Knowledge-Building Resources for Middle and High School Development Team

A high-leverage, evidence-based strategy to support students in accessing a complex text is to anchor that texts in a conceptually coherent set of resources that build needed knowledge and vocabulary. This work is particularly critical for students not yet reading at grade level. These educators co-developed the knowledge-building resources for middle and high school found here.

Jenni Alberti, High School ELA Instructional Lead / Louisville, KY
Elizabeth Angell, Middle School ESL and Special Education Specialist / Boston, MA
Ashley Behrens, High School ELA Teacher / Philadelphia, PA
Arthur Everett, High School Social Studies Teacher / Brooklyn, NY
Jennifer McPartland, K-12 Curriculum Facilitator / East Bridgewater, MA
Lauren Trahan, Assistant Principal / Abbeville, LA

WORK(S) ON ACHIEVE THE CORE

- 09/05/13
- 4 FILES
"The Great Fire" by Jim Murphy (with mini-assessment) ^©

Four-to-five day series of sample lessons includes: Text dependent questions Printable copies of the text Student discussion…

Grade 6
- 04/10/13
- 3 FILES
"1984" by George Orwell with Mini-assessment ^©

Two-day series of sample lessons includes: Text dependent questions Printable copies of the text Student discussion activiti…

Grade 8
- 08/23/13
- 3 FILES
"The Making of a Scientist" by Richard Feynman

Two-to-three day series of sample lessons includes: Text-dependent questions Student discussion activities Vocabulary and sy…

Grade 6
- 07/16/14
- 3 FILES
“Living Like Weasels” by Annie Dillard with Mini-assessm… ^©

Five-day series of sample lessons includes: Text dependent questions Student discussion activities Vocabulary and syntax tas…

Grade 11
- 04/10/13
- 3 FILES
"The Omnivore’s Dilemma: The Secrets Behind What You Eat…

Two-day series of sample lessons includes: Text dependent questions Student discussion activities Vocabulary and syntax task…

Grade 7
- 04/10/13
- 3 FILES
"The Long Night of the Little Boats" by Basil Heatter wi… ^©

Five-day series of sample lessons includes: Text dependent questions Printable copies of the text Student discussion activit…

Grade 8
- 04/10/13
- 2 FILES
"The Gospel of Wealth" by Andrew Carnegie

This lesson includes: Text-dependent questions Printable copies of the text Student discussion activities Vocabulary and syntax t…

Grade 11
- 04/10/13
- 2 FILES
"The Gettysburg Address" by Abraham Lincoln

Three-to-six day series of sample lessons includes: Text dependent questions Printable copies of the text Student discussion…

Grades 9–10
- 08/15/13
- 2 FILES
"Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass" by Frederi…

Two-day series of sample lessons includes: Text dependent questions Printable copies of the text Student discussion activiti…

Grade 8
- 04/10/13
- 2 FILES
"Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand and "Farewell to Manzana… ^©

Four-to-five day series of sample lessons includes: Text dependent questions Printable copies of the text Student discussion…

Grade 8
- 04/10/13
- 2 FILES
"My Mother, the Scientist" by Charles Hirshberg ^©

Three-day series of sample lessons includes: Text dependent questions Printable copies of the text Student discussion activi…

Grade 7