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University of Florida Literacy Institute

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University of Florida Literacy Institute

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For years, the most urgent and persistent request we heard from the teachers we work with was for a more effective and more easily implemented program for foundational skills instruction.

While most language arts standards include learning targets for foundational reading skills for kindergarten through second grade, they are not detailed enough to build a day-by-day sequence of instruction. While most schools have an abundance of resources in the form of book rooms, basal readers, and a variety of intervention program kits, there is typically insufficient guidance for how, when, and with whom to use these materials.

In response to this persistent need, our team developed UFLI Foundations, a program that includes the necessary professional learning, resources, and scaffolding for teachers to deliver high-quality instruction in foundational reading skills.

This is how UFLI Foundations was born.

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UFLI Foundations | UF Literacy Institute

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For years, the most urgent and persistent request we heard from the teachers we work with was for a more effective and more easily implemented program for foundational skills instruction. While most language arts standards include learning targets for foundational reading skills for kindergarten through second grade, they are not detailed enough to build a day-by-day sequence of instruction.

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Who is this article for?

Based on the default user settings in the Sibme platform, you should have permission to complete this task if you are one of the user levels listed below. If you do not see the screens in this article, you can ask your administrator if you have permission.

Why can't my coach see my video?

When you record a video with the Sibme mobile app, iOS or Android, the video uploads to your private Workspace. Videos and resources in your Workspace are only viewable by you.

To share a video with your coach, or others, you must Copy the video to a Huddle you share with them.

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Why can’t my coach see my video? | Sibme Help Center | Sibme Help Center

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Based on the default user settings in the Sibme platform, you should have permission to complete this task if you are one of the user levels listed below. If you do not see the screens in this article, you can ask your administrator if you have permission.

Videos stored in your private Workspace are ONLY available to you.

If you upload a video or resource to your Workspace in Sibme, either from the mobile app or from the web app at app.sibme.com, the only way to access those videos and resources is by logging into your private and secure Sibme account using your individual login credentials.

While videos, comments, and resources added to a private Workspace are not visible to any other users in Sibme, Account Owners, Super Admins, and some Admins are able to see analytics related to activity taken by all users in their private Workspace.

Analytics for Workspace includes the number of videos uploaded to Workspace, the number of videos watched in Workspace, the minutes uploaded and viewed in Workspace, and notes added to videos in the Workspace. However, only quantities of this data are reported in Account Analytics. The videos and resources themselves are not available to be viewed in Analytics by the Account Owner or Super Admins.

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Who can see videos in my Workspace? | Sibme Help Center | Sibme Help Center

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Based on the default user settings in the Sibme platform, you should have permission to complete this task if you are one of the user levels listed below. If you do not see the screens in this article, you can ask your administrator if you have permission.

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Why is My Video Buffering or Not Playing?

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Why is My Video Buffering or Not Playing?

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My video is buffering or not playing | Sibme Help Center | Sibme Help Center

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When Will a Video Be Ready to View After Uploading?

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When Will a Video Be Ready to View After Uploading?

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After your video has uploaded successfully it will take a few minutes to process before your can view your video in the Sibme video player. You will receive an email notification when your video is ready to be viewed.

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When will a video be ready to view after uploading? | Sibme Help Center | Sibme Help Center

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After your video has uploaded successfully it will take a few minutes to process before your can view your video in the Sibme video player. You will receive an email notification when your video is ready to be viewed.

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Is There a Limit to the Size of Video I Can Upload?

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Is There a Limit to the Size of Video I Can Upload?

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Based on the default user settings in the Sibme platform, you should have permission to complete this task if you are one of the user levels listed below. If you do not see the screens in this article, you can ask your administrator if you have permission.

Is there a limit to the size of video I can upload on the web?

You may upload video files as large as 20 GBs. If you are uploading a file size greater than 2 GB on the Sibme web version, we recommend compressing your file first to expedite upload time.

Is there a limit to the size of video I can upload on the Sibme iOS or Android apps?

There is no file size limit; however, there are limits to the amount of storage on your iOS or Android device. Keep in mind, the larger the file size, the longer it will take to upload to the Sibme cloud. Videos recorded within the Sibme iOS or Android apps are optimized to reduce the size of the video file and the time it takes to upload it to the Sibme cloud.

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Is there a limit to the size of video I can upload? | Sibme Help Center | Sibme Help Center

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Based on the default user settings in the Sibme platform, you should have permission to complete this task if you are one of the user levels listed below. If you do not see the screens in this article, you can ask your administrator if you have permission.

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Can I Sign a Document in Document Commenting?

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Can I Sign a Document in Document Commenting?

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Based on the default user settings in the Sibme platform, you should have permission to complete this task if you are one of the user levels listed below. If you do not see the screens in this article, you can ask your Sibme account administrator if you have permission.

Currently, there is not a way to officially sign a document on the document viewer platform. However, there are functions to draw on a document and add text to a document, using the annotation functions.

To draw on a document, click this icon:

To add text to a document, click this icon:

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Can I Sign Documents in Document Commenting? | Sibme Help Center | Sibme Help Center

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While there currently isn't a way to sign a document, there are tools that allow you to write your signature on a document.

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A public URL can be opened in Document Commenting to be annotated and have comments made on it. This allows Users to collaborate on a URL just like they would on a Resource. The great thing is that these annotations and comments are tracked in Analytics.

Based on the default user settings in the Sibme platform, you should have permission to complete this task if you are one of the user levels listed below. If you do not see the screens in this article, you can ask your Sibme account administrator if you have permission.

Just click on the ●●● more menu on the URL tile and choose "Open to Comment".

This will open a copy of the URL in Document Commenting so it can be annotated and comments can be made on it.

Please note there are some conditions to the type of URLs that can be opened in Document Commenting:

When a URL is added, it will take a little longer to finish adding. A copy of the URL is being turned into a PDF so it can be annotated and this takes a little extra time.

This is a point-in-time copy of the URL. Any changes made to the site after it is added to Sibme will not be reflected in the URL when annotating. If an updated copy of a URL needs to be annotated, then the URL needs to be added again to get an updated copy of the site.

Only public URLs can be opened in Document Commenting. Any site behind a password (called a "gated" site) will not work. Google docs and O365 docs that are shared with anyone will work but private Google/O365 docs will only show a copy of the login screen. Please see these sites to see how to make Google docs and Microsoft O365 docs public.

The resulting marked-up URL can then be downloaded as a PDF to be distributed, shared, or even added into a different Huddle.

Sample of Downloaded PDF:

This is a great way to collaborate on a URL just like you can on a Resource.

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Open a URL in Document Commenting to Annotate | Sibme Help Center | Sibme Help Center

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Users can collaborate and annotate a copy of a URL just like they can on a Resource.

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Recommended Accessories for Video & Audio on Sibme

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Recommended Accessories for Video & Audio on Sibme

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At Sibme, we pride ourselves on being a "low-tech" solution. With our fully-integrated web and mobile application, you can easily capture and share video/audio feedback with your team from any computer, tablet, or mobile device. However, if you'd like to augment the video or audio quality captured by your device, you can purchase some of these optional accessories.

Based on the default User Settings in the Sibme platform, you should have permission to complete this task if you are one of the User levels listed below. If you do not see the screens in this article, you can ask your administrator if you have permission.

Most aftermarket microphones that work with desktops, laptops, Android and iOS devices will improve the recording quality of your Sibme video and audio files. The accessories listed below are tested to work well with devices and the Sibme platform/mobile app. Additionally, we tried to identify cost-efficient accessories that will improve your video and audio quality while not breaking the bank!

Desktop & Laptop Camera & Microphone Devices

The Owl 3 is an intelligent 360-degree camera, mic, and speaker device that enhances collaboration and engagement in classrooms and lecture halls. It seamlessly captures every angle of the classroom and through its advanced auto-tracking technology, the Owl 3 automatically focuses on the active speaker. Additionally, the Owl 3's 18' mic pickup range ensures that every voice is heard, even in large classrooms.

The OBSBOT Tiny Series of cameras are capable of delivery 4K Ultra HD videos at 30fps and 1080p HD videos at 60fps. Equipped with 1/2.8-inch image sensors, capture any moment with the rich clarity and authentic color tones it deserves.
OBSBOT Wireless Microphone
The OBSBOT Wireless Microphone is an advanced 2.4 GHz wireless system that provides stellar, broadcast-quality sound to Android smartphones, tablets, and computers with USB-C connectors, DSLRs, camcorders, recorders, etc.

iOS devices (iPhones, iPads, iPod Touch)

The Zoom iQ7 Microphone for iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch is an excellent low cost option for professional quality sound. This compact, yet full-featured mid-side stereo condenser mic, is perfect for capturing outstanding audio with your video.

Android Devices (and iOS Devices with a headphone jack)

The VideoMic Me from Rode. This directional microphone manufactured by Rode is designed specifically for smartphones and tablets. The VideoMic Me plugs directly into the headphone jack on your Android, iPhone, or iPad device and is held in place with a very simple adjustable clip so that it works with nearly any device.

2. Nolan LiveMic2 Bluetooth Microphone

The Nolan LiveMic2 is a bluetooth microphone that you can sync with iOS and most Android devices. This microphone can be clipped to a lapel to capture the audio near the person wearing it, which is great for augmenting a teacher's voice if they move around a large room during instruction. Alternatively, the microphone could be set in a part of the room that you want to capture, such as a small group of students. To set up the Nolan LiveMic2, you will need to access your device settings, enable bluetooth on your device, and pair the Nolan LiveMic2 with your Rode VideoMic Me device.
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1. Manfrotto Pixi Mini Tripod
Universal Professional HD camera lens by Techo
A mini tripod is a great device to make capturing video from your mobile device easy. Rather than setting up a large tripod in the corner of the room. The Pixi Mini Tripod is small enough to set on a desk, bookshelf, or other flat surface to capture video quickly. The mini tripod is designed to hold smaller devices, but can be augmented with an iPad or Tablet mount to hold larger devices (see mount below).

2. Vastar Universal iPad and Tablet Tripod Mount
If you would like help procuring a large quantity of these devices, you can contact for bulk orders of our recording-kit, which includes a combination of the devices listed above.

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Recording Accessories for Video & Audio | Sibme Help Center | Sibme Help Center

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At Sibme, we pride ourselves on being a "low-tech" solution. With our fully-integrated web and mobile application, you can easily capture and share video/audio feedback with your team from any computer, tablet, or mobile device. However, if you'd like to augment the video or audio quality captured by your device, you can purchase some of these optional accessories.

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Setting the Countdown Timer for Recording on the Sibme Mobile App

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Setting the Countdown Timer for Recording on the Sibme Mobile App

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You can set a timer in the Sibme mobile app to record a predetermined length of time without having to stop recording manually. By setting the countdown timer, the Sibme app will automatically stop recording once the timer ends and upload the video to your private Workspace.

Who is this article for?

Based on the default user settings in the Sibme platform, you should have permission to complete this task if you are one of the user levels listed below. If you do not see the screens in this article, you can ask your administrator if you have permission.

To set the countdown timer in the Sibme mobile app:

1. From the recording view, tap the timer icon and a popup will appear on the screen.

2. Type the duration you would like to record. (for example: 30 for 30 minutes)

3. Then tap the Set Timer button for iOS or Set Duration for Android.

4. Press the red record button to start the countdown clock and recording. The duration you set will appear on the screen.

5. Once the recording has successfully counted down, the video will automatically stop and will begin uploading to your private and secure Workspace on the Sibme app.

Please note, if Auto Upload is turned off then the video will be placed in Offline. Otherwise, the video will automatically be uploaded to your Workspace. If Auto Delete is turned on, then the video will automatically be deleted from your mobile device once it has successfully been uploaded, otherwise it will remain in Offline for future use.

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Set Countdown Timer for Video Recording in the Sibme Mobile App | Sibme Help Center | Sibme Help Center

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You can set a timer in the Sibme mobile app to record a predetermined length of time without having to stop recording manually.

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Help Center: Video Continues to Upload in Background

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Help Center: Video Continues to Upload in Background

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The Sibme app is designed to upload video to your private Workspace even when you are not in the app. If you leave the app after recording, either by locking the device or using another app on the device, your Sibme video will continue to upload as long as it is connected to a wireless or cellular network (if cellular data upload is enabled).

Who is this article for?

Based on the default user settings in the Sibme platform, you should have permission to complete this task if you are one of the user levels listed below. If you do not see the screens in this article, you can ask your administrator if you have permission.

Background upload is a default setting in the Sibme app. You do not need to do anything to enable it.

When video recording stops, it will automatically be uploaded in the Sibme Mobile Apps. While uploading, you can go ahead and lock your device or work on something else. Just remember not to completely close or kill the app. You will be notified of the progress of your upload.

Once the video is fully uploaded, you will also get a notification.

When it is available to view, edit, or share, you will get a notification inside the Sibme Mobile Apps. To check notifications, simply tap the bell button on the Sibme App.

If you notice that your video is stuck or taking a very long time to upload, you can tap the "Pause" button to the right of the video thumbnail. Tap the "Resume" button to continue the upload process.

If your video has paused during upload, tap the "Resume" button next to the video to resume the upload when you are connected to a stable wifi connection.

The Sibme Mobile app is optimized to capture and upload video easily and quickly. You are free to navigate and use other apps on your device after you have finished recording, Sibme will continue to upload the video in the background to your private Workspace.

What's Next:

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Video Continues to Upload in the Background | Sibme Help Center | Sibme Help Center

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The Sibme app is designed to upload video to your private Workspace even when you are not in the app.

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Best Practices for Mobile Recording on Sibme

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Best Practices for Mobile Recording on Sibme

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Based on the default user settings in the Sibme platform, you should have permission to complete this task if you are one of the user levels listed below. If you do not see the screens in this article, you can ask your administrator if you have permission.

Best practices for mobile recording

1. Can't download the app or record on your mobile device?

2. Ready to record in the app on your mobile phone or tablet with cellular service?

3. Ready to start Synced Notes or Observations?

4. On a mobile device and waiting?

5. Uploading seem slow?

6. Having trouble in the app on your mobile device?

7. On an iOS device?

If you'd like more information about Sibme's iOS and Android apps, check out the following articles and videos.

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Best practices for mobile recording | Sibme Help Center | Sibme Help Center

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Based on the default user settings in the Sibme platform, you should have permission to complete this task if you are one of the user levels listed below. If you do not see the screens in this article, you can ask your administrator if you have permission. Best practices for mobile recording 1.

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Folders can be used to organize artifacts in a user's Workspace, Huddle Landing Page, or within a Huddle. Once a Folder is created, a user can drop artifacts, including videos or other uploaded resources, into the Huddle. Folders can be nested to create an extra layer of organization and they can also be used on mobile devices.

Based on the default user settings in the Sibme platform, you should have permission to complete this task if you are one of the user levels listed below. If you do not see the screens in this article, you can ask your Sibme account administrator if you have permission.

Creating a Folder

To create a Folder on the webapp, go to the location where you would like to create the folder and click on the New Folder button.

If you create a Folder in a Huddle, then all members of the Huddle will be able to see the contents of the Folder. In the below example, the Folder will be added to a users Workspace.

By default, folders will be on Grid view and arranged at the top according to the date it was created.

Grid View: Expanded View - When folders within a User's Workspace or Huddle are on Expanded Grid View, users will be able to know specific types and quantities of contents that are included within a folder (Videos, Resources, URLs, Notes, Folders).

Grid View: Collapsed - When folders within a User's Workspace or Huddle are on Collapsed Grid View, users can only see the date the folder was created and name of the creator.

Users have the option to arrange folders based on the date the folder was created, title of the folder, or last date the folder was modified.

If the User prefers to view the folders within their Workspace or Huddle through a list, they can just click on the List View icon below the green plus button. Folders can also be arranged accordingly and users will be able to know specific types and quantities of contents that are included within a folder (Videos, Resources, URLs, Notes, Folders).

Adding Contents to a Folder

You have two options to add artifacts to the folder you created.

First, you can easily drag and drop the artifact to the folder you want to move it to.

Or, on the artifact you want to move, click on the . . . icon and choose Move.

Select the folder name and click Move.

If you accidentally click the wrong folder name, do not worry! Just go to the folder where you initially placed the file and repeat the process to move the artifact back into your Workspace or Huddle.

Sharing and Editing Folder

Folders can be Renamed by clicking Edit, Moved, or Deleted by clicking on the . . . icon on Grid View You can also find the same icon on List View, however, the share icon is separated from the options.

When sharing folders, all of the contents of the folder are shared with it. If you are sharing a folder to a Huddle with different members, then the original members that had access will no longer be able to see the folder and members of the new Huddle will have access to all the contents in the folder. I f you Delete a folder, then all users that have access to the folder will no longer have access to the contents of the folder. If you Move an artifact out of a folder to another folder, then the same situation will happen. Members that previously had access to that artifact no longer will have access and members of the new location will have access.
Folders are a powerful way for users to organize their artifacts and videos as well allow other users access to viewing those artifacts.

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Artifacts Folders Overview | Sibme Help Center | Sibme Help Center

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Folders can be used to organize artifacts in a user's Workspace or within Huddles.

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Sibme's AI Tools are a powerful way to save time creating documents that can take hours to prepare. There are over 40 different types of commonly used files that Sibme Copilot can help you build. These 40+ file types have been broken down in to 4 categories to help direct you to the right tool: Planning & Content, Engagement, Assessment & Evaluation, and Communication. More information about "HOW" to use Sibme AI Tools is available here.

But how best to get the most out of AI Tools? We've built some Companion Resources for each of the 4 categories to help you think through what AI Tools can do for you and what you can do to get the best document quickly. Each of these Companion Resources are broken down into 5 sections to guide your thinking:

1. AI Tools for Engagement: Which documents are included in this category.

2. Getting the Most Out of the Tool: How can you word your questions better to get the best document.

3. Go Beyond the Tool: Some additional ideas to further your thinking.

Feel free to download these Companion Resources by clicking the "Download PDF" button at the bottom so you have your own copy.

Companion Resources for AI Tools

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Sibme AI Tools Companion Resources | Sibme Help Center

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Learn how to best use all of the AI Tools.

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Understanding Academic Language in edTPA

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Understanding Academic Language in edTPA

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Copyright © 2024 Pearson Education, Inc. or its affiliate(s). All rights reserved.

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edTPA Making Good Choices CBU copy given

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Model Code of Ethics for Educators (MCEE)

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Model Code of Ethics for Educators (MCEE)

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This eight-part series of Candidate Webinars begins with an Introduction to edTPA. The next five recordings contain overviews of each of the three tasks, including two for Elementary Education Task 4, that provide a walk-through of requirements and associated rubrics. There is also a recording for Special Education candidates and one regarding retakes. Each recording will guide viewers through a close examination on what candidates are asked to think about, do, and write, as well as how candidate portfolios are evaluated. Several key resources and best practices will be shared throughout the series.

Your Session is about to expire in seconds.
To continue your session, select Stay Signed In.

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Candidate Support Webinars: Online Learning for Candidate Support

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This eight-part series of Candidate Webinars begins with an Introduction to edTPA. The next five recordings contain overviews of each of the three tasks, including two for Elementary Education Task 4, that provide a walk-through of requirements and associated rubrics. There is also a recording for Special Education candidates and one regarding retakes.

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Tompkins Reading Notes Chapter 2: Teaching and Assessing Language Arts

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Tompkins Reading Notes Chapter 2: Teaching and Assessing Language Arts

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EDU512 Reading Notes Assignment Chapter 2

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Productive struggle is a powerful way to develop resilience in students. Here’s how to take the theory and implement productive struggle technique in your classroom

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Written by Dr. Sandra Markowitz, an experienced educator with 17 years in the field of Instructional Technology. Passionate about assistive technology, Universal Design for Learning, instructional strategies, and workflow solutions, Sandra brings innovative approaches to her teaching.

As the end of the school year draws closer, it's time for reflection, celebration, and closure. The final weeks of school present a unique opportunity to engage students in activities that not only mark the end of a chapter but also celebrate their achievements and foster a sense of community. Whether students are in elementary, middle, or high school, the end of the school year signifies a transition, making it essential to provide meaningful experiences that leave a lasting impression.

As momentous as the end of the school year is, it can also present challenges for teachers. Students of all ages can find it difficult to focus on school work, and there are plenty of distractions that keep their minds away from the classroom. To keep students engaged right up until the final bell rings, teachers are looking for activities that are productive, but are dynamic and fun.

With the help of educational experts, we have compiled a list of end of school year activities appropriate for a range of grade levels across a variety of subjects - art, reading, science, and even math.

End of the Year Activities for Elementary School Students

1. Storybook Fair

Transform your classroom into a magical storybook fair where students can celebrate their favorite books and stories from the year. Teachers can set up themed stations based on popular books or genres and encourage students to dress up as their favorite characters. Host reading circles, storytelling sessions, and book-related crafts to engage students in literacy activities while reflecting on the students' literary adventures throughout the school year.

2. Art Gallery Showcase

Turn your classroom into an art gallery to showcase students' creative masterpieces from the school year. Display paintings, drawings, models, and other artwork created by students throughout various art projects completed in class. Invite parents and staff to complete a gallery walk with students. This will also give students the opportunity to discuss their artistic process, which fosters confidence and pride in their work.

3. Environmental Expedition

Take learning outdoors with an environmental expedition! Organize a trip around your school grounds where students can engage in hands-on learning activities such as plant identification, wildlife observation, and habitat exploration. Encourage students to connect with the natural world and develop a deeper appreciation for the environment. Make a lasting impression by installing a birdhouse. Take a step further by having a picnic with your students.

4. Cultural Showcase

Celebrate diversity and cultural awareness by organizing a showcase featuring displays, presentations, performances, and food from different ethnicities and backgrounds represented in your school community. Invite students and families to share their cultures through music, dance, food, clothing, and customs.

5. Memory Books

Have students create memory books filled with highlights from the school year. These books can include drawings, photos, and written reflections. Have classmates sign on the inside cover of each other's memory books.

6. Classroom Rewards

Host a classroom rewards ceremony, during which students receive a personalized award recognizing their unique qualities and achievements. Take it a step further by allowing students to vote on class superlatives.

End of the Year Activities for Middle School Students

1. STEM Olympics

This is an opportunity for students to showcase their science, technology, engineering, and math skills through interactive challenges. Turn your classroom into stations with hands-on activities such as bridge building, designing paper airplanes, constructing towers, and solving puzzles. This encourages teamwork, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills as students compete in competitions to demonstrate their STEM skills.

2. Community Service Project

Organize a community service project. Allow students to instill a sense of civic responsibility in themselves by doing a campus clean-up or collecting food for a local food bank.

3. Time Capsule

Have students create a time capsule filled with mementos, letters to their future selves, and predictions for the upcoming school year. Make plans to revisit the capsule at the end of the next school year.

4. Career Day

Invite guest speakers from various professions to discuss their career paths and inspire students to explore their interests and aspirations. This will also allow students to discuss the classes they will sign up for as they transition to high school.

5. Outdoor Picnic

An outdoor picnic is an easy way to enjoy the last memories of the school year. It allows students to relax, socialize, and enjoy the warmer weather. Set up an area for outdoor games such as frisbee, soccer, volleyball, and badminton.

End of the Year Activities for High School Students

1. Senior Sunset Celebration

Host a special evening event where seniors gather to watch the sunset together, reflecting on their high school journey as they look forward to the future. Provide snacks, music, and opportunities for students to share memories with classmates.

2. Escape Room Challenge

Create an immersive escape room experience where students must work together to solve puzzles and challenges related to their high school experiences. Incorporate themes and clues inspired by memorable events, as well as problem-solving skills, as students unlock the mystery and "escape."

3. Scavenger Hunt

Organize a scavenger hunt with clues and challenges tailored to student experiences and milestones. Include locations and landmarks significant to the students. Incorporate memorable elements and inside jokes to make the scavenger hunt memorable and meaningful for students on their high school journey.

4. Graduation Cap Decorating Party

Host a creative time where seniors can personalize their graduation caps with designs, quotes, and symbols that reflect their individuality. Provide art supplies to help students to unleash their creativity and express themselves. Encourage seniors to share the stories behind their cap designs as they prepare to walk across the stage.

5. Academic Olympics

Host an academic Olympics event where students compete in a series of challenging and engaging academic competitions across subjects. Develop activities such as trivia quizzes, math challenges, science experiments, etc. Organize teams or individuals to represent classes or grade levels. Award prizes to top performers to celebrate their achievements and encourage a culture of academic excellence.

End of Year Math and STEM Activities

1. Walter Filtration Challenge

Challenge students to design and build their own water filtration systems using common household materials. Provide sand, gravel, activated charcoal, and filter paper. Students will use contaminated water samples to test impurities.

2. DIY Mini Greenhouse

Guide students in building their mini greenhouses to explore concepts of plant growth, ecosystems, and environmental science. Provide clear plastic containers, soil, seeds, and watering systems. Encourage students to design and construct their greenhouses considering factors such as light, temperature, and humidity control.

3. Bridge Building Challenge

Challenge students to design and construct bridges using everyday materials such as popsicle sticks, straws, and tape. Provide specifications for the bridge design, such as length, load, and material limitations (like the type of glue for example). Host a competition where students test the strength of their bridges.

4. Forensic Science Investigation

Transform your classroom into a crime scene investigation lab where students can apply forensic science to solve a mystery. Provide a simulated crime scene with evidence such as fingerprints, footprints, hair samples, and DNA samples. Challenge students to collect and analyze the evidence. Guide students through the process of interpreting the evidence.

5. Math Mystery Challenge

Engage students in a day of math mystery. Students will use their problem-solving skills to unravel clues and solve a mystery. Provide a series of math puzzles, riddles, and logic problems related to a storyline. Students will work together to decode the clues for the challenge and solve the mystery.

Takeaways

It's essential to wrap up the school year with excitement to keep students engaged and help them conclude and retain learning from the year. The activities outlined here cater to every grade level, ensuring that students of all ages can celebrate their achievements, foster connections, and create lasting memories. Whether it's transforming classrooms into storybook fairs, hosting STEM Olympics, or organizing senior sunset celebrations, these end of the year activities leave an impact on students.

However, as you plan these activities, remember to be flexible and adaptable to meet the unique needs of your students. Preparation is key, so ensure you have all the necessary materials and resources at hand.

As educators, we have the privilege of shaping the experiences that our students will carry with them for years to come. Let's make sure that we bid farewell to this school year, we do so with a sense of joy and accomplishment.

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End of School Year Activities for All Grade Levels

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Whether they are in elementary, middle, or high school, there's an activity here for your class to keep students engaged as the school year winds down

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How Do You Support Students Through Productive Struggle?

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How Do You Support Students Through Productive Struggle?

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How Do You Support Students Through Productive Struggle?

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PhD Science recognizes how important productive struggle is for development. That’s why rigor and challenge are written into the curriculum.

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Productive Struggle in Project Based Learning

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Productive Struggle in Project Based Learning

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Antidote to Learned Helplessness: Productive Struggle in PBL

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How teachers can help at-first-unwilling students rise to the challenges of a project, by modeling their own learning process to providing scaffolds to building a supportive culture.

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Helping Young Kids Manage Productive Struggle

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Helping Young Kids Manage Productive Struggle

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Elementary school teachers can cultivate resilience-and academic growth-in young students through a carefully scaffolded approach to productive struggle.

By the time kids reach high school, they're developmentally ready to tackle challenging material in physics or history, for example, and educators are more apt to see the value of productive struggle in classrooms. But how should we think of productive struggle in the earlier grades?

After all, elementary students have shorter attention spans compared to older peers, and may lack the emotional tools needed to persist through frustration and confusion. Teachers of these young students, understandably, often feel a strong urge to jump in and help students when they experience roadblocks or struggle, writes Katie Perez, an elementary school educator in San Marcos, Texas.

Frequently, Perez says in a recent article for Teacher 2 Teacher, these educators believe the longer their students experience the feeling of being "stuck" on a problem, "the more likely they are to feel like they're always going to be stuck." Some may even fear that creating opportunities for students to encounter work outside of their reach may diminish their "sense of motivation, curiosity and willingness to try future tasks."

But deep thinking and focus are dispositions that need to be cultivated and then sustained over the course of academic careers. And while students should also experience plenty of confidence-building activities in class, there's a growing body of research that suggests that when kids are given the latitude and the time to grapple with challenging tasks, they encode conceptual understanding more deeply and tend to perform better when asked to transfer knowledge.

Reaping these benefits in an elementary school classroom is not impossible, Perez writes. Rather, it requires teachers to scaffold productive struggle, ask the right sorts of questions, and ensure students understand the benefits of pushing through the difficult work of answering them.

The first step, Perez writes, is to teach young students the important difference between regular-old struggle and productive struggle. Perez begins by defining with her students what the words "productive" and "struggle" mean independently, and then puts their responses together to create a new definition.

Usually, Perez writes, her students arrive at a definition that aligns with the core principles of productive struggle: "working hard toward a goal, and-when we hit a challenge-using all our resources we have available to keep going and not give up."

To further tease out the nuances between struggle and productive struggle-and provide students with an easily accessible way to see those differences-Perez and her students design an anchor chart exploring what regular struggle looks and feels like and what productive struggle should look and feel like.

When a child is "stuck" on a difficult problem for example, the chart helps them understand what this should not look like: giving up, frustration, "working hard but getting nowhere," or throwing a fit. When students embrace a more productive approach, meanwhile, they are reminded to "use [their] tools/resources," "try another way (a new strategy)," think about "what worked last time," or take a breath. Group work, meanwhile, should not include "arguing over the jobs," or "distracting others," but rather sharing ideas, "listening to others," and taking turns.

Resetting the Stakes

Understanding what productive struggle should look like is one thing, but to get students to actually buy-in entails creating the right classroom conditions that give kids the permission (and the self-confidence) to fail.

To help facilitate this, Perez writes that before giving students work she knows they'll struggle with, she provides them with easier "mastery experiences," or questions they can confidently answer given their previous learning. These questions can increase their motivation and provide them with problem-solving strategies to build off of when encountering more complex tasks. When teaching fractions, for example, Perez starts with easy problems and uses students' momentum to tackle harder problems and lean on what they already know to figure out what they don't know. "The most important thing is that they continue to see success and build a sense of self-trust and trust in their strategies," Perez said.

Teachers can also try to change the temperature around assessment and grading, and help them see that "the whole learning journey is important, not just the answer to the problem right in front of them," according to Perez. For middle school math teacher Crystal Frommert, that might involve changing the conversation around work products from grades to growth: "You did really well with simplifying radicals. I'm looking forward to seeing how you apply that skill to the Pythagorean theorem."

To encourage similar outside-the-box thinking and intellectual risk-taking, teachers at King Middle School in Portland, Maine delay grades altogether until the end of a unit. Dr. Pamela Cantor, an author, educator, and founder of Turnaround for Children, told Edutopia that grading practices like the one King Middle School employs can motivate students to "embrace the process of figuring something out," whereas grading them too early in the process may "shut down that effort instead of opening it up."

Designing for Productive Struggle

A productive struggle lesson shouldn't be employed every day, or even every week, Manu Kapur, the father of approach, told Edutopia in 2022. According to Kapur, it's most useful when trying to get students to deepen the conceptual understanding of "three to five big ideas" over the course of a term. For those concepts, it's helpful to design productive failure activities.

Josh Deis, a former teacher and current district math coordinator in California, said a good activity should be a low floor/high ceiling task that is "readily accessible to students with varying degrees of prior knowledge," but also connects to the new learning they'll soon embark on.

In a third-grade math classroom, for example, Deis asked students the following question: " There are five teams in the volleyball league. Every team has six players. How many players are in the volleyball league? " The question, Deis said, is "accessible" and solvable for students who haven't learned multiplication yet but can rely on their existing addition skills. But it's also the sort of problem that can allow students who already understand some of the basics of multiplication to flex their knowledge and demonstrate-to both themselves and their teacher-that they're already capable of some heavy-lifting at the outset of a new unit.

The Snowmen Buttons problem is another open-ended problem that high school math teacher Solenne Abaziou says is also a good fit for elementary school students. Ask students how many snowmen with two or three buttons each can be built if students are given 21 buttons-but don't specify whether all the buttons must be used or if the number of snowmen must be maximized. Leaving the method open-ended, Abaziou writes, might cause some frustration but can stimulate students' creativity by leaving room for different interpretations at different levels of learning.

In an ELA classroom, Paul Sylvester, an assistant professor at West Chester University, recommends playing "finding the rule." Instead of teaching kids what a proper noun is, for example, go through a text they are about to read and circle all the proper nouns in the first paragraph, then ask them to find them in the second paragraph, and explain their reasoning. Doing this, Sylvester writes, allows kids to "discover" and further encode some of the rules of language they're about to learn, rather than simply hear a definition of it and memorize it.

Resisting Impulses

While students are engaged in a productive struggle lesson, it's imperative that teachers resist the urge to correct misconceptions-that comes later-and rob them of opportunities to push through to deeper learning. When students do have questions, Tori Filler, an elementary school literacy teacher in Brooklyn, recommends promoting peer collaboration first.

A quick Think-Pair-Share session for an issue many students in the class are tripping over might be in order, or a Turn and Talk for something that only a few students are struggling with. Establishing a classroom rule, like Ask 3 Before Me, also comes in handy, and, according to elementary school teacher Angela Coleman, encourages collaboration and autonomy.

At some point, of course, the teacher has to step in and teach the underlying skills. Once the lesson is over, Perez suggests initiating a class discussion to flesh out the various solutions students arrived at. Common mistakes should be surfaced during this discussion and celebrated by thanking students for showing their work to the class, and asking other students to share if they made the same mistake. This, Perez said, helps "normalize" the process of failure and teaches students to "meet mistakes with gratitude."

Kapur says teachers can build off of students' rough ideas and solutions, and use follow-on approaches like direct instruction and review to help them make sense of the material they just struggled with. "The goal is to design experiences that incorporate failure in a safe, curated way," Kapur said. "Then, we turn that initial failure into something that is productive by stepping in, giving students feedback and guidance."

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Helping Young Kids Manage Productive Struggle

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Elementary school teachers can cultivate resilience-and academic growth-in young students through a carefully scaffolded approach to productive struggle.

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It's just an ed thing.

It is a way to connect every student to the learning experience, and a way at looking at learning that is fully inclusive and promotes success for all learners, regardless of ability.

Mike Marotta

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Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a research-based framework that helps teachers plan learning to meet the diverse and variable needs of all students. Find out how flexible supports for learning can be embedded into an environment and made available to everyone. Explore how hidden barriers ...

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Too many educators feel that their autonomy has been taken away by standards, scripted curriculum, and ultimately, standardized testing. It doesn't have to be this way. We need our systems designed to meet the needs of our students, not a test, and give our teachers back the independence to proactively design lessons that engage and support all students.
When we teach students to become expert learners who are purposeful and motivated, resourceful and knowledgable, and strategic and goal-directed - the goals of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) - improved test results will come. Rigorous state-standards will be met. Students will be engaged, self-regulated, and more successful. Teachers will be more engaged and effective. Everyone wins.

UDL is an educational framework based on decades of neuroscience research and is endorsed by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). This framework is being adopted by teachers, schools, and districts around the globe and is considered best practice for teaching ALL students in an inclusive learning environment. UDL empowers both teachers and students by putting students in charge of their own learning.

Yet, there continues to be many misunderstandings about what UDL is and is not. I've put together this infographic to help spread the word about UDL and provide some practical tips for implementing UDL. I'll be the first to say that UDL can't be learned by just looking at an infographic, but with your help, we can spread the word about this education framework that has the ability to shape the future success of all of our students.

What is UDL?

UDL is Universal Design for Learning, an education framework based on decades of research in neuroscience and endorsed by the Every Student Succeeds Act. UDL is considered best practice for teaching all students in an inclusive learning environment.

The goal of UDL is to create learners who are purposeful & motivated, resourceful & knowledgable, and strategic & goal oriented, in other words, expert learners.

Start by embracing learner variability. There is no such thing as an "average" student. Every student has different strengths and weaknesses.

With UDL, teachers transition their role to facilitator, removing barriers to learning by giving students options and choices that empower them to take control of their own learning and reach rigorous state-standards. To universally design lessons, teachers must provide multiple means of engagement, multiple means of representation, and multiple means of action and expression.

Are you ready to start learning more about UDL and integrating it into your daily practice? Enroll in one of our online courses.

Not sure where to start?
Editor's Note: This blog has been updated from its previous version first published in Dec. 2018.

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What is UDL? Infographic - Novak Educational Consulting

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This UDL infographic gives you a brief summary of what UDL is and why it is worth learning more about.

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What is UDL in Today's Education Environment?

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What is UDL in Today's Education Environment?

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Technology Solutions That Drive Education

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What Does UDL Mean, and What Does It Look Like in K-12 Schools?

UDL is "a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn," according to CAST, the organization responsible for its development.

In K-12 schools today, UDL is a way of thinking and teaching that helps make learning accessible for all students with the help of technology.

"Learner variability is the norm in our classrooms," says Kavita Rao, a professor in the College of Education at the University of Hawai'i. "UDL can be helpful to consider and address the variability of all learners, taking into account their abilities, support needs, backgrounds, and preferences."

Because UDL centers on accessibility and inclusion, it can help schools choose technologies that will support student learning. This can help IT professionals examine devices - and educators examine websites and applications - with a mindset that digs deeper than the new tech's shiny facade.

What Do Districts Need for UDL in Modern Learning Environments?

District leaders and educators need to understand the UDL Guidelines and principles to properly implement them in their learning environments. The UDL Guidelines are built around engagement, representation and action and expression. These three areas focus on the why, what and how of learning, respectively.

With the help of technology, UDL can be implemented easily in K-12 districts.

"UDL is not something new you have to sign on for," Rao says. "It's a framework for thinking about how to be inclusive and proactively design."
How can schools avoid burnout when introducing new technology?
While dedicated time for planning and professional development can help educators properly adopt the UDL framework, they can incorporate it with the technologies, lessons and projects they already use. Even small changes, like adding captions to videos and equipping teachers with microphones for audial clarity, are great first steps.

"The most important shift that UDL requires teachers to make is to look for potential barriers and challenges in the curriculum, rather than in the student," says Caroline Torres, an associate professor at Kapi'olani Community College and Rao's co-author of " UDL for Language Learners."

How Can Administrators Support UDL Implementation in Schools?

Administrators can support the use of UDL by understanding what it is and what it's trying to accomplish and by presenting it authentically.

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What Is Universal Design for Learning in Today's Education Environment?

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Bringing accessibility to education supports learning for all students. Educators can use technology to support UDL. Here's what you need to know.

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Differentiating between UDL and Differentiated Instruction

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Differentiating between UDL and Differentiated Instruction

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There is plenty of confusion between UDL and Differentiated Instruction (DI) in the education world these days, and it is easy to see why. From the very onset, when examining both approaches, there are many commonalities and overlaps between UDL and Differentiated Instruction. In both models:

The standards and expectations are the same for all learners

There is flexibility in lesson design and student groupings

Individual learning strengths and limitations are considered in planning

A wide variety of tools and technology are used to assist student learning

Supports and scaffolding are both integral in lesson design

The question then arises, how are they different? What distinguishes them from one another? Let's examine those differences.

UDL

UDL is more focused on student-centered learning where the learning experiences are proactively designed so there are options that are accessible for every learner.

The goal of UDL is to remove the barriers to learning so students can achieve optimum knowledge and become expert learners.

UDL asks us to design flexible goals, methods, materials, and assessments by keeping in view diverse learner needs from the very beginning.

UDL provides multiple means of engagement, representation, and action and expression to all learners from the start. Students are encouraged to self-differentiate and choose the best path for themselves.

Differentiated Instruction

Differentiated Instruction (DI) can be seen as a responsive practice where adjustments are made based on the individual needs of the students.

Oftentimes, differentiation is done after the data is collated and trends are noticed.

The goal of differentiation is to provide a responsive and optimal learning environment for individuals/groups of learners.

DI provides targeted strategies that are teacher-directed as teachers choose which strategies students receive.

UDL and Differentiation are both positive approaches toward learning as both are student centrist. Both approaches help students achieve success in accessing the content by using strategies and scaffolding. When looking closely, one important point that makes UDL more proactive is that it tries to eliminate the barriers of learning from the very beginning by keeping the variability of learners in mind.

The strategies and scaffolds are embedded within the learning experiences from the planning stage and are available to all students. UDL, in name, communicates universal, inclusive education whereas DI, in name, communicates different ways of learning. Inclusion is the best way to move forward hence UDL covers more ground in planning for variability, firm goals, and expert learning. In inclusive classrooms, we need to be proactive and design lessons with UDL and then be responsive and use data to differentiate instruction.

Sharmila Choudhury, born and raised in India, has 14 years of experience working as an early-year educator at Stamford American International School in Singapore and 5 years of experience in special needs education. In her free time, she enjoys reading, traveling, cooking, and spending time with her family.

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Differentiating between UDL and Differentiated Instruction

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What's the difference between UDL and differentiated instruction and which one do we start with? Learn from Sharmila Choudhury's guest post.

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The UDL Mindset - Universal Design for Learning Implementation and Research Network

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In order to successfully implement Universal Design for Learning in your space, environment, classroom, etc, it is important to shift into a UDL Mindset. Use these resources to shift your thinking towards the growth and entrepreneurial mindset of UDL: Check

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Facilitators: Dr. Stephanie Gregson and Shanine Coats
Partners: California UDL Coalition featuring

James McKenna, Los Angeles County Office of Education

Sung Park, Santa Clara County Office of Education

Kelly Wylie, Santa Clara County Office of Education

Key Takeaways: Overview of Universal Design for Learning

What and Why

UDL definition: framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn
Not a "special ed" thing-it's an "everybody" thing

Three groups of neural networks that drive learning

Affective is the why-reason we learn

Recognition is the what-process and store the information

Strategic is the how-responsible for focusing attention, communicating and creating, and strategic thinking

Learner Variability-variability is predictable, what we can predict we can plan for
We learn best when a flexible learning environment is created and planned.

Curb-Cut Effect-universal support from architecture

Assists anyone who has trouble with sharp changes in elevation- don't impede anyone

Closed caption is a similar universal support in education

What UDL is and is not

Lens, not a checklist
It is a way of looking at our learning environments and laying out flexible paths to firm goals.

Marathon, not a sprint
Setting expectations and taking steps towards a slow and steady progress

Journey, not a destination
Keep making progress towards the vision using guidelines and rubrics to inform that vision

Standards-based, not standardized

Included in state frameworks

Not one-size-fits-all and not everybody do what they want

Firm goals, flexible means

Myths vs. Reality

Myth: UDL is just good teaching. Reality: Good teaching is subjective; UDL is an organized science-based framework.

Myth: I do all of this already. Reality: You may employ certain strategies aligned with UDL, but not the same as deliberate intent, practice, and consistency.

Myth: You have to make individual lessons for every student. Reality: Some supports help all students.

Myth: Learning barriers exist in students. Reality: Barriers exist in designs.
Students need ownership of their learning, but if there are barriers to meeting the goal, we should be looking at the learning environment.

How: UDL Framework and UDL Guidelines

Set Clear, Rigorous Goals

Set goals one at a time, and be flexible and clear.

Clarify goals vs. lowering the expectations.

Anticipate Barriers
Identify some of the barriers and problems ahead of time.

Design Options
Design options to address barriers by providing multiple options for engagement, representation, and action and expression to engage the affective, recognition, and strategic networks of the brain. We affect what is relevant for the learning brain.

UDL Guidelines

They are a tool and a set of suggestions for applying the UDL framework to practice so that all learners can access and engage in meaningful, challenging learning opportunities.

The goal of UDL is to develop expert learners.

The UDL Guidelines are arranged both horizontally and vertically

Vertical: Organized according to the three principles of UDL-Engagement, Representation, and Action/Expression

Horizontal: Organized according to Access, Build, and Internalize

Suggestion-start small by focusing on "Access."

Putting it All Together: UDL and Distance Learning

Specific examples of how UDL can apply to distance learning

How: Provide multiple ways to access materials

What: Front-load important information such as vocabulary, organizers

Why: Provide student with different modalities to demonstrate their understanding/learning; timely and specific feedback to monitor students' progress towards the learning goal

Takeaways

Methods, materials, and assessments need to be flexible.

Design to the edges-the average learner is a myth.

Start small-it's a journey, not the destination.

It's the environment that needs to change, not the students.

Additional Resources for UDL visit the UDL Webinar Padlet website.

Last Reviewed: Tuesday, March 2, 2021

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UDL in a Distance Learning Environment Webinar

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Facilitators: Dr. Stephanie Gregson and Shanine Coats Partners: California UDL Coalition featuring James McKenna, Los Angeles County Office of Education Sung Park, Santa Clara County Office of Education Kelly Wylie, Santa Clara County Office of Education What and Why UDL definition: framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for

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California Coalition for Inclusive Learning

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California Coalition for Inclusive Learning

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Welcome to the California Coalition for Inclusive Learning (CCIL) universal resources. It is our intent that educators in a variety of roles, find resources to support their practice in universally designing learning experiences for all learners. In anticipation to the barrier of time , we've designed three ways to engage on a particular :

- Past and future content (slides and video recordings)

- One-doc stops present best practices related to the topic.

Got a Minute? Learning Series - Flexibility to choose your learning pathway based on the amount of time available.

At CAST we believe that variability is the norm ! We'd love your on these iterative resources!

For more information on coaching and support, California educators may contact Shamryn Coyle, CCIL Director for the Placer County Office of Education at scoyle@placercoe.org .

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California Coalition for Inclusive Learning

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Welcome to the California Coalition for Inclusive Learning (CCIL) universal resources. It is our intent that educators in a variety of roles, find resources to support their practice in universally designing learning experiences for all learners. In anticipation to the barrier of time, we've

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National Center on Universal Design for Learning

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Learning for our students

Universal Design for learning is a framework, a mindset, a way of reaching, engaging, and empowering all students. It is defined as a "research-based set of principles to guide the design of learning environments that are accessible and effective for all" ( CAST). Before we explore some of the UDL Principles in a little more depth and to understand how we can use the principles to engage students. watch this short clip below from AHEAD. It explains UDL way better than text, so have a listen as it sets the stage for what comes next. (2mins).

To visualise the UDL guidelines and explore them in more detail, check out the image below. Click here and it will lead you to more information! In this blog, we are really looking at how we can engage students in being more motivated and engaged in learning how to learn.

Learning about our students

As mentioned in the video, the UDL Guidelines identify that one of the key principles of UDL is the provision of multiple means of engagement. Our goal as educators is for our students to be engaged and motivated to learn, right? Otherwise, what are we doing? We want our students to leave our classes, modules and courses feeling empowered and impassioned to continue to learn, either by continuing their education or when in employment. We want to ingrain that passion for lifelong and lifewide learning. But that doesn't just happen by chance. Each student we meet is individual and varied. They come with their own life experiences, neurolgy, culture and background knowledge. They have been impacted by education in many ways. Some will be driven, engaged, highly motivated, and primed to learn. Others will be disengaged, disenfranchised, demotivated and in need of some additional support along the way. Some like to work alone; some learn better working with others ( CAST). If we think of our students in this way, then it follows naturally that we are not going to be able to engage all our students in one way; we need to be able to engage students in multiple ways. It is this diversity and variability in our students that both challenges us and provides us with opportunities to innovate inside the box in how we approach our class groups, our modules, and our individual students. This is where UDL comes in.

Executive functioning skills involve an ability to set long term goals and to see beyond the here and now, as well as being able to put strategies in place to reach these goals. A student needs to be able to monitor their progress as they work toward their goals and then be able to make changes to the strategies, they are using to ultimately achieve those goals. Easy, eh? Even as I am writing this, I am trying to think of how many short-term reactions I make to my environment without setting long term goals. And even if I set long term goals, do I put strategies in place to enable me to get there and then monitor my progress? How can you support your students to do this?

Throughout this blog we have maintained a focus on the importance for us as educators or administrators involved in education in truly knowing our learners. It is through this understanding of their needs as individuals, and our acknowledgement that the average learner is a myth, that we can truly begin to reach all learners. Designing the learning environment and each and every learning experience with a UDL framework and mindset to the fore can help us to better reach, engage, include, empower and truly motivate our learners.

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Learning for our students Universal Design for learning is a framework, a mindset, a way of reaching, engaging, and empowering all students. It is defined as a "research-based set of principles to ...

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In this series, take a deeper dive into the Universal Design for Learning Principles. Learn what things you can incorporate to your class to provide multiple ways for your students to learn and understand class concepts and content.

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Engaging students at every age requires intentionality but the strategies don't need to be complex. They can (and should) even be fun! Here are 15 classroom engagement strategies that will help increase whole class commitment and interaction with your curriculum.

Connect lessons to real life

1. Real-World Writing - Every subject area can utilize real-world writing skills like writing a good email, a well-worded letter to a company, or even how to use a journal to process a question. Real-world applications increase engagement because students how this information might be used in everyday life.

2. Problem Solving - Ask students to think about the question, "what problem does this solve?" Have them answer it before, during, and after a unit of study. Finding the real-life application of concepts helps students of all ages see the "why" in their learning and keeps them engaged.

3. Real-Life Lineup - Creating a "class lineup" is a great way to engage learners from the first day and learn something about them at the same time. Challenge students to line up along a wall, without talking, in order with a designated number or letter. Give them one minute to work together to line up, for example, alphabetically by the first letter of their last name or by the number of their birth month. As they complete the exercise, you can observe which students stay engaged, which helps others, and who seems to need more help.

Teach with color

1. Rainbow Reflections - Assign one of four colors of sticky notes. Students can use color to represent the type of response they are giving to the material, whether they are asking a question, making a personal connection, finding new vocabulary words, or analyzing an author's purpose. Have students get in groups and share, making sure all the colors are represented.

2. Red/Green Cards - Give every student a set of laminated red and green cards at the beginning of the year to keep on hand (and have extras ready for when they get lost). This is an easy way to gauge if students are ready to move forward or if someone needs to stop and ask a question. Ask them to do a quick vote after you've taught a new concept. You can even have them put their heads down before they hold up the card to save face for those who might otherwise be embarrassed to admit they are stuck. Add in a yellow card and you can ask for opinions: agree, disagree, and need more information.

Schedule parent teacher conferences with an online sign up. View an Example
Get moving

1. Role Playing - Assign students a role and they have them role play and work together to solve the problem. For example, you could assign students bones of the body and have them work to put themselves together by introducing themselves to each other, sharing their role in the function of, say, the arm and getting lined up correctly. For younger students, assign them the roles of characters in a favorite book and have them act out a scene from the story.

2. Move and Talk - The simple act of standing up and walking to another part of the classroom to read a passage with a small group or discuss a question together can increase engagement. Display articles and illustrations related to your content area and do a gallery walk, having students jot down observations as they go.

3. Scavenger Hunt - Post ten "stations" of colored paper around the room. Each paper has an answer at the top of the page and a new problem to solve at the bottom of the page. Have students take scratch paper with them to keep track of answers. Give each student an initial problem to solve (give students different starting problems or stagger start times so stations don't get overcrowded). They search the stations to find the correct answer for their initial problem on the top half of the page. Once they find that matching answer, they solve the new problem that's on the bottom half and search for that answer on the top half of another station. If they don't see the answer on the top of another station, they need to rethink their answer. They are finished when they go back to the station where they started and complete the "hunt."

Sample Sign Ups

Game on

1. Two Truths and a Lie - You may have played this as a party game, but how about using it to actively engage your learners? Ask students to select a word from a vocabulary or concept list and write down three statements about the word (challenge them to think about related words, parts of speech, etc.) One of the statements should be a lie. The goal is to stump their table partners or other small groups to figure out which is the untruth about the concept or vocabulary word.

2. Head's Up Seven Up - Play this simple childhood game but assign the seven people to be "it" and play the role of putting down thumbs of other students. Those seven students will have a vocabulary word assigned to them. The rest of the kids put their heads down and thumbs up on their desks. The "it" students then walk around the room and select students by putting their thumbs down. When students guess who put their thumb down, they guess the person by naming their assigned vocabulary word but also must give the definition of the word. If they get it right, they change places with that person and are assigned a new vocabulary word to keep the game interesting. As an option, you can let students have their vocabulary sheet out or open notes as a help.

Coordinate professional development for teachers with an online sign up. View an Example
Level up note-taking

1. Cornell Notes - The Cornell Note-Taking System was originally developed by Cornell education professor, Walter Pauk and allows not just note-taking, but allocates a place on the student's page for writing down questions and writing a summary to help synthesize what they've just learned. Students might even find it fun to draw pictures in the cue section in order to create visuals that summarize the information.

2. Listening Notes - With this strategy, students are challenged to just listen and when the teacher pauses, students write down everything they remember (a brain dump of sorts). At different intervals, students share with a partner and write down one thing they learned from their partner that they didn't have in their original notes.

3. Exit Notes - Number students off and give them a sticky note to write their number on. At the end of class, ask students to write something new they've learned or a question they still have on the sticky note and leave it on a poster board with numbered squares designated for their exit note.

4. Cut and Paste - Not just for preschool anymore! Give students, for example, a text or series of quotes or related illustrations and allow them to cut and paste according to different categories or chronological order. This engages their brain and their scissors!

5. Pause, Star, Rank - This technique is one of many suggested in an amazing engagement resource Total Participation Techniques by Himmele and Himmele. In this strategy, students stop and look at their notes or a text, star anything they feel is important, then rank their top three starred concepts. Students can then share in a small group or write it on the whiteboard, allowing them to see connections between their learning and helping teachers gauge if key concepts are being grasped.

Student engagement happens best when a class routine is balanced with creative learning activities that keep students interested and anticipating what's next. Incorporating a few of these strategies will help you create a classroom where students know their participation is welcomed and valued.
Julie David is a freelance writer, educator, and worship pastor's wife from the Midwest who likes warm hugs.

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student classroom learning engagement strategies

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15 Student Engagement Strategies to Increase Learning

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Good teachers have to work hard to keep students engaged with the material they are learning. Use these helpful strategies to add some fun and practical ways for increasing student learning

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When student engagement is going downhill, we often find ourselves reaching for the prop box.

We pull out random videos, time-sucking resources, overly complex activities... anything to get and keep attention. But even these can't compete with our students' pen tricks, doodling, and discussions of what happened at recess. And there's a simple reason why:

Our students aren't engaged by things. They're engaged by us. That's why the best (and easiest) ways to increase student engagement come from you.

We compiled 20 essential strategies that generate lasting engagement, without the flashy props and hours of post-school prep.

Let the countdown begin!

20. Connect learning to the real world

We've all heard it before: "When am I ever going to use this?" Answer this question and you'll engage students with content that they know is relevant to life beyond school. Use anecdotes, case studies, and real-life examples from outside the classroom to root your teaching in "the real world".

19. Engage with your students' interests

Find out what already engages your students and build it into the learning process.

Using mathematics as an example, you could have students chart their performance in a video game over the week. You might even get your budding social media influencers to calculate a projected number of Instagram followers.

Learning what excites your students does more than just engage them. You'll build strong relationships and rapport, too.

18. Fill "dead time"

"Dead time" is any point in a lesson where students are left without something to do. You might be handing out a worksheet, getting a presentation set up, or waiting interminably for a YouTube video to load. These are brief windows that leave just enough time for students to tune out, after which time it can be very difficult to get them back.

Fill these blank spaces with low-order activities to hold students' attention. These should be quick, easy, and require minimal follow-up. For example:

Think Pair Share: students reflect on something, discuss with a partner, and then share with the rest of the class once everyone is ready

Quickwrite: write down three questions or points that have been raised by the lesson so far

What I know already: if you're just about to dive into new content, ask students to identify three things they already know about the subject and jot them down as bullet points.

17. Use group work and collaboration

Collaborating with small groups gives students a welcome break from solo bookwork. They'll benefit from each other's perspectives and the ability to express their ideas.

Use your judgment and knowledge of who works well together when organizing group work. Engineering the groups might avoid troublesome partnerships, while allowing students to work with friends might generate the buzz you need for more productive activity.

16. Encourage students to present and share work regularly

Giving students a regular opportunity to share their thoughts and demonstrate learning in front of their peers drives engagement in two ways:

it makes students accountable

it lets them hear from someone other than their teacher.

If your students quiver in fear at the thought of speaking in front of the class, combine presentations with group work. A few ideas:

Have students present in groups after a group task.

Let students share each other's work within smaller groups before asking them to choose one piece to share with the rest of the class.

Let students read or present their work while sitting down. It avoids the pressure of having to "stand and deliver".

Ask for one contribution from each group after discussion, with each group nominating a "spokesperson".

Above all else, make presenting and sharing a regular part of class activity. Your class will become an equitable and engaging space that echoes with the voice of every student, not just your own!

15. Give your students a say

If you don't know how to engage your students, let them tell you! Give your students a say in classroom activity by:

providing a choice of different activities (e.g. group work or solo)

seeking student input for assessment design (e.g. students can choose a final product, provided it meets the criteria)

periodic check-ins to monitor the pace of delivery (e.g. "do we need to go over this a bit more slowly or are we feeling pretty confident?").

Giving students a choice also fosters their sense of ownership over their learning. They'll move from passive consumers to active learners with a stake in classroom activity.

14. Use mixed media

Present learning content in a variety of mediums, including video, audio, and digital resources. Using such tech-rich resources is engaging for two reasons. It's a welcome change from the stacks of paper our students are usually saddled with, and it establishes a direct and relevant connection with the digital world they inhabit.

13. Get your students moving

If your students struggle to sit still for an entire lesson, get them moving. All that pent-up energy can be channelled into a learning activity that puts them on their feet. Try the following.

Have students come to the front and brainstorm together on the whiteboard.

Have students rotate through different stations around the room over the course of an activity.

Have students split into groups or arrange themselves in different areas of the room.

Take a stand: have students move to a particular area of the room to indicate their thoughts on an issue (e.g. "everyone who thinks x, move to the right side of the room; if you think y, stand on the left").

Movement works equally well to engage sluggish or weary students. A quick bit of physical activity will leave them more alert for the next phase of learning.

12. Read the room

If you're steadily losing students to doodling, off-topic chatter, and the pervasive "need to tear and ball up little pieces of paper", it's time to shake things up.

Cut the activity short if it's dragging, clarify instructions if there's confusion, or switch to a more student-centered activity for greater engagement.

Remember: it's impossible to have every student engaged 100% of the time. The next best thing we can do is to notice disengagement and respond to it quickly.

11. Scaffold tasks with checkpoints

If you dump all your instructions on students at the start of a lesson before turning them loose with an activity, confusion and disengagement will likely follow.

That's why it's important to scaffold larger tasks by breaking them into achievable steps. Each of these can be separated by brief "checkpoints" of instruction reorienting students and reminding them of what needs to be done next. They also serve as a periodic call to attention when students are liable to go off track.

10. Focus on discovery and inquiry

Sometimes the best thing you can do for engagement is to get out of your students' way.

Let them discover learning for themselves without being spoon-fed. They'll exercise critical and creative thinking, and pursue the lines of inquiry that interest them.

This doesn't mean you should retreat behind the teacher's desk. Observe your students, listen to them, and talk to them about what they're thinking. Be their guide as opposed to their instructor.

9. Ask good questions

Ask good questions of your students and you'll drive rich, engaging discussions that are open to everyone.

Good questions should be:

open-ended: to avoid "yes/no" answers

equitable: open to answers of varying depth and complexity

legitimate: asked because you want to hear students' thoughts and opinions, not because you're fishing for a correct answer.

When students answer a question, engage with their response. Even if it's incorrect or misinformed, recognize their effort and use it to refine the question further (e.g. "you're on the right track, but could we also think about...").

8. Allow for think time

It's gratifying to see hands shoot up as soon as you ask a question, but letting your students think it over has two benefits. It leads to more considered responses that drive engaging discussions, and it also makes the conversation accessible to those who don't have an instant answer.

After you ask a question, insist on a twenty-second pause and give students an opportunity to extend their standard responses further. For example, you might ask "See if you can explain how you came to your answer, too". You'll receive better answers and start to notice some new hands going up.

7. Shake things up

Predictability is safe, but it can get boring. Mix up your staple teaching strategies with new and novel activities from time to time. Talk to other teachers for ideas. In addition to engagement, you'll also be giving your students an example of what it means to take a risk and try something new.

Experimenting with some new parts of the teacher toolkit also makes it easier to differentiate your instruction. A new activity or delivery method might be the trick to engaging that student who has been a tough nut to crack all year.

6. Give brain breaks

Periodically give students a breather with brain breaks. These are short activities that allow students to stretch their legs before returning to work feeling focused. You can find a list of 20 brain breaks at Mind Bloom.

Meritopia in Mathletics is gamified learning at its best and keeps students engaged! When students earn enough points in Mathletics, they get the perfect brain break in Meritopia by discovering new lands and unlocking characters.

5. Be personable

Relationships and rapport are pillars of lasting engagement, and you can't have either without being personable. This means getting to know your students and letting them get to know you.

While enthusiasm for the learning content might ebb and flow, your smile, laughter, and conversation will engage students every time they walk through your classroom door.

4. Encourage friendly competition

Use in-class games, quizzes, or gamified learning programs to engage students with friendly competition. For example, Live Mathletics (a feature in Mathletics) allows students to test their mathematical skills by competing in 60-second quizzes against peers in their class or around the globe in real time.

"Friendly" is the keyword here. Make sure competitive activities are low stakes and put the emphasis on learning instead of winning.

3. Start lessons with introductory hooks

Engage students from the outset of your lesson with an introductory hook. This could be anything that piques interest, establishes relevance, or inspires curiosity in the subject of the lesson, for example:

a personal anecdote connected to the subject

a brain teaser or challenge question

a historical example

a multimedia source.

Keep your hooks short and segue them directly into an overview of the learning goal. It's an effective opening that engages while setting students up for the main instructional component.

2. Laugh together

Weaving humour throughout your lesson lightens the mood and makes for a more fun experience. Laugh with your students, and don't be afraid to let them laugh at you from time to time!

1. Gamify learning

Games are the most powerful source of engagement for students outside of class, and they're equally effective at driving engagement in learning. Transform activities into games by including levels of difficulty, rewards, and competitive elements. You can read more about gamifying learning here.

You don't have to invest hours in creating rules and drawing up game boards, either. Gamified learning programs can do the work for you. The learning programs in the 3P suite, for example, provide a host of student-friendly games for mathematics, literacy, and science. All you have to do is select the appropriate curriculum and grant your students access.

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20 Student Engagement Strategies for a Captivating Classroom

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Here's our list of the best student engagement strategies to help you create an engaging classroom and better connect with students.

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10 Tips for Engaging Students in Learning

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10 Tips for Engaging Students in Learning

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Keeping your students engaged in the classroom can be a difficult task for any teacher. Check out this great list on some ways you can help make this more effective*! Set the Stage - Atmosphere is critical in helping your students stay engaged. This can range from having colorful bulletin boards and a theme for

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A new analysis identifies four life-size human figures and an 11-foot rattlesnake drawn on the ceiling of an unnamed cavern

Megan Gannon

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A new analysis identifies four life-size human figures and an 11-foot rattlesnake drawn on the ceiling of an unnamed cavern Megan Gannon Get the History newsletter By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to receive news, offers, and information from Smithsonian magazine and our partners. Click to visit our Privacy Policy.

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What are SDAIE Strategies?
As classrooms become more culturally diverse, it is crucial for teachers to be familiar with strategies that can help students struggling with the English language (English Language Learners). Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English (SDAIE) is a teaching approach that uses various strategies to teach academic content to ELL students.

SDAIE strategies focus on curriculum and teaching content to students, as compared to ESL curriculum, which focuses more on developing students' English language skills.

Using SDAIE strategies helps teachers differentiate instruction to suit the learning needs of ELL students. Teachers can apply these strategies to instruction, and use them as assessment tools.

Teachers following SDAIE practices help ELL students by:

1. Analyzing material from point of view of students with limited English proficiency.

2. Activating students background knowledge.

3. Presenting material and lessons orally as well as increasing the use of visuals, graphic organizers, manipulative and hands-on-learning experiences.

4. Using simple language for communicating as well as limiting the use of idioms, jargon and complex sentence structures.

5. Reinforcing learning of language along with content and curriculum.

6. Regularly assessing and monitoring student progress.

These goals are achieved in the following ways:

Bridging or Activating Knowledge: Teachers help students establish connections between current topics and previous knowledge through use of images, brainstorming, and strategies like quick-writes, think-pair-share, and previewing text.

Contextualization: Students are taught to familiarize themselves with unknown concepts by experiencing them directly through demonstrations, media, realia and hands-on learning opportunities.

Metacognitive Development: Teachers equip students with the skills and vocabulary essential for learning.

Modelling: Teachers can set examples for students in the language they want students to use. This includes speaking slowly and clearly, using correct vocabulary. Teachers may also use peer interactions and student discussions to instill language and communicative skills in ELL students. Student discussions are useful as they provide ELL students with an opportunity to:

Practice both their listening and speaking skills.

To share their opinions and thoughts on topics in a safe environment.

Actively participate in a group without fearing judgement or ridicule.

Schema-Building: Students learn to explore, identify, and compare relationships between concepts through strategies such as jigsaw learning, peer teaching, and project-based learning.

Representations: Students are instructed to represent their understanding of a material through drawings and presentations.

SDAIE strategies streamline teachers' efforts at presenting academic content to ELL students in ways that enable them to attain academic excellence.
Like this article for teachers?
Browse the Professional Learning Board COURSE CATALOG to find related online courses for teachers in your state. Professional Learning Board is a leading provider of online professional development classes that teachers use to renew a teaching license or renew a teaching certificate.

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Using SDAIE strategies helps teachers differentiate instruction to suit the learning needs of ELL students. Analyzing material from point of view of students with limited English proficiency. Activating students background knowledge. Presenting material and lessons orally as well as increasing the use of visuals, graphic organizers, manipulative and hands-on-learning experiences.

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Article: Starting the School Year with a (Diagnostic Assessment) PARTY!!!

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Edutopia is a free source of information, inspiration, and practical strategies for learning and teaching in preK-12 education. We are published by the George Lucas Educational Foundation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization.

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Access Kids Discover’s award-winning library of Science, Social Studies, and High-Interest Nonfiction on any device, for one low price. Perfect for Grades 3-8. Educator, School, and District Options. Single Sign-on with Google and Clever. Interactive Content. Assessments and Lesson-Planing Tools.

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Britannica Money

Discover all you need to know about retirement, investing, and household finance, without the jargon or agenda. Get reliable guidance, insight, and easy-to-understand explanations, written, edited, and verified to Britannica's exacting standards.

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America, I sing back. Sing back what sung you in.

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Poem: An American Sunrise by Joy Har­jo, the 23rd Poet Lau­re­ate of the Unit­ed States. A mem­ber of the Mvskoke Nation. 

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Poem: An American Sunrise by Joy Har­jo, the 23rd Poet Lau­re­ate of the Unit­ed States. A mem­ber of the Mvskoke Nation. 

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We were running out of breath, as we ran out to meet ourselves. We

were surfacing the edge of our ancestors' fights, and ready to strike.

It was difficult to lose days in the Indian bar if you were straight.

Easy if you played pool and drank to remember to forget. We

made plans to be professional - and did. And some of us could sing

so we drummed a fire-lit pathway up to those starry stars. Sin

was invented by the Christians, as was the Devil, we sang. We

were the heathens, but needed to be saved from them - thin

chance. We knew we were all related in this story, a little gin

will clarify the dark and make us all feel like dancing. We

had something to do with the origins of blues and jazz

I argued with a Pueblo as I filled the jukebox with dimes in June,

forty years later and we still want justice. We are still America. We

know the rumors of our demise. We spit them out. They die

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We were running out of breath, as we ran out to meet ourselves. We

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Poem: The Song of Hiawatha by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

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By the shore of Gitche Gumee,
By the shining Big-Sea-Water,
At the doorway of his wigwam,
In the pleasant Summer morning,
Hiawatha stood and waited.
All the air was full of freshness,
All the earth was bright and joyous,
And before him, through the sunshine,
Westward toward the neighboring forest
Passed in golden swarms the Ahmo,
Passed the bees, the honey-makers,
Burning, singing in the sunshine.
Bright above him shone the heavens,
Level spread the lake before him;
From its bosom leaped the sturgeon,
Sparkling, flashing in the sunshine;
On its margin the great forest
Stood reflected in the water,
Every tree-top had its shadow,
Motionless beneath the water.
From the brow of Hiawatha
Gone was every trace of sorrow,
As the fog from off the water,
As the mist from off the meadow.
With a smile of joy and triumph,
With a look of exultation,
As of one who in a vision
Sees what is to be, but is not,
Stood and waited Hiawatha.
Toward the sun his hands were lifted,
Both the palms spread out against it,
And between the parted fingers
Fell the sunshine on his features,
Flecked with light his naked shoulders,
As it falls and flecks an oak-tree
Through the rifted leaves and branches.
O'er the water floating, flying,
Something in the hazy distance,
Something in the mists of morning,
Loomed and lifted from the water,
Now seemed floating, now seemed flying,
Coming nearer, nearer, nearer.
Was it Shingebis the diver?
Or the pelican, the Shada?
Or the heron, the Shuh-shuh-gah?
Or the white goose, Waw-be-wawa,
With the water dripping, flashing,
From its glossy neck and feathers?
It was neither goose nor diver,
Neither pelican nor heron,
O'er the water floating, flying,
Through the shining mist of morning,
But a birch canoe with paddles,
Rising, sinking on the water,
Dripping, flashing in the sunshine;
And within it came a people
From the distant land of Wabun,
From the farthest realms of morning
Came the Black-Robe chief, the Prophet,
He the Priest of Prayer, the Pale-face,
With his guides and his companions.
And the noble Hiawatha,
With his hands aloft extended,
Held aloft in sign of welcome,
Waited, full of exultation,
Till the birch canoe with paddles
Grated on the shining pebbles,
Stranded on the sandy margin,
Till the Black-Robe chief, the Pale-face,
With the cross upon his bosom,
Landed on the sandy margin.
Then the joyous Hiawatha
Cried aloud and spake in this wise:
"Beautiful is the sun, O strangers,
When you come so far to see us!
All our town in peace awaits you,
All our doors stand open for you;
You shall enter all our wigwams,
For the heart's right hand we give you.
"Never bloomed the earth so gayly,
Never shone the sun so brightly,
As to-day they shine and blossom
When you come so far to see us!
Never was our lake so tranquil,
Nor so free from rocks, and sand-bars;
For your birch canoe in passing
Has removed both rock and sand-bar.
"Never before had our tobacco
Such a sweet and pleasant flavor,
Never the broad leaves of our cornfields
Were so beautiful to look on,
As they seem to us this morning,
When you come so far to see us!'
And the Black-Robe chief made answer,
Stammered in his speech a little,
Speaking words yet unfamiliar:
"Peace be with you, Hiawatha,
Peace be with you and your people,
Peace of prayer, and peace of pardon,
Peace of Christ, and joy of Mary!"
Then the generous Hiawatha
Led the strangers to his wigwam,
Seated them on skins of bison,
Seated them on skins of ermine,
And the careful old Nokomis
Brought them food in bowls of basswood,
Water brought in birchen dippers,
And the calumet, the peace-pipe,
Filled and lighted for their smoking.
All the old men of the village,
All the warriors of the nation,
All the Jossakeeds, the Prophets,
The magicians, the Wabenos,
And the Medicine-men, the Medas,
Came to bid the strangers welcome;
"It is well", they said, "O brothers,
That you come so far to see us!"
In a circle round the doorway,
With their pipes they sat in silence,
Waiting to behold the strangers,
Waiting to receive their message;
Till the Black-Robe chief, the Pale-face,
From the wigwam came to greet them,
Stammering in his speech a little,
Speaking words yet unfamiliar;
"It is well," they said, "O brother,
That you come so far to see us!"
Then the Black-Robe chief, the Prophet,
Told his message to the people,
Told the purport of his mission,
Told them of the Virgin Mary,
And her blessed Son, the Saviour,
How in distant lands and ages
He had lived on earth as we do;
How he fasted, prayed, and labored;
How the Jews, the tribe accursed,
Mocked him, scourged him, crucified him;
How he rose from where they laid him,
Walked again with his disciples,
And ascended into heaven.
And the chiefs made answer, saying:
"We have listened to your message,
We have heard your words of wisdom,
We will think on what you tell us.
It is well for us, O brothers,
That you come so far to see us!"
Then they rose up and departed
Each one homeward to his wigwam,
To the young men and the women
Told the story of the strangers
Whom the Master of Life had sent them
From the shining land of Wabun.
Heavy with the heat and silence
Grew the afternoon of Summer;
With a drowsy sound the forest
Whispered round the sultry wigwam,
With a sound of sleep the water
Rippled on the beach below it;
From the cornfields shrill and ceaseless
Sang the grasshopper, Pah-puk-keena;
And the guests of Hiawatha,
Weary with the heat of Summer,
Slumbered in the sultry wigwam.
Slowly o'er the simmering landscape
Fell the evening's dusk and coolness,
And the long and level sunbeams
Shot their spears into the forest,
Breaking through its shields of shadow,
Rushed into each secret ambush,
Searched each thicket, dingle, hollow;
Still the guests of Hiawatha
Slumbered in the silent wigwam.
From his place rose Hiawatha,
Bade farewell to old Nokomis,
Spake in whispers, spake in this wise,
Did not wake the guests, that slumbered.
"I am going, O Nokomis,
On a long and distant journey,
To the portals of the Sunset.
To the regions of the home-wind,
Of the Northwest-Wind, Keewaydin.
But these guests I leave behind me,
In your watch and ward I leave them;
See that never harm comes near them,
See that never fear molests them,
Never danger nor suspicion,
Never want of food or shelter,
In the lodge of Hiawatha!"
Forth into the village went he,
Bade farewell to all the warriors,
Bade farewell to all the young men,
Spake persuading, spake in this wise:
"I am going, O my people,
On a long and distant journey;
Many moons and many winters
Will have come, and will have vanished,
Ere I come again to see you.
But my guests I leave behind me;
Listen to their words of wisdom,
Listen to the truth they tell you,
For the Master of Life has sent them
From the land of light and morning!"
On the shore stood Hiawatha,
Turned and waved his hand at parting;
On the clear and luminous water
Launched his birch canoe for sailing,
From the pebbles of the margin
Shoved it forth into the water;
Whispered to it, "Westward! westward!"
And with speed it darted forward.
And the evening sun descending
Set the clouds on fire with redness,
Burned the broad sky, like a prairie,
Left upon the level water
One long track and trail of splendor,
Down whose stream, as down a river,
Westward, westward Hiawatha
Sailed into the fiery sunset,
Sailed into the purple vapors,
Sailed into the dusk of evening:
And the people from the margin
Watched him floating, rising, sinking,
Till the birch canoe seemed lifted
High into that sea of splendor,
Till it sank into the vapors
Like the new moon slowly, slowly
Sinking in the purple distance.
And they said, "Farewell forever!"
Said, "Farewell, O Hiawatha!"
And the forests, dark and lonely,
Moved through all their depths of darkness,
Sighed, "Farewell, O Hiawatha!"
And the waves upon the margin
Rising, rippling on the pebbles,
Sobbed, "Farewell, O Hiawatha!"
And the heron, the Shuh-shuh-gah,
From her haunts among the fen-lands,
Screamed, "Farewell, O Hiawatha!"
Thus departed Hiawatha,
Hiawatha the Beloved,
In the glory of the sunset,.
In the purple mists of evening,
To the regions of the home-wind,
Of the Northwest-Wind, Keewaydin,
To the Islands of the Blessed,
To the Kingdom of Ponemah,
To the Land of the Hereafter!

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Longfellow: The Song of Hiawatha, The Song of Hiawatha

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By the shore of Gitche Gumee, By the shining Big-Sea-Water, At the doorway of his wigwam, In the pleasant Summer morning, Hiawatha stood and waited. All the air was full of freshness, All the earth was bright and joyous, And before him, through the sunshine, Westward toward the neighboring forest Passed in golden swarms the Ahmo, Passed the bees, the honey-makers, Burning, singing in the sunshine.