Big Ideas About TEaCHING & Learning: Internet Scavenger Hunt Collection, Volume 1 (Biography, Reference & More!)

By Derrick Brown (follow on Twitter @dbrowndbrown)

Internet Scavenger Hunt Collection, Volume 1 (Biography, Reference & More!)

Preview and Download at TeachersPayTeachers.com (An Open Marketplace for Teachers)

This is collection of 5 online scavenger hunts (WITH KEYS). These exercises use powerful, compelling contexts that develop research, literacy, and analytic skills.

The collection includes ...

1. Biography 1 & 2 (Online biographies of leaders, educators, musicians, and more!)
2. Reference 1 (Online reference sites like the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, CIA World FactBook, RhymeZone Rhyming Dictionary, etc.)
3. Schoolhouse Rock 1 (Introduce your students to classics like "Interjection!", "I'm Just A Bill", and "Sufferin' 'Till Suffrage"!)
4. Visual Geometry 1 (Find real-world examples of geometric shapes and solids!)

Each exercise generally takes between 30-45 minutes to complete. I use them as independent assignments, homework, and "primers" for essay and research paper writing.

This resource is published as a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet to allow flexible printing. We also would love for you to edit and add questions to tailor the hunts to your students' interests, and to your current studies!

Check out my other published works at TeachersPayTeachers.com (an online marketplace for teachers)!

 Derrick Brown's Bio

Derrick Brown is currently the Principal Consultant for KnowledgeBase - an educational publisher.

Mr. Brown has published a digital catalog of more than 70 short films, learning games, visual dictionaries, poems, essays, newsletters, inspirational posters, and projects. He has also delivered more than 30 presentations, workshops, keynote addresses, and invited lectures at conferences, high schools, colleges, universities, and churches.

From 2004-2010, he served as a founding faculty member, governing board representative, Director of Corporate Relations, Dean of Students, and Assistant Principal of Tech High (Charter) School in Atlanta GA.

Mr. Brown founded KnowledgeBase, Inc., in 1998, and served as its full-time executive director until 2004. KnowledgeBase's mission is to educate and to empower people by creating content that enhances their reading, writing, math, entrepreneurial, leadership, and critical thinking (problem solving) skills.

He earned his B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering with honors from Clemson University in December 1991. He then worked for The MITRE Corporation's (Reston, VA) Signal Processing and Advanced Technology Department for one year before beginning graduate studies at Georgia Tech, where he received his M.S. degree in Electrical Engineering in March 1994.

Please share your thoughts on these "Big Ideas" and best practices by leaving comments below. Email us or follow us on Twitter @dbrowndbrown to submit your own "Big Ideas" and best practices!

 

 

Copyright © 2013 Derrick  Brown. All Rights Reserved.

 

Georgia Charter School Data Dashboard (DRAFT) (2-21-2013)

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Big Ideas About TEaCHING & Learning: Common Core Math Word Problems Collection (Grade 6.EE - Evaluating Expressions)

By Derrick Brown (follow on Twitter @dbrowndbrown)

Common Core Math Word Problems Collection (Grade 6.EE - Evaluating Expressions)

Preview and Download at TeachersPayTeachers.com (An Open Marketplace for Teachers)

Use these word problems (most of which are based on concrete, compelling, real-life scenarios) for the following purposes:

•    Common Core standards assessment
•    Test prep (especially standardized tests)
•    Warmup / Homework / Quizzes / Drill & Review / Remediation

Common Core Standards have made these "Big Ideas" about math education more critical than ever …

1.    Students excel when they can do math, and can explain what math does!
2.    Language (how we use words and sounds to communicate) and discourse (verbal expression in speech and writing) are more important than vocabulary (knowledge of words).
3.    Language mastery is the key to content mastery.
4.    Language mastery is the key to self-expression - which develops self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-discipline.

Therefore,

5.    Content mastery is predicated upon using self-expression to build self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-discipline.

Use the word problems in this collection to help your students become proficient in both analysis ("breaking words down into expressions and equations") and synthesis ("converting expressions and equations in language-based solutions"). These skills are important for success on tests, but are important most of all for success in life!

Check out my other published works at TeachersPayTeachers.com (an online marketplace for teachers)!

 Derrick Brown's Bio

Derrick Brown is currently the Principal Consultant for KnowledgeBase - an educational publisher.

Mr. Brown has published a digital catalog of more than 70 short films, learning games, visual dictionaries, poems, essays, newsletters, inspirational posters, and projects. He has also delivered more than 30 presentations, workshops, keynote addresses, and invited lectures at conferences, high schools, colleges, universities, and churches.

From 2004-2010, he served as a founding faculty member, governing board representative, Director of Corporate Relations, Dean of Students, and Assistant Principal of Tech High (Charter) School in Atlanta GA.

Mr. Brown founded KnowledgeBase, Inc., in 1998, and served as its full-time executive director until 2004. KnowledgeBase's mission is to educate and to empower people by creating content that enhances their reading, writing, math, entrepreneurial, leadership, and critical thinking (problem solving) skills.

He earned his B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering with honors from Clemson University in December 1991. He then worked for The MITRE Corporation's (Reston, VA) Signal Processing and Advanced Technology Department for one year before beginning graduate studies at Georgia Tech, where he received his M.S. degree in Electrical Engineering in March 1994.

Please share your thoughts on these "Big Ideas" and best practices by leaving comments below. Email us or follow us on Twitter @dbrowndbrown to submit your own "Big Ideas" and best practices!

 

 

Copyright © 2013 Derrick  Brown. All Rights Reserved.

 

Big Ideas About TEaCHING & Learning: Anytime Common Core Character-Themed Writing Prompts (Vol 1 - Change The World)

By Derrick Brown (follow on Twitter @dbrowndbrown)

Anytime Common Core Character-Themed Writing Prompts (Vol 1 - Change The World)

Preview and Download at TeachersPayTeachers.com (An Open Marketplace for Teachers)

This volume of writing prompts contains 25 Six-Word “Stories”.

Example prompts include:

1. Knowing and showing trump selling and telling.
2. Value listening much more than speaking.
3. Influence your circle, then expand it.

Each “story” shares a powerful “lesson learned” as a critical thinking exercise that challenges students to consider the world and their place in it.

The prompts are aligned to several Common Core College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Writing (CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.1-6).

Augment the prompts with your own personal thesis questions, and assign them to your students!

These prompts have been used successfully in the following scenarios:

1. During the last month of the school year, to impart wisdom as students prepare to say “goodbye” and advance to the next grade.
2. As prompts for student-delivered commencement (and other school assembly) addresses.
3. As daily writing prompts, themed journal entries, or 500-word essays!

Check out my other published works at TeachersPayTeachers.com (an online marketplace for teachers)!

 Derrick Brown's Bio

Derrick Brown is currently the Principal Consultant for KnowledgeBase - an educational publisher.

Mr. Brown has published a digital catalog of more than 70 short films, learning games, visual dictionaries, poems, essays, newsletters, inspirational posters, and projects. He has also delivered more than 30 presentations, workshops, keynote addresses, and invited lectures at conferences, high schools, colleges, universities, and churches.

From 2004-2010, he served as a founding faculty member, governing board representative, Director of Corporate Relations, Dean of Students, and Assistant Principal of Tech High (Charter) School in Atlanta GA.

Mr. Brown founded KnowledgeBase, Inc., in 1998, and served as its full-time executive director until 2004. KnowledgeBase's mission is to educate and to empower people by creating content that enhances their reading, writing, math, entrepreneurial, leadership, and critical thinking (problem solving) skills.

He earned his B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering with honors from Clemson University in December 1991. He then worked for The MITRE Corporation's (Reston, VA) Signal Processing and Advanced Technology Department for one year before beginning graduate studies at Georgia Tech, where he received his M.S. degree in Electrical Engineering in March 1994.

Please share your thoughts on these "Big Ideas" and best practices by leaving comments below. Email us or follow us on Twitter @dbrowndbrown to submit your own "Big Ideas" and best practices!

 

 

Copyright © 2013 Derrick  Brown. All Rights Reserved.