Curriculum and Instruction Commons^™

Jack's Brain, Jill's Brain: Why Gender Differences Matter, Shauna F. King

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

This workshop introduces participants to the rapidly emerging research on how the brains of females and males are developmentally, structurally and functionally different. Based on these differences, participants will learn academic approaches customized to the distinctly different learning styles of girls and boys.

Using Computer Games To Motivate At-Risk Students To Studious Learners, Dawn M. White

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

Motivation is the key factor in the academic success of students. Tapping into students’ interests keeps them engaged in learning. One major interest in all students is computer games. Learn about the numerous and free education games available on the Internet and how to use them to transform at–risk students into studious learners. Target Audience: elementary, middle and high school teachers, school counselors, & parents

A Socio-Culturally Responsive Pedagogical Approach To Advance Migrant Students Literacy, Alma D. Stevenson, Scott Beck

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

This presentation describes an innovative summer literacy program for intermediate and middle-level children of migrant farm workers that presented them with over two dozen children’s picture storybooks with migrancy themes, and systematically documented their responses to the books. Using these mentor texts and their responses as scaffolding, the students collaborated to create semi-autobiographical, illustrated narratives about growing up as migrants.

Using Ipads And Video-Based Instruction To Teach Algebra To High School Students With Disabilities, Elias Clinton, Tom J. Clees

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

This presentation targets a study in which four high school students with disabilities were taught to solve algebraic equations using iPads and video-based instruction. All students showed immediate increases in accurate responding following the introduction of the video-based intervention. This presentation provides practitioners with a flexible technology-based intervention for students with disabilities in need of grade-level academic instruction. The intervention could be used across a variety of subjects and academic tasks.

Rigor Demystified, Now What?: Applying & Aligning Webb’S Depth Of Knowledge To Literacy & Math Instruction., Barbara Serianni, Kelly Brooksher

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

After exploring the four levels of cognitive rigor in Webb’s Depth of Knowledge (DOK) and the alignment to the Common Core. Participants will further engage in hands-on activities designed to model the application of DOK in the content areas of literacy and mathematics to improve instructional alignment, increase student engagement, and ensure appropriate rigor in classroom activities and assessment.

Transformation From Text To Voicethreads And Not Looking Back, Curtis Izen

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

Reading Horizons Vol. 55 No. 1

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

No abstract provided.

English-Spanish Cognates In The Charlotte Zolotow Award Picture Books: Vocabulary, Morphology, And Orthography Lessons For Latino Ells, José A. Montelongo, Anita C. Hernández, Roberta J. Herter

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

English-Spanish cognates are words that are orthographically and semantically identical or nearly identical in English and Spanish as a result of a common etymology. Because of the similarities in the two languages, Spanish-dominant Latino English Language Learners (ELLs) can be taught to recognize English cognates thereby increasing their bilingualism and bi-literacy for these two languages.

There are over 20,000 English-Spanish cognates, many of the academic vocabulary words. Despite their vast educational potential, however, cognates are typically excluded as a word category in the language arts curriculum, thus denying Latino ELLs of a resource for acquiring English-Spanish bilingualism and bi-literacy.

English-Spanish …

Motivated To Engage: Learning From The Literacy Stories Of Pre-Service Teachers, Deborah Macphee, Sherry Sanden

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

The influence of motivation on readers' behaviors has received wide attention in literacy scholarship. The importance of readers’ motivations for reading becomes critical when considered in relation to readers’ engagement with reading activities and their perceptions of themselves a competent. This article presents a qualitative study of pre-service teachers’ literacy history stories and reflections on their identities as literate individuals. The stories represented pre-service teachers’ perceptions of home and school literacy experiences that either motivated or discouraged them from engaging in literacy activities. Their reflections were an account of how their experiences may have influenced their current self-perceptions and engagement …

Reading Comprehension Strategies In Secondary Content Area Classrooms: Teacher Use Of And Attitudes Towards Reading Comprehension Instruction, Molly Ness

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

The purpose of this mixed methodology study was to identify the frequency of reading comprehension instruction in middle and high school social studies and science classrooms. An additional purpose was to explore teachers' perceptions of and beliefs about the need for reading comprehension instruction. In 2,400 minutes of direct classroom observation, a total of 82 minutes (3%) of reading comprehension instruction was observed. The qualitative findings reveal that teachers did not feel qualified or responsible for providing explicit instruction on reading comprehension. Teachers pointed to the pressure to cover content in preparation for state standardized tests as barriers to providing …

The Contribution Of Morphological Knowledge To 7th Grade Students’ Reading Comprehension Performance, Kouider Mokhtari, Joanna Neel, Abbey Matatall, Andrea Richards

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

In this study, we examined the role of morphology, an important yet largely understudied source of difficulty, in reading ability among 7^th grade students in one junior high school in the southwestern United States. We sought to find out how much variance in reading ability is accounted for by these students’ morphological knowledge, and whether skilled readers do in fact have higher levels of morphological knowledge than less skilled student peers. We found that students’ sensitivity to the morphological structure of words accounted for 18% of the variance in these students’ reading performance. We further found that skilled readers …

The Impact Of Daily 5 And Cafe Literacy Framework On Reading Comprehension In Struggling Fourth Grade Readers: A Case Study, Sandra Lee Duty

Dissertations and Theses

For decades, struggling readers have been a central focus of American public schools. In the United States, many students who struggle with reading comprehension are not receiving high-quality instruction that ensures comprehension of text. Elementary teachers are faced with the challenge of how to structure and organize literacy instruction that ensures growth in reading comprehension for struggling students.

The purpose of this case study is to explore the impact of a reading framework on fourth grade struggling students’ reading comprehension, attitudes and engagement. This case study looks specifically at the impact of the Daily 5 and CAFÉ literacy framework that …

Word-Slam Stories As Venues For Stimulating Learning And Developing Agency With Urban High School Students, Elite Ben-Yosef, Limor Pinhasi-Vittorio

The Qualitative Report

Word-slam was used with our high school urban students as instrument and method to elicit engagement with learning and develop agency through personal storytelling. The word-slam text (as it appears on YouTube and in hard-copy format as well) was chosen due to its being a personal story and an alternative, artistic and critical form of text that our students could relate to directly as the format and content were relevant to their lives and experiences. By using the text as a mentor text and studying the author’s craft together, students were able to write, rewrite and develop their own word-slam …

Session E-3: Addressing Ngss Engineering Standards With An Alternative Energy Module, Peter Clancy, Mark Carlson

Professional Learning Day

In our Engineering class at IMSA, we have taught an Alternative Energy unit over the last four semesters. We will discuss how the 4 engineering NGSS standards are addressed through the various activities involved with this unit. We will also discuss how the unit has evolved over the last 2 years.

Session E-2: Function Fundamentals, More Than X And Y, Carlo Ordonez, Steven M. Condie

Professional Learning Day

How many of your students say that √9 = ±3? This may have to do with a lack of understanding of functions. This session will highlight some of the nuances of functions with less formal, non-formula driven examples with which students can expand their understanding.

Session E-1: Labs For Waves, Sound, And Optics, Brooke Schmidt

Professional Learning Day

I've been reworking our labs for waves, sound, and light this semester and I would like to share my work with you. These are a mix of both derivation and application experiments. I will also give suggestions for modifications for the middle school level.

Session D-2: Teaching The Russian Revolution 2.0, Steven Buenning

Professional Learning Day

Early in April 1917, Lenin crossed the Russian border and returned to his homeland, courtesy of a sealed train arranged by the German government. Almost 100 years ago, the Russian Revolution shook the world – and it still does today. Learn how fresh ideas, websites, group activities, a terrific new book, and a teaching unit from the Choices Program (Brown University) – featuring an exciting role play – can energize your classroom. See how the Russian Revolution can ignite your students’ passion for history!

Session D-4: From Guernica To Nuremberg: Teaching Human Rights Themes In Mid-20th-Century History, Peter Carroll, Eric Smith

Professional Learning Day

A critical turning point in modern warfare—aviation, civilian casualties, and population displacement during the Spanish Civil War and World War II—led to the Nuremberg Tribunals and UN Declaration of Human Rights, foreshadowing contemporary debates about bombing, drones, refugees/immigration, and interventionist foreign policies. This session will span World History and US History, drawing from free archival primary sources (graphic and textual) that reveal changing perceptions of warfare.

Session D-1: Science And Spaghetti Monsters: Addressing The Ethical Issues And Controversy Related To Genomics And Evolution In The Biology Classroom, Sarah O'Leary-Driscoll

Professional Learning Day

As science teachers, we may shy away from addressing the controversy surrounding particular topics in our classrooms in order to maintain focus on content. However, the real world context of knowledge is essential, and the performance expectations in the life sciences as outlined in the NGSS state that students should be able to discuss the ethical issues related to genetic modifications and the nature of science. We will discuss ideas for how to address these topics effectively and help our students understand their importance beyond academics in our global community.

Session C-4: Mary Lincoln’S Journey, Mary Kerr

Professional Learning Day

Lincoln's Journey will detail in an interesting and objective manner the pivotal points in her life: early feelings about slavery, the decision to leave Lexington and settle in Springfield, IL, being a single mother while her husband was "riding the circuit", her continued support of Lincoln as a national politician, restoration of the White House, and her inability to make positive decisions after Lincoln's assassination. In the end she was able to live on a budget and died with dignity. The presentation follows the book Mary Lincoln's Journey by Kerr and Kerr in which primary sources are emphasized.

Session D-3: The Mathematical Wonders Of Pascal's Triangle, Donald Porzio

Professional Learning Day

Most mathematics teachers are aware of the some of the more straightforward connections Pascal's Triangle has to mathematics. Come explore some of the lesser known connections that can be used to peak your students' interest and entice them into exploring the mathematics behind these connections.

Session D-2: Science And The Feminine: A Cultural Examination, Robert Kiely

Professional Learning Day

This session will explore the treatment of the feminine in science and natural philosophy from Antiquity to the 20th century. We will examine different views of the female role in nature and generation, and trace the links between such views and the treatment of women in society. We will also study changing notions of the relationship between gender and mind, and we will consider how such views have affected the place of women in the scientific community.

Session F-6: “To Infinity And Beyond” – Exploring Ways To Teach An Abstract Concept, Nicole Ross

Professional Learning Day

Imagine a numberless world. I wonder if you can. No need for calculations, or counting tools of man. Imagine all the people living without 1, 2, 3’s…Abstract concepts are often difficult to teach. Students frequently desire concrete examples of calculations or real-world connections to concepts. The concrete becomes increasingly difficult when numbers are extraordinarily large or small. Join us as we explore techniques designed to provide real-world connections and help make numbers, big, small, or infinite, easier to understand.

Session F-2: Simple Chemistry Labs And Activities To Teach Difficult And Important Concepts, Dave Devol, Deb Scarano, Anita White

Professional Learning Day

This will be a hands-on session where participants will perform four chemistry activities/experiments (two of the experiments will be a variation on one theme). The topics will include bonding, equilibrium, and stoichiometry. Teachers will be provided with copies of the activities to take back to their classes. In the spirit of learning together, we ask participants to bring their favorite activity/lab to share with the group (these labs will not be performed, just shared. Bringing an activity to share is optional, not required).

Session F-1: Exploration Geometry: Hands-On Transformations, Lindsey Herlehy, David Hernandez, Karen Togliatti

Professional Learning Day

In this session, participants will engage in a series of hands-on, minds-on Geometry lessons designed to explore the four transformations. By completing several critical thinking challenges, teachers will use the Common Core Mathematical Practices and various manipulatives to investigate how figures rotate, dilate, translate, and reflect within a plane. Appropriate for multiple grade levels, teachers will leave the session with all instructional plans and various ways to adapt the lesson based on the needs of their students.

Session F-4: Developing Parametric Equations Using Mathematical Modeling, Mark Kammrath

Professional Learning Day

Designing project to develop student understanding of parametric equations and two modeling situations in which they are applied. No previous knowledge of parametrics is required by the students. The project requires two days of class time, with the remaining work done outside of class. This project is intended to be given three days into a unit on vectors.

Session F-3: “It Is Rocket Science”, Carmela Jones, Christine L. Moskalik

Professional Learning Day

All current NASA rocket launchers are no longer useable because all of the available rocket-fuel sources on Earth have been depleted. Participants will serve as NASA engineers tasked with developing non-fuel-based rocket launcher prototypes in an effort to maintain current and future NASA space programs and missions. Model how you will get your students to take off with Rocket Science.

Session C-1: Crusades: The Bridging Of The East And West And The End Of The Middle Ages, George Haldaman

Professional Learning Day

This seminar will examine how to make the Crusades an easy concept for high school students to understand. By examining the cultural exchange that occurred between the Christians and Muslims, we will examine the legacy of the Crusades by discussing how they brought an end to the Middle Ages by sharing ideas, diseases, and knowledge. The seminar will also present lesson plans you can use to teach this turning point in history.

Session B-2: Is Stem Truly For All: Motivating Black And Latino Students To Engage In Stem, Adrienne Coleman

Professional Learning Day

This presentation takes an intricate look at the factors that motivate gifted and talented Black and Latino students to engage in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). According to the literature, the U.S. workforce could employ as many as 140,000 additional Black and Latino college graduates in STEM fields annually if the gap in college completion by Blacks and Latinos closed to roughly match that of the White and Asian student graduation rates. Thus, the goal of this presentation is to inform administrators, educators, and programs of a 5-step motivation-based process that encourages Black and Latino students to engage in …

Session B-1: Model Building In Planetary Science And The Ngss, Eric Hawker

Professional Learning Day

In this session I will guide teachers through the steps my students take in Planetary Science to develop a conceptual model of how planetary interiors work. Teachers will then create concept maps from their conceptual models, and then use their models and maps to understand planetary systems other than Earth.