Cross Curricular

Four Types of Questions You Can Ask

Four Types of Questions You Can Ask

Asking questions is such a basic tool of teaching, yet how many of us have ever been taught to ask good questions? In this opening to a series about questioning, we'll explore how to get students asking each other questions.

Group Investigation: Lessons Built on Curiosity

Group Investigation: Lessons Built on Curiosity

John Dewey's Group Investigation is a favorite model of instruction of mine. It's simply built on curiosity!

Depth and Complexity: The Icons, the Framework, and How to Actually Use Them

My biggest problem when implementing Depth and Complexity? I used them in a shallow and simple way!

Focus on Thinking, Not the Product

When I was a new teacher, you would have seen some pretty fancy products hanging in my room, but if you stopped to consider how my kids thought about the content... well, often my students just restated facts that I had already told them.

Concept Formation: A Model for Inductive Thinking

Concept Formation: A Model for Inductive Thinking

Here's are the steps for running an inductive lesson based on Hilda Taba's model of Concept Formation. Plus a sample lesson about the Nile River.

“Engagement” isn’t BAD, but…

“Engagement” isn’t BAD, but…

"Engagement" is a nice by-product of a well-designed lesson, but it sure isn't our actual goal as educators.

Introducing Ourselves With Depth and Complexity and Frames

Introducing Ourselves With Depth and Complexity and Frames

A go-to activity to introduce the prompts of depth and complexity to students while they also introduce themselves to their new classmates.

Sharpening Questions

Sharpening Questions

With some small changes, we can turn fluffy opinion questions into thought-provoking evaluation questions.

A Tessellation Art (and Math) Project

A Tessellation Art (and Math) Project

Let's create an MC Escher-style tessellation art (and math) project with nothing more than an index card, a marker, and paper.

Graphic Organizers Are Not Final Products

Graphic Organizers Are Not Final Products

Ending with a Venn Diagram is like comparing two vacation spots… but never actually going on the vacation!