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Blogs on Upper Elementary (3-5)

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1
A (Very) Short Guide to Purchasing New Technology
Nicholas ProvenzanoApril 17, 2012
Tags Classroom Technology, Curriculum, Primary (K-2), Teacher Development, Upper Elementary (3-5), Middle (6-8), High (9-12)

I wanted to share a guide I have created when it comes to deciding on new technology purchases. It might seem complicated, but if you follow it, everyone will be happy.

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4
Ideas for Using Minecraft in the Classroom
Andrew MillerApril 13, 2012
Tags Classroom Technology, Game-Based Learning, Integrated Studies, Lesson Plans, Project-Based Learning, Technology Integration, Upper Elementary (3-5), Middle (6-8), High (9-12), English Language Arts, History, Math, Visual Arts

Minecraft in the Classroom is a recent addition to the field of game-based learning. It is a sandbox game where players can create and build, fight off enemies and explore vast landscapes.

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6
Secret to Better PBL? Focus on Problem-Finding
Suzie BossApril 13, 2012
Tags Project-Based Learning, Upper Elementary (3-5), Middle (6-8), High (9-12)

On April 22, a billion people around the world are expected to take part in Earth Day 2012 celebrations. Among the anticipated "billion acts of green" will be scores of events for students and schools, from gardening lessons to eco-fairs to solar cooking demonstrations. It could be an ideal set-up for young people to dive deeply into problem solving and creative thinking -- but only if we trust students to figure out which problems they want to tackle.

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1
Case Study: What Does it Take to Turn Around a School?
Rick WinterApril 12, 2012
Tags Accountability, Charter Schools, Community Partnerships, Comprehensive Assessment, Primary (K-2), Teacher Development, Upper Elementary (3-5)

How does a school go from struggling to success? My goal in this blog is to share success stories and resources to help you make a difference in all the schools with whom you make contact. There is a role for everyone here: principal, superintendent, teacher, parent, school board member, politician, community member and taxpayer.

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7
Celebrating National Poetry Month with Technology
Mary Beth HertzApril 10, 2012
Tags Arts Education, Classroom Technology, Integrated Studies, Literacy, Primary (K-2), Project-Based Learning, Technology Integration, Upper Elementary (3-5), Middle (6-8), High (9-12), English Language Arts

Poetry is one of my favorite forms of writing. As I wrote in a recent blog post, there was a time when poetry was "my grounding force, my way of grappling with the world, questions, uncertainty, joy, sorrow, conundrums, beauty, ugliness and all forms of life that living could throw in my direction."

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3
Five Future Technologies That Will Shape Our Classrooms
Nick GranthamApril 10, 2012
Tags Classroom Technology, Game-Based Learning, Media Literacy, Primary (K-2), Technology Integration, Upper Elementary (3-5), Middle (6-8), High (9-12)

Teleporting, flying cars and Back To The Future style hover-boards. These have all been promised to us within the next few years, but there is little hope of seeing them any time soon. These far-fetched technologies fill us with excitement about what the future may hold, inspiring generations of dreamers to learn math, science and engineering.

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2
Connecting School and Home: 360-Degree Communication
Matt LevinsonApril 9, 2012
Tags Community Partnerships, Media Literacy, Parental Involvement, , Technology Integration, Upper Elementary (3-5), Middle (6-8)

"Parenting is not for the faint of heart," novelist Harlan Coben writes. Let's face it, parenting is really hard, especially when parents feel that "a vast and frightening Internet culture is hijacking their kids," as New York psychologist Ron Taffel notes.

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4
Poetry Can Change a Student's Life
Bob LenzApril 6, 2012
Tags Teacher Development, Upper Elementary (3-5), Middle (6-8), High (9-12), English Language Arts

Day after day, Alone on a hill,
The man with the foolish grin is keeping perfectly still
But nobody wants to know him,
They can see that he's just a fool,
And he never gives an answer,

But the fool on the hill,
Sees the sun going down,
And the eyes in his head,
See the world spinning 'round

 --The Beatles

This poem was on the blackboard when I walked into Mr. Cooper's fifth grade classroom in 1975. Soon we were listening to the Beatles sing the Fool on the Hill and interpreting the poem as a class. This brief introduction to contemporary poets was the hook for a project that transformed my future: the Personal Poetry Book Project.

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18
How the Common Core Standards Tackle Problem Solving
Ben JohnsonApril 6, 2012
Tags Common Core Standards, Education Reform, Teacher Development, Upper Elementary (3-5), Middle (6-8), High (9-12)

When the word creativity is used, the left side of my head begins to hurt. Now why would that happen? Let's see, could be the years of exposure to right and left brain mumbo jumbo?

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3
How Instructional Coaches Can Help Transform Schools
Elena AguilarApril 5, 2012
Tags Primary (K-2), Professional Development, Teacher Development, Upper Elementary (3-5), Middle (6-8), High (9-12), All Grades

Traditionally, instructional coaches have played a rather narrow role in schools, usually working primarily one-on-one with another teacher. This work is important and coaches can be instrumental in developing the skills of teachers. But, if the conditions are right, coaches can work in several additional ways to support the transformation of a site.

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