The Teacher’s Guide

Take the ambiguity out of teaching writing.

You don’t have to figure it out alone—teachers love Short, Short, BIG! because it’s been written by real teachers for real teachers.

One glance at the materials and you’ll see what we mean.

pexels-katerina-holmes-5905918.jpg

Clear, well-designed lesson plans • Recommended times • Resources • Classroom tips

A core belief of Short, Short, BIG! is that both classroom leaders and learners matter! Opportunity for developing teacher-student relationships is embedded in the materials.

Short, Short, BIG! enables educators to adhere to the 4 core principles of culturally responsive education:

Culturally+Responsive+Approach.png
 

Of course, building culturally responsive materials is an ongoing commitment. This is why at Short, Short, BIG! our text collection, powered by Saddleback Publishing, essential questions, learning activities and professional development seek to reflect the diversity of our learners (including, but not limited to, ethnicity, background and individuals with special needs).

Short, Short, BIG! is designed for immediate classroom implementation. Teacher support is embedded right in the materials! If you want to take it up a notch, or if your situation requires additional support, our experts are available to help.

The authors of Short, Short, BIG! are highly-sought after professional development specialists who have partnered with schools across the nation. Both Dr. Katie McKnight and Alan Sitomer have worked as university professors in the graduate school of education where their foremost role was to prepare teachers to be successful in an ELA classroom.

  • Visualization: Mind's eye

    The pedagogy is strong and research-based

    Claim It, Cite It, Cement It sequencing ensures a scaffolded approach to instruction that provides a solid foundation for your learners.

  • rubric

    Rubrics for easy formative assessment

    Students are working towards focused, targeted learning objectives. Worktexts and lesson plans are ready to teach.

  • Classroom tip

    Tips from the Classroom

    Trust in the journey of our expert teachers. Valuable Teacher Tips are provided throughout the Teacher’s Guide. Explanations are clear and concise for both learners and leaders.

Details:

  • 276 pages

  • spiral bound

  • full scope and sequence 

  • research-based, data-driven lesson plans

  • targeted instruction on:

    • advancing from from well-crafted topic sentences to the writing of smartly organized, well-written evidence-based paragraphs

    • SQ3R reading comprehension 

    • fostering high-level thinking and expression across the four domains of literacy: reading, writing, speaking and listening.

    • avoiding fragments and run-ons (plus grammar)

  • robust assessment including:

    • pre- and post measurements

    • formative assessments

    • evaluation rubrics

  • valuable “tricks of the trade” to support instruction AND student learning

  • strategic evaluation techniques to help monitor students’ progress 

  • differentiated instruction to accommodate varied learning styles