Are You Looking for Non-fiction Material for Students to Read?

Jazz up your lessons with some great non-fiction articles for your students to read! Check out the suggestions below to incorporate in your classroom:

• DOGOnews - the leading source for current events, news and non-fictional content for ELA, Science, and Social Studies. Thousands of news articles and original content added daily for students, teachers, and schools. Other DOGO media includes DOGObooks, DOGOmovies, IDOGO, and DOGOteachers
  
• Newsela - has an app or website to access nonfiction in any subject. Many articles are from sources like the Associated Press, Washington Post, and Scientific American. They have material in five reading levels to engage K-12 students in high-interest nonfiction, current events, primary sources, speeches, biographies, and historical news. I love how you can filter your search by choosing grade level and also by reading skills. There are 8 different reading skills that you can filter: 
     
            1) What the Text Says
            2) Central Idea
            3) People, Events & Ideas
            4) Word Meaning & Choice
            5) Text Structure
            6) Point of View/Purpose
            7) Multimedia
            8) Arguments & Claims
  
• TweenTribune - News from Smithsonian for K-12 teachers. Locate news articles and assign stories with a single click through digital devices. They have a "Monday Morning Ready" newsletter as prep for the week ahead if you want to incorporate easy weekly lesson plans. TweenTribune also has Weekly Videos that answer questions from Smithsonian experts.
  
• Kids Discover Online -  Award-winning library of science and social studies material on any device, at any time. Free sign-up to get started. Kids Discover has been around for over 25 years and now is online! Go to the Resources tab to read from their blog, or on infographics, or their Quick Reads section. Of course, there is also a Kids Discover app for devices!
  
• KidsHealth - Most visited site on the Web for information about health, behavior, and development from before  birth through the teen years. Really 4 sites in one, having sections for parents, kids, teens, and educators. KidsHealth is more than just the facts about health. It provides families with perspective, advice, and comfort about a wide range of physical, emotional, and behavioral issues that affect children and teens.
  
• NASA Stories- go here to get current articles about NASA events and the current missions or launches in progress.  Check out the archived stories and all the different tab categories. There is a whole section for students, as well as a NASA Kids' Club with games to play to learn more about NASA.

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Posted in articles, current events, devices, educator, games, health, news, newspaper, non-fiction, online, parents, Reading, resources, science, skills, Smithsonian, Social Studies, students

Which Step are You On?

This time of year finds most educators reflecting on their year and taking strides on improving before the new year rolls around. Your highly qualified teachers are those who never stop learning or improving themselves. As most of us claim, we are "Life-Long Learners" and strive to better ourselves. Today, I came across a visual that I want to share. It speaks boldly and can be applied to many different circumstances in life. Which step are you on? Where do you "get stuck" most of the time?

Every teacher takes these steps on the path from mediocre to innovator. Which step are you on? #edtechchat #edchat pic.twitter.com/Li9zxOeRw3

— Weston Kieschnick (@Wes_Kieschnick) June 1, 2017

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Posted in best, better, educator, Goals, innovative, mediocre, reflection, reflective

The What and Why of a Professional Learning Network

ASCD Express 8.09 - The What and Why of a Professional Learning Network

Well written article by +Tom Whitby of the Educator's PLN. He stresses how educators need to lead their own education reform and now is the time.


Visit The Educator's PLN

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Posted in educator, future, learning, pln, PLNs, reform, tom whitby

20 Technology Skills that Every Educator Should Have | Digital Learning Environments

20 Technology Skills that Every Educator Should Have | Digital Learning Environments

I thought this might be a great summer challenge for teachers. Choose a few to learn this summer as a goal before beginning the next school year. I will admit that I am lacking on #15 LOL!

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Posted in Challenge, DLE, educator, Goals, skills