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Every Teacher A Leader Summit 2026
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Building Engagement and Background Knowledge in Grades K-8
Thursday July 30, 2026 11:00am - 12:15pm EDT
Readers of all ages use what they have learned about the world to make sense of new information. So, how do we build background knowledge from our classrooms? How do we build excitement about an upcoming topic? This session will explore different strategies educators can use in their own classrooms starting in the fall. Teachers will experience 4 or 5 strategies that can be adapted at any grade level and any subject.  They will experience these strategies first hand, and then analyze the experience through a teacher lens.  All of these activities will be active and engaging to build excitement about a topic.  Finally, the educators will work together to develop a comprehensive list of ideas from their own experiences that will be recorded and shared with participants.
Speakers
avatar for Jessica Harvey

Jessica Harvey

2nd Grade Teacher, Elm Street School (RSU16)
Jessica Harvey (she/her) is a 2nd grade classroom teacher at Elm Street School (RSU 16) in Mechanic Falls, ME and is the 2021 Androscoggin County Teacher of the Year. With a passion for outdoor learning, she co-founded her district's Get Everyone Outside Initiative (The G.E.O. Initiative... Read More →
avatar for Karen MacDonald

Karen MacDonald

Retired Teacher, Teach Maine Center

Karen MacDonald (she/her) is a retired educator who spent 37 years in the Portland Public Schools teaching English Language Arts.  In 2014 she was named Maine’s Teacher of the Year. Throughout her career, she worked to build an interdisciplinary model at King Middle School and... Read More →
Thursday July 30, 2026 11:00am - 12:15pm EDT
  Instruction, K-8

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