An anchor chart is a tool that is used to support instruction (i.e. “anchor” the learning for students). As a lesson is taught teachers and students together create a chart that captures the most important content and relevant strategies. Anchor charts build a culture of literacy in the classroom by making thinking—both the teacher’s and students’—visible. Check out this primer on anchor charts.

Many children grow up looking up to and learning from the characters they read about in books. But what about the kids who can’t find any characters that look like them? This week on the podcast, Ebony Thomas, a children’s literature researcher and critic, describes her own experiences with this, and explains why there are still so few protagonists of color in children’s books today.

UrbanPlan is offered at over 30 high schools in economics or government courses in the junior and senior years. In the 15 class hours of the curriculum, students form development teams to respond to a “request for proposals” for the redevelopment of a blighted site in a fictional community. Each team member assumes one of five roles: Finance Director, Marketing Director, City Liaison, Neighborhood Liaison, or Site Planner.

Any teacher who wishes to have their students interact and work together must keep in mind four overarching aspects of collaborative learning. 1) The group work litmus test,

2) Collaborative, not cooperative grouping, 3) Complexity is king, and 4) Prepare students to be good team members. Get details about each of the above here.

A natural question parents tend to ask themselves is: Because I want the best for my kids, what more do my children need from me besides meeting their four essential needs of leadership, love, laughter and learning on a consistent, comprehensive basis? It seems today more so than ever that parents are preoccupied with trying to give their kids every advantage. Read why it is important to maintain measure and balance in parenting and teaching. Could less actually be more?

As educational technology continues to proliferate, and as today’s careers demand tech-savvy job candidates who already know how to use devices, the argument over the right amount of screen time is getting louder. To gain some consensus on the issue, EdSurge reached out to a handful of education and industry experts for their opinions. Here’s what they shared.

What is augmented reality (AR)? Although AR started out as a novelty it has become a fantastic way to engage students through authentic learning experiences. There are many reasons to incorporate AR in the classroom. See how Metaverse (free) can be used to create and view AR Experiences (you can create as many as you like). The collections feature is a premium addition to Metaverse Studio that is geared towards teachers who have students creating their own experiences.

When students connect classroom learning with genuine service to their communities, they not only master academic concepts better and learn how to apply them in real life, but also grow in their understanding of how God has uniquely fashioned them for His restoration work in the world. This book - the first of its kind for Christian schools - draws upon the authors' extensive work in schools to offer a proven roadmap for harnessing the transformation power of service-learning in your school. Read Roger Erdvig’s blog post introducing the concept of service-learning in Christian schools, as well as Dan Beerens’blog post that provides a review of the new book.