ABSTRACT
We have noted that Barbara frequently uses instructional resources, both as sources of input (objects, photos, illustrated books, globes, and maps) and as tools for scaffolding learning (timelines, lists, charts and other graphics). She selects and uses these resources purposefully, limiting herself to those that she believes are useful for developing big ideas and will add significant value to the lesson. She prefers to use resources that she has constructed herself whenever possible, because she finds that commercially available resources are too “busy” or otherwise not ideally suited to her purposes. If she feels that a resource is necessary but also likely to distract her students from lesson purposes, she will allow them time to inspect and ask questions about the resource before she begins to use it to develop big ideas (as in the map lesson excerpted in Chapter 7).
