A type of reading which centers on the affective aspects of reading.

A tool that outlines student progress over time and is often used as an alternative grading mechanism to traditional evaluation systems such as numeric or letter grades.

Initial assessments of students’ knowledge about a topic or concept. A basic standard for the goal of each course is gathered within the first few weeks of the course.

Examples of student performances at various levels, each evaluated using a uniform rubric. They present evaluation possibilities and a standard to assist teachers in the fair assessment of student work.

A teaching idea in which students combine knowledge and creativity to represent their thoughts and content area research through non-traditional formats such as Electronic Alphabet Books and Student-Authored Electronic Informational Books.

A teaching idea in which students write books to represent their thoughts as opposed to through a traditional report format. For example, the students explore a substantive aspect of their current studies and report their learning in an alternative form—through authoring a book.

A teaching idea in which students create a tableau—a representation of a scene with groups of people who are stationary and silent—using an image of a historical event and then write a narrative in the first-person from the perspective of a specific individual in their tableau.

A type of poem written by students, usually in small groups, from three short passages they found particularly meaningful in a book chapter or a content-related novel. The students create a repeated phrase and insert it after each of the passages they have selected.

A small-group drama activity in which participants, who are usually knowledgeable in history, science, mathematics, or literature, are interviewed by a “host.” It can be used in all content areas.

A teaching idea in which students, in small groups, list what they think is the most important information they have learned. Each group uses their list to write a summary which becomes the new lyrics to a song the group has chosen. The group then sings their Lyric Summary for