Language Arts

Evaluating Characters on a Graph

Here's an idea to integrate two-dimensional graphing with deep character analysis. Use the right characters, and you've got an exciting debate on your hands. Plus, it leads to a beautiful product that's perfect for Open House.

I Compared Characters, Yet Stayed At “Remember”

I set up an Analyze question, but never actually asked it! All of these questions are at the "remember" level.

Concept Attainment: A Model for Inductive Thinking

The first grammar lesson in our reading program is titled "types of sentences." Nothing excites gifted 11 year olds less than watching me explain the difference between interrogative and declarative sentences. This year, rather than teach the lesson using direct instruction, I used another model of instruction: concept attainment.

From “Summarize” to “Synthesize”

Even what seems like a low-level "summarize" task can become beautifully high-level when we climb Bloom's Taxonomy.

Exploring Characters’ Virtues and Vices

What separates a life well-lived from a poorly lived life? Aristotle believed it was moderation: too much of good thing can become just as much of a problem as too little. Looking at traits as excessive, moderate, or lacking is a unique take on character analysis.

Details Should Lead To A Big Idea

Here are two questions I’d ask students about a story What are three important 🌼 details about the main character? What is the story’s 🏛️ moral? Now, details naturally lead to big ideas. But in this case, I switched topics from “main character” to “big idea, ” which broke the natural movement. If I ask […]

What Did You (Not) Do During Summer Break?

Ask your students to write about their summer breaks, but remix their activities into a new genre or setting. Perhaps they vacationed at Hogwarts, Mordor, or Tatooine? Not interested in a writing assignment?

Inductive Thinking in Spelling and Vocabulary

Let's look at a couple ways to bring inductive thinking into word studies. We'll examine simple plural rules all the way up to etymology of foreign words in English.

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