Best Practices and Resources for Teaching and Learning
AIMS	Activities Integrating Math and Science
Algebra I	Algebra I quizzes, reviews, tests
Algebra II	Algebra II quizzes, reviews, tests
Ask a Scientist	Ask questions to real scientists for answers
Balanced Curriculum Documents	Balanced Curriculum for Elementary and Middle Schools
Blooms Taxonomy Resources	Revised Blooms Taxonomy Activities/Information
Brain Based Learning	Brain Based Information
Brain Based Teaching Practices	Brain Based Information
Brain Compatible Learning	Brain Compatible Teaching and Learning Practices
Brain Pop	Activities/Lessons/Topics K-12 (Math, Science, Social Studies, English, Health, Technology). Video Clips with each topic.
Citation Machine	Generate Citations in Various Formats (RESEARCH)
Classroom Management #1	Techniques to Manage Classrooms
Classroom Management #2	Techniques to Manage Classrooms
Classroom Management Link 3	Techiques to Mange Classrooms
College Foundation of North Carolina	Carreers, Planning and Preparing for College Grades 6-12
Curriculum Supplement Series	Office of Science Education - Grade 6-12 Curriculum Supplements
Differentiated Instruction	Resources related to a reaching different students on thier level
Differentiated Learning	Resource for Differentiation Strategies
Differentiating Instruction and Brain Research	Brain Research and Differentiation Information
Drive to Fitness	A resources for parents, students, teachers and the community
Earth Science	Earth Science quizzes, reviews, tests
Eat Smart, Move More	Health resource for Students, Teachers, and Parents
ECU Center for Science, Mathematics, and Technology Education	Online Professional Development Modules and Other Opportunities
Education Glossary and Reference	Key terms for educators and best practices
Elementary and Middle School Energizers	Energizers for all classroom teachers K-8
eNCyclopedia	North Carolina Information
Encylopedia Britannica Online	Online Resource
Everyday Math	We All Use Math Everyday... Activities K-12
Field Trip Earth	A Web-Based Learning Project
Fit Kids NC	A resource-based website with hands-on support materials for teachers, parents and community members
FREE	This website that makes teaching resources from federal agencies easy to find
Fun BRAIN Activities	Math Reading Reinforcement for grades K-8
Geometry	Geometry quizzes, reviews, tests
Glogster	Glogster Education section
Graphic Organizers	Graphic Organizers to Download
High School Hub	A free online interactive learning center for high school students.
I Know That	Online, Interactive practice for K-6
Internet Public Library	Online Library
Kaliedescope	Grade 5-8 Content Resources
Kids Voting	Democracy Lessons for Students
LearnNC	Resources for Teachers and Students
Lesson Plans	Lesson Plans for all Grade Levels
Library of Congress	National Information Hub
Marco Polo	Internet Content for the Classroom
Math/Science Teacher Resources	K-12 Science/Math Teacher Resources
More Blooms Taxonomy Resources	More Revised Blooms Taxonomy Activities/Information
More Graphic Organizers	Graphic Organizers to Download
Multiplication	Multiplication Practice
My Wonderful World	New National Geographic Geography site...
National Board for Professional Teaching Standards	National Board Certification Information
National Humanities Center	For Teachers of American History and Literature
NC Kid Science	Grades 3-5 Science
NC Public Schools en Espanol	Department of Public Instruction in Spanish
NC Public Schools Link	Curriculum Information
NC State Library	Online State of NC Library
NC Teacher Academy	Professional Learning Opportunites for Teachers and Administrators
NC Wise Owl	Educational Web Resources K-12
North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teachers	Professional Learning Opportunites for Teachers and Administrators
North Carolina Public Schools' Student Page	Student tools from DPI
P.E. Central	A premier website for Health and Physical Education
PAIDEIA Active Learning	Information about Paideia Seminars
Physical Education	Healthy Students
Physical Science	Physical Science quizzes, reviews, tests
Puzzle Maker	For all Grade Levels
Quality Teaching and Learning	Helping teachers reach every student every day
ReadWriteThink	Teaching Tools for interactive Reading, Writing, and Thinking activities
Research on Differentiated Learning	Research and Strategies for Reaching All Learners
Route 21	21st Centry Skills Connections in the Classroom

SAS in Schools	Web-based Resources for Middle and High Schools
SAT Word of the Day	SAT Preparation and Vocabulary Development
Science Links to Explore	Multiple links that provide information/tutoring for Most Sciences
Science Methods Resource Page	Assessments, Lesson Plans, Webquests for K-12 Science
Science Resources and Lesson Plans	Science Lesson Plans and resources
Take 10	Energizers for Grades K - 5
Teacher Tools	Rubrics, Critical Thinking Tools (KWL, Graphic Organizers, etc)
Teacher Tube	Teacher Generated Video Lessons/Concepts (LIKE YOU TUBE)
Teachers Domain	Multimedia Resources for the Classroom and Professional Development
Teach-Nology	Develop Rubrics, Lesson Plans, Blackline Masters for all subjects
The Institute for Learning Centered Education	Marzano's Dimensions of Teaching and Learning
The WHY Files	Science Behind the News
Time for Kids	News, Reading and Writing for K-6
UNC Public Radio	Current Issuesand Special Topics
Weather Wiz Kids	Weather Related Information and Lessons
Web Honor Roll	Teacher Reviewed Sites for Every Subject Area...GOOD STUFF!!
Webquests	Webquests for all grade spans K - 12
Write Design Online	Graphic Organizers to Download

WRESA Western Regional Education Service Area

Breaking Ranks II

Breaking Ranks II is the field guide for impementing the changes suggested in Breaking Ranks - the high school reform document of the National Association of Secondary School Principals. Breaking Ranks encourages schools to focus reform around five major areas: Personalization, Time, Coherency of Curriculum and Technology, and Professional Development.

http://www.principals.org/SchoolImprovement/BreakingRanksIIHighSchoolReform.aspx

Reinventing the American High School - Position Paper by the Association of Career and Technical Education

The Association for Career and Technical Education(ACTE), on behalf of career and technical education (CTE) professionals in the United States, advocates for clearly focusing American high schools on the goal of preparing EVERY student for full participation in a spectrum of college opportunities, meaningful work, career advancement, and active citizenship. We call upon leaders to make needed changes in school culture, instructional strategies and organizational priorities that will support this new purpose.

Taken Directly from the Executive Summary

http://www.powayusd.com/pusdctae/archive_11-11-07/Files/ACTEHSReform_Paper.pdf

ASCD's High School Reform Framework

The ASCD High School Reform Proposal, developed in consultation with experts recommended by the Association's governance bodies, focuses on five key components:

Multiple assessments
Personalized learning
Flexible use of time and structure
Professional development for teachers and school leadership
Business and community engagement

http://www.ascd.org/public_policy/High_School_Reform/High_School_Reform_Summary.aspx

Education Northwest - Formerly the Northwest Regional Education Laboratory (NWREL)

Education Northwest's website has resources for High School Reform that include research, professional development, and reform coaching.

http://educationnorthwest.org/

Accelerated Schools PLUS

Accelerated High Schools draw on Accelerated Schools' philosophy, research, and processes. Implementation is based on what we know works at the secondary level:

. Smaller schools support higher levels of engagement, achievement, and
graduation rates. Each school should have no more than 400 students.
. Learning based on research and student inquiry.
. Multi-disciplinary curricula.
. Functional accountability through multiple forms of assessments.
. Autonomy over scheduling, budget, staffing, and time.
. Support for teaching through continuous professional development.
. Direct parents and community engagement.
. Partnerships with local colleges, universities, and corporations.

http://www.acceleratedschools.net/

America's Choice School Design

The America’s Choice School Design helps districts and schools focus on five critical elements of school improvement.

Creating a standards-based system with assessments that monitor progress and inform instruction
Aligning instruction to standards and focusing teaching on moving students from where they are to where they need to be
Strengthening instructional leadership
Building professional learning communities
Engaging parents and the community

http://www.americaschoice.org/highschooldesign

High Schools That Work

The program is based on the belief that most students can master complex academic and technical concepts if schools create an environment that encourages students to make the effort to succeed. Member schools implement 10 Key Practicesfor changing what is expected of students, what they are taught and how they are taught.

http://www.sreb.org/page/1078/high_schools_that_work.html

National Career Academy Coalition

A support network of Career Academies across the nation.

http://www.ncacinc.com/

Talent Development High Schools

The Talent Development High School Model is a comprehensive reform model for large high schools facing serious problems with student attendance, discipline, achievement scores, and dropout rates. The model includes organizational and management changes to establish a positive school climate; curricular and instructional innovations to prepare all students for high-level courses in math and English; parent and community involvement to encourage college awareness; and professional development to support the recommended reforms.

http://web.jhu.edu/CSOS/tdhs/about/index.html

Breaking Ranks in the Middle

"Breaking Ranks in the Middle", is a meta-analysis of research regarding Middle School reforms conducted by the National Association of Secondary School Principals. The analysis includes strategies correlated to positive student outcomes uniquely tailored to adolescent students.

http://www.principals.org/s_nassp/bin.asp?CID=937&DID=53495&DOC=FILE.PDF

Last Best Chance

This task force, has been challenged to help chart the course for middle level education in North Carolina. As the task force went through the process of examining middle level education, as it is now the members continuously asked, "What should it look like in order for all children to be successful?" A distinction was made between "change" and "progress."

http://www.ncpublicschools.org/curriculum/lbc/

Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) - Making Middle Schools Work

The Southern Regional Education Board's middle grades initiative is designed to help states, districts and schools look at what they expect, what they teach and how they teach young adolescents to prepare for success in further education. Too many students leave the middle grades unprepared to take advantage of all that high school can offer and unable to be successful in career opportunities after high school.

http://www.sreb.org/programs/MiddleGrades/MiddleGradesindex.asp

Success for All - Middle Level

The Success for All Foundation’s middle school programs are designed to add well-structured curricula, instructional methods, and professional development for teachers to help students reach their full potential. The Success for All Middle School design is a comprehensive, replicable model for middle schools serving many at-risk young adolescents.

http://www.successforall.net/middle/index.htm

National Middle School Association - SCHOOLS TO WATCH

Schools to Watch® is an initiative launched by the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform in 1999.

The National Forum is an alliance of more than 60 educators, researchers, and officers of national associations and foundations dedicated to improving schools for young adolescents across the country.

Through the Schools to Watch® initiative, the National Forum identifies schools across the United States that are well on their way to meeting the Forum's criteria for high performance. Forum members believe that three things are true of high-performing middle-grades schools:

They are academically excellent—these schools challenge all students to use their minds well.
They are developmentally responsive—these schools are sensitive to the unique developmental challenges of early adolescence.
They are socially equitable—these schools are democratic and fair, providing every student with high-quality teachers, resources, and supports.

To achieve this level of performance, high-performing schools establish norms, structures, and organizational arrangements to support and sustain their trajectory toward excellence. They have a sense of purpose that drives every facet of practice and decision-making.

http://www.schoolstowatch.org/

21st Century Skills for 21st Century Students

North Carolina is one of 14 states that are members of the Partnership for 21st Century Skills. The mission of the Partnership for 21st Century Skills is, "Serve as a catalyst to position 21st century skills at the center of US K-12 education by building collaborative partnerships among education, business, community and government leaders "

Resources for districts and states in implementing 21st Century curriculum, assessment, standards, professional development and learning environments are listed on the "Implementation of 21st Century Skills" page of this website.

The new North Carolina State Board Priorities for Future Ready Students for the 21st Century are aligned with the work of the Partnership for 21st Century Skills.

Last Modified on August 22, 2012