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
American Public University.
American Public University, regionally accredited as a member institution of APUS, offers a variety of M.Ed. and other programs suitable for educators at the Certificate, Associate, Bachelor's, and Master's levels. All courses are online, affordable, and conveniently schedule for the working professional.
Empower yourself through APU.
=======================================================================
Volume 11, Issue 20
May 20, 2009
 Reviving Reviews: Refreshing Ideas Students Can't Resist
Is review time a deadly bore for you and your students? Add a little fun to review time and you might be surprised. Games will spice up reviews, revive interest, and ensure retention. Included: Five activities for use in all subjects, all grades.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson/lesson306.shtml
End-of-Year Projects #1
Keep students engaged til the end. Fill the final days of the school year with these lessons.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson/lesson268.shtml
 Building Spelling Power
Each May, students compete in the National Spelling Bee. But, in most classrooms, spelling is a yearlong activity -- and Education World has all the resources you need to spark excitement about spelling. Find spelling games and more to help students spell up a s-t-o-r-m.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_special/spelling.shtml
Fitness Month
May is National Physical Fitness and Sports Month, but everyone knows that kids need physical education all year long. That’s why Education World’s archive "teems" with article, lessons, resources, and activities focused on PE.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_special/physical_fitness.shtml
More Timely Lessons
What Does Memorial Day Mean to Your Students?
A Puzzle a Day Provides Practice That Pays
Fantastic Field Days
Celebrating Asian and Pacific-Island Heritage Month
http://www.educationworld.com/holidays/archives/memorial_day.shtml
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson/lesson336.shtml
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson/lesson315.shtml
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson/lesson340.shtml
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.
 Team Up for Telling Time - A fun competition. (Grades K-3)
Step and Spell - This "active-ity" teaches the computer keyboard. (K-4)
Estimating - How many blades of grass on a football field? (4-12)
Poetry of War and Peace - A Memorial Day activity. (6-12)
Charting Gas Prices - Is it really more costly than years ago? (6-12)
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/archives/dailylp.shtml
 Friday Fun
Create a favorite book on tape so others might enjoy it too.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/friday/friday013.shtml
News for Kids
Student Author Sells Thousands of Books
Ten-year-old Alec Greven is the author of several best-selling advice books for kids.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/archives/newsforyou.shtml
Learning Game of the Week
Generate lists of words in the "Out of the Box" vocab game.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/learninggame/learninggame012.shtml
Vicki Cobb's Show-Biz Science
Bring yeast to life, and discover how they ferment.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/
showbiz_science/showbiz_science060.shtml
 Early Childhood Center
* Rhyme Time
This week's poem for Early Childhood educators:
A "Friendly" Chat
* Early Childhood Teaching Themes
Celebrate Friendship
Make a friendship fruit salad and more.
May Flowers and the Five Senses
Integrate the senses as spring sprouts.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_earlychildhood/newsletters/
Reader's Theater
Can Humpty Dumpty Be Saved?
When Humpty Dumpty is injured in a fall, the king offers a reward to anyone who can save him.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/
reading/ReadersTheater/ReadersTheater003.shtml
From the Reading Machine
Seussville Story Maker
Create three scenes of a story with Seuss characters, backgrounds, and your text. Then animate the tale. (K-4)
http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/readingmachine/readingmachine032.shtml
Total Reader
How Cool Is That!
http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/profdev/profdev149.shtml
From the Writing Center
 Writing About Math
A look at a variety of writing categories and topics for math class, and suggestions for creating a positive environment for writing about math.
A Teachable Moment
Constantine Christopulos’s second graders petition for fewer green beans.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/mathchat/mathchat014.shtml
http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/teacher_feature/teacher_feature176.shtml
Writing Lessons
Writing Descriptions of "My Favorite Place"
Help students write excellent descriptions. (Grades 3-12)
http://www.educationworld.com/a_tsl/archives/03-1/lesson030.shtml
The Wall Inspires Letters to Veterans
Inspire students to write letters to veterans at local hospitals for Memorial Day. (Grades K-12)
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/03/lp313-03.shtml
Writing Bugs
My Personal Tongue Twister
Make up a tongue twister using your name.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/writing_bug/writingbug015.shtml
When Spider Webs Unite
What does this old Ethiopian proverb mean to you?
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/writing_bug/writingbug011.shtml
From the Math Corner
 Convince Me!
Saying "Wrong answer!" pronounces judgment and kills debate. Saying "Convince me!" stimulates inquiry, clear mathematical thinking, and animated mathematical discourse.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/mathchat/mathchat017.shtml
Math Mnemonics
Solving Word Problems
http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/mnemonics/mnemonics031.shtml
From the Math Machine
 Line Jumper
A fun Web site for teaching about basic operations, negative numbers, and number lines. (Grades 1-7)
Power Football
Answer a decimal problem and hit "go." If the answer is correct, the ball moves toward the goal. (Grades 4-8)
http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/mathmachine/mathmachine016.shtml
http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/mathmachine/mathmachine031.shtml
Box Cars and One-Eyed Jacks Math Games With Joanne and Jane
This week: "Dice Deluxe" teaches 3-addend addition.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/boxcars/boxcars035.shtml
Writing Bug
What advice would you give kids who soon will be starting the grade you are now completing?
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/writing_bug/writingbug078.shtml
Bulletin Boards That Teach
"WOW, Watermelon!" -- A fun end-of-year bulletin board gets students thinking about summer.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/bullboard/bullboard020.shtml
 Teacher-Submitted Lesson Plans
Teacher Lesson #1
Create, conduct surveys; report the results in graph and letter form.
Teacher Lesson #2
Use popcorn to teach about fractions.
Teacher Lesson #3
Seashells help teach about the importance of including detail in writing.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_tsl/index.shtml
Every-Day Edits
Primary Edits Animals A to Z: Zebra
Ele-Middle Edits Mount St. Helens, Dolley Madison, Crater Lake…
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/archives/animalsAtoZ.shtml
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/archives/edit.shtml
Fact Monster Hunts
Primary Hunt May Hunt #4
Ele-Middle Hunt Hunt #34
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/archives/factmonster.shtml
Work Sheet of the Week
"Number Patterns" -- two complete-the-patterns activities.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/worksheets/TCM/math_3_5.shtml
5-Minute Fillers
Volume 5
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/archives/fillers.shtml
Vocab-ulous!
Words that begin with -cl blends.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/vocabulous/vocabulous028shtml
FROM OUR PRINTABLES LIBRARY
Backpack-tivities
These @ home learning activities are great family fun -- and learning. (Grades K-4)
http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/archives/homework.shtml
Math Cross Puzzles
Just like crosswords, but with math. (Grades 4-9)
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/archives/numbercross.shtml
Geography A to Z
Learn about world geography one letter at a time. (Grades 4-8)
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/archives/geography_az.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
Are you looking for a teaching job this year, but aren't sure how to go about getting the job you want? Don’t miss this five part series on "The Hiring Process."
http://www.educationworld.com/jobs/job_search.shtml
Professor Joe Martin: The Educator Motivator
It's Not About Us
We can keep doing what we're doing and getting the same results, or we can change our school by changing our attitude toward our job. Where do you stand?
http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/columnists/martin/martin018.shtml
Dr. Fred Jones: Tools for Teaching
Incentives Teach Lessons
If you want students to cooperate class after class, day after day, you must answer for them the question, "Why should I?"
http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/columnists/jones/jones014.shtml
Angela Powell: Getting It Together
Organize Math Materials by Chapter
Keep all your centers, games, manipulatives, and photo copies for math in one place.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/organization/organization031.shtml
Cathy Puett Miller: The Reading Coach
Encouraging Independent Reading
A practical, easy-to-implement strategy for sending students in grades 1-2 into the world of independent reading with a goal and a plan.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/columnists/miller/miller009.shtml
Brenda Dyck's Blog
Technology Tradeoffs
Although often criticized for pulling people away from one another, technology also has facilitated some of the most unbelievable collaborative ventures imaginable.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/columnists/dyck/dyck039.shtml
Doug Johnson's Tech Proof
Who Is "They"?
There's no simple resolution to the conflicting priorities between techs and educators, but I know this: the best rules are developed collaboratively.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/columnists/johnson/johnson036.shtml
Alma Row's Gadget of the Week
CityCreator
Choose a style, create a city, and then add buildings, roads, people, vehicles, and more. If you like Sim City, you'll like CityCreator too.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/gadget/gadget039.shtml
 Leah Davies, The Teacher Counselor
Rewards in the Classroom
Even though children who enter school are often inclined to be either intrinsically or extrinsically motivated, a worthwhile goal for educators is to foster intrinsic motivation in children. Included: Tips for building students’ intrinsic motivation.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/columnists/davies/davies009.shtml
Lorrie Jackson's Techtorial
Create Test Forms With Microsoft Word
Age-appropriate online games can boost academic skills by keeping students focused on content. Learn how to select online games and activities for student use.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/techtorial/techtorial020.shtml
 The Principal Poet
Mr. Ivan, Education World's Principal Poet, presents this week’s poem, “Locker Clean-Out.”
Teacher says our lockers
Must be cleaned before we go.
I guess she hasn't peeked inside
My locker, or she'd know…
http://www.educationworld.com/a_admin/columnists/ivan/index
Strategy of the Week
Looping
Discover the benefits and disadvantages and looping.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/strategy/strategy014.shtml
Featured Articles
 Rejuvenate Recess
Author and PE expert Guy Bailey shares some of his favorite games to help classroom teachers make the most of recess, even when the weather doesn't cooperate. Included: Ideas to help increase physical activity for students during the school day.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/profdev/profdev163.shtml
100 Report Card Comments
It's report card time again and you face the prospect of writing constructive, insightful, and original comments on a couple dozen report cards or more. Here’s 100 suggestions.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/profdev/profdev148.shtml
Student Autograph Page
Something to remember one another by as kids part for the summer.
http://www.educationworld.com/tools_templates/index.shtml#miscellaneous
Student Memory Page
Invite students to recall their favorite memories of the school year.
http://www.educationworld.com/tools_templates/index.shtml#miscellaneous
Stop the “Summer Slide” With the Scholastic Summer Challenge
The “summer slide” and research about summer reading losses are two of the reasons that Scholastic has create the Scholastic Summer Challenge. As always, Scholastic has created tons of fun for kids as well as great resources for parents and teachers.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_admin/principal_blog/2009_05.shtml
Wire Side Chat
Applying Differentiated Instruction
Author and educator Rick Wormeli notes in his book, Fair Isn't Always Equal, that differentiated instruction is more than dividing students into groups -- the key is putting them into groups based on what you know about them.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_issues/chat/chat223.shtml
 Partners for Student Success
"Reading Buddies" Pair Up for Literacy
A “Reading Buddies” program at an Illinois school pairs education students from North Central College (NCC) with fourth and fifth graders. Each twosome reads an assigned book and works together to create a final project to share with the entire group.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_admin/partners/partners007.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 Question
Which statement below best describes the role of teachers in your school when it comes to developing students’ consumer or finance skills?
Last Week’s Survey Results
Do you think that today's society places less value on spelling skills?
 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."
Multicultural Education: Issues and Perspectives
No doubt one of the most important topics in education today, multicultural education, is thoroughly treated in this 500-page sixth edition. The book deals with such topics as high-stakes testing in the context of multiculturalism, asking whether such tests are a social justice issue. The book also raises the fascinating question of trying to define what "culture" really is in modern, information-swamped America. With activities listed at the end of each chapter, this book is both thought provoking and practical.
Click to learn more or to purchase this book.
Reluctant Disciplinarian: Advice on Classroom Management
From a Softy Who Became (Eventually) a Successful Teacher
A long title, but luckily it really tells you why this book is valuable. So many people do get into education for what might be called "soft" reasons -- love of children, love of learning, a desire to make people's lives better. Those of us who have such "soft" motivations in our personality often find it hard to be the militaristic, marching-orders person that classroom management sometimes requires. Here's our guidebook!
 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 LEARNING GAMES
If you enjoy Education World's weekly LEARNING GAMES feature, you'll love this book! Education World and the National Education Association (NEA) have joined forces to create a handy, pocket-size booklet of more than 30 of our most popular learning games. PLUS an extra bonus -- ten more games for classroom fun!
These classroom games span the grades and the major subject areas -- and inject a healthy dose of fun into the serious business of teaching and learning. Looking to fill the end of a hectic day with something fun and educational? Looking for a great reward for students that will make valuable use of free time? Looking to reinforce basic skills with a fun activity? These games will fill the bill!
Included in this 80-page booklet you'll find these games and more:
- Math Facts Race (Math, grades K-8)
- You Can Count on Spelling (Math and Language Arts, grades K-12)
- Find It... Fast! (All Subjects, grades K-12)
- Concentration Review Game (All Subjects, grades K-12)
- The Dictionary Game (Language Arts, grades 3-8)
- Play Ball: A Major League Review Game (All Subjects, grades K-12)
- Friendly Feud (All Subjects, grades K-12)
- Plus 35 more games!
The Best of LEARNING GAMES is part of the Teacher Treasure Series, an NEA Professional Library Publication.
http://store.nea.org/NEABookstore/control/productdetails?item_id=0696800
==========================================================================
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.
==========================================================================
==========================================================================
Those Dinosaurs Are Old!
A group of tourists were marveling at the dinosaur bones in the Museum of Natural History. One of the group stopped a guard and asked him, "Can you tell me how old the dinosaur bones are?"
"They are 3 million, four years, and six months old," the guard replied.
"That's an awfully exact number," the tourist remarked. "How do you know their age so precisely?"
"Well, the dinosaur bones were three million years old when I started working here," the guard answered, "and that was four and a half years ago."
Retention Bonus
The daughter of a professional actor told her father at the end of the term that he should be very happy. She had just gotten her report card, and she was being held over for another season.
The Good Old Days
A mother was telling her little girl what her own childhood was like: "We used to skate outside on a pond. I had a swing made from a tire; it hung from a tree in our front yard. We rode our pony. We picked wild raspberries in the woods."
The little girl was wide-eyed, taking this in…
At last she said, "I sure wish I'd gotten to know you sooner!"
Little Johnny Strikes Again
Teacher: If I had 7 oranges in one hand and 8 oranges in the other, what would I have?
Little Johnny: Big hands!
==========================================================================
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.
SIGN UP FOR OUR OTHER NEWSLETTERS
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 WorldŽ
http://www.educationworld.com/
newsletter-lessons@educationworld.com
Education World
1062 Barnes Road Suite 205
Wallingford, CT 06492
==========================================================================
| 
)