1. Technology
1.1. Avoid
1.1.1. Using technology just because it is available, make sure there is a purpose!
1.1.2. Using technology you don't understand. Students may know more but you should be able to navigate the websites you use easily.
1.2. Webquests
1.2.1. creating an assignment completely online with Weebly.com
1.2.2. Give students the links or sites to go to, don't just tell them to Google it. You don't want them on Wikipedia.
1.3. Assessments
1.3.1. Grade Cam App & website
1.3.1.1. taking pictures of tests instead of grading by hand
1.3.1.2. great way for feed forward to be given to students; tracks class quizzes
1.3.2. Socrative
1.3.2.1. online quiz tool that has a great interface
1.3.3. Google Forms
1.3.3.1. can use a lot of different types of questions
2. Close Reading
2.1. Purpose: To get students to engage with the reading and have a purpose while reading.
2.2. Close reading worksheets
2.2.1. Students sit in a circle
2.2.2. Students read it a section at a time
2.2.3. Variety of Questions
2.2.3.1. literal level
2.2.3.2. interpretive level
2.2.3.3. applied level
2.2.4. Include some vocabulary
2.3. AVOID
2.3.1. Choosing excerpts that are far too long and won't hold your students attention.
2.4. Talk to the Text a.k.a. make notes on passage while reading
2.4.1. works best when you have photo copies
2.4.2. have students look for details to support a larger question
2.5. Should make students have to read the material more than once, probably several times.
3. Vocabulary
3.1. Tiers
3.1.1. Tier 1: Basic words that appear in everyday language and speech.
3.1.1.1. Examples: clock; computer
3.1.2. Tier 2: Academic words that appear over many content areas and are frequently used.
3.1.2.1. Examples: encounter; visuals
3.1.2.2. Focus on these words because they are needed by students the most.
3.1.3. Tier 3: Not so frequently used words that are specialized to a content area.
3.1.3.1. Examples: golgibody; synecdoche
3.1.3.2. Sometimes it is best to give the definition of these words to students
3.2. Avoid: The standard quiz at the end of week vocabulary where students forget the words by the next week
3.3. Integrate the vocabulary into assignments like close reading
3.4. Vocabulary word wall
3.5. Small amounts of vocabulary instead of a set amount of vocabulary words every week.
4. Journals
4.1. Purpose: To get students writing in a non-formal setting
4.2. Avoid
4.2.1. Journal topics that get way too personal!
4.2.2. Overusing journals...you will have to read them all.
4.2.3. Journals as diaries
4.3. They don't have to be long, a quick sentence or two
4.4. Exit slip, what did you learn today?
4.5. Some Types of Journals
4.5.1. dialectic
4.5.2. Character POV
4.5.2.1. RAFT!
4.5.3. metacognitive (learning log)
4.5.4. Unsent letter
4.6. Use Journals to Start the class
4.6.1. introduce a topic in the journal get students thinking about the topic you'll be teaching.
4.6.2. Activating prior knowledge with a journal!