Interactive Language Arts

Commit to Trying New Methods on Digital Learning Day

2012-01-14T19:23:17Z

If you have been teaching for a long time, making changes can be difficult and even intimidating. Sometimes it’s easier to close the door to the classroom and do what you have always done instead of worrying about whatever next “big thing” is coming along....(read more)

Diigo: A Powerful, Hands-On Research Tool for Students and Teachers

2012-01-08T00:30:45Z

Informational Texts Common Core Standard #1 – Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. Remember back when we were in school and research meant pouring over...(read more)

Bring Shakespeare to Old Time Radio–Common Core Standard 9

2011-12-24T14:33:38Z

Most students are probably not aware that copyright protection laws are relatively new, so they might be surprised to learn just how many famous authors like Shakespeare borrowed and adapted others’ ideas. They should already know (I hope) that Stephanie...(read more)

Join the Conversation

2011-11-16T01:42:18Z

On the one-year anniversary of of the Interactive Language Arts blog, I am excited to launch our new forums section. I hope you’ll the forums link on the menu above to participate in discussions with this added feature. I look forward to getting to know...(read more)

Blending Art, Literature, and Problem Solving at the J. Paul Getty Museum

2011-11-11T17:08:25Z

Common Core Standard 7 for Reading presents teachers with many possibilities for mixing all kinds of art forms with literature. Music, photography, painting, sculpture, and many other media are easily brought into the classroom today because of the internet…the...(read more)

Broaden Students’ Cultural Perspectives with Project Gutenberg

2011-10-30T15:40:20Z

Common Core Standard six of “Reading: Craft and Structure” provides an important opportunity to expose our students to different perspectives from cultures other than their own. This standard also gives us a great reason to explore some of the thousands...(read more)

Common Core Reading Standard #5—Analyzing Plot

2011-10-22T16:24:41Z

Looking at CCS standard for reading #5, I am encouraged to see critical thinking required of our students. It is important to ensure that skills like problem solving, analyzing, and evaluating are at the core of our reading, writing, and speaking skills...(read more)

The Dempsey Challenge 5K

2011-09-02T22:36:00Z

Loyal Interactive Language Arts Readers, Because I live in Maine, my last week was a bit stressful with hurricane Irene knocking out power to more than 200,000 Maine residents–including me for four days. Add to that the start of the new school year, and...(read more)

Common Core Reading Standard #4—Vocabulary in Context

2011-08-24T22:59:50Z

This week is my last one before returning to the classroom on Monday. I have to be honest, thinking about the first day of school still makes me really queasy even after eleven years. Of course, I do plan to continue this series of posts about the Common...(read more)

Online Resources for Analyzing Character

2011-08-15T14:12:27Z

This week we look at the last of three standards under “Key Ideas and Details” in the “Reading” section of the Common Core: Standard 3: Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a...(read more)

Writing about Theme with iWrite

2011-08-07T18:12:09Z

Continuing with our exploration of the Common Core, this week I’ve discovered a useful website for the second standard under “Key Ideas and Details.” Standard 2: Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the...(read more)

Resources for Meeting the Common Core, Part I: Interactive Informational Texts

2011-07-30T21:18:30Z

After a long and much needed hiatus, I am back… I found I needed some complete down time very much, hence the brief silence at Interactive LA. I hope you too are able to find this for yourself…time to repair and to recuperate. This week, I begin a weekly...(read more)

Summer Reading Update

2011-07-05T12:59:58Z

I’m well on my way through Sarah’s Key by Tatiana De Rosnay and it is excellent so far. One part of the narrative is told from the omniscient point of view relating the story of a Jewish girl and her family arrested by French police as part of a Nazi...(read more)

What’s On My Kindle This Summer

2011-06-26T17:55:34Z

One of the things that I love most about summer is that I finally have a chance to read for pleasure. After nine months of grading freshmen essays and reading the required dry textbooks for my graduate program, I’m ready to do some reading for enjoyment…And...(read more)

Animoto: Another Great Tool for Adding Music and Video to Your Lit Plans

2011-06-21T16:40:48Z

Summer has finally arrived here in Maine. I hope many of you, like me, have finished up the school year and can now take some time to recuperate. Looking forward to a productive summer, I am planning a series of blog posts focusing on the Common Core...(read more)