Classroom Instruction That Works: Research-Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement. Robert Marzano, Debra Pickering, and Jane Pollock. 2001. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

How can teachers capitalize on education research? Which instructional strategies have been proven to increase student achievement? In this book, the authors examine and summarize decades of research findings and distill the results into nine broad teaching strategies. Classroom examples, rubrics, organizers, and charts help teachers plan and implement the strategies into their own practice.

References:

Issue 1: Identifying Similarities and Differences
Issue 1: Activities for Identifying Similarities and Differences
Issue 4: Vocabulary Development and Nonlinguistic Representations
Issue 7: Questioning Techniques

View the table of contents, read a sample chapter, or purchase this book from the ASCD web site.

A Handbook for Classroom Instruction That Works. Robert Marzano, Jennifer Norford, Diane Paynter, Debra Pickering, and Barbara Gaddy. 2001. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

A companion to Classroom Instruction That Works, this handbook provides a review of the research base and strategies along with exercises, rubrics, and worksheets that help you begin using the nine strategies immediately.

References:

Issue 4: Vocabulary Development and Nonlinguistic Representations
Issue 7: Questioning Techniques

View the table of contents, read a sample chapter, or purchase this book from the ASCD web site.

Uncovering Student Ideas in Science: 25 Formative Assessment Probes. Volume 1. Page Keeley, Francis Eberle, and Lynn Farrin. 2005. NSTA Press.

What ideas (preconceptions) do your students bring to science class? Effective science instruction involves formative assessment - taking time to assess and reflect on what your students think they know about science. This book includes a comprehensive chapter on formative assessment and 25 ready made probes that elicit student ideas on 44 core science topics.

References:

Monthly Misconceptions column

Read a sample chapter or purchase this book from the NSTA web site.

Uncovering Student Ideas in Science: 25 More Formative Assessment Probes. Volume 2. Page Keeley, Francis Eberle, and Joyce Tugel. 2007. NSTA Press.

The sequel to the first volume of Uncovering Student Ideas contains 25 new probes including more life science and Earth and space science probes. It also suggests ways to embed the probes throughout instruction, not just at the start of a unit.

References:

Monthly Misconceptions column

Read a sample chapter or purchase this book from the NSTA web site.

Uncovering Student Ideas in Science: Another 25 Formative Assessment Probes. Volume 3. Page Keeley, Francis Eberle, and Chad Dorsey. 2008. NSTA Press.

The third volume of Uncovering Student Ideas contains an additional 25 assessment probes.

References:

Monthly Misconceptions column

Read a sample chapter or purchase this book from the NSTA web site.

Using Science Notebooks in Elementary Classrooms. Michael Klentschy. 2008. NSTA Press.

This book is a comprehensive introduction to the use of notebooks in elementary science instruction. Each step of the process, from introducing notebooks to writing questions to providing feedback, is detailed in a separate chapter, complete with examples and explanations of student work. Additional chapters provide extra support for English Language Learners.

References:

Issue 4: Vocabulary Development Strategies for English Language Learners
Issue 5: Science Notebooks: Integrating Investigations
Issue 5: Science Notebooks and Writing Workshops

Read a sample chapter or purchase this book from the NSTA web site.

6+1 Traits of Writing: The Complete Guide for the Primary Grades. Ruth Culham. 2005. Scholastic.

This professional book provides scoring guides, sample papers, and focus lessons for each trait, and is framed to address K-2 teachers' needs.

References:

Issue 5: Water Dance: Integrating Science, Literacy, Art, and Movement

View the table of contents and sample pages, read reviews, or purchase this book from the Scholastic web site.

6+1 Traits of Writing: The Complete Guide: Grades 3 & Up: Everything You Need to Teach and Assess Student Writing with This Powerful Model. Ruth Culham. Scholastic.

This professional book provides an introduction to each trait and includes scoring guides, focus lessons, and activities for teaching each trait.

References:

Issue 5: Water Dance: Integrating Science, Literacy, Art, and Movement

View the table of contents and sample pages, read reviews, or purchase this book from the Scholastic web site.

Reading and Writing Informational Text in the Primary Grades: Research-Based Practices. Nell Duke, V. Susan Bennett-Armistead. Scholastic.

This professional book summarizes research and provides strategies for effectively integrating informational text into the primary grades. The book may also be useful for teachers in upper elementary looking to include more informational text in their curriculum.

Find informational text to use for students in grades K-5 in our Stories for Students column.

Comprehension Connections: Bridges to Strategic Reading. Tanny McGregor, Stephanie Harvey. Heinemann.

This professional book provides creative, concrete experiences to help students master reading comprehension strategies.

Find information about teaching reading strategies in our Literacy Content Knowledge column.

Mosaic of Thought: The Power of Comprehension Strategy Instruction. Ellin Oliver Keene, Susan Zimmermann. Heinemann.

This professional book provides research-based information about reading comprehension strategies and comprehension strategy instruction.

Find information about teaching reading strategies in our Literacy Content Knowledge column.

Poles Apart: Parallel Visions of the Arctic and Antarctic. Galen Rowell. 1995. Mountain Light Press.

While we may think of the polar regions as similar, they are in fact quite different. Galen Rowell uses text and photographs to identify similarities and differences between the two. In Part One, Rowell uses side-by-side photographs to highlight contrasts between the North and South. Part Two's photo essays provide a deeper look at a variety of topics such as "Science in the Arctic" and "Science in the Antarctic." Finally, Part Three provides detailed information about the images in parts one and two.

References:

Issue 1: Developing A Sense of Place About the Polar Regions

Purchase this book from the Mountain Light web site.