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Free Content for Teacher Appreciation

April 22, 2024

Teacher Appreciation Week runs from May 6 to 10, 2024. Teachers play a pivotal role in society for shaping young minds and preparing students to be successful when entering the real world. A week is not enough to truly show our deep appreciation for educators of all kinds. We choose to celebrate this year’s Teacher Appreciation Week by encouraging students to share their favorite story of a teacher who had impacted their life. Use #ThankATeacher on social media, along with the teacher or teachers you want to thank.

Here are some interesting statistics about K-12 teachers working in the United States:

• There are over 3.8 million teachers currently employed.
• Around 75% of teachers are women.
• Around 25% of teachers are men.
• Around 83% of students had their confidence and self-esteem improved by a teacher.
• Around 75% of students view their teachers as role models.
• A single teacher will positively impact an average of 3000 students during their career.

There is a teacher shortage in over 75% of states. Because of this, it’s important to appreciate the teachers we have more than ever, and to encourage others to participate in this valued and essential profession. To help supplement the hard work teachers put into producing their unique and influential lesson plans, we strive to provide unique and engaging extension material for free. We add new and exciting content to our website’s free content page regularly, so there’s always something new to explore. Remember to bookmark our free content page and visit us often. Browse our selection of free content based on subject:

• Novel Study Guides
• Mathematics
• Language Arts
• Science
• Environmental Studies
• Social Studies
• Music
• Art
• Sports & Health
• Holiday & Seasonal

 

 

 

 

Create a Plastics Recycling Poster for Earth Day

April 8, 2024

April 22 is National Earth Day. This year’s theme is: Planet vs. Plastics. The planet is faced with many struggles, one of which is plastic pollution. Plastics have been used for many years now. The first 100% synthetic plastic was invented in 1907. By World War 2, the use of plastic exploded. It was a suitable alternative to other natural resources that were scarce and needed to be preserved. After the war, plastic production continued to soar as it was used to replace more expensive materials, like steel in cars, paper in packaging and wood in furniture.

The problem with plastic is that it lasts forever. It doesn’t naturally deteriorate like paper and wood. People realized this new form of pollution would be a problem by the 1970s. It was even the plastics industry themselves who recognized the problem with plastic waste and started the campaign to begin recycling efforts by the 1980s. Today, these efforts have increased and a wider campaign to fight against plastic pollution has grown; however, more needs to be done.

Did you know that most plastics have a number stamped inside of a recycle symbol? This number gives information about what type of chemical compounds that make up the plastic. It also determines the type of material the plastic can be made into when it is recycles.

Learn more about plastics recycling. Research the meaning of the plastics recycling number system. you may use the Internet or library resources. Be sure to find out:

• the difference between each type of plastic
• the way in which each type of plastic is recycled
• examples of each type of plastic
• the products that each type of plastic are made into when they are recycled

Create a poster to display the information you learned. Cut out photographs of different plastic products from each group. Write labels for each group to describe the type of plastic, how it is recycled, and what it is made into. Download a printable copy of this activity here.

 

 

 

 

Get Predicting for Mathematics and Statistics Awareness Month

March 18, 2024

April is Mathematics and Statistics Awareness Month. We use math in our everyday life. We use it when we calculate sales tax. We use it when determining how long it will take to travel to a location. We use it when cooking our food. Math is all around us, but let’s face it—it’s not the most popular subject. That’s why it’s important to bring awareness to it and how it can be used in our everyday life.

Predictions use statistics of past events to determine what will most likely happen in the future. We use it when giving weather reports. We use it when determining the best time to check the mail. We use it when budgeting for the month. Predictions are all around us.

One of the most widely used form of predictions in our everyday life is for weather. Predicting the weather helps us plan ahead. If we know it will be sunny, we can plan to go to the beach. If we know it will be raining, we can plan for a game or movie day. The possibilities are endless, and we rely on weather predictions heavily. The following activity utilizes our reliance on weather predictions.

Look at the following weather predictions for the month of March below.

1. Which city has the lowest predicted high temperature? ______________
2. Which city has the highest predicted low temperature? ______________
3. What is the average predicted high for all five cities? ______________
4. What is the range in predicted low temperatures? ______________
5. What is the ratio between Los Angeles predicted high and New York’s predicted low in Fahrenheit? ______________
6. The predicted high for Chicago is lower than the predicted low of which three cities? ______________
7. Which city’s predicted high is 3°F (19.5°C) more than twice the predicted high of New York? ______________

Download the full version of this activity in a printable format here. Additionally, download this free Spinner Game to test your prediction skills. Learn more about our ready-made mathematics lesson plans from Our Approach to Core Subjects: MATHEMATICS blog post.

 

 

 

 

Beware the Ides of March: A History Lesson

March 4, 2024

March 15 is the Ides of March. “Ides” is a term for the middle of the month. Used by the Romans, who divided the months into groupings of days. The month starts with the “Kalends”, the “Ides” in the middle, and the “Nones” at the end. So really, there is an “Ides” of every month, not just March. The Romans used these groupings to align with the lunar phases. The “Ides” referred to the first full moon of the month, which was usually between the 13th and 15th. Back in Ancient Rome, the Ides of March marked the new year, which was a time of celebrating and rejoicing. However, when we think of the Ides of March today, we think of it as a bad omen. Why is that?

The reason why we remember and acknowledge the “Ides of March” is two-fold. First, March 15 is the day that the Roman statesman Julius Caesar was assassinated in 44 BCE. Second, this historical act was immortalized in William Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar with the quote “Beware the ides of March”. In the play, Julius Caesar is given a warning from the soothsayer, who speaks this infamous line. From then on, the Ides of March would forever be considered a bad omen. It now symbolizes betrayal and downfall.

Complete a series of activities dealing with Ancient Rome and the Shakespearean play Julius Caesar with our FREE Julius Caesar – Novel Study Guide Bonus Worksheets. Create your own political party in the style of Ancient Rome. Imagine your own 8-episode TV series depicting the life of Julius Caesar. Design your own Roman artifact that can be found in a museum. Conduct research into an ancient Roman God and write a report detailing their myths and legends.

Learn more about the Ides of March and why it has become a day to fear from History.com.

 

 

 

 

Dissecting Healthy Ingredients for National Nutrition Month

February 19, 2024

March is National Nutrition Month. This year’s theme is: Beyond the Table. Nutrition starts with the quality of ingredients used to make delicious meals. Before food reaches the table, it is grown, harvested, processed, and shipped to grocery stores. It’s important to be aware of where your food comes from to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Shop Local
Look for ingredients that are close to home. There are many benefits to shopping local. Buying honey from nearby can help fight against seasonal allergies. This is because the honey harvested comes from bees that collect pollen from local flowers. Buying locally-produced products mean less time between when it is harvested to when it reaches your dinner plate. The fresher the ingredients the more enjoyable your meal will be. Locally-sourced ingredients are also beneficial to the environment as a whole. Less time traveling means less CO2 being released into the atmosphere.

Organic is Key
Organic ingredients mean no fertilizer, pesticides or herbicides were used when growing fruits and vegetables. With animals, no antibiotics or hormones are given. Again, this method is beneficial to the environment, as well as your body. Using organic ingredients in meals provides more nutrients and less toxins that can enter your body. Additionally, eating organic foods can help fight against antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Read the Food Label
When fresh isn’t an option, make sure to look at the food label of pre-packaged food. Some brands will be better for you than others. For example, canned foods are usually loaded with salt, so try to find ones that have the lowest amount of salt. Also, make sure to check the expiration dates. Look at the back for when the food will go bad. A better alternative might be to check the freezer section. For instance, if you can’t find fresh green beans, it would be better to buy frozen over canned, as generally this option will have less preservatives.

To help you get started, familiarize yourself with the current food guide with this helpful free downloadable poster of the MyPlate Food Guide or Canada’s Food Guide. Then, click here for more resources on Nutrition.

 

 

 

 

Tracking the Phases of the Moon for the Chinese New Year

February 5, 2024

February 10 is the Chinese New Year. It is also known as the Lunar New Year. It’s different from the traditional Western New Year—starting on January 1—because it is tied to the lunar calendar. The New Year starts with the first new moon after the end of January. It last for 15 days, until the first full moon shines in the sky. Each year, the Chinese/Lunar New Year is represented by an animal. For 2024, it is the Year of the Dragon. The last time it was the Year of the Dragon was in 2012. Before that, it was in 2000. The next Year of the Dragon will be in 2036.

The Chinese New Year dates back to approximately the 14th century BCE with the Shang Dynasty. The New Year was a time to celebrate the harvest. The Dragon is the 5th animal in the Chinese zodiac. People born during this year are characterized as strong and independent, but yearning for support and love (ChineseNewYear.net).

Did you know? San Francisco, California, holds the biggest Chinese New Year parade outside of Asia. The city has hosted a Chinese New Year celebration since the 1860s. – History.com.

The Lunar Calendar charts the passage of time based on the cycle and phases of the Moon. The Moon is orbiting the Earth, while the Earth orbits the Sun. It takes the Moon 28 days to orbit around the Earth just once. This is called a lunar cycle. The lunar cycle is made up of 8 phases. The phases are, in order: new moon, waxing crescent, waxing half-moon, waxing gibbous, full moon, wanning gibbous, waning half-moon, and waning crescent. Download this free Phases of the Moon color mini poster and creative activity to help visualize the Lunar Cycle.

 

 

 

 

Predicting the Weather on Groundhog Day

January 22, 2024

February 2 is Groundhog Day. This tradition first appeared in America in 1887 at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. In American folklore, if the groundhog sees its shadow after coming out of its burrow, there will be six more weeks of winter. If the groundhog does not see its shadow, there will be an early spring. This isn’t a hard and fast rule, rather a fun tradition to break up the monotony of the winter season. American Groundhog Day can trace its origins from ancient Germany and the holiday of Candlemas, which used badgers to predict the weather. The tradition was brought over to America when German immigrants settled in Pennsylvania. You can watch the live stream of the Groundhog Day Ceremony at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, where Punxsutawney Phil makes his prediction.

Folklore Facts

• Groundhogs are also known as: woodchuck, marmot, land beaver, whistler, whistle-pig.
• Groundhog Day falls halfway between the winter solstice and the vernal/spring equinox.
• Punxsutawney Phil got his name in the 1960s.
• The “Inner Circle”, wearing formal suits and top hats, are responsible for interpreting Phil’s prediction.
• Phil doesn’t need to see his shadow, rather he has to cast one.
• Phil has a 39% accuracy rate when predicting six more weeks of winter.
• Phil has a 47% accuracy rate when predicting an early spring.

The Reader’s Theatre: Holidays resource from our sister site, Rainbow Horizons Publishing, features a play and relevant questions dealing with Groundhog Day. Conduct an investigation into three prominent groundhogs used for the event. Conduct research into hibernation. Watch the movie Groundhog Day with Bill Murray and write a review of it. Create silhouettes to mimic shadows, and a game using a cup, paint and popsicle sticks. Download these free activity pages to complete your Groundhog Day celebrations.

 

 

 

 

Becoming a Self-Advocate for Martin Luther King Jr. Day

January 8, 2024

January 15 is Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Martin Luther King Jr. was a leader of the Civil Rights Movement that engulfed the United States in the 1950s and 1960s. He was influential in his fight for racial equality and ending racial segregation in the country. The purpose of this day is to “reflect on the work that still needs to be done for racial equality, and to take the time to reflect on civil rights issues across the globe”. Learn more about the man, the movement, and the observation here.

Martin Luther King Jr. was an advocate. Not just for himself but for an entire movement. Upon his death, his advocacy lived on, culminating in this day to commemorate him. Take up the mantle and learn to be an advocate for yourself and others.

Self-advocacy is when you know your rights and you speak up for them. You are able to ask for what you want. You can tell people about your feelings. For example, you get the wrong order at a restaurant. You would be able to tell the server this and get it fixed. Why is self-advocacy important? It will allow you to share in decisions made about your life. It will create independence. Be assertive when voicing your feelings. This means you don’t hold back. You must be confident in yourself. If you can do this, then you can take control of your own life. You will be able to make your own decisions.

Use this Self-Advocacy Roadmap graphic organizer to help identify a problem and come out the other side a success. The first step in self-advocacy is to accept that you need help. Here, you will write down the problem. Next, you will need to identify why you need help. Maybe you have some limitations. Maybe you have challenges. List those here. Follow the roadmap to get help in reaching your self-advocacy goals.

Being an advocate for yourself, others or an entire movement is a very powerful position. You have the power to accomplish positive change that will help yourself and others. The Civil Rights Movement is just one example of advocates—like Martin Luther King Jr.—who fought for what they thought was right and made actual change that benefitted many people. The novel The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963 takes place during the time of the Civil Rights Movement, and highlights key events that occurred during this tumultuous time in American History. Download and complete these 2 free worksheets from our Novel Study Guide for The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963. The first activity, In the News, asks students to research the bombing that took place at the 16th Street Baptist Church on September 15, 1963 in the city of Birmingham, Alabama. Students will write a fictional news article detailing the aftermath and how it affected the Civil Rights Movement. The second activity, Race and Equality, asks students to design a poster that promotes equality and peace. Students will include a brochure panel that describes why racial equality and the Civil Rights Movement remains as important today as it was in 1963.

 

 

 

 

How to Encourage Young Mathematicians to Keep Calculating – Math Drills Over the Holiday Break

December 18, 2023

It’s the holiday season! That means kids will be out of school for a couple of weeks. It can be hard to keep their minds sharp while they’re away. It’s important to encourage a logical mind, even when out of the classroom. Here are some math drills that are perfect to do at home this holiday break.

Number & Operations

Number & Operations focuses on the basics, including addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. For students in grades PK-2, this Drill Worksheet allows students to practice their ordering, odds and evens, counting, and subtraction. For students in grades 3-5, this Drill Worksheet allows students to practice their addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. For students in grades 6-8, this Drill Worksheet allows students to practice place value, greater than, lesser than and equal to, multiplication and division, decimals, expanded form, and values of percents.

Algebra

Algebra focuses on missing numbers in equations. Students use variables, or letters, to stand for a number; using algebraic equations to solve for those variables. For students in grades PK-2, this Drill Worksheet allows students to practice their hundreds chart, addition, and greater than, lesser than or equal to. For students in grades 3-5, this Drill Worksheet allows students to practice their number line, expressions, patterns, and sums. For grades 6-8, this Drill Worksheet allows students to practice graphing, evaluating algebraic expressions, solving equations, and finding the sum.

Geometry

Geometry focuses on shapes and figures. Students use geometry to draw shapes, measure and compare them. For students in grades PK-2, this Drill Worksheet allows students to practice their patterns and locations. For students in grades 3-5, this Drill Worksheet allows students to practice identifying triangles by their sides and angles. For students in grades 6-8, this Drill Worksheet allows students to practice calculating volume of rectangular prisms.

Measurement

Measurement focuses on time, weight, height, temperature, length, and speed. For students in grades PK-2, this Drill Worksheet allows students to practice their understanding of temperature. For students in grades 3-5, this Drill Worksheet allows students to practice converting measurements. For students in grades 6-8, this Drill Worksheet allows students to practice finding the surface area of boxes.

Data Analysis & Probability

Data Analysis & Probability focuses on understanding data and stats, and used to predict outcomes. For students in grades PK-2, this Drill Worksheet allows students to practice their understanding of likelihoods. For students in grades 3-5, this Drill Worksheet allows students to practice median and range in a set of numbers. For students in grades 6-8, this Drill Worksheet allows students to practice answering questions based on information found in a chart.

Get even more mathematics worksheets from our FREE CONTENT page. And for more great ideas to keep students learning this holiday break, checkout our past blog posts for strategies on encouraging students to keep up with writing, science, and reading.

 

 

 

 

The Boston Tea Party: Lighting the Fuse to Independence

December 4, 2023

December 16 is the Anniversary of the Boston Tea Party in 1773. On this day in Boston, Massachusetts, a political protest against the British Empire occurred. Citizens of the New World were not happy with Britain imposing a tea tax when they were not being represented in the government. As such, colonists dumped 342 chests of imported tea into the harbor. This event was the first major act of defiance to British rule and lit the fuse to independence. Learn more at History.com.

A Brief Breakdown
When the first tea ships arrived in December, the colonists did not let them dock. To send a message to Britain, they decided on a plan. Some chosen colonists dressed like Native Americans and snuck onto the ships at night. They opened over 300 chests full of tea and dumped the tea into the harbor. It was called the “Boston Tea Party”. King George and the British were very angry. They punished the colonies with new laws. They were called the Intolerable Acts. Boston Harbor was closed. Colonists were ordered to provide housing for British soldiers. This was one of the last straws for the colonists.

The Tea Party
Do some additional research into the events surrounding the Boston Tea Party. Describe these events in your own words. Use quotes from significant figures where applicable. Civilian unrest over taxation without representation was what incited the action, but what happened next and why? Try to see if you can find any information about how Boston residents felt about the Tea Party in its immediate aftermath. Did most civilians agree with what happened? Why or why not? Why might some people not agree with the dumping of the tea?

The Spy Network
The novel Johnny Tremain illustrates the real-life events of the American Revolutionary War. Using historical events and figures as a backdrop, this story intertwines reality and fiction as it views the events of America’s fight for independence through the eyes of a young boy. In this activity, your task will be to imagine the threads that tie a spy network together. You don’t need to read the novel to complete this task, but a bit of research into the real-life events surrounding the Boston Tea Party will be required. Download this activity here.

American Revolutionary War Bonus Worksheets
Download these free bonus worksheets from our ready-made lesson plan American Revolutionary War to complete your unit on the Boston Tea Party. Re-create the Continental Congress in Philadelphia by taking on the role of one of the thirteen colonies to represent at the Congress. Be a reporter and cover the story surrounding the events of the Boston Tea Party. Create a mini diorama depicting the Boston Tea Party. Download these free bonus worksheets here.

 

 

 

 

Tools for Independent Living

November 20, 2023

December 3 is International Day of People with Disabilities. The WHO and UN come together to observe this day by promoting the importance of equal rights for people with disabilities. We wish to help honor this day by promoting inclusivity and the right of all persons to lead independent lives. Through our various life skills titles, we offer every person the building blocks needed to live successful lives in the real world.

Personal Safety

Everyone should be safe at home. It is easy to make sure things are working. This will keep you and your home safe. Things like fire or carbon monoxide can be deadly. Make sure you have smoke detectors installed. Carbon monoxide detectors should be on every floor. Help keep your things safe when you are out. Do this by locking your doors and windows. Having bright lights outside also helps.

Safety Tip: Don’t mix cleaners. Never breathe in or put something on your skin. Keep them in a safe place away from kids and pets.

There are many things you can do to protect your home. You should know how to use household products safely. There are symbols on things that could be dangerous. These are WHIMIS symbols. They tell you what the dangers are.

For more tips, check out our Practical Life Skills – Independent Living ready-made resource. Try out this related free activity first.

Household Care

You will have to do laundry once a week as well. During the day, your clothes get dirty. It is important to always wear fresh, clean clothes every day.

How to do Laundry:

1. Treat stains with a stain remover.
2. Separate whites and colors.
3. Measure detergent and fabric softener.
4. Pick the water temperature.
5. Pick your setting.

Download this free color poster to become familiar with key laundry labels. Then, try out these other related free worksheets from the full lesson plan, Daily Health & Hygiene Skills.

Loans, Credit & Borrowing

Using only your net income, how long would it take to save for the entire price of a home? Would you have to save for decades in order to buy a car? It would be very hard for most people to save this amount of money. This is when a loan comes in handy.

Important Terms to Know:
Lender – Someone who gives out a loan, like a bank.
Borrower – The one accepting the loan.

Borrowers must agree to the terms of the lender. These could include how long the loan is going to be repaid in, or how much interest is charged. Your credit score and loan history will affect the interest rate. The principal is the amount of money the loan is for. It is the value of the purchase, like the cost of a house. For every day you haven’t paid the loan back, it earns interest. Interest is added to the principal, so there is some perk for the lender.

Having a loan doesn’t mean you will be in debt forever. Lots of loans have a set end date, unlike credit cards. If you continue to make your monthly payments on time, they will be paid off. Have patience! Think wisely about your loan and if the terms are fair. As you achieve more of your goals, the loan will be easier to pay off!

Download this free color poster to understand what your credit score means. Then, check out the Real World Life Skills – Financial Literacy Skills ready-made lesson plan to learn more about your finances.

Coping Skills

Everyone feels stressed at some point in their life. Most people feel it a lot of the time. Whether it’s worried about a test coming up. Or dealing with a recipe not coming together. Stress is everywhere. Stress is when you’re feeling overwhelmed. Anxiety is a heightened form of stress. It is not as common, but people still suffer from it. Anxiety is a panic feeling over something.

Coping skills aren’t always positive or healthy. There are ways to cope that are actually harmful. Substance abuse and self-harm are common. They may provide temporary relief, but they’re actually causing more harm. Avoiding the problem is another unhealthy coping skill. It doesn’t solve the problem. It only prolongs it. You can overcome these unhealthy coping skills with help from others. Start a program with a mental health professional. They’ll help identify challenges and make a plan to cope with healthy habits.

Get tips on helpful coping skills, like Self-Talk and Breathing Exercises with these related free activities from our Applying Life Skills – Your Personal Relationships ready-made lesson plan.

 

 

 

 

Reduce, Reuse and Recycle to Keep America Beautiful

October 30, 2023

November 15 is America Recycles Day. Beginning in 1997, the National Recycling Coalition introduced America Recycles Day. Each year the President declares the day in the hopes of encouraging people to “Keep America Beautiful”. The day is meant to raise awareness about recycling and the importance of recycled products. This awareness has been working, as the rate of recycling in the United States has increased from 7% in 1960 to its current rate of 32%. Recycling has also helped the economy, accounting for 681,000 jobs and $37.8 billion in wages. Recycling is good for the environment and the wallet. You can learn more benefits of recycling at the EPA website.

Ways to implement recycling practices in your everyday life:

• Replace single-use water bottles with reusable bottles.
• Replace plastic bags at the grocery store with reusable tote bags.
• Replace plastic produce bags at the grocery store with reusable bags.
• Recycle these common everyday items: paper, plastic, cans, cardboard, glass

Composting 101

Food waste can also be recycled. This is called composting. Food scraps are made from once-living things, or organic matter. Organic matter breaks down in nature without any help from people. Composting is a way to allow waste organic matter to break down. As organic matter is broken down, it releases nutrients that plants can use. In nature, compost forms an important part of soil.

You might be surprised to find out that most of our organic matter can be composted at home. If you have a yard, you can start a compost pile. Composting can also be done indoors in special containers. These indoor containers contain earthworms that quickly eat through fruit and vegetable scraps. In some areas, waste management workers collect organic matter at the curb, along with regular trash pick-up. They bring the organic matter to municipal composting facilities. At these facilities, the organic matter is sorted. Woody materials, such as tree trimmings, are shredded and used for mulch. Food scraps are placed in very large piles. The conditions in these piles are kept favorable for decomposers so that the food can be broken down quickly.

Try composting with your classroom with our free activity.

Reduce and Reuse

Don’t forget that reusing items is a form of recycling. You can also reduce the number of resources you use. What are some ways to reduce? You might first think of not wasting resources, or using only what you really need. You might use both sides of your notebook paper, for example. Another way to reduce is to choose products with less packaging. Packaging is made from raw materials, and is simply thrown away when you buy a product.

Another way to conserve resources is to reuse. You can often use the same product again and again before throwing it away. By doing this, you are saving resources because you end up using fewer products over the long term. One way to reuse is to save scrap paper, such as worksheets that are printed on only one side. You can use the blank sides of your scrap paper for rough drafts or sketches.

Take part in this free reuse contest in your classroom to help promote awareness.

What other ways can you think of to reuse products in your everyday life? Share your own ideas and spread awareness on social media with #AmericaRecyclesDay.

 

 

 

 

Utilizing Social Skills for NaNoWriMo

October 16, 2023

November is National Novel Writing Month. This yearly event challenges students to write a book during the month of November. In the past, we’ve given the challenge of writing a chapter a day. We’ve offered tools to help facilitate this through tips to start writing and writing prompts. This year we have a new challenge that incorporates social skills.

The Challenge: Write a short story as a group.

For this year’s NaNoWriMo, we want to encourage students to utilize their social skills to successfully write a short story together as a group. Proper social skills include compromise, communication and listening to everyone’s ideas. It’s important for each group member to feel as though they have a voice and that they are being heard.

As a group, come up with a basic outline for your short story. Determine the setting, plot, and a list of the different characters that will appear in your story. To help you get started, use these graphic organizers to set up these key features of your story.

Setting Graphic Organizer
Plot Graphic Organizer
Characterization Graphic Organizer

Once you have your overall idea of the story, now’s the time for each member of the group to separate. Each member will be responsible for one character in the story. Each chapter will be told from the perspective of a character. Each chapter should give a different perspective of a singular event that encompasses the plot of the overall story. Use this graphic organizer as a tool to help with preparation.

Point of View Graphic Organizer

Finally, come back together and put all the chapters in order. Members of the group will have to agree on the order, as well as write the first and last chapters together. These chapters will be written in third person omniscient, whereas the character chapters will be written in first person. Once completed, present your short story to the class.

 

 

 

 

Research Project: Managing Mental Health

October 2, 2023

October 10 is World Mental Health Day. This year’s theme is “Mental health is a universal human right”. A person’s mental health is just as important as their physical health. Just like a person has the universal human right to proper physical care, the same should be for their mental health. Over the years, it’s been important to break down the stigma that follows the practice of good mental health. Now, it’s important to ensure that everyone around the globe has access to proper mental health care.

Mental health is very important. People are beginning to understand that we need a healthy mind just like we need a healthy body. We are still learning more about ways to improve mental health. Different organizations are working hard to erase the stigma of mental health. This stigma may prevent some people from getting help with mental health issues. How do you know where to get help? What do others do to support positive mental health in their community?

You will research what mental health resources are in your area. It could be a non-profit organization, therapists or community programs. Your information should be presented in a brochure that could be given out to high school students. You should include:

• Name of organization and location.
• Mission statement.
• Services available.
• Possible costs.
• Who is eligible to get help.

Your brochure should be colorful and neat. You want it to catch the eyes of a student who may be struggling with their mental health. Be sure to check for spelling and use actual information. If there isn’t an organization in your area, find a site online. You can make a list of online sites that students can go to if they are having problems. The goal is to erase the stigma of mental health. Helping even one person will make a difference!

Download a printable version of this activity for free here. Then, share this free mini poster to help recognize the symptoms of stress.

 

 

 

 

Supporting Health & Fitness as a Family

September 18, 2023

September 30 is Family Health & Fitness Day. This day promotes the whole family getting together to support one another in their individual and collective health and fitness goals. This can be done by incorporating exercise and a healthy diet into your family’s lifestyle. Below are some suggestions to help inspire your family to celebrate this day. Share your own ideas on social media with #CelebrateEveryDay and #FamilyHealthAndFitnessDayUSA.

1. Discover Your Family’s Flavor
Cook together to learn what members of your family like, and discover new flavors you may not have tried before. Spend one day cooking a meal together. Start by looking at different recipes, choosing one that meets your MyPlate Food Guide or Canada’s Food Guide. Take a trip to the grocery store and pick out the ingredients you’ll need. You can sneak in a short lesson on budgeting during this step. Finally, cook your meal and plate your food nicely at the dinner table to eat as a family.

2. Encouraging Routines
Learn a new exercise routine as a family. Always wanted to try yoga? Now’s your chance. Or maybe take a dance class? Get moving! Learning a new exercise routine that will fit into your family’s lifestyle is a great form of encouragement. Take things up a notch by creating your very own Fitness Plan and perform it the week leading up to Family Health & Fitness Day.

3. Activity Challenge
Challenge each member of your family to take part in 1 activity for health or fitness each day until September 30. For instance, maybe you want to challenge each member of your family to track what they eat for a week with a Weekly Meal Plan. See what foods are high in calories, and which are a healthy option. Or, replace one unhealthy snack a week with a healthy one. As the weeks progress, increase this amount by 1.

4. Running Increment Miles
Run or walk an extra mile each week, working your way up each day. Start with a goal of walking or running 1 mile at the end of week 1. Halfway through the second week, increase this distance by half a mile. Keep this up for the year and see how far you can go and how much less tired you get.

 

 

 

 

Spreading Awareness for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer

September 4, 2023

September 16 is International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer. This day is meant to promote awareness and celebrate efforts taken to restore the ozone layer to its original levels. The ozone layer shields the Earth from harmful ultraviolet rays from the Sun. Without it, radiation from the Sun can pass through our atmosphere and cause harm to all life on Earth. Scientists realized in the late 1970s that human activity was destroying the ozone layer. As a result, 28 countries agreed to the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer in 1985. Their goal was to eliminate 99% of substances that caused the ozone layer to deteriorate. With this, the healing process could begin. If we stay on this path, the ozone layer will be restored by the year 2050.

What is the Ozone Layer?
Ozone can be found in two places in the atmosphere. In the stratosphere, radiation from the Sun turns oxygen into ozone. This makes the ozone layer. This layer protects living things from harmful radiation from the Sun. A tiny bit of the ozone from the ozone layer mixes into the lower atmosphere, in the troposphere. So, the troposphere has a tiny amount of ozone naturally.

How does the Ozone Layer affect Climate Change?
Human activities have caused more ozone to form in the troposphere. Ozone in the troposphere acts as a greenhouse gas. It traps radiation and leads to warming. The amount of ozone in the troposphere has more than doubled since humans have been building factories and cars. This increase is so much and so harmful due to its location that it plays an important role in climate change.

How can we help?
Ozone has a short residence time in the atmosphere. If people release less ozone into the lower atmosphere, than the amount of ozone left should lower quickly. Share this free reading passage on ozone, one of Earth’s greenhouse gases, with your students. Becoming familiar with ozone and its effects on climate change is the first step in helping to turn the tide.

A Timeline

• 1913 – The ozone layer is discovered by French physicists Charles Fabry and Henri Buisson.
• 1976 – Scientists discover the ozone layer is deteriorating.
• 1985 – The Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer is signed.
• 1994 – The UN General Assembly assigns September 16 as the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer.
• 2050 – Projected year when the ozone layer will be restored to its 1980 levels.

 

 

 

 

Exploring the History of Pluto’s Demotion

August 14, 2023

Did you know that people once believed that Earth was the center of the solar system? They thought that all of the planets and the Sun revolved around us! Now we know that our solar system has eight planets that travel around the Sun. The planets travel in circular paths called orbits. The planets are divided into inner planets and outer planets. The first four planets, Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars, are the inner planets. Then, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune are the outer planets. Pluto, once thought to be the outermost planet, lost its planetary status in 2006.

The outer planets in our solar system are made up of four gas giants. They are made of gas, they are very large, and they have many moons and rings. Pluto used to be considered the last of the outer planets, but it just didn’t seem to fit in! First, Pluto is tiny. It is the smallest planet in the universe. Second, Pluto has just three moons. The largest one is named Charon. It’s only a bit smaller than Pluto, so some scientists called Pluto and Charon “double planets”. The other two moons, Xena and Ceres, were just discovered in 2005. Finally, Pluto is made of ice and rock, unlike the gas giants.

On August 24th, 2006, scientists re-classified Pluto as a “dwarf planet”, which means it can no longer be counted with the other eight planets. Poor Pluto lost its planetary status! As far as we know, Pluto is the end of the solar system. Scientists agree that there could be a lot more to discover beyond Pluto that we just haven’t seen yet. After all, Pluto was only discovered in 1930. Who knows what might be discovered next! In 2006, NASA launched the New Horizons spacecraft. It flew by Pluto and Charon on July 14, 2015. To learn more about the New Horizons mission, discoveries, and where it is now, visit the NASA website.

For additional Pluto-themed activities, download these free worksheets:

Save Pluto! Short Essay
Pluto Demotion T-Chart

 

 

 

 

4 Cooperative Learning Activities for Back-to-School

July 31, 2023

It’s back-to-school season! A new school year means new teachers, new students, and new peers. In order to establish a successful new school year, it’s important to set the building blocks of proper communication and collaboration. A good starting point is with cooperative learning activities to help break the ice between peers. Doing this on the first day of school will help establish a foundation to promote successful collaboration among students.

Critical & Creative Thinking Exercises

These worksheets encourage students to use their critical and creative thinking skills to solve a variety of questions and activities. Get into pairs or small groups and answer a few critical thinking questions. Some questions have only one answer, and some can have more than one. How many answers can your group come up with? Then, use creativity skills to find 3 things that can be described using a series of words. Try out the provided exercises to boost creative and critical thinking. The critical thinking exercises include a series of brain teasers to get students thinking critically. Finally, students get together to create a new design for a wallet. Download these Critical & Creative Thinking Exercises to get started.

Non-Verbal Communication

This activity and team building exercise helps students understand the importance of non-verbal communication. Understanding gestures, facial expressions and eye contact will help students get to know one-another and better communicate with each other. In this team building exercise, students get into groups and must build a bridge together using popsicle sticks, all without talking. Download this Non-Verbal Communication Activity to get started.

Social Cues Quiz

This graphic organizer quizzes students on how well they can read social cues. Social cues are expressions, body language, tone of voice and personal space. Being able to read these cues will make for successful communication and collaboration. Reading social cues will help someone know when to leave a conversation, when to change the subject, when the person being talked to is interested, among others. This quiz will challenge students to read social cues for a variety of scenarios. To turn it into a collaborative activity, have students get into pairs and one student act out the scenario for the other. Download this Social Cues Quiz to get started.

Rube Goldberg Machine

This hands-on activity challenges students to work together to create their own Rube Goldberg Machine. A Rube Goldberg Machine is an everyday simple task that uses a series of hard steps. Each step starts the next. Students will be placed in groups and must work together to solve a problem. Download this Rube Goldberg Machine Activity to get started.

 

 

 

 

Finding Freshwater for National Water Quality Month

July 17, 2023

August is National Water Quality Month. Clean water is so important. We need it to live. Clean freshwater is what most life on Earth drinks to stay alive. Although we have a lot of water on Earth, only 2.5% of that water is freshwater. That’s not a lot. Therefore, it’s important to keep that small amount clean and of high quality. National Water Quality Month is a time to reflect on how much of our lives depend on access to clean water. Without it, there would be no more safe swimming; no more drinking from fountains or the tap; no more long showers.

Our ready-made lesson plan on Earth & Space Science brings the focus on the importance of water, both globally and nationally. A popular request for more younger grade science lessons led us to develop a STEAM-based series for grades 1 to 5, with a reading level of grade 3. The STEAM standards aim to integrate the content and skills of science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics in an approach to teaching and learning. STEAM brings a new hands-on approach to learning that encourages students to explore and interact with what they are learning.

The Water chapter from our Earth & Space Science ready-made lesson plan provides a foundation into any students’ understanding of the important role that water plays on life on Earth. Students will learn that water can be solid ice, liquid water, or the gas called water vapor. They will continue to build on this basic knowledge to understand that not all water can be used by us, either to drink or to water our plants. A helpful color mini poster is provided to further supplement this concept of how little freshwater can be found on Earth. Download a free copy of this poster here.

Visit the blog post on Our Approach to Core Subjects: SCIENCE to learn how our ready-made lesson plans are formatted and meet the curriculum-based science standards.

 

 

 

 

Breaking Down Life Skills Studies for World Youth Skills Day

July 3, 2023

July 15 is World Youth Skills Day. The 2023 theme is: Skilling teachers, trainers and youth for a transformative future. The goal of this year’s theme is to highlight the essential role educators play in providing skills for youth to become successful in their communities. Teachers and parents bridge the gap between childhood and adulthood for all students. It’s up to them to ensure students are informed about living in the real world as successful and productive adults. We offer a wide range of life skills titles that help teachers engage student in real-world living, from the basics to more advanced concepts.

The Basics: Daily Life Skills
Our in-depth study provides the basics in life skills. A good introduction, students will be introduced to common and key concepts that help ease them into a wider study of life skills. To start, students dip their toe into understanding finances by first learning how to best spend their money. They will do this by first learning how to budget. Utilize this free worksheet to help students create their own budget. Next, students go into the workplace and learn how to behave in a social environment. Key tips on communicating with peers are learned. Finally, students go back into the home and learn key strategies about health and hygiene. From simplified steps to proper hand washing, to coming up with ways to stay healthy and fit. Download this free hands-on activity to guide students in making their own fitness plan.

The Application: Practical Life Skills
Our in-depth study elaborates on the basics in life skills in the following key areas: living independently, managing money, and the workplace. Students get tips on how to find a place to live and fill out a rental lease. They get help on traveling around town and utilizing community resources. With a clear understanding of budgeting, students get practical knowledge on saving and investing their money, as well as managing their credit. Use this free worksheet to create a five-year savings plan. Moving into the workplace, students get strategies on preparing a resume and knowing their rights as an employee. Follow this free mind map to be prepared with common interview questions.

The Growth: Real World Life Skills
Our in-depth study builds upon the practical application of life skills and how to utilize these skills in the real world. First, students gain the confidence to successfully interact with the world. Strategies on proper etiquette will ensure students will be successful in fostering relationships and collaborating with others. Students become an advocate for themselves and others with this free self-reliance worksheet that promotes independence and responsibilities. Next, students get tips on stress management and maintaining their mental and physical health. Download this free graphic organizer to track student mental health. Finally, extend students’ financial literacy with an examination on assets and managing debt. Get help with a car loan and house mortgage.

The Road Map: Applying Life Skills
Our in-depth study focuses inward to create well-rounded individuals. Students gain the capacity to know themselves and others with social intelligence skills. Learn key techniques to be a successful active listener, like maintaining eye contact and not interrupting. Take this free quiz to find out how self-aware your students are. Establish and maintain healthy and rewarding relationships with individuals and groups. Get helpful coping skills when dealing with stress. Download this free worksheet to get insight into how to use affirmations to self-motivate. Become empowered with tools needed to develop a life plan. Students follow the steps to create their own roadmap in order to meet their personal goals.

Learn more about our Life Skills content here. Visit the blog post on Our Approach to Core Subjects: SOCIAL STUDIES to learn how our ready-made lesson plans are broken down.

 

 

 

 

Exploring American Government this Fourth of July

June 19, 2023

July 4 is Independence Day. This is a celebration of the United States’ independence from the British Empire. This independence was bravely fought by the citizens of the original thirteen colonies. Independence was declared on July 4, 1776 when the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence. This is an important part of American history, arguably the most important part. It is the birth of what would become the American Government. The American Government governs the rule of law in this country. As citizens, we follow the rules set out by the government. It’s an important part of civics studies. Our American Government ready-made lesson plan highlights the basics of American Government and provides the building blocks for understanding of how our government works.

The government of the United States is based on the Constitution. It is set up as a democracy or a government in which the people choose who governs them. The belief that the people hold the highest power in a government is called popular sovereignty. Download a copy of the Constitution here.

The U.S. Constitution can be added to or changed by amendments. In order for an amendment to become a law, the voters must approve it. The first ten amendments of the Constitution are called the Bill of Rights. Do some research into the 10 Amendments of the Bill of Rights. Download this chart to write down what you find.

The Constitution is the supreme law of the United States. It divides the government into three parts: the executive, the legislative and the judiciary. It also states that any citizen may take part in the government by voting. Each of the three parts of government has an important purpose. The Constitution describes each part and its purpose. Download this Reading Passage and Mini Poster to learn about the three branches of government and what they do.

Celebrate this Fourth of July by exploring the government that it represents. Utilize our American Government ready-made lesson plan to learn how a bill becomes a law, how government is elected, and how the system of checks and balances work, among others. Visit the blog post on Our Approach to Core Subjects: SOCIAL STUDIES to learn how our ready-made lesson plans are broken down.

 

 

 

 

Summer Parent Content to Combat Learning Loss

June 5, 2023

Learning loss over the summer break is a long-running struggle many teachers face. When students return to the classroom in the fall, much of what they learned the previous year is lost. This is due to the halt of regular practice, resulting in new skills and knowledge fading over time. To combat this, teachers have enlisted the help of parents to encourage kids to take part in summer reading, math games and hands-on science activities.

Here is a list of strategies and activities ideal to combat learning loss this summer break.

1. Create a summer reading program. Reading skills are less likely to be lost over the summer break than math and science as the chances of kids using their reading skills during everyday activities is more likely. However, this doesn’t mean you can’t be proactive in maintaining the reading skills gained during the school year. The simplest way to encourage reading over the summer break is to assign a novel and comprehension activities for students to complete. Designate specific chapter sections to be completed each week, along with a culminating activity to be done the week before returning to school in the fall. Check out our variety of Novel Study Guides for ready-made comprehension activities.

2. Review math concepts. Send an infographic-style sheet of this year’s math concepts for students to review while at home. Include short review questions for them to practice throughout the summer break. Encourage healthy competition between friends with Math Olympics worksheets.

3. Plan a family game night. Promote an understanding of numbers with board games that force families to count. Games like Monopoly, Pay Day, Sequence Numbers, Cribbage, and Yahtzee are all great options. You can even turn this into a language arts exercise with games like Mad Libs, Scattergories and Taboo. Create your own life science board games by matching populations, classifying animals, and creating new trivial pursuit cards.

4. Visit a museum, zoo or nature site. Plan your summer vacation around a popular museum, zoo or national park. Learn about science, history and art. Play a game of Zoo Bingo by crossing off each animal you see. When you get a line, you win! Plan a day trip to a local nature site. Conduct a scavenger hunt to find local plants and animals. Look for members of a food chain in your yard, local park or forest. Find one producer, one first consumer, one second consumer, and one decomposer, and draw them on a food chain graphic organizer.

5. Enroll in STEAM-based summer camps. Lots of kids go to summer camps over the break. A STEAM-based camp will encourage students to not only maintain the science skills they learned over the school year, but gain new knowledge as well. If there’s no camps nearby, create your own with a variety of hands-on science experiments that involve nature, such as building and studying a terrarium.

With these ideas, and so many others, students will be able to combat learning loss over the summer break and be better prepared for a return to the classroom in the fall.

 

 

 

 

Coping Skills to Help Form a Positive Self-View

May 15, 2023

June 1 is National Say Something Nice Day. The goal of this day is to fight against bullying and promote common courtesy among people in this world. A good place to start is within. It’s possible to be your own bully. It’s possible to have negative thoughts about yourself. If you think negatively about yourself, it becomes easier to think negatively about the people around you. Combat this negative self-image with our two strategies below.

Coping Skills: Self-Talk
Self-talk is a coping skill that allows you to listen to your inner voice. This inner voice can be positive or negative. It’s important to maintain a positive inner voice. Below are steps to help understand and steer your self-talk into a positive direction.

1. Listen to your inner voice.
“You are a nice person.”
“You’re not a very nice person.”

2. Is your inner voice helping you?
“I feel good about being nice.”
“Not being nice makes me sad.”

3. How can you change your inner voice to make you feel better?
“I can do one nice thing for someone every day.”
“I do nice things for people; therefore, I must be a nice person.”

Download a printable version of this poster here.

Motivation Through Affirmation
Affirmations are a type of emotional support. They are things you say to yourself for motivation or encouragement. An affirmation is an effective coping skill when faced with an emotional problem. Here are 7 of the top affirmations many people use:

“I am enough.”
“I believe in myself.”
“I love who I am.”
“I am in charge of my own happiness.”
“My life is filled with goodness.”
“My difficulties are opportunities.”
“I am perfect just the way I am.”

You can say these statements to yourself every morning when you wake up. You can have them written on a mirror you look at every day. You can set a reminder on your phone to give you one of these statements periodically throughout the day. You can take a moment during a stressful time to meditate over these words.

Continue this activity by creating your own customized affirmations by following the steps laid out in this worksheet download.

 

 

 

 

How Much Would You Weigh on the Moon?

May 1, 2023

May 5 is National Space Day. Falling on the first Friday in May, this day highlights humans’ pursuit of knowledge and progress. We are just one small planet in a vast unending universe. With so many mysteries, even in our own solar system, it’s important to learn as much as possible about space in order to understand our own world better.

Currently, we are working at going back to the Moon. This is a precursor to our eventual travel to the planet Mars. Eventually, we’ll be able to visit and explore all the planets in our solar system. Without having visited these planets, we already know so much about them. For instance, we know how much we would weigh on each planet. This is calculated by the force of gravity, something we learned about here on Earth.

When you consider the force of gravity with the distance to the center of a planet, you can create equations to figure out how much you would weigh at different places in the solar system. What you weigh on Earth is not necessarily what you would weigh on other planets with different gravitational forces. We know for certain that we weigh much less on the Moon because it has a different gravitational force than here on Earth.

Complete this table to compare how much you would weigh in the places listed, including the other planets in our solar system, as well as the Moon and Pluto. Based on this information, how would the gravitational force of other planets affect us visiting them in the future?

 

 

 

 

Get Caught Reading with Graphic Organizers for Literary Devices

April 17, 2023

May is National Get Caught Reading Month. All monthlong, we want to raise awareness of the power that reading has. It can transform you to different worlds. It can increase your range of vocabulary. It can open your minds to new possibilities.

Literary devices are the building blocks of storytelling. They help readers understand the meaning of a story. You will find that all stories have characters, a setting, a plot, a theme, and a point of view. Graphic organizers are an important tool to help you get the most out of reading. For this month, we’re offering five free graphic organizers to use in a study of the literary devices: characterization, setting, plot, theme, and point of view.

Characterization
The Characterization Graphic Organizer provides a very complete description of character traits. This Graphic Organizer is a series of six rectangles arranged like the spokes in a wheel. The rectangle in the middle is the place you will write the name of your character. In each rectangle that radiates from the center, one of these titles and questions are written:

1. Dialogue (What does the dialogue reveal about him or her?)
2. Physical Description (What does he or she look like?)
3. Thoughts (What is he or she thinking?)
4. Actions (What do actions reveal about him or her? include gestures, motions)
5. Reactions of Others (What do others think of him or her?)

Setting
The Three Elements of Setting Graphic Organizer is a setting map showing three rectangles labeled, “Place,” “Time,” and “Environment,” merging together to make the literary device, “Setting.” This graphic organizer also includes some tips for developing the setting of a story.

Plot
The Five Stages of Plot Development in a Story, Movie, or Play Graphic Organizer is a large circle that has been divided into five parts. It looks like a pie that has been sliced into five pieces. Beginning at the top of the circle and continuing clockwise, each part is numbered and has a fill-out line with a description of a particular stage of plot development. The numbers show what happens first in the plot of a story, what happens second, and so forth. Your job is to put the name of each stage on the correct line.

Theme
The Theme Tree Graphic Organizer is very helpful when you are asked to identify the main theme and the parts of the story which relate to it. The Theme Tree is a line drawing of a big, leafless tree with several branches. Write the main theme on the trunk of the tree, then write each part of the story that relates to the theme on the individual branches.

Point of View
The Literary Point of View Spider Graphic Organizer is a diagram that resembles a spider, with place for the character’s name and point of view on the body. Each of the “legs” of the spider is a place to write examples of the author’s opinions, ideas, and thoughts that make up his or her point of view.

If more inspiration is needed to encourage students to start reading, check out our Teaching Strategies blog post.

 

 

 

 

Exploring the night ride of Paul Revere

April 3, 2023

In 1775, conflict between the colonies in the New World and Britain came to a head. Anger among the colonist towards their “homeland” built over time and tensions rose. Colonists in Massachusetts were called to arms. They were told to defend their liberties by force if they had to. The Battles of Lexington and Concord happened in April of 1775. It was a year before the Declaration of Independence was even written. British General Gage ordered his troops to search Concord. It was a town near Boston. The troops were sent to seize weapons. Paul Revere was a silversmith in Boston. He was also a Patriot. On April 18, he rode hard through the night to warn everyone that the British were coming. In the morning, 80 men of the colonial militia were lined up to meet the 700 British troops. The British fired, killing eight and wounding ten. The British continued to Concord. Word spread and other colonists came to help. The British troops were outnumbered. They had to retreat and fight their way back to Boston. Nearly 300 British troops were killed or wounded. Lexington became famous. They called that first shot, “the shot heard round the world”. The American Revolution had started.

Paul Revere was one of many who played an important role during the American Revolutionary War, which helped to lead the colonies to independence and form a new nation based on liberties and freedom. Delve deep into this interesting person and his famous ride that kicked off a revolution with two free writing tasks.

First, become a reporter. In the time leading up to and during the American Revolutionary War, there were many key events and battles. Each helped to shape the outcome of the war in a different way. Focusing on the night ride of Paul Revere, pretend that you are a newspaper reporter and write a story about this event taking place. Remember to use the five W’s when you are writing your article. You can choose to present your article in written format—like a blog post or online article, or in an audio format—like a podcast or radio story.

Next, create a biography on the famous figure. Use various resources like your class computer, the library, and books to research Paul Revere. Using the information that you have found about this person, write a short biography. A biography is a paper that describes a person’s life, achievements and significance to the world today. Your biography should be at least a half-page in length and should not be any longer than two pages.

Download the full writing task worksheet here.

 

 

 

 

Start Saving for National Financial Literacy Month

March 20, 2023

April is National Financial Literacy Month. The basics of teaching students about money and finance starts with a budget. Having a budget helps you keep track of money you earn and money you spend. Planning your spending will allow you to maintain healthy finances. It will also allow you to start growing those finances. This can be done through saving and investing.

Saving helps you meet your life goals. Most big goals need you to save some money. Do you want to buy a house? Do you want to go on a trip? Then you will need to save money. Count how much time you have to get the money. For example, a trip will cost $2000. You leave in one year. You will need to save about $165 a month. This amount seems more doable than $2000! Anyone can save! It just takes some planning and some new habits.

Use this free 5-Year Plan graphic organizer to help you change your saving habits. Having a five-year plan is a good way to sort your goals. It will outline what you want to achieve each year. They can be fun goals or work goals. Do you want to go to college? When do you want to buy a car? These are all examples of what you can put on your plan. Pick two of the goals to find more information on. Decide how much they will cost and how much you will need to save over five years. Chart your savings for each part of the year. You can also add other goals you have. Make it your own! The future is bright! Where will you go in the next five years?

If you want to get started with the basics, read our March 29, 2021 blog to create your own custom budget and download a Create Your Own Budget graphic organizer.

 

 

 

 

Find Inspiration for Women’s History Month

March 6, 2023

March is National Women’s History Month. Celebrated since 1987, this month serves as a way to recognize the accomplishments made by women throughout history. Often, the contributions made by women have been overlooked. For example, in 1953, Watson and Crick took credit for discovering DNA’s double-helix structure, and even won a Nobel prize for it. However, did you know it was actually Rosalind Franklin who made the discovery?

Starting as Women’s History Day in 1978, a school district in Sonoma, California had students take part in an essay competition, presentations, and a parade. This idea caught on with other school districts, eventually leading to a National Women’s History Week on the week of March 8, and finally the entire month.

For this year’s celebrations, we suggest going back to its roots and having an essay competition. Encourage students to find a woman in their owl life that they look up to. Write an essay highlighting their accomplishments and explaining why they are an inspiration.

For more ideas and history about this month’s celebration, visit History.com.

 

 

 

 

Get Creative with a New Hobby this National Craft Month

February 13, 2023

March is National Craft Month. It’s a great time to explore your creative side. Crafting differs from art through its creation of useful things. For example, a painting or sculpture expresses the feelings of the artist. A craft, such as knitting or pottery, will create an object that can be used, like a scarf or mug. March is a great time to celebrate this most accessible artform. Anyone can craft. You don’t need to be a talented artist to create something useful. It’s the perfect outlet to unleash your creative mind. Get started on your next crafting project with these ideas:

1. Get colorful for the first day of Spring. On March 20, we celebrate the changing of the seasons. Capture this change by painting eggs in different colors and designs. You can use any form of color, such as markers or paints. You can also make your own dye by mixing 1 tsp vinegar, ¼ tsp food coloring and ¾ cup water. Dip the eggs into the dye, holding them longer for deeper color.

2. Merge science with art by crafting your own terrarium. Once you’ve completed your tiny ecosystem, study it. For full instructions, download the hands-on experiment here.

3. Add a personal touch to a birthday greeting with a home-made card. You can do this by hand or use a computer. Think up your own heartfelt message to print on the inside.

4. Explore the history of the ancient art of papier-mache. It originated in China, the country that invented paper itself. Between 202 BCE and 220 CE, papier mache was used to make helmets. Now, used for pinatas and bowls, go back to its roots and design and create your own helmet.

5. Origami cranes and other animals are a classic hobby to take part in. Legend says if you fold 1,000 paper cranes, your wish will come true. But did you know that you can fold paper into many other things? Like little boxes, baskets and frames.

 

 

 

 

Exploring the Building Blocks of Chemistry for National Periodic Table Day

January 30, 2023

February 7 is National Periodic Table Day. Established in 2016, this day is in recognition of chemistry’s building blocks. The periodic table is credited for all the breakthroughs and advancements made in chemistry. The first periodic table was published on February 7, 1863 by scientist John Newlands. The present-day periodic table was framed by Dmitri Mendeleev in 1869. He was born the day before February 7. It all started back in 1817, when chemists Johann Doberiener and J.J. Berzelius worked together on experiments with hydrogen ignition and potassium powder. This led to Doberiener organizing elements with similar properties into groups of three. The rest, they say, is history. You can learn more about the creation and importance of the periodic table here.

Each element has its own chemical and physical properties. For hundreds of years, Scientists have tried to learn more about the elements by studying their properties. Early scientists knew a little about the mass of atoms. They were able to arrange the elements in order from the atom with least mass to the atom with the most mass. When they looked at this list, they saw something interesting. The properties of the elements repeated every so often. For example, the 4th, 12th, and 20th elements showed the same properties. They arranged the elements in a table that showed how properties repeated. Each time the properties started to repeat, they started a new row of the table. This table is called the periodic table of the elements. Download your own copy of the periodic table here.

Look at the periodic table. Each square has the symbol of a different element. Some of the symbols do not look like the names of the elements. For example, the symbol for gold is “Au”. The numbers in the squares are called atomic numbers. Notice that the numbers get bigger from left to right in each row. The atomic number is equal to the number of protons in the nucleus of each atom of that element. The atomic number is also equal to the number of electrons. So, each element has one more proton and one more electron than the element just before it. Each up-and-down row is called a group. The groups are numbered from 1 to 18 across the top of the table. Take time to study the periodic table and see the patterns for yourself.

 

 

 

 

Standing Up Against Oppression for Black History Month

January 16, 2023

February is Black History Month. This year’s theme is “Black Resistance”. Each February, we celebrate the achievements of African Americans and recognize their central role in this nation’s history. Throughout history, African Americans have been faced with many forms of oppression. And throughout history, African Americans have found ways to resist this oppression, whether it’s with sit-ins, boycotts, walk outs, and strikes. You can learn more about this year’s theme for Black History Month at the Association for the Study of African American Life and History’s website.

There are many novels that depict times throughout the Civil Rights Movement when African Americans stood up against oppression. One such novel is The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963. This story follows the Watson family and their trip down to Birmingham, Alabama to visit with family. While there, the family from Flint, Michigan confronts fear, violence and racism. The novel concludes with the tragic true events of the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing that took place on Sunday, September 15th in 1963.

Research this bombing and how it affected the Civil Rights Movement and racial segregation. Write a paragraph of 250 words that contain the information you learn through your research. How many people were injured in this attack? Include the names of the four victims whose lives were lost. What was the reaction at the time? Was there justice in 1963, and were the bombers punished? After you have done your research, imagine what a newspaper might print after the bombing of the church that was fueled by racism. Write a headline, include a quote, and illustrate the cover of your fictional newspaper.

Learn more at History.com.

 

 

 

 

Looking Inward In the New Year

January 2, 2023

The New Year is a time for self-reflection. Many people will make New Year’s Resolutions. These resolutions could be changes to health, relationships and employment. The goal is to start off the New Year with a positive mindset and to hopefully have a prosperous year. The root of this positive mindset is self-awareness.

Self-awareness means to know yourself. This includes your traits, behaviors and feelings. Self-awareness answers the questions: why you feel what you feel, and why you behave in a particular way. Researchers estimate that we become self-aware at 18 months of age. This is when we look in the mirror and recognize ourselves staring back. However, there’s more to self-awareness than just recognizing yourself in the mirror. Why is self-awareness important? It gives you confidence and creativity. It allows you to make better decisions. It helps you build stronger relationships. It allows you to communicate better.

Self-awareness is the key to sticking to New Year’s Resolutions and becoming a better you. But how do you know if you’re self-aware? Download this quiz to find out!

 

 

 

 

Creating New Traditions for the Holiday Season

December 19, 2022

The month of December holds many treasured memories shared by families during the holiday season. These memories mostly come out of traditions that are celebrated each and every year. Whether it’s driving out to the country to pick out the Christmas tree. Exchanging Hanukkah Gelt with friends and loved ones. Or assembling the Kwanzaa display to represent the seven symbols. These traditions are the framework of the holiday season. For this year, we challenge parents to create a new tradition to share with their children over the break from school. Below are some ideas to help get you started.

Holiday Movie Night
Gather up some of your favorite snacks and winter drinks, like eggnog, hot cocoa or cider. Curl up in the family room with a fire (or fireplace-scented candle) and watch one of your favorite seasonal movies.

Winter Wonderland Tobogganing
On a calm night, after a heavy snowfall, grab your toboggans and find the closest hill. You can also do this on a day with a light snowfall. Make sure the hill is safe to slide down on. Once everyone is cold and tired, grab some hot cocoa to warm up and rest.

Crafting All the Way
Spend the day, or evening, crafting some new holiday decorations. Set up a multipurpose crafting station with construction paper, paint, glue, glitter, and a variety of crafting supplies. Make sure to set out some holiday snacks and play holiday music to use as inspiration.

Share the Gift of Giving
Visit your local grocery store and pick up some staples, like toilet paper, canned meat, pasta and sauce. Add some gloves, scarves, hats and a small toy as well. Purchase a reusable bag to hold all the nice goodies. Take it to your local food bank and help someone in need have a joyful holiday season.

A Festivus for the Rest of the World
Encourage students to choose a holiday that is celebrated from somewhere around the globe. Research how it is celebrated and why it’s important to that culture. For the full activity, check out our previous blog post here.

 

 

 

 

A Free Worksheet for National Crossword Puzzle Day

December 5, 2022

December 21 is National Crossword Puzzle Day. The first crossword puzzle was published by Arthur Wynne on December 21, 1913 in the New York World Newspaper. It proved so popular, that crossword puzzles became a staple in American newspapers, even to this day. Check out and try to solve this puzzle for yourself below.

Probably one of the most popular crossword puzzles can be found in the New York Times. Did you know that the first crossword puzzle published in the Times was on February 1, 1930? For more than 100 years, the crossword puzzle has proven to be a timeless fun activity for the mind. Crossword puzzles are so popular, that we’ve included one in all of our resources. Most notably, our series of Novel Study Guides all feature a crossword puzzle that helps students understand the meaning of key vocabulary words found in the novel. Check out this one from our popular The Lightning Thief Novel Study Guide. Download the free activity here.

 

 

 

 

Spend a Day with an Historical Figure for Pretend to be a Time Traveler Day

November 14, 2022

December 8 is Pretend to be a Time Traveler Day. This day celebrates the fantastical theory of time travel posed throughout history and fiction. Many fictional storytellers have told tales of travelers moving through time, either forwards or backwards. What if we could do what these characters were able to do? What if we were able to travel through time ourselves?

There’s a popular game dealing with time travel. You are posed the following question: If you could have dinner with anyone throughout history, who would it be? Instead of bringing your chosen historical figure into your world, we suggest you go to them. What time period does your chosen figure live? Where in the world are they? What was life like during this time and place?

Now, create a fantasy day to spend with your chosen historical figure. Come up with an itinerary that will allow you to spend a day learning about your figure. What activities would you take part in? Where would you go? Your choices should reflect the time period and place where your figure lives. It should also follow your figure’s interests. Your day should end with a dinner. Create a meal plan for the evening. What will you eat? What will you drink? How many courses will there be? What dinner conversation will you take part in? Come up with a series of questions or topics you would discuss with your chosen historical figure.

 

 

 

 

5 Science Experiments for National STEAM Day

October 31, 2022

November 8 is National STEAM Day. The STEAM standards aim to integrate the content and skills of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics in an approach to teaching and learning. STEAM brings a new hands-on approach to learning that encourages students to explore and interact with what they are learning.

Science standards include: concepts, processes, inquiry, physics, biology, chemistry, earth & space. Here’s a great experiment to try that uses science to measure the speed of sound. Download the activity here.

Technology standards include: design, information, power, communicate, construct, manufacture, transport. Here’s a great activity to try that uses technology to design and construct a terrarium. Download the activity here.

Engineering standards include: construct, computer, materials, mechanical, test, create. Here’s a great experiment to try that uses engineering to construct and text balanced and unbalanced forces. Download the activity here.

Arts standards include: visual, music, drama, language, design. Here’s a great activity to try that uses art to build and sculpt a diagram of a cell. Download the activity here.

Mathematics standards include: numbers, operations, data analysis, probability, order, proof. Here’s a great activity to try that uses Mathematics to complete an experiment. Calculate how much you would weigh on different objects in our solar system. Download the activity here.

 

 

 

 

Scary Stories to Tell on Halloween

October 17, 2022

It’s the Halloween season! Get into the spirit with a scary-story themed writing challenge. Students will be asked to write a scary, Halloween-themed short story. Stories will be due on October 31st, where they will be presented as part of the Halloween festivities. Below are some writing prompts to help get them started:

• A secretive new neighbor moves into a sleepy town.
• A toy that comes alive at night.
• A rundown house at the end of the block.
• Walking through a graveyard on the way to school.
• A haunted traveling amusement park comes to town.

On Halloween, decorate the classroom to reflect a haunted setting, such as a campsite or haunted house. Depending on your setting, set up an area for the students to crowd around. This can be a virtual campfire or haunted fireplace. You can make a mock fire yourself, or use a cauldron or pumpkin. There are also lots of virtual campfires or fireplaces you can find online. Students will recite their stories, one at a time. Turn off the lights and give the student telling their spooky tale a flashlight to help set the mood.

Leading into National Novel Writing Month in November, turn this activity into a writing contest. Starting on November 1, have each student vote on their favorite scary story from Halloween. Combine the best and most fitting stories together into a classroom anthology series.

 

 

 

 

Get Help Tracking Your Mental Health

October 3, 2022

October 10 is World Mental Health Day. On this day, we hope to raise awareness of the many struggles faced by many people around the world. We hope to fight against the stigma society has placed on mental health. This year’s theme: Making Mental Health & Well-Being for All a Global Priority. All humans around the globe struggle with mental health. It’s something that is not always talked about openly. It is something that is misunderstood. This year, we hope to break down those walls and make it more accessible to talk about mental health issues.

Our moods change every day. We can experience a whole range of emotions in a day. There may be periods of sadness, joy or frustration. Big life events can trigger those feelings. Most of the time, a bad mood won’t last. Even if you are in a funk for a few days, you usually will start to feel like your old self.

What happens if you don’t go back to feeling normal? It is important to monitor how you feel most days. Your overall moods and attitudes are your mental health. You can do a few things to improve your mental health. Think of it as another part of your body that needs a checkup!

If you are experiencing any of these signs, it may be time to think. You can try a few home remedies, such as talking to your loved ones or going for a walk. Writing down your feelings can sometimes help as well. Don’t wait too long for a mental health issue to go away by itself. If you feel overwhelmed, seek help. A teacher, parent or friend can help you find a professional. A therapist will let you talk over your feelings and help you plan next steps. Don’t be afraid to seek extra counseling. Mental health is very important.

We all know that mental health is very important. It can affect all areas of our lives. Taking care of our mental health is one of the most important things we can do. Being aware of our feelings can help us identify triggers and prevent things from getting worse. Good mental health is important! One way to increase your awareness of your feelings is to track it. When you track your mood, you can see what the overall trend is. Are you mainly happy? Anxious? Sometimes seeing an overall picture of your moods can provide some insight.

Download this 30-day grid to help track your mental health. A color has been assigned for each mood. Fill in each square with the appropriate color. You may want to add a quick note about your day in each box. For example, if you are feeling anxious on the second day, you might note there was a test. Over time, you may see what causes you to feel uneasy. The more you know, the more you can prepare! Remember, every day brings new challenges. Know yourself better by tracking your mental health.

 

 

 

 

The Future of Sustainability in Space and on Earth

September 19, 2022

October 4-10 is World Space Week. This year’s theme is “Space and Sustainability”. Space is all around us, and there are many mysteries behind it. One of those is how we can achieve sustainability in space as well as from space. This year the world will be celebrating the contributions space science and technology has had on bettering the human existence. Each year, World Space Week is held to instruct about current and future space activities. With this year’s theme in mind, we look at what the future will hold for space exploration.

• The Mars rover Perseverance is already built and on the surface of Mars. Its mission is to find signs of ancient life as well as gather rock and soil samples. These samples will be stored for future return to Earth. The rover comes with a helicopter named Ingenuity, which has successfully flown on Mars.
• Perseverance is the first step in NASA’s Moon to Mars mission. The next stage involves missions to the Moon, named Artemis. Here, NASA hopes to create a long-term presence on the Moon. This will drive humankind’s first manned missions to Mars.
• The rise in commercial and space tourism has led to recent leaps forward in space exploration. Blue Origin—founded by Jeff Bezos—and SpaceX—founded by Elon Musk—aims to expand human civilization outward into space. Blue Origin’s Blue Moon lander will serve as sustainable living conditions for humans to live on the Moon. SpaceX was the first private company to return a spacecraft from low-Earth orbit. Both Blue Origin and SpaceX’s goal is to create reusable rockets to not only bring the cost down on space flight, but also help sustain our planet.

These are just a few ways that space exploration will open new avenues for a sustainable future. To stay up-to-date on new space-related news, check out the podcast NASA’s Curious Universe. And for educational resource materials, visit their website: https://www.nasa.gov/stem/foreducators/k-12/index.html.

 

 

 

 

5 Activities to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month

September 5, 2022

Hispanic Heritage Month spans from September 15 to October 15. Currently, 18.7% of the US population is made up of people of Hispanic origin. Growing over 2.4 percentage points over the last decade, this makes those of Hispanic origin the second largest racial or ethnic group in the United States (Census.gov). As such, this year’s theme for Hispanic Heritage Month focuses on celebrating the inclusion of Hispanic heritage within the multicultural nation. Hispanic Heritage Month is a time for those who identify as Hispanic to celebrate the traditions and history that stem from their cultural background. The theme for 2022 is Unidos: Inclusivity for a Stronger Nation.

Did You Know…

• September 15, 1821 is the day when Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua declared their independence from Spain.
• President Lyndon B. Johnson established National Hispanic Heritage Week in 1968.
• In 1988, President Ronald Reagan extended the holiday to a month.
• There are 21 Spanish-speaking countries in North America, South America, Europe, and Africa.
• Latino refers to someone from Latin American descent, which includes non-Spanish speaking countries like Brazil. The term Latinx is becoming more widely used.
• If you count people who speak Spanish as a second language, then there are more Spanish-speaking people in the United States than in Spain.
• The largest Hispanic populations by state are California, Texas and Florida.
• The world’s longest mountain range is the Andes Mountains, found in South America.
• 20% of the world’s oxygen is produced in South America’s Amazon rainforest.
• The Amazon River is the largest river in the world.
• Chichén Itzá in Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula is one of the seven wonders of the world.
• Another one of the seven wonders of the world is the Incan side Machu Picchu located in Peru.
• Chocolate can be traced back to the Aztec and Mayan civilizations.
• Famous Latin foods: tacos, tamales, arepas, ceviche, rice and beans, flan.

Hispanic heritage is rich with culture and traditions. Samantha Vincenty and Marielle Marlys compiled a list of activities to help celebrate this month in Oprah Daily. Read their full article here. We’ve made a list of some of our favorite activities from their suggestions.

1. Take a virtual tour. Travel the great sites that make up two of the seven wonders of the world, all from your home. Chichén Itzá in Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, and Machu Picchu in Peru. Some other key sites to explore are: the Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil, the Amazon River, Easter Island, Cusco in Peru.

2. Try a classic Latin American dish. You’ve probably had a taco, or tamales, but why not try something more authentic. Something like an Empanada from Chile, Asado from Argentina, Gallo Pinto from Costa Rica, or Mole from Mexico.

3. Take a dance class. Latin dancing is spirited, energetic and fun. Some notable dances you might want to try include: salsa, merengue, mambo, rumba, cha-cha, and flamenco.

4. Watch a Spanish-language TV show. There’s many to choose from on popular streaming sites, like Netflix or Hulu. Choose a show that highlights Hispanic history or culture. Or, choose a Spanish-speaking original, like Street Food: Latin America or Nailed It! Mexico.

5. Read a book. There are plenty of Hispanic-themed novels out there. We suggest reading one written by a Hispanic author. Our suggestion, Esperanza Rising written by Mexican-American author Pam Muñoz Ryan. The fictional story is based loosely on the author’s grandmother’s own immigration to California. Check out our related Novel Study Guides and FREE bonus worksheets to pair with your Hispanic-themed novel of choice.

 

 

 

 

 

3 Strategies to Battle the Summer Slump

August 1, 2022

It’s back-to-school season! As kids get ready to head back to the classroom, they’re faced with the same challenges every student is met with when their summer break comes to a close: the summer slump. The summer slump happens when students are away from school over a long period of time, typically 6 weeks or so. During this time, students lose the skills they learned the year before. Over the years, teachers have developed many strategies to help combat this phenomenon. Below are 3 of our favorites.

Recovering from Summer Slump

The best way to recover from the summer slump is with a quick refresher of the previous year’s key skills. How you present this refresher is important. Since you’re easing students back into the swing of things, we suggest presenting this refresher in a fun and creative way. Rather than doing a simple pop quiz, maybe create a quiz game. Keep students in teams as you get started. This will allow them to work together to refresh their minds of the things they forgot over the summer break. As you progress through the rounds, set up a head-to-head match up between the teams so you can target what each individual student remembers. From here, you can send each student home with a tailored refresher worksheet to get them up-to-speed for this year’s lessons.

Setting School Year Goals

Start the school year off strong with goals. One way to combat the summer slump is attack the new school year with organization. Set a plan for the year with easily digestible goals that will motivate your students. Remember to create SMART goals for your students. SMART goals are:

Specific – Clear statement of your goal.
Measurable – Use smaller goals to follow progress.
Attainable – Reasonable goals that can be achieved.
Realistic – Goals that are relevant and relate to your life.
Time-bound – Set deadlines for all goals.

End of Summer Reading Lists

Create a list of novels for students to read that will motivate them to get back into the school grind. These should be school-themed novels aimed at exciting students to pick up a new book. Here’s some of our favorites:

Wonder
New Kid
Ramona Quimby, Age 8
The Lightning Thief
Frindle
Loser
Dear Mr. Henshaw
Matilda
Chasing Vermeer
The Miracle Worker

Don’t forget to visit our FREE CONTENT page for hundreds of free worksheets and lessons to enhance your plans for beating the summer slump this new school year.

 

 

 

 

Determine What Makes a Friend this International Day of Friendship

July 18, 2022

July 30 is International Day of Friendship. On this day, the United Nations attempts to bring people together and battle against division through friendship. The 2022 theme is: Sharing the human spirit through friendship. The human spirit is one of camaraderie and trust. Through friendship, we can cultivate this spirit and promote it across the globe. But what makes a good friend? What are key characteristics to look for in a friend? Our chapter slice “Friendships, Communication & Problem Solving” from our Daily Social & Workplace Skills resource highlights these characteristics.

Friends are people you like. They’re people you spend time with. They’re people you have interests in common with. They’re people you trust. There are different types of friends too.

How do you choose a friend? First, you should look for someone you share interests with. This can be hobbies, likes, and even dislikes. A friend should also be someone you like spending time with.

What to look for in a friend: loyal, caring, reliable, trustworthy.

Friends have good communication skills. This is when you give and take information. We communicate by talking and listening to each other.

Social Tip: Show good manners when communicating. Don’t interrupt, pay attention, don’t be critical, give good advice, and be positive.

1. Aubrey is someone on your softball team. You see her 3 times a week for practice and games. Every once in a while, you make plans to see a movie together. What type of friend is this?
a) Acquaintance
b) Casual
c) Close

2. Wyatt is someone you’ve known since kindergarten. You’ve been in the same class together for years. You always spend recess together. You see each other every weekend. What type of friend is this?
a) Acquaintance
b) Casual
c) Close

3. Jayden is someone you work with. You talk a bit in the lunchroom. You also like to have conversations during breaks. You don’t see each other outside of work. What type of friend is this?
a) Acquaintance
b) Casual
c) Close

Answer: 1. Casual 2. Close 3. Acquaintance

This is an example taken from a reading passage page. These pages present important grade-appropriate information and concepts related to the topic. The bottom activity tests student comprehension of the reading above it. Using what they have learned, students determine if a person being introduced in each scenario is an acquaintance, casual, or close friend. Also included in every resource are Before You Read and After You Read worksheets. These are used to test student knowledge and comprehension of the content provided. This chapter slice is available in PDF eBook format and Google Slides format. Download this free color mini poster to extend students’ investigation into friendship by displaying an infographic on the characteristics that make up a friend.

 

 

 

 

Study the Distribution of People Living in the United States this World Population Day

July 4, 2022

July 11 is World Population Day. In 2011, the world reached a population of 7 billion. Now, 11 years later, the world population will hit 8 billion. Mapping populations around the world will show where the majority of people are living. You’ll notice large numbers along the coastline. For example, the dot density map below shows a large concentration of people living along the east coast of the United States. This could be in part due to its history of people settling along the east coast. From there, people chose to move westward as the country expanded.

Population density is the study of the concentration of people in an area, which is calculated by dividing the number of people present, by the area. Usually, these numbers are expressed as number of persons per square mile/kilometer.

Mapping Hint: The larger the population of an area, the greater number of people will be represented by one dot. Ex: 1 dot = 2000 people, densely populated. 1 dot = 200 people, sparsely populated.

Dot density maps use red dots to show the concentration of people in a given area. Dot density maps give a clear indication of how population is distributed. For example, when we examine a dot density map of the Unites States, it is clear that a large amount of the population lives on or near the East Coast.

This is an example taken from a reading passage page. These pages present important grade-appropriate information and concepts related to the topic. The Explore with Google Earth™ prompt allows students to test the concepts being presented in a real way using the Google Earth™ program. Also included in every resource are Before You Read and After You Read worksheets. These are used to test student knowledge and comprehension of the content provided. Download this $3 Chapter Slice to test student comprehension of Population Maps.

 

 

 

 

Explore South America’s Amazon Rainforest this World Rainforest Day

June 13, 2022

June 22 is World Rainforest Day. The 2022 theme is: The Time is Now. We’ve seen the destruction of the Earth’s rainforests. We’ve seen the impact it’s had on the surrounding environment and the planet as a whole. We’ve brainstormed causes and solutions. Now it’s time to act! The first step in helping the rainforest is awareness. Help spread awareness of one of Earth’s most diverse ecosystems with the help of our South America ready-made resource.

South America is home to the Amazon Rainforest, one of the world’s largest and most threatened rainforest. The Amazon River flows through this ecosystem. It is perhaps the most famous river in the world! In Brazil, the Amazon Rainforest covers most of the northern part of that country. Located along the Amazon River, just south of the equator, this jungle is rich with animal, fish, and insect wildlife. It is also an area in which many kinds of medicines have been discovered by scientists. Much of the air on earth is cleaned by the trees that grow there. However, in spite of these wonderful features, people are cutting down the trees at a very fast pace. The trees are used by people for paper and wood, but when they are cut down many animals lose their natural habitats, and we have fewer trees to clean our air. It is a dangerous situation, and many people are working to find a solution to this problem.

Possible answers: The Amazon rainforest helps clean much of the earth’s air, and many species live there.

This is an example taken from a reading passage page. These pages present important grade-appropriate information and concepts related to the topic. The stop cue is embedded within the reading passage to break up the text and prompt student comprehension. Also included in every resource are Before You Read and After You Read worksheets. These are used to test student knowledge and comprehension of the content provided. Download this free sample worksheet to test student comprehension of the Amazon Rainforest.

To learn more about efforts to save the rainforest, as well as joining the global summit on World Rainforest Day, visit the www.worldrainforestday.org website.

 

 

 

 

Getting Ready for the Summer Break with 4 Year-End Activities

May 30, 2022

Another school year is coming to a close. Get help winding down to the summer break with our year-end activities.

Classroom Scavenger Hunt

Host a classroom scavenger hunt to be played on the last day of classes. Make a list of items typically found in the classroom for students to find. Throw in some unique items for a bit of a challenge. Provide this list to the students. Once an item is found, have each student cross it off their list. The first student to find all items on the list gets a prize. If it’s a virtual classroom, make a list of items typically found in the home. Have each student take a picture of the item once it’s found. The first person to find all the items gets a prize.

Summer Bucket List

A bucket list is a list of things you want to do during a certain period of time. Help students brainstorm their own list of things they want to do over the summer break. Things could be: going to the beach, stargazing, camping, making smores, gardening, playing with friends, joining a sports team, etc. Their lists should include things they’re interested in. It should also include realistic things they could do. Have students keep their bucket list for their return to school in the Fall. See how many things were completed off of their lists.

Summer Activity Journal

Help students keep track of all their activities this summer. Provide each student with a notebook to take home over the summer break. Mark each page to represent each day of their summer break. For each day, students will record what they’ve done that day. The idea is to have a record of their activities over the break. When they return to classes in the Fall, they’ll be able to easily complete an essay asking what they’ve done over their summer break.

Dream Summer Vacation Plan

Students can explore their creative side with this activity. Have students imagine their dream summer vacation. It can be anything. It can be something they do every year that they look forward to. It could be something they’ve always wanted to do. It can even be something completely unrealistic, like visiting a planet or the bottom of the ocean. Students will create a plan for their dream vacation. How will they get there? What will they do there? Is there a specific activity they want to do? Is there something they want to see? Finally, have students explain why they thought up this dream summer vacation.

 

 

 

 

Background and Causes of War – A Timeline

May 16, 2022

May 30 is Memorial Day. On this day, we honor and mourn the loss of US military personnel who have died while serving in the United States armed forces. Conflict stretches across time. It’s one of many consistencies throughout history. What changes is the reason for this conflict. In general, the 8 most common reasons for war include:

1. Economic gain.
2. Territorial gain.
3. Religion.
4. Nationalism.
5. Revenge.
6. Civil war.
7. Revolutionary war.
8. Defensive war.

Below is a list of some of the causes for key wars in United States’ history. Although there are many factors that lead to war, the list below highlights only the key ones.

1763 – Britain passes the Proclamation Act, which makes a border line along the Appalachian Mountains. Settlers are unable to move West beyond this line.

1767 – The colonists become increasingly angry after Britain passed many Acts that taxed them. They refuse to pay taxes when they do not have any representation in the government that taxed them.

March, 1770 – The Boston Massacre occurs when British soldiers shoot and kill 5 colonists.

April 19, 1775 – The American Revolutionary War begins.

1840 – The northern states oppose slavery.

1860 – The southern states secede when Abraham Lincoln is elected president.

April 12, 1861 – The American Civil War begins.

June 28, 1914 – Archduke Franz Ferdinand is assassinated with his wife in Sarajevo.

July 28, 1914 – World War 1 begins.

April 2, 1917 – The United States enters World War 1.

June 28, 1919 – Germany is forced to sign the Treaty of Versailles, ending World War 1.

Late 1920s – Worldwide economic depression.

1933 – Adolf Hitler becomes the leader of Germany.

1936 – Hitler orders German troops into France, Austria and Czechoslovakia.

September 1, 1939 – Germany invades Poland, which starts World War 2.

December 1941 – Japan attacks Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The United States enters World War 2.

1945 – After the end of World War 2, the United States and Soviet Union fight to free Korea from Japanese rule.

September 2, 1945 – Ho Chi Minh declares Vietnam’s independence from France.

1949 – US and Soviet Troops leave North and South Korea.

June 25, 1950 – North Korea invades South Korea and the Korean War begins.

July 1950 – The United States enters the Korean War on behalf of South Korea.

July 1954 – The Geneva Accords are signed, splitting Vietnam in half. North Vietnam is ruled by Ho Chi Minh’s communist government. South Vietnam is ruled by emperor Bao Dai, and later Ngo Dinh Diem.

November 1963 – Ngo Dinh Diem and his brother, Ngo Dinh Nhu are murdered. Twelve different government successions follow between 1963 and 1965.

March 1965 – The United States enters the Vietnam War.

1980s – Kuwait loans billions of dollars to Iraq as aid during the Iran-Iraq War. When the war ended, Kuwait demanded repayment.

July 1990 – Saddam Hussein accuses Kuwait of stealing oil from Iraq.

August 2, 1990 – Saddam Hussein invades Kuwait.

January 16, 1991 – The Persian Gulf War begins.

1998 – President Clinton orders a series of air strikes against targets where it was believed weapons of mass destruction were being made in Iraq.

September 11, 2001 – The terrorist group al-Qaeda takes responsibility for the attack on the World Trade Centers in New York.

2002 – President Bush accuses Iraq of building weapons of mass destruction and supporting al-Qaeda.

March 19, 2003 – The Iraq War begins.

Click here for a free printable version of this timeline.

 

 

 

 

Know Your Rights: Safety and Health at Work

April 18, 2022

April 28 is World Day for Safety and Health at Work. Everyone should be safe on the job. Don’t do anything you don’t feel comfortable doing. If a place seems unsafe, don’t be afraid to stop working. Things like broken equipment or no safety gear can be dangerous. Be sure that you are protected.

Every employee has rights. It’s important to know your rights so you can be sure to be safe on the job.

Lauren has a wheelchair. There is one door that is too small. She has to take the long way around. She is often slow to help customers. She tells her boss. The door is fixed. Her customers get helped much faster!

1. Which Employee Rights is Lauren taking advantage of?
a) minimum wage
b) disability
c) workplace safety
d) workplace injury

2. Which of these can help you stay safe at work? Check all that apply.
a) Using protective gear.
b) Asking for better instructions.
c) Not listening to your boss.
d) Going online for instructions.

Answers: 1. b) 2. a) and b)

Reflect on safety guidelines found in the workplace with a FREE Safety Bulletin Poster. Then, make your own Safety Poster to be displayed at your place of work.

 

 

 

 

Teaching Strategies to Get Students Writing

April 4, 2022

April 10 is Encourage a Young Writer Day. Writing can be a challenge. Some may have a hard time knowing where to start. Others may struggle with spelling and punctuation. And then there’s the dreaded “writer’s block”. Here are 5 strategies to help get students to start writing.

1. Engagement.
It’s all about the topic. Give them something exciting to write about. Get to know their interests. Limit their options to just a few that speak to them. If they’re excited about the topic, they’ll be excited about writing.

2. Tools.
What’s needed to start writing? A pencil and a paper. Those are the basics. Go a little deeper and supply some more tools that will help with their writing. A dictionary and thesaurus are great additions. It will also help boost their vocabulary.

3. Brainstorm.
Hold a brainstorming session. Either use this to narrow down a topic. Or, if a topic is already chosen, use this to organize your thoughts. Download this free sample Brainstorming List activity for inspiration.

4. Graphic Organizers.
These tools are great when preparing to write. A General to Specific graphic organizer will help students narrow down their topic. A Prewriting Framework graphic organizer will help students focus their thoughts into a structured format. A Spider Web Map graphic organizer will help students list important details about their topic. A Concept Map graphic organizer will help students sort out the Who, What, When and Where of a topic.

5. Discuss.
Hold a discussion with your students. Maybe include a few more people for different view points. Discuss the topic, what writing means to them, how they get motivated. Come up with a plan for writing. Set up small goals that will be easy to reach.

 

 

 

 

Bringing Fresh Water to the Surface for World Water Day

March 14, 2022

March 22 is World Water Day. Each year, the UN brings the world’s focus to the importance of water. This year’s theme is “Groundwater – Making the Invisible Visible”. We may not be able to see groundwater, but that doesn’t make it any less important than the streams, rivers, lakes and oceans that cover the earth’s surface. If anything, groundwater may be the most important source of water for human life. Why is this? Because groundwater is almost all of the world’s liquid freshwater.

This year, the UN is proposing a one-minute challenge. They want to know how groundwater affects your life. Do you think there’s enough groundwater? Is it safe? What do we need to do to protect it? The UN wants you to share your groundwater story through YouTube or Vimeo using the hashtags #MyGroundwaterStory and #WorldWaterDay. For the challenge guidelines, click here.

Learn about where fresh water can be found with our free reading passage from our Conservation: Fresh Water Resources book. Then, download this poster to see where all the water is on earth. You’ll notice that 29% of the liquid freshwater is found underground, and only 1% is found above ground.

Visit the World Water Day website to learn more about this event and how you can participate.

 

 

 

 

Nutrition Around the World

February 28, 2022

March is National Nutrition Month. This year’s theme is: Celebrate a World of Flavors. Nutrition is an evolving science. Get familiar with the current food guide with this helpful free downloadable poster of the MyPlate Food Guide or Canada’s Food Guide.

Food is different around the world. Different ingredients, different spices, different herbs. But one thing that remains the same is nutrition. Having a balance of fruits, vegetables, grains, protein, and dairy at every meal will not only serve nutritional requirements, but also satisfy your tastebuds. This year, celebrate National Nutrition Month by holding a World Food Fair. Encourage students to find meals from different places around the world. These meals must meet the MyPlate Food Guide, or Canada’s Food Guide. Students will share their chosen meals and explain why they are nutritious.

For additional content, request the toolkit from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics for tip sheets, games, activities and planning materials.

 

 

 

 

Saving the Ecosystem, One Species at a Time

February 14, 2022

World Wildlife Day is on March 3. This year’s theme is “Recovering key species for ecosystem restoration”. This year’s focus is on conservation of some of the world’s endangered plants and animals. The challenge is to brainstorm solutions that will help preserve them. Life on earth is connected. Plants and animals work together to create a thriving environment. Humans are part of this. We rely on plants and animals for food, fuel, medicines, among others. We also rely on a diverse ecosystem to sustain these plants and animals that we need in order to survive.

The Florida Manatee was one of the first species to be listed on the 1967 Endangered Species Preservation Act. With human intervention in efforts to restore this species’ numbers, the US Fish and Wildlife Service were able to de-list this animal from the endangered list in 2017. However, in 2021, the average number of Manatee deaths skyrocketed to at least 881. This drastic decline in conservation efforts comes as a result of water pollution, which affected the ecosystem. Seagrass beds were killed off, affecting the Manatee’s main source of food. This shows the delicate balance that humans, plants and animals must conserve in order to restore the ecosystems.

For this year’s World Wildlife Day, we challenge students to take action. Look at the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Find a plant or animal native to your region. Do some research. Find out why your chosen plant or animal is important to your region. Why is it in danger? What is the chain reaction that it’s extinction would have on the ecosystem? Come up with a plan to help save this species, and in turn, save the ecosystem.

 

 

 

 

The National Weather Service: Did You Know Trivia Game

January 31, 2022

The National Weather Service (NWS) was founded on February 9, 1870. Now more than ever, the changing weather has an effect on the environment, health, property and the economy. The NWS was founded in order to provide information on the weather in the hopes of protecting life, property and the economy.

DID YOU KNOW?

• The NWS started as a crowdsourcing experiment by the Smithsonian.
• The North American continent has some of the most violent weather on earth.
• The first storm warning happened on November 8, 1870.
• The first hurricane warning was on August 21, 1873.
• On March 12, 1888, one of the worst blizzards hits the northeast US with 50 inches of snow.
• The first river flood warning occurs in 1891 on the Ohio River.
• On December 17, 1903, the Wright Brothers get help from the NWS for their first flight.
• The first US weather balloons went up in 1909.
• In 1934 the Dust Bowl causes drought in the South. The economy is hit hard. The drought ends in 1937.
• In 1941, weather forecasts were censored after the attack on Pearl Harbor, so invading forces wouldn’t use them to their advantage.
• The first tornado warning in the US was on March 25, 1948.
• Storms move from west to east because of the jet stream.
• The first weather satellite is launched on April 1, 1960.
• In 1962, the NWS starts helping with NASA’s spaceflight program.
• Up until October 1, 1970, the National Weather Service went by the name Weather Bureau.
• On May 11, 1982, the first tornado warning is issued using Doppler radar.
• A 5-day heat wave strikes Chicago in July of 1995.
• On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina hits Louisiana and Mississippi, causing damage and loss of life that makes it the costliest natural disaster in US history.
• A record 216 tornados hit North America on April 27, 2011.
• Hurricane Sandy hits New Jersey on October 29, 2012, followed by a blizzard.

Host a trivia-style game with your students, all about the weather. Use the information above, as well as any other interesting information you can find about the history of weather. Encourage students to find their own information, and include that in the game. For more weather-related science material, visit our FREE CONTENT page:

Cloud in a Jar Experiment
Seasons Tracker Graphic Organizer
Basics of Weather
All About Rain Gauges
What You Need to Know About Cyclones

 

 

 

 

National Geographic Fair: Exploring the World Around Us

January 17, 2022

On January 27, 1888, the National Geographic Society was founded. Its mission was to “increase and diffuse geographical knowledge”. A group of 33 geographers, explorers, teachers, lawyers, cartographers, military officers, and financiers came together with one thing in common—curiosity about the world around them. The group elected Gardiner Greene Hubbard to represent their Society and help reach out to all Americans who share their curiosity. Nine months later, the first issue of National Geographic magazine was published. Today, the Society continues to publish its magazine, as well as well-crafted programs as part of its National Geographic Channel.

Through its profits from the magazine, the Society was able to finance many expeditions in their hunt to explore the world and all its creatures, most notable, Jacques Cousteau and Jane Goodall. Its mission continues to be “using the power of science, exploration, education, and storytelling to illuminate and protect the wonder of our world”. Essentially, National Geographic continues to strive in exciting everyone about the earth and all the wonders it contains.

In this sense, we encourage classrooms to host a National Geographic Fair. Each module can focus on a different continent. Or, perhaps you could choose one continent, and have each module focus on a different geographic area of that continent. Explore the environment, climate, people and animals that reside in each geographic location. Detail the beauty and unique qualities they share, and what threats they are facing now. Come up with strategies on how we can help protect these unique and diverse environments. The fair can easily be conducted in person or virtually to fit your specific needs.

To get started, visit our FREE CONTENT section to find bonus worksheets from our World Continents series:

North America
South America
Europe
Africa
Asia
Australia
Antarctica

To learn more about the National Geographic Society and its inception, visit the following links:
History.com
National Geographic

 

 

 

 

Hosting a Virtual Science Fair during COVID-19

January 3, 2022

It’s Science Fair season! With the state of in-person classrooms up in the air, this year’s Science Fair may look a bit different. To keep things safe and still take part in this timeless tradition, we encourage students and teachers to take part in this year’s Science Fair virtually. This is also a great opportunity for parents to be involved as well. To get started, teachers will have to set up their virtual classroom. Below are several different ways to run a virtual Science Fair.

Pre-Recorded Science Fair

Have parents or guardians help by recording their children presenting their science experiment. Have each student submit their recordings to the teacher, who will then share them with the virtual class. You can choose to use something like Google Classroom to set up the virtual classroom. Have each science experiment as its own class. Share the recordings with the students. Allow them to pose questions about each experiment within their respective classes. Have the students running the experiments respond to each question.

Live Virtual Science Fair

Host an online conference, such as a Zoom meeting. Assign a time slot for each student. When it’s their time, have each student “run” the meeting by presenting their Science Experiment to the virtual class. When done, leave time for a question-and-answer period.

Presentation Science Fair

Have students present their science experiments as a digital version of the traditional tri-panel display boards. You can use any multimedia tool, such as PowerPoint or Google Slides, that will be shared among students in the virtual class. Set up a chat system to allow students to exchange questions and answers in real-time.

If a traditional Science Fair done in the virtual classroom is not in the cards, there are some alternatives. Instead of hosting a Fair, send students home with pandemic-friendly science experiments they can do at home. With help from their parents or guardians, students can conduct their own science experiments and return their findings to their teachers. To get started, visit our May 19, 2020 post for safe an engaging science experiments to do at home.

 

 

 

 

Combating Learning Loss this New Year

December 20, 2021

The ups and downs of the Covid-19 pandemic has hit everyone hard, especially when it comes to the educational system. Our ability to adapt has been tested these last few years. With most schools returning to in-class learning at the start of this year, we hoped to provide our students, teachers and parents a semblance of normalcy. However, with the emergence of variants and cases starting to surge, it has become a struggle to keep up with in-classroom teaching, forcing many to revert back to a hybrid model, or virtual-only learning.

The constant classroom disruptions have made it difficult to combat the backslide in learning. In our February 15, 2021 post, we offer some resources to help battle Zoom fatigue, such as helpful tips for parents and setting realistic expectations. Learn more here. In our March 1, 2021 post, we provide resources to help students learn how to email with their teacher in order to thrive in the virtual classroom. Learn more here. In this post, we want to address tips on how to combat learning loss many students may be experiencing due to their struggles with the current pandemic. Here are our top 3 tips to reversing the pandemic slide in the new year:

1. Provide reviews of past topics to see what was lost.
2. Provide outside resources for additional help.
3. Provide more one-on-one time with students who are struggling.

Having the ability to navigate the constant changes with classroom learning is difficult. Moving from in-class to virtual learning at a moment’s notice may be necessary, but is in no way easy. It can be difficult on some families who do not have the same resources as others. It can be difficult on the teachers who must now re-work their entire lesson plans. It can be especially difficult on the students, who miss out on learning social skills when separated from their peers. In our May 11, 2020 post, we address these hindrances to parents who in most cases are forced to take on the role of educator while their kids learn from home. The most important thing to remember is to set up a routine. Kids thrive on routines. School is a routine. Classes start at a specific time, followed by scheduled breaks. Establishing this format in the home is a great way to help students adapt to virtual learning. Learn more tips from our Guide to Parents here.

For our teachers, check out our June 8, 2020 post on how to use technology to improve learning. We help you get started with Google Classroom. This is a perfect platform to use when teaching from home. Teachers can create their own lesson plans with resources they want to share with their students remotely, including our best-selling Life Skills series, now available as Google Slide resources.

For students, check out our August 3, 2020 post to help them acclimate to a virtual classroom or hybrid model. We provide tips for students, teachers and parents to help cope with a virtual learning model. For instance, teachers can record their lessons rather than stream them live. This is great for households with poor internet connections, and also great for students to pause and proceed through the lesson at their own pace. For a blended learning model, we provide tips on how to stay safe and help stop the spread so in-person learning can continue. Get all the information here.

Our goal for entering 2022 is to hopefully return to some normalcy in the classroom; however, it’s important to be prepared in the event that this changes. We as humans are exceptional at adapting to the changing environment. By being prepared and taking proper precautions, we will hopefully have a strong return to the classroom this new year.

 

 

 

 

How to Encourage Writers to Keep Writing
Writing Strategies Over the Holiday Break

December 6, 2021

The holiday break is a great opportunity to relax and unwind. However, it’s important to keep your skills sharp so jumping back into things in the new year can be as seamless as possible. Writing skills is an important thing to have for communication. Being able to clearly express yourself through writing is a skill that will serve you well into the future. Of course, it’s not always easy to keep these skills sharp while on break. Here are our top 5 strategies to encourage writers:

1. Write a holiday letter to a friend or family member. Be sure to use proper sentence structure, spelling and punctuation. If you want, you can draft an email instead.

2. Keep a daily journal with an account of all the activities you’ll get up to during your time off. You can choose to use a journal, or create a blog online.

3. Make your own holiday dinner riddles. As part of the table setting, give each person their own riddle to say out loud. Alternatively, you could write your own jokes.

4. Write your own version of your favorite holiday story or poem and retell it to your friends and family.

5. Have a parent or guardian dictate the instructions for making your favorite holiday treat. Write down the ingredients and directions. Make it easy to follow so one day you can make it on your own.

Need more encouragement? Try out some of our hundreds of language arts worksheets from our FREE CONTENT page.

As a companion piece, check out our past post on Reading Strategies.

 

 

 

 

A Festivus for the Rest of the World

November 22, 2021

December is a time of celebration. This festive month has many big celebrations and festivals for different cultures and customs. With a global pandemic still in effect, this year is the perfect time to examine how the world celebrates in the month of December. We challenge teachers and parents to encourage students to choose a holiday in December that is celebrated from somewhere around the globe. Here are a couple examples (please note, some of these holidays are also celebrated in other parts of the world not mentioned):

Christmas – Worldwide
Hannukah/Chanukah – Israel
Santa Lucia – Scandinavia and Italy
Yule/Yuletide – Germany
Krampusnacht – Germany
Kwanzaa – Worldwide
Omisoka – Japan
Bodhi Day – Japan
Las Posadas – Mexico and Guatemala
Yalda – Iran

Choose one of the December holidays listed above, or choose one not listed. Research how it is celebrated and why its important to that culture. Hold a class celebration fair where each holiday is presented for students to "visit" and learn from. If learning remotely, hold a virtual fair online. Denote the similarities to their own traditions. With a global pandemic bringing the world together in a negative way, let’s spend this festive month celebrating something a little more uplifting.

 

 

 

 

On the Origin of Animal Adaptations

November 8, 2021

A creature’s existence today is a direct result to its ability to adapt. Being able to change along with a changing environment means a creature can prosper and continue populating the earth with its kind. All creatures living on planet earth, including humans, have changed over time. This process taking thousands of years known as natural selection, states that certain species thrive in their environment by passing along ideal survival traits to their offspring, thus changing them slowly over time

Get Your Coupons Here… Physical Adaptations for a Low Price!

We know that animals do not develop their physical adaptations in a short period of time. Rather, their physical adaptations develop over many generations. For this activity however, we will pretend that animals will be able to buy their own physical adaptation. Yes, you will definitely need to use your imagination for this activity!

Gather information about 1 animal and its physical adaptations. You will use this information and design a coupon that you would see in a magazine or a newspaper. What is a coupon? It is a voucher that gives somebody a discount on something. Your coupon will not sell food or clothing. Instead, it will sell physical adaptations to animals. Include the following information on your coupon:

• A picture of the animal (either a drawing or a magazine clip).
• A slogan (The slogan should “sell” the adaptation. It should convince the animal who is going shopping that it should buy this physical adaptation! It should answer the question: How does this adaptation help with survival?).
• A price (how much is this physical adaptation going to cost the animal?).
• Information about the animal and what purpose this physical adaptation serves.

Stretch your imagination and be as creative as possible!

How Important Are Thumbs?

One of the most influential adaptations, especially for humans, is the thumb. For this activity, students will find a newfound appreciation for the one thing we probably take the most for granted. Download the experiment here to discover just how important the thumb is.

 

 

 

 

Get the Most Out of NaNoWriMo with the Young Writers Program

October 18, 2021

National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is a yearly event and non-profit organization that helps writers complete their creative goals with tools, structure and an encouraging community. In the past, we’ve challenged educators to encourage their students to complete a novel in 30 days by writing a chapter a day. This year, we want to share NaNoWriMo’s Young Writers Program to help facilitate this goal. The Young Writers Program offers youth-friendly writing spaces, progress tracking tools, and workbooks. Educators have access to Common-Core-aligned curricula, online classroom management tools, and motivational classroom materials in order to support their students’ skill development.

With the Young Writers Program, students can sign up and set word-count goals for the month as they draft their novel directly on the site. This helps keep students motivated as they release their creativity all month-long. Find out how it works here.

For educators, they can track their students’ progress and keep them motivated with resources from the toolkit. Create a virtual classroom for distance learning or additional homework. Find out how it works here.

And to help you get started, here are our top tips to start writing:

1. Brainstorm. Come up with ideas by writing down all of your thoughts about a subject in a set period of time.
2. General to Specific. Think of a general topic you're interested in, like science. Narrow this down further into a specific subject, like space science, planets, mars. Write a story about a trip to mars.
3. Pick a genre. There are many types of stories out there. Decide which one you'd like to write: adventure, historical, mystery, realistic, science fiction, fantasy, animal.
4. Map it out. Make a map of your story, like a timeline. Include characters and key plot points that you want to touch on at specific times. Follow this map as you write your story.
5. Free writing. Just start writing. Think stream of consciousness. Write what comes in your head using complete sentences. It's okay if it doesn't make sense or doesn't flow together. Don't think too much as you put pen to paper.

Still need help? Get started with these helpful writing prompts:

• Write about your best friend.
• Write about your best Christmas ever.
• Write about the most important event that happened to you.
• Write about your summer vacation.
• Write about the worst storm you've experienced.
• Write about your most cherished memory.
• Write about a vivid dream you remember having.
• Write about what you think the future might be like.
• Write about the time you went to a new place for the first time.
• Write about the time you learned something important.

For more resources in writing, check out our ready-made writing skills lesson plans. And don’t forget to visit our Free Content section for hundreds of free language arts worksheets.

 

 

 

 

Take the Quiz: Are you a Dynamic Person?

October 4, 2021

What is a dynamic person? It’s someone who embodies specific traits that set them apart from everyone else. There are many traits that are associated with a dynamic person. Below is a list of just 8 of them.

Adapt – Able and willing to change.
Problem Solve – Able to find fixes to things.
Outgoing – Likes to meet with new people.
Friendly – Happy and nice to others.
Confident – Being sure of yourself.
Appreciate – Having respect for others.
Consider – Thinking of others.
Understand – Knowing about what’s happening.

Why would someone want to be dynamic? There may be a situation where you are up for a promotion at work. However, there may be dozens of other colleagues who are also being considered. You will want to stand out from them in order to get the job. Having a dynamic personality helps you stand out in a crowd. People will like you and remember who you are. So, how do you know if you’re dynamic? Take the quiz below.

Read questions 1-10. Answer TRUE or FALSE as it applies to you.
TRUE / FALSE 1. When you meet a new person, you can connect with them easily.
TRUE / FALSE 2. You are good at talking with others.
TRUE / FALSE 3. You are not afraid of being rejected.
TRUE / FALSE 4. People want to relate and listen to you.
TRUE / FALSE 5. You have energy and enthusiasm.
TRUE / FALSE 6. People can always approach you.
TRUE / FALSE 7. You are confident and independent.
TRUE / FALSE 8. You love a new challenge.
TRUE / FALSE 9. You are a natural leader.
TRUE / FALSE 10. You are social and like to be around people.

Count how many times you circled TRUE. Count how many times you circled FALSE. Record your numbers. If you circled mostly TRUE, you are more of a dynamic person. If you circled mostly FALSE, then you have a more static personality. If you want to change from a static personality to a dynamic one, consider the list of 8 dynamic traits above. Can you improve on any of these? Download a free printable version of this quiz here.

 

 

 

 

Navigating Social Media Privacy Settings for Cyber Security Awareness

September 20, 2021

October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month. With COVID-19 limiting most in-person activities we’re used to, people have been living their lives more and more online; whether its shopping, or working, or learning, or being social. As such, cyber security has never been more important than it is right now. Internet fraud has been prevalent since we first touched fingers to keyboard, and most savvy users know how to spot a fake. But what about those who have just recently explored the world wide web? For a quick and thorough rundown of how to avoid internet fraud, check out our Stay Safe Online for Cyber Security Awareness blog post. We provide tips on how to protect yourself and what to do when you suspect you’re a victim of internet fraud.

With COVID-19 forcing most people to stay indoors for the better part of a year now, social media has become essential for staying in touch with friends near and far. It’s so important to keep your information safe and private, allowing only close friends into your inner circle. Keep in mind, anything you put on the internet is available somewhere for people to see. Once it’s out there, it’s out there. So, the best way to protect yourself is to be very picky about what you post online. Additionally, there are other things you can do to help protect yourself on social media. This being altering your privacy settings. For most social media accounts, you can set your privacy settings very low, so anyone can find and see what you post; or you can set them in the middle, so only your friends can see; or you can set them very high, so only you can see. The way you protect your information is completely up to you. If a social media account doesn’t allow you to alter your privacy settings, consider choosing a different outlet.

Let’s try it out. The image below shows a typical social media account’s privacy settings. How would you set each aspect of your identity online?

How do you feel about your choices? Are you not sure about what you want to do? You could always go through the social media account’s support center. People can help you navigate the website and how to best set your privacy settings to fit your needs. The Internet has been a useful tool to help keep us all connected during these COVID-19 times; it’s important to be aware of your activity and keep yourself safe.

 

 

 

 

A Breakdown of 6 Common Punctuation Marks for Punctuation Day

September 6, 2021

September 24 is Punctuation Day. Punctuation includes things like periods, commas, apostrophes, and quotation marks. These things are very important in writing, as they help readers clearly understand what the writer is saying. Punctuation helps show pauses and importance on certain ideas in a piece of text. Here are some commonly used punctuation marks and when to use them:

Period (.)
Ends a sentence.

Comma (,)
Adds a break within a sentence. Separates two independent sentences.

Exclamation Point (!)
Gives emphasis to the end of a sentence. Replaces a period to represent strong feelings.

Question Mark (?)
Used at the end of a sentence when asking a question.

Semicolon (;)
Separates two independent sentences that are closely connected in context, but are grammatically different. It replaces a period if the sentences are closely related. It replaces a comma if the sentences are grammatically different.

Colon (:)
Introduces a list of items. This list would then be separated using commas.

Now that you’re familiar with some common punctuation marks, let’s put it to the test. Below is a paragraph. There are 20 mistakes in it. See if you can find them all.

The christmas surprise

Last christmas was the best hollyday that i ever had? all of my famly were together in one place for the first tim in yers. Dad was werking on a pressent for Mom and me in the grage. My bother, Jim, was home on leaf from the Army. Grandpa and Grandma was coming to see us on Christmas day. it don’t matter how meny presents you get, love is the most special present of all. Haveing everone heer in one house made this the best holiday ever!

For the 7 sentences below, add the correct punctuation or capitalization to each.

a) alex and sam read how to eat fried worms by thomas rockwell.
b) i met kim while I was staying at the grand hotel in michigan.
c) dr. jones said, “you’ll be fine if you and joey don’t get into any more fights!”
d) We bought milk eggs bacon and bread at the store.
e) Sam can you help me with this package?
f) Kwan lives in Saratoga New York.
g) My grandmother’s favorite song is Rock Around the Clock.

Download the printed copy of this worksheet for the answers.

 

 

 

 

5 Top Tips to Making the Most of Read a New Book Month

August 23, 2021

September is Read a New Book Month. A time for new beginnings in the classroom, whether in-person or online. Pair this new beginning with a new book. It could be a new release, or an old classic never read before. Or maybe try a book from subject never explored, like a non-fiction, or historical drama, or even a graphic novel. This month serves as a great excuse to encourage all readers to pick up something they might not have tried before. An opportunity to expand one’s mind and explore new possibilities. Here are our top tips to making the most of Read a New Book Month:

1. Choose a book that fits within your reading level. Try to avoid books that are too easy or too hard to read. If you want to challenge yourself, maybe pick a reading level just above your own; but don’t stray too far.
2. Pick a book from the best seller list that you normally wouldn’t choose. This is a great way to get out of your comfort zone and potentially learn something new. You may even open the door to a new genre of books to explore. Plus, being on the best seller list virtually guarantees that it will be well-written.
3. Search online for book recommendations based on stories you’ve already read and enjoyed. You may find a new story from a genre you are already familiar with.
4. Read the favorite book of someone in your class. Make sure it’s one you haven’t read yet yourself. Similarly, share your favorite book with someone. Then, come together and discuss what you both thought of it.
5. Pair your reading with open-ended reading response forms to maximize comprehension. We have a variety of these forms available for FREE at our website.

 

 

 

 

Back-to-School: Back to the Classroom or Virtual Learning?

August 9, 2021

It’s that time of year again. Back-to-School season is upon us! With COVID-19 still raging in some places, classrooms this year will once again be either virtual, or in-person with social and physical distancing measures in place. With teachers continuing to adapt to different teaching styles in order to maintain safety in the classroom, we are striving to adapt with them. Our wide range of lesson plan formats are guaranteed to meet teachers’ needs whether in-class or virtual learning.

PRINT BOOKS

Our Print Book format is geared towards teachers who prefer the traditional method of having a physical copy of a resource that they can reproduce using the format that best fits their needs, whether that be using a photocopier, scanner or simply providing the students with the master copy. Read our blog post HOW-TO: A Look at our Print Book Lesson Plans to learn more.

EBOOKS

Our eBook format is geared towards teachers who need content fast. Teachers can download our content, print or share directly with their students, and start teaching within minutes. Read our blog post HOW-TO: A Look at our eBook Lesson Plans to learn more.

GOOGLE SLIDES

Our Google Slide format is geared towards teachers who utilize a virtual classroom. Our Google Slide resources are comprised of interactive slides for students to complete activities anywhere on their own device. Ideal for distance learning, teachers can share the resource remotely with their students, have them complete the work and return for teacher marking. Read our blog post HOW-TO: A Look at our Google Slide Lesson Plans to learn more.

ACCESSIBLE AUDIO BOOKS

Our Accessible Audio Book format contains a variety of features designed to be more accessible for those with visual impairments, learning disabilities or physical disabilities that impede the ability to manipulate content in some way. The content is formatted in small chunks and presented in a logical reading order, making each lesson straightforward and easy to follow. Learners can enlarge or reduce text size, and click to activate the embedded text to speech function. Clear visible contrasting images and text for clear visibility help describe further information. Read our blog post HOW-TO: A Look at our Accessible Audio Book Lesson Plans to learn more.

Take a look back at our blog post on Getting Ready for Back-to-School During COVID-19 to get helpful posters, tips and guidelines for managing either a virtual learning model or a blended learning model. Read the blog post here.

 

 

 

 

HOW-TO: A Look at our Accessible Audio Book Lesson Plans

July 19, 2021

All of our resources follow a unique and consistent format. We do this to maximize the ease-of-use of the lesson plan, and to ensure each resource will fit within every teacher’s pedagogy. To learn more, please read our blog post on our Teaching Pedagogy.

In order to meet our teachers’ needs, we also provide our content in a variety of formats. Our Accessible Audio Book format contains a variety of features designed to be more accessible for those with visual impairments, learning disabilities or physical disabilities that impede the ability to manipulate content in some way. The content is formatted in small chunks and presented in a logical reading order, making each lesson straightforward and easy to follow. Learners can enlarge or reduce text size, and click to activate the embedded text to speech function. Clear visible contrasting images and text for clear visibility help describe further information.

How to Use an Accessible Audio Book Lesson Plan

To start, search our website for the lesson plan you want to purchase. Select “Accessible Audio eBook - .PDF” from the “Choose Your Version” section of the product page. Then add it to your cart. Bonus, there’s no shipping cost for Accessible Audio Books as they are delivered as an eBook download. Upon completion of the checkout process, you will be taken to a page to download your product. You will also receive an email with your download link. Depending on your internet connection and the size of the PDF, the download will happen within minutes. Typically, the download will automatically appear in your “Downloads” folder on your computer.

Now you can share the resource with your students. You will receive a PDF document that you can share with your students. There is no software required to download in order for the Accessible Audio Book to work, as it’s a standard PDF that can be opened on any device. All of the features are built right into the PDF, so no alternative programs are needed.

Key features of the Accessible Audio Book that differentiate it from a regular eBook include:

• Each page includes an audio portion.
• Click on the red audio icons or play buttons to hear the text read aloud.
• Enlarge the page with the plus and minus buttons in the top right corner.
• Use the helpful mouse cursor icon to see, at a glance, what elements are interactive.
• The blue book icon lets you know there’s a reading component.
• The blue finger icon tells you there’s an action to complete.
• Type your answers in the designated boxes. Then, press the red answer buttons to see if you are right.
• Clear all the answers on the page with the navy reset answers button.

 

 

 

 

HOW-TO: A Look at our Google Slide Lesson Plans

July 5, 2021

All of our resources follow a unique and consistent format. We do this to maximize the ease-of-use of the lesson plan, and to ensure each resource will fit within every teacher’s pedagogy. To learn more, please read our blog post on our Teaching Pedagogy.

In order to meet our teachers’ needs, we also provide our content in a variety of formats. Our Google Slide format is geared towards teachers who utilize a virtual classroom. Our Google Slide resources are comprised of interactive slides for students to complete activities anywhere on their own device. Ideal for distance learning, teachers can share the resource remotely with their students, have them complete the work and return for teacher marking.

How to Use a Google Slide Lesson Plan

To start, search our website for the lesson plan you want to purchase. Select “Google Slides” from the “Choose Your Version” section of the product page. Then add it to your cart. Bonus, there’s no shipping cost for Google Slides as they are delivered as an eBook download. Upon completion of the checkout process, you will be taken to a page to download your product. You will also receive an email with your download link. Depending on your internet connection and the size of the PDF, the download will happen within minutes. Typically, the download will automatically appear in your “Downloads” folder on your computer.

Now you can share the resource with your students. You will receive a PDF document containing a link to the Google Slide resource. You must have access to the Internet and be signed into your Google Account. Click on the provided link to open the Google Slide. Click on the blue button that says “Make a copy” to transfer to your Google Drive. These will be your Master templates. Using Google Classroom, attach the Google Slide to a new Assignment. Choose “Make a copy for each student” from the dropdown menu. To learn more about how Google Classroom works, check out our Getting Started with Google Classroom blog post.

If you’re not using Google Classroom, don’t worry, you can still utilize Google Slides in your virtual classroom; however, you and your students will still need a Google Account to access the Slides. Instructions on how to properly share the resource with your students without using Google Classroom can be found in the PDF download, along with an answer key.

The Google Slide version of our lesson plans is laid out the same as our traditional print book and eBook versions. Therefore, you will already be familiar with the layout and can refer to the provided Teacher Guide for best practices when using the lesson plan.

A great feature of using Google Slides in combination with Google Classroom is the ability to mark students’ work directly in the program. Once students complete the Slide and submit for review, use the provided answer key to compare students’ answers. The relevant slides include a mark field. Type the total number of correct answers in the box. Add up the scores as you go in the “Mark” area of the “Grading” menu. On the last slide there is a Marking Rubric. Drag the checkmark to the level that the student completed. Add up the total marks and type them info the final grade field. Return the marked Google Slides document to the student, along with any relevant comments.

 

 

 

 

Learning with Chapter Slices: Asteroids, Meteors & Comets

June 14, 2021

Did you know that we have chapter slices of all our full resources? These are great if you want just one chapter from a complete book. Available in easy-to-use .PDF eBook format that can be downloaded instantly whenever you need it. Our chapter slice format follows our established teaching pedagogy, but more streamlined:

• A teacher section highlighting the resource, focusing on the specific chapter.
• The chapter content with before you read, reading passage, after you read activities, and answer key.
• Bonus extension activities from the full resource, with crossword, word search, comprehension quiz, and mini posters.

Choose from over 1200 chapters in Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Environmental Studies, and Spanish. These chapter slices are ideal for 2-to-5-day lessons, extension activities, introduction to a new topic, specific curriculum content, and are great for substitute teachers.

Check out our selection of Chapter Slices with a look at our chapter “Asteroids, Meteors and Comets” from our Solar System full resource. Just in time for Meteor Watch Day on June 30, students can study the ins and outs of these bodies traveling through space. For instance, did you know that meteors, meteoroids and meteorites are all the same? They just depict where these bodies are found.

Get to know more about meteors and other space bodies we can see from Earth with free content. Read our Looking to the Stars blog post for ideas on how to watch the skies this Meteor Watch Day. Download our Constellations Map to help you find images in the stars. And bookmark our Free Content page to access our complete catalog of free resources.

 

 

 

 

Year-End Summer Activity: Build and Study a Terrarium

May 31, 2021

With COVID-19 still a reality this summer, it’s going to be even harder to enjoy the time off school when many places are still following social and physical distancing guidelines. In an attempt to focus attention on staying safe while still enjoying the summer season, we’re sharing our terrarium hands-on science experiments for kids to complete at home during their time off.

In the first part, students will be asked to build their own terrarium. Study an ecosystem that they make themselves. In this activity students will make a complete ecosystem inside a big jar. A small ecosystem in a jar is called a terrarium.

This is what you they’ll need:

• a big jar you can see through
• dirt
• plants
• worms
• bugs
• sticks and stones

This is what they’ll do:

1. Clean the jar.
2. Find dirt with worms in it.
3. Put a layer of dirt and worms in the bottom of the jar. The dirt should be loose, not packed. It should be a little wet, but not muddy.
4. Look for bugs near where the dirt was collected. Try to find bugs that are eating plants.
5. Put the bugs and leaves of the plants in the jar.
6. Plant some plants in the dirt.
7. Put some nice stones and sticks in the jar to make it look interesting.
8. Put a small dish of water in the jar.

The jar can be covered or not. If it is covered, watch to see that everything is living okay. Make sure there are small holes in the covering to let in fresh air. If it is closed, it will be a complete ecosystem all to itself. Don’t put the jar in the Sun, but let it have light. Watch to see that it is not too wet or too dry. See if the plants, bugs, and worms look healthy. Write about what is seen each day. Name the producers, the consumers, and the decomposers. Which things put in the jar do the plants and animals need to stay alive?

In the second part, students will be asked to study food and energy in a terrarium. In this part, students will see how energy and matter move through the ecosystem. The terra- part of terrarium means earth or land. The aqua- part of aquarium means water. So, a terrarium is a land ecosystem. An aquarium is a water ecosystem.

This is what they’ll need:

The terrarium made in Experiment One.

This is what they’ll do:

1. How does energy flow through the terrarium?
a) Where does it come from?
b) Who gets it first?
c) What becomes of it?

2. Watch the plants for a few days. How fast are they growing?

3. Try leaving a light shining all day and all night for a while.
a) Did the plants grow faster with more light?
b) Did they grow slower?
c) Explain what is seen.

4. Where are the bugs getting their energy? How is this observed?

5. If there are no dead leaves on the top of the dirt, put some there. Watch what happens to the leaves over many days.
a) Are the leaves turning to dirt?
b) Are the worms helping turn the leaves to dirt?

For a printable version of this 2-part experiment, download the free resource here. And don’t forget to read our previous blog post on how to Stay Positive During a Pandemic Summer for ideas on different COVID-19-friendly summer activities.

 

 

 

 

Staying Positive During a Pandemic Summer

May 17, 2021

Summer is fast approaching, and even though the coronavirus vaccine is making its way through the population, we’re not completely out of the woods yet. This year, summer should look a little more ‘back to normal’ than the previous year; however, it’s important to remember not everyone is vaccinated yet, and not everyone will be able to enjoy the sunshine, beaches and nice weather the same as those who have been vaccinated. Keeping this in mind, let’s stay positive and kind throughout this season. For National Say Something Nice Day on June 1, we challenge everyone to say one kind thing to one person.

This will be our second summer with COVID-19. Hopefully it won’t be as limiting as what we experienced in 2020. Things we like to enjoy may be in reach, as long as we continue to follow health guidelines. Camping trips may be canceled, but that doesn’t mean you can’t simulate the experience at home. Incorporate a family BBQ with a campsite, by roasting marshmallows on the barbeque or fire pit, playing an outdoor movie and telling ghost stories, then falling asleep under the stars or safely tucked away in a tent.

If beaches are open this year in your area, then great! Just remember to keep some distance from other groups. If not, maybe you can simulate the beach experience at home. To start, get that coconut-smelling sunscreen lathered up. You’ll be amazed how the smell of sunscreen will make you think of the beach. Pack a beach-friendly picnic basket and head outside. If you have a pool, then you’re set. If not, set up a sprinkler system or kiddy pool. Make a sand station and fill it with all the tools needed to make a sandcastle.

The benefits of living through one pandemic summer already, and knowing a lot more about the virus than we did last year, means we may not be limited to spending those long sunny days at home. There’s lots of safe distance-friendly experiences we can enjoy this season. Take a nature walk through a local conservation area. Go canoeing with the family. Grab some new seedlings from your local garden center and try growing a new plant in the garden. Invest in a telescope and go stargazing. Try making your own ice cream. Get together with the neighbors and hold your own fireworks show. Make your own sidewalk paint. Go to a local apple orchard and pick your own fruit. Try flying a kite. Collect seashells and rocks by the beach.

If your area is still under quarantine, we have you covered. Read Our Quarantine-Friendly Picks for Summer Independent Learning blog post from June 1, 2020 to get some great ideas to still have fun this summer.

 

 

 

 

HOW-TO: A Look at our Print Book Lesson Plans

May 3, 2021

All of our resources follow a unique and consistent format. We do this to maximize the ease-of-use of the lesson plan, and to ensure each resource will fit within every teacher’s pedagogy. To learn more, please read our blog post on our Teaching Pedagogy.

In order to meet our teachers’ needs, we also provide our content in a variety of formats. Our Print Book format is geared towards teachers who prefer the traditional method of having a physical copy of a resource that they can reproduce using the format that best fits their needs, whether that be using a photocopier, scanner or simply providing the students with the master copy. Teachers can order our content, which we will then ship within 24 hours from the time the order is placed. Once the resource arrives, teachers can use it with their own online teaching platforms.

How to Use a Print Book Lesson Plan

To start, search our website for the lesson plan you want to purchase. Select “Print Book” from the “Choose Your Version” section of the product page. Then add it to your cart. Please note, there will be a shipping charge for all print versions. Upon completion of the checkout process, we will process your order within 24 hours for fast shipping. We print out the book in both color and black and white, bind it in perfect bound, then ship to you. You can expect to receive your order within 5 to 9 working days for ground mail delivery for most destinations throughout North America.

Once your order has arrived, you can share the resource with your students. Copy the pages you wish to use as Student Handouts, and store the original complete Print Book in a safe place for unlimited teaching in the future.

The Print Book version of our lesson plans is laid out the same as our eBook versions. Therefore, you will already be familiar with the layout and can refer to the provided Teacher Guide for best practices when using the lesson plan. To learn more, please read our blog post on Tools for Teachers.

For online learning, you can still incorporate our Print Book lesson plans into your virtual classroom. Simply scan the documents you wish to share and use with your own online teaching platforms. Read our dedicated blog post here for strategies and tools to help get started with virtual learning. And to learn how our lesson plans meet your curriculum standards, read our dedicated blog post here.

 

 

 

 

HOW-TO: A Look at our eBook Lesson Plans

April 12, 2021

All of our resources follow a unique and consistent format. We do this to maximize the ease-of-use of the lesson plan, and to ensure each resource will fit within every teacher’s pedagogy. To learn more, please read our blog post on our Teaching Pedagogy.

In order to meet our teachers’ needs, we also provide our content in a variety of formats. Our eBook format is geared towards teachers who need content fast. Teachers can download our content, print or share directly with their students, and start teaching within minutes.

How to Use an eBook Lesson Plan

To start, search our website for the lesson plan you want to purchase. Select “eBook - .PDF” from the “Choose Your Version” section of the product page. Then add it to your cart. Bonus, there’s no shipping cost for eBook downloads. Upon completion of the checkout process, you will be taken to a page to download your product. You will also receive an email with your download link. Depending on your internet connection and the size of the PDF, the download will happen within minutes. Typically, the download will automatically appear in your “Downloads” folder on your computer.

Now you can share the resource with your students. Print the pages you wish to use as Student Handouts, and store your complete eBook file on your computer desktop for unlimited teaching in the future. For virtual learning, share a copy of the PDF with your students. The eBook format will be a PDF. This can be viewed on most devices, including tablets and Smartphones. You may require a free PDF reader, like Adobe Reader DC in order to open the document.

The eBook version of our lesson plans is laid out the same as our traditional print book versions. Therefore, you will already be familiar with the layout and can refer to the provided Teacher Guide for best practices when using the lesson plan. To learn more, please read our blog post on Tools for Teachers.

For online learning, you can still incorporate our eBook lesson plans into your virtual classroom. Read our dedicated blog post here for strategies and tools to help get started with virtual learning. And to learn how our lesson plans meet your curriculum standards, read our dedicated blog post here.

 

 

 

 

Create a Custom Budget for National Financial Literacy Month

March 29, 2021

April is National Financial Literacy Month. In the United States, we celebrate this month in order to highlight the importance of understanding money in the hopes of teaching Americans how to have good financial habits. Financial literacy is being able to understand how money works, from commerce to savings.

Our selection of Life Skills titles covers many topics from financial literacy, including how to set a budget, the importance of savings, how to calculate taxes, and understanding your credit score, among others. To start, it’s important for daily life that everyone knows how to set a budget.

A budget is a plan that you set so you know where your money is going. It helps to make sure you have enough money to pay for things you need, and can help you plan for things that you want. A need is something that you can’t live without, like food and shelter. A want is something you can live without, like TV and internet.

The other thing a budget can help with is keeping track of your income and expenses. Your income is money that you earn, either from a job or government grants. Your expenses are money that you use to pay for things, like those needs and wants. You always want the amount of money in your income to be more than your expenses.

Use this FREE graphic organizer to make your own custom budget. In the first part, find your monthly income. Write down how much money you get during the month. Then, add this together and write down how much money you have for the month. In the second part, find your monthly expenses. Write down how much money you spend during the month. This will be things you need and things you want. Then, add this together and write down how much money you spend during the month. Finally, subtract your expenses from your income. Write how much money you have left. If you’re in the plus, you’re a smart budgeter. If you’re in the minus, you will need to re-plan your spending.

For more resources on Financial Literacy, check out our money-based Life Skills titles:
Daily Marketplace Skills
Managing Money
Financial Literacy Skills

 

 

 

 

Help Others for National Volunteer Month

March 15, 2021

April is National Volunteer Month. With COVID-19 reaching its one-year anniversary, it’s time to think about how we can help others who need it. Whether it be financial aid for someone who’s lost their job, or helping those who are unable to leave their home gain access to groceries and other essential items. Volunteering your time to help those who really need it is essential during these times. It is also a great way to gain skills for future jobs.

Planning Tip: How to find a place to volunteer.

• Posted volunteer ads online.
• Job boards.
• A guidance counselor.
• Posters on bulletin boards.

The goal of every charity is to help. A volunteer is someone who can make sure people get the help they need. Most charities are non-profit and need volunteers to run. This means they don't make any money. They really need people to donate their time and skills. When you are a volunteer, you are a member of the charity. When you are helping, the public sees you as a part of the cause. Be sure you are representing it well! Act how you would at work. Be polite and professional. If you are helping in places such as a shelter, remember to be kind. People who need support may be shy or nervous. A kind act can go a long way! Complete a research activity to find local charities in need of volunteers. Remember to follow safe guidelines when in public. Wear a mask, wash your hands regularly, and keep as much distance from others as possible.

What are you good at? How can you best help others? These are all things to think about before you volunteer. Is there a place you’ve always wanted to learn more about? Did a friend tell you about a great experience they had? It can be hard to decide where you want to donate your time. A good way to organize your thoughts is with a diagram. When you have a visual organizer, your choice will be clear. In this tree diagram, you will think about your choices. What are you passionate about? These will be at the top level. Examples may be animals, playing music, or sports. From each of these, draw a line. Think of some charities around you. Where can you use that skill? Who helps that group of people? Who else loves animals? You will write that underneath your skills. You should have lots of ideas of where to help when you’re done. Get out there! Have fun and be safe!

 

 

 

 

Thriving in the Virtual Classroom: How to Email with your Teacher

March 1, 2021

Continuing with our series on helping kids adapt to online learning, we break down the skill of proper email communication between teacher and student to help kids not only adapt to the new normal, but thrive. At-home learning has become the new normal, but is still a harsh learning curve for both students and teachers to adapt to. In our last blog post, we provided tips on how to help kids learn to focus on video calls and beat zoom fatigue. With this post, we’d like to tackle the issue of email communication. Communicating virtually is a lot different than one-on-one interactions. For one, there’s no instant back-and-forth between participants to ensure comprehension is met. Communicating through emails must rely on one participant’s abilities to communicate effectively, and the other’s abilities to interpret correctly.

In the Email Writing for Students blog post from Lori Gracey at technotes, helpful strategies are introduced so students can effectively learn the skill of writing an email. To start, Lori highlights key tips depending on the age of the student. For elementary-aged students, they must use proper sentence structure, check their spelling, and ensure privacy for both the student and the recipient. For middle school-aged students, they must think before they click Send, understand what to share and what not to share, and ensure basic courtesies when communicating. For high school-aged students, they must know when to email and when not to, avoid using emojis and acronyms, and understand how to clearly communicate.

From there, we move on to the basics of writing an email. Lori highlights the importance of explaining to students that writing an email is different from writing a text message or essay. She then provides 5 steps to follow in order to compose a well-thought-out email, along with examples.

1. Subject Line: This should be a short summary of your email (2-6 words).

• a. “Missing Assignments”
• b. “Technical Difficulties”
• c. “Late Work”

2. Say Hello: Just like you would in person, say “Hello” first.

• a. “Hi [Name],”
• b. “Good morning, Mrs. Gracey,”
• c. “Greetings!”

3. Purpose of the Email: Tell the teacher why you are emailing them. Include any relevant details.

• a. “I am emailing because…”
• b. “I can’t find…”
• c. “Can you please help me with…”

4. End your Email: Close your email with a simple goodbye.

• a. “Thank you for your help.”
• b. “Have a nice day.”
• c. “See you in class.”

5. Signature: Include your name at the end of the email.

Have students complete a series of sample email questions, where an email is missing a greeting or closing, or an email doesn’t state the problem or question, or an email that has a subject line that doesn’t connect with the body text. Students will go through these 5 steps to find out what is wrong with the sample emails, then how to correct them. Finally, explore the many different resources Lori has compiled to help students with proper email etiquette. For more help, visit our Life Skills titles that deal with proper communication:

Learning Communication & Teamwork
Daily Social & Workplace Skills

 

 

 

 

Digital Learning Day: Battling Zoom Fatigue in the Digital Classroom

February 15, 2021

February 25 is Digital Learning Day. As learning from home progresses during COVID-19, we want to celebrate this year’s Digital Learning Day by helping kids learn how to focus on video calls and beat zoom fatigue. Video calls and zoom classroom meetings have quickly become the norm during this past year. Although it can never replace the one-on-one interaction between educator and student, this virtual technology has allowed teachers and kids to stay connected while being apart. The challenge now is keeping learners motivated and engaged with their fellow classmates and teacher while navigating the digital world.

In the How to help kids focus on video calls blog post from Education.com, helpful tips for parents are introduced in the hopes of maintaining a successful learning experience for their kids while at home. To start, take a look at their setting. Just like in the classroom, students should have a space that’s just for learning and free from distractions. For instance, setting up a workstation at the kitchen table might not be the best place. Usually, the kitchen is a high-traffic zone of the house. Staying focused while a family member makes a sandwich a few feet away might pose a challenge. The same goes for the family room. The temptation of turning on the TV and watching their favorite shows is too enticing. Instead, look for a quiet place away from others who might be in the house, with a desk and chair. If a quiet place is not likely in your household, consider using a pair of headphones so your students can remain plugged into the lesson. Download this free worksheet from Education.com as a quick guide to setting up successful video calls.

Next, the blog post suggests setting realistic expectations. For instance, it’s a lot easier for students to lose focus and get tired of staring at their computer screen all day. To combat this, schedule several breaks throughout the lesson. Encourage students to take a few minutes to stretch their legs, go to the bathroom, or make a quick snack. Allowing them to rest their eyes will help combat Zoom fatigue. Ensure plenty of offline learning options are available. This could be starting a reading group with fellow classmates, in which they read a few chapters on their own, then get together on a Zoom call to discuss it. It could mean conducting an at-home experiment with their siblings and parents, then sharing their discoveries with the class. It could also mean starting an art activity using unique materials found in their area. Take a look at our At-Home Learning Pinterest board for some inspiration.

 

 

 

 

Thinking Like an Inventor: Celebrating the Imaginative History of Innovation

February 1, 2021

February 11 is National Inventors’ Day. In 1983, then-President Reagan launched February 11 as National Inventors’ Day in the United States, as it coincided with the birthday of Thomas Edison—a celebrated inventor. The goal of this holiday is to celebrate the contributions made by inventors throughout history. In Edison’s case, he is most widely celebrated as the father of the electric lightbulb.

For this National Inventors’ Day, and in honor of Thomas Edison himself, we are asking students to celebrate the development of electrical technology by researching and creating a timeline.

Create an Electricity Technology Timeline

Find out more about the technological developments that led to the use of electricity as a source of power in homes around the world. Using the Internet or library resources, try to find out:

• how developments in the understanding of electromagnetic energy and static electricity led up to Benjamin Franklin’s ideas and experiments;
• how Benjamin Franklin’s experiments advanced scientists’ understanding of electricity and electrical currents;
• what technologies needed to be developed to generate current electricity and distribute it to homes and other buildings;
• what new electrical machines and devices were invented that made use of electricity in the home;
• what new technologies are used to provide electricity in homes and other buildings.

Use this information to create a timeline of important events that led up to people’s ability to use electricity in their homes and other buildings. Include the dates of technological developments, scientific experiments, and inventions, along with short descriptive labels. You may wish to include photographs representing some of the more important events. Share your timeline with the teacher and classmates.

For students with a more creative mind, have them research the life and achievements of Thomas Edison—or another inventor of their choosing—and write a play that showcases this. You can download the instructions for this hands-on activity, taken from our Technology & Globalization ready-made lesson plan here.

And for more activities related to National Inventors’ Day, check out some of our past blog posts:

• Design and build a rubber band race car with our November 11, 2019 blog post.
• Get started thinking like an innovator with steps outlined in our January 7, 2019 blog post.
• Inspire students to start thinking like an innovator with teaching techniques presented in our September 24, 2018 blog post.

 

 

 

 

 

Our Approach to Core Subjects: SCIENCE

January 18, 2021

Did you know that we developed our Science series with a particular approach in mind? This was to ensure students would meet key curriculum targets while remaining engaged in the lesson. Two major curriculum standards are met with our wide variety of Science titles.

1. Next Generation Science Standards
2. STEAM Initiatives

Next Generation Science Standards
Along with individual state standards, the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) aim to integrate the content and skills of science in an approach to teaching and learning. The standards set out by the NGSS are designed to provide quality science education to students based on content-rich material and practice with aligned curricula.

STEAM Initiatives
The STEAM standards aim to integrate the content and skills of science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics in an approach to teaching and learning. STEAM brings a new hands-on approach to learning that encourages students to explore and interact with what they are learning. To get to know the STEAM initiatives, please refer to the outline below.

Our Unique Format
Our format relies on a hands-on approach to learning, which allows students to become more engaged in the subject matter. Each chapter is comprised of 3 sections. The Before You Read section introduces the concepts and key vocabulary words that will be examined in the chapter. It stimulates background knowledge and experience, and guides students to make connections between what they know and what they will learn. The Reading Passage presents the necessary information in order to meet key curriculum and State standards. Included in the Reading Passage are stop queues to test student understanding as they read through the material. The After You Read section includes a variety of comprehension questions geared to test students’ understanding of the concepts presented in the reading. Students are asked to give thoughtful consideration of the reading passage through creative and evaluative short-answer questions, research and extension activities. Following this, our Science resources extend student knowledge and interaction with hands-on experiments. All of the activities in our resources culminate in a final exam. Teachers can grade their students progress with the provided assessment rubric.

Get started with our Science program by previewing some FREE sample activities taken from our ready-made lesson plans available at our FREE CONTENT page.

 

 

 

 

Being Prepared for a Safe Return After the Holiday Break During COVID-19

January 4, 2021

With the first few months of school done, and everyone returning to classes after the long holiday break, it’s important to get a refresher on safe practices during a pandemic. With cases rising throughout the month of December, it’s imperative to maintain good habits so we can ensure a safe and positive 2021. In this blog post, we want to once again highlight the different methods of learning, and provide some key strategies to make sure which ever method is followed, we can have a successful and safe learning experience.

There are two methods to learning: virtual learning only, or a blended learning model. First and foremost, it’s important to be able to adapt to changing circumstances. For instance, if your classroom was done in person, perhaps 2021 will start with a virtual approach due to rising case numbers in your area. Now that a vaccine is in the early stages of distribution, things may change quickly. It’s important to know the effects of the vaccine and what measures must be taken while it takes effect. This may change your learning model, so it’s important to be prepared to enact any alternative plans at a moment’s notice.

Virtual Learning Only Model

This model is exactly what it sounds like. All learning will take place in a virtual environment. This model is by far the safest option as it maintains physical distancing requirements as well as virtually eliminating any danger of a virus spreading between teachers, their students and their peers. However, there are a lot of downsides to this model. For one, many if not most students benefit from the in-class environment. Learning from home can be difficult, both physically and emotionally. Teacher’s will no longer be able to maintain order within their classrooms, as they will not have access to their students’ environment. Parents may also be limited by their own work schedules, and may not have access to alternative childcare options.

Additionally, there are many households that do not have a reliable Internet connection. In this case, there are a few strategies we’ve compiled below.

1. Teachers can opt to record their lessons ahead of time and share them with their students through any method that is required. For instance, if students only have access to the Internet during a specified time, they can access their teacher’s lesson when it works for them.
2. Establish a conference-calling system that uses their home phone connection. There will be no visual component to the lesson, but instead teachers can talk in a group setting, or one-on-one with their students.
3. Most schools have an Internet connection established in every classroom. Students with unreliable Internet access could then be allowed entry into the school during specified days and times.

Blended Learning Model

This model combines in-class learning with at-home virtual learning. There are many benefits and drawbacks to this model. For instance, rigorous safety measures must be met in order to maintain a safe classroom environment. With this model, parents still have the option to opt out and follow a virtual method instead.

With a blended learning model, students will be in school for only a few days per week. The class size will be much smaller and social distancing requirements will be in place. The rest of the week will be virtual learning from home. We suggest limiting the time in school to strictly what is imperative for in-person learning. For instance, priority can be placed on homework assignments with very limited time spent on the lesson. This option will help limit the amount of time spent in the classroom, and will also help students develop critical thinking skills. Designated times can be set for students to call or e-mail their teachers for additional help.

Opening the schools even for a few days per week still poses a risk. That’s why there are a set of guidelines established in order to maintain a safe environment. Below is a list of those guidelines as well as our strategies to help maintain them.

• Maintain physical distancing at all times. Designate stairways as up only and down only. Do the same for classrooms that have two entries. If a classroom has only one door, establish a protocol for entering and leaving, allowing students to do one or the other while maintaining physical distancing. Limit the number of students per classroom, spacing the desks 6 feet apart with plastic partitions around them.
• Wear a face mask at all times, except when eating and drinking. Students will eat at their desks. Places like the cafeteria, gymnasium and library will remain closed.
• Provide adequate opportunities for hygiene. Have alcohol-based hand sanitizers mandatory at school entrances and in every classroom. Establish a routine that promotes periodic handwashing. Someone must be responsible for wiping down surfaces each day. This includes desktops, chairs, door handles, and light switches.
• Increased testing of students and staff. This includes daily temperature checks. Have only one entrance and one exit to and from the school open and monitored always. Don’t rush through the testing process. Don’t penalize late attendance. Ensure each person entering and leaving the school is wearing a face mask and uses the hand sanitizer.
• Consider private transportation or increase bus routes. Limit the number of people allowed on the bus at one time. Establish a routine that students sit staggered from the back to front in the order that they enter and exit the bus. This will eliminate the opportunity for students to pass by each other. Have one child per seat and staggered so there is always one empty seat in front of them, behind then, and next to them. Students must sit closest to the window to maintain distance from the aisle. Allow only one student to stand in the aisle at a time.
• Have helpful guideline posters visible throughout the classrooms and hallways. Use these as helpful reminders to students and staff to maintain physical distancing, wearing their masks and washing their hands. You can download these posters here.

Helpful Guidelines

UNICEF, in partnership with The World Health Organization (WHO) and IFRC have created a set of guidelines for students, parents, teachers, and school administration to follow in order to prevent and control COVID-19 in the classrooms. You can access the full guide here. In it, there are several helpful checklists for each individual to follow in order to maintain the safety guidelines established. Find the checklists for school administrators, teachers, staff, parents, caregivers, and students here.

 

 

 

 

‘Season’s Greetings’: How to Stay Safe While Celebrating the Holidays During a Pandemic

December 14, 2020

The year 2020 is quickly coming to a close, and there’s only one more holiday season left before we say goodbye. Just like Thanksgiving, Halloween, and all of summer, this year’s holiday season will be celebrated a little differently. Being one of the biggest social holidays of the year, it’s going to be hard not to follow the traditions we’ve established over the years. We may not be able to visit family and friends, but that doesn’t mean the holiday spirit can’t be shared far and wide. Now more than ever we need to celebrate what we have to be thankful for, and celebrate our loved ones that we can’t physically be with this season. With COVID-19 cases rising, we’ve compiled a list of new safe holiday traditions for you to try with your loved ones.

Let’s start by getting into the holiday spirit. Every year you probably decorate for the occasion. Why not kick things up a notch and really go overboard this year? Decorate the house, even more than you do in other years. Get some fun homemade decoration ideas for a low-cost alternative from our Pinterest board here. Play holiday music on a loop all season-long while baking some goodies and decorating gingerbread. Take those baked goods and share them with family and friends by sending care packages to their door. Or, organize a cookie swap with neighbors. As part of your care package, add a personal touch with a homemade holiday card.

Now that the holiday spirit is firing on all cylinders, there’s lots of activities you can take part in at home with the family, or virtually with extended family and friends. At home, enjoy some hot chocolate or mulled cider while coloring a holiday-inspired scene, or completing a puzzle as a family. Get our favorite recipe for mulled cider here. Play some holiday games and do some crafts with ideas at our Pinterest board here. Watch the holiday parade on TV this year. If you can’t watch it live, you can always catch it online. Organize a DIY Secret Santa to show off your creative side and add a personal touch to the gift giving experience.

Take a drive through the neighborhood to look at all the holiday lights and decorations. Invite friends and family to join in a drive-thru style parade, keeping in touch with each car through conference call. Host a virtual watch party of your favorite holiday movie. Or, go even deeper and host a virtual holiday party where guests partake in chat-friendly activities, like a game of charades, a cookie-decorating contest, a test of holiday-themed trivia, or an ugly holiday sweater contest.

These are just a few of our favorite ideas on how to celebrate the holidays during a pandemic. I know things this year can seem isolated, but that doesn’t have to take the joy out of the jolliest season. Now’s the time to use our imaginations and come up with creative ways to alter those well-loved traditions we enjoy this time of year.

 

 

 

 

Time Travel Roadmap

November 30, 2020

December 8 is Pretend to be a Time Traveler Day. Did you know you could travel through time without leaving your couch? Reading a book is a great way to travel to new locations and different times. Find a book to read that takes place in a different time. It can be the past, or one set in the future. It should be grounded within reality, like a story that takes place somewhere on this Earth, and doesn’t incorporate fantasy elements. Read your chosen story, then compare the time it’s set in with your own. Use our Where Two Worlds Collide graphic organizer from our The Sign of the Beaver Novel Study Guide to compare different criteria between book and real life. Download the free worksheet here.

Next, pick one of the criteria compared in the graphic organizer and draw the two on a single page. Use this to visually show the difference between your time and the one set in your chosen book. Finally, create a roadmap for someone to follow when traveling to the time set in your book. Alternatively, you could write a roadmap for a character from your book to use when traveling to your time. The roadmap should include rules to follow in order to blend in with the time being traveled to.

Get started by browsing our catalog of Novel Study Guides to find inspiration for stories set in different time periods.

 

 

 

 

Our Approach to Core Subjects: LANGUAGE ARTS

November 16, 2020

Did you know that we developed our Language Arts series with a particular approach in mind? Our middle school level resources are written for remedial students, with a reading level of grades three to four. This allows our state standards-aligned content to reach all students who fall within a wider-range of learning levels. Our Language Arts resources fall within three categories:

1. Primary
2. Writing Skills
3. Reading Skills

Primary
Our Primary level Language Arts resources encourage beginning skills for reading and writing. Our resources encourage students to begin thinking of words as not only a series of individual letters and sounds, but as easily recognizable segments or chunks of language. In 2009 the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) were introduced. The goal here was to standardize the curriculum objectives for Language Arts so that every student across the nation would be learning the same content. Although shrouded in controversy, the basic framework that these standards proposed were sound. Due to our objective of meeting all state standards with our resources, we found that our Language Arts series met most of these standards. Our goal is to provide the basic knowledge each student needs to be successful in their academic career while remaining engaged in the subject matter. Click here to download a complete breakdown of each target that our Language Arts series aligns to.

Writing Skills
Our Middle School level Writing Skills resources teach the process or science of writing to growing writers. Our language arts resources are based on Bloom’s Taxonomy for Reading Comprehension. Along with individual state standards and the Common Core State Standards, Bloom’s Taxonomy classifies learning objectives. The activities in this resource engage and build the full range of thinking skills that are essential for students’ written composition. Assignments are given that challenge students to not only recall what they have read, but move beyond this to understand the text through higher-order thinking. By using the higher-order skills laid out in Bloom’s Taxonomy, students become active writers, drawing more meaning from the text, and applying and extending their learning in more sophisticated ways. Included in every resource is a Critical Thinking Skills rubric found on page 2 that highlights which skills are being met. To learn more, please refer to the 6 Levels of Thinking outlined below.

Reading Skills
Our Middle School level Reading Skills resources allow young readers to share their thinking about literature, and to demonstrate their understanding of the material. We believe that a child’s ability to read and comprehend the written word is his or her touchstone to success in school and in life. The primary object of our Reading Skills resources is to teach the basics to reading fluency and understanding in all subject areas. Reading is the most essential communication skill in our society. For this reason, we give emphasis to many of the primary building blocks of reading acquisition.

Our Unique Format
Our format relies on providing students with the necessary building blocks to reading and writing fluency. Each chapter is comprised of 3 sections. The Before You Read section introduces the concepts and key vocabulary words that will be examined in the chapter. It stimulates background knowledge and experience, and guides students to make connections between what they know and what they will learn. The Reading Passage presents the necessary information in order to meet key curriculum and State standards. Included in the Reading Passage are reading and writing tips that emphasize important concepts. The After You Read section includes a variety of comprehension questions geared to test students’ understanding of the concepts presented in the reading. Students are asked to give thoughtful consideration of the reading passage through creative and evaluative short-answer questions, research and extension activities. All of the activities in our resources culminate in a final exam. Teachers can grade their students progress with the provided assessment rubric.

Get started with our Language Arts program by previewing some FREE sample activities taken from our ready-made lesson plans available at our FREE CONTENT page.

 

 

 

 

Becoming an Entrepreneur During COVID-19

November 2, 2020

November 19 is National Entrepreneurs’ Day. On this day, we honor entrepreneurs, who are considered the foundation of this country. It is thanks to these people that we have developed and thrived throughout the years. Read about some of America’s most influential entrepreneurs below.

Andrew Carnegie: founder of the Carnegie Steel Company. He also invested in many car companies, messenger services, and land that contained oil.

Henry Ford: founder of the Detroit Automobile Company and the Cadillac Motor Car Company, before finally setting up the Ford Motor Company.

Oprah Winfrey: founder of Harpo Studios and co-founder of Oxygen Media. She was a successful TV personality and entrepreneur who grew her brand through many years of successful media marketing.

Bill Gates: founder of Microsoft. He is the second-richest person in the world and builder of the world’s largest and most influential tech companies. His focus today is on the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Larry Page: co-founder of Google. As the world’s number one search engine, the terms “google”, “googled”, and “googling” have made it into the English dictionary.

In our current national climate with COVID-19 raging, now more than ever are entrepreneurs and the entrepreneurial spirit important to thrive. Out of this crisis, many entrepreneurial businesses have been forced to change in order to meet new needs. For instance, the need for hand sanitizer was met by brewers and distillers, and the manufacture of ventilators was met by automotive companies. Many home-sewers chipped in to donate re-useable face masks for front-line workers when quantities were low.

For this year’s Entrepreneurs’ Day, we challenge students to think like these creative people. Imagine a need that has arisen due to this pandemic. Create a product or organization that will meet this need. Prepare a business plan and explain how it meets the new needs faced in today’s climate, and how it will thrive in the future.

For inspiration, check out our free bonus worksheets from our Learning Problem Solving ready-made lesson plan found here.

 

 

 

 

‘Trick or Tip’: How to Stay Safe While Celebrating Halloween During a Pandemic – PART 2

October 26, 2020

In last week’s PART 1 post, we introduced Alexis Morillo’s ideas for a fun and safe Halloween celebration at home. We continue our investigation on Halloween celebrations during COVID-19 with more tips, tricks and strategies for safe activities.

Claire Gagne at Today’s Parent has come up with some tips and suggestions to celebrate this holiday safely during COVID-19. Here are her 5 tips to celebrating safely:

1. Festive Virtual Call: Get dressed up in your costume and set up a video call with friends and family.
2. Limited Trick or Treat: Plan ahead with neighbors and limit interactions with just a few people you trust.
3. Costume Parade: Show up at friends and family’s homes all dressed up, keeping the required safe physical distance.
4. Scavenger Hunt: Make a list of common Halloween decorations and go out to find them around the neighborhood.
5. Movie Night: Get together around the TV and watch scary movies while enjoying festive snacks and drinks.

You can read more from Clair Gagne’s article here.

Another thing to consider is indoor gatherings. There are limits established to deter large groups gathering indoors. This Halloween is no different. Therefore, you may have to forego the traditional Halloween party you host every year. Instead, we suggest having a virtual party. Get dressed and have a virtual costume reveal party with family and friends. Or, host a virtual costume contest. You could also host a group watch party where friends and family get together remotely to watch a Halloween-themed scary movie together. Pair this with some fun Halloween games, crafts and activities to round out your virtual Halloween party. Check out our Pinterest board for some fun suggestions.

Halloween is a fun and exciting holiday that unfortunately can’t be celebrated in the usual manner this year, but that doesn’t mean it can’t remain fun and exciting. We’ve compiled some of our favorite ways to celebrate in this blog post, but there are still hundreds of other unique ideas on the Internet. We wish everyone a Happy Halloween and to remain safe this holiday season.

 

 

 

 

‘Trick or Tip’: How to Stay Safe While Celebrating Halloween During a Pandemic – PART 1

October 19, 2020

“Halloween is going to look very different this year.” We’ve all heard this statement many times over the last month or so, followed by the reminder that Halloween isn’t canceled. COVID-19 has affected us all in many ways. One way has been testing people’s imaginations. Some are coming up with creative ways to incorporate trick-or-treating in a safe manner, while others are trying to find alternatives to their annual Halloween party. With it falling on a Saturday this year, the typical Halloween celebrations that need to be either altered dramatically, or cancelled altogether is hitting harder than expected. In the last few weeks there have been many articles coming out with tips on how to safely celebrate Halloween at home this year. We’ve compiled some of our favorites, as well as some suggestions of our own.

Alexis Morillo at Delish has compiled a series of fun ways to safely celebrate Halloween at home this year. One great idea is a Halloween candy taste test. Trick-or-treating may be out of the question, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still gorge on Halloween goodies. Stock up on the traditional favorites, like mini-sized chocolate bars, gummies and candy corn. But also pick up some of the new treats they have in stores, like glow-in-the-dark chocolates and green KitKats. Have everyone in your household try each one and vote on your favorites while indulging in a scary movie marathon. Check out Alexis Morillo’s article for her suggestions of classic Halloween scares.

Another great activity is also a classic—pumpkin carving. Most households tend to do this activity ahead of time, either to get them into the Halloween spirit, or to get it out of the way so that it’s ready for the big day. Since Halloween is on a Saturday this year, why not make this classic activity part of day’s celebrations. Carve your pumpkin in the morning while listening to Halloween-themed music, then bake pumpkin seeds in the afternoon.

There are also tons of indoor activities to take part in, from making Halloween crafts to face painting. If you still want to take part in traditional trick-or-treating, make sure to do so in a safe manner. Alexis Morillo’s article provides some suggestions of unique ways to deliver candy, like a candy chute. Alternatively, you could go “ghosting”. This isn’t a new tradition, but it’s one that works perfectly with our limitations this year. What you do is make up a goodie bag with Halloween-themed treats and leave them on your friend’s and family’s doorsteps with a note to encourage them to “ghost” someone else. You can read more from Alexis Morillo’s article here.

Continue reading PART 2 of our investigation into safe Halloween practices.

 

 

 

 

Our Approach to Core Subjects: SOCIAL STUDIES

October 5, 2020

Did you know that our Social Studies category is a large umbrella that encompasses many different subcategories? These subcategories fall into 3 key areas of study:

1. History
2. Geography
3. Life Skills

History
Our History category includes titles dealing with world wars, government & politics, and globalization. Each title follows our unique format while covering key topics that line up with current State curriculum standards. Learn more about our unique format below. In order to meet vocabulary standards, our Social Studies titles are all written to Bloom’s Taxonomy for Reading Comprehension. The 6 Levels of Thinking shown below ensure students understand the important social studies concepts we address in our resources.

Geography
Our Geography category focuses on 2 areas: World Continents and Mapping Skills. Our World Continents series is based on the Five Themes of Geography: Location, Place, Human & Environmental Interactions, Movement, and Regions. These themes allow students to understand how people and places are connected to each other. Through this method, students can learn how each continent is similar to each other, as well as what makes them unique. Our Mapping Skills series utilizes the Google Earth™ program to showcase key concepts related to the mapping skills curriculum. Along with the dedicated map activities, our Geography resources are complete with student reproducible maps.

Life Skills
Our Life Skills category includes a variety of topics from Daily, Practical and Real World Life Skills, to 21st Century Skills and Gender Studies. This new area of study is designed to educate students and young adults about the real world, and prepare them to be successful as they grow into adulthood. Concepts stem from real life situations to strive to connect the concepts being discussed with something familiar to the learner. As with all of our Social Studies resources, we align to the 6 Levels of Thinking in Bloom’s Taxonomy to ensure reading comprehension and understanding of the concepts being presented.

Our Unique Format
Our format relies on preparing students for the real world. Each chapter is comprised of 3 sections. The Before You Read section introduces the concepts and key vocabulary words that will be examined in the chapter. It stimulates background knowledge and experience, and guides students to make connections between what they know and what they will learn. The Reading Passage presents the necessary information in order to meet key curriculum and State standards. Included in the Reading Passage are stop queues or scenario questions to test student understanding as they read through the material. The After You Read section includes a variety of comprehension questions geared to test students’ understanding of the concepts presented in the reading. Students are asked to give thoughtful consideration of the reading passage through creative and evaluative short-answer questions, research and extension activities. All of the activities in our resources culminate in a final exam. Teachers can grade their students progress with the provided assessment rubric.

Get started with our Social Studies program by previewing some FREE sample activities taken from our ready-made lesson plans available at our FREE CONTENT page.

 

 

 

 

Our Approach to Core Subjects: SPANISH LANGUAGE

September 21, 2020

Did you know that we develop Spanish Language versions of our most popular titles? These include our ground-breaking Life Skills series, as well as our highly sought-after Novel Study Guides (Literature Kits). These titles are designed for use by students whose first language is Spanish, or for those who wish to learn Spanish as a second language. For the latter, it is ideal to use these resources in combination with the English Language versions.

The Bilingual Child

The number of bilingual children in the United States continues to rise. In 2016, 22% of children spoke more than one language. This rate has risen 2% in the last decade. About 13.5% of the total population of the United States speak Spanish at home. This equates to about 41 million citizens. In the world, this number rises to 420 million. The need for high-quality ready-made Spanish Language educational resources is prevalent. We’ve decided to meet this need head on, starting with our best-selling Life Skills and Novel Study Guide (Literature Kit) series.

Standards-Aligned

As with the English Language equivalent, our Spanish Language resources are aligned to State standards. With our Novel Study Guides (Literature Kits), we follow the Bloom’s Taxonomy for Reading Comprehension, as well as align to the Common Core State Standards for Language Arts. To learn more on how our Novel Study Guides (Literature Kits) align to these standards, please read up on our NOVEL STUDY GUIDES blog post.

Our Life Skills series is part of the Social Studies curriculum, and as such, follows our highly-developed format for reading comprehension. Each resource strictly aligns to the following teaching pedagogy:

• A Before You Read section that introduces the concept with open-ended questions and key vocabulary terms that will be used in the reading.
• A Reading Passage that provides the relevant information in easy-to-learn ways, along with real-world scenarios to help cement the concepts being presented.
• An After You Read section that tests student comprehension on what they have just learned. Questions range from true or false, multiple choice, sequencing, matching, short answer, and graphic organizer activity.
• Extension Activities comprised of hands-on activities, crossword, word search, comprehension quiz, and color mini posters.

Get started with our Spanish Language titles by previewing some FREE sample activities taken from our ready-made lesson plans available at our FREE CONTENT page. We update this page regularly, so remember to bookmark it and visit frequently for access to new and noteworthy content.

 

 

 

 

Strategies and Tools to Help Get Started with Virtual Learning

September 7, 2020

September 15 is National Online Learning Day. We continue our breakdown of getting teachers, parents and students ready to adapt to the virtual classroom. In the recent months, we’ve put out a series of blog posts to help with this transition, from utilizing CCP products to teach online, to getting your virtual classroom ready with the help of Google Classroom. With all these resources, our hope is to help teachers and parents in the transition from traditional classroom teaching to virtual classroom learning.

How Technology Can Be Used to Improve Learning: Getting Started with Google Classroom

With COVID-19 forcing many classrooms to go virtual, technology has become an important resource for teachers, parents and students. One of the most widely adopted resources has been Google Classroom. But what exactly is it, and how do we use it? Google Classroom is a virtual classroom that teachers can create and utilize with their students. With many features available, it can be a bit overwhelming to navigate in the short time available. In this blog post, we’ve created a guide to help teachers get started with their virtual Google Classroom today. Complete with an explanation of what is Google Classroom and how teachers can utilize it, we also provide a playlist of great video tutorials on how to set up a classroom as well as some teacher tips. Get started with our dedicated blog post here.

Simple Steps to Teach Online Using CCP Products

For years, the CCP team have been developing content that can be used in a variety of ways. Most recently, we have developed interactive digital content that engages and challenges students in unique ways. With many classrooms moving to the online world, content that is not only easy to use, but also accessible to students is necessary. Our subscription-based streaming platform allows teachers, parents and students to access our collection of ready-made digital lesson plans from the comfort of their home. No installation required, only a computer and internet access. Teachers can use the platform to assign work, send messages, and monitor student activity. Students can access assigned work and get real-time assessment without the need of a paper and pen. Everything is contained within the program and can be completed at their leisure. To learn how to get started, read our blog post found here.

The need for online learning has grown this year and access to content that can be utilized virtually is a commodity that is in high demand. A great place to start is with our complete collection of free worksheets, lessons and activity pages made available from our FREE CONTENT page. We update this page regularly, so remember to bookmark it and visit frequently for access to new and noteworthy content.

 

 

 

 

A Refresher Course on the Virtual Classroom

August 31, 2020

September 15 is National Online Learning Day. Now more than ever, the importance of classrooms going virtual is overwhelming. Teachers, parents and students are forced to adapt to a new learning experience. In the recent months, we’ve put out a series of blog posts to help with this transition. With all these resources, our hope is to help teachers and parents navigate the transition from traditional classroom teaching to virtual classroom learning. This week, we look back at our most recent post, where we provide strategies for implementing a Blended Learning Model with schools re-opening around the country.

Getting Ready for Back-to-School During COVID-19

This blog post highlights the two different learning models that most schools across the country are adopting: a Virtual Learning Only Model, and a Blended Learning Model. We break down the pros and cons of each, as well as strategies for teachers and parents to navigate each model. Also included are helpful posters and checklists for those schools that are re-opening in hopes to maintain a healthy and safe environment. We touch on issues some households may have with online learning and provide a few strategies to navigate them, such as what to do when a household doesn’t have a reliable Internet connection. Read about the benefits and detriments of online learning with our blog post here.

The need for online learning has grown this year and access to content that can be utilized virtually is a commodity that is in high demand. A great place to start is with our complete collection of free worksheets, lessons and activity pages made available from our FREE CONTENT page. We update this page regularly, so remember to bookmark it and visit frequently for access to new and noteworthy content.

 

 

 

 

Our Approach to Core Subjects: NOVEL STUDY GUIDES

August 17, 2020

Did you know that we developed our Novel Study Guides (aka Literature Kits) series with a particular approach in mind? We aimed to test student comprehension and challenge students to think deeper about a novel. As such, we developed a tried-and-true format that accomplishes this task, while keeping students engaged and excited about the novel.

Bloom’s Taxonomy
The Bloom’s Taxonomy for Reading Comprehension is a widely used tool for classifying learning objectives. Based on the six levels of thinking, questions are given that challenge students to not only recall what they have read, but to move beyond this to understand the text through higher-order thinking. Along with an assessment rubric, we include a Critical Thinking Skills rubric for teachers to see how each chapter section meets the requirements laid out in the six levels of thinking. These levels include:

Common Core Targets
In 2009 the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) were introduced. The goal here was to standardize the curriculum objectives for Language Arts so that every student across the nation would be learning the same skills. Although shrouded in controversy, the basic framework that these standards proposed were sound. Due to our objective of meeting all state standards with our resources, we found that our Novel Study Guides series met most of these standards. Our goal is to provide the basic skills for reading comprehension each student needs to be successful in their academic career while remaining engaged in the subject matter. A complete listing and description of the Standards that are being met can be found within each resource.

Our Unique Format

• We separate the comprehension questions into chapter sections.
• We ask open-ended questions that relate to the content of the novel while also introducing students to key vocabulary words they will come across in the reading.
• Students are then tested on their understanding with true or false, multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, sequencing, and short answer questions.
• A journal activity ends each section, allowing students to reflect on the subject matter while relating it back to their own lives.
• We also include a variety of extension activities, from hands-on writing tasks and a comprehension quiz, to word search and crossword puzzles, and finally color graphic organizers.

Get started with our Novel Study Guides program by previewing some FREE sample activities taken from our ready-made lesson plans available at our FREE CONTENT page.

 

 

 

 

Getting Ready for Back-to-School During COVID-19

August 3, 2020

No matter where you stand on the debate whether schools should re-open in the fall, we can all agree on one thing: whatever happens, it needs to be done safely. With a new school year fast approaching, there’s been a lot of talk in recent weeks regarding the pros and cons of re-opening schools. There has also been a lot of planning regarding how this can be done in a safe manner. In this blog post, we want to highlight the different methods that are being proposed, and some key strategies to make sure which ever method is followed, we can have a successful and safe learning experience.

There are basically two methods to re-opening schools: virtual learning only, or a blended learning model. First and foremost, it’s important to be able to adapt to changing circumstances. Whether your school district is adapting a virtual only model, or a blended learning model, alternative plans must be set in place. It’s impossible to predict what will happen, and we can’t expect that whatever plan is in place come the start of the school season will be the one in place by its end. Things change very quickly and it’s important to have alternative plans when this happens. Make sure you know your school’s alternative plans and be prepared to enact them at a moment’s notice.

Virtual Learning Only Model

This model is exactly what it sounds like. All learning will take place in a virtual environment. In this model, the schools will remain closed and teachers will conduct their lessons virtually over an Internet-based video conferencing program. This model is by far the safest option as it maintains physical distancing requirements as well as virtually eliminating any danger of a virus spreading between teachers, their students and their peers. However, there are a lot of downsides to this model. For one, many if not most students benefit from the in-class environment. Learning from home can be difficult, both physically and emotionally. Teacher’s will no longer be able to maintain order within their classrooms, as they will not have access to their students’ environment. Parents may also be limited by their own work schedules, and may not have access to alternative childcare options.

Additionally, there are many households that do not have a reliable Internet connection. In this case, there are a few strategies we’ve compiled below.

1. Teachers can opt to record their lessons ahead of time and share them with their students through any method that is required. For instance, if students only have access to the Internet during a specified time, they can access their teacher’s lesson when it works for them.
2. Establish a conference-calling system that uses their home phone connection. There will be no visual component to the lesson, but instead teachers can talk in a group setting, or one-on-one with their students.
3. Most schools have an Internet connection established in every classroom. Students with unreliable Internet access could then be allowed entry into the school during specified days and times.

Blended Learning Model

This model is one that most schools are considering at the moment. It combines in-class learning with at-home virtual learning. There are many benefits and drawbacks to this model. For instance, rigorous safety measures must be met in order to maintain a safe classroom environment. With this model, parents still have the option to opt out and follow a virtual method instead.

With a blended learning model, students will be in school for only a few days per week. The class size will be much smaller and social distancing requirements will be in place. The rest of the week will be virtual learning from home. We suggest limiting the time in school to strictly what is imperative for in-person learning. For instance, priority can be placed on homework assignments with very limited time spent on the lesson. This option will help limit the amount of time spent in the classroom, and will also help students develop critical thinking skills. Designated times can be set for students to call or e-mail their teachers for additional help.

Opening the schools even for a few days per week still poses a risk. That’s why there are a set of guidelines established in order to maintain a safe environment. Below is a list of those guidelines as well as our strategies to help maintain them.

• Maintain physical distancing at all times. Designate stairways as up only and down only. Do the same for classrooms that have two entries. If a classroom has only one door, establish a protocol for entering and leaving, allowing students to do one or the other while maintain physical distancing. Limit the number of students per classroom, spacing the desks 6 feet apart with plastic partitions around them.
• Wear a face mask at all times, except when eating and drinking. Students will eat at their desks. Places like the cafeteria, gymnasium and library will remain closed.
• Provide adequate opportunities for hygiene. Have alcohol-based hand sanitizers mandatory at school entrances and in every classroom. Establish a routine that promotes periodic handwashing. Someone must be responsible for wiping down surfaces each day. This includes desktops, chairs, door handles, and light switches.
• Increased testing of students and staff. This includes daily temperature checks. Have only one entrance and one exit to and from the school open and monitored always. Don’t rush through the testing process. Don’t penalize late attendance. Ensure each person entering and leaving the school is wearing a face mask and uses the hand sanitizer.
• Consider private transportation or increase bus routes. Limit the number of people allowed on the bus at one time. Establish a routine that students sit staggered from the back to front in the order that they enter and exit the bus. This will eliminate the opportunity for students to pass by each other. Have one child per seat and staggered so there is always one empty seat in front of them, behind then, and next to them. Students must sit closest to the window to maintain distance from the aisle. Allow only one student to stand in the aisle at a time.
• Have helpful guideline posters visible throughout the classrooms and hallways. Use these as helpful reminders to students and staff to maintain physical distancing, wearing their masks and washing their hands. You can download these posters here.

Helpful Guidelines

UNICEF, in partnership with The World Health Organization (WHO) and IFRC have created a set of guidelines for students, parents, teachers, and school administration to follow in order to prevent and control COVID-19 in the classrooms. You can access the full guide here. In it, there are several helpful checklists for each individual to follow in order to maintain the safety guidelines established. Find the checklists for school administrators, teachers, staff, parents, caregivers, and students here.

 

 

 

 

Our Approach to Core Subjects: MATHEMATICS

July 20, 2020

Did you know that we developed our Mathematics series with a particular approach in mind? This was to ensure students would meet key curriculum targets while remaining engaged in the lesson. To start, we separated our 5-book Mathematics set into 5 key areas of study:

1. Number & Operations
2. Algebra
3. Geometry
4. Measurement
5. Data Analysis & Probability

NCTM Principles & Standards
We followed the content standards as laid out by the National Council of Mathematics (NCTM) . This method promotes the idea that it is beneficial to learn through practical, applicable and real-world examples. The Principles are the fundamentals to an effective mathematics education. The Standards are descriptions of what mathematics instruction should enable students to learn. Together, these offer a comprehensive and coherent set of learning goals, serving as a resource to teachers and a framework for curriculum. To learn more about the 6 Principles for School Mathematics used in the creation of our resources, please refer to our June 15, 2020 blog post.

Common Core Targets
In 2009 the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) were introduced. The goal here was to standardize the curriculum objectives for Mathematics so that every student across the nation would be learning the same content. Although shrouded in controversy, the basic framework that these standards proposed were sound. Due to our objective of meeting all state standards with our resources, we found that our Mathematics series met most of these standards. Our goal is to provide the basic knowledge each student needs to be successful in their academic career while remaining engaged in the subject matter. Click here to download a complete breakdown of each target that our Math series aligns to.

STEAM Initiatives
The STEAM Initiatives is defined as “Science and Technology interpreted through Engineering and the liberal Arts and based in Mathematics”. The goal of these initiatives is to bring together all subjects across all disciplines. Rather than teaching individual subjects separately, the goal of STEAM is to teach students 21st century skills, such as innovation, critical and creative thinking. By teaching all subjects cohesively, students will become better prepared to be successful in today’s world. Our Mathematics series takes this concept to heart by preparing students for real-world situations that will require a basic knowledge of math skills in order to solve the problem.

Our Unique Format
Our format relies on preparing students for the real world. The task sheets contain challenging problem-solving questions, many centered around ‘real-world’ ideas or problems, which push the boundaries of critical thought and demonstrate to students why mathematics is important and applicable in the real world. The drill sheets are provided to help students with their procedural proficiency skills, and are presented in two formats: warm-up and timed. The warm-up drills are designed to ease students into a particular concept. The timed drills allow students to compete against the clock and further develop their procedural fluency. All of the activities in our resources culminate in a final exam. In this case, we offer a review of all the concepts presented in the unit. Teachers can grade their students progress with the provided assessment rubric.

Get started with our Mathematics program by previewing some FREE sample activities taken from our ready-made lesson plans available at our FREE CONTENT page.

 

 

 

 

Key Areas to Master for World Youth Skills Day

June 29, 2020

July 15 is World Youth Skills Day, who’s aim is to “recognize the strategic importance of equipping young people with skills for employment, decent work and entrepreneurship, and to highlight the crucial role of skilled youth in addressing current and future global challenges”, as described by UNESCO-UNEVOC. In other words, World Youth Skills Day is a time to remember the importance of getting our youths ready to be successful young adults in the real world.

With a focus on employment, we want to do our part in educating youths to be successful in the workplace. We have highlighted 3 key areas: interview, job performance and getting ahead.

Interview

The interview is one of the most important aspects of employment. It is your potential employer’s first impression of your character and will determine whether you will get a job. Here are our top tips for a successful interview:

1. Be on time. It is best to be a few minutes early.
2. Check how you look. Wear clean, professional clothes.
3. Have a positive attitude. Show enthusiasm to be there.
4. Bring a copy of your resume and references.
5. Don’t chew gum during your interview, but it’s a good idea to bring a mint.
6. Try not to say things like “ummm” or “hmmm”.

It’s also good to be prepared with answers to questions they might ask you. Think of questions that they might ask. A good way to come up with questions is to think of the kind of job it is. Will you deal with people? You may be asked about how you treat your customers. Will you need to work with money? You may be asked about your math skills. Download this free Mind Map to get started with potential questions an interviewer may ask. Fill in the empty bubbles with any other questions you can think of.

Job Performance

How you act on the job is important, as it can either lead to greater things, or help you lose your job. Here are the DOs and DON’Ts for workplace behavior:

Getting Ahead

Thriving on the job is an important step for youths to move up at their place of work. They can receive promotions, or be transferred to new cities, or gain valuable skills and relationships that can help when looking for another job someplace else. Here are some strategies to help you thrive in the workplace:

Be On Time – We’ve already discussed how being on time is an important step throughout each employment stage. It’s no different here. Being on time and ready to work will show that you are reliable.

Be Prepared – Know what your responsibilities are and what deadlines need to be met. Show that you can start a task without being told. This will show that you have initiative and can work with minimal supervision.

Be Sociable – Make sure you get along with the people around you. This can be your boss, your co-workers, or your customers. Be friendly, but also be professional. This will show that you have good work ethics.

Be Flexible – If you’re done all of your tasks, look around and see what else needs to be done. Don’t wait for direction if you can help it. Don’t be afraid to upgrade your skills. Take classes to learn new things about your job field.

Get more related free content from our Daily Social & Workplace Skills and Employment & Volunteering Skills resources. Visit our FREE CONTENT page for more.

 

 

 

 

Looking to the Stars

June 22, 2020

June 30 is Meteor Watch Day. Outer space is filled with mysteries and wonders that exceed what we experience here on Earth. During these summer nights, we encourage all would-be astronomers to go outside and observe the night sky with their very own observatory.

Observatories are very large buildings that house very large telescopes. These allow astronomers to look deep into space to see other planets, stars, and galaxies in great detail. Although there may be some local opportunities to witness the wonders of space—whether it’s at a night-time viewing area, or using the telescope from your local high school—it’s a much safer option in this COVID-19-era to create an observatory in your own backyard.

There are many different plans online to build a mini-observatory the size of a doghouse; however, this method requires some carpentry skills. We suggest the simple use of either a telescope, a camera with telescopic lens, or a pair of good binoculars. All you’ll need to do is go outside when it’s really dark, turn off any lights you have, point your chosen device into the air and look through the eyepiece. Here are some things to look at:

• The moon
• Planets
• Stars
• Constellations
• The International Space Station
• Satellites
• Meteors

Extend your virtual observatory even further by looking through the Hubble Telescope. Celebrating 30 years of space observation, young astronomers can witness some of its iconic images taken over the years. Check these out here.

Alternatively, young astronomers can use their own telescopes, cameras or binoculars to map the night sky with help from our constellation map. Download the free poster here.

And finally, in celebration of Meteor Watch Day, why not experience a meteor shower of your own. Use this helpful calendar to locate when and where the next meteor shower can be seen. And don't forget, you have unlimited access to our complete catalog of free worksheets, including science, from our FREE CONTENT page.

 

 

 

 

Curriculum Standards

June 15, 2020

Did you know that every CCP resource book meets all curriculum and state standards? Our core subjects follow basic curriculum needs to ensure students get the information needed to have a successful school year.

Language Arts
Our language arts resources are based on Bloom’s Taxonomy for Reading Comprehension. Along with individual state standards and the Common Core State Standards, Bloom’s Taxonomy classifies learning objectives. The activities in this resource engage and build the full range of thinking skills that are essential for students’ written composition. Assignments are given that challenge students to not only recall what they have read, but move beyond this to understand the text through higher-order thinking. By using the higher-order skills laid out in Bloom’s Taxonomy, students become active writers, drawing more meaning from the text, and applying and extending their learning in more sophisticated ways. Included in every resource is a Critical Thinking Skills rubric found on page 2 that highlights which skills are being met. To learn more, please refer to the 6 Levels of Thinking outlined below.

Mathematics
Our math resources are inspired by the NCTM Principles and Standards. Along with individual state standards and the Common Core State Standards, the NCTM Principles and Standards for School Mathematics targets 6 areas: Equity, Curriculum, Teaching, Learning, Assessment, and Technology. These Principles are the fundamentals to an effective mathematics education. These Standards describe what mathematics instruction should enable students to learn. Together, the Principles and Standards offer a comprehensive and coherent set of learning goals. Our math resources offer exercises written to the NCTM Process and Content Standards. Teachers can note, at a glance, which Process Standards are being met by referring to the Rubric found on page 2 of every resource. Also included is a Content Standards Rubric to use for student assessment. For more information, please refer to the NCTM Principles outlined below.

Science
Our science resources meet the Next Generation Science Standards and STEAM initiatives. Along with individual state standards, the Next Generation Science Standards aim to integrate the content and skills of science in an approach to teaching and learning. The standards set out by the NGSS are designed to provide quality science education to students based on content-rich material and practice with aligned curricula. The STEAM standards aim to integrate the content and skills of science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics in an approach to teaching and learning. STEAM brings a new hands-on approach to learning that encourages students to explore and interact with what they are learning. To get to know the STEAM initiatives, please refer to the outline below.

 

 

 

 

How Technology Can Be Used to Improve Learning
Getting Started with Google Classroom

June 8, 2020

Since quarantine began back in March, educators have had to come up with creative ways to reach their students safely and effectively. This involves adopting technology as a way to teach and a way for their students to learn. Starting with the basics, many educators have turned to digitized versions of their lesson worksheets, whether this is through scanned images of their workbooks that they can then email to their students, or eBook versions in PDF or ePub format. Let’s break this down further and look at the pros and cons of each option.

With all these options, the most widely-used way to distribute content to students is through email. However, it’s hard to keep students engaged and even harder to teach and answer questions. That’s why many teachers have been converting their in-class lessons to a virtual one. One way to do this is with Google Classroom.

What Teachers Should Know About Google Classroom

Google Classroom is a free web service developed by Google that aims to simplify distributing, tracking and grading content. The primary purpose of Google Classroom is to streamline the process of sharing files between teachers and students.

Teachers can create different classes and invite their students to join. From there, teachers can communicate directly with their students through their class dashboard by adding messages, tutorials, assignments, and reminders.

When creating assignments for your students, Google Classroom offers a variety of methods. You can create an open-ended assignment with instructions, attachments, due dates, and a points system. Other options include a Quiz using Google forms, a Question for students to respond to, and a Materials option that allows you to share digital copies of notes. It’s easy to implement your current materials, whether it be scanned images, PDFs or ePub files, into your Google Classroom unit.

For some great tutorials on how to get started with your Google Classroom account, as well as some great teacher tips, watch these videos found here.

Google Classroom is just one avenue teachers can navigate when integrating their classroom into a virtual world. There are plenty of subscription-based streaming services that give teachers access to hundreds of ready-made materials that allow them to communicate directly with their students, as well as track their progress and assign lessons. Our K12Content website does just that while giving teachers access to our entire library of interactive digital lesson plans. Try it out free for 15 days with our FREE TRIAL. And don't forget, you have unlimited access to our complete catalog of free worksheets from our FREE CONTENT page.

 

 

 

 

Our Quarantine-Friendly Picks for Summer Independent Learning

June 1, 2020

With the summer season upon us, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to remain at home. Although backyards and balconies let us experience the fresh summer air and hot summer sunshine, most of us long for splashing in the water and feeling the sand between our toes. With COVID-19 extending into the summer months, it’s more important than ever to stay vigilant with social and physical distancing as another outbreak can soon be upon us. That’s why our picks for this year’s summer independent learning are all geared towards keeping the summer spirit alive in creative ways.

For those who like spending the summer months at the beach, we have an at-home experiment that could help. Other than the cool water on a hot day, the beach is a great place for those who enjoy feeling the sand between their toes. Many great beaches are accompanied by sand dunes. In this experiment, you will see how wind makes sand dunes. All you’ll need is some sand, a big electric fan, and some tools to make sandcastles. Download the experiment here.

For those who enjoy camping out in nature, we have an activity to go along with your backyard camp out. What’s your favorite part of camping? Is it the campfire, being surrounded by trees, or stargazing? Well if it’s the latter, we have a great activity to use on clear nights while camping under the stars. Start by spending the day setting up your tent in the backyard. If it’s safe and you are able in your area, have a parent help set up a small campfire. Roast hotdogs and marshmallows while telling campfire stories. When the sun goes down, take out this handy constellation map and see how many you can find in the night sky.

Maybe you prefer to spend your summer off visiting distant lands. If that’s the case, there’s plenty of virtual travel opportunities you can take part in across the globe. Go on a virtual dive of the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. Take a virtual tour of the British Museum in London. Visit key landmarks from around the world like the Great Wall of China and the Pyramids of Egypt. When you’re done, take a trip to one or all of the 7 continents:

North America
South America
Europe
Africa
Asia
Australia
Antarctica

For those who like to spend their summer catching up on some reading, here’s our summer reading list. Click on each title to download FREE related activity pages.

Fantastic Mr Fox (Grades 3-4)
The Lightning Thief (Grades 5-6)
Esperanza Rising (Grades 5-6)
Romeo & Juliet (Grades 7-8)
The Hunger Games (Grades 7-8)
To Kill a Mockingbird (Grades 9-12)

Don't forget, you have unlimited access to our complete catalog of free worksheets from our FREE CONTENT page.

 

 

 

 

Explore the Underwater World with a Virtual Dive

May 25, 2020

June is a month full of water habitat conservation efforts. It also happens to mark the beginning of summer vacation for most people. Although things might be a little different this year with COVID-19 causing many to postpone their vacation plans, it’s still nice to get out of the day-to-day, even if it’s virtually.

June 1 – World Reef Awareness Day

On June 1, we think about the colorful, vibrant and lively reefs that entice us down just below the ocean surface. Historically, reefs around the world, like the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, have been a popular tourist destination for years. However, with pollution and climate change, the once vibrant underwater ecosystem has changed dramatically. Take a look at some of these before and after photos from The Ocean Agency.

Research shows that within the next 20 years, 70-90% of coral reefs will most likely die, and by the year 2100, coral reefs could disappear altogether. So, what can we do to help preserve this natural geological and biological feature? The National Ocean Service provides some helpful guidelines in the following infographic. Click on the image to download a PDF version.

June 5 – World Environment Day

This year’s theme is ‘Time for Nature’. Now more than ever, it’s time to look back on nature. It affects our food, water, how we live, and of course, our health. Illnesses, like the coronavirus, spreads easily due to loss of biodiversity. Biodiversity is the web of life, from the air to the water, from the soil to the plants and animals, and finally to us. When one of these things changes, it affects the entire system, leaving us vulnerable for viruses like COVID-19 to spread uncontrollably. For this year’s World Environment Day, we challenge everyone to revisit their environment and think how can we maintain our biodiversity. Start by virtually exploring nature around iconic spots with the help of the UN Environment Programme.

June 8 – World Oceans Day

• 70% of Earth’s surface is covered by oceans.
• Oceans contain 97% of Earth’s water.
• Oceans contain 99% of all living space on Earth.

Earth is called the blue planet for a reason. Life begins with water. Our bodies are made up of 60% water. Think of the Earth as a human body. It is made up of 70% water. Imagine the water within our bodies were polluted or full of disease. We would become sick. Just like our Earth. Other than outer space, our oceans are the last unexplored territory. There is so much life happening underwater that we have not, and cannot see. Let’s explore some of our national marine sanctuaries with virtual dives.

• Swim with Sea Lions in Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary.
• Visit different landmarks at the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, like a coral nursery.
• Explore a series of sunken ships at the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary.
• Dive in to 6 other National Marine Sanctuaries, available virtually on a personal computer or smartphone. For an extra-immersive experience, pair your smartphone with a VR headset or goggles.

Don't forget, you have unlimited access to our complete catalog of free worksheets from our FREE CONTENT page.

 

 

 

 

Safe and Engaging Science Experiments to do at Home

May 19, 2020

While some schools are beginning to open, many others remain closed. It is still necessary for us all to continue physical distancing during this time, now more than ever. For kids, it's equally as important to keep their minds engaged. What better way to accomplish this, and to also ease them back into their school habits, than with safe and engaging hands-on science experiments they can do at home. Below are some of our favorites, covering a variety of topics in Earth Science, Life Science and Physical Science.

Earth Science: Cloud in a Jar
For this experiment, you will be able to create a cloud inside of a jar in order to show how cloud formation works. You will need a glass container, chalk dust, a balloon, and an elastic. Put a cm of warm water in the jar to cover up the bottom. Add your chalk dust. Stretch a balloon over the mouth of the bar and secure it with an elastic. Gently punch the balloon and watch clouds appear when you take your hand away. For more detailed instructions, check out our Cloud in a Jar experiment at our FREE CONTENT page.

Life Science: Lung Capacity Measurement
For this experiment, you will measure how much air is in your lungs. You will need a partner for this experiment, either a brother, sister or parent. Fill a 2-gallon pop bottle with water so there is no air inside. Your partner will hold this over a large tub for the water to fall in. Place a flexible tube inside the bottle. Now, take a deep breath and blow into the other end of the tube. The air in your lungs will push water out of the bottle. The air that you now see inside the bottle is the air that was in your lungs. For more detailed instructions, check out our How Much Air? experiment at our FREE CONTENT page.

Physical Science: Rube Goldberg Machine
A Rube Goldberg Machine uses a series of steps in order to complete a simple task. Each step starts the next one. For an example, watch this video. For this experiment, kids will become young engineers and develop their own Rube Goldberg Machine using things they have around the house. First, they must decide on the "simple task" they want to complete. Then, working backwards, create a series of complicated steps to follow in order to complete that task. For more detailed instructions, check out our Rube Goldberg Machine project at our FREE CONTENT page.

And don't forget, you have unlimited access to our complete catalog of free worksheets from our FREE CONTENT page.

 

 

 

 

Guide for Parents: How to Take on the Role of Educator While Under Quarantine

May 11, 2020

Schools may be closed for many more weeks to come, and our hardworking teachers are limited due to this distance from their students. That's why many parents have been taking on the role of educator in their household. However, as we all know, this isn't an easy task to pick up, especially with our own busy lives. We've come up with some basic strategies for parents to help tackle this new role.

Resources

First and foremost, your kids' teachers are the best resource. Reach out to them for help regarding curriculum and a listing of topics that were planned for the remaining year. There are plenty of homeschool resources available online. Check out some of these favorites that offer free materials:

Teachers Pay Teachers
IXL Math
IXL English Language Arts
IXL Science
Scholastic
TEDEd
Khan Academy
Exploratorium
NASA STEM
Project Gutenberg

Schedule

Set up a schedule for your kids to follow. School is routine. Classes start at a specific time, followed by scheduled breaks. Establish this format in the home. Have your kids wake up and get ready for "school" like they normally would. Designate an area of the home that will stand in for their classroom. Provide them with a structure to follow, like math drills for the first hour, a break, then language arts studies for another hour. Here's your chance to implement a rewards-based system. For every question they get right, they earn a minute of television time during their break.

Tips and Tricks

The following list of tips come from homeschooling parents who have shared their experience to help other parents get through this difficult time.

Kelly Rummel shares the lessons she learned from the many years she's been homeschooling her kids. Her number one tip is to set the tone. These are scary times, even more so for your kids. Sure, it can be exciting for them too, but let's remember that kids are very intuitive. They can sense what's going on, even if they don't understand it. People around them are stressed, scared and confused. It's important to start the day calm, happy and peaceful, as Kelly reminds us. Read more of Kelly's tips here.

Some other great advice from Anya Kamenetz and Cory Turner reminds parents to be forgiving of themselves and their kid. It's a lot of pressure to take on the role of educator. Give yourself some space and don't be afraid to ask for help. Read more of Anya and Cory's tips here.

The Survival Mom offers her top 16 tips for beginning homeschoolers. She recommends seeing yourself more as a "facilitator to your child's learning". That means you're not going to give lectures, but rather help your child through the learning process. Give your kids the tools they need to teach themselves. Work alongside with them and you might start learning something new right alongside them. Read more of The Survival Mom's tips here.

Finally, take this time to teach your kids valuable life skills. Include them in your daily chores. Have them help with the laundry, or cook the next meal. Teach them a little bit about finance as you complete your daily banking. To get started, take a look at the many life skills resources we have available as ready-made lesson plans and as free extension activities.

Don't forget, you have unlimited access to our complete catalog of free worksheets from our FREE CONTENT page.

 

 

 

 

Simple Steps to Teach Online Using CCP Products

May 4, 2020

With most schools still closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, teachers are looking for more ways to engage their kids remotely. That's why we'd like to introduce you to our subscription-based streaming platform that gives you access to all of our Ready-Made Digital Lesson Plans. No download needed, just an internet connection and web browser.

Step 1: Set up an account.
We highly recommend first setting up a 15-day free trial account. This will give you access to 3 complete lesson plans based on your selected grade level. You'll be able to test out a language arts, mathematics, and science or social studies ready-made digital lesson plan in its entirety. To start your free trial now, sign up here.

Step 2: Add your students.
Once you've set up your account and logged into your dashboard, you'll want to add your students. With the free trial, you can add up to 3 students. To add a student, simple go to the My Students tab and click on Add Student.

Step 3: Assign your lessons.
Once you've added your students to your dashboard, you'll then want to assign to them the lesson plans. There are many ways to do this. If you want different students working on different lessons at one time, simply select the lesson next to their name in the My Students tab. If you want all of your students to be working on the same lesson, go to the My Lessons tab, then click on Deploy Lesson(s) . From there, select the lesson you want to assign and click on All Students. Write a note of instruction and click Submit.

Step 4: Track student progress.
Make sure your students are completing their lessons by tracking their progress. To do this, navigate to the At a Glance section of your dashboard. Here you can see the date in which the lesson was accessed and how much time was spent using the program. Click on a student's name to break down this information further. You can see each session's date and time, how long was spent on the program, how much of this time was paused, and how much of this time the student was active or inactive.

For a more in-depth look at how to use the program, watch this video tutorial on the Teacher Dashboard:

 

Check out the other tutorials here.

Don't forget, you have unlimited access to our complete catalog of free worksheets from our FREE CONTENT page.

 

 

 

 

Get Caught Reading While Under Quarantine

April 27, 2020

May is National Get Caught Reading Month. With everyone staying indoors due to the COVID-19 virus, one of the things people are doing to stay occupied is read a book. With a book, we're able to travel to distant lands, explore new worlds, and escape the troubles we are currently facing in our daily lives. With schools closed, it's also hard to engage kids to continue learning at home. One way to do this is by offering comprehension questions to go along with the book their currently reading. These questions offer kids a chance to understand key vocabulary, use their creativity with journal questions, and make sure they stay connected with what they are reading. That's why we're offering a selection of FREE open-ended reading response forms that can be used with any book.

The reading response forms are separated into 6 categories that align with Bloom's Taxonomy for reading comprehension. Click on a category below to download the matching worksheet.

• Remembering
• Understanding
• Applying
• Analysing
• Evaluating
• Creating

For more related FREE content, check out the Language Arts and Novel Study Guides sections of our FREE CONTENT page.

Continue to explore kids' joy of reading and the adventures they share within the pages of their favorite books with comprehension questions to go along with their reading. We offer hundreds of ready-made novel study guides that test kids' comprehension of the story, as well as promote critical thinking skills. Browse our collection here. Then, visit Audible and Lit2Go for FREE access to a selection of audiobooks.

 

 

 

 

Staying Active While Under Quarantine

April 20, 2020

It has been weeks, if not months since we've been limited by social and physical distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Public spaces like parks and hiking routes have been closed. All sports, team practice and games have been cancelled. Kids are limited by the lack of resources open to them to exercise their body and mind. With depression and boredom setting in, many kids are becoming weary of binge-watching, eating too much, and sleeping all day. Let's face it, there's not much else to do when you're stuck at home. National Fitness Day is on May 2. This year's theme is Life is Better in Motion. Understandably, many of the local activities that were planned for this event have most likely been cancelled. However, that doesn't mean kids can't participate. Therefore, we are embracing this year's theme of motion and adopting it to our new quarantine lifestyle. We’ll focus on how to keep kids’ minds and bodies in motion while staying at home.

The Body

Let's start off with the body. Obviously, visiting your favorite hiking trail or park is not an option. You can't take part in a team sport either. Options are pretty limited. If you're lucky enough to have a backyard, now's the time to take full advantage of it. Try running the perimeter a few times to simulate your favorite hiking trail. Or, run laps from one end to the other, incorporating a soccer ball to simulate a game. If you have a dog, try playing a game of fetch or keep-away with their favorite toy.

If you don't have a backyard, there's ways to stay active and keep your body moving inside. Look online for different fitness kids routines that are designed for inside the home. Start with a bit of light stretching. Do some jumping jacks to really get the heart pumping. If you're feeling very outgoing, create an obstacle course in the basement. Don't forget to always end a routine with more stretching. If your kids are into weightlifting, use things from around the house, like a jug of detergent or canned foods to simulate weights. There's also certain kinds of workouts that uses your own body weight in place of dumbbells. Think of other creative ways to stay active indoors, like having a dance party with the family.

Working out can also help lessen the symptoms of depression and anxiety. When you work out, your body releases endorphins that help you feel better. It also helps to keep your mind off of what worries you. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends at least 150 minutes of low-level activity per week. That's less than half an hour a day. So even if you're not usually that active, aim to do something that gets you moving for at least 30 minutes. Even something as small as standing up for 1 minute between episodes of the show you're currently watching. Below are some FREE fitness-based activities we offer from our FREE CONTENT page:

• Sitting Stretches
• Cardio Workout
• Create a Fitness Plan

The Mind

For the mind, the best way to keep it moving is with mind games and puzzles. Play a board game with your family. Try ones that exercise your minds, like co-operative games or mystery-solving games. If you don't have anyone to play with, try playing a solo-based card game, like solitaire. You could also work on a jigsaw puzzle. Newspaper-style puzzles work great as well, like crosswords, word searches and Sudoku. You can also find versions of these games online or as an app. If you're more creative, you could try writing a short story. Make it a little more social by starting a short story contest with your friends. This can be done remotely, keeping in contact through video chat, e-mail or social media. You could also use this same concept to start a book club if you love reading. Below are some FREE mind games and puzzles from our FREE CONTENT page:

• Brain Buster Puzzles
• Critical Thinking Puzzles
• Word Puzzles
• Astronomy Puzzle
• Animal Crackers Word Puzzles
• The 50 United States Word Search

 

 

 

 

Climate Action: Celebrating Environmental Awareness from the Home

April 13, 2020

The month of April sees two important environmental awareness days: National Earth Day on April 22 and National Arbor Day on April 24. Traditionally, these days were celebrated by venturing out into nature and cleaning up parks or planting a tree. With everyone being kept indoors, or within their own yards due to the COVID-19 quarantine, it makes it difficult and unsafe to celebrate these environmental days in the traditional sense. Therefore, we've come up with a few unique ways to celebrate Earth Day and Arbor Day during this pandemic.

On April 22 we celebrate Earth Day. In the past, this day was spent cleaning up garbage from public areas, like parks, the side of the road, schoolyards, and more. With the quarantine happening, many if not all public areas have been closed down. Hopefully that means not much garbage is left to clean up. But a new, unsafe form of littering has crept up during this time. Many people have been throwing their gloves, masks and wipes on the ground rather than disposing them in the garbage. Not only is this disrespecting the planet by littering, it's also endangering others as these items may have come into contact with the virus. Leaving it out in the open risks spreading the disease further. Our suggestion for celebrating Earth Day this year while taking part in social distancing is to make people aware of this issue. Make up as sign to hang on your window, or draw suggestions on the sidewalk with chalk. Go to social media and post a recorded video showing the importance of proper disposal in a creative way. See if your message could go viral (the good kind). Here's a list of some other ways you can celebrate Earth Day while taking part in social distancing:

• Read a book instead of watching TV.
• Play a board game with the family using candles instead of electric lights.
• Make homemade disinfectants.
• Make reusable cotton face masks.

On April 24 we celebrate Arbor Day. In the past, this day was spent planting a tree in a public park or garden. With the quarantine closing down all public areas, this act is not plausible this year. But that doesn't mean you can't celebrate in other ways. If you can, try planting a tree in your own yard. Alternatively, create your own backyard garden with different fruits and vegetables to grow and eat. Plant a flower bed in your front yard to bring color and joy to those around you. Make your Arbor Day celebrations virtual by visiting National Parks online and taking virtual tours. Here are a few available options:

• Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska
• Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii
• Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico
• Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah
• Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida

The 2020 theme for Earth Day is Climate Action. To celebrate this theme, we have compiled a related lesson that can be completed in the home. This lesson plan focuses on the connection between climate change, the environment and human health. Start off by asking the following self-reflective questions:

1. Have you ever experienced a heat wave? How did you stay cool and protected from the heat? What steps can be taken?

2. What are 5 things found in an ecosystem near your home?

Then, download the following FREE reading passages from our resource Climate Change: Effects:

Climate and Human Health
Climate and Ecosystems

Once you've read how climate change has an effect on both human health and the environment, reflect on what you know by answering the following questions:

1. Name and describe at least 1 major risk to human health due to climate change.

2. Explain why warming temperatures may lead to greater spread of disease.

3. Explain how the increase in global temperatures can lead to an increase in harmful air pollution.

4. Describe the effects of climate change that are already happening in your ecosystem.

5. Explain how climate change could cause one ecosystem to become more like another.

Click here for possible answers to these questions.

Finally, complete 2 related research activities. Download them here.

For even more free content, visit our Environmental Studies section of our FREE CONTENT page. Then, check out the Environmental Studies section of our online store for additional content.

 

 

 

 

Free Practice Drills for Math Awareness

April 6, 2020

April is Math Awareness Month. With schools closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it's important to continue learning at home. If children keep a regular practice, they will improve their math understanding and speed, as well as develop confidence in their independent learning. That's why we've selected a series of math drills from each subject and grade band to help your kids practice while at home. Click on an image below for the matching drill sheet.

Grades PK-2
Number & Operations, Algebra, Geometry, Measurement, Data Analysis & Probability

                              

Grades 3-5
Number & Operations, Algebra, Geometry, Measurement, Data Analysis & Probability

                              

Grades 6-8
Number & Operations, Algebra, Geometry, Measurement, Data Analysis & Probability

                              

For even more free content, visit our Mathematics section of our FREE CONTENT page for hundreds more practice worksheets. Then, check out the Mathematics section of our online store for additional content.

 

 

 

 

Proper Handwashing: The First Line of Defense Against COVID-19

March 30, 2020

The first line of defense against COVID-19 is the one basic protocol against any spread of illness: proper handwashing. This is a skill that has become vital in the last few weeks, and will become even more important as the weeks go on. Over the years, handwashing has become a basic habit that most take part in. However, with kids rushing to get from one activity to another, proper handwashing has been replaced with a quick and easy format. In today's world, with the rise of a pandemic, this method will no longer cut it. In this post, we'll share what the proper handwashing technique is, why it's important, and how it can help protect you from illness.

Let's start off by getting down and dirty with the proper handwashing technique. It starts with wet hands. Apply enough soap and scrub hands together to form a lather. Rinse, then dry hands with a clean towel. This is the basic technique to washing your hands; but in today's world, more attention must be paid in order to ensure every part of your hand gets clean.

To break it down further, follow these steps:

• Scrub palms over the back of each hand. Interlace fingers as you do so.
• Return to scrubbing palms while interlacing fingers.
• Scrub the backs of each finger against the palm.
• Scrub the fingertips against the palm, making sure to get soap underneath the fingernails.
• Grab each thumb and rotate palm around it.
• Scrub around each wrist.

Watch this video to see proper handwashing techniques in action.

This process should take between 20 to 60 seconds. You may have heard that it takes about the same amount of time as singing Happy Birthday twice. Why not make things more interesting by coming up with a new song to sing each day. Come up with your own words and match them to the tune of Happy Birthday. Share your songs with friends and others through social media. See how many different variations people come up with. Take your time and make sure you get every nook and cranny. It's easy to miss a spot, as you'll see in the video in this article. As an added challenge, come up with a way to limit the use of water during this process. For instance, letting the water run as you spend 20 to 60 seconds lathering up isn't very productive for water conservation. You can save at least 6 gallons of water per day simply by turning off the tap while you scrub your hands.

So why is handwashing the first line of defense against COVID-19? Because we use our hands for everything. We touch things in our daily lives that interact with countless people. We then touch our faces, food, mouth, each other. When we touch something that carries a virus, it's very easy for that virus to enter our bodies. However, washing your hands removes that virus before it can spread to yourself or others.

To keep things in perspective, the COVID-19 virus can live for several hours or even days on some surfaces. For example, if someone with the virus sneezes, it will stay in the air from 30 minutes to 3 hours. So it's important to always sneeze or cough into your sleeve or tissue, never in your hands. Once it lands on certain types of surfaces, it can be transferred to someone through touch days after it left someone's nose. For example, if you sneeze and particles of the virus land on cardboard, like a box of Macaroni and Cheese, someone can touch that box within 24 hours and have the virus. The virus can live on stainless steel, like a fork or spoon, for 2 days. And on plastic, like a water bottle, for 3 days. That's why it's important to constantly be washing your hands. Scrubbing with soap and water will kill the virus before it spreads. Also, regularly clean high traffic surfaces, like faucets, handles and countertops. When cleaning a surface, wipe in one direction, like you would shovel snow. Wiping in all directions would just move germs around rather than pick them up.

 

 

 

 

Eat Right for Nutrition Month

March 2, 2020

March is National Nutrition Month. This year's theme is: Eat Right, Bite by Bite. Nutrition is the first step to a healthy lifestyle. Nutrition is the food we need so our bodies can grow and be healthy. There are 3 or 5 different food groups. This is shown as a food plate. This also tells you how much food from each group you should eat in a day to stay healthy. In the United States we use the MyPlate chart, which shows the 5 basic food groups: Fruits, Vegetables, Grains, Protein and Dairy. Download a mini poster of the MyPlate chart here. In Canada we use the new Food Guide, which shows 3 basic food groups: Vegetables & Fruits, Protein and Whole Grains. Download a mini poster of the Canadian Food Guide here.

Our bodies need nutrients to stay healthy. Nutrients are found inside food. They are broken down in our stomachs when we eat. Essential nutrients are ones that only come from what we eat. Non-essential nutrients are ones that we can get from inside our bodies.

Make your own weekly meal plan to help make sure you eat right. Download a helpful graphic organizer here. Write down what you will eat during the week. Try to have small meals with snacks in between. This will help you keep a healthy weight. It will also keep you full all day. If you want, you can use this chart as a tracker. Keep track of what you're eating during the week. Write down how many calories you can have at the top. Write down how many calories you use at the bottom.

Check out our related freebie activities at our FREE CONTENT page.

 

 

 

 

Crunching the Numbers for Anti-Bullying Day
Statistics on Cyber Bullying

February 17, 2020

February 26 is Anti-Bullying Day. Bullying is a problem that everyone experiences. From the schoolyard to the classroom and even online. Cyber bullying is a growing problem. With anonymity, people online feel empowered to bully others. The following guide shared to us by our friends at PACER features statistics on cyber bullying that can help spread awareness of this issue.

Here are some of those statistics:

• 73% of students feel they have been bullied in their lifetime.
• 77% of kids agree that bullying and cyber bullying is not a part of growing up.
• Cyber bullying is not limited to children and teenagers. Adults can be bullied; although this would be called harassment.
• 69% of people admit to doing something abusive to others online.
• Girls are more likely to be bullied online than boys.

To learn more, read all the cyber bullying statistics here. And, check out our October 2, 2017 blog post for strategies to help fight against cyber bullying.

 

 

 

 

Spread Kindness with Random Acts

February 3, 2020

February 17 is Random Acts of Kindness Day. We encourage everyone to participate in the #RAKTIVIST movement. RAKtivists "live and breathe kindness, share knowledge and lead by example." With busy lives it's easy to internalize things and ignore what's happening around you. As such, we as people can become anti-social. When one thing in your day goes wrong, it can have a lasting effect for the rest of the day. So, for one day only, we encourage you to do something random and kind for someone else. Just a simple positive act can have just as much of an effect on someone's day. Doing something as simple as saying hello to a stranger, or holding a door open for someone behind you can create a ripple effect by placing that someone in a positive state of mind. You never know, you might inspire someone else to do something kind for another person. This chain can create a positive and harmonious community.

To help you get started, here's a list of some random acts of kindness you can perform in your daily life:

• give your spare change to a homeless person
• donate a canned food item to a food drive
• volunteer for a day
• pick up garbage in a park
• let someone go in front of you in line
• pay for the person behind you in the drive-thru
• say thank you to someone
• give someone a smile
• ask your server how their day is going

There's so many more little and big things you could do to turn someone's day into a positive one. We challenge you to pick just one random act to perform on someone this February 17 on Random Acts of Kindness Day. Who knows, you might get inspired and challenge yourself to keep this going for every day moving forward. For more inspiration download these FREE Random Acts of Kindness posters from RandomActsOfKindness.org.

 

 

 

 

Interesting Facts about American History

January 20, 2020

February is American History Month. Many key figures and events have sprung up throughout American history. From the Revolutionary War in 1775 to today, there are many important moments that highlight key change in America. To celebrate this month-long observance, here are interesting facts about key figures and events in American History.

• Out of all the famous figures who have signed the Declaration of Independence, Edward Rutledge was the youngest at 26 and Benjamin Franklin was the oldest at 70. Learn more about the American Revolutionary War.

• The 3 main problems that led to the American Civil War were: slavery, industry in the north vs. agriculture in the south, and states' rights. Learn more about the American Civil War.

• During World War 1, Woodrow Wilson presented his peace program to Congress, which came to be known as The Fourteen Points. Learn more about World War 1.

• President Franklin Delano Roosevelt created the New Deal to help the US recover from the Great Depression. Learn more about the US Economy.

• The Battle of Midway was the "turning point" of World War 2, where the US defeated Japan during a fight to control the Midway Islands in the Pacific Ocean. Learn more about World War 2.

• Before 1951, presidents could serve for many terms. Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected four times. The 22nd Amendment limited a president's consecutive terms to two. Learn more about the American Government.

Get inspired with free worksheets and activities from our Social Studies FREE CONTENT page.

 

 

 

 

Adapting to Change Quiz

January 6, 2020

Being able to adapt to change is a key skill any 21st century student should acquire. It's not easy to change. We as humans enjoy routine and a sense of comfort. Unfortunately, change is an inevitability, and something that we all will experience in our lifetime, whether it be in our personal lives or in the workplace.

So, how well do you handle change? Take this quiz and find out! For each question, mark off the answer that most applies to you. Then, tally up your scores using the key. Download the free How You Are With Change Quiz worksheet for the score key.

Get more tips on acquiring 21st Century Skills with our related freebie worksheets.

 

 

 

 

New Year Trivia Game

December 23, 2019

January 4 is National Trivia Day. What better way to ease back into a new year of studies than to start things off with a trivia-style game. Separate the class into 2 or more groups. Have them name their group something unique. Then, gather a series of trivia questions. You can choose from a variety of subjects. For instance, you could do movie trivia, or pop culture, or go a little more educational and have science trivia, or world history. Below are a few options to get you started.

• At MomJunction.com, you can search through trivia questions and answers from different categories like sports, science, history, movies and music: https://www.momjunction.com/articles/trivia-questions-and-answers-for-kids_00418437/#gref
• TriviaCafe.com has a variety of questions about general education topics: https://www.triviacafe.com/trivia-questions/education/
• Chartcons.com also has a variety of questions stemming from literature to geography: https://chartcons.com/100-trivia-questions-kids-answers/
• TeachersFirst.com provides a trivia quiz geared towards breaking the ice for high school students: https://www.teachersfirst.com/content/knowyou/trivia.cfm
• FamilyEducation.com has even more topics to choose trivia questions from, like animals, food, holidays, math, seasons and television: https://www.familyeducation.com/quizzes

There are multiple ways to play a trivia-style game. Below are 3 different variations along with instructions.

1. In this first style, simply read out the questions and allow each team to answer quietly. Then, if they get the answer right, they get a point. In this style, every team gets to answer each question. In the event of a tie at the end of the game, you could include a lightning round. Each team gets 1 minute to answer as many questions as they can. The team with the most points at the end of the game wins.

2. In this second style, each team is asked a single question. Only the one team is allowed to answer the question. If the team answers correctly, they get a point and the next team is asked a question. If the team answers wrong, then they receive no point, and the next team is asked a question. In the event of a tie, you could include a lightning round, similar to what is used in the first style.

3. This third style is a variation of the second. In it, each team is asked a question that only they can answer. If they get the answer right, they get a point and are asked another question. The same team may answer questions until they answer one wrong. If the team answers a question wrong, then the next team has a chance to answer that same question. In this version, it is unlikely that a tie will occur, but in the event that it does, you can include a lightning round similar to what is used in the first style.

Additionally, you can check out our FREE CONTENT page to gather more information to add to your trivia game.

 

 

 

 

How to Encourage Young Scientist to Keep Experimenting
Science Experiments Over the Holiday Break

December 9, 2019

With the holiday break looming, it's hard to keep students' minds in learning mode. Just because school is out, doesn't mean learning stops. It's important to encourage a curious mind, even when out of the classroom. Here are a few science experiments that are perfect to do at home this holiday break.

Growing Crystals
You can grow your own crystals using things found at home. You will need: table salt, white sugar and Borax. You will also need: 3 wide shallow bowls, distilled water and a clean container to mix the water and crystals in. First, warm the distilled water a little, not too hot. Add about a cup of warm water to the container. Add salt while stirring. Keep adding salt until it no longer disappears when stirring. Let the salt settle to the bottom, then pour the liquid off the top into one of the 3 bowls and set aside. Then, repeat these steps with the sugar and the Borax, each going into a separate bowl. Now you wait until crystals start to form.

Wind Direction
A weather vane tells which way the wind is blowing. You will make your own weather vane to determine which way the wind is blowing this winter season. You will need: a paper straw, a sheet of thick paper, a pin, a pencil, and some clay. First, cut a slit in each end of the straw. Cut shapes out of the paper that look like the ends of an arrow. Put the pieces of paper into the slits made in the straw. Make a ball of clay and stick the pointy end of the pencil in it. Push the pin halfway through the middle of the straw, then into the eraser on the end of the pencil.

Fossil Impressions
Fossils are the remains of animals or plants that are preserved from a long time ago. You can make your own fossil impression using a paper rubbing technique. Find a handful of objects around your home that you find interesting. Try to find objects that have a lot of texture, like bumps, indents or lines. You will need: a blank piece of paper and a pencil. Place the piece of paper over your object. Use the side edge of the pencil to rub over the paper that is covering your object. The texture of the object underneath the paper should start to appear. Don't press too hard with the tip of the pencil.

Get even more science experiments from our FREE CONTENT page. And for more great ideas to keep students learning this holiday break, check out our December 17, 2018 blog post for strategies on encouraging students to keep learning and maintain a curious mind over the holidays. Then, read our December 7, 2017 blog post to get tips on how to encourage students to keep reading over the holiday break.

 

 

 

 

Personal Hygiene: The Proper Technique for Cleaning a Cut

November 25, 2019

December 1-7 is National Handwashing Awareness Week. Proper handwashing is essential to everyday health. However, there are instances where handwashing isn't enough. For instance, when you get a cut, handwashing is just the first step to cleaning it.

Sometimes, you may get a cut on your body. It's important to clean this cut fast. If you don't, you can get really sick. When you don't clean a cut, germs can get into your body. This can cause problems for your health. Follow these steps to ensure a cut has been properly cleaned.

The most important step to cleaning a cut is its first step: wash with soap and water. This step can be mastered with proper handwashing techniques. Check out our November 19 blog post for some techniques and a video tutorial on how to properly wash your hands.

 

 

 

 

Get Moving with the Rubber Band Car Challenge

November 11, 2019

Celebrate Entrepreneur's Day this November 19 by challenging your students to design and build their very own race car. No, this isn't a life size car, but instead a small one. One that will be powered by rubber bands. Get into a small team or on your own. You will design, build, modify and race your car to victory.

1. Prepare.
a) What are some parts of a car you will need?
b) How does a car move?
c) Look up “Rubber Band Car” on the Internet for ideas.
d) Draw your design.
e) What parts of the Rubber Band Car are like a real car?

2. Build and Test.
a) How will you get the wheels to move at the same time?
b) Test your car. Does it do what you want? What changes could be made?
c) Make changes and re-test.

3. Let the race begin!
a) Race two or more cars at a time.
b) Which car was the fastest?
c) What car went the furthest?

4. Take it to the next level.
a) Make your car carry small items, like a tennis ball.
b) Have your car drive in sand, grass or thick carpet.

Now, think back on this exercise. How did you car design do? Try this same activity with another design. Check out our January 7 blog post for some steps on how to iterate and innovate. Or, take a look at our September 24, 2018 blog post for some techniques for inspiring innovation and iteration in the classroom.

 

 

 

 

NaNoWriMo Challenge: 30-Chapter Novel

October 28, 2019

November is National Novel Writing Month, commonly known as NaNoWriMo. Encourage students to write their own novel during the month of November, whether it be short or long. The challenge: Write a chapter a day. The length of the chapter can be short—one page—or long—several pages in length. It's up to the author. By the end of the month, each student will have a 30-chapter novel to call their own.

Not sure how to get started? Here are our top tips to help you start writing:

1. Brainstorm. Come up with ideas by writing down all of your thoughts about a subject in a set period of time.
2. General to Specific. Think of a general topic you're interested in, like science. Narrow this down further into a specific subject, like space science, planets, mars. Write a story about a trip to mars.
3. Pick a genre. There are many types of stories out there. Decide which one you'd like to write: adventure, historical, mystery, realistic, science fiction, fantasy, animal.
4. Map it out. Make a map of your story, like a timeline. Include characters and key plot points that you want to touch on at specific times. Follow this map as you write your story.
5. Free writing. Just start writing. Think stream of consciousness. Write what comes in your head using complete sentences. It's okay if it doesn't make sense or doesn't flow together. Don't think too much as you put pen to paper.

Still need help? Get started with these helpful writing prompts:

• Write about your best friend.
• Write about your best Christmas ever.
• Write about the most important event that happened to you.
• Write about your summer vacation.
• Write about the worst storm you've experienced.
• Write about your most cherished memory.
• Write about a vivid dream you remember having.
• Write about what you think the future might be like.
• Write about the time you went to a new place for the first time.
• Write about the time you learned something important.

Get inspired by some other well-loved novels with bonus activities from our FREE CONTENT page.

 

 

 

 

The Good Side of Failure: A Learning Opportunity

October 14, 2019

Failure means you didn't do well at something you tried. This sounds bad, but it really isn't. It doesn't mean that you can't do it. It just means you can't do it in one shot. You need to try again. That's all. When you fail, look at what went wrong. Then, try again using a different method. Below is an example of someone trying to do something. For this scenario, explain how the person failed. Then, identify what they might have done wrong. What did they learn from each failure?

Susan was baking a cake. She was following the directions in a recipe. She needed 3 eggs, but only had 2. Her cake turned out too dry and didn't rise.

1. What was Susan's failure?
2. What did Susan do wrong?
3. What did Susan learn from her mistake? What should she do next time?

Everyone makes mistakes or fails at something from time to time. But when you fail you also learn something new. Every time you fail you can take a look at what you did wrong. This will help you become better for the next time you try.

To do things right, does not just mean to praise our success. It also means to learn from our failures. To fix what went wrong and do it again. Even if the second or third try does not work. Failing can be where you find strength and drive to push forward. You will fail many times. How you use and learn from these failures will show you what you're able to do. Here are 5 tips on how to fail with grace.

1. Take it all in.
When a failure happens accept it. How you react to what has happened, big or small, can make a difference to how you will carry on. Laugh it off, or take a break.

2. Ask why.
Reflect on why things went wrong. Find out where the change happened.

3. Make the change.
Accept that you have failed and why you failed. It is time to figure out what change has to be made. Then choose how to make sure it does not happen again. Failing is not bad, but failing the same way is.

4. Find the silver lining.
Within every failure, there is a lesson. The kind of lesson that later on will keep you from failing the same way again. Failures can help us learn more about ourselves. What strengths and weaknesses we have. So no matter how big or small the failure is, there is always a beautiful lesson to be learned.

5. Allow Grace.
Accept your faults and embrace them as things that make you who you are. No one is perfect, but sometimes we need to be reminded. So offer yourself some grace and time to reflect.

Don't be scared to fail. Making mistakes can be a lot of fun. Check out this free worksheet from our Learning Skills for Global Competency ready-made resource to learn how to have fun making mistakes.

 

 

 

 

Learning What's Right: The Tolerant Classroom

September 30, 2019

October is LGBTQ+ History Month. To celebrate, we encourage educators to teach tolerance all month long. Throughout history, advocates of the LGBTQ+ community have fought for equal rights, whether it be gender-specific, orientation-specific, or both. Take a look at the two timelines below to see key moments in the fight for gender and orientation-related rights.

The Fight for Gender-Related Rights

The Fight for Orientation-Related Rights

In teaching tolerance, first you must examine the concept of prejudice. Prejudice can exist in many forms! For example, some people don’t think a woman would make a good president. Another example is thinking that a woman should have to wear something ‘feminine’ to impress others. There are simple forms of prejudice against women that happen every day. We may not even notice them! Complete this hands-on activity from our Gender Equality & Inequality resource to not only brainstorm different examples of prejudice, but also to come up with possible solutions. Get the FREE DOWNLOAD HERE.

To further our study on tolerance, it's important to understand the idea of discrimination and where it comes from. Discrimination is an extension to prejudice. You see it everywhere. It can affect the classroom, workplace, even in the home. Below are a number of case studies that describe different kinds of discrimination. Choose 3 and describe how you could deal with the situation.

Case Study #1: Disability Discrimination
A school plans a trip to an art gallery. A blind student is not invited. This is because the school thinks she will not be able to participate in the gallery’s activities. Imagine you are her parent. What would you do?

Case Study #2: Sexism
There are a bunch of boys playing football in the park. A girl comes and asks if she can play. One of the boys says she can’t play because she’s a girl. Imagine you are one of the boys playing football. What would you do?

Case Study #3: Racism
There is a fight in the schoolyard between a white student and black student. The principal suspends the black student. The white student does not get a punishment. Imagine you are the vice principal. What would you do?

Case Study #4: Homophobia
A teacher describes gay relationships as ‘unnatural’ and ‘sinful’ during Sex Education. He says he will not discuss these types of relationships in class. There is a gay student in the class who is very upset by this. Imagine you are the student’s classmate. What would you do?

Case Study #5: Transphobia
A school is going on an overnight trip to a campsite. The camp says they can’t allow a transgender student to come on the trip. The reason is that they only have a boys’ tent area and a girls’ tent area. They claim they wouldn’t know where to put the student. Imagine you are the principal. What would you do?

Check out the Social Studies section of our FREE CONTENT page for some more relevant worksheets on tolerance.

 

 

 

 

Stay Safe Online for Cyber Security Awareness

September 16, 2019

October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month. There are lots of good things about being online. There are also lots of bad things. When you’re online, it’s easy to give away your information, or have your information stolen. This is called internet fraud. Internet fraud is when someone steals your information and then uses it as their own. Who’s at risk? People who shop online. People who use email and social media. People who use internet banking. If you put your information out there, someone can steal it.

Here are a few tips on how to avoid internet fraud:

1. Check your bank statements.
2. Don’t open emails from senders you don’t recognize.
3. Don’t use file sharing.
4. Destroy information before throwing it out.
5. Never give out your bank or credit card pin code.
6. Use safe sites.
7. Choose a password that uses numbers and upper and lowercase letters.

There are lots of fake emails that look real. They may offer cheap things, but these deals aren't real. When you look closely, they are scams. Your email account will get many fake emails. Most go to junk mail. They usually want you to click a link, or they may want you to change your password. They may want you to enter a password or ask for banking information. Just like fake emails, there are fake websites too. They are called phishing sites. They can pop up if your computer has a virus. Sometimes, the address is spelt a bit differently. It may look like a site you know. Don’t be fooled! There will be small things to notice.

Check out our free download from our Practical Life Skills: Managing Money ready-made lesson plan for help on how to spot a fake email. Get your free download here.

 

 

 

 

International Literacy Day: Literacy & Multilingualism

August 26, 2019

September 8 is UNESCO's International Literacy Day. The theme for 2019 is Literacy & Multilingualism. Multilingualism is the ability for a person to read or speak in more than one language. On this International Literacy Day, we celebrate those who can read in more than one language. Here are some reading tips for the multilingual reader.

1. Take your time. Don't rush through the reading. Whether you're reading in your first language, or your second, take your time reading. Make sure you understand not only the words, but the context in which they are being said. Pay attention to the tone of the story.

2. Keep an eye on punctuation. Some languages utilize different punctuation marks than others. For instance, in English, quotes from characters are generally surrounded by quotation marks (""). In Spanish, the same quotes will be contained within angular quotation marks («») or long dashes (—).

3. Don't fear the dictionary. Keep a dictionary handy while reading in a secondary language. If you come across a word you're not familiar with, look it up in the dictionary. From there, see how the word is used in the context of the novel to figure out the correct meaning.

4. Compare the reading. This involves having two copies of the same book, just in different languages. Have the book you're reading in a secondary language also available in your primary language. Keep them open at the same sections side by side. You can either read them interchangeably, or use the primary language version as a reference when you come across a section you're having trouble with.

5. Listen to the reading. Match the book with the audiobook. It helps to follow along with a reading while listening to a native speaker. You'll get insights into tone, inflexion and the context in which it was intended.

Test your literacy skills with our Novel Study Guides. Match the English version of the resource with its Spanish counterpart. Get started here.

 

 

 

 

How to Learn Better with the Help of your Brain

August 12, 2019

August is National Back to School Month. After the summer holidays, it's hard to get back into the learning frame of mind. Jump right into things by dissecting the strongest organ we have for learning—the brain. Get students into the spirit of learning by delving into how the brain works.

How do we learn new skills? What makes us able to remember? How are we able to recall past memories? Science has begun to explain how the brain works. But many things still remain a mystery.

Here are a few of the breakthroughs we know about our brain, and some suggestions to help you learn better.

1. More information does not mean more learning. It's better to break things down into chunks. Focus on one part at a time. Your brain cannot learn all things at once.

2. The brain is an always changing organ. Your brain isn't static. It grows and changes throughout your life.

3. Your mood affects how you learn. Negative moods can shut off parts of the brain. This makes it difficult to learn.

4. To learn, it is important to make mistakes. Let go of the error and build a new path in the mind. This helps it to grow and solve larger problems.

5. The brain needs new things and change. Repetition is good. But too much and the brain gets stuck. It's time to switch things up.

6. There are no learning styles. While you might prefer one style of learning. This doesn't mean you can't learn in other ways.

7. Brains work on the “use it or lose it” principle. Your brain must always be active. Practice what you are learning. Even outside of school.

8. Learning is social. Sharing what you know in a group setting can help make new connections.

9. Using the skills we are born with makes learning easier. Seeing and hearing patterns happens from infancy. Being able to learn language does too. Combining the two could make things easier to learn.

10. Learning can change brain structure. Learning new skills, doing activities or both at once. This grows new cells and can actually change the structure of the brain.

Get a free printout of this worksheet from our FREE CONTENT page.

 

 

 

 

Flip the Classroom for Back to School

July 29, 2019

August is National Back to School Month. What better way to start the new school year than to flip things on their head. The flipped classroom isn't a new idea. It's a trend that's been going around for a few years now. Some have taken the leap, while others have stayed true to the traditional classroom format. Here, we break down what is a flipped classroom, why it's beneficial, and how to do it.

What's it all about?
A flipped classroom is the concept where students are introduced to the lesson at home. Then, they practice working through this content at school. How can this be done? While at home, students utilize technology to work independently through a lesson. While at school, students have a chance for one-on-one interaction with their teacher to complete the "homework" assignment. This allows for students to be more prepared with questions and background knowledge of the lesson. Students get the help they need while also developing independent study skills. By allowing students to target what they need help with, the learning process becomes more streamlined. Teachers are able to narrow down what the students aren't understanding, and students are more engaged and able to progress at their own pace.

How to make the leap?
So how does one make the leap to a flipped classroom? The answer is a lot of prep work. Teachers can pre-record their lessons and post them online for students to access at home. Alternatively, teachers could create PowerPoint presentations along with audio recordings for students to move through at their own pace. Be sure to encourage students to take notes and list potential questions they may have for the next day in the classroom. Once students return to the classroom, they can then ask targeted questions about things they need clarification on. During this time, teachers would assign the "homework" assignments for students to complete in class. This allows them to ask any necessary questions in order to complete the worksheets.

A Beginner's Guide
Where do you go from here? If you're interested in giving the flipped classroom a try, start with these steps:

1. The topic. What is the topic that will be the focus of your next lesson? Put together all the material you want to use in your lesson plan.

2. The content. How will you present this material to your students? Will you record your own videos? Will you use pre-recorded videos you find online, like YouTube? How will you share graphics and images? Make sure whatever you choose, the content is presented in a captivating way. Remember, your students will be reviewing these lessons on their own, so you want to make sure they are engaged.

3. The technology. Decide on what kind of technology you will be utilizing. Will you be posting your content online? Make sure students have access to the Internet at home. Will it be available to the public? You can create a private virtual classroom that only your students have access to. There are some apps that allow you to create lessons within a program, and even lets you track your students progress as they move through the lesson.

4. The testing. Consider adding comprehension questions throughout the lesson. Sure the bulk of the worksheets and projects will be done in the classroom the following day, but it may be a good idea to add small questions sprinkled throughout your lesson. This will break up the monotony of a lecture, as well as test student comprehension and help them determine what they need further clarification on.

5. The application. It's now the next day and all your students are in the classroom. Now's when you find out what your students didn't understand from the lesson and what they need help on. One-on-one time can be given to each student. Group activities, projects and worksheets can be completed during this time. Consider leaving time at the beginning of class to survey the at-home process with your students. Find out what worked and what didn't so you can streamline the process for the next lesson.

Take a look at this article from Edpuzzle.com for more information to help you start flipping your classroom.

Visit our FREE CONTENT page for freebie lessons and worksheets to supplement your lesson plan.

 

 

 

 

3 Ways to Celebrate National Wellness Month

July 15, 2019

August is National Wellness Month. This is a time to promote overall wellness in all areas: body, mind and spirit. Prepare a series of activities to run all month long with your family or students. Create a custom routine with exercises that target these three key areas. Or, come up with a series of practices to make part of your daily lifestyle. Here are 3 suggestions that cover the three areas of overall wellness: body, mind and spirit.

Body

The most basic thing you can do for your body to stay healthy is to drink water. Not many of us drink enough water a day to stay well. Water helps maintain balance and makes sure all bodily functions are working properly. It keeps your skin looking nice and the kidneys functioning.

The amount of water a person should have a day varies. It's recommended that adult men should get around 13 cups a day, while women should aim for 9 cups. For children between 4 and 8 years old, they should be having 5 cups of water a day. Between the ages of 9 and 13, they should be having 7 to 8 cups. And between the ages of 14 and 18, children should be having between 8 to 11 cups of water per day.

For the month of August, challenge your kids, students and yourself to meet this recommended amount of water consumption. Try it for 31 days straight and see if you notice a difference with your body health. If you're not a fan of water, there are a few tricks you can do to spice it up. Add fruit to a pitcher of water. Any combination will do, but cucumber and mint are a classic. If you prefer your carbonated beverages, try adding a few bubbles to plain water. If you need a hit of more flavor, add a few drops of your favorite sugar-free drink mix.

Mind

The mind gets tired, just like your muscles. Stress is a major opponent to someone's overall health. Not only does it affect your mind, but it can also show signs on your body. To relieve stress and clear the mind, consider a deep breathing or meditation routine.

Stress can cause someone to take short, shallow breaths, or even to hold it without realizing. Breathing, like water, is a key component to staying healthy. Breathing allows oxygen to enter the body. Oxygen is then sent to the blood and organs, including the brain. Help maintain good breathing practices and relieve stress with a deep breathing routine. Start by sitting straight and still. Take a long deep breath in for 3 seconds. Then, let it out slowly for 5 seconds. Do this for 1 minute a few times during the day.

You can take this deep breathing exercise even further by incorporating it into a meditation routine. For this, sit cross-legged on a pillow on the floor. Sit up straight and rest your hands on your knees. Close your eyes and start your deep breathing technique. As you breathe, release your concentration and let your mind clear. Allow thoughts to drift in and out of your mind. Try not to focus on any particular thing.

Spirit

Your spirit is an extension of your mind. It connects mind and body. Sleep is an important aspect of overall health. The way to get good sleep is with a balanced spirit. Consider completing a series of exercises right before bed. You should do this for 10 minutes before laying down, and definitely have no digital devices afterward.

Start off with some good stretching exercises. Some of these stretches can even be done on the bed itself. Sit tall. Inhale while you lift your arms. Exhale as you wrap your arms around you in a hug. Hold this stretch while you breathe deeply for 30 seconds. Inhale to open your arms back up. Exhale as you bring your arms around you again, this time with the opposite arm on top. Repeat the exercise. For the next exercise you will sit tall once more. Using your hand, place it over your head to the opposite ear. Gently pull towards your elbow so your ear comes to your shoulder. Hold this for a few deep breaths. Repeat on the other side. Facing forward, turn your head to look over your shoulder. Hold for a few deep breaths, then repeat on the opposite side. Drop your chin down and hold for a few breaths. Then, look upward and hold for a few breaths more.

You can take these simple stretches and combine them with a few yoga exercises. A great one is called Child's Pose. For this one, come down on your knees and sit back on your heels. Spread your knees outward, keeping your feet touching. Let your upper body come forward toward the ground. Extend your arms and let your forehead rest on the ground. Hold this position for several minutes, breathing deeply throughout.

What's Next?

You can learn more about how the body works with our Human Body series. You can also learn more about personal health with our Daily Health & Hygiene Skills lesson plan.

Check out our August 6, 2018 blog post for some more great fitness ideas.

 

 

 

 

Freedom and Independence in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

June 17, 2019

July 4th is not only Independence Day, it is also celebrated as Tom Sawyer Fence Painting Day. Tom Sawyer is the titular character in author Mark Twain's famous novel. Mark Twain is one of America's most iconic authors. He details the adventures of every-day American children. Independence Day is the perfect time to celebrate this author and take a look at some of the adventures of his mischievous characters, like Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn.

In Twain's novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, we see Huck flee from home with Jim, an escaped slave. The two travel together in search of freedom and their own independence. For this 4th of July, we challenge students to think of this concept of freedom and independence, and reflect on the struggles that early Americans encountered while searching for their own freedom.

Students will read the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Then, they will complete the two writing tasks below.

Get more Novel Study Guide-related freebie activities from our FREE CONTENT page.

 

 

 

 

3 Engaging Activities for End of Year

June 3, 2019

June is a month of conclusion. As well as the end of Spring, it's also the end of the school year. With Summer and its accompanying time off looms closer, it's easy to stop thinking about the classroom and start thinking about hot days and cool nights spent outside. Although time in the classroom is ending, that doesn't mean time to learn has. Enjoy these 3 engaging activities that promote outdoor learning to celebrate the end of the school year.

1. Experiment for World Environment Day

World Environment Day is June 5. This year it will be hosted by China with the theme: Air Pollution. Head outside and discuss improvements to the quality of air that we breathe. To get started, complete a fact card and accompanying worksheets to learn about air. Then, complete an experiment to discover how we feel air around us. Get these free worksheets from our Air, Water and The Environment sister resource for primary students in grades 2-4.

2. Celebrate Changing Seasons

The first day of Summer is June 21. Celebrate the change in seasons with a look back at the past year. Think about the last year. What was the weather like where you live? How did the weather change with the seasons? When was it hot? When was it rainy? When was it windy? Write down everything you can remember about each of the four seasons. Draw a picture of each season as it looks to you where you live. Do you know what type of climate you live in? Are you in the North or South part of Earth? Do you see all 4 seasons or just a few? Write your answers in the free graphic organizer.

3. Explore the Skies for Meteor Watch Day

Meteor Watch Day is June 30. Take advantage of the summer nights and stare up at the sky. Appreciate the intricate designs made by the stars. See if you can make out any of the constellations. Now imagine a meteorite is heading for Earth. Write a news report or broadcast that warns of this imminent attack. Include interviews and facts about meteors. Get full directions with our free worksheets from our Solar System resource for middle school students in grades 5-8.

Get more freebie activities from our FREE CONTENT page.

 

 

 

 

Tips for Personal Safety

May 21, 2019

June is National Safety Month. We are met with many dangers in our daily lives. These can be found in the home, on the web, or out in our community. There are some things you can do to ensure your safety. Below are a series of tips to help keep you safe.

Internet fraud is when someone steals your information. Then they use this as their own. Who's at risk? People who shop online. People who use email and social media. People who use internet banking. If you put your information out there, someone can steal it. Learn more about internet fraud with a free research activity from our free Daily Marketplace Skills bonus worksheets. Here are some tips to avoid internet fraud:

1. Check your bank statements.
2. Don't open emails from senders you don't recognize.
3. Don't use file sharing.
4. Destroy information before throwing it out.
5. Never give out your bank or credit card pin code.
6. Use safe sites.
7. Choose a password that uses numbers and upper and lowercase letters.

Workplace safety is an issue that is taken seriously by employers and the government. It's important to follow the safety rules as provided. Below is a list of common safety rules you might see at work:

For Your Safety…

• follow procedure
• stay in the speed limits
• use the right tools and equipment for the job
• always wear protective equipment
• make sure you have a valid work permit
• don’t walk underneath things
• turn power off before doing work
• always use a safety harness
• wear the right clothing

Create a workplace safety poster, part of our free Practical Life Skills - Employment & Volunteering bonus worksheets.

Personal safety is by far the most important thing. Keeping yourself safe in many different situations should be something everyone should consider. Below are the Dos and Don'ts for Public Safety:

Furthermore, staying safe while out in your community or traveling is even more so important. Being out of your comfort zone puts you on edge. Below are tips on how to stay safe in your community and while traveling:

Extend your study on personal safety with a graphic organizer with tips on How to be Safe in the Real World. Follow this up with a hands-on activity to create an emergency kit for the house and car. Download these FREE WORKSHEETS here.

Get more activities dealing with safety from our Social Studies section of our FREE CONTENT page.

 

 

 

 

Building Good Communication Skills with Eleanor Estes

May 6, 2019

We wish Eleanor Estes a happy birthday on May 9. Best known for her 1944 novel The Hundred Dresses, this story evokes major themes of bullying. In her novel, Wanda Petronski is different from the rest of the children in her class. She is poor and friendless, and is seated in the worse seat in the classroom. Constantly teased and mocked by her classmates for wearing the same faded blue dress every day, Wanda claims to own 100 dresses. This obvious lie causes her peers to mock her even more, resulting in her father's decision to move her to a different school. Before she leaves, she enters a drawing contest where she designs 100 different dresses. She moves away before realizing she has won the contest and the respect of her classmates.

Eleanor Estes' emotional novel teaches us the importance of anti-bullying and not judging a book by its cover. We honor this concept by exploring some exercises to promote acceptance and tolerance. Learn about the importance of communication, including the different forms it comes in. Get tips to help build good communication skills. Then, explore the different kinds of non-verbal communication and complete a team building exercise without the use of words.

Download the FREE WORKSHEETS at our FREE CONTENT page.

 

 

 

 

Building Personal Brands: Preparing for Tomorrow

April 22, 2019

April 25 is Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day. Give the tools your kids need to get ahead and start thinking about their future career. Prepare your kids for their future with exercises on building personal brands. A personal brand is how you sell yourself to the world. When thinking about future careers, the first step to being a success is having a strong network. To have a strong network, the first thing to do is establish yourself as a strong candidate for potential job positions. In order to do this, you must first establish a strong personal brand for yourself.

Get started with this Build Your Personal Brand worksheet. It will guide kids in what they need to think about in order to start building their brand. Once this is complete, follow the steps to creating an Elevator Speech. Use this worksheet to both create and practice an elevator speech. Kids will have 3 minutes to sell themselves to a potential employer. Use these activities while at work as practice.

Visit the Social Studies section of our FREE CONTENT page for more free Life Skills worksheets.

 

 

 

 

A Study on Plastic for Earth Month

April 8, 2019

All month long we celebrate the Earth, culminating in Earth Day on April 22. This year's theme for Earth Month is Plastic... More Than Pollution. Plastic is used in nearly all manufacturing of products. It's the packaging that surrounds our many goods. It's used in furniture, utensils, cups and bags. And although it can easily be recycled, many of it finds its way into our trash or worse—as pollution in our environment.

This pollution not only makes the environment look dreadful, it also affects wildlife in a negative way. Much of the world's plastic pollution ends up in the ocean. Floating islands of garbage and debris invade ocean water habitat. Animals become trapped or ingest this toxic invader, usually resulting in their deaths. It's time to give this epidemic the attention it deserves. This month, let's educate ourselves on the deadly effects of plastic pollution.

Below we offer three activities to introduce your classroom into your study of plastic pollution. Use these questions as a starting off point into a more in-depth and hands-on look at this environmental invader.

1. Imagine that you have a yogurt for lunch. The yogurt comes in a plastic cup with a plastic lid. How could you use the yogurt container again instead of throwing it away?

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. Learn more about plastics recycling. Research the meaning of the plastics recycling number system. You may use the Internet or library resources. Be sure to find out:

• the difference between each type of plastic,
• the way in which each type of plastic is recycled,
• examples of each type of plastic,
• the products that each type of plastic are made into when they are recycled.

Create a poster to display the information you learned. Cut out photographs of different plastic products from each group. Write labels for each group to describe the type of plastic, how it is recycled, and what it is made into.

3. Number the events from 1 to 7 to show the order of events that leads to a turtle dying from eating a plastic bag.

___ a) A rain storm washes a plastic bag into a stream.
___ b) People bring food to a picnic in a plastic bag.
___ c) Deep in the ocean, a sea turtle mistakes the plastic bag for food.
___ d) The plastic bag lands at the bottom of a tree.
___ e) A stream carries the plastic bag to the ocean.
___ f) The plastic bag blows away in the wind.
___ g) A sea turtle eats the plastic bag.

Answers:
1. Answers will vary, but may include: Wash out the yogurt container and use it to store small objects, like change or small seashells.
2. Answers will vary based on resources used.
3. a) 4; b) 1; c) 6; d) 3; e) 5; f) 2; g) 7

Find more related activities from our FREE CONTENT page.

 

 

 

 

UN World Water Day Challenge

March 18, 2019

UN World Water Day is March 22. Each year, the UN comes out with an overall theme that will be the main focus for World Water Day. This year, the theme is: Leaving no one behind. The goal here is to make clean water available for all by 2030. It's important to make safe water accessible to all, and the UN has challenged us to address the reasons why so many people are being left behind during this water crisis.

We'd like to forward this challenge on to you and your classroom. As a group, brainstorm possible reasons why so many people are without safe, clean water. Think about these questions:

• Who are the people that are being left behind?
• Why are these people being left behind?
• How can these people gain access to safe and clean water?

Get to know more about this theme at the World Water Day website and download a free factsheet. Find out how this year's theme is an extension of the UN's Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6) that strives to ensure safe water for all by 2030. Learn more about the problem billions of people are facing without access to safe water, and gain possible insight to share during your classroom brainstorming session.

Delve deeper into this issue with additional resources, like posters and animations. Utilize these materials in your classroom event. Have students look at the posters, then design their own. Set up a station for the animations, then have your students storyboard their own. As a class, develop a social media campaign with the help of the Social Media Kit. Finally, take part in the "World's Largest Lesson" by introducing your students to the Sustainability Development Goals with provided educational resources.

Visit the World Water Day website to learn more about this event and how you can participate.

 

 

 

 

Celebrating Strong Women in March

March 4, 2019

March is Women's History Month. It's a time to honor and celebrate the strength that women share. There have been countless women throughout history who have shown great strength in the face of adversity. Many of these women have been immortalized in novels that have withstood the test of time. These novels have become literary classics that are read in classrooms all over the country.

Little House on the Prairie is one book in a series that can be considered the memoirs of one Laura Ingalls Wilder. Written as a narrative, the real-life woman tells her tale of growing up in a settler and pioneer family. Learn more about this extraordinary woman with 10 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Laura Ingalls Wilder from Publishers Weekly.

 

 

 

 

Island of the Blue Dolphins tells the story of Karana, a young girl who is stranded on her home island after the rest of her people leave following a devastating encounter with the Aleuts. She survives alone for eighteen years before being discovered by men sailing to the island. This Newbery Medal-winning story is based on the real life of Juana Maria, who was marooned for eighteen years on San Nicolas Island. Learn more about The Lone Woman of San Nicolas and the island she inhabited from the National Park Service.

 

 

 

Esperanza Rising follows the childhood hardships experienced by Esperanza Ortega as she flees from her once-luxurious life in Mexico to a Mexican farm worker camp in California during the Great Depression. The novel is written by Pam Muñoz Ryan, the granddaughter of the real Esperanza Ortega, of which this novel is based on. As a young girl, Esperanza would tell her granddaughter stories about her life when she first came to the United States. Later, Pam would marvel at the stories of her grandmother's life in Mexico. Learn why Esperanza Ortega is a celebrated woman this month with the Author's Notes from Scholastic.

 

 

 

The Miracle Worker is an emotional portrayal of the relationship between a child and her teacher. In it, we follow Helen Keller, who is rendered deaf and blind at an early age. Her parents send for teacher Anne Sullivan to help the girl learn to communicate. The miracle happens when Anne spells the word "water" on Helen's hands while at the water pump, and Helen finally understands. Both of these real women show tremendous strength. With the help of Anne Sullivan, Helen Keller was able to grow up to graduate from college, help establish the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), and receive many honors in recognition of her accomplishments. Complete this Research Assignment from our Free Content page to learn more about this amazing woman.

Visit our FREE CONTENT page for more great worksheets to supplement any theme.

 

 

 

 

Fact from Fiction: Migration and The Great Depression

February 18, 2019

This month we celebrate one of American Literature's most iconic authors. February 27 marks the birth of John Steinbeck. His fiction works captured what it was really like to live and work during The Great Depression of 1930s America. Through his storytelling, we are able to get firsthand experience through the eyes of his characters.

Migration is a major theme in many of his novels, most notably The Grapes of Wrath. During The Great Depression, families were forced to uproot their lives and travel across the country in order to find work. This mass migration is the focal point of his novel. We offer two FREE WORKSHEETS from our The Grapes of Wrath Novel Study Guide that capture the period of The Great Depression, otherwise known as the Dust Bowl; as well as a look at the historic Route 66, which saw many Americans travel along this highway to California.

The Great Depression—and mass migration that resulted—although a major theme in Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath, was a real event that had a major negative effect on the citizens of the United States during the 1930s. It's worth learning more about this trying time as it remains a major part of our history. We encourage teachers to connect the fictionalized work of John Steinbeck with the non-fiction event that inspired it. We offer two FREE WORKSHEETS from our Economy & Globalization resource, starting with an activity surrounding the Stock Market Crash of 1929, which led to The Great Depression. From there, we provide a writing task assignment on The Great Depression, asking students to write a story in the same style as Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath. Additionally, students will hold a panel discussion where they represent members of different countries to discuss international immigration policy.

Visit our FREE CONTENT page for more great worksheets to supplement any theme.

 

 

 

 

Mapping the Routes of African-American Movement

February 4, 2019

February is Black History Month, and for this year the theme is Black Migrations. We'd like to celebrate this rich history with a selection of freebie resource.

Start your journey with a stop at the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH). Read about this year's theme and its significance to the study of Black History.

Finally, visit our FREE CONTENT page for two migration-based writing tasks based on the novel, Underground to Canada. Use the provided graphic organizer map to illustrate the character's movement from a plantation in the south to their freedom in Canada.

 

 

 

 

Task Cards to Encourage a Lost Art

January 21, 2019

Handwriting is a critical skill every student learns. In recent years, we've seen a decline in this activity, making this form of writing a lost art. In this digital age, it may seem as though handwriting is no longer a necessary component of daily life. We disagree with this mindset. The truth is, even though typing has replaced how we write for the most part, there are still some times when writing by hand is necessary. It's important that when this happens, our handwriting is legible.

Maybe you're compiling a shopping list, or writing down a note for someone. What if that someone can't read your writing? Practicing common handwriting techniques at a young age can instill this timeless skill deep in students' framework so that they can retain that skill throughout their lives.

In celebration of National Handwriting Day on January 23rd, we've compiled a selection of task cards to practice key handwriting techniques.

              

Download a PDF version of these task card worksheets from our FREE CONTENT page.

 

 

 

 

New Year, New You
5 Steps to Iterating and Innovating

January 7, 2019

It's a new year, and a new chance for students to become new versions of themselves. As teachers, we inspire students to think in a new way. Here are our 5 steps to get students iterating and innovating this new year.

1. Dream
Think of a new method, idea or product. What is yours?

2. Brave
Stick with your Dream idea, even if others don’t like it. What were others saying about your idea? How did you feel?

3. Share
Tell your friends and family about your Dream idea. Get their points of view. What new ideas did you get?

4. Stick to It
This is the hardest part. Keep trying new things to make your Dream Idea better. What is the biggest roadblock you had to overcome?

5. Review
Compare your first Dream Idea to your final idea. What part improved the most?

Download a PDF version of this list in a worksheet format to print and hand out to your students.

Check out our September 24, 2018 blog post for some techniques for inspiring innovation and iteration in the classroom.

 

 

 

 

Strategies to Encourage Learning and Curiosity

December 17, 2018

During the holiday season, it's hard for students to associate the winter break with study. Help students stay ready for the New Year and the topics they'll be welcomed back to. Here are some of our strategies to create a curious mindset in your students so they don't stop learning during their time off.

Camouflage Questions

Camouflage key questions that will be answered in the New Year so students are thinking about them during their time away. This could be an overarching question on a specific topic that will be the focus on their return. Hide this overlaying question by associating it with a holiday theme. For instance, if you're in a location where students may be making snowmen on their time off, you could leave them with the question of, "how does snow get made?" In the New Year, discuss this question with your students as you lead into a unit on weather and the water cycle.

Mask Learning Tools with a Gift

It's customary for students to receive gifts during their winter break, so it's no wonder that this would be first on their minds. Send your students off with your own version of a holiday gift that is also educational. Look for small puzzles that will encourage their creativity or critical thinking skills. A holiday-themed crossword or word search puzzle along with a customized pen with their name on it would be a great idea. There are also small science experiment kits they could use. Send them off with an educational scavenger hunt to complete while they're away. Offer prizes to winners when they return.

Baking with Chemistry and Math

Chemistry and math are two subjects that are used in baking. Baking also just happens to be something that many families do during their winter break. Send students home with a holiday cookie recipe that is interspersed with math and chemistry questions. Have students convert some measurements in the recipe. Or, have the students double the entire recipe so they'll have lots to share. Include explanations of what's happening to the ingredients as they cook in the oven. Include an extension activity where students imagine what is happening in the oven, and tells the story from the point of view of the ingredients.

Remember, winter break is a time to relax and spend some quality time with family. Even sharing some creative craft ideas for students to complete with their loved ones is a great way to keep their minds busy and curious. Check out some of our favorite holiday-themed crafts at our pinterest board: https://www.pinterest.com/ccpinteractive/christmas-crafts/

 

 

 

 

Travel Through Time with Task Cards

December 3, 2018

Pretend to Be a Time Traveler Day is December 8. Put history and imagination to the test with these time-travel-themed writing tasks.

Download a PDF version of these task cards to print and hand out to your students.

Check out more related FREEBIES at our Free Content page.

 

 

 

 

Spread the Word, not the Germs with Proper Handwashing Techniques

November 19, 2018

National Handwashing Awareness Week is December 2-8. Proper hygiene techniques is a vital component of daily life skills for all young learners to master. This all starts with proper handwashing techniques.

Proper handwashing technique starts with wet hands. Apply enough soap and scrub hands together to form a lather. Rinse, then dry hands with a clean towel.

To break it down further, follow these steps:

• Scrub palms over the back of each hand. Interlace fingers as you do so.
• Return to scrubbing palms while interlacing fingers.
• Scrub the backs of each finger against the palm.
• Scrub the fingertips against the palm, making sure to get soap underneath the fingernails.
• Grab each thumb and rotate palm around it.
• Scrub around each wrist.

Watch this video to see proper handwashing techniques in action.

Once these handwashing techniques are mastered, learners can implement these strategies to all areas of their lives. Follow this infographic to learn proper daily hygiene habits.

Get your FREE worksheet here.

 

 

 

 

Get Experimenting with STEAM Day

November 5, 2018

November 8 is National STEM/STEAM Day. It's a time to encourage students to get involved in the world of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math. We're doing our part by sharing these engaging science experiments.

Physical Science

Students will conduct an experiment to see Electric and Magnetic Forces in Action.

Get your FREE worksheet here.

 

 

 

 

 

Life Science

Why do we have thumbs? Students get to answer this question with an adaptation experiment.

Get your FREE worksheet here.

 

 

 

 

 

Earth & Space Science

Students make their own Rain Gauge to see how much rain falls.

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Check out more related FREEBIES at our Free Content page.

Visit our pinterest board for some more FREE STEAM experiments:
https://www.pinterest.com/ccpinteractive/steam-for-young-scientists/

 

 

 

 

Thinking Critically with Task Card Puzzles

October 22, 2018

Get your students thinking critically with these practice task cards. These puzzles will help students improve their logic and reason skills.

              

              

              

Download a PDF version of these puzzles to print and hand out to your students. Answers included.

Check out more related FREEBIES at our Free Content page.

 

 

 

 

Strategies for Getting Ready for Parent-Teacher Conferences

October 8, 2018

It's parent-teacher conference time. This is a time for parents to get caught up on everything their child has been up to in school so far. It can be a very rewarding time for both parents and teachers as they become familiar with one another. Here are our strategies for teachers to become better prepared for a successful meet and greet with their students' parents.

First Impressions

It's good to expect parents to show up with a positive attitude. However, keep in mind that you may encounter frustrated parents of a challenging student. It's important to approach these situations calmly and patiently.

• Let the parent release their frustrations. Don't go on the defensive. Allow the parent to speak their mind. They will want to hear your response afterward.
• Clearly explain the situation to the parent. Explain why his or her child is having trouble in your class.
• Explain to them which steps have been taken to rectify this situation, and which steps will be implemented in the future.

You will want to leave parents with a sense of understanding and a clear plan moving forward.

Get to Know

The point of a parent-teacher conference is to communicate your classroom goals as well as update parents on their children's progress.

• Be open to new ideas. Parents may approach you with suggestions specific to their own child's learning style. These suggestions may be good to implement to the class as a whole.
• Be organized. Have your materials ready ahead of time. These can be project grades, test marks, or just observation notes you've compiled.
• Make sure each student has their own folder containing these materials. You'll want to have everything you need in a place that you can easily and quickly access.

Being organized not only puts the parents at ease, but it will make you more confident while discussing each students' progress.

Closing Statement

End each meeting on a positive note. You'll want parents to leave the meeting feeling confident in their child's progress.

• Make sure to follow-up each meeting with a thank you.
• If a parent did not attend the meeting, make sure you contact them directly with notes on their child.
• Ensure your contact information is up-to-date. Regular communication with parents moving forward can only benefit everyone involved.
• Take any notes you gathered during the meeting and implement them into your lesson planning and classroom management.

More Resources

Use these printable handouts for your parent-teacher conference. Get tips on how to properly communicate with parents, as well as important questions to be prepared for. Complete a conference worksheet to give to parents at the end of the meeting as a take-home information sheet of things discussed. Give parents a survey to encourage involvement in their child's classroom.

              

For more tips and strategies, check out these other resources:

Tips for Successful Parent-Teacher Conferences - Education World

Parent-Teacher Conferences - Eric J. Gabor, Kids Health

Teacher Tips for Successful Parent-Teacher Conferences - Scholastic

 

 

 

 

Techniques for Inspiring Innovation and Iteration in the Classroom

September 24, 2018

Innovation is creating something completely new from scratch. Iteration is creating a different version of something that already exists, like making it better. Inventors are innovators. They can also make existing inventions better. Help students become inventors in their own right with these teaching techniques.

1. Creative Endings

Have your students stretch their creative minds by completing an unfinished paragraph. Provide the start of a paragraph, and instruct your students to be as creative as possible when finishing it. There are no right or wrong answers. Here's an example to get you started:

I was in my basement and found a secret door! I slowly started to open it and...

2. Challenge the Status Quo

To be innovative, students will challenge the status quo. Start by explaining what is the status quo: the way things are or have always been done. Have your students challenge this idea by asking them the following questions:

• What needs to be challenged?
• What needs to be improved?
• What is the greatest risk?
• What can you expect?
• What can you learn?

Once you've prepped your students' minds, have them explain what action they will take to challenge the status quo.

3. Unlocking Zero-Based Thinking

Zero-Based Thinking is a way of thinking about things. Students can be much more innovative and creative using this method. It is about thinking with no limits. Encourage students to start thinking in this manner when faced with a problem. Have your students break into teams. Ask them to imagine that they are designing a new fridge. Make sure they don't discuss what they DON'T like about their current fridge. Make sure they discuss what their ideal fridge should be like.

4. The Iteration Corner

Create a designated section of your classroom for iterative ideas. The Iteration Corner is where students will make something better. Have them think of a new version of something that they like. Set up a station of different things that are "old". In another station, have all the latest versions of these same things. Students will compare the old versions with the new. Students will answer the following:

What's different between the two versions?
What do you like best about the new version?
Name one thing you would change about the new version. What would your next iteration look like?

5. The Innovative Corner

This is where students will make something new or different. Set up a station that will let students think of new ideas. Have examples of new things throughout history. Students will think up their own ideas. There's no limit to their imagination. They don't need to be realistic. They do need to reach a demand in today's culture. Have students describe their new ideas in an oral presentation.

Utilize these free resources in the classroom to get your students in the innovative mindset:

Examples of Iteration and Innovation matching activity.

Great Innovations Throughout History timeline poster.

Innovation in an American Icon research activity.

Check out our pinterest board for some more FREE worksheets from our Life & Workplace resources: https://www.pinterest.com/ccpinteractive/life-workplace-skills/

 

 

 

 

Strategies for a Bilingual Classroom

September 10, 2018

Whether you're learning English or a secondary language, a bilingual classroom can be challenging to navigate. Some students may speak one language, while the rest are speaking another. It can be hard to communicate to both groups of students together. We have compiled a list of strategies to help teachers turn their diverse classroom of students into bilingual learners.

1. Diverse Group Work

Pair students with different language backgrounds together. This creates a challenge for students to break language barriers. It also helps them learn from each other.

2. Learning Style Objectives

Create lessons that utilize multiple learning styles. For example, incorporate a visual aspect as well as a verbal aspect to a lesson. Have students complete an activity using only visual means, like a diagram or poster. Then, have students complete a similar activity using only verbal means, like an oral presentation.

3. One-on-One Communication

Take the time to communicate with each student one-on-one, providing a positive experience for each student. A short 5-minute small talk session can be a valuable tool in a bilingual classroom. Start a conversation in one language, then switch partway through. Mix it up with the student using one language and you another.

4. Language Expectations

Set specific expectations when a certain language is to be used. Conduct one full lesson in a singular language. Then, conduct another full lesson in a secondary language. Set limits for your students to use only one language at a certain time. This will encourage students who speak a certain language to mingle with students who speak the other.

5. Multi-Language Communication

Encourage students to speak using both languages together. Say one sentence in English, followed by another sentence in another language. Swap words from multiple languages within a single sentence.

6. Bridging Translation

Have students translate sentences from one language to another. You can once again pair students with different language backgrounds to help each other during this process.

Start your bilingual classroom off strong with these ready-made SPANISH-language Novel Study Guides.

For more tips and strategies, visit these resources:

Five Fundamental Strategies for Bilingual Learners - Kevin M. Wong, Huffington Post

Bridging Content and Language: Strategies from a Dual Language Classroom - Gretchen Vierstra, Teaching Channel

ELL Strategies & Best Practices: Bright Ideas for Teaching ELLs - Colorín Colorado

 

 

 

 

How to Stay Organized for Back to School

August 20, 2018

It's that time of year again. A new school year is starting. New and returning students are filling the classrooms. Are you ready to start off strong? It can be hard to be prepared for a fresh class. Get off on the right foot with these techniques and tips to help stay organized those first few weeks.

1. Get the Lay of the Land

It may sound silly, but you should take a good look at your classroom. Take note of the location of boards, windows and shelves. Count the number of desks. Are there enough? How's the layout? Try grouping desks together to form little islands in your classroom. This allows for students to take advantage of group learning, as well as give them the opportunity to work individually if needed.

2. Get Stocked Up

Make sure you have enough supplies. This goes without saying, but is an important step nonetheless. Are there enough textbooks for each student? Will some need to share? Are there enough pens, paper, notebooks, or craft supplies? What about calculators, rulers or microscopes? Keep a list on hand of how many supplies you have and need. During the first few weeks, mark off what's been used so you'll know what you'll need to replenish before you run out.

3. Get Labeling

Labels are always great for organization. They're functional and look good too. Put away the tried-and-true label maker and let your creative juices flow. Label paint stir sticks using your calligraphy skills and use them to organize books on your shelf by genre. Chalkboard paint or dry erase tape can be used for quick and easy re-writes.

4. Get Going with Bins

We've all been there. We've had the intention of not letting things pile up, but before you know it, you've got a huge pile of papers on your desk. Sometimes this gets away from you when you just don't have the time right that second to file it away. Get yourself a bin to put those last-minute papers you just don't have time for. Pick a time each week to go through this bin and put everything in its rightful place. Commit to the same time each week and you'll find that big ol' pile of papers on your desk was a thing of the past.

5. Get Familiar with Cubbies

Passing papers between you and your students can quickly get out of control. Build a cubby system to make this process stay functional. Use a shoe organizer or cube bookcase. If space allows, add short baskets to each cubby so papers don't get lost or blown away. Add each student's name with your tried-and-true label system. Use this system to share homework, assignments, projects, and permission slips with your students.

BONUS

Your classroom is ready and you're set for the first few weeks to go smoothly. Instead of just jumping right into the lesson you have prepared, what if you started things off with a game. The idea is to break the ice between you and your students. It's also a great way to get even the shy students in your class to feel comfortable. Instead of taking attendance, play the name game. Instead of calling each students' name, have them tell you and the rest of the class. Have them share a short funny story from their summer to go along with their introduction.

Check out our pinterest board for some more great ideas: https://www.pinterest.com/ccpinteractive/back-to-school/

 

 

 

 

Get Active with Your Child

August 6, 2018

It's Exercise with Your Child Week! School might be out, but that doesn't mean learning stops. As a teacher, you know the importance of stretching the mind, but don't forget about the muscles. Get active and promote a healthy lifestyle while spending some quality time with your child. Start by making a fitness routine to follow for the week. First, decide what type of fitness routine you want. Take a look at the Cause and Effect chart below. Decide on the effect you want from your workout. Then, find out what action will cause that effect. From there, review the list of exercises tailored to each option. Make your custom fitness routine and use our Daily Fitness Chart to keep track of your progress.

Need help coming up with fun exercises to do together? Here are a few ideas to get you started:

1. Yoga — If you want a more relaxing experience, Yoga is great for stretching, getting flexible, and practicing proper breathing techniques. You and your child will feel relaxed and refreshed after this workout.

2. Pilates — If you want something a little more upbeat, try Pilates. The moves are similar to Yoga, but focus more on being active. Target your core, lower or upper body, and see some strength and flexibility return to your muscles.

3. Walking — This is a great low-impact workout to do together. Pick a nice scenic route to follow. Catch up with things that have been happening in each other's lives. Set an end goal, like reaching a place that sells all-natural smoothies as a reward. Need something more intense? Try jogging or running instead.

4. Dance — This one is great and requires no instructions to follow. Just turn on some upbeat tunes and let the music take you. Pick your favorite song and create a dance routine. Try to learn a new dance form. If you have access to a video game console, play along with a dance-style game.

5. Frisbee — Grab your Frisbee and head outdoors. Play a game of catch, or take things up a notch with Ultimate Frisbee. Make up your own rules of the game. Get others to join in. Use this concept with any type of sport.

Want even more of a challenge? Try our Cardio Workout to calculate your key to losing weight. Find your specific heart rate zone and use a heart rate monitor to make sure you stay on track. Try to stay within this zone while you move through different cardio workouts, like aerobics, walking, biking, and even dancing.

We challenge you to keep this fitness routine going after this week. Follow your plan for a couple weeks. See if your goals are slowly being met. Make small changes to better your plan. After about 2 months, look over your plan. Was it a good plan? Did you achieve or are well on your way to achieving your goal? Write a blog of your experiences. Would you recommend this fitness plan for others? Ask others to participate. Make a month-long challenge that follows your plan.

 

 

 

 

That's one small step for Moon Day

July 16, 2018

July 20 is Moon Day. This day commemorates Apollo 11's landing on the surface of the moon. This event saw humankind's first step on the surface of another celestial body. Go back to this pivotal day in history by counting down the events that led us there.

Use our interactive timeline to track Apollo 11's history-making journey. Complete with images and videos of the event. From our Ready-Made Space Travel & Technology Digital Lesson Plan.

Get the timeline for PC.

Get the timeline for MAC.

 

Apollo 11 Mission to the Moon Timeline

July 16 - Launch: At 8:32 a.m. EST, Saturn V rocket carrying Apollo 11 blasts off from Launch Pad 39A at Cape Kennedy, Florida. The three-man crew — Neil A. Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Edwin E. (Buzz) Aldrin, Jr. — begin their trip to the Moon.

July 17 - Color Telecast: At 6:31 p.m. EST, the Apollo 11 crew start their first scheduled color telecast showing the view of Earth from their spacecraft. At a distance of about 128,000 nautical miles (237,056 kilometers), the 36-minute transmission also shows the inside of the Command Module.

July 19 - Lunar Orbit Insertion: At 12:21:50 p.m. EST, Apollo 11 flies behind the Moon and gets captured by the Moon's gravity. A 35-minute telecast of the Moon's surface focuses on the landing site. At this point, the spacecraft orbits the Moon every 2 hours.

July 20 - Lunar Landing: At 3:17:40 p.m. EST, the Lunar Module separates from the Command Module and makes its way to the surface of the Moon. It lands and a message is immediately sent to Mission Control in which Armstrong announces, "The Eagle has landed".

July 20 - First Step: At 9:56:15 p.m. EST, Armstrong moves down the ladder of the Lunar Module. Armstrong puts his left boot on the Moon's surface, announcing, "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind".

July 21 - Lunar Lift-Off: At 12:54:01 p.m. EST, the Lunar Module lifts-off from the surface of the Moon and re-connects with the Command Module before starting the return trip to Earth. The crew leaves behind instruments, the American flag, and the descent stage of the Lunar Lander.

July 24 - Splashdown: At 11:50:35 a.m. EST, the Command Module re-enters Earth's atmosphere and splashes down in the Pacific Ocean, 825 nautical miles (1,528 kilometers) southwest of Honolulu.

Check out our pinterest board for some more FREE worksheets and activities: https://www.pinterest.com/ccpinteractive/space-exploration/

 

 

 

 

Going Back in Time for Independence

July 2, 2018

July Fourth is Independence Day, when we celebrate the thirteen American colonies declaring independence from the British Empire on July 4, 1776. This marked the beginning of a new nation, built on freedom. It's become one of the biggest holiday celebrations in the U.S., comprised of parades, barbecues, carnivals, fairs, picnics, and concerts, culminating in a fireworks show.

Get back to its roots with an in-depth look at the events that started it all. Review the Declaration of Independence with this color version. Read about some of the major figures who played an important role during the war. Hang this color poster of some key figures as a supplement to the reading passage. Pick one of these famous figures and write a comprehensive biography. Using various resources, children will research the figure that they personally find interesting. Become a delegate for one of the thirteen colonies represented at the Continental Congress in Philadelphia. Role-play some of the issues that led to the Declaration of Independence.

Check out our pinterest board for some more FREE worksheets and craft ideas: https://www.pinterest.com/ccpinteractive/fourth-of-july/

 

 

 

 

Free Content for Summer Reading

June 18, 2018

Encourage students to continue reading during the summer break. Use these FREE graphic organizers and reading response forms to supplement their learning.

              

              

Assign these recommended classic and award-winning novels. Pair them with our selection of Novel Study Guides to test reading comprehension.

Grades 3-4
The Mouse and the Motorcycle
Charlotte's Web
Charlie & The Chocolate Factory
James and the Giant Peach

Grades 5-6
Holes
My Side of the Mountain
A Wrinkle in Time
Tuck Everlasting

Grades 7-8
Treasure Island
The Hunger Games
The Westing Game
The Cay

Grades 9-12
Fahrenheit 451
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Divergent
Lord of the Flies

Check out our pinterest board for some more FREE worksheets: https://www.pinterest.com/ccpinteractive/travel-with-literature/

 

 

 

 

Free Content to Start Off the Summer Season

June 4, 2018

It's the end of another school year and summer break is fast approaching. Did you know we offer hundreds of free resources in all subjects? And more are added every day. Bookmark the popular CCP Interactive links below for access to your library of a variety of ready-made lesson plans, worksheets and resources. Enjoy the summer knowing you'll be ready for back-to-school with access to free content.

FREE HOME SCHOOL RESOURCES >

Ready-made lesson plans are a successful tool for parents who home-school their children. Aligned to the most up-to-date curriculum, our supplemental resources provide the information parents need to successfully teach their children.

FREE EDUCATIONAL SOFTWARE >

Bring the classroom into the 21st century with interactive content. Get started with several free chapter samples that include curriculum-based lessons, games and puzzles.

FREE LESSON PLANS >

Our consistent teaching pedagogy allows teachers to become familiar and confident in our content. Maximize your custom curriculum with a variety of samples and free lesson plans.

FREE TEACHING MATERIALS >

Our ready-made lesson plans are popular among teachers due to their consistent format and teacher guide inclusion. View sample teacher guide pages and see what's included, such as built-in tools for student assessment.

FREE WORKSHEETS >

Our resources follow a tried-and-true teaching pedagogy that maximizes ease-of-use, and ensures each resource will fit within every teacher's pedagogy. Get to know what's inside each Chapter Slice with these free sample handout pages.

Check out our pinterest page for some more FREE worksheets: https://www.pinterest.com/ccpinteractive

 

 

 

 

History of Communications Technology

May 21, 2018

On May 24, 1844, Samuel Morse sent the first telegraphic message from Washington DC to Baltimore. It said, "What hath God wrought?" This marked the beginning of electronic communication. Nowadays, it's hard to imagine a time before digital communications. Most of us communicate through some sort of device, whether it's a computer, tablet or phone.

Read about the development of the telegraph and how it led to modern electronic communication. Then, complete this hands-on activity to learn about different modern communications technologies that help people around the world stay connected and exchange information. Expand on this with a look at different communications used around the world. Do some research, then create a bulletin board to present this information in a visual manner. Finally, Complete the research task below to understand how people communicated in the past.

The history of communication technology is a vast one. Its evolution is a fascinating topic to explore. This mini color poster outlines some of the key breakthroughs in communications technology. Follow this timeline to see the growth of communication, and perhaps predict where we're headed next.

 

 

 

 

Check out our pinterest board for some more FREE communication technology worksheets and infographics: https://www.pinterest.com/ccpinteractive/communication-technology/

 

 

 

 

Teacher Appreciation

May 7, 2018

It's Teacher Appreciation Week. We here at CCP Interactive want to thank our community of teachers for the wonderful job they perform all year long. Shaping young minds and getting students ready for a successful future is no easy task. That's why we want to give our teachers some FREE graphic organizers and posters to use in the classroom. Just our way to say thank you.

Language Arts
Experiment with short vowel words with our Onset and Rime Circles spinner. Spin both wheels to form short vowel words. Great for phonics and primary learners. Use the Book Report Graphic Organizer as a guide to complete the perfect book report. Students fill in each paragraph section before writing their essay. Complete the open-ended Character Analysis graphic organizer for any novel in order to better understand the characters. Great for any book and any grade.

Get your FREE worksheets here.

Mathematics
These open-ended worksheets are great to use over and over again. Start off with Number & Operations. Find the missing numbers in a number chart. Identify the fraction that is shaded. Fill in the number that comes before or after. In Algebra, solve equations given the value for x. Solve equations using order of operations. Find the average from 5 numbers. Examine the concept of time with a Measurement task. In groups, time each person completing a task. Change up the groups and the task for unlimited use.

Get your FREE worksheets here.

Science
These posters are great to post around the classroom for students to use as reference. Get a handle on geology with a poster detailing the Types of Rocks and Minerals found on Earth. Use The Periodic Table to find the elements studied in chemistry. Get to know Plant & Animal Cells with a colorful and informative diagram.

Get your FREE worksheets here.

Life Skills
Teachers not only shape students for a successful academic career, but also for successful lives. Use the Laundry Labels poster to give students the confidence to do their own laundry. Hand out the Daily Fitness Chart to encourage students to become more active and to adopt a healthier lifestyle. Get students ready for jobs of the future with the Personal SWOT Analysis. This graphic organizer lets students get to know their strengths and weaknesses.

Get your FREE worksheets here.

Find more FREE content offered at our website.

Check out our pinterest page for some more FREE worksheets: https://www.pinterest.com/ccpinteractive

 

 

 

 

Strategies to Solving a Problem

April 23, 2018

One very important life skill to have is the ability to solve problems. Problems occur in many ways. They can be simple, like a burnt out light bulb. Or, they can be more complicated, like not having enough money to buy groceries one week. Being able to solve these problems is a valuable skill to have when living on your own. It all starts with the approach. Here are 5 strategies to help solve a problem.

1. Write down the problem. Write down what the problem is. Mention what you would like to change about this problem.
2. List possible solutions. Make a list of all the solutions you can think of. This may take some time. You can choose to brainstorm ideas with others.
3. Evaluate solutions. Look at all your solutions. Cross-off ones that you know won’t work.
4. Pick a solution. Pick one of the solutions that makes the most sense.
5. Result and change. How did your solution work? Is your problem fixed? If not, then pick a new solution from your list and try again.

Use this Problem Solving Graphic Organizer from our Daily Social & Workplace Skills resource to help complete the 5 strategies above. Keep it as a reference to help solve any problem that may come up in the future.

Check out our pinterest board for some more FREE worksheets from our Life & Workplace resources: https://www.pinterest.com/ccpinteractive/life-workplace-skills/

 

 

 

 

Becoming a Success with Leadership Skills

April 9, 2018

A leader is someone that takes charge of something. This may sound fun, but it isn't an easy job. Everyone will be looking to the leader for answers. It's hard to be a leader, but it's also important. Learning to be a good leader will make your students a better choice for future jobs. It will give them the skills they need to be a success.

Here are the qualities of what it takes to be a leader:

Motivation: The reason to do something.
Confidence: To believe in yourself.
Communication: To get someone to know what you are trying to say.
Integrity: To be honest and fair.
Creativity: To have great ideas and can think on your feet.
Commitment: To work just as hard as everyone else.

Everyone can be a leader. They already have it in them. Try this leadership exercise with your students to see just how good of a leader they are:

House of Cards Activity
Get into small groups of 3 to 5 people. One person is chosen as the leader. The group must build a house of cards using a single deck of 52 playing cards. Here's the catch: only one person can build at a time. The leader is in charge of telling the group who can go, how many cards they can use, and where to place these cards. The leader will have to work with their group to make these decisions.

1. How high did you get your house of cards?
2. How many times did it fall and you had to restart?

Try these other 2 leadership exercises from our Learning Communication & Teamwork resource, part of our 21st Century Skills series.

Inspire your students to have a leader mentality with this Leadership Quotes poster.

Check out our pinterest board for some more FREE worksheets from our Life & Workplace resources: https://www.pinterest.com/ccpinteractive/life-workplace-skills/

 

 

 

 

Have an Adventure this Read a Road Map Day

March 26, 2018

April 5th is National Read a Road Map Day. Its purpose is to encourage people to go out with friends and only a map. Before the days of GPS, reading a road map was a valuable skill. Grab the FREE road map graphic organizers below and start an adventure.

Start by learning the basics of map reading by identifying features on a map with the Map Elements on a Neighborhood Map graphic organizer. Get your FREE graphic organizer here.

Next, use the North America Transportation Map to plan a trip anywhere on the continent. Get your FREE graphic organizer here.

       

Check out our pinterest board for some more FREE worksheets from our Geography resources: https://www.pinterest.com/ccpinteractive/geography-travel-the-world/

 

 

 

 

Acceptance, Inclusion and Independence for Autism Awareness

March 12, 2018

Get ready for National Autism Awareness Month in April by promoting acceptance, inclusion and independence in the classroom. Here are several worksheets from our 21st Century Skills and Daily Life Skills series to get students in the spirit.

Collaboration - Project Based Learning

Promote cooperation between peers with a group tower building project. In small groups, have your students work together to build a tower made only of toothpicks and marshmallows. Test the structure by placing an object on top. If it collapses, have your students re-build their tower until they have a sturdy creation.

Get the free worksheet here.

Get more ideas from our Learning Communication & Teamwork lesson plan.

Self-Care Skills

Encourage independence by providing the steps involved with personal hygiene. Give your students the confidence to take care of themselves with information on how to properly wash their hands and clean a cut.

Steps in Washing Hands: 1. Wet Hands 2. Add Soap 3. Scrub 4. Rinse 5. Dry with Clean Towel
Steps in Cleaning a Cut: 1. Wash with Soap and Water 2. Wipe with Alcohol 3. Add Healing Cream 4. Put on a Band-Aid

Get the free reading activities here.

Get more ideas on self-care skills from our Daily Health & Hygiene Skills lesson plan.

Community Safety

Teach your students the necessary skills to be safe in the real world. Get helpful tips like knowing your route when traveling, or understanding that it's okay to say no when someone makes you uncomfortable.

Get more helpful tips to staying safe in the real world with this free poster.

Check out our pinterest board for some more FREE worksheets from our Life & Workplace resources: https://www.pinterest.com/ccpinteractive/life-workplace-skills/

 

 

 

 

Telling Time for Daylight Savings

February 26, 2018

Daylight Savings is coming March 11. Get ready with these time-related practice task cards.

Measuring Time for Grades PK-2

Ellie ate lunch at 12:00 p.m. It took her 30 minutes. What time was it when Ellie finished eating?

Nathan is looking at the clock in his kitchen. What time does the clock show?

Get these task cards.

 

 

 

 

Temperature & Time for Grades 3-5

Taylor gets home from school at five minutes after three. At three fifty, Taylor goes to the park for soccer practice. How many minutes go by from the time she gets home from school to the time she leaves for the park?

Rafael woke up at quarter after seven in the morning to get ready for school. He was waiting for the school bus an hour later. What time did Rafael wait for the bus?

Get these task cards.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Teaching Strategies to Get Students Reading

February 9, 2018

It can be a hard task to encourage students to read. Whether it's a new book, a reading assignment, or a research report. Yet it's an important skill that will become a key part of their daily lives. Some students pick up this skill with ease, yet there are others who struggle. It's important as educators to instill confidence in every reader.

Janelle Cox is an education writer who contributes her expertise to empowering educators with helpful strategies to incorporate into their classrooms. She gives teachers the tools to motivate students to learn and have successful academic careers. Here she has compiled 5 Teaching Strategies for Reading as a contributing writer for TeachHUB.com:

1. Graphic Organizers as Teaching Strategies
In her article, Janelle stresses the benefits of using graphic organizers as a reading strategy. "Graphic organizers enable students to visually see the connections they are reading." This is a powerful tool that allows students of all learning styles to gain comprehension skills based on what they are reading.

Try out some of these FREE graphic organizers to help engage readers.

2. Incorporating Technology
Janelle notes there are many different pieces of technology that can help students with reading. Options like websites and tablets that incorporate games to enhance reading skills. Games are a great way to encourage students who don't like reading activities.

Try out this decision-making game for MAC and PC to practice students' reading skills.

3. Activating Prior Knowledge
The key to comprehension is connecting what you learn to what you already know. Janelle suggests asking students a few questions to help activate their prior knowledge. Some questions include: What do you know about the topic? How can you relate this to your own life? Get a list of some more questions at Janelle's article.

4. Using a Word Wall
A Word Wall is "an effective strategy that can help promote literacy for primary learners". Janelle points out that this timeless classroom display helps students by providing reference and support as they read.

Try this "Take a Guess" game to promote sight word comprehension.

5. Student Choice
The most effective reading strategy is to give your students a choice. Get them wanting to read by allowing them to pick what they read. They will become invested in their choice and eager to see it through. Janelle specifies that students become more engaged and motivated when reading something they have an interest in.

With these 5 strategies, students will develop the necessary reading skills required to become successful readers.

 

 

 

 

How to Change a Fixed Mindset to a Growth Mindset

January 15, 2018

There are 2 types of students. One goes on to achieve success. This is a growth mindset. The other achieves less and less over time. This is a fixed mindset.

Below is a chart to explain these mindsets.

It's much better to have a growth mindset. This mindset allows students to grow and adapt. A fixed mindset keeps them in one place. But it's possible to change from a fixed to a growth mindset. Below are some questions to ask your students. These will help them develop a Growth Mindset.

1. Do you work as hard as you can?
2. Do you ask questions if you need help?
3. Do you check your homework for errors?
4. Do you spend enough time on your work?
5. What can you do to improve your work?

So how do you know what kind of mindset your students have? Have them take this QUIZ to find out.

Get more tips on the benefits of a Growth Mindset, like this Training Your Brain poster with our Learning Problem Solving ready-made resource, part of our 21st Century Skills series.

Check out our pinterest board for some more FREE worksheets from our Life & Workplace resources: https://www.pinterest.com/ccpinteractive/life-workplace-skills/

 

 

 

 

How to Encourage Readers to Keep Reading
Reading Strategies Over the Holiday Break

December 7, 2017

December is Read a New Book Month. It's designed to encourage readers to keep on reading during this busy month. We challenge both teachers and students to take part in this month-long reading adventure.

Here's what to do:

✔ pick a book genre you've never read before
✔ pick an author you've never read before

The goal here is to move out of your comfort zone and experience something new. Venture into new territories. If you normally read science fiction, try a thriller. Or, try out a different author from your favorite book genre. Choosing a new book to read is just half the battle. Encouraging students to keep reading is the other. Here are our top 5 strategies to encourage readers:

1. Set up a book club so students can discuss the book they are reading with others.
2. Pair the reading with an audio book to stimulate their senses.
3. Get creative and have students act out their favorite scene from the book.
4. Read aloud to a group, each taking turns reading different parts.
5. Create a reading corner filled with pillows and comfy chairs and block out some time dedicated to reading.

Need more encouragement? Try out some of these FREE graphic organizers for reading comprehension:

Character Web
Story Map
Concept Map

Have a look at our selection of Novel Study Guides to accompany your reading this month.

Check out our pinterest board for some more great lessons and ideas for Read a New Book Month: https://www.pinterest.com/ccpinteractive/travel-with-literature/

 

 

 

 

Geography Awareness

November 10, 2017

Geography Awareness Week—celebrated this year on November 12-18—was created by National Geographic to encourage young Americans to become more involved in the world around them. For over 25 years, GeoWeek encourages everyone to think about their world and how they affect and are affected by it.

Classroom Complete Press encourages all classrooms to get together and take part in GeoWeek. This can be with a group discussion, a school-wide event, or a hands-on lesson for the classroom. Try out the FREE activities below from our selection of geography-minded lesson plans.

Click an image to download a free activity.

              

Check out our pinterest board for some more great lessons and ideas for GeoWeek: https://www.pinterest.ca/ccpinteractive/geography-travel-the-world/

 

 

 

 

Bullying Prevention Month: The Fight Against Cyber Bullying

October 2, 2017

October is National Bullying Prevention Month. Founded in 2006 by PACER's National Bullying Prevention Center, this campaign aims to raise awareness of an ever-present issue. Bullying is a problem that afflicts every community across the country. Since the emergence of social media, it has grown exponentially in the cyber world. As such, it is important to bring awareness to this issue and learn how to identify cyber bullying and how to fight against it.

Use this FREE Graphic Organizer from our Social Media Behaviors & Cyber Bullying chapter of our Daily Social & Workplace Skills Ready-Made Lesson Plan to compare traditional bullying with cyber bullying.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brainstorm ways to fight against it by finding ideas on the web. Get inspiration by reading about some of your favorite characters' experiences with bullying. Check out these novel study guides that will encourage students to think about the fight against bullying:

     

And if you need a little more help, check out some of the great lesson plan ideas offered by PACER at their National Bullying Prevention Center website.

How would you stand up to bullying? Share your ideas on Twitter and Facebook @CCPInteractive with #stopbullying

 

 

 

 

A New Classroom

September 7, 2017

There's a new way to teach rising up in classrooms today. Out with the standard teacher-student dynamic where one tells the other how they are doing. Out with the typical learn and forget it method. Today's classroom leaves students more aware of their strengths and weaknesses. It gives them the capability of learning what they need to know, and how to use that knowledge to excel in the real world.

In this post by Kyle Spencer of The New York Times, a classroom in Brooklyn is just one of many that are revitalizing how teaching and learning is done in the classroom.

The key is for students to recognize on their own what they need additional practice on, how to motivate themselves to get that practice, and how to utilize the resources available to them, like the help they receive from teachers.

The emergence of online learning in recent years have made great strides in this area. Students get an interactive approach to learning, while getting real-time results on real-world questions. Students are encouraged to think deeper about a topic, while also being challenged with comprehension-style questions.

In Kyle Spencer's report of just one Brooklyn classroom, there is no such thing as failing. Students no longer receive letter grades. Instead, they are meant to complete a series of grade-level skills before moving on to a higher level. This allows students to learn at their own pace while not feeling left behind. It allows students to be confident with their abilities while not having the threat of failure hanging over their heads. The point here is to learn, and to learn well.

Our subscription-based platform allows students to do just that. Read about the five senses and how the body works. Answer questions about the reading. Use helpful math tools to solve a problem. Get helpful tips from the Reading Watch Dog. Complete a graphic organizer or interactive game for added practice.

Try it all for FREE for 15 days. No commitment necessary.

 

 

 

 

Teaching Pedagogy

August 11, 2017

Did you know that every CCP resource book follows a UNIQUE and CONSISTENT format? We do this to maximize the ease-of-use of the lesson plan, and to ensure each resource will fit within every teacher's pedagogy.

The majority of content provided in our ready-made lesson plans are student handouts. These are reproducible worksheets and activities that surround specific chapter topics. Each chapter is made up of the following:

The Before You Read pages prepare students for reading by setting a purpose for reading. They stimulate background knowledge and experience, and guide students to make connections between what they know and what they will learn. Important concepts and vocabulary from the chapters are introduced.

The Reading Passage pages present important grade-appropriate information and concepts related to the topic. Embedded in each passage are one or more questions to ensure students understand what they have read.

The After You Read pages check students' comprehension of the concepts presented in the reading passage and extend their learning. Students are asked to give thoughtful consideration of the reading passage through creative and evaluative short-answer questions, research, and extension activities.

In addition to the chapter content, each resource is accompanied by writing tasks, hands-on activities and/or experiments, crossword, word search, final quiz, and color posters or graphic organizers.

The Writing Tasks and Hands-On Activities and Experiments are included to further develop students' thinking skills and understanding of the concepts. The Quiz can be used as a follow-up review or assessment at the completion of the unit.

Check out a sample of each of these Student Handout pages:

     

 

 

 

 

Summer Reading List

July 10, 2017

Keep up with your reading this summer with our suggested summer reading list. These are classic and award-winning novels that are great for reading during the summer break. Use our novel study guides to further engage your reading comprehension skills. Start reading today!

Grades 1-2

Click an image to see more from these ready-made resources.

              

Grades 3-4

Click an image to see more from these ready-made resources.

              

Grades 5-6

Click an image to see more from these ready-made resources.

              

Grades 7-8

Click an image to see more from these ready-made resources.

              

Grades 9-12

Click an image to see more from these ready-made resources.

              

Check out our pinterest board for some free worksheets: www.pinterest.com/ccpinteractive/travel-with-literature/

 

 

 

 

Get Back to Nature

June 5, 2017

With summer vacation just around the corner, finish up the school year by escaping the stuffy classroom and bringing learning outdoors. Get a hands-on start to fun in the sun by changing up your surroundings and getting in touch with nature. Be inspired to create an outdoor classroom with these free activities and adventurous ideas.

Be Hands-On with Nature

Learn about the power of wind with a home-made weather vane. Build your own weather vane using materials found in everyday classrooms. Take your creation outside and test it in the elements. Find out the direction the wind is blowing and how often it changes. Study the different kinds of rocks and see how many you can find. Go outside and look for as many different rocks as possible. Compare them to the ones in the list below. Explain where each rock was found and what type it is.

Click an image to see a free worksheet, or click the cover image to see more from this ready-made resource.

              

Witness the Power of Nature

Examine the effect that light and air has on green plants. Conduct an experiment that shows the difference between plants exposed to sunlight with plants kept in the dark. Continue the experiment over several weeks, marking the changes between the two plants, finally leading up to transpiration. Head outdoors and make tree rubbings of bark. Take a walk around the neighborhood and note the different colors of trees. See how many different patterns and textures are found in nature.

Click an image to see a free worksheet, or click the cover image to see more from this ready-made resource.

              

Check out our pinterest board for more great ideas: www.pinterest.com/ccpinteractive/outdoor-classroom/

 

 

 

 

Get Caught Reading This Month

May 8, 2017

May is Get Caught Reading Month. Encourage students to open a book and experience how much fun it is to read. Since 1999, the Association of American Publishers (AAP) have worked to promote this nationwide campaign. Whether it's a Newbery-winning story or a literary classic, there's something for everyone inside a book. Take this initiative one step further by testing student comprehension as they read. Take a look at some of our suggestions below, and don't forget to grab your free downloads.

Grades 3-4

Get inspired to make up your very own word with Frindle. In a journal prompt, students use their critical thinking skills to predict what career Nick will have when he grows up. Help design a miracle to save the life of a pig in Charlotte's Web. Students describe how Wilbur tried to make himself look 'radiant', and predict what Charlotte's 'masterpiece' will be. Travel to a land of giants with The BFG. Students reflect on how the story ends and create their own giant to live in this world.

Click an image to see a selected novel study guide from our ready-made resources.

              

Grades 5-6

Find out what it was like to live in Ancient Egypt in The Egypt Game. Students write a message to a classmate using Egyptian hieroglyphics. Become stranded in the wilderness and learn to survive in Hatchet. Students complete a chart detailing the events Brian survives, what his reactions were, and what he learned from them. Travel Through the Looking-Glass to a fantastic world with interesting characters. Using details gathered throughout the novel, students draw a map of the looking-glass world.

Click an image to see a selected novel study guide from our ready-made resources.

              

Grades 7-8

Solve a who-done-it mystery to claim a fortune in The Westing Game. Follow the clues in the story to solve the game before any of the characters. Experience the tragic tale of The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. Students explore Bruno's state of mind by detailing the lesson he learns from his conversation with Maria, and what experiences he thinks he shares with her. Become shipwrecked on The Cay, and find out what it takes to survive. Students use the description Timothy provides to Phillip to research the tea bird and draw a picture of it along with a fact sheet.

Click an image to see a selected novel study guide from our ready-made resources.

              

Grades 9-12

Spend a few nights with The Old Man and the Sea, battling with a fish and your own will-power. Students explore the character of Santiago by indicating what he said that suggested big fish were nearby, and what this says about his experience. Enter a post-apocalyptic and desolate wasteland that will challenge you to survive along The Road. Students make predictions of the disaster that destroyed the world based on clues left by the author. Explore the downfall of civilization while surviving with peers on an island in Lord of the Flies. Students map out Ralph's mindset by identifying some of the things that he reflects on.

Click an image to see a selected novel study guide from our ready-made resources.

              

Free Downloads

Meet Matilda and the power she has to move things with her mind. Research famous magic tricks throughout history, and find out how they are done. Imagine a society where The Giver holds all the memories of human kind. This is no easy job. Students choose a career they are interested in and research all that is involved with it. Travel back to medieval times with Crispin: The Cross of Lead. Learn about the real-life figure of John Ball and his role during this era.

Click an image to see a free worksheet from our ready-made novel study guides.

              

Check out our pinterest board for more great free worksheets: www.pinterest.com/ccpinteractive/travel-with-literature/

 

 

 

 

Celebrate Earth Month

April 3, 2017

April is Earth Month. Take this month to celebrate all things Environment and Earth Sciences, all while leading up to Earth Day on April 22. Here are some tips and ideas to promote the environment all month long.

Carbon Footprint

Learn all about your carbon footprint at home, at school and in the community. Calculate your own carbon footprint, then get tips on how to lower it. Start an initiative at your school to encourage a smaller carbon footprint. Then, reach a little higher by implementing this initiative within the community. Get your FREE carbon footprint calculator here.

Click an image to see a selected lesson plan from our ready-made resources.

              

Go Green

Spend some time in the dirt and turn your thumb green. Start a community garden with your class. Grow some wildflowers to help the bee population. Grow some vegetables and cook up a stew. Promote clean air by planting a tree. Teach your students the importance of responsibility by taking care of a plant and watching it grow.

Click an image to see a selected lesson plan from our ready-made resources.

              

Get to Know the Planet Earth

No Earth Month is complete with a study on the planet Earth. Go deep and get to know what makes up the planet with a look at plate tectonics, rocks and minerals. Go to the surface and discover the different ecosystems that inhabit the planet. Go to the sky and find out how the air, wind and atmosphere affect the planet.

Click an image to see a selected lesson plan from our ready-made resources.

              

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Go back to the basics and excel at recycling. Implement a recycling program in your classroom, and encourage students to extend this to their home. Learn about product life cycles and come up with alternative methods to decrease waste. Study the effects of climate change and get tips on how to reduce it.

Click an image to see a selected lesson plan from our ready-made resources.

              

Life on Planet Earth

Get to know all the ins and outs of life on planet Earth—from the smallest organism to the largest being. Start with a look at cells and what life needs to prosper on Earth. Start viewing the environment as a living being that needs to be nurtured. Then, extend outward by looking at the different habitats that exist on the planet.

Click an image to see a selected lesson plan from our ready-made resources.

              

Check out our pinterest board for more great Earth ideas: www.pinterest.com/ccpinteractive/the-environment/

 

 

 

 

Top of the Mornin'

March 8, 2017

Saint Patrick's Day is an Irish holiday celebrated throughout the world. Held on March 17, Saint Patrick's Day marks the day Saint Patrick—the patron saint of Ireland—died, during the 5th century. This day commemorates the arrival of Christianity in Ireland, but also more generally the heritage and culture of the Irish. On this day, people typically wear green and visit a parade. Saint Patrick's Day is celebrated in more countries around the world than any other festival, making it one of the most popular holidays. Turn your classroom into a green haven as you take part in this widely celebrated holiday.

Celebration

Saint Patrick's Day parades originated in North America during the 18th century. They didn't start celebrating with parades in Ireland until the 20th century. A typical Saint Patrick's Day parade will have marching bands, the military, firefighters, organizations, youth groups, fraternities, and law enforcement. In Ireland, the week of Saint Patrick's Day is Irish language week. Participants spend this week speaking in the Irish language.

Set up your classroom for Saint Patrick's Day. Have a class parade, create a craft corner, and try your hand at speaking the Irish language—Gaelic.

Check out our pinterest board for some great Saint Patrick Day craft ideas: www.pinterest.com/ccpinteractive/st-patricks-day-crafts/

Traditions

Different places celebrate different traditions on Saint Patrick's Day. Typically, those who celebrate wear green or shamrocks. The color green is associated with Ireland and has become the official color for Saint Patrick's Day. A shamrock is a three-leaved clover. Saint Patrick used the shamrock to explain the Trinity to the Irish. From there, it had become the national symbol of Ireland.

As a class, research different celebrations and traditions of Saint Patrick's Day from around the world. In Ireland, you'll learn that Saint Patrick's Day is actually a public holiday. In the United States, the Chicago River is dyed green every year. On the International Space Station, Chris Hadfield took a photograph of Ireland from Earth's orbit to celebrate the day.

Click an image for more great Saint Patrick's Day lesson plans from our selection of ready-made resources:

              

 

 

 

 

Love and Friendship

February 6, 2017

What is Valentine's Day? We all know the traditions, but where did it come from? Here's your chance to merge art, history and language arts into one while celebrating a beloved holiday.

Art

There's lots of opportunities for art projects this holiday season. The most obvious being Valentine's cards. Have students design their own instead of sharing store-bought cards. Find classic imagery of cupids and hearts, or have your students design their own interpretation of love and friendship. Try introducing the term "respect" to this holiday. Love, friendship and respect are all intertwined, and Valentine's Day provides a great opportunity to share this positive viewpoint.

For some great Valentine's Day craft ideas, check out our pinterest board: pin.it/gvVOQk0

History

Although the traditions and meaning of Valentine's Day is known by most, not many may know of its origins or why we celebrate it. This holiday season, try to implement a little bit of history into classroom celebrations. Explore the origins of Valentine's Day. Find out some other customs celebrated throughout the world. See what traditions are new, and which ones didn't stand the test of time. Have students invent their own tradition to celebrate Valentine's Day.

To learn more about Valentine's Day, click on the image for the Special Days lesson plan.

Language Arts

Valentine's Day is the perfect holiday to incorporate with language arts. Valentine's Day is all about sharing Valentine's Day cards. And with cards come heartfelt handwritten messages. A great opportunity to practice those writing skills. Have students show their creative side by writing a poem. Encourage proper grammar and spelling while writing Valentine messages in short paragraphs. Have a class project where students come together to write a stage play. The opportunities are endless.

Click an image for more great language arts-based lesson plans from our selection of ready-made resources:

              

 

 

 

 

New Year's Resolutions for the Classroom

January 9, 2017

With a new year comes new resolutions. A fresh start. A clean slate. A new beginning. January is a time for resolutions. Maybe you want to be more organized this year. Maybe you want to be more prepared for lessons. Maybe you want your classroom to run smoother. Here are some tips for resolutions in the classroom.

Change Things Up

After a much-needed break, it can be hard to get back into the same old routine. Take this opportunity to try something new. Change things up a bit. Give your classroom a make-over. It can be something small, like new posters. Or something big, like completely rearranging the desks. Try to get your students to be more productive by swapping the seating chart. Try it for a few days to see if there's any improvement. Or, change things up regularly to bring new life to your classroom and stimulate young minds.

 

 

Try Something New

Is there a new technology you've always wanted to try? Or a new method for teaching a difficult subject? Maybe you want to bring more creativity to your lessons. Or have more interaction with classroom discussions. Now's the time to try it. Don't worry if it doesn't work, there's plenty of time to test and correct any issues. Try incorporating an online-based portion to your lesson. This can be done individually as homework, or as group activities in the computer lab. Include a comprehension assignment in the form of questions, a final test, or a collaborative presentation.

 

 

Get Organized

Do you find your classroom doesn't run as smoothly as you'd like? Take this time to try some new organizational ideas. Try as many as you can to see which ones stick. Check out this list of 100 Classroom Organizing Tricks from Scholastic: https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/articles/teaching-content/100-classroom-organizing-tricks/

 

 

 

 

Be Hands-On

Spend some time individually with each student. A great way to do this is to have independent study time. Try to spend 5 minutes with each student. You don't need to solve anything in those 5 minutes, you just need to get a sense of where each child is at. What are their strengths? What are they struggling with? Then, take some time to yourself and come up with some strategies for helping out each student. It could be changing up your teaching method, assigning specialized homework activities, or even creating tailor-made quizzes that cater to each student's strengths. It's not how they learn, but what they learn and retain that matters.

 

What are some of your New Year's resolutions for the classroom? Share yours @CCPInteractive on Twitter or Facebook with #classroomresolutions

 

 

 

 

Winter Wonderland

December 1, 2016

It's the most wonderful time of the year! The winter season is upon us. Bring on the cold wind, fresh snow, and soothing hot chocolate. Grab your snowsuits and build a snowman during the day. Curl up by the fire with a great book and enjoy those blustery evenings indoors. Get into the spirit of this magical season with these great winter-themed lesson ideas.

Social Studies

Find out how people all around the world celebrate this cold season. What is the climate like? How are the holidays celebrated? What are some different traditions and pastimes? Explore different sports and activities that only happen this time of year. Stay warm and active with great winter-themed games, like sledding, snowshoeing and building snowmen.

Click an image for some suggested lesson plans from our selection of ready-made resources:

              

Science

Bring outside STEAM-based experiments indoors with winter-themed activities. Winter is a time of change. We see the temperature drop and liquid turn to solid. Conduct an experiment to teach about changes in states of matter. Watch ice grow by placing an unopened bottle of water in the freezer to get it nice and cold, but still a liquid. Then, pour it over a container filled with ice. Create a frozen bubble by placing it in the freezer for 30 minutes, either on a plate or on the wand.

Click an image for some suggested lesson plans from our selection of ready-made resources:

              

Language Arts

This season, put on a holiday concert. This could include just the classroom or the entire school. Start by writing a winter or holiday-themed script. Make sure to include many different characters. Have at least three different scenes. Write out production notes, scene details, and the dialog for each character. Put on the play for parents or the entire school. Show your creative side, or choose from our selection of ready-made Christmas-themed concerts.

Click an image for some suggested lesson plans from our selection of ready-made resources:

              

For more great Winter ideas and free activities from the suggested lesson plans above, check out our pinterest board: pin.it/ccgmktZ

 

 

 

 

Become the Author

November 4, 2016

November is National Novel Writing Month. Bring out your inner author this month with themes that celebrate creative writing, literacy and authors of all kinds.

About the Author

Celebrate your favorite author this month. Look into their lives and the books they have written. Write a biography or create a presentation. Host an author's fair in your classroom. Have each student choose their favorite author. Each booth will focus on one particular author. Go around the room to learn about the different authors throughout history. What were their struggles? What were their accomplishments? What do you like most about their books?

Click an image for some FREE author-related activities from our Literature Kit (Novel Study Guide) lesson plans:

              

Summary of the Story

Become the author this month. Write your own short story and share it with the class. Or, write an alternate ending to one of your favorite books. You could also write your own sequel to an existing book. The options are endless. Show your creativity by drawing the pictures for a classmate's book. Create the cover art of your own. Write a book report or review of your favorite story. Share your opinions with the class in a healthy discussion.

Click an image for some FREE writing-related activities from our Literature Kit (Novel Study Guide) and Language Arts lesson plans:

              

Reading

Read your favorite book this month. Promote literacy and reading comprehension with independent reading or reading circles. Keep a journal summarizing the events that take place in each chapter. Write down all the vocabulary words and their definitions. Find synonyms to replace words you don't understand. Summarize your favorite book in only a few words. Share your love of reading with others and see how many great new books you can read.

Click an image for some FREE reading-related activities from our Literature Kit (Novel Study Guide) and Language Arts lesson plans:

              

For more great Novel ideas, check out our pinterest board: pin.it/Hm2OtIQ

 

 

 

 

Halloween Haunt

October 13, 2016

Arguably one of the most popular holidays for kids (after that wintery one of course), due to its costumes and candy fare. Halloween can be a tricky thing to celebrate in the classroom. But there's lots more to this spooky day than just costumes and candy the kids love. Explore the intricacies of this holiday with your students with these craft and lesson ideas.

Pick a Theme

You could always stick with the classics: pumpkins, ghosts, spiders. But what if this year you got more creative. Tie your crafts around a central theme or subject. Depending on what you want to focus on, you could have a very informative and fun Halloween in your classroom.

Language Arts

Think Universal Monsters, like Dracula or Frankenstein. These iconic characters originated in English literature. Carry this as your theme with related crafts and activities. Do an age-appropriate analysis of the novels these monsters originate from. Compare how these monsters are depicted in film or television. Have your students create self-portraits as these monsters. Turn your classroom into an old-school drive-in theatre and watch clips of the classic Universal movies. Write short stories using these monsters as characters. The possibilities are endless.

Social Studies

In social studies, what comes to mind is history. Spend the day researching the origins of Halloween. It's customs, superstitions, and traditions throughout time and place. Turn your classroom into a time machine and visit the first Halloween. Learn about Mexico's Day of the Dead celebration. Make classic Halloween treats to share. Play a trivia game with different Halloween facts. Throw a classic Halloween party with bobbing for apples, all the while teaching about the origins of each activity.

Science

Bring STEAM into this holiday with fun Halloween-themed experiments. Carve out a pumpkin and make it erupt using the same principals as a baking soda volcano. Turn your classroom into a mad scientist's lab and dress the part. Conduct ghoulish experiments and grow your own animal specimen in bottles. Or, turn your classroom into a witch's den and make potions in your cauldron. Use everyday household ingredients to make your potions worthy of a Harry Potter novel.

Need more ideas? Click an image for some FREE activities from our selection of Halloween-themed lesson plans and novel study guides to try:

              

For more great Halloween ideas, check out our pinterest board: pin.it/FRT3adM

 

 

 

 

Back to School

September 1, 2016

It's that time of year again: BACK TO SCHOOL! This is an exciting time of new beginnings and fresh starts. Armed with crisp notebooks and sharpened pencils, students enter the classroom eager to catch up with old friends. But there's something else just as exciting: a new curriculum. This is the perfect time to get students excited about what's to come this year. Whether it's a great novel they'll get to read, a new science experiment they'll get to test, or a math equation that will open up new possibilities. Now's the time to spark their interest in creative ways.

Here are some ideas to get students ready for Back to School.

Reading

At least once a year, every student will have to read and comprehend a book. To get them into the mood, play an ice breaker game that follows a key theme from the novel they will be reading. Maybe the novel has some historical significance. You could "time travel" to that point in history as a quick introduction to the setting. Show the cover of the book and open up the floor to predictions of what it will be about based solely on the artwork.

Click an image for some FREE activities from our selection of Novel Studies to try:

              

Writing

Students will spend most of their time writing. Whether it's a short story, an informative essay, or a science report. This activity accounts for the majority of a student's academic career. So, it's easy to understand that it may not be their favorite activity. Get them in the mood with short writing activities. Give them large poster boards to write on. Let them show their creative side by making a summer vacation web. This web will showcase what they did during the summer without having to write a long narrative.

Click an image for some FREE activities from our selection of Language Arts titles to try:

              

Subtracting

Math—that subject that makes all students cringe. What they don't know is that math can be fun. Get them excited about numbers with drill activities and quick games. Set up a team-building challenge where students race to finish a set of drill questions. Learn about nets and have them construct three-dimensional shapes. Trick your students into having fun with math with brain teasers.

Click an image for some FREE activities from our selection of Math titles to try:

              

Experimenting

Science is a pretty exciting subject on its own, so you may not need to get your students motivated for this one. However, there's still some great ideas you can do to introduce students to a topic, just to get their feet wet and excited for what's to come. The best place to start is with small, quick and easy experiments. For a physics class, make miniature hovercrafts using magnets. For a chemistry class, make edible rock candy. For a biology class, change the color of a flower's petals.

Click an image for some FREE activities from our selection of Science titles to try:

              

Remembering

History is another interesting subject for students. Learning about key moments in our past is both educational and fun. Get your students excited about the past with quick games and group activities. Play a game of trivial pursuit to see what they already know about things in history. Ask them to get into groups and re-enact a key moment in history for the class. Watch quick historical videos then have a group discussion to see what they comprehend.

Click an image for some FREE activities from our selection of Social Studies titles to try:

              

Living

Daily Life Skills and 21st Century Skills are emerging topics. It may be difficult to incite excitement on these topics. Get your students in the mood with quick games that deal with daily and 21st century skills. Play a large-scale role-playing game by transforming the classroom into a grocery store or restaurant. Set up a mock fridge and pantry and map out where certain foods should go. Gain teamwork and problem-solving skills by working in small groups to solve silly puzzles.

Click an image for some FREE activities from our selection of Daily Life Skills and 21st Century Skills titles to try:

              

For more great Back to School ideas, check out our pinterest board: pin.it/owXgpSp

 

 

 

 

Tools for Teachers

August 9, 2016

Did you know that every CCP resource book comes with an informative TEACHER GUIDE that includes built-in TOOLS perfect for student assessment?

All our Teacher Guides include clear instructions and colorful graphics.

The How Our Resource is Organized page provides a detailed breakdown of the resource, providing teachers with tips on how to maximize their unit.

The Bloom's Taxonomy for Reading Comprehension page outlines how the 6 levels of Bloom's is utilized to ensure students comprehend the reading. Also included on this page is a list of Vocabulary words that will be introduced throughout the resource.

The Assessment Rubric allows teachers to quickly and easily grade their students' progress.

The STEAM, NGSS & Critical Thinking Skills Rubric show you how each section of the resource aligns to these standards.

Check out a sample of each of these Teacher Guide pages:

     

 

 

 

 

Meet Harriet

July 14, 2016

Hello, and welcome to CCP Interactive. My name is Harriet, and I'll be the first voice you'll hear when you call us at CCP. As your main customer representative, I can also be reached directly at our email address.

For over a decade, I've been working closely with customers to make sure they find exactly what they need. My primary role is to ensure that you have the right CCP products for your needs and that you get the material in no time. I am only a quick email or phone call away when you need personalized attention to help build your order with our best sellers and newest titles.

This is our warehouse. You can see we keep a large stock of all our titles on hand so you don't have to wait once you've placed your order. Of course, we also offer all of our titles as instant download PDFs and software, so the wait time after you've placed your order is non-existent.

 

 

 

 

Let me help you. If you want any suggestions or to know what's included with all of our titles, please ask me. Along with sample PDFs and videos, I can give you all the information on a topic you are looking for. I can even help find the right resource to fit your needs.

 

 

 

 

Get your resources fast. Delivery is instant with our instant download versions. You can find and get what you need within minutes. If you still prefer to get a physical copy, we ship same day so you get what you need fast. Head on over to our Classroom Complete Press website for shipped product.

 

 

 

Thank you for getting to know me and my role at CCP.

 

 

 

 

A Classroom Celebration of Independence Day

June 9, 2016

The end of the school year is looming. Year-long studies are coming to a close. Final tests are in the air. And the dog days of summer is just around the corner. So is the kick-off holiday of the season: July Fourth.

For some, Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start of the summer season, but with its proximity to school days winding down, Independence Day makes for a strong competitor in that category. Just because final tests and ongoing projects are coming to a close, doesn't mean there's no more opportunity for a little fun and learning to happen before that final day of class. Why not spend that last week with an impromptu celebration of one of the biggest holidays of the year.

A Crafty Decoration

Set up a craft station for those artsy students. Provide a wide selection of craft materials, from paper and paint to wiggle eyes and pipe cleaners. Leave them to their imagination, or provide them with these Fourth of July-themed craft ideas.

Fourth of July Fireworks

What You'll Need: toilet paper rolls, straws, colored paper, streamers, tape, paint, glitter, glue, scissors

What You'll Do: Paint the toilet paper roll any color or pattern. We suggest red, white, blue, stars, and stripes. Glue one end of the straw to the inside of the toilet paper roll. Make a cone shape with the colored paper and attach it to the other end of the toilet paper roll. Tear the streamers to make a flame effect and attach it to the end with the straw.

 

 

Red, White and Blue Lanterns

What You'll Need:red, white and blue colored paper, pencil, scissors, ribbon, glue, tape

What You'll Do:Fold the colored paper in half with the long sides together. Cut 1 inch wide sections along the folded end. Don't cut all the way through, leave about an inch of space. Unfold your paper and turn it in and attach the bottom and top together. You should have a lantern shape that bumps outward. Cut stars out of the colored paper and decorate your lantern with them. Attach the ribbon around the top and bottom. Make a handle with the ribbon or colored paper.

 

Patriotic Pinwheels

What You'll Need: colored paper, pencil with eraser, push pin

What You'll Do: Decorate your colored paper with a design, or glue a different color on the back of another colored paper. Cut out a square shape. From one corner to the center, cut a straight line. Don't cut all the way through. Leave a small space in the middle. Bring each corner to the center. Don't fold down. You should see a pinwheel shape starting to form. Push the pin through to attach the corners in the middle. Continue pushing the pin into the eraser of your pencil.

 

A Patriotic Play

For those dramatic students, set up a station for a short historical play. Here you can have your students research the history of Independence Day and choose their own skit that they would like to perform. There should be enough actors to fill each part, a director, a screenwriter, and set and costume designers. Here are some great stories to suggest.

The signing and adoption of the Declaration of Independence

The Boston Tea Party

Battles of Lexington and Concord

Washington's Wordsmith

Set up one more area for your book-loving students. Here they can work together to create something in writing for the rest of the class to enjoy. It could be a short story, poem, or even a short lesson plan. Students can work together or alone writing a fictionalized short story. They could detail the events of the American Revolutionary War, or write about the adoption of the Declaration of Independence from the perspective of someone who was there. Students can choose to write a poem for Independence Day. Have them research the different styles of poems to help them. Students could also try stepping into their teacher's shoes and create a short lesson plan for their fellow students. They could choose to present this to a class or provide it in the form of a handout. Some information and comprehension questions should be included. Also encourage them to include one extension activity, like a word search or crossword game.

For more great Fourth of July ideas, check out our pinterest board: https://pin.it/S7DBt8x

 

 

 

 

Bring on Summer Reading

May 19, 2016

With Summer fast approaching and the end of the school year looming, it's hard to stay in the learning mindset. But just because class time is over, doesn't mean the learning has to stop. Why not assign a reading list over the summer holidays for your students? It's a great activity to keep the mind sharp while away from class. It's also a great time killer on those rainy afternoons.

Check out our selection of Novel Study Guides to help you create your custom reading list for the summer.

Why stop there? Give your students some summer-themed homework that will encourage them to have many adventures that take them outside. Send them on a scavenger hunt. Have them make a video showing how they celebrated the 4th of July. They could write a short essay describing what they did during their summer vacation. The possibilities are endless.

Check out some of these summer-themed resources to get some fun activity ideas to share with your students.