Archive for ReadWriteThink.org

ReadWriteThink.org has been nominated as the Best Site From Which You Can Download Free Lessons and Materials in Edutopia's Readers' Survey 2008, which was conducted at Edutopia.org March 26 to April 30, 2008.

The nominees in this category are ReadWriteThink.org, Thinkfinity, and Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators. In online voting thus far, ReadWriteThink.org has drawn nearly two-thirds of the vote (64 percent). To vote or make a comment, visit the voting page. To learn more about the survey in general, visit the survey home page.

 Each month, the ReadWriteThink.org Calendar offers quick classroom activities, lesson plans, Web links, and texts pertaining to various reading–related and general interest events. Here is a sampling of the links for March.

March 1: Begins National Women's History Month.
March 3: Read Across America Day celebrates Dr. Seuss.
March 4: Teen Tech Week begins.
March 6: Author Gabriel García Márquez was born.
March 22: Randolph Caldecott was born in 1846.

There also are links relating to other noted authors and events, and more. For further information, visit the website. The ReadWriteThink.org is a nonprofit website maintained by the International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English with support from the Verizon Foundation, and in association with the Thinkfinity consortium. The site provides free lesson plans, interactive student materials, Web resources, and standards for K-12 classroom teachers of reading and the English language arts. Visit the main site.

Whether it’s the story of people risking their lives to free slaves through the Underground Railroad, the dynamic message of Dr. Martin Luther King or the historic Supreme Court case of Brown vs. Board of Education, Black History Month presents a tremendous opportunity for teachers to share these valuable stories with their students.

To assist educators in finding unique and engaging lesson plans and educational resources reflective of Black History Month, which is observed in February, Thinkfinity.org has created a special section on its home page that provides dozens of resources that bring those lessons to life.

Thinkfinity.org is the Verizon Foundation’s free comprehensive program and online portal to more than 55,000 educational resources, including grade-specific, K-12 lesson plans, and other student interactives provided in partnership with 11 of the nation's leading educational organizations including the International Reading Association. Visit Thinkfinity.org.

 Each month, the ReadWriteThink.org Calendar offers quick classroom activities, lesson plans, Web links, and texts pertaining to various reading–related and general interest events. Here is a sampling of the links for January in 2008, a leap year.

January 1: Annie Moore, a 15-year-old Irish girl, is the first immigrant to enter Ellis Island, New York, in 1892.
January 8: Elvis Presley was born in 1935.
January 14: The American Library Association announces the book award winners for 2008.
January 15: Martin Luther King, Jr. was born in 1929.
January 22: The “1984” MacIntosh commercial aired in 1984 during Super Bowl XVIII.
January 28: The Space Shuttle Challenger exploded in 1986.

There also are links relating to other noted authors and events, and more. For further information, visit the website. The ReadWriteThink.org is a nonprofit website maintained by the International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English with support from the Verizon Foundation, and in association with the Thinkfinity consortium. The site provides free lesson plans, interactive student materials, Web resources, and standards for K-12 classroom teachers of reading and the English language arts. Visit the main site.

 Each month, the ReadWriteThink.org Calendar offers quick classroom activities, lesson plans, Web links, and texts pertaining to various reading–related and general interest events. Here is a sampling of the links for November, National American Indian Heritage Month:

November 1: Celebrate National Family Literacy Day!
November 8: Bram Stoker, author of Dracula was born in 1847.
November 12: Celebrate National Children's Book Week.
November 19: President Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address in 1863.
November 22: America celebrates Thanksgiving Day!
November 29: Louisa May Alcott was born in 1832.

There also are links relating to other noted authors and events, and more. For further information, visit the website. The ReadWriteThink.org is a nonprofit website maintained by the International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English with support from the Verizon Foundation, and in association with the Thinkfinity consortium. The site provides free lesson plans, interactive student materials, Web resources, and standards for K-12 classroom teachers of reading and the English language arts. Visit the main site.

 Each month, the ReadWriteThink.org Calendar offers quick classroom activities, lesson plans, Web links, and texts pertaining to various reading–related and general interest events. Here is a sampling of the links for October:

October 1: Celebrate Banned Book Week.
October 5: The 2007 Children’s Choices booklist is published.
October 8: Author, painter, quilter, storyteller Faith Ringgold was born in 1930.
October 12: Christopher Columbus Day
October 15: Teen Read Week begins.
October 25: Artist Pablo Picasso was born in 1881.
October 31: Boo! It's Halloween!

There also are links relating to other noted authors and events, and more. For further information, visit the website. The ReadWriteThink.org is a nonprofit website maintained by the International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English with support from the Verizon Foundation, and in association with the Thinkfinity consortium. The site provides free lesson plans, interactive student materials, Web resources, and standards for K-12 classroom teachers of reading and the English language arts. Visit the main site.

 Each month, the ReadWriteThink.org Calendar offers quick classroom activities, lesson plans, Web links, and texts pertaining to various reading–related and general interest events. Here is a sampling of the links for September:

September 1: National Library Card Month begins.
September 8: International Literacy Day
September 9: National Grandparents Day
September 10: National No-Bully Week
September 15: Hispanic Heritage Month begins.
September 23: Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, was integrated in 1957.
September 30: Elie Wiesel, author, humanitarian, Nobel Peace Prize winner was born in 1928.

There also are links relating to other noted authors and events, and more. For further information, visit the website. The ReadWriteThink.org is a nonprofit website maintained by the International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English with support from the Verizon Foundation, and in association with the Thinkfinity consortium. The site provides free lesson plans, interactive student materials, Web resources, and standards for K-12 classroom teachers of reading and the English language arts. Visit the main site.

Teachers looking for some back-to-school ideas to help transform their classrooms into cohesive learning communities can check out the following lesson plans on ReadWriteThink.org. These lessons are peer reviewed by literacy experts and classroom teachers, and feature measurable objectives and assessments, a step-by-step instructional plan, and a resource list.

It’s Too Loud in Here! Teamwork in the Classroom by Jennifer Reed (K–2)
Building a Learning Community: Crafting Words for the Classroom by Midge Bernhardt (3–5)
Building Classroom Community Through the Exploration of Acrostic Poetry by Sarah Dennis-Shaw (3–5)
Getting to Know You: Developing Short Biographies to Build Community by Erika Griffin (3–5)
Using Children’s Literature to Develop Classroom Community by Elvira DiGesu (6–8)

ReadWriteThink.org is a nonprofit website maintained by IRA and the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) , with support from the Verizon Foundation, and in association with the Thinkfinity consortium. Visit ReadWriteThink.org for more information.

 Each month, the ReadWriteThink.org Calendar offers quick classroom activities, lesson plans, Web links, and texts pertaining to various reading–related and general interest events. Here is a sampling of the links for August:

August 1: The prototype for the World Wide Web was created in 1990.
August 10: Walter Dean Myers, author of the Printz Award-winning novel, Monster, was born in 1937.
August 13: William Caxton, the first English printer, was born in 1422.
August 17: Davy Crockett was born in 1786.
August 21: Monarch butterflies begin their fall migration.
August 23: The tropical storm that became Katrina formed over the Bahamas.
August 26: The 19th amendment to the U.S. Constitution gave women the right to vote in 1920.

There also are links relating to other noted authors and events, and more. For further information, visit the website. The ReadWriteThink.org is a nonprofit website maintained by the International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English with support from the Verizon Foundation, and in association with the Thinkfinity consortium. The site provides free lesson plans, interactive student materials, Web resources, and standards for K-12 classroom teachers of reading and the English language arts. Visit the main site.

 Each month, the ReadWriteThink.org Calendar offers quick classroom activities, lesson plans, Web links, and texts pertaining to various reading–related and general interest events. Here is a sampling of the links for July:

July 1: The first zoo in the United States opened in 1874 in Philadelphia
July 4: Independence Day in the United States
July 10: The Scopes Trial began in 1925
July 16: African American journalist Ida B. Wells was born in 1862
July 19: Children's publisher John Newbery was born in 1713
July 31: J.K. Rowling and Harry Potter celebrate birthdays

There also are links relating to other noted authors and events, and more. For further information, visit the ReadWriteThink July Calendar page. The ReadWriteThink.org is a nonprofit website maintained by the International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English with support from the Verizon Foundation, and in association with the Thinkfinity consortium. The site provides free lesson plans, interactive student materials, Web resources, and standards for K-12 classroom teachers of reading and the English language arts. Visit the main site.

ReadWriteThink.org offers Learning Beyond the Classroom, a special area of the site designed to help students continue to build their literacy skills during the summer. Students in kindergarten through second grade can make their own alphabet books with summer themes. Middle elementary students can form their own book clubs—or simply talk about what they read with their friends. The May issue of IRA’s journal The Reading Teacher has a summer reading feature offering brief reviews of many good books. Students can jumpstart their conversations by using the Character Trading Cards tool to make trading cards that describe their favorite characters. Middle school students who love mystery stories can write their own—based on the lesson plan “Everyone Loves a Mystery: A Genre Study.” Students can use the online Mystery Cube. ReadWriteThink.org has a variety of tip sheets, too.

 Each month, the ReadWriteThink.org Calendar offers quick classroom activities, lesson plans, Web links, and texts pertaining to various reading–related and general interest events. Here is a sampling of the links for April, National Poetry Month:

April 4: Maya Angelou was born on this date in 1928
April 7: Jazz and blues singer Billie Holiday was born in 1915
April 10: F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel The Great Gatsby was published in 1925
April 14: Noah Webster published his American Dictionary of the English Language in 1828
April 23: William Shakespeare was born in 1564
April 24: In 1800, Congress approved the purchase of books to start the Library of Congress
April 27: Coretta Scott King was born on this day in 1927

There also are links relating to other noted authors and events, and more. For further information, visit the ReadWriteThink April Calendar page.

The ReadWriteThink.org website is administered jointly by the International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English, in partnership with the Verizon Foundation. It is part of the MarcoPolo program, which provides standards-based Internet content and professional development to K-12 teachers and students throughout the United States. Visit the main site.

 
ReadWriteThink.org provides educators and students with access to the highest quality practices and resources in reading and language arts instruction through free, Internet-based content. In an effort to increase the usability of the site, ReadWriteThink.org, invites you to complete a survey evaluating the existing Lesson Plan Index. Because the survey is being managed by an online system, your name, personal information, or school affiliation will not be available to us. If you choose, you may share your e-mail address with us at the end of the survey. ReadWriteThink.org is a partnership between the International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English, with support from the Verizon Foundation. Thank you in advance for your participation. You may access the survey by clicking here. Your feedback is needed by March 9, 2007.

 Each month, the ReadWriteThink.org Calendar offers quick classroom activities, lesson plans, Web links, and texts pertaining to various reading–related and general interest events. Here is a sampling of the links for March, National Women’s History Month and Music in Our Schools Month:

March 2: Read Across America Day celebrates Dr. Seuss
March 4-10: Teen Tech Week
March 9: Barbie Doll unveiled in 1959
March 11: Ezra Jack Keats was born on this day in 1916
March 17: St. Patrick’s Day
March 21: World Poetry Day
March 22: Ralph Caldecott was born on this day in 1846
March 25: Kate DeCamillo’s birthday

There also are links relating to other noted authors and events, and more. For further information, visit the ReadWriteThink March Calendar page.

The ReadWriteThink.org website is administered jointly by the International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English, in partnership with the Verizon Foundation. It is part of the MarcoPolo program, which provides standards-based Internet content and professional development to K-12 teachers and students throughout the United States. Visit the main site.

 Each month, the ReadWriteThink.org Calendar offers quick classroom activities, lesson plans, Web links, and texts pertaining to various reading-related and general interest events. Here is a sampling of the links for February:

February 1: Langston Hughes was born on this day in 1902
February 2: Groundhog Day
February 5: Celebrate 18th National African American Read-In
February 9: Author Alice Walker was born on this day in 1944
February 12: Judy Blume was born in 1938
February 14: Valentine Day
February 18: Chinese New Year starts today
February 27: John Steinbeck was born in 1902

There also are links relating to other noted authors and events, and more. For further information, visit the ReadWriteThink February Calendar page.

The ReadWriteThink.org website is administered jointly by the International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English, in partnership with the Verizon Foundation. It is part of the MarcoPolo program, which provides standards-based Internet content and professional development to K-12 teachers and students throughout the United States. Visit the main site.

 Martin Luther King, Jr. was born on January 15, 1929. He was ordained a Baptist minister in 1948 and became one of the most important leaders of the civil rights movement in the United States, advocating a nonviolent approach to the struggle for equal rights. He received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 for his work as a peacemaker. On April 4, 1968, King was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee. In 1977, he was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Jimmy Carter. In 1986, Martin Luther King Day was established as a federal holiday in the United States. In 2004, King was posthumously awarded one of the nation's highest honors—the Congressional Gold Medal. For lesson plans, Web links and texts about this American hero, visit the readwritethink.org website.

 Expository writing is an increasingly important skill for elementary, middle, and high school students to master. Using a format that works for five-paragraph essays, an interactive Essay Map graphic organizer from the ReadWriteThink.org website helps students develop an outline, organize their essay, preview what they have written, and print their completed map. Access the Essay Map here.

Here are some ReadWriteThink.org lessons that use this tool.

For grades 3-5, Alaska Native Stories: Using Narrative to Introduce Expository Text

For grades 3-5, Exploring Cause and Effect Using Expository Texts About Natural Disasters

For grades 3-5, How-To Writing: Motivating Students to Write for a Real Purpose

For grades 6-8, Fighting Injustice by Studying Lessons of the Past

For grades 6-8, Heroes Around Us

For grades 6-8, Introducing Shakespeare: Exploring Persona and Character Motivations

For grades 9-12, Lights, Camera, Action...Music: Critiquing Films Using Sight and Sound

For grades 9-12, That's Not Fair! Examining Civil Liberties With the U.S. Supreme Court

For grades 9-12, Critical Literacy: Women in 19th-Century Literature

You can access all of these lessons and hundreds of others through the ReadThinkThink.org website. The website is administered jointly by the International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English, in partnership with the Verizon Foundation.

 Each month, the ReadWriteThink.org Calendar offers quick classroom activities, lesson plans, Web links, and texts pertaining to various reading-related and general interest events. Here is a sampling of the links for January:

January 1: Annie Moore, a 15-year-old Irish girl, was the first immigrant to enter Ellis Island in 1892
January 4: Jacob Grimm, one of the Brothers Grimm, was born on this day
January 8: Elvis Presley was born on this day in 1935
January 15: Martin Luther King was born on this day in 1929
January 17: Today is Benjamin Franklin’s birthday
January 23: Elizabeth Blackwell became the first woman to earn an MD degree in 1849
January 28: The space shuttle Challenger exploded in 1986.

There also are links relating to poets, athletes, other noted authors, and more. For further information, visit the ReadWriteThink.org January Calendar page.

The ReadWriteThink.org website is administered jointly by the International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English, in partnership with the Verizon Foundation. It is part of the MarcoPolo program, which provides standards-based Internet content and professional development to K–12 teachers and students throughout the United States. Visit the main site.