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Three Resources for Back-to-School


Where I live and work in Virginia, school does not start back for another month. In other words, we are still in full summer vacation mode. However, schools across the country, and even in some parts of VA, start back soon or have already started. So, today's post is about three online resources that provide great ideas and tips for back-to-school.

This newsletter is chock full of great ideas! My favorites for teachers are on creating a classroom library and a literacy-rich environment. Other articles include ideas for back-t0-school night and a parent involvement checklist. Another favorite is an interview with Grapes of Math author Greg Tang! There is much more, such as websites for interactive white board games, websites for teaching and learning, and ideas for parents.
This issue of CC includes an annotated list of back-to-school read alouds. young adult books featuring gay teens, and a list of professional development books for teachers on teaching grammar and spelling. These resources are invaluable for adding meaningful selections to a classroom or professional development library.
The folks at Choice Literacy who publish The Big Fresh never fail to provide great resources for teachers. These resource aren't just lists or written ideas, often they include short video clips and photos, which are invaluable for visual learners like me (a picture is worth a thousand words). This week's newsletter is about building community, which is by far the most important thing a teacher can do to set the stage for learning all year long. Features include "All About Us" bulletin board and great writing quotes for the walls, nooks, and crannies of your classroom, a collection of links to videos that build interest in favorite children's books, and a "starting school" list of read-alouds with very young learners.

That's it for now! More resources later.

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