Picture Books for Adolescents? YES! YES! YES!

Is it important for students to read from a variety of texts? Yes!
Do visuals support English Language Learners and all students to better comprehend text? Yes!
Do Middle School students respond better to shorter reading assignments and choice? Yes!
Are there more picture books being written on sophisticated content? Yes!
Should you read aloud to Middle Schoolers? Yes!

Should you incorporate picture books into your instruction?

Well, you know by now what my answer is. I am a big fan. However, you do not have to take my word for it.
Check out positions taken by the International Reading Association and the National Middle School Association.
http://www.nmsa.org/Publications/MiddleSchoolJournal/Articles/September2006/Article4/tabid/1017/Default.aspx

The use of picture books in reading, writing, and all content areas can serve multiple functions. They can provide enhancement to the textbook. Picture books can give students unique and more immediate perspective on an issue.
They can provide a model of writing craft. Just because they have pictures does NOT mean they are for babies. Quite the contrary!

Convinced yet? Do a bit more reading on the topic. Check out some lessons that teachers have done with picture books.
Start with a subject that might be a bit dry or conceptually challenging and hunt down a related picture book. Start with a picture book you love and read it aloud with gusto!

What are you waiting for??!

http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/postmodern-picture-books-middle-66.html



http://writingfix.com/Picture_Book_Prompts/Dogzilla3.htm

http://www.amazon.com/How-Hole-Other-Side-World/dp/0064432181/ref=pd_sim_b_3

Poetry Month Activity-Help students share cultural identity

Getting to Know Each Other: Celebrating Students' Cultural Heritage
Check out this lesson, inspired by George Ella Lyons' poem, 'I Am From'. The format of this poem is accessible to a range of ages and learning styles. Students can invoke ordinary sights, sounds, smells, from their lives to paint a vivid picture of their family and cultural identity.
Sharing your own writing in genres that you assign to students can build trust and show students you are willing to take the same academic risks you are asking them to take. In addition, it can be a great way to model the process, including your struggles and strategies.

Instruction begins when you, the teacher, learn from the learner; put yourself in his place so that you may understand . . . what he learns and the way he understands it. Soren Kierkegaard

http://www.scholastic.com/dreamincolor/pdfs/TeachWiththePoster.pdf

Teaching Inquiry through Current Events: Japanese Earthquake

One of the most important things we can teach our students is how to ask (and try to answer) the right questions. The earthquake in Japan is a devastating event that opens up a myriad of questions for young people. Use these teachable moments to explore science, history, and human society.

See the following article on Edutopia for some ideas and a huge list of resources for exploring the topic.



Teaching Resources for the Japanese Earthquake and Tsunami
By Eric Brunsell
3/14/11

The devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan is on the minds of all of us, including our students. The event and aftermath is tragic and the continuing nuclear emergency is a reminder of how fragile society can be. As educators, we can help our students make sense of these events and give them the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of their world.

In their book, Comprehension and Collaboration, Daniels and Harvey provide a comprehensive vision of what inquiry can look like in the classroom. They describe the following components that can easily be used to bring the Japanese earthquake into your classroom.

Immerse: Invite Curiosity and Wonder
Introduce the topic by asking your students what they already know about the disaster. Follow this by brainstorming a list of “wonderings” that students have. You may want to set the context for the discussion by reading a small excerpt from a news article or by showing a video.

Investigate: Develop Questions, Search for Information, and Discover Answers
Individuals or small groups select and refine a broad question that they find interesting. You should help students with their question so that it provides an opportunity for them to delve into a topic and consider multiple sources of information. Students can use the web, library resources, and other media to search for information.

Coalesce: Synthesize Information and Build Knowledge
Students should identify a small number of “knowledge claims” that they have learned from their research. These claims should be supported by evidence from multiple media sources.

Go Public: Demonstrate Understanding and Share Learning
Students can share their learning in a variety of ways. For example, they can create newspaper articles, videos, audio podcasts, posters, or infographics. The resources below provide a variety of perspectives on the Japanese earthquake. Some of the resources may not be suitable for all children.



http://www.edutopia.org/blog/teaching-resources-japanese-earthquake-tsunami?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+EdutopiaNewContent+%28Edutopia%29