Browse best practices

CareerStart lessons: Grade seven

This collection of lessons aligns the seventh grade curriculum in math, science, English language arts, and social studies with potential career opportunities.

Format: (multiple pages)

CareerStart lessons: Grade six

This collection of lessons aligns the sixth grade curriculum in math, science, English language arts, and social studies with potential career opportunities.

Format: (multiple pages)

Food for thought: Elementary lessons on nutrition and healthy living

Teaching children about the importance of a healthy diet and plenty of exercise creates a basis for a healthy lifestyle. These lesson plans for grades K-5 provide fun activities to get them started on this path.

Format: lesson plan (multiple pages)

From documents to digitization

To design a research project using primary sources from the Web, you'll need to know what's out there and how to find it. This article explains what's available, why, and where.

Format: article

By David Walbert.

It's an ad!

How do marketers target kids — and how can we teach kids to know the difference between advertising and fact? These websites provide strategies to build critical thinking skills for media literate kids.

By Melissa Thibault.

Teaching students about the Creative Commons

Technology makes stealing easy, but it makes sharing just as easy. The Creative Commons will let your students innovate in and out of the classroom without having to worry about copyright violations.

Format: article/best practice

By Bill Ferriter.

Think for yourself! Media literacy every day

Information, like air, is everywhere, and we breathe it in whether we mean to or not. If we want our students to be rational, responsible citizens and consumers, we have to help them develop a filter they can use all the time, not just when they're doing research.

Format: article

By David Walbert.

Resources on the web

Association for Educational Communications and Technology

Professional resources providing leadership in educational communications and educational technology and its application to the learning process. (Learn more)

Format: website/general

Provided by: Association for Educational Communications and Technology

Cable in the Classroom

Portal to free commercial-free, educational cable content and new technologies for public and private K-12 schools. (Learn more)

Format: website/activity

Provided by: Cable in the Classroom

The Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Media Literacy Education

Looking for information about fair use and copyright? This site provides a code of best practices for educators to understand their rights in using copyrighted materials in the classroom. (Learn more)

Format: website/general

Provided by: American University Center for Social Media

From Now On; the educational technology journal

A collection of education technology articles and publications. Includes information on workshops related to curriculum, No Child Left Behind, technology planning, and staff development. (Learn more)

Format: website/general

North Carolina School Library Media Association

Book Awards, Links for Media Specialists, Conference information and more from the professional organization for North Carolina's Media Specialists. (Learn more)

Format: website/general

Provided by: North Carolina School Library Media Association

SLATE - Support for the Learning and Teaching of English

SLATE provides information and assistance with English educational issues and works at the local, state, and national level to influence public attitudes and policy decisions affecting the teaching of English language arts. (Learn more)

Format: website/general

Provided by: The National Council of Teachers of English

The Sloan Consortium (Sloan-C)

A consortium of educational institutions that are dedicated to making higher education to all through quality online programs. (Learn more)

Format: website/general

Sound Learning

Provides audio of current news, information, and cultural programming from Minnesota Public Radio and helps students practice literacy skills through real-life reading materials. (Learn more)

Format: website/activity

Provided by: Minnesota Public Radio