Where can you go to find engaging, standards-aligned resources? Capstone Connect has you covered if you’re teaching elementary school this year. With this platform, you can easily find and share “just right” resources with each of your students. I’ve had the chance to use Connect with elementary readers. I can’t wait to share some of the reasons I think you’ll love these resources, too.
Earlier this year on the blog, I featured some of the excellent resources from Capstone, including the new PebbleGo Create. And you might remember this blog post featuring Connect and all the ways to use this resource to foster curiosity in the classroom. In today’s blog post, we’ll look at Connect’s standards-aligned resources for students in kindergarten through fifth grade.
Let’s jump into Capstone Connect and everything it has to offer!
Standards-Aligned Resources
If you haven’t seen Connect in action yet, you’ll certainly want to explore their standards-aligned resources for elementary school students and teachers. Connect is an online platform full of eBook bundles and nonfiction articles specifically designed for early and upper elementary students. With one quick search at the top of your screen, you can find evidence-based instructional resources that support cross-curricular instruction in every subject area.
With Connect’s resources, not only are you able to access engaging, high-interest content, but everything is also standards-aligned. As a result, you can support student learning taking place inside of the classroom as well as learning at home. There are lesson plans connected to different themes and ready-to-use activities for teachers to explore, too.
Differentiate Instruction
One of the things I love about Connect is how quickly teachers can access and distribute resources that address goals for differentiated instruction, allowing you to find content that is “just right” for your students.
Within Connect, a teacher can find content at the reading level that is the perfect fit for each student. On top of accessing content at different levels, you can also search for content in different formats. As teachers explore the abundance of resources in Connect, they can decide if an article in PebbleGo or an eBook is the best fit. All of these resources help teachers differentiate instruction to meet the needs of students.
In addition to the different text levels and formats accessible to teachers in Connect, you might find that the variety of features within each text supports your differentiation goals. For example, teachers can offer scaffolding for student readers with the read-aloud audio and highlighted text. At the same time, teachers can feel confident that the resources they pick to share with students are aligned with their standards and help students reach instructional goals.
As I mentioned above, I’ve used these resources with elementary school readers this year. These students loved options like using read-aloud audio as they explored text. You can point out these support options when introducing a new piece of text, or you can encourage students to explore these options on their own as they read.
Activity Bundles in Connect
Soon you’ll be able to access the new activity bundles within Connect. This resource will make it easier for teachers to locate an activity or project. It can help you support every student and supplement your existing curriculum. You can use the Activity Bundles in Connect to supplement an entire unit, or you can use them as an additional resource for a single lesson.
When you dive into the bundles, you’ll see that each activity plan includes a series of ready-to-use projects. All of the projects tie to content found within Capstone Connect, so teachers can quickly and easily use these activities to address differentiation, and adapt to the unique needs of their students.
Getting Started with Connect
Ready to try out Connect? It’s an excellent resource for finding engaging, standards-aligned content for your elementary classroom. You can jump right in and explore the library of resources to find content that supports English Language Arts instruction, has cross-curricular connections, and will surely pique your students’ interest in various subjects.
If you’re already a Connect user, get ready for a new teacher experience as you navigate the updated platform. A redesigned main page now provides enhanced search functionality. It will also suggest relevant and timely resources handpicked for teachers. The platform’s new look will spark inspiration and save you time finding engaging, standards-aligned resources.
