A Host of Christmas Crafts

Enjoy the following crafts with your families this Christmas - many make lovely gifts!

MAKE A HOLIDAY STAMP:

http://www.eduplace.com/monthlytheme/pdf/stamplg.pdf

Use this template for your students to design a holiday stamp, either reflecting their own favorite holiday traditions, or inventing a new holiday.

CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS FROM SCRAP:

http://teachers.net/gazette/wordpress/marilyn-j-brackney/green-christmas/

Christmas can be done inexpensively, as reflected in these wonderful craft suggestions. Scroll down for garlands and jewelry, ornaments and origami boxes - all from recycled materials.

ANGEL PHOTO ORNAMENTS:

http://fun.familyeducation.com/crafts/childrens-art-activities/48085.html

Parents will love receiving these ornaments as a Christmas present from your students, and will quite likely treasure them through the years. Paper doilies are arranged around a digital image and attached to a craft stick; find complete directions here.

CANDY CANE SLEIGHS:

http://familyfun.go.com/christmas/christmas-gifts-cards-decorations/christmas-candy-crafts/candy-sleigh-665099/

Yummy! This Santa sleigh is fashioned with two candy canes, and filled with Christmas candy too!

CINNAMON CLAY:

http://crafts.kaboose.com/cinnaclay.html

You can make anything you want with this clay - add some red coloring for a special treat, or mix in red and yellow for your students to mold their own Gingerbread Men. While this clay smells yummy, remind students that it contains white glue and they cannot taste it. If you are particularly concerned, replace white glue with a paste of flour and water instead. 

BUBBLE WRAP BOTTLE CAP ORNAMENTS:

http://www.allcrafts.net/f.php?url=www.pinksunrise.com/craft/rossbotcap.htm

What a clever idea! Add glitter to dimensional bottle caps (plastic caps work best), then cut out bubbles from bubble wrap to give even more dimension to these unique ornaments.

DRAW A CHRISTMAS TREE USING A GRID:

http://www.northpole.com/Academy/Activities/DrawingGrid/DrawingGrid.pdf

Students are given half of a Christmas tree drawing on one side of a grid; proceeding square by square, they will fill in the matching half on the other side.

HANDPRINT SANTA CARDS:

http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/handprint-santa-673633/

These cards are adorable! Hands are dipped into white paint for Santa's beard and mustache - amazing how well it works! Then add a red hat and white button trim.

PEPPERMINT CHRISTMAS TREE:

http://familyfun.go.com/christmas/christmas-gifts-cards-decorations/christmas-candy-crafts/peppermint-tree-661600/

Get the green and white striped mints for this project, where students will build up a candy Christmas tree, complete with little ornaments.

PAPER PINES:

http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/festive-paper-pines-671519/

Easy and elegant, and very appealing! Hang these cut paper pines on your Christmas tree, decorated with "lights" and buttons.

CANDY CANE REINDEER:

http://www.acandycanechristmas.com/crafts/candy-cane-reindeer.shtml

This little reindeer hangs right on the Christmas tree - as long as your students don't eat the candy canes first!

SNOWFLAKE PHOTO ORNAMENTS:

http://h30393.www3.hp.com/printing/app/us/en/dc_snowflake_ornament-landing.aspx

Give this page some time to download. You'll be creating some beautiful snowflake photo ornaments - a great gift for your students to take home for lasting family treasures this holiday season.

HOLIDAY CRAYON CRACKLE CARDS:

http://www.kinderart.com/seasons/cracklecards.shtml

These crackle cards are quite unique, and will make treasured Christmas or holiday cards for friends and family. Any design can be incorporated into the technique.

MOSAIC CANDLES:

http://www.kinderart.com/seasons/mosaiccandles.shtml

Use these mosaic candle designs for many winter holidays - whether making a set for a menorah, for a kinara, for New Year's, or for Christmas.

DRAW A NUTCRACKER:

http://www.kinderart.com/seasons/drawnutcracker.shtml

Step-by-step instructions take elementary students through the process of drawing a Nutcracker Prince. Fill them in with colorful, metallic markers.

REINDEER PUZZLE PINS:

http://teachers.net/lessons/posts/747.html

Turn leftover puzzle pieces into reindeer pins - or magnets; simply attach a magnet strip to the back after following the construction directions here.

CHRISTMAS EVE BELLS:

http://www.bry-backmanor.org/holidayfun/bells.html

Paper, plastic, or styrofoam cups are covered with aluminum foil and adorned with bells in this wonderful holiday craft. Make some music!

THREE TENORS SNOWMEN:

http://craft.dow.com/proj/609.htm

Shine the light on those three tenors! These adorable singing snowmen are created from recycled socks, fiberfill, beads, and pompoms. 

3-D ORIGAMI SNOWFLAKES:

http://www.original-kids-crafts.com/paper-snowflake-pattern.html

You could use recycled wrapping paper for this project; the gold, silver, or red foils turn out beautifully.

MAKE A 3-D PAPER POINSETTIA:

http://www.bry-backmanor.org/holidayfun/poinset.html

http://www.bry-backmanor.org/holidayfun/poinset2.html

http://www.bry-backmanor.org/holidayfun/poinset3.html

Older students can take on the challenge of making some beautiful poinsettias for a holiday treat. Find directions here, along with printable templates to use at the 2nd and 3rd links above.

RETRO ORNAMENTS:

http://familyfun.go.com/christmas/christmas-ornaments/retro-ornaments-807089/

Your class will want to create a host of different colors in these elegant ornaments, created from paper tubes and pipe cleaners, but with oh-so-elegant lines.

SNOWFLAKE TEMPLATES:

http://www.noelnoelnoel.com/famfun/crafts/snowfl/snwflk.html

Along with five different snowflake pattern templates to download and print out here, also find step-by-step directions.

"I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year."

- Charles Dickens

Find more: http://everydayteaching.com/flyer/CF_Dec7.2010.html

Online Hanukkah Games

Hanukkah Match
Star of David Sliding Puzzle
Dreidel Slide Puzzle
Hanukkah Word Jumble
Dreidel Spin
Hanukkah Story for Kids: What's Inside?
Tic-Tac-Toe 3 Dreidels in a Row
Hanukkah Cookie Puzzle
Menorah Interactive Jigsaw

Printable Hanukkah Coloring Pages:
http://www.lil-fingers.com/coloring/hanukkah.php

More for Hanukkah: Crafts!

http://www.amazingmoms.com/htm/holiday_hanukkah_crafts.htm
http://familycrafts.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJ&zTi=1&sdn=familycrafts&cdn=parenting&tm=7&f=00&tt=14&bt=1&bts=1&zu=http%3A//www.kidsdomain.com/holiday/chanukah/word.html
Most of these crafts are easy, require few materials, and are decidedly fun to create! Try window sparkle candles, a glittering Star of David, and a milk carton dreidel at the 1st link, or Cupcake Menorahs, Gelt Bags, Dreidel Magnets, Hanukkah GIft Bag, and coloring pages at the 2nd link.

Winter Driving Tips

As the holiday season - and winter weather - approaches, we are posting these tips for your own use and safety, from the wonderful NPR duo, Click and Clack:
http://www.cartalk.com/content/features/WinterDriving/
Drive safely!

Holiday Mail for Military Heroes

The Red Cross and Pitney Bowes are organizing a Holiday Mail for Heroes campaign. You and your class can send holiday cards to soldiers, families, and vets. The deadline for collection is December 10th. Mail your cards to:
Holiday Mail for Heroes
PO box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD
20791-5456

http://www.redcross.org/portal/site/en/menuitem.53fabf6cc033f17a2b1ecfbf43181aa0/?vgnextoid=3f8dab0de3d64210VgnVCM10000089f0870aRCRD

Hanukkah Resources

Here are several fun and informative resources for those of you learning about Hanukkah, or celebrating it in your classrooms. Hanukkah begins at sundown on Dec.1st, and ends on Dec. 9th this year.

THE HISTORY OF HANUKKAH:

http://www.history.com/topics/hanukkah

Discover the history of Hanukkah, along with its traditions and foods in this History.com resource, with online videos.

HANUKKAH DIFFERENCES GAME:

http://www.kidsdomain.com/holiday/chanukah/games/diff1.html

In this online game, a small boy is spinning the dreidel. Students must locate 10 differences between the two pictures before clicking on the answers.

HANUKKAH CONCENTRATION:

http://www.chabad.org/holidays/chanukah/article_cdo/aid/114163/jewish/Chanukah-Concentration.htm

Match up all the versions of menorahs, and reveal a hidden picture of an actual menorah in this global Hanukkah concentration game.

HANUKKAH WORD SEARCH:

http://www.chabad.org/holidays/chanukah/article_cdo/aid/114178/jewish/Chanukah-Word-Search.htm

Running in every direction, find terms associated with Hanukkah here for a celebration of the festivities.

HANUKKAH DIORAMA:

http://www.joi.org/celebrate/hanuk/cutouts.shtml

http://www.hanukat.com/html/activities/dioramb1.GIF

http://www.hanukat.com/html/activities/dioramb2.GIF

http://www.hanukat.com/html/activities/act3bw.PDF

Print out the characters to make a shoebox diorama (or tissue box, any box...), either with the first link, or the Hanukat version at the next three links above.

HANUKKAH JIGSAW:

http://www.thekidzpage.com/onlinejigsawpuzzles/jigsaw-puzzles/25-piece-jigsaw/110105hanukkah1.html

How many moves will it take your students to complete the menorah puzzle, online here? There are twenty-five pieces to place, and the timer is running!

HANUKAT FORTUNE TELLER:

http://www.hanukat.com/html/activities/fortune.GIF

Follow directions here to download and print out a fun, folder paper Hanukat fortune teller for Hanukkah.

Who Brought the Turkey?

Want a peek into the real "first" Thanksgiving? Who attended? How long did it last? And (drum roll please!) DID THEY EAT TURKEY? Find out!
http://www.npr.org/blogs/krulwich/2010/11/22/131516586/who-brought-the-turkey-the-truth-about-the-first-thanksgiving

Farmer's Market

http://www.eduplace.com/activity/k_8_act1.html
Here's a good Thanksgiving activity for younger students, where they will set up a play Farmer's Market, using magazine food cut-outs. Farmers will set prices, devise strategies to sell their foods, and buyers will have play money and try to negotiate prices. For elementary (rather than PreK students), have prices in dollars and cents, and practice giving change. Need some printable play money to use? Try the link below:
http://www.moneyinstructor.com/play.asp

Chenille Stem Turkeys

Very cute - and all made from chenille stems! Video instructions here from Michaels.
http://www.michaels.com/Calling-All-Turkeys/JpTD1Vm1264,default,pg.html

COLLEGE CLASSES OFFERED THROUGH WEBCASTING, NOT CLASSROOMS

Since 1,500 students clearly would not fit into any lecture hall at most colleges, the class will come to their dorm rooms instead - or at least to their laptop computers. Which makes some parents ask: is the tuition price tag worth it?

Race to Nowhere

 http://www.racetonowhere.com/
Have you heard of the film, "Race to Nowhere"? Here's the write-up from the website:
"Director Vicki Abeles turns the personal political, igniting a national conversation in her new documentary about the pressures faced by American schoolchildren and their teachers in a system and culture obsessed with the illusion of achievement, competition and the pressure to perform. Featuring the heartbreaking stories of young people across the country who have been pushed to the brink, educators who are burned out and worried that students aren’t developing the skills they need, and parents who are trying to do what’s best for their kids, Race to Nowhere points to the silent epidemic in our schools: cheating has become commonplace, students have become disengaged, stress-related illness, depression and burnout are rampant, and young people arrive at college and the workplace unprepared and uninspired."
See if a screening is being held near you, or schedule your own and start the conversation.

Training the Brain to Treat ADHD

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130896102&ft=1&f=100
Neurofeedback - it's expensive, takes a good deal of time, and doesn't have any scientific evidence to support its validity. But proponents say it can help teach the brain, yielding more focused results.

Sentence Level Games

http://www.roythezebra.com/reading-games-sentence-level.html
Find an extensive database of interactive games at this site for students to practice capitalization, punctuation, and sentence structure.

Turkey Template

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Fall-Themed-Shape-Books-Pumpkin-Leaves-Apple-Acorn-Turkey-Template-916608

It's turkey time! Use our turkey template this month for crafts, thankful notes, decorations...
(NB: The turkey template is part of my Fall-Themed Shape Books package, at the link above. Find a FREE download of the Turkey Template under "Preview!"):

THANKSGIVING ACTIVITY PLACEMATS

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf-JAVA/actCtrImg/c00474374.pdf

Download and print out these placemats for your desks, where students can connect-the-dots, color a cornucopia, or fill out a Thanksgiving-themed wordsearch. You can always scale your printer to use regular size paper for this placemat.

Trick or Treat Online Game

http://www.abcya.com/trick_or_treat.htm

The trick is to beat the pumpkin by finding the best route to trick or treat and then get home!

GRABBA BEAST

Build your own beast - then rate others in this online game.

Hanging Spiders and Spider Hats

http://www.familycorner.com/family/kids/halloweencrafts.shtml

Black construction paper, some paint, googly eyes, and paper plates -- oh, and glue. That's what you'll need to put these two projects together, then watch those spiders dangle from the ceiling and crawl on a band for your students' hats.

SCULPEY CANDY CORN MAGNETS & PHOTO HOLDERS

http://www.bfranklincrafts.com/CraftIdeas/CraftIdea-SculpeyCandyCorn.html

Make these adorable candy corn photo holders from sculpey clay, chenille stems, and permanent markers; do get some adult help with cutting tools when using the project with younger classes. You can also use the same pattern to make candy corn jewelry - a bracelet, necklace, earrings...

Dancing Skeletons

http://www.crayola.com/crafts/detail/dancing-skeleton-craft/

Lightweight Model Magic provides the secret ingredient for these jointed skeletons, which can dance, puppet-style, when completed.

Adjective Monsters

http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/educators/lessons/grade-k-2/Adjective_Monster.aspx

Create an adjective monster for Halloween! Find instructions here to develop a sculptured monster, or simply use word art to build a monster with adjectives in a collage or poster.

Turkey Hand Puppets

Let's talk turkey! Your students are going to love both making and playing with these clever little puppets, fashioned from popped corn and disposable gloves.

http://www.lessonplanspage.com/ArtTurkeyHandPuppetFromPlasticGloveIdeaPK.htm

Corn Print Apron

http://www.firstpalette.com/Craft_themes/Food/cornprintsapron/cornprintsapron.html

Corn cobs are sliced (try thirds) and then skewered onto shish-kebab dowels to use as rollers for this painting project - perfect for Thanksgiving. Try corn cobs without the kernels as a rolling paint tool as well.

Pumpkin Crafts for Kids

http://www.cool-kids-craft-ideas.com/pumpkin-crafts.html

Adorable Purple Bat Pumpkins!

Mini pumpkins would work very well for this project!

Trick or Treat Plans Game

http://www.abcya.com/trick_or_treat.htm

SHOULD TEACHERS' NAMES BE MADE PUBLIC ALONGSIDE PERFORMANCE DATA?

Make Some Halloween Slime!

Green, gooey, and lots of fun.... what more could you want for Halloween??

http://funschool.kaboose.com/fun-blaster/halloween/science/halloween-slime.html

Hanging Spiders and Spider Hats

Black construction paper, some paint, googly eyes, and paper plates -- oh, and glue. That's what you'll need to put these two projects together, then watch those spiders dangle from the ceiling and crawl on a band for your students' hats.

http://www.familycorner.com/family/kids/halloweencrafts.shtml

CORN COB PAINTING

Students will use corn cobs to create painted prints on paper. These prints can then be laminated to make Thanksgiving placemats. You can also use clean and dried corn cobs for a different paint effect.

Pasta Skeletons

http://www.marthastewart.com/photogallery/kids-halloween-crafts?xsc=eml_crd_2010_10_15&#slide_5
Dem bones - ya gotta love 'em! And here's a wonderful craft to display skeleton knowledge - or learn it! Use various shapes of pasta, including alphabet pasta for labeling, against a black poster board background. Take a look.

Calendar Resources

Have you been checking our calendar for daily resources? Check back each Monday to Friday for printable worksheets, themed teaching resources, and the occasional surprise! Also keep checking our front page for any upcoming promos....... http://www.everydayteaching.com

A World Devoid: EPIC !!! Environmental/Dystopia Game

View the movie first; that in itself is awesome - then play the game of the title link, where you must fight to save the dwindling resources of a desert planet and help to choose its fate.


Online Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGXsDcoIVro


Game:http://www.spore.com/sporepedia#qry=sast-500596556303

Aggressive School Reform Not Welcomed

KIDS START EGALITARIAN, END UP MERITOCRATIC

Let the competition begin! It seems we develop ideas of inequality when we progress through grade school. We start out believing in equality for everyone, but by adolescence, we're deeply committed to meritocracies. Find out why.

Turning Study Habits on its Head

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/07/health/views/07mind.html
Turns out it's not always a good idea to set aside one place to study every night...

WHEN DOES HOLDING TEACHERS ACCOUNTABLE GO TOO FAR?

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/05/magazine/05FOB-wwln-t.html

The Los Angeles Times invited pandemonium when a team of its reporters published a value-added analysis of Los Angeles School Districts' individual teachers' progress scores, saying it was providing transparency for parents. The technique used is controversial, to say nothing of the report and its release. And then in Washington, school chancellor Michelle Rhee fired over 100 teachers before school started, based on value-added scores. Is it an appropriate measure of accountability? As this article points out, value-added scores are often swayed by the appointment of students to classes; it's not a random system, so lower scores accompany low-skilled learners in the first place. Some suggestions included here: improving standardized tests and adding peer reports to teacher evaluations. And here's one: how about transparency for student homework and studying? 

Value-Added Modeling

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/01/education/01teacher.html
Value-added modeling: is it a fair system of evaluating teachers?

WHO'S AT THE TOP?

http://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/nine-states-and-district-columbia-win-second-round-race-top-grants

The District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, and Rhode Island can all celebrate; they're all winners in the controversial federal Race to the Top education program. But as U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan reported, there just aren't enough funds for all 46 states who applied. 

Preschool Depression?

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/29/magazine/29preschool-t.html

It's not just that Johnny might be having a bad day at school, or that perhaps he has ADHD tendencies; new reports suggest depression - at preschool age...

Enough of NCLB!

http://capwiz.com/nea/issues/alert/?alertid=14808856
NEA is proposing legislative action, saying it's time to change NCLB and to craft a new bill that offers the appropriate resources to help all students succeed. Want to help demand that new legislation? NEA has formulated an interactive letter: you simply enter your name, choose the elements you wish to include in your letter, and submit.

L.A. Times Releases Teacher Ratings

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129456212&f=1002&sc=igg2
Transparency, or humiliation?

School Tours

Here's a great idea for sometime during your first few days back at school. Introduce your younger students to the different functions and offices at school on a guided student tour, making your students more comfortable with their new surroundings at the same time as informing them where everything is.

Click to Give Literacy Site

http://www.theliteracysite.com/
You need do nothing more than click at this site to help them donate books to kids in need (daily clicking helps even more!).

Interactive Book Report Station

http://www.scholastic.com/kids/homework/sandwich.asp

Sandwich layers are used to visually teach about book reports and make the experience an easy one. Students enter in the requested information for each layer, building their book reports with title, author, plot summaries, climax, main characters, etc. according to the ingredients used to also build a sandwich - interactive and very creative.

Classroom Management Mistakes

http://www.adprima.com/managemistakes.htm

Oops! We all make mistakes, but here are some to avoid in your own classroom management practices, from overpraising, to starting class activities before attaining full student attention.

Fun (& Yucky!) Art Recipes

http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/artrecipes3.html

Gunk, goop, flubber, and slime... Find a number of art recipes to keep handy throughout the school year - your students will enjoy making them with you!

Money for Grades: A Good Idea?

Is paying students to get good grades taking the reward system too far?

Classroom Management Quickies

Oops! We all make mistakes, but here are some to avoid in your own classroom management practices, from overpraising, to starting class activities before attaining full student attention.

A No-D Policy

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/08/education/08grades.html
At this New Jersey High School, a policy has been adopted to get rid of "D" grades entirely. It's either A, B, C, or Fail. Teachers and students are worried, while the high school feels it's helping raise standards.

Soundtrack for My Life

http://www.readwritethink.org/beyondtheclassroom/summer/grades9_12/Autobiography/

Want a unique back-to-school project for middle and high school students? Try this idea, where they can create and share an "all about me"  exercise in a more sophisticated endeavor, by creating a unique soundtrack of their favorite music pieces, perhaps, as suggested here, also representing major events in their lives.

Senate Passes $26 Billion Aid to Schools, States

Tax "Holidays" on Back to School Supplies

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128983150&f=1002&sc=igg2
Several states are initiating a "tax holiday" on back to school supplies, hoping that shoppers coming in to take advantage of the tax removal will also shop for other items, which will remain taxable. Will the idea boost sales and state revenues? Many analysts don't believe so...

Plan an End of Summer Kids' Carnival!

http://www.marthastewart.com/photogallery/how-to-throw-a-kids-carnival-party

We had so much fun planning our own front yard carnivals as kids - front yard so everyone passing by could see it and drop by! We kept most games at a penny - way back when - I suppose inflation might call for at least a nickel! And prizes were simple. Make your own tickets and celebrate the last days of summer with your own carnival, whether at school as a welcome back before you begin, or in your own neighborhood.

Painted Sneakers

http://www.marthastewart.com/article/painted-sneakers

Here's a great back-to-school project for middle school students, where they can express an "all about me" theme by decorating, personalizing, and painting their sneakers! Ask them to bring in an old or inexpensive pair of sneakers the first week back.

The Legacy of Kindergarten

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/28/business/economy/28leonhardt.html
How much does a great kindergarten affect test scores in middle school and beyond? Perhaps not at all. But...  Students who learn a good deal in kindergarten may be much more likely to attend college - AND earn more in the course of their careers!

More Than Half NY Students Fail Reading Test

Hidden Message Wordsearches

http://puzzlemaker.discoveryeducation.com/WordSearchWithMessageSetupForm.html

Design your own wordsearches, with a hidden message included! Useful for all subjects, reviews, vocabulary, etc.

There's Only One Way to Stop a Bully

Make a 3D Paper Dragon

http://www.hp.com/hho/hp_create/toys_games-3d_paper_crafts-3d_dragons.html

There are a trio of dragons available to download and print out for assembly here, all 

designed after "How to Train Your Dragon" characters. Art and assembly instructions can 

both be printed out. Great fun!

Incentives for States to Adopt National Standards

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/21/education/21standards.html?partner=rss&emc=rss
Here's a hint: it's to do with the Race to the Top Competition...

How Stimulus Funds Can Go Very Wrong

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/19/education/19winerip.html

A great principal with an incredible track record is "removed". Why would this happen? "...because the Burlington School District wanted to qualify for up to $3 million in federal stimulus money for its dozen schools." 

New Family Fun, Learning, & Creativity Site

Chili Walla:

http://www.chiliwalla.com/

We're happy to recommend this family website for summer activities to keep kids busy and active, and to support families, learning, and creativity all year long - it's brand new, and looks promising with lots of great resources to come!

Teacher Tube

http://www.teachertube.com/
This "YouTube" style site services teachers only. Though it runs the gamut of K-12 topics (and sometimes quality), there are some gems included.

KerPoof! in the Classroom

http://www.kerpoof.com/how_to_play?c=teach_faq
Start with the Teacher's FAQ page above for Kerpoof - which is free for classroom use - and learn how to use it to supplement your instruction. Register your class with a school email address, find lesson plans, and classroom ideas to help you make stories, spell words visually, or even create animated movies or artwork. Great fun and learning for elementary and middle school classes!
http://www.kerpoof.com/teach?c=accounts/

Worldbook Curriculum Guide: Grade by Grade Typical Course of Study

How does your own curriculum fare in this typical (or standardized) course of study for each grade level, K-12?
http://www.worldbook.com/typical_course_of_study.html

STUDY FINDS COMPUTER ACCESS DOES NOT ENHANCE EDUCATION

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/11/business/11digi.html

Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellowships

If you have the skills to teach high school science, math, technology, or engineering, take a look at these teaching fellowships. They include both a considerable stipend, admission to a master's program at quality participating universities, mentoring and support, and guidance toward certification. A 3 year teaching commitment after completing the program is required. Learn more about these programs at both links below.

http://www.wwteachingfellowship.org/about_the_program/teaching_fellowship.php?leadsource=ppc

http://www.woodrow.org/fellowships/teaching/annenberg/index.php

The Art & Science of Bubbles

http://www.cleaninginstitute.org/clean_living/art__science_of_bubbles.aspx

Here's a great way to experience summer fun and learning - with bubbles! Create some bubble magic with disappearing color bubbles, try making some bubble art, make a pop-proof bubble - or even a square one. Use the link below to also print out a mini book of bubble activities:

http://www.cleaninginstitute.org/assets/1/AssetManager/bubblebook.pdf

Science Experiments for Kids

http://www.highlightskids.com/Science/TryThis/h13TryThisArchive.asp

Keep kids busy this summer with some wonderful - and easy - science experiments to spark curiosity and imaginations.

LATER SCHOOL TIME, BETTER STUDENTS?

http://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode.cfm?id=later-school-start-time-leads-to-be-10-07-05

What do you think? If kids start school later in the morning, will they pay more attention? Be more rested? Happier, even? This study thinks so - read the article and listen to the podcast.

4th of July Parade Fans

http://familyfun.go.com/4th-of-july/patriotic-parade-wear/july-fourth-flag-663396/

Skip the last part of the instructions for this craft (for framing the flag with straws), and simply follow directions to make your own, wonderful 4th of July parade fan!
*H*A*P*P*Y*  *4*T*H*  *O*F*  *J*U*L*Y*  !!!!!!

Engineering in the Classroom

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/14/education/14engineering.html

Before they can even spell it, K-5 students are learning engineering principles in the classroom, with a hands-on, project-based learning approach. Answering the call for more competent students, as well as the Obama administration's Race to the Top States Competition, schools are exploring engineering curriculum for even the youngest grades, hoping to gain a competitive edge.

Make a 4th of July Banner

Print these banners out as large as you can on your printers, then cut along the dotted horizontal lines to create the streamers (leave the star band uncut).
http://everydayteaching.com/Holiday/Independence/July4th_banner.php

Cyberbullying at School

Cyberbullying: is it happening at your school?
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/28/style/28bully.html

4th of July Confetti Poppers

http://alphamom.com/family-fun/holidays/make-your-own-fourth-of-july-confetti-popper-rockets/

Here's a great way to celebrate the 4th of July with your kids - by making these confetti poppers, complete with beaded trap doors and pull cords. Decorate them with red, white, and blue stripes and tails, and get popping!

Show Me the Dinosaurs!

http://www.show.me.uk/topicpage/Dinosaurs.html
Whip up some dinosaur fun this summer - print out a Jurassic board game, make a dino mask, invent a new (!) dinosaur, or create some clay dinosaur models.

SchoolR

http://www.schoolr.com/
Customize your search with this academic search engine - for students and non-students alike - using Google, Wikipedia, Dictionary, Thesaurus, Wolfram, Images, and Acronym. Want more custom search features? Then click on "more stuff" for converters, citations, and translators.

NASA Space Science Resources for Educators

http://teachspacescience.org/cgi-bin/ssrtop.plex
Whether for summer learning about the stars and the solar system as you look out at the gorgeous night sky, or for planning ahead to an astronomy unit next year, NASA offers tons of resources here for educators. Search by grade, subject, or topic.

Geography Clipart

Need some geography clipart to go along with your summer learning themes? Click on the link above for numerous excellent pages of geography clipart options.

Science Videos for Schools

http://www.science.tv/videos.html

Want a user's guide for the human body? What about learning more about wind energy, or finding out if video games can actually be good for hand-eye coordination? Find numerous science topics explored through videos, for classroom use.

Stars and Stripes Hats

http://familyfun.go.com/4th-of-july/patriotic-parade-wear/stars-n-stripes-hats-668747/

Whether for the 4th of July parade or just celebrating that patriotic feeling - try making these appealing stars and stripes hats. 10" gift bags are suggested, but you can also pull in the edges of a larger grocery bag (on each side, match the insets and tape the sides to fit - it's like making a pleat or a dart). Proceed as directed here with pencils, rulers, paints, and stickers.

Monster Bugs!

http://www.scholastic.com/magicschoolbus/games/bugs/index.htm

Students will Build a Bug with this online learning game. Younger students will simply have fun trying to match up the parts, or mixing them for their own monster bug to print out. Third grade classes can read the information for each insect and try to assemble all of the correct parts.

Quote of the Day

"Sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.  ~ Lewis Carroll 

Monterey Bay Aquarium Printable Coloring Book

Are you learning all about sea life this summer? Even if you're not, you can visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium without ever leaving your classroom! Download the book cover and pages of all the various sea creatures to color, with this delightful printable book.

http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/lc/activities/coloring_pages.asp

Summer Clipart

We've added our own summer clipart images in a previous blog entry (see below), but if you need even more, try the three pages of free summer clipart offered here!

http://www.webweaver.nu/clipart/beach.shtml

Baseball: The Game and Beyond!

Why not study up on America's most popular game over the summer? Take a virtual walk around the stadium, visit the announcer's booth (and find out what the job requirements are), get behind the plate, vote for your favorite team, and of course, join the players in the bullpen. What are you waiting for? Play ball!
http://library.thinkquest.org/11902/index2.html

World Landmarks

Going somewhere special this summer? Take a preview of your trip with Google's Street View of World Landmarks. Visit the Golden Gate Bridge, Westminster Abbey, The Louvre or the Eiffel Tower... Zoom in and take a 360• turn to view your destination, or to simply travel around the world this summer without ever leaving the comfort of your favorite armchair!

http://www.google.com/intl/en_us/help/maps/streetview/gallery/index.html#world-landmarks

Figure This!

Four challenges will tempt your clever brain: figure out the time you have to wait in line; which shape will hold the most popcorn; when you would have the billionth beat of your heart, given a starting time; or why manhole covers aren't square... Ready? For even more printable challenges this summer, download 80 challenges at the 2nd link below and create your own challenge workbook.

http://www.figurethis.org/challenges/toc.htm

http://www.figurethis.org/challenges/challenge_index.htm

Amazing Magic Kit!

Why not plan your very own magic show this summer? From sleight of hand tricks, to a magician's hat, magic dice, and more, print out this magic kit from HP for summer fun.

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/acProjectproject=amazingmagickit&extcat=toysstickerspuzzles&extsubcat=games&lc=en&dlc=en&cc=us

How's Your U.S. Geography?

Where's that state? You'll have to locate all of the 50 states with this online American Geography game - great review before summer vacation!

http://www.lizardpoint.com/fun/geoquiz/usaquiz.html

Make an Ant Farm this Summer

Find out how to create your own ant farm - for classroom or home - with just a few supplies. It's a great summer science project!

http://www.kinderinfo.com/how-to-make-a-home-made-ant-farm/

P.E. Central

This site offers loads of lesson plans in physical education and health, with related classroom management issues, integrated lessons with other subjects, field day suggestions, best practices, and assessment all included. Lessons are organized by grade and level.

http://www.pecentral.org/lessonideas/pelessonplans.html

Dick Blick Art Videos

The Dick Blick art website has some fantastic art lesson plans, as well as its own You Tube video channel now. It currently features "glass" sculptures with an easy-to-work-with medium - and the results are stunning. Find step-by-step instructions, with links to the pdf lessons, at the URL below.

http://www.youtube.com/user/BlickVideos?v=IT3Bie8ixrg&feature=pyv&ad=5059273026&kw=middle%20school%20art%20lesson&gclid=CPjPluf52KECFR49gwodhVKVIw

20 Summer Art Activities

Need some creative, stimulating, fun - and inexpensive - summer art projects? Find some great ideas here to engage kids over the hot summer months, including Coffee Can Stilts and Magazine Houses.

http://www.kinderart.com/teachers/20crafts.shtml