Since my first day of teaching, I have always had my students at work at a warm-up task when they… Read more Start Your Classes Strong with a Warm Up Activity
What I Learned from my Dad, John, and Beatle John Lennon
A few years ago I had the honor of delivering the keynote address at the CMS high school Career Day… Read more What I Learned from my Dad, John, and Beatle John Lennon
Hacking Your Classroom
The fundamental practices of classroom instruction are like the lines of code in an app: remove only a few and… Read more Hacking Your Classroom
Student Feature Film Project Part 2 – Epic Failure!
We talk a lot about failure and the value of having students experience more failure and learning from failure. There… Read more Student Feature Film Project Part 2 – Epic Failure!
Cool Hollywood Musical Project!
I just finished a long unit and wondered if there was a more engaging way to assess student understanding. With… Read more Cool Hollywood Musical Project!
Be Serious about Dress Down Days
This is a big pet peeve of mine. So, forgive me if I come off a bit crazy! Having said… Read more Be Serious about Dress Down Days
Reparations Writing Project as a Before & After POV Check
My students were exploring the concept of African-American history in my 8th Grade US History class and I came up… Read more Reparations Writing Project as a Before & After POV Check
Don’t Forget the Fundamentals of Classroom Instruction and Discipline
I am not a Luddite. I am not afraid of change. I am open to, and regularly blog about, new… Read more Don’t Forget the Fundamentals of Classroom Instruction and Discipline
Beyond the Red Pen: Have Students Actively Reflect on Their Writing
Following our look at the Abraham Lincoln assassination, my US History students wrote a paragraph about Lincoln as a president… Read more Beyond the Red Pen: Have Students Actively Reflect on Their Writing
Epic Lincoln Rap Battle Project
As we drew near the end of our Lincoln assassination unit, I struggled with how to assess student learning. Sure,… Read more Epic Lincoln Rap Battle Project
highfivehistory 