Books
Why is it important to practice comparing and contrasting with learners? Because the exercise develops critical thinking skills and improves reading comprehension. There’s great value in considering how two or more entities are different, yet similar. Noticing and discussing differences… Read More ›
My Favorite Collaborative Lesson: Animal Crossings in 2nd Grade
In my school, we use a hybrid schedule in the library. This means that all lessons taught in first through third grade are done in collaboration with the homeroom teacher. The goal is to teach the library and… Read More ›
Two for Tuesday: Lessons with Two Picture Books
Developing lessons with picture books is easier if you have a theme in mind. Two for Tuesday is a fun way to introduce two books on the same topic. If you are strapped for time, try collaborating with another educator… Read More ›
A Year of Thinking Creatively in a Secondary Library
In January of 2021, I had a seed of an idea and a vision for my library that I put down on paper in my application for an AASL Inspire Special Event Grant. At the time, I was halfway through… Read More ›
My Favorite Collaborative Lesson: Talking about September 11th
In August, my school offered a school-wide professional development about Mind Brain Education (MBE) from The Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning (CTTL). The purpose of this professional development was to identify best teaching practices that are grounded in research. … Read More ›
How Teamwork and the AASL Standards Positioned Calvert County Public School Libraries for the NSLY Award
Three years ago, the idea of applying for the National School Library of the Year Award through AASL seemed distant. The school librarians at Calvert County Public Schools (CCPS) in Prince Frederick, Maryland, were doing great things in the district…. Read More ›
The Future Is Now
It is the beginning of a new academic year. Today, our faculty offered a student orientation activity. I met a group of first-year college students. Despite the trend of many nontraditional students entering college, these students all looked to be… Read More ›
Engage Learners with an Inquiry Lesson about Traveling to School
Would you like to start the school year with an inquiry lesson that supports the Engage Shared Foundation? Here’s an idea for you. Ask learners how they travel to school. Then, invite them to think about how children around the… Read More ›