Kindergarten Advancement Certificates

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Brenda-Barron

Kindergarten Graduation Poem & Certificate

Here's a cute Graduation Poem and Kindergarten Certificate! Find it at:
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Brenda-Barron

Print and Make Bunny Ears Hat

http://everydayteaching.com/Holiday/Easter/EasterBunnyEars.pdf

Print out the bunny ears and headband template onto card stock, to make a bunny headband for Easter. Students can decorate, according to directions on the template, with cotton balls, glued onto the inner ear. You will need to print out (or trace) two headbands; attach them with tape at the seam, and fit according to students' head sizes, taping and cutting where needed. Students can also choose to paint or color their Easter bunny headbands! Print out the template at the link below:
http://everydayteaching.com/Holiday/Easter/EasterBunnyEars.pdf

Eggshell Flowerpots

http://www.marthastewart.com/photogallery/kids-spring-crafts?xsc=eml_crd_2011_03_28&#slide_4
Take a look at this adorable spring or Easter craft for kids, encouraging them to plant a garden in eggshells. It's perfect for classrooms, and students can take their egg cartons home to plant directly into soil. Have fun with this one!

Let Them Eat Pi!

http://www.teachpi.org/activities.htm

http://www.teachpi.org/activities.htm
Just in time for Pi Day (March 14th, 2011), find loads of activities here to explore the concept of Pi in your classroom. I like the one where students memorize as many of Pi's figures as they can - sort of like a Pi spelling bee!

Stuffed Valentine Mice!

http://www.everydayteaching.com/Holiday/Valentines/HeartMice.pdf

How cute is this! These heart templates are folded, glued around the edges, and stuffed with small amounts of crumpled tissue (stuff before completing glue), with
a pretty pink yarn tail! Make one for your favorite Valentine!

Movable, Hinged Polar Bears

BABY POLAR BEAR SHAPE BOOK, WITH PRIMARY LINES

AND MOVABLE, HINGED BABY POLAR BEAR!

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Polar-Bear-Shape-Book-with-Primary-Lines-Bonus-Movable-Hinged-Polar-Bear-2236074

Martin Luther King Jr. Day Activities

http://teacher.scholastic.com/lessonrepro/lessonplans/profbooks/mlkjractivities.pdf

Just in case you need a few last minute ideas to help you celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day in your classroom, try any of these creative tips and printables.

Penguin Word Cards

http://everydayteaching.com/Holiday/Winter/PenguinWordCards.pdf

Use these adorable blank templates to fill in words you might be learning this winter, and then attach them to your word wall.

http://everydayteaching.com/Holiday/Winter/PenguinWordCards.pdf

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.