Improving Reading Comprehension and Critical Thinking...

Determine a topic and develop specific questions At the school that I work at reading classes are only required in sixth grade. In seventh and eighth grade reading classes can be taken as an elective class. I strongly feel that all students in middle school still need guidance and continuous practice with reading comprehension and critical thinking skills. Students who are beyond a sixth grade reading class are not getting these reading skills that can be applied in all other academic classes. As a teacher I can not change the fact that the school principal has decided that students in seventh and eighth grade are not required to take a reading class. However I can find other ways to make sure that all students know the reasons and†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"Position Yourself at the Center: Co-Teaching Reading Comprehension Strategies.† This article explains and shows how media specialist can incorporate co-teaching. â€Å"Research indicates that reading comprehension strategies should be explicitly taught a nd modeled at all grade levels† (Moreillon, Judi, 2008) This part of the article will be beneficial to defend my thoughts that all students in the middle school level need reading comprehension and critical thinking skills. According to this article, media specialist can position themselves to help improve learning and student achievement in reading when co-teaching is involved. This article refers to several case studies where media specialists are a part of the co-teaching experience. After taking a much closer look at the case studies, I would find ways to incorporate the lessons into my media center and school environment. The second article that I found and would be beneficial to my research is ‘Using Fan Fiction to Teach Critical Reading and Writing Skills.† This article concentrates on one engaging lesson that takes place in the library and in the classroom in a two week period. The lesson was developed when a seventh grade language arts teacher appr oached the media specialist for suggestions on a creative lesson to incorporate both reading and writing. This would support the idea that collaboration can start with the classroomShow MoreRelatedAnnotated Bibliography On Teaching And Teaching846 Words   |  4 PagesTeaching self-direction to enhance children’s thinking in physical science. Journal of Educational Research, 88(1), 15. This article focused on the constant debate concerning the conditions in which students develop the skill of thinking critically. Being able to use critical thinking requires knowledge of facts and concepts about the subject matter. I found this article interesting because I think it is important that students develop critical thinking skills. Most scholarly articles tend to haveRead MoreThe Role of Multicultural Literature Essay1213 Words   |  5 Pagesdiverse student population rising in schools all over the United States, including students who are learning English as a new language. These students are English Language Learners (ELLs); they are learning English for the first time in addition to their native language. They’ve either had little or no knowledge of English before entering the school environment. According to the National Center of Educational Statistics (2013), an estimated 4.7 million or ten percent of the public school populationRead MoreClassroom Comp rehension : Building Comprehension Skills3288 Words   |  14 PagesBuilding Comprehension Skills Brittany Cronin COE 501—Introduction to Research and Evaluation in Education Fall B 2014 Dr. Ray Ostos Building Comprehension Skills Walk into any school and you will hear the word comprehension. Comprehending text is a necessity for all students in all grade levels as well as individuals entering college and beyond. With the launch of the Common Core State Standards, students need to be able to show their comprehension of text numerous ways, and if the students do notRead MoreDo Schools Really Care About Their Students? Do Schools1456 Words   |  6 PagesDo schools really care about their students? Do schools care for Academics? Or do they just care about the physical side, due to the amount of schools in the United States who care about their teams, and how they do? At the middle/high school level many students are encouraged to join the school’s sports team, with the pictures of the football team, the basketball team, the wrestling team, the cross-country team, the baseball team, the softball team and the track team. Persuading them to join toRead MoreHow Content Area Teachers Plan And Design Instruct ion3294 Words   |  14 Pagescontent area teachers plan and design instruction so that students will actively engage in literacy- and subject-related activities? Content area teachers can implement strategies and scaffold learning when planning and designing instruction so that students will actively engage in literacy. According to Dobbs, content area reading instruction includes: the information present in the text, and the instructional plan teachers use to help students understand the content (2003, p.3). Vacca, Vacca, MrazRead MoreEssay about The No Child Left Behind Act of 20013306 Words   |  14 PagesSecondary Education Act, which was designed to help disadvantaged students achieve success in school (Editorial Projects in Education Research Center, 2011) The components of The No Child Left Behind included annual testing, academic progress, report cards, teacher qualifications, and funding changes. These measures were â€Å"designed to drive broad gains in student achievement and to hold states and schools more accountable for student progress† (Editorial Projects in Education Research Center, 2011Read MoreSchool District : A Public School1605 Words   |  7 PagesKyrene School District is one of the top performing districts in the state. Nestled in Tempe, AZ, Kyrene is a school district with 17,831 students. On average our district spends $6,552 per year per student. 28% of students in this district accept reduced price meals. The most common ethnicities in our district identify as White, non-Hispanic or Hispanic. The Kyrene School District believes the primary focus of school is to provide opportunities for each student to learn and to facilitate the acquisitionRead MorePractice Never Makes Anyone Perfect1490 Words   |  6 Pagesthat the SAT prep not only improved my scores for the test, but continued to develop my communication, reading, and writing skills for future application. The SAT prep was well worth the time and energy because it improved my verbal and non-verbal communication skills. There was a major barrier to overcome while preparing for the SATs and that was the lack of interaction with a live person. No school classroom, no video screen, but just a chat box and a microphone. Ever since I could remember, I alwaysRead MoreEffects of Socioeconomic Status and Ethnicity on a Child1542 Words   |  7 Pageschild’s development. Middle-class families can better prepare their children with opportunities for success than families with low household income. Families with low household income will be reluctant to spend money on daycare because they have other priorities. Credentialed daycare providers increase children’s cognitive and critical thinking skills (Barnett Belfield, 2006). The long-term effects of daycare centers and preschool programs include improving students’ high school graduation rates byRead MoreTeaching Reading Comprehension6449 Words   |  26 PagesIntroduction What is reading? Reading is about understanding written texts. It is a complex activity that involves both perception and thought. Reading consists of two related processes: word recognition and comprehension. Word recognition refers to the process of perceiving how written symbols correspond to one’s spoken language. Comprehension is the process of making sense of words, sentences and connected text. Readers typically make use of background knowledge, vocabulary, grammatical knowledge

Red Figure Technique ( Herakles And The Nemean Lion )

Although these two vessels, one in the Black-figure technique (Theseus and the Minotaur) and the other in Red-figure technique (Herakles and the Nemean Lion), have very distinct styles and techniques, they also have key similarities, that with closer analysis, reveal more about Greek values than was originally known. Showing us how Greek art had not only developed over time, but also providing an understanding as to why Greeks found scenes of heroes battling monsters so popular. However, before we can begin to discuss why Greeks found scenes of heroes battling monsters so popular, we must first explore the two vessels individually (without the artwork). Firstly, the Black-figure jar (Theseus and the Minotaur). With further research, we find the title of this work is, â€Å"Attic Black-Figure Neck Amphora,† and it is attributed to Group E (workshop of Exekias), dated approximately 550 B.C.E. Athens, Greece. The medium is terracotta, and it is an amphora, meaning a storage jar , most likely used to store wine or oil. Similarly, the Red-figure jar (Herakles and the Nemean Lion) was also made of terracotta, but instead of storing wine or oil, it is said to have been a hydria, meaning it was more like a water pitcher. Titled the â€Å"Attic Red-Figure Kalpis†, we find that the artist was probably an Aegisthus painter, who lived in Athens, Greece, around 470 B.C.E. As previously stated, both vessels were terracotta jars, however, in order to achieve the black-figure, and red-figure

Abortion Argumentative Essay Example For Students

Abortion Argumentative Essay Types of abortionAbortion is a common practice that may be performed for several reasons, all sharing the same end result, the termination of an unwanted pregnancy. In cases such as rape, incest or a simple lack of responsibility when having sex, having an abortion is a choice that some women may encounter. There are different types of abortion in todays society. Some which are too scary to even dream of. There are two types of abortions: Spontaneous abortions; miscarriages and Induced, this is the deliberate termination of the fetus. If the fetus weighs less than 18oz or is less than 20 weeks into the pregnancy, it is usually considered an abortion. These usually occur during the first three months of pregnancy. It is estimated that 25% of all pregnancies end in spontaneous abortion (Epner 725). The very early stage of the pregnancy, up to 49 days after conception, the woman has two choices. The first is to take a combination of drugs. The embryo is then passed out. The other method is to use a syringe, and gently suck the embryo out. The next type can be preformed six to fourteen weeks after conception. The method the doctors use is to insert a tube in the vagina, and then hook it up to a suction machine. The fetus is then removed. This procedure takes about ten minutes. The second trimester abortions are called DE, which stands for dilation and evacuation. These are preformed up to the twenty-fifth week of pregnancy, and usually take ten to twenty minutes. The way they are preformed is the woman is given absorbent dilators, which open up the cervix and absorb the fluids. After this is left in overnight the woman then is ready for the evacuation stage. The fetus is easily removed with instruments and suction. In the last trimester of the pregnancy abortions are preformed mainly if the womans life is in danger or the fetus is severely deformed. Only one out of every ten thousand abortions are preformed this way. The main way that is used is by injecting a salt solution into the vagina, causing contractions. The baby is then born stillbirth (Epner 724). The second form of abortion is induced abortion. There are four main types of induced abortions. The first takes place up to 12 weeks. It is called vacuum aspiration. This is where a tube attached to a vacuum is inserted into the uterus and sucks out the embryo and all other material. The second type takes place after the 15th week and is called saline infusion. Here, the doctors replace a little fluid with a salt solution. This causes the uterus to contract. The fetus is then expelled. The third type is a hysterectomy. This is a similar procedure to a cesarean section. The only difference is, in this operation, is that the cut is smaller and lower. The fourth type is available in the first fifty days. It is a drug called RU-486 (www. rxlist.com) Many women have used legal abortions as a drastic form of contraception, due to carelessness or ignorance of better methods. This is such as self-abortion methods, which are even more dangerous; these included are lye, Lysol, iodine douches, as well as self-inserted catheters, knitting needles and goose quills. When women lose their right to choose abortion they may start performing them illegally. This may do serious harm to the mother and her body (Brown 5). There are many abortions that are being done. Many of them are cruel and brutal. Mothers that undergo these methods always have side effects. There are many ways that abortions can be prevented.

The Hobbit Essays (1150 words) - The Hobbit, New Zealand Films

The Hobbit The Hobbit By J.R.R. Tolkien, published by Ballantine Books in 1937, 304 pages. The Hobbit is a book that shows that even the most unlikely person, or hobbit can turn out to be a real hero. In the book, Bilbo gets caught up in an adventure that will later change his life. In the beginning Bilbo Baggins ran into an old acquaintance, Gandalf, a wizard, who he had met many years earlier at festivals, in which Gandalf made fireworks with his magic. Bilbo and Gandalf talked for a while and Bilbo being the kind hobbit he was invited him for tea the next day. The next day at about the time Bilbo had expected Gandalf he heard a knock at the door, but when he opened the door it was in fact not Gandalf but a little dwarf the dwarf introduced himself and let himself in. After that many dwarves followed, in fact 9 more had come to the little hobbit's doorstep. Then finally after all the dwarves had made themselves comfortable he heard another wrap at the door, and sure enough it was Gandalf along with 3 other dwarves. That night Gandalf and the dwarves spoke of adventure and of dragon's gold that had once belonged to the leader of the dwarves father. They also spoke of an adventure they were about to embark on, and then they turned to Gandalf and asked what of the 13th member of the party. Gandalf spoke up and said, My, the one I have chosen is the burglar Mr. Baggins. Bilbo did not seem pleased he had no need of adventure, even though he was secretly intrigued, but more so he was very frightened. After a bit of discussion Bilbo agreed to go and they all went to bed. When morning came Bilbo found no one in his hobbit hole, and it is needless to say that he was pleased, yet he was also a bit disappointed. Then he found a note from Gandalf on the Mantle telling him to meet them at the inn. So he did and his adventure had begun. Many conflicts transpired during their trip to the lonely mountain where the dragon lay with their gold. Those involving many fights, traps, dark forests, and having to deal with creatures like trolls, goblins, elves, spiders, and many others. In one such conflict Bilbo found a magic ring that allowed him to become invisible. When they finally reached the lonely mountain they had to find a secret door, which led to a secret entrance into it. Because it wouldn't be very wise to enter through the front door of a cave inhabited by a dragon. When they found it, they had to decide who would sneak in there and see if the dragon was there. And who did they choose but poor Bilbo who had already bailed them out of many bad incidences already. When he went in he noticed that the dragon was nowhere in sight, so he did what any burglar would have done he grabbed the biggest gold thing he could find. He then took it back to the dwarves they were overjoyed. But they forgot one thing that even though the dragon may not be there he was not going to stay gone for long. When the dragon came back he noticed that there was something missing from his beautiful treasure. He was outraged, and with dragons keen sense of smell he knew that the thieves were still there. Later that night Bilbo slipped on his ring and snuck down to where the dragon was and spoke to him and told him who he was in a round about sort of way. By this the dragon sensed where he had come from and he went to where the lake men lived to destroy the village. Days past and the party had not heard nor seen the dragon. So Bilbo again snuck down to the cave and inspected and he did not see the dragon, but he did see something that struck his fancy a very large diamond and he knew that this must be the heart of the mountain that he heard the dwarves speak of so often, he was