Strategies to Teach Compare-Contrast
Wednesday, March 28th, 2012

If someone says "Compare-Contrast," most of us envision the two overlapping circles of a Venn Diagram. But this graphic organizer only separates information between the two circles; which makes it hard to truly compare information between two items. A better alternative is the T-Chart. [read more...]

SmartBoard Template
Thursday, October 14th, 2010

The popular poster-size ABC Chart has been recreated into a colorful Word document for those teachers utilizing SmartBoard technology within their classrooms. Simply display the ABC Chart onto the screen and write on it with the interactive markers or type into the document from the computer. [read more...]

Picture-based Note Taking Helps Students’ Comprehension
Friday, February 19th, 2010

When teaching content-area topics, students are often expected to take notes. During this note-taking time, it is huge for students to have more than just the names, dates, facts, and details written down. More than just memorizing the information, we want students to understand the significance [read more...]

3-D Study Guides Make Note Taking Fun
Friday, February 19th, 2010

No matter what age you are teaching, everyone can find a use for a hands-on graphic organizer. After students have been introduced to a concept, the teacher would facilitate the students' construction and application of this three-dimensional organizer. [read more...]

Create a Character Life Map
Friday, October 2nd, 2009

It’s not uncommon for students to take notes while reading a novel/chapter book. It’s a great way to quickly review the plot and sequence of events. And this type of note-taking can be made even more powerful for the visual learner if it’s done using a plot map. [read more...]

Maximizing the ABC Chart in the Content Areas
Friday, October 2nd, 2009

The signature of a great teaching strategy is its flexibility. That's why I love the ABC Chart. Simple idea--multiple applications. Here are ways to utilize this same tool to boost comprehension in the content areas through note-taking and test review. [read more...]