Teaching the Tech-Culture Loop in 3rd Grade Computer Science
A parent once asked me why we spend time discussing how technology shapes lives when they prefer that their student simply focus on typing speed. I told them that knowing how to hit a key is useless if a student does not understand what that technology actually does... read more
Teaching Habitat Loss in 3rd Grade Science
A dam built across a river blocks fish from swimming upstream to lay their eggs. When I talk about this scenario with my 3rd grade science students, many of them get stuck on the physical object of the dam itself. They recognize the concrete wall but struggle to... read more
3rd Grade English Language Arts Lesson on Text Evidence
How do I get them to stop guessing when they answer questions? A colleague asked me that during a staff meeting last year. It is a common frustration when third graders approach reading comprehension tasks. They often rely on their prior knowledge about the world... read more
Teaching Third Graders to Focus on Facts in Presentations
When I watch my third grade students prepare for a class presentation, I often notice a common habit. They get excited about a topic, stand in front of their peers, and immediately start listing every single thing they know. They confuse their classmates by jumping... read more