Tag: Literacy

How to Package a Process, with Bedtime in a Box

Sofía Tannenhaus talks to Jarrod Bolte, CEO of both Improving Education and Bedtime in a Box, a nonprofit that provides families with boxes containing everything you need for a positive bedtime routine. Each Box contains four age-appropriate books; bath wash, a towel, and bath toys; a toothbrush and toothpaste; pajamas; a stuffed animal; an alarm clock; a Teach My Learning Kit; and a kid-friendly routine log. Bedtime in a Box has delivered more than 50,000 Boxes so far, with 80% going to families experiencing poverty.

It Takes a Village to Raise a Writer

We called our project the Earth Authors Program. It began with Ramnath setting the groundwork by giving children an authentic reason for writing.

Putting the Science of Reading into Practice

Lesson study works especially well for areas of teaching that have rigorous research, like the science of reading.

The Joy of Collaborative Short Story Writing

What would it look like if you got three students to write a beginning, middle, and end to a short story?

The Dream Project

Why are we here if not to dream? In this project, students engaged in conversations …

The Making of the Modern Teen

The graduating seniors of HTHMA presented a compelling and provocative interactive art …

One Drop at a Time

There were three major components to this project: A class novel study of the novel …

Explorers of the World

This project introduced Kindergarteners to exploration, observation, mapping, multiple …

Choose Your Own Adventure Through U.S. History

For this project, students researched, wrote, and self-published a collection of choose …

In Their Skin

“All too often we focus on our immediate impressions when considering other’s …

Psycarnival

For this 10th Grade Humanities project, students studied the basics of psychology …

In 1,000 Words

Students developed visual literacy skills to analyze historical photographs and …

Economics Illustrated

Tenth grade students in Humanities and Digital Imaging created a book on economic …

Cultural Encounters

Our students explored how historical events such as immigration and war affected their …

Digital Storytelling

Students created digital stories about a defining moment, a message, or a lesson learned …

Cuentos Infantiles

Students produced Spanish children’s books and gave them to Spanish-speaking children.

The Creative Masters Project

In The Creative Masters Project, students select a creative Spanish-speaker from any …

Bilingual Spoken Word

In Spanish class, freshmen explored the theme of “Cruzando fronteras” (crossing borders) …

Story/Art Project

Students analyzed numerous short stories with attention to tone, mood, structure and …

Philosopher Shrines Salon Night

Students experienced the beauty of math by creating murals using specific geometric shapes.

Illuminated Journals

Inspired by Ken Kesey’s Jail Journal, which links writing with original art, students …

A Hero In My Eyes

After studying the question, “What is a hero in today’s society?,” students created a …

Summer Rerun: Ron Berger on Beautiful Lessons

Ron Berger talks about literacy, projects, beautifully-designed lessons, and the power of no lesson at all

S01E21: How Carol Cabrera Stages Student Plays on Zoom

In this episode, Brent Spirnak interviews 9th grade humanities teacher Carol Cabrera …

Continuous Improvement: Teacher Induction

This episode is about how High Tech High transformed its teacher induction program to . . .

Ron Berger on Whole-class Close Reading

In the inaugural episode of the “High Tech High Unboxed: Pro Sessions” podcast series …

LeDerick Horne: Separate is not Equal in Special Ed.

Spoken-word poet and disability rights advocate LeDerick on getting a segregated education… in the nineties

11th graders are helping wrongfully-convicted prisoners

Alec talks to Mackenzie King, whose students are helping the California Innocence Project in a project called XONR8.

Ron Berger on Beautiful Lessons and “No Lesson at All”

Alec talks to Ron Berger about what he’s learned about teaching literacy

“Did This Do Justice to What You’ve Learned?”

Shelby Sember’s project was inspired by the Library of Congress’s Voices Remembering …

Music to Literacy

Sam Seidel, director of K12 strategy and research at Stanford d. School, tells the …

Building Literacy

Sam Seidel, director of K12 strategy and research at Stanford d. School, speaks about …

Logs from San Diego Bay.

These words are written in memory of Jay Vavra, my former teaching partner…

Exhibiting Student Writing.

Exhibitions of student learning, with their many projects, activities, and associated…

On the Trail of the Literacy Campaign: An Internship in Cuba.

As I sit in a small living room, an elderly woman details her experiences fifty years ago.

Lila Speaks.

As of yesterday, it had been 13 weeks, or 55 school days, since school started. Yet it was…

Doing the Project Yourself: Reflections on the Writer’s Craft.

In the world of project-based learning, prototypes are necessary for success…

Graffiti Discussions: Igniting the Silent Majority.

“The main thing to do is pay attention. Pay close attention to everything…”

Making Critique Work.

I introduced critique to my class after reading Ron Berger’s manifesto, An Ethic of…

Crafting Beautiful Lessons

Ron Berger is interviewed on his approach to engage students in the creation of “beautiful work”

Syrian Refugee Simulation

In this student-created and student-run simulation, community participants took on the …

Who Am I?

In this interdisciplinary project, students examined several different facets of their …

Taking A Stand On Controversial Issues

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.

Reading Art

My ninth-grade projects this past semester incorporated all sorts of art learning, from…

Bamboozled

Smart dog. Life imitates life. The dog’s nips and snarls are not unlike the aggressive…

Exhibiting Student Writing

Exhibitions of student learning, with their many projects, activities, and associated banter, can take on the atmosphere of a science fair or a grand opening at an art gallery.

Teaching, Learning & Not Knowing

A former student and translator of Jean Piaget, Eleanor Duckworth is Professor of…

Writing About Math

First, as in any subject, writing about math forces students to articulate their thoughts…

In the Circle

I would ask myself, “Why do I have to read this book?” I would wonder how the teacher chose…

The Iceworker Sings Imperial Valley

I had just turned twenty-five and had accepted a spot as an adjunct instructor teaching…

Differentiated Assessment on Trial

For the past month, my students had been reading Lord of the Flies, and this was the trial…

Writing From Experience

I spend the entire summer thinking of books that my students will enjoy and considering…

Ampersand: Making Sense of Internship

In January 2009, in my sixth year teaching and fourth year at High Tech High Media Arts, I…

Keeping it Real

Like many adults, I have trouble remembering a time in school when I felt really engaged…

Echoes & Reflections

Jill, the principal, was standing by the front desk at Explorer Elementary. She was petite…

Blogging is Writing

For students of the digital generation, blogging can be an authentic and dynamic way to …

The Lost Postcard Collection

How do you think Odysseus feels during his journey? Is Odysseus a hero by modern standards?

Blogging To Learn

In spring 2007, when I first used blogs with my students, it felt practically like…