Dear Education Leaders,
Welcome! This free weekly Lesson Planning newsletter features summaries
of lesson plans recently published on Education World®, the largest free, independent resource on the Web
for educators. If you enjoy this newsletter, please feel free to forward
it to others. If this newsletter has been forwarded to you, you may sign
up at http://www.educationworld.com/maillist.shtml.
To unsubscribe, see instructions at the bottom of this newsletter.
Education World remains a free resource thanks to the support of our
advertisers -- so please click on ads of interest and visit our
advertisers' sites. Thank you.
==========================================================================
 This week's newsletter is sponsored by
Typing Adventure Online Typing Tutor.
Typing Adventure offers students a revolutionary and adventurous new twist to the typical boring typing tutor with exciting games, lessons and tests; all while their adventure character travels the world in search of pieces to a lost ancient tablet.
Teachers love Typing Adventure because it’s SO fun their student’s are encouraged to practice daily. They don’t even realize they’re actually “working” at a new skill while playing these games. Plus there are great teacher-friendly tools.
Now thru June 1st, we are offering schools huge savings with our own
Education Stimulus Package.
CLICK HERE TO SAVE WITH OUR NEW STIMULUS PACKAGE FOR SCHOOLS!
CLICK ON OUR AD TO LEARN MORE!
Visit TYPINGADVENTURE.COM and start your Free Full Version 30-Day Trial
=======================================================================
Volume 11, Issue 17
April 29, 2009
 Math Awareness Month Fun: Volume 4
Just the Facts: Five Games for Teaching Math Facts
Practice! Practice! Practice! That's how most students learn their addition facts or times tables. Rote drill is a popular and proven tool for learning math facts. But it's OK to lighten up and add some fun to math-facts learning. Included: Five games to engage students as they learn math facts.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson/lesson339.shtml
Math Fun: Volume #3
More Math Awareness Month lesson plans.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson/lesson338.shtml
 Pet Week: May 3-9
Have you been feeling like the proverbial "old dog"? Learn some new tricks with five lessons that bring the delightful topic of pets -- from feline to fish to fowl -- into the classroom. Included: Five lessons that reinforce language arts, math, and science skills.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson311.shtml
 Mother's Day Is May 10
Mother's Day provides an opportunity to recognize one of the most important educators in a student's life. Click here for resources, activities, and crafts to help make this holiday one that students, parents, and teachers will remember.
http://www.educationworld.com/holidays/archives/mothersday.shtml
More Timely Lesson Ideas
The Civil War
Teaching Grammar Without the Hammer: Five Fun Activities
Five Lessons Teach Students to Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Wild and Wonderful: Lessons About Endangered Species
Math Fun: Volume #2
Arbor Day
Lesson Plan of the Day
Click the link above to see dozens of recent Lesson Plans of the Day, including the five lessons below that were posted last week.
 Save the Library! - Students write letters. (Grades 3-8)
Cafeteria Compost - Use lunchroom food scraps, yard clippings. (K-12)
Surname Survey - Your local phone book spurs learning. (3-12)
Homophones - Everything you need for a great activity. (K-12)
Junk Mail Overload - Students track, graph junk mail. (3-12)
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/archives/dailylp.shtml
Learning Game of the Week
Guess the meanings of unfamiliar words in "Dictionary Game."
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/
learninggame/learninggame009.shtml
News for Kids
'No Cussing Clubs' Catching on With Kids
A boy in California was tired of his peers' bad language, so he decided to do something about it.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/newsforyou/newsforyou090.shtml
Friday Fun
More math fact fun! Practice math facts using this easy-to-play card game.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/friday/friday009.shtml
Vicki Cobb's Show-Biz Science
Make a spectacular (and harmless) explosion with candy and soda.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/
showbiz_science/showbiz_science057.shtml
Tech Lesson of the Week
Get Animated About Chemistry
Students learn about the elements of the Periodic Table and create an animation to represent one of the elements.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/techlp/techlp061.shtml
 Early Childhood Center
* Rhyme Time
This week's poem for Early Childhood educators:
Daisy Mae (Pet Week)
* Early Childhood Teaching Themes
Mother's Day
Are you set for Mother’s Day on May 10?
We Love Trees
Arbor Day is right around the corner.
Math Is Marvelous
Did you know that April is Math Awareness Month?
http://www.educationworld.com/a_earlychildhood/newsletters/
Reader's Theater
Will the Music Play?
To mark the 50th anniversary of Symphony Land's world-famous Classical Music Festival, some musicians want to play modern music; others want to stick with the traditional. Will the dispute stop the music?
http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/reading/
ReadersTheater/ReadersTheater012.shtml
From the Reading Machine
Dog's Letter Pit
Sniff out the letters to complete a word and then watch the words come alive. (PreK-1)
http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/readingmachine/readingmachine028.shtml
Total Reader
How Cool Is That!
http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/profdev/profdev149.shtml
From the Writing Center
Seventh Graders Writing Italian Sonnets? You Bet!
Take a look at a program that has kids writing all kinds of poems -- from quatrains to limericks to (yes!) Italian sonnets.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson/lesson016.shtml
Mr. Cover's Class Reviews
Students become product testers and reviewers and publish their findings.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/profdev/profdev154.shtml
Writing Lessons
Pizza Biography
Students create pizza-box biographies. (Grades 3-8)
http://www.educationworld.com/a_tsl/archives/04-1/lesson016.shtml
Grab a Story and Go
A fun activity teaches the importance of continuity in writing. (Grades 3-12)
http://www.educationworld.com/a_tsl/archives/04-1/lesson004.shtml
Writing Bugs
The Best Pet
I think the animal that makes the best pet is…
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/writing_bug/writingbug003.shtml
Cheer Up!
Reflect on this quote from Mark Twain.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/writing_bug/writingbug033.shtml
From the Math Corner
 The Creatures in My Yard
In my busy back yard, you can spy….?
http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/math/go_figure/go_figure015.shtml
The Math Machine
Guess a Number
Use your powers of deduction and your math skills to make logical guesses and identify the mystery digit. (Grades K-12)
From the Math Machine
Addition Concentration is a fun Web site for teaching addition. (Grades 2-6) http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/mathmachine/mathmachine028.shtml
http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/mathmachine/mathmachine013.shtml
Math Mnemonics
Area and Circumference
http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/mnemonics/mnemonics036.shtml
Math Feature
Math and Literature
Literature is the ideal vehicle to help students see the importance of numbers in their daily lives.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/curr249.shtml
Box Cars and One-Eyed Jacks
Math Games With Joanne and Jane
This week: "The Missing Facts" teaches multiplication facts.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/boxcars/boxcars032.shtml
 Tech Lesson of the Week
Animated About Chemistry
Students learn about the elements of the Periodic Table and create an animation to represent one of the elements.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/techlp/techlp061.shtml
Bulletin Boards That Teach
"You Probably Didn't Know That…" -- Get to know your school's staff with this fun bulletin board.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/bullboard/bullboard038.shtml
 Teacher-Submitted Lesson Plans
Teacher Lesson #1
Students practice doubling numbers in this game.
Teacher Lesson #2
Use buttons to teach concepts of greater than, less than.
Teacher Lesson #3
Students' traveling journals teach about communities, cultures.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_tsl/index.shtml
Fact Monster Hunts
Primary Hunt May Hunt #1
Ele-Middle Hunt Hunt #31
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/archives/factmonster.shtml
Every-Day Edits
Primary Edits Animals A to Z: Xenops
Ele-Middle Edits Lei Day, Horace Mann, the "Golden Spike"…
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/archives/animalsAtoZ.shtml
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/archives/edit.shtml
Work Sheet of the Week
Synonyms -- rewrite the nursery rhyme titles.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/worksheets/TCM/lang_arts_6_8.shtml
5-Minute Fillers
Volume 2
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/archives/fillers.shtml
Vocab-ulous!
Words that begin with -bl- or br- blends.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/vocabulous/vocabulous026.shtml
FROM OUR PRINTABLES LIBRARY
Readers Theater Scripts
Ready-to-read scripts provide hours of classroom fun. Teacher's Guide included. (Grades 3-6)
http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/reading/index.shtml#theater
Coloring Calendars
Use these calendar templates to build student skills and for many other purposes. (Grades Pre-K-12) http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/archives/calendar.shtml
Work Sheets from Teacher Created Materials
More than 250 work sheets organized by subject and grade level.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/worksheets/TCM/index.shtml
Where in the World Is Mrs. Waffenschmidt?
Can you figure out where she is this week based on the clues she provides? (Grades 3-8)
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/archives/waffenschmidt.shtml
Just for This Month!
See our May Month of Fun, May Word Search, and May Coloring Calendar. PLUS: Create-your-own holiday work sheet templates for Spring Flowers, Memorial Day….
Emma McDonald: The New Teacher Advisor
The Hiring Process:
Be Prepared
In order to successfully navigate the hiring process for schools, you need to prepare yourself with the right information, dress, attitude, and words.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/columnists/mcdonald/mcdonald032.shtml
Ask Dr. Shore About...
A "Latchkey" Child
My fifth-grade daughter is home alone after school. How can I make sure she’s safe?
http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/shore/shore110.shtml
 Carlton Ashby's The Power Is in You
They Are All Our Children
Any impact I have had on the lives of kids I visit in juvenile detention centers is overshadowed by the impact they have had on mine. Those visits are reminders that it is my job to be an advocate for all children -- from those in kindergarten to those incarcerated.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_admin/columnists/ashby/index.shtml
 Leah Davies, The Teacher Counselor
Instilling Perseverance in Children
Teachers and parents are expected to encourage children by acknowledging their efforts and strengths. When children do not feel good about themselves, they need to be reminded of ways they can encourage themselves and each other.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/columnists/davies/davies006.shtml
 Brenda Dyck's Blog
Have You Tried YouTube?
The very online tools that provide incredible learning opportunities also allow access to inappropriate information and images. The enduring challenge for educators is how to access one without the other.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/
columnists/dyck/dyck015.shtml
 Doug Johnson's Tech Proof
Game On!
What is the role of computer and online games in education? Does your district support or ban classroom games and gamers?
http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/columnists/johnson/johnson021.shtml
Miguel Guhlin: The IT Crowd
Building Your Personal Learning Network
We need to think of learning as an experience that happens when we connect with others.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/columnists/guhlin/guhlin004.shtml
Alma Row's Gadget of the Week
Brochuremaker
Brochuremaker is a great way for students to create polished brochures to showcase their learning.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/gadget/gadget034.shtml
Lorrie Jackson's Techtorial
Keys to Keyboarding
Simple tips for improving students' keyboarding skills.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/techtorial/techtorial015.shtml
 The Principal Poet
Mr. Ivan, Education World's Principal Poet, presents "One Child Left Behind."
In front of me, there's Kayla.
She holds on one of my hands.
In back of me is Jimmy --
At least those were the plans…
http://www.educationworld.com/a_admin/columnists/ivan/index.shtml
 'Mix It Up at Lunch Day' Teaches Tolerance
Last year, more than 8,000 schools participated in Mix It Up at Lunch Day, an event in which students gain new understandings -- and friends -- by eating with kids with whom they might not otherwise connect. Included: Three schools’ Mix It Up experiences.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_admin/admin/admin563.shtml
Classroom Management Articles
Design Your Own Homework
Once a month, students in Valerie Grimes' class design their own homework assignments and report to the group about their activities.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/curr373.shtml
Exploring the First R: To Reinforce
The first structure that supports encouraging and empowering language is "to reinforce."
http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/columnists/charney/charney004b.shtml
 Partners for Student Success
Feeding a Community
Scott Elementary's students are actively involved at all stages of their annual food drives. They even visit local food pantries so they have a greater understanding of the need. Drives in fall and spring serve different purposes and meet different community needs.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_admin/partners/partners052.shtml
Strategy of the Week
Playground Maps
A large-scale map painted on playground asphalt "provides a 'clean slate' on which students can do all kinds of activities," says Ed Bonne, "The Playground Map Guy."
http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/strategy/strategy018.shtml
 Focus on... Attendance
School leaders recognize that attendance is one of the keys to improving student achievement. To that end, principals have developed many programs aimed at increasing attendance. The articles in this archive share stories and practical tips that are sure to help as you search for ways to improve attendance in your school.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_admin/focus/attendance.shtml
Make Graduation Day Special
Whether you call it Graduation Day, Move-Up or Step-Up Day, or Recognition or Promotion Day, the day you set aside to honor your school's "senior" class can be a special one with these ideas from Education World's "Principal Files" team.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_admin/admin/admin311.shtml
Template of the Week
Traceable May Calendar
Students can trace the numbers and images on this flowery May calendar.
http://www.educationworld.com/tools_templates/traceable_monthly_calendars.shtml
 Students Map Neighborhood With GIS
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping and analysis software is helping students locate and document hazards in their communities.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_issues/issues/issues403.shtml
Tips Library
Classroom Management: Better Behavior
Behavior Management: The Six Thinking Hats
Motivating Kids: Set High Expectations
Book Report Makeover: Big Books for Little Kids
Homework Tips: Make Your Grade
Best Idea Ever: Parent Notebooks
Testing Tips: Attendance Incentives
http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/management_tips/management_tips036.shtml
http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/behaviortips/behaviortips036.shtml
http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/bookreport/bookreport036.shtml
http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/homeworktips/homeworktips028.shtml
http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/bestidea/bestidea036.shtml
http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/testing/testing036.shtml
Each week, we ask readers to cast their votes in The Weekly Survey. Cast your vote in this week's question of interest to all educators.
This Week's Survey Questions
What best describes your views on the fate of the NCLB law under the Obama administration?
http://www.educationworld.com/a_issues/survey/survey204.shtml
Last Week's Survey Results
Do you agree with President Obama's comment that less successful teachers have to be removed from classrooms in order for U.S. schools to improve?
http://www.educationworld.com/a_issues/survey/survey203.shtml
 Each week, Education World spotlights books of interest to educators. This week, read a brief summary of two more of our "top 50 books for educators."
No Contest: The Case Against Competition
One of the most prolific education writers, Alfie Kohn is also one of the most entertaining and thought-provoking. This book makes perhaps the most profound argument Kohn has ever fielded -- that "healthy competition" is an oxymoron, that competition is not an essential or desirable aspect of human nature, but rather a part of our animal nature that we must transcend. Of course our educational system has a love-hate relationship with competition: we don't want kids to feel like losers, but our society demands that schools identify a small number of winners. A truly essential read!
Click to learn more or to purchase this book.
The Absorbent Mind
Maria Montessori's classic underscores her belief that learning is a natural characteristic of the human being, and that the process of education is best conducted as a nuturing of that natural impulse, rather than something that has to be imposed on one's otherwise savage little charges. Along with this is her belief, much more radical in its time than now, that people's personalities are not fixed at birth, but that a child's early years are in fact crucially formative.
 Click to learn more or to purchase this book.
Click the icon to the right to see more books and many other products that are available in the Education World MarketPlace.
==========================================================================
 The Best of the WRITING BUG
If you enjoy Education World's weekly WRITING BUG feature, you'll love this book! Education World and the National Education Association (NEA) have joined forces to create a handy, pocket-size booklet with 44 of the most popular Writing Bug story starters. Use these Writing Bug activities to engage your students in effective writing. Each writing prompt will spark students' imaginations, tickle their funny bones, and motivate their pencils.
Included: In this booklet you'll find these Writing Bug titles and many more:
If I Could Interview Any U.S. President...
The Best Lesson I Ever Learned
I Got a Postcard from Another Planet
A Week Without TV
The Best Invention Ever/The Worst Invention Ever
Plus 39 more Writing Bug writing prompts!
The Best of WRITING BUG is part of the Teacher Treasure Series, an NEA Professional Library Publication.
http://store.nea.org/NEABookstore/control/productdetails?&item_id=0695X00
==========================================================================
Education World now incorporates www.SchoolNotes.com ~ "everybody on the same page!" The leading school-to-home communications platform, with FREE pages for teachers and automatic notification of parents and students when new homework is posted!
For a modest $24.95 PER YEAR, upgrade to Personal Edition, "Super SchoolNotes," with thousands of resources linked to your state's standards.
Click here for more information.
==========================================================================
MORE FEATURES OF INTEREST
 Reader’s Theater More than two dozen scripts, perfect for the classroom.
Best Books for Teaching About… Booklists for 30 popular teaching themes.
Sign Up for Our Newsletters Ten free newsletters full of practical ideas.
Special Education Center Tools for the special education community.
Techtorials Tutorials take the terror out of tech.
Template Library Explore dozens of templates to meet your every need.
Wire Side Chats Ed World chats with experts from the "education world."
Printables Library 100s of printables!
Meet Our Columnists From across the "education world."
Early Childhood Themes From Sue LaBella.
Stress Kit Tools for catching your breath.
Classroom Management 101 Real tips from real teachers.
News for Kids World news with kids in mind.
==========================================================================
==========================================================================
Sewing Lesson
My granddaughter came to spend a few weeks with me, and I decided to teach her to sew. After I had gone through a lengthy explanation of how to thread the machine, she stepped back, put her hands on her hips, and said in disbelief, "You mean you can do all that,
but you can't play my Game Boy?"
Teacher Arrested
Apparently a teacher has been arrested in New York City in possession of compasses, a protractor, and a straight edge.
It is claimed he is a member of the Al Gebra movement bearing weapons of math instruction.
Short Takes
Harry: What kinds of tests do witches take?
Hermione: Hex-aminations!
Sam (disguising voice on the phone): My son has a bad cold and won't be able to come to school today.
School Secretary: Who is this?
Sam: This is my father speaking!
Little Johnny Strikes Again
Father: I heard you skipped school to play football.
Little Johnny: No, I didn't. I have the fish to prove it!
School Doodle
An Either "Oar" Question in Tight Economic Times
http://www.educationworld.com/a_issues/
school_doodles/school_doodles20.shtml
==========================================================================
If you enjoy this Lesson Planning Newsletter, please feel free to forward it to other teachers! If this newsletter has been forwarded to you, you may sign up for it -- and any of the other Education World newsletters -- at http://www.educationworld.com/maillist.shtml.
 We
hope you enjoy receiving this Education World e-newsletter. Did you know that Education World offers eight other FREE weekly newsletters?
Have you signed up to receive the...
Education World SITE REVIEWS NEWSLETTER?
Each week, Education World's Site Reviews Newsletter reviews three new Web sites of interest to PreK-12 educators.
The weekly reviews spotlight some of the best resources on the Web for teachers and students. At least a couple times a
month, we also shine the spotlight on a topic of wide interest to teachers; we present five or more great resources for
teaching about that topic.
Would you like to see a sample of the Education World Site Reviews Newsletter? If so, simply click the link below:
http://www.educationworld.com/newsletters_images/sr_sample.shtml
If you would like to subscribe to the Education World Site Reviews Newsletter, simply click the following link:
http://www.educationworld.com/maillist.shtml#reviews
If the Site Reviews Newsletter is not of interest to you, do you know somebody else who might benefit from it? Perhaps
you could pass this information along to that person.
==========================================================================
Education World®
http://www.educationworld.com/
newsletter-lessons@educationworld.com
Education World
1062 Barnes Road Suite 205
Wallingford, CT 06492
==========================================================================
| 
)