I have made it my mission to unteach children that “fiction is fake.” Here are my new definitions I started teaching today: ▪️Nonfiction = learning through information ▫️Fiction = learning through imagination …

Today we used picture books to practice identifying plot elements independently! Ss got to pick their book and analyze the story to create a plot diagram and identify the conflict type and theme. Brambleton Middle

Students were so engaged during our brainstorming today, we ran out of room to write! We were using our /ou/ diphthong generalization to decide whether we should use ow or ou. Nice work friends! Brambleton Middle

It was a busy day at the Conforti Cafe. We had a NF book tasting and there were rave reviews! We also did a text feature scavenger hunt to review. Followed by a library visit. 📚Thanks to our awesome librarian for helping pick out our tasting menu! Melissa Larson Brambleton Middle

Banangrams spelling was a hit today! Ss practiced their spelling skills using their choice boards, and this student was excited to try my new multi-sensory practice choice. Only complaint,“We need more tiles so I can make more words!” Brambleton Middle #multisensoryliteracy

Our podcast, Sold a Story: How Teaching Kids to Read Went So Wrong, is available wherever you get your podcasts. features.apmreports.org/sold-a-story/

This Thanksgiving I’m grateful for being a part of the middle school journey. Three months teaching this age and I’ve realized this is a magical time in life. My students are often so insightful, inspiring, and compassionate. Here’s a glimpse into the magic. Brambleton Middle ✨

So excited to watch our amazing cubs present their passion projects! Thank you Clarissa Conforti for supporting our kids to explore and learn.Brambleton Middle

So incredibly proud of my students for creating fantastic infographics for their research projects and presenting several times for our guests that came! Very appreciative of the staff that came to watch and support. Such a great way to end the week! Brambleton Middle #5Cgraduate

Literacy is equity “Any discussion about ‘equity’ in education that is not first and foremost a discussion about literacy is unserious.” ⁦Robert Pondiscio⁩ ⁦@BookwormsRW⁩ ⁦⁦Kareem J. Weaver⁩ ⁦@ClassroomWonder⁩ ⁦UnboundEd⁩ fordhaminstitute.org/national/comme…

From last week - End of q2 celebrating w/ Reader’s theatre & reflections/goals! I love involving ss with their goals we make for them to help them take ownership of their learning and growth. Readers theatre for fluency & we had fun with it making props! Brambleton Middle

Context clue detectives on the hunt! Ss were happy to have a chance to move around while reviewing for our upcoming test and it’s always nice to get out of the classroom. Brambleton Middle

Working on LETRS & reflecting on my reading journey. In my 1st year I was taught the 3 cue method. Baffled at why my kids weren’t learning how to read. That summer I got Institute for Multi-Sensory Education and my world was forever changed! Grateful to keep developing in literacy education. Lexia

The growth in reading for my older students has been life changing for them. It’s never too late to learn to read. We need to do our best to remedy the ways our older students were failed in the past, and ensure our current practices are research based. ny.chalkbeat.org/2023/3/6/23622…

So true. 🧡

Spirit week fun and my buddy accidentally twinning with the plaid crew! He said it was acceptable to post only if I used the emoji 🤣Brambleton Middle

Grateful for these poetry stations done by our awesome librarian Tracy Bailey ! Paint swatches, magnet tiles, and book spines were used to help make some creative poems. Students were engaged and we enjoyed reading their work! Brambleton Middle

About one in three American fourth-graders cannot read at a basic level of comprehension. Athena Jones has been digging into the crisis:

Making our way through SIM word mapping lessons as part of our quarter 4 word study. Ss all contributed to root trees for our target roots! Afterwards, one student told me he loves these lessons because it helps him so much with reading 💕 #literacyisalifeskill Brambleton Middle

Last week of teaching middle school for 22-23 was a blast! So lucky to have had some fantastic students. Excited to be back teaching English and reading next school year, but so ready for my well earned relaxing & fun summer! See you in August 👋🏻 Brambleton Middle