Ms. Binz and her partners form In-Depth Study Groups through half-day workshops to help students read independently, understand and discuss books, and become life-long readers. After attending the Reading and Writing Institute at the Teacher’s College at ... more »

Ms. Carroll and her partners form a study group to examine the connection between illustrations and literacy. Teachers develop lesson plans to teach kindergarten students to become authors and illustrators. Study-group participants meet twice per month to evaluate ... more »

Ms. Delgado leads a study group on gender preferences and education. Participants will facilitate single-sex reading clubs for low-performing reading students to determine the various responses of boys and girls to reading materials. During each school day, ... more »

Ms. Eldridge and her partners form a study group to identify strategies to improve three specific areas of student writing: writing effective beginnings, using satisfactory endings, and including supporting details. Teachers read “6 + 1 Traits of Writing” ... more »

Ms. Rumph and Ms. Kinder form a mathematics learning group to increase student achievement by expanding their knowledge of the curriculum. Participants review research literature about teaching mathematics and view videos on how to use student work to assess student ... more »

Ms. Anderson leads a study group involving two groups of middle school mathematics teachers who increase their knowledge of mathematics, improve their assessment of student learning, and improve the quality of their lessons. Through two lesson study groups, teachers ... more »

As he analyzes how his teaching methods enhance individual student learning, Mr. Lodwig prepares for National Board Certification. He reflects on the teaching and learning strategies he uses to enhance student achievement, collaborates with colleagues to analyze student ... more »

Ms. Batt-Behar attends the Digital Storytelling Conference and Festival in June 2004 to learn the principals and practices of digital storytelling. She uses what she learns to improve the communication skills of her English-language-learner students, who create digital ... more »

Heritage Elementary School’s kindergarten team—which includes a school psychologist, speech pathologist, and a paraprofessional—learn about neurodevelopment and associated learning difficulties. The team devises a developmental learning profile for each ... more »

Joining Earthwatch Research in summer 2004, Ms. Shaw explores orcas, a species of endangered whales that show high levels of toxins in their tissues. She travels to Puget Sound in Washington to track and observe orca behaviors. From this research, she develops a unit on ... more »

During the summer 2004, Ms. Dinarello and her partners—who include teachers across Massachusetts—travel to East Africa as part of a Fulbright Scholarship to learn about Muslim societies in Kenya and Tanzania. The group visits mosques, schools, and cultural sites ... more »

Once a month, Ms. Buonomo and her partners participate in a study group that examines the characteristics of differentiated instruction. Group members discuss differentiation topics, such as assessment tools and learning methods. After exploring various differentiation ... more »

The mathematics team at Mediapolis Community School participates in a study group to assess and improve the mathematics skills of their students. Once a week, team members meet to evaluate data from state standardized tests as well as from the STAR mathematics assessment ... more »

In March 2004, Ms. Thomas attends the Barry Lane Educational Writing Instruction Seminar to learn techniques for teaching writing revisions. She shares what she learns with her colleagues by developing a district-wide workshop and a Web page that offers writing tips and ... more »

Ms. Hanson and her partners form a study group to align the reading, language arts, and mathematics curricula to state standards. After creating curricula maps, the team develops instructional strategies that best meet the learning needs of each student.

Ms. Lumpkins, Ms. Flaherty, and Ms. Vance integrate fine arts with language arts by exploring storytelling. Students survey storytelling in all content areas and create daily drawings in their sketchbook journals, which are a springboard to narrative and expository writing. ... more »

To increase the problem-solving skills of students who are struggling with mathematical concepts, Ms. Holliday, Ms. Aziz, and Ms. Hilburn help students develop a mock corporation. Students establish and manage a for-profit company that designs and sells clothing. Working ... more »

To ensure that all students learn about their heritage and pioneer life in general, Mr. Shadle and Ms. Hintz integrate special needs students into their general education classes. Students write books and draw illustrations of how nineteenth century communities developed. ... more »

Third-grade students at Columbus Park Preparatory Academy investigate the history of the local watershed and the impact that urban development has had on the local ecosystem. After visiting the Worcester Historical Society and the Department of Public Works, students ... more »

Students at Parkhill School, which is a residential treatment facility for abused children, participate in an integrated thematic unit on endangered species. After researching and writing about endangered animals, students create puppets, an original script, and music for a ... more »

Ms. Aman and Ms. Regenold have developed a historical and archaeological adventure for their third-grade students. The journey begins with tours of the Museum of Science and Industry including the examination of original artifacts from the Titanic. Inspired by their museum ... more »

Each month, Ms. Levesque and her study group partners learn research-based phonics instruction. Group participants evaluate data on student assessments and reflect on methods to enhance literacy instruction to increase student achievement.

Ms. Rushing is leading a study group for elementary teachers at each grade level to examine and improve reading instruction. Group members use Star Early Literacy, a computer-adaptive diagnostic assessment and database reading program, to disaggregate data on ... more »

Ms. Klassen, Ms. Slauson, and Ms. Spor aim to improve students’ writing skills with “A Work in Progress,” a project that uses individual portfolios to chart each student’s progress in writing from kindergarten to fifth grade. The student portfolios ... more »

To engage their at-risk fourth- and fifth-grade students and provide their school with high-quality computers, Ms. Martin and Mr. Garcia teach students the technical skills required to build computers. Students first disassemble old, inoperable computers to investigate ... more »

By creating a unit on the Truman Administration’s decision to desegregate the military, Ms. Carmer and Ms. Corley aim to impart lessons on tolerance, equity, and civic responsibility. Language arts students read novels that explore equity issues and research primary ... more »

Ms. Ondishko and Ms. Johnson implement “I’ll Be Making History!” in which students create interactive online videos that portray important American figures. Each video includes monologues about each American’s life contributions to the United ... more »

Mr. Stein and Mr. O’Malley have developed the “Techno-Immersion Project,” a group of cross-curricula units through which fifth-grade students mentor fourth-graders to conduct research and develop a creative presentation of the results using technology. ... more »

Ms. Eller and her partners develop “Hiding Places,” a project in which students learn about the habits of animals. Students select an animal to research and read stories and articles about animal habits. A resident visual artist from Young Audiences of ... more »

Through several cross-curricula lesson units, Goldblatt Elementary School students generate a portfolio that demonstrates their writing, reading, science, social studies, and mathematics skills. For one of these units, students read biographies and autobiographies to ... more »

In a project entitled, “Adventure in Learning: Iditarod? Iditaread!” Ms. Stevens and Ms. Canter increase student awareness of health-related issues and the importance of physical fitness while integrating technology and studying current events. Students ... more »

Mr. Smith and his partners introduce students to multiple perspectives, traditions, beliefs, and values of the Pokanoket/Wampanoag tribe. Students participate in a variety of activity stations and workshops led by members of the tribe, including Mr. Smith, and learn ... more »

Integrating their special needs students into general education classes, Ms. Remaly and her partners have developed a model to increase the literacy skills of their kindergarten and first-grade students. Students at all learning levels craft memory books that recall ... more »

Ms. Peltonen and Ms. Fowler team with parents and the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to develop a scientific exploration of animal and plant ecosystems. After studying scientific methodologies and concepts, students travel to a nearby freshwater lake to collect data. ... more »

Ms. Lowe and Ms. Zimmerman introduce their students to the principles of environmental studies and ecology. Students conduct a recycling project and learn about renewable and nonrenewable resources. While learning about ecosystems, students participate in hands-on ... more »

Ms. Becker and Ms. Blanco introduce their students to family life in the 1800s while blending history and technology by creating museum-quality exhibits. Students take trips to local museums to learn about life in the 1800s and how museum displays are constructed. ... more »

Collaborating with the Children’s Museum of Los Angeles and the Ventura County Museum of History and Art, Ms. Gonzalez, Ms. Pelayo, and Ms. Reyes use the Bernstein Learning Model—an arts-based school improvement model—to create lesson plans that draw on ... more »

Ms. Mayer and Ms. Cole develop “Cultural Connections: An Exploration of the Early Cultures of New Mexico” to introduce students to early civilizations and important events that helped to shape New Mexico. Students compare the early civilizations that ... more »

Mr. Sall and his partners develop an iMovie poetry project to improve student achievement in reading and writing and to introduce students to drama, the visual arts, and technology. Students are exposed to various styles of poetry and write a poem of their own based ... more »

Mr. Miller and his partners help their students understand the roles that various individuals and groups in the rise of Nazi Germany. Students are organized into investigative cadres that act as police detective teams. Each team searches for evidence on individuals ... more »

Ms. Hoeltke and Ms. Sheets develop a claymation project centered around the theme, “A Mission to Mars.” Designed as a collaborative effort between NASA and Purdue University, the project requires students to develop animations that reflect knowledge of ... more »

Ms. DeChristofano and her partners implement “Mars Base 2020: Weather and Worms” to help students understands of the Earth, its relationship to the sun and other planets, and the effect of gravity. Using a biosphere that simulates life in a semi-permanent ... more »

Ms. Bernstein and Ms. Levy develop “Sci-Tech Kids” which provides students with an innovative approach to science. Students select topics for their project and work either independently or in small groups to develop hands-on science museums and ... more »

Ms. Brooke attends the Columbia University Teachers’ College Summer Institute to learn best practices for reading and writing instruction. After the institute, Ms. Brooke forms a study group on literacy and writing pedagogy for her colleagues throughout the ... more »

Ms. Voelker and her partners form a lesson study group to help colleagues incorporate interactive materials and activities using the school’s outdoor learning classroom. Focusing on science and mathematics curricula, the participants develop lesson plan ... more »

Ms. Powell and her partners form a lesson study group to explore differentiated instruction for gifted and talented students. After reviewing literature, participants implement strategies and use student data to modify instruction.

To provide authentic learning experiences for her students, Ms. Lindsey studies the migration patterns of sea turtles. Ms. Lindsey travels to Costa Rica to observe and discover the turtles’ habits. Upon her return, Ms. Lindsey develops interactive lesson plans ... more »

To enhance text book study of Alabama history, Ms. Wilbourne travels to museums and universities to research the state’s early history. She uses this research to create an interactive supplemental text that includes biographies, photographs, and activities ... more »

Ms. Geiersbach and Ms. Letter use quilting to enhance their students’ mathematics and social studies skills. Students read literature to understand the historical significance of quilting. Using pattern blocks, students compare and categorize shapes to design ... more »