I really have to thank Ms. O'Keefe here (I don't know what her new married name is)! Symbaloo has become my all time favorite after she introduced it in a tech class for educators. It is a web page bookmarking tool that creates beautiful tiles that you can click on to get to web pages. If I am starting to gather materials for a new unit, I put all of my links on a Symbaloo with the name of the unit. If I have gathered resources I would like my students to use, I create a Symbaloo for them with all the links. If I see something cool online, I add it to a Symbaloo. As you can see, there is a Symbaloo for everything!
My Symbaloo for student research and great reading beyond the textbook:
My Symbaloo for Web 2.0 Tools:
My Symbaloo for STEM:
Here are a list of books that I have come back to over and over again through the course of my teacher-prep program which I know I will refer to during the course of my career!
Billstein, R., & Libeskind, S. (2010). A problem solving approach to mathematics for elementary school teachers (4th ed.). Redwood City, Calif.: Benjamin/Cummings.
Collette, A., & Chiappetta, E. (2010). Science instruction in the middle and secondary schools (7th ed.). St. Louis: Times Mirror/Mosby College Pub.
Copeland, M. (2005). Socratic circles fostering critical and creative thinking in middle and high school. Portland, Me.: Stenhouse.
Daniels, H., & Zemelman, S. (2004). Subjects matter: Every teacher's guide to content-area reading. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Gollnick, D., & Chinn, P. (2009). Multicultural education in a pluralistic society (8th ed.). Columbus: C.E. Merrill.
Koballa, T., & Tippins, D. (2004). Cases in middle and secondary science education: The promise and dilemmas (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Merrill.
Mercer, C., & Mercer, A. (2001). Teaching students with learning problems (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Merrill/Prentice Hall.
Rycik, J., & Irvin, J. (2005). Teaching reading in the middle grades: Understanding and supporting literacy development. Boston: Pearson/A and B.
- This is a great book about mathematical thinking for teachers. It promotes the standards of mathematical practices.
Collette, A., & Chiappetta, E. (2010). Science instruction in the middle and secondary schools (7th ed.). St. Louis: Times Mirror/Mosby College Pub.
- This book goes through instructional strategies specifically for teaching science. It has scenarios, tremendous resources, and theoretical and pedagogical approaches to teaching science.
Copeland, M. (2005). Socratic circles fostering critical and creative thinking in middle and high school. Portland, Me.: Stenhouse.
- This book has great ideas on how to prepare the learning environment for the critical thinking and conversation needed for effective Socratic Circles. There are also great teacher and student handouts to facilitate this.
Daniels, H., & Zemelman, S. (2004). Subjects matter: Every teacher's guide to content-area reading. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
- This is a great read on bringing reality to our students NOW. It covers how to get students involved and engaged in the classroom through project-based learning and varied texts.
Gollnick, D., & Chinn, P. (2009). Multicultural education in a pluralistic society (8th ed.). Columbus: C.E. Merrill.
- This book provides very important and relevant pedagogy on multicultural education.
Koballa, T., & Tippins, D. (2004). Cases in middle and secondary science education: The promise and dilemmas (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Merrill.
- This book provides relevant case studies on science education that many beginning science teachers may encounter.
Mercer, C., & Mercer, A. (2001). Teaching students with learning problems (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Merrill/Prentice Hall.
- This book has step by step best practices in teaching students with learning problems with a focus on literacy and mathematics. It provides many different tools and strategies to assist all teachers.
Rycik, J., & Irvin, J. (2005). Teaching reading in the middle grades: Understanding and supporting literacy development. Boston: Pearson/A and B.
- This book provides many different group literacy strategies and relevant pedagogy.