Education World Lessons Newsletter

Education World Lesson Planning Newsletter -- Volume 11, Issue 46

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:39:00 GMT

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.

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This week's newsletter is sponsored by Intel Reader.

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Volume 11, Issue 46
November 18, 2009

Geography Awareness Week
Geography lessons can make a "world" of difference in students' knowledge of the world and in their test scores. That's because geography is multidisciplinary by nature. Our archive presents geography lessons that teach geography as well as math, language, and cultural literacy. Included: Dozens of lessons for Geography Awareness Week, November 15-21, 2009.

More Reading Fun
Dozens of special activities shine the spotlight on reading all year long.

Thanksgiving
Ideas for teaching about Thanksgiving then and now.

Native American Heritage Month
Explore the history and culture of America's original inhabitants.

Bullying Awareness Week
For many years, bullying was seen as a necessary evil -- an unpleasant, but unavoidable, rite of childhood. Ignore it, we thought, and it would go away. The problem hasn't gone away, though, and educators can't ignore it. Included: Ten special activities for Bullying Awareness Week (November 15-21) -- activities for teaching kids about empathy, anger management, and effective conflict resolution.

The Great American Smokeout (November 20)
Use these activities to help you impart the "stamp out smoking"message.

Lesson Plan of the Day
Click the link above to see dozens of recent Lesson Plans of the Day, including the lessons below that were posted last week.
Thanksgiving Placemats - A community service project. (Grades PK-12)
Be an Historian - Learn the truth about the "First Thanksgiving."(3-8)
Thanksgiving Feast - Learn where Thanksgiving foods are grown. (3-8)
Annual Food Drive - Graph the amount of food that comes in. (K-12)
Anti-Smoking Letters - Celebrate the Smokeout (November 19). (3-12)

Be sure to see all of this week's new Lesson Planning content on Education World's Lesson Planning Channel. And don't forget to sign up for one of our other eight weekly newsletters or the biweekly Early Childhood or Grants newsletters.

Education World's Work Sheet Library includes hundreds of free printables for use across the grades and across the curriculum. You will find a sampling of our printables below. Visit our Work Sheet Library for a complete selection.

Math Fact Practice
Math Fact Practice Work Sheets
Use these printables for addition, subtraction, and multiplication math fact practice. Coming soon: division.

Free Work Sheets
From TLS Books
Synonym Practice
Circle the word that is a synonym for the underlined word in each sentence.

Every-Day Edits
Primary Edits
Animals A to Z: Jaguar.
Ele-Middle Edits
Marie Curie, Oklahoma, Macy's Parade...

Writing Bug
Story Starter
Each Person Is... One Native American proverb says, "Each person is his own judge." What does that proverb mean to you?

Hunt the Fact Monster
Primary Hunt
November hunt #4
Ele-Middle Hunt
Hunt #12

Build a Fab Vocab
Vocab-u-lous! Activity
Words that begin with L.

Geography A to Z
Places That Begin With the Letter F
Can you name all seven places?

Math Cross Puzzle
Math Puzzle # 3
Associative property: (5 + 6) x 2

Make Your Own Work Sheet
Work Sheets for Thanksgiving
Create an activity for any subject.

News for Kids
Which Animal Is the Weirdest in the World?
Learn about five very weird-looking animals. Vote for the one you think is weirdest.

Friday Fun
Create a favorite book on tape so others might enjoy it too.

Learning Game of the Week
"Read the Teacher's Mind" game reinforces vocabulary, more.

Vicki Cobb's Show-Biz Science
Kids use their tongues to test pain endurance.

Box Cars and One-Eyed Jacks Math Games With Joanne and Jane
This week: "Fishing for Division Facts."

From Our Early Childhood Activity Bank
Special Activities for This Week
Turkey, Turkey (Art)
Turkey Hide and Seek
Thanks for the Corn (Math)
Cookin' Up Thanksgiving Words
Giving Thanks
A Harvest Snack
The Wampanoags

From the Learning Machine
Explore the coolest resources on the Web.
From the Math Machine
Time to Move is a fun Web site for teaching measurement and sorting. (Grades 1-2)
From the Science Machine
Use Energy Vampires to explore the topics of energy and electricity. (Grades 2-6)
From the Reading Machine
I Spy City reinforces vocabulary. (Grades K-4)

The Math and Science Corner

Wendy Petti's Math Cats
Enhanced Visual Instructional Plans
I'd like to propose an adaptation to the Visual Instructional Plan that also includes a thinking prompt.

Featured Math Article
Start Your Engines
Merging his life-long love of racing and a classroom of fourth graders, teacher Tom Stock created a winning learning combination.

Go Figure!
Rearrange the shapes to create a new pattern.

Fair Game Subtraction
Subtraction; odd and even numbers.

Math Mnemonics
How to do long division.

The Science Lab
Hot Box
A demonstration of why Venus is hot!

The Writing Center

Discovering the Writers Within
Convince students that writing is worthwhile and that their oral vocabulary and reading experiences give them tools to express themselves. Their skills will grow.

Family History Project
Donna Kielty's family history project teaches students who "Americans" are.

Giving Thanks
Three things I am most thankful for are...

What I'm Really Good At
I'm really good at these three things...

Writing Lessons
Cinderella and The Rough-Face Girl
Compare Cinderella to the native tale The Rough-Face Girl.
Working on the Slant
Compare how several newspapers cover a story.

The Reading Room

Reading Feature
A Thanksgiving Language Lesson
Students work in groups to create restaurants, menus, and advertisements to attract Thanksgiving Day customers.

Cathy Puett Miller:
Mining Foundational Treasures
In the Early Grades
Oral language, reading aloud, and language play provide students with a strong foundation for their reading experiences.

Cooks Challenge
It's a battle of culinary creativity when a nursery rhyme character competes in an unusual contest against a famous chef on a popular cooking show. The surprising results stun everyone.

More Lesson Ideas

Teacher-Submitted Lesson Plans
Teacher Lesson #1
Learning math fact is fun with the "Doughnut Race."
Teacher Lesson #2
A handful of fun ideas for teaching about mysteries.
Teacher Lesson #3
Use letters in a book's title to write an acrostic book report.

More Lesson Ideas
Sudoku Puzzles
Book Report Makeover
Backpack-tivities (Homework Activities)
Technology Lesson Plans

Bulletin Boards That Teach
Search 'n Spell -- Can students find this week's spelling words in this bulletin-board word search puzzle?

5-Minute Fillers
Volume 26

Just for This Month!
See our November Month of Fun, November Word Search, and November Coloring Calendar. PLUS! Create your own work sheets for this month's holidays and special days.

Best Books for Teaching About…

Each week, Education World presents our Editors' Choices for the best books for teaching about popular classroom themes. Check out our choices and add your own recommendations to the Readers' Voices section of this week's themed booklists.

Best Books for Teaching About...The Five Senses

Best Books for Teaching About...Oceans

See more great books for students and classroom teaching themes.

Shop the
Education World
MarketPlace

The Education World MarketPlace features products handpicked for educators.

This Week's Feature

Awards and Incentives Award medals, ribbons, and trophies. Plus certificates and preprinted pencils. All perfect for rewarding students for classroom or schoolwide achievement. See a complete selection in the Education World MarketPlace.

Remember, by shopping the Education World MarketPlace (powered by S&S Worldwide) and our Education World/SchoolNotes bookstore (powered by Amazon) you help us maintain Education World as a free resource for educators.

Ken Shore: The ABCs of Bullying Prevention
Dealing With Bullying Victims
Your success in counseling bullying victims depends largely on your ability to establish trust in the face of embarrassment and reluctance to talk about it.

Ruth Sidney Charney: The Responsive Classroom
Logical Consequences Teach Important Lessons
Logical consequences reinforce the limits of the classroom, the accountability of each individual, and the belief that we can take better care of ourselves, one another, and our environment.

Fred Jones's Tools for Teaching
Follow Through and Pseudo-Compliance
In the body language poker game, teachers fold when they turn a way from a situation before students have folded. Students fold when they abandon pseudo-compliance and get back to work.

Emma McDonald: The New Teacher Advisor
Managing Student Talking
With the onset of collaborative learning groups and hands-on learning activities, the lines of when students can and cannot talk have become blurred. So, how do you manage the talking going on your classroom without stifling creativity and learning?

Education Humor With Regina Barreca
Laughter Is a Class Act
"Ami is a brilliant teacher and a wonderful woman. It turns out, however, that she is not the world's best proofreader. Based on the prototype she handed to the printers, Ami wound up with 200 buttons declaring...�Teachers Are My Hepoes.'"

Peek's Perspective on Grant Writing with Don Peek
Are You Filling Out Your Grant Applications Properly?
You may think that since you have a college degree -- or two, or three -- that you should be able to fill out a grant application properly. For the most part, I agree. But it's not really the application itself that trips most people up. It's their approach to the application.

Carlton Ashby's The Power Is In You
We Can Be the "Miracles" in Our Students' Lives
A Whitney Houston video and a couple events from this week at school have me thinking about how many times we teachers go the extra mile for our students. We are empowered to make a difference in their lives in so many ways because that is part of the "calling" we feel.

Eric Baylin's Songs to Brighten a Teacher's Day
The Curriculum Mapping Song
Yes, curriculum mapping can be a little tedious, and -- by the way -- where do we find the time? But it makes good sense...doesn't it? So, if curriculum mapping sometimes gets you down, just sing your mapping woes away.

Mr. Ivan:
The Principal Poet
"The Mouse in School"
Education World's resident poet, Mr. Ivan, presents a poem that is sure to bring grins to school leaders everywhere. This week's poem is "The Mouse in School."
"Vermin! Vermin!" Our
Teacher's voice was shrill!
And that much exuberance
Gave us kids a thrill...
Read more...

Teacher Feature
What We're Grateful For
Nicole Nelson's kindergartners use technology to express appreciation at Thanksgiving.

Wire Side Chats
Okay, Grammar Still Isn't Fun, But Everyone Can Master It
Veteran English teacher Marian Anders wants people to know that when it comes to grammar, making the right choice needn't be an ordeal.
Students Revel in Lessons from Storyteller Bill Harley
Bill Harley is a popular children's musician and storyteller. Hook students on the power of Bill's "every kid" stories and songs -- and watch them write and tell stories of their own.

A Parent Engagement Model That Works
Parent "engagement" can offer a superior opportunity for schools to work with families to improve their communities and the academic achievement and futures of their children.

Classroom Management Article of the Week
Creating a Climate for Learning
In Positive Classroom Discipline, Fred Jones states, "The most widespread management technique at home and in the classroom is nag, nag, nag." It's also probably the least effective. Learn how to stop nagging and start teaching.

Principal's Tough Stand Turns School Around
Frustrated by what he considered low expectations and minimal structure at American Indian Public Charter School, Dr. Ben Chavis set out to reform the school instituting no-nonsense policies regarding attendance, appearance, and instruction. And it worked.

Cuts, Cuts, Everywhere: Even Principals Get the Ax
Just when we thought that budget cuts could not cut deeper, our hurting economy is forcing schools and districts to dig deeper for line items to chop. Some of the cuts we have read about recently make sense in trying times, but others verge on the absurd.

Partners for Student Success
Feeding a Community
Part of the mission at Scott Elementary School (Naperville, Illinois) is to educate students to be "community contributors." The school's food drives involve students in each step of the process -- from visiting the food pantry to reporting results.

A Thanksgiving WebQuest
The U.S. Congress has decided to change the name of Thanksgiving. Your team will help Congress decide what the new name should be.

Meeler's Weblog Class
Hillary Meeler's students blog their way to better writing skills.

What's the Point of PowerPoint?
PowerPoint can be a powerful tool, but its bells and whistles can distract students from the importance of content. How can you rein in the PowerPoint beast?

Alma Rowe's
Gadget of the Week
This speedy tool takes any group of words -- a quote, a speech, a poem, an RSS feed...-- and creates a graphic.

From Our Classroom Tips Library
Classroom Management: Be Kind to Substitutes
Behavior Management: School Allowance, Service, Certificates
Motivating Kids: Minimize Downtime
Book Report Makeover: Describe It!
Homework Tips: Participation Guide
Best Idea Ever: The Importance of Listening
Testing Tips: A Test Tour

Education World Reviews the Best of the Web
Check out this week's site reviews:
Animal Bytes
Animal facts, photos, Webcams, more.

Get Body Smart
An eBook about human anatomy and physiology.

Amazon Interactive
Explore the Amazon Rainforest -- without getting muddy.

Explore our Site Review Archives for more great sites. You also can keep up with our latest reviews by signing up for our Site Review Newsletter.

A Healthy School Lunch
A middle school in Berkeley, California, serves up nutritious grub kids love.

What can you do with SchoolNotes? Check out The Redding Report.

Education World Introduces RSS!

Want to be alerted whenever Education World updates one of your favorite Channels or adds content related to a subject of interest? Subscribe today to our RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feeds to get new content delivered directly to your desktop!

Learn about the latest new content posted to our Lesson Planning, Professional Development, Administrator's Desk, or Technology Integration Channels.

Be notified when we add new content related to the teaching of Reading, Math, Writing, or Science.

Be the first to see new Classroom Management resources.

See new content related to Parent Involvement.

Let us inform you when we add new resources to our Tools & Templates area.

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
Does your school have a formal plan for dealing with H1N1?

Last Week’s Survey Results
Has NCLB changed proficiency standards in your state?

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."

The First Six Weeks of School
The critical first six weeks of school is the focus of this practical book, aimed at building a strong foundation in terms of motivation, cooperation, responsibility and self-control. The book, published by the Responsive Classroom folks, includes daily plans along with commentary for K-2, 3-4, and 5-6, and adds an extensive collection of games, activities, greetings, songs, read-alouds, and other resources that can help make the goal of starting the year strong a reality.
Click to learn more or to purchase this book.

Educational Psychology: Windows on Classrooms
This is a big Prentice-Hall textbook that comes packaged with an access code to a teacher prep Web site -- just in case the 672 pages leave you wanting more! The Web site includes more than 150 video clips and more than 200 "artifacts," as well as 500 plus research papers. If you really want to own a truly comprehensive resource on educational psychology, then, this $115 paperback could actually be a bargain. In its 7th edition, no doubt, it's the book you'd be assigned by many courses in this field.
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.

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Are you looking for a nice holiday gift for colleagues?
Our Best of... booklets might just fill the bill!

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

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

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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.

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A Frog's Fate

When a lonely frog consults a fortune-teller, he's told not to worry. "You are going to meet a beautiful young girl,"she says, "and she will want to know everything about you."

"That's great!"says the excited frog. "When will I meet her?"

"Next semester,"says the psychic, "in biology class."

Handwriting Counts

The professor had just handed back the term's final exams. As I looked over the comments the professor had written, it was clear that he was reading papers late into the night. His tired scrawl was unreadable. I went up to him after class, eager to know what one particular comment said. "Professor Greene,"I said, "I can't make out this comment you wrote on my paper."

The professor took a close look and, after studying it, sheepishly replied, "It says that you should write more legibly."

Computer Talk

Sally: What did the computer do at lunchtime?
Martin: I don't know. What did he do?
Sally: Had a byte!

Little Johnny Strikes Again

Father: Johnny, why are you doing your math homework on the floor?
Little Johnny: Because the teacher told me to do it without using tables!

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Education World Lesson Planning Newsletter -- Volume 11, Issue 45

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:54:00 GMT

Dear Education Leaders,

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This week's newsletter is sponsored by Intel Reader.

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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.
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Volume 11, Issue 45
November 11, 2009

Native American Heritage Month
November is National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month -- the perfect time to explore Education World's resources on the history and culture of America's original inhabitants. Included: Lessons for recognizing America�s Indian roots.

Reading Fun!
Are you looking for a special project that will excite your students about reading? You have come to the right place! On this page, we have gathered together dozens of Education World articles that offer unique lessons and ideas for teachers of reading at all levels. Transform every week in your classroom into "Book Week" with these fun and "novel" reading lesson ideas.

Thanksgiving
"Gobble, gobble, gobble...." Increase your students' knowledge and skills when you use turkeys as a teaching theme. Plus teaching the real story of the First Thanksgiving, much more.

Lesson Plan of the Day
Click the link above to see dozens of recent Lesson Plans of the Day, including the lessons below that were posted last week.
Turkey Bulletin Boards - Two fun ideas. (Grades K-5)
Gettysburg Address (Nov.19) - Compare draft, final version. (6-12)
Lewis and Clark (Nov.18) - A timeline activity. (3-12)
Design a Navajo Rug - A lesson in symmetry. (3-8)
Smoking Is Dangerous - A Great American Smokeout demo. (K-12)

Education World's Work Sheet Library includes hundreds of free printables for use across the grades and across the curriculum. You will find a sampling of our printables below. Visit our Work Sheet Library for a complete selection.

Math Fact Practice
Math Fact Practice Work Sheets
Use these printables for addition, subtraction, and multiplication math fact practice. Coming soon: division.

Free Work Sheets
From TLS Books
Rounding Numbers
Help the cowboy round these numbers between 100 and 1,000 to the nearest hundred.

Every-Day Edits
Primary Edits
Animals A to Z: Iguana.
Ele-Middle Edits
Georgia O�Keefe, Sesame Street...

Writing Bug
Story Starter
Imagine you are a turkey. What would you say to convince someone not to cook you for Thanksgiving dinner?

Hunt the Fact Monster
Primary Hunt
November hunt #3
Ele-Middle Hunt
Hunt #11

Build a Fab Vocab
Vocab-u-lous! Activity
Thankgiving words.

Where in the World Is Mrs. Waffenschmidt?
Mrs. W: Week 7
Which African landmark is she visiting?

It All Adds Up
Puzzle #7
Find the missing numbers so "it all adds up."

Word Search of the Month
November Word Search
How many words can you find?

More Printables
Work Sheets from Teacher Created Materials
100+ printables for all subjects, grades.
Phonics Word Search Puzzles
A puzzle a week all school year long.
Sudoku Puzzles
Challenge students with number fun.
Work Sheet Library
See our entire library of free printables.

News for Kids
World�s Largest Cruise Ship Sets Sail on December 5
Oasis of the Seas is scheduled to set sail from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Learning Game of the Week
Reinforce math facts in a visual way with a fun math race.

Box Cars and One-Eyed Jacks Math Games With Joanne and Jane
This week: "Multiplication War."

Friday Fun
"Get the ball rolling" with this idiom activity.

Vicki Cobb's Show-Biz Science
Discover that your arm has bionic strength.

From Our Early Childhood Activity Bank
Special Activities for This Week
A Hand-y Turkey (Art)
Pinecone-and-Leaves Turkey
Thanksgiving Corn (Science)
Let�s Make Gravy
"I Am Thankful for..."
Pizza for Thanksgiving

From the Learning Machine
Explore the coolest resources on the Web.
From the Reading Machine
Gator's Smash 'Em reinforces spelling. (Grades 2-6)
From the Math Machine
Star Gazing is a fun Web site for teaching angle measurement. (Grades 2-6)
From the Science Machine
Use Cyber Tiger to explore the topics of zoology. (Grades 1-4)

The Math and Science Corner

Featured Math Article
Use It or Lose It: Puzzles to Exercise the Brain
Do your students' brains seem a little lazy lately? Energize them with brainteasers.

Math Cats
Functions in the Real World
Functions will really begin to come to life as students find uses for functions in the real world.

Go Figure!
Solve each puzzle to find the missing number.

To Sum It Up
Adding three-digit numbers. (Grade 3 and above)

Math Mnemonics
Add, Subtract, Multiply, or Divide?

THE SCIENCE LAB
Water, Water Everywhere
A demonstration of the proportion of Earth's fresh to salt water.

The Writing Center

Write on Target
Three educators share some writing-based activities -- and three creative ways to encourage writing skills -- that they and their students love. From hall graffiti to a winter memoir, these activities will have your students, too, penning with pleasure.

Family Writers' Workshop
Donna Sacco's students --and their parents -- blossom during family writing class.

You Be the Editor
Student-editors work in teams to correct errors in this fast-paced activity.

Synonyms in the News
Use synonyms to rewrite news headlines and articles.

Writing Bugs
A Turkey's Last Plea
Imagine you are a turkey. Convince someone not to cook you.
A Most Embarrassing Moment
The most embarrassing moment I remember was the time...

The Reading Room

Mining Foundational Treasures
In the Early Grades
Oral language, reading aloud, and language play provide students with a strong foundation for their reading experiences, allowing them to enter the world of reading as active, enthusiastic participants.

Reader's Theater
A Turkey Takes a Stand
As the holiday season approaches, Trevor Turkey makes a shocking proposal. He calls for a new law that would take turkey off the Thanksgiving menu -- and put an end to a beloved (by almost all!) national tradition.

Reading Feature
Eighteen Books for Teaching About Character Across the Grades
Discover eighteen books you can use for character education lessons -- and a link to a list of more than 200 additional titles for teaching about character.

More Lesson Ideas

Technology Lesson of the Week
Thanksgiving Then and Now
Students create a Venn diagram to compare the Pilgrim�s "First Thanksgiving" with today�s Thanksgiving celebration.

Teacher-Submitted Lesson Plans
Teacher Lesson #1
The book Rainbow Fish offers lessons in manners and sharing.
Teacher Lesson #2
Good deeds reap rewards as students recognize their peers.
Teacher Lesson #3
Students write "Getting-to-Know-You" list poems.

More Lesson Ideas
Technology Lesson Plans
Mystery State
Early Childhood Themes
Phonics Word Search

Bulletin Boards That Teach
Best Work in the World -- Use this bulletin board as a place to post your students� best efforts.

5-Minute Fillers
Volume 25

Just for This Month!
See our November Month of Fun. This week:
-- Mayflower Coloring Page (Grades K-2)
-- Interactive Bead Graph (Grades 3-12)
-- Printable Pilgrim Maze (Grades K-3)
-- Veterans Day Vocabulary Quiz (Grades 6-12)
-- Counting Game (Grades PreK-1)
-- Helicopter Jigsaw Puzzle (Grades 2-8)
-- Sentence Structure Quiz (Grades 3-6)
Plus! November Word Search, November Coloring Calendar, and create your own work sheets for this month�s holidays and special days.

Best Books for Teaching About…

Each week, Education World presents our Editors� Choices for the best books for teaching about popular classroom themes. Check out our choices and add your own recommendations to the Readers� Voices section of this week�s themed booklists.

Best Books for Teaching About...Reading

Best Books for Teaching About...Geography

See more great books for students and classroom teaching themes.

Shop the
Education World
MarketPlace

The Education World MarketPlace features products handpicked for educators.

This Week's Feature

Fitness Equipment
Coaches and kids -- and everyone in between -- should visit the Education World MarketPlace for fitness supplies. From balls to the latest in Wii products, the MarketPlace offers everything to "fit" your school fitness needs.

Ken Shore: The ABCs of Bullying Prevention
Dealing With Bullying Incidents
Discover some steps you can take to deal with bullying incidents to keep them from spinning out of control.

Ms. Powell's Tips for Organizing Your Classroom
Clean Desk Diagram
Every minute you spend teaching organization and cleanliness to kids is worth it!

Fred Jones's Tools for Teaching
The Body Language of Commitment
Kids are born with the ability to read body language. Learn how you can exploit that skill by employing the body language of meaning business.

Emma McDonald: The New Teacher Advisor
Working With Difficult People
A myriad of situations that will cause you difficulty can arise within the workplace. Here are a few thoughts on ways to help you get through those times with your dignity intact.

Joe Martin: The Teacher Motivator
What Are You Paying Attention To?
I tell my friends when they question my sanity concerning teaching, �I have a simple choice: I either can focus on whining about teaching or on winning as a teacher.'

Eric Baylin's Songs to Brighten a Teacher's Day
They Tell Me It's Only November
Pretty soon we'll break for Thanksgiving. By my count that's a third of the way. But it's hard to believe it's only November, when the first months have seemed like a year.

Teacher Feature
NaNoWriMo
Lisa Corey's students take part in National Novel Writing Month.

Strategy of the Week
Character Education
When the educational system works well, the best indicator is the character of its students. Read about the importance of character education and about some of the programs schools are using.

Classroom Management Article of the Week
The Guest Teacher Handbook
Students create a "Guest Teacher Handbook" containing information they think a substitute teacher should know.

Partners for Student Success
A Community of �Angels�
The "Carstens Angels" got their start in one Detroit school when a benefactor provided a Thanksgiving turkey for every student enrolled. Over time, other "angels" have joined in the effort to ensure that every family has a true Thanksgiving celebration.

Applying High Expectations to Everyone
Principal Dr. Gerald Gary knew his students could do better -- he just had to convince them and their families. He improved student achievement and changed the school�s culture by setting high expectations for everyone in the building. Included: How high expectations are implemented.

Students� Hard Work Educates Community About Recycling
Begun by Purdy (Missouri) High School students, the Purdy Recycling Project has become a community-wide program that is turning a profit, raising scholarship money for students, and serving as a model for similar programs in other communities.

Focus On...
Substitute Teachers
Finding, training, and retaining good substitute teachers can be a monster challenge for many school principals. The way you greet and treat subs can go a long way toward meeting that challenge. The articles in this archive share stories and practical tips to help you get subs in the door and keep them coming back.

November Bookmark and Book Plate
Encourage a love of books with these November templates.

Larry Ferlazzo's Best...
The best places for help related to technology trouble-shooting and software questions.

This Week's
Techtorial
A Techtorial
Learn how to personalize your bulk letters using Microsoft's Mail Merge Wizard.

Blogging? It's Elementary!
Blogging most often is thought of as an activity for high school students. Did you know, however, that students as young as kindergarten blog on a daily basis?

What We're Grateful For

Kindergartners use technology to express appreciation at Thanksgiving.

The Importance of Education
"The Resident" videographer Lori Harfenist conducts on-the-street interviews about the importance of education.

Teaching With Windows
Windows comes with a number of classroom-friendly features you can use.

What can you do with SchoolNotes? Check out The Redding Report..

From Our Classroom Tips Library
Classroom Management: No Failure to Communicate
Behavior Management: Noise, Bellringers, Rewards
Motivating Kids: Solve Real World Problems
Book Report Makeover: It's in the News
Homework Tips: Two-for-One Quiz
Best Idea Ever: SLANT
Testing Tips: A Test Rehearsal

Education World Introduces RSS!

Learn about the latest new content posted to our Lesson Planning, Professional Development, Administrator's Desk, or Technology Integration Channels.

Be notified when we add new content related to the teaching of Reading, Math, Writing, or Science.

Be the first to see new Classroom Management resources.

See new content related to Parent Involvement.

Let us inform you when we add new resources to our Tools & Templates area.

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
Has NCLB changed proficiency standards in your state?

Last Week’s Survey Results
Do you have a classroom pet?

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.

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Our Best of... booklets are full of great teaching ideas!

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

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

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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.

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LEAVE 'EM LAUGHING
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Phone Practice

A high-school football player was stressed because he had forgotten the time for the next day�s practice. Not wanting to be late or miss a practice, the player picked up the phone to call his coach. The coach�s wife answered the phone and said the coach was not home.

"I will have him call you as soon as he gets home," the coach�s wife said. "What�s your number?"

"Twenty-six," the flustered player replied.

Payback Time

A professor was giving a big test one day. He handed out all of the tests and went back to his desk to wait. At the end of the testing period, all the students handed in their tests. The professor noticed that one of the students had attached a $100 bill to his test with a note that read, "A dollar per point."

The next class period, the professor handed back the tests. The student who�d attached the $100 bill got back his test and $64 change.

Little Johnny Strikes Again

Little Johnny�s English teacher assigned the students to write an essay on what they�d do if they had a million dollars.

After about 10 minutes, the teacher began to wander the classroom to see how her students were doing. She paused as she saw that Little Johnny�s paper was blank. "Johnny," the teacher said, "you have written nothing. Why not?"

"Because if I had a million dollars, that's exactly what I would do!"

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Education World Lesson Planning Newsletter -- Volume 11, Issue 44

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:58:00 GMT

Dear Education Leaders,

=============================================================================

This week's newsletter is sponsored by Nomad Press.

Nomad Press publishes curriculum-based children's books with activities and projects you can build yourself in the subjects of science, social studies, and history. Fun images, facts, and amazing activities allow kids aged 6 and up to explore their world. With fun, hands-on projects that help kids explore the history and science behind a wide range of topics, Nomad Press books bring learning to life in a unique way,
promoting independent and interactive learning.

=============================================================================

This week's newsletter is sponsored by Choral Arts.

Searching for ways to enliven your curriculum?
Need help using music in your classroom?
Join the Choral Arts Online Learning Community today for FREE access to music-integrated lesson plans, composer biographies, audio recordings and many other resources. Don't miss out on a chance to win a copy of our new Latin American curriculum through our fall teacher contest.
Join Today!

=============================================================================

Volume 11, Issue 44
November 4, 2009

Thanksgiving
Are you teaching about the "First Thanksgiving" as it is written in many children's books, or are you teaching about it as it really happened? This week, Education World helps put Thanksgiving in perspective and challenges students to "think about Thanksgiving." Included: Ideas for teaching about Thanksgiving then and now.

Veterans Day
Veterans Day is a day of remembrance. Education World celebrates this special holiday with activities, music, and Web-based ideas to help the children in your classroom understand its significance.

More Timely Lessons
Learning About Bats
Once Upon a Time: Teaching About Fables, Fairy Tales, Folktales...
The Stock Market Crash and the Great Depression
Substitute Survival: Ten Activities
Current Events in the Classroom

Lesson Plan of the Day
Click the link above to see dozens of recent Lesson Plans of the Day, including the lessons below that were posted last week.
Native Americans - Blast students' stereotypes. (Grades K-5)
Wacky Word Play - Combine word games and drawing. (3-12)
What a Pair! - A cross-grade writing activity. (K-12)
Stage a Poetry Slam - A classroom or school-wide activity. (3-12)
Our President - Young students role play being President. (K-3)
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/archives/dailylp.shtml

Shop the
Education World
MarketPlace

The Education World MarketPlace features products handpicked for educators.

This Week's Feature

Classroom and Recess Games
Board games, outdoor games, jumbo games, educational games, electronic games -- they're all here in the Education World MarketPlace. Check out our game shelves for everything you need for classroom fun and learning.

Education World's Work Sheet Library includes hundreds of free printables for use across the grades and across the curriculum. You will find a sampling of our printables below. Visit our Work Sheet Library for a complete selection.

Math Fact Practice
Math Fact Practice Work Sheets
Use these printables for addition, subtraction, and multiplication math fact practice. Coming soon: division.

Free Work Sheets
From TLS Books
Select the Tense
Read each sentence and write the tense of its verb (past, present, or future) on the line.

Every-Day Edits
Primary Edits
Animals A to Z: Hyena.
Ele-Middle Edits
Sousa marches, the Hope Diamond, Montana�

Writing Bug
Story Starter
Three things I am most thankful for are...

Hunt the Fact Monster
Primary Hunt
November hunt #2
Ele-Middle Hunt
Hunt #10

Build a Fab Vocab
Vocab-u-lous! Activity
Words that begin with K.

Where in the World
Is Mrs. Waffenschmidt?
Mrs. W:
Week 6
Which European landmark is she visiting?

It All Adds Up
Puzzle #6
Find the missing numbers so "it all adds up."

Word Search of the Month
November Word Search
How many words can you find?

News for Kids
Meet Maurice Sendak
The movie is "wildly" popular, but what do you really know about Where the Wild Things Are and its author?

Learning Game of the Week
Spelling and luck combine in the team game, "Spin and Spell."

Friday Fun
Take students on the playground to measure the Mayflower.

Vicki Cobb's Show-Biz Science
Discover where string gets its strength.

From Our Early Childhood Activity Bank
Special activities for this week include...
'Feather Together' Turkey
Move Like a Turkey
Plan a 'Corn Week'
Thanksgiving Word Match
Savory Snacks for November
Learn About Pilgrim Children

The Math and Science Corner

Featured Math Article
Challenge + Fun = Math Achievement in Middle School
More than a dozen resources to help middle schoolers connect math and real life.

Wendy Petti's Math Cats
Halloween Math
Halloween is a time for...measuring pumpkins; drawing spiders with coordinates; categorizing costumes; graphing candy counts; more.

Go Figure!
In which house does each of the children live?

Zap
Addition to 12; counting on from larger numbers; immediate recall

Math Mnemonics
Numerator Over Denominator

The Science Lab
Weather Predictions From a Pop Bottle
A demonstration of what a barometer is and how a barometer can be used to help predict weather.

The Writing Center

Ten Prompts for Student Writing
Teachers are always on the lookout for story starters or writing prompts to use as student writing motivators. Here are ten such prompts.

The Memorial Project
Laurie Capponi's students remember the past as they move toward the future.

Dear Veteran
Write a letter to a veteran in your city or town.
Solving the World's Problems
If you could solve any problem in the world�

Writing Lessons
Write a Round Robin Story
In groups of five, every student takes part in writing a round-robin story. (Grades 3-12)
Persuade the Aliens
Be an alien. Persuade your master to adopt a custom you witnessed on Earth. (Grades K-12)

The Reading Room

Cathy Puett Miller:
Every Minute Counts:
Layering Instruction
The pace of instruction seems our first enemy -- making it imperative that we create multiple opportunities to enforce what we most want children to learn.

Reader's Theater
Hen-Picked
The hardworking Little Red Hen has a thriving pastry business and needs an apprentice. Who should it be?

Reading Feature
Dr. Seuss Literacy Night Is the Cat's Meow
An evening of characters and games at Hill Field Elementary includes a wide range of activities, a "make and take" home-reading activity area, and a popular school-wide book exchange -- all to excite kids and families about literacy.

Best Books for Teaching About...
Bats
Inventors and Inventions

More Lesson Ideas

Teacher-Submitted Lesson Plans
Teacher Lesson #1
Students design their own pictograph sentences on scraps of "buffalo hide."
Teacher Lesson #2
Writing "takes shape" in this activity based on The Greedy Triangle.
Teacher Lesson #3
"Shaving Cream Spelling" offers hands-on practice -- and clean desks!

Bulletin Boards That Teach
Our Thankful Hearts -- Invite students to open their hearts and share what they're thankful for.

5-Minute Fillers
Volume 24.

Just for This Month!
See our November Month of Fun. This week:
-- Day of the Dead Vocabulary Matching Game (Grades 5-12)
-- Daniel Boone Word Search (Grades 3-6)
-- Elections Crossword Puzzle (Grades 4-8)
-- Native Americans Online Quiz (Grades 4-12)
-- Addition Surprise Numbers Game (Grades 1-2)
-- Funny Fill-In: Turkey Story (Grades 3-6)
-- D is for Drum Jigsaw Puzzle (Grades PreK-1)
Plus! November Word Search, November Coloring Calendar, and create your own work sheets for this month's holidays and special days.

Best Books for Teaching About…

Best Books for Teaching About...Colonial America

Best Books for Teaching About...Smoking

See more great books for students and classroom teaching themes.

Ken Shore: The ABCs of Bullying Prevention
Understanding the Bully
Children are not born bullies. Bullies are made -- which means they can be unmade.

Fred Jones's Tools for Teaching
Calm is Strength; Upset is Weakness
A calm response to provocation can be learned. Because upset happens quickly, however, you have to learn to relax automatically when confronted. That takes practice.

Ruth Sidney Charney: The Responsive Classroom
Using Language to Encourage and Empower Children
Three simple structures support encouraging and empowering language. We call those structures "The Three R's": to reinforce, to remind, to redirect.

Brenda Dyck: Brenda's Blog
Listen Up!
Every day, teachers like you and me are joining the podcasting fever by using the handheld listening devices to give a facelift to an age-old learning tradition -- homework!

Carlton Ashby's The Power Is In You
It Can Be Done
Last weekend I attended a benefit breakfast at a community center. The director took time to introduce the recent college grads in the crowd. As they stood, I noticed a disturbing reality: Why are so few of our African-American boys completing high school and going on to college?

Eric Baylin's Songs to Brighten a Teacher's Day
The Meeting Song
This song was written to stir to life a roomful of slouching teachers at the beginning of a meeting. It worked!

Mr. Ivan:
The Principal Poet
Education World's resident poet, Mr. Ivan, presents a poem that is sure to bring grins to school leaders everywhere. This week's poem is...
"The Substitute Teacher"
At five a.m. the telephone
Rings sharply in my ear.
The principal, on the other end,
Says words I almost fear�
Read more�

Strategy of the Week
SLANT
This class participation strategy is a simple, easy-to-remember technique for helping students increase their contributions to -- and benefits from -- group instruction and class discussion.

Classroom Management Article of the Week
Helping Students Find the "Write" Way to Behave
Having students write about their misbehavior, why it occurred, and what they are going to do to correct it is valuable for students and teachers.

Wire Side Chats
Teachers Can Help With the U.S. Census
The U.S. Census provides the federal government with key data that affects local communities, and the Census Bureau wants educators to spread the word about the 2010 head count through lesson plans and teaching materials it has prepared for teachers. Included: Examples of ways to use census materials in the classroom.

Rafe Esquith: On Raising Extraordinary Kids
We have to be careful about defining "academic success." The guys at Enron were academically successful. Is that what we want for our children?

Using Music to Teach Content Gets Rave Reviews from Students
Today, more than ever, wise teachers recognize the power that music possesses to teach new and difficult concepts. Take Alex Kajitani, for example. He is California's Teacher of the Year for 2009, but he is probably best known as the Rappin' Mathematician.

Collaboration Dinners Bring Together Staff, Parents
After a family dinner at school, daycare is provided for the students who work on homework while the adults convene in another room where they work in small groups to define the school's mission and create an action plan for ensuring success.

Template of the Week
November Calendar
Students can practice printing and calendar skills with this traceable November calendar.

Teacher Feature
Can You Beat That Time?
Diana Solis uses a little competition to motivate her beginning readers.

A Veterans' Day Scavenger Hunt
Explore the Web site provided and then answer questions about Veterans' Day.

Sites to See
World Wars I and II
These sites for teaching about World Wars I and II include photographs, maps, video, timelines, articles, primary sources, virtual reality activities, and more.

Tech Classroom Spotlight
A Personal School Bell System
Freeware turns Jay Edwards' computer into a personal school bell system.

Alma Rowe's Gadget of the Week
HearWho
A great online tool for converting text to mp3 files.

Video of the Week
Using Video Games in Your Classroom
Watch an expert teacher integrate the video game Coaster Creator to teach students the concepts behind potential and kinetic energy.

What can you do with SchoolNotes? Check out Mrs. Brown's Brainy Bunch.

Newsletters 'R Us
Copy and paste this free content into your teacher or school newsletters.
Copy and paste this free content into your teacher or school newsletters.
The ABCs of Student Success Helping students achieve from A to Z.
Caught on the Web Sites to share with parents.
Clipart Library Free art to liven up newsletters.
Fun Facts Fun and educational content.
Parent Newsletter Templates A different template for each month.
Math @ Home Math activities for parents and kids.
"QuotED" Educational quotes to inspire.
Parent Pointers Ponder these themed parenting tips.

Education World Introduces RSS!

Learn about the latest new content posted to our Lesson Planning, Professional Development, Administrator's Desk, or Technology Integration Channels.

Be notified when we add new content related to the teaching of Reading, Math, Writing, or Science.

Be the first to see new Classroom Management resources.

See new content related to Parent Involvement.

Let us inform you when we add new resources to our Tools & Templates area.

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
Do you have a classroom pet?

Last Week's Survey Results
When it comes to your teaching job, would you describe yourself as 1) disheartened and discouraged, b) content, or c) idealistic?

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."

Classroom Instruction That Works: Research-Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement
For a book from one of the major education associations -- the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) -- this is a relatively compact book of under 200 pages that offers nine categories of instructional strategies, along with the research and statistics to back up their efficacy. Among the nine are Summarizing and Note Taking; Homework and Practice; Nonlinguistic Representation; and Cooperative Learning. The emphasis in the book is on elementary instruction. Written by Robert Marzano and others.
Click to learn more or to purchase this book.

Cultural Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know
This is one of the modern classics in education, first published to much bru-ha-ha in 1987. The author, E.D. Hirsch, argues that education is suffering because we lack a strong common "bank" of cultural knowledge -- i.e., what every American should know. He even goes so far as to include a list, a huge list of 5,000 essential items of knowledge. Seen at the time as a conservative, even reactionary text, Hirsch argues that it is precisely those less advantaged students who would benefit from schools focusing more on getting these basic 5,000 items into every kid's head.
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.

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Click here for more information.

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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.

==========================================================================
LEAVE 'EM LAUGHING
==========================================================================

1-800-45TEACH

A high school senior saw an inspirational advertisement on television about becoming a teacher. She called the number shown: 1-800-45TEACH. A woman answered the call, and the student rambled on about how she thought she would be a great teacher. "Could you send me some information?" she asked.

The lady on the other end of the call asked the student what number she was calling. The student told her and there was a long pause�

Then the woman said, "You misspelled teach."

More Profound Thoughts On Parenthood

Teachers will relate to many of these thoughts�

There are only two things a child will share willingly: communicable diseases and his mother's age.

To be in your children's memories tomorrow, you have to be in their lives today.

An alarm clock is a device for awakening people who don't have small children.

Adolescence is the age at which children stop asking questions because they know all the answers.

The people hardest to convince that it's time for retirement are children at bedtime.

How do you cope when the 'apple' of your eye becomes the "Why 'orange' you buying me the latest Xbox game?"

No wonder kids are confused today -- half the adults tell them to find themselves; the other half tell them to get lost.

The right temperature in a home is maintained by warm hearts, not by hot heads.

Any child can tell you that the sole purpose of a middle name is so he can tell when he's really in trouble.

If it was going to be easy, it never would have started with something called 'labor'!

S'no Test

Sonia: Great news, the teacher says we have a test today come rain or shine.
Peter: So what's so great about that?
Sonia: It's snowing outside!

Little Johnny Strikes Again

Little Johnny: What do you get when you cross Godzilla with a mole?
Teacher: I give up.
Little Johnny: The Panama Canal!

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Education World
1062 Barnes Road Suite 301
Wallingford, CT 06492

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Education World Lesson Planning Newsletter -- Volume 11, Issue 43

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 21:47:00 GMT

Dear Education Leaders,

=============================================================================

This week's newsletter is sponsored by
American Public University.

=============================================================================

This week's newsletter is sponsored by ReadKiddoRead.com.

Enter to win 20 great kids’ books!

Parents, teachers, and librarians, check out ReadKiddoRead.com and take your kid’s reading future into your own hands. Something told you the only way to get kids to read was to give them great books, cool books, books they would absolutely, positively love. I believe that we’ve gathered the crème de la crème of such reading right here. These are very, very special books that kids will gobble up and ask for more. If your kids get a few of these under their belts they’ll be well on their way to becoming readers for life. I promise you. –James Patterson

=============================================================================

Volume 11, Issue 43
October 28, 2009

Bats in the Classroom
October is the perfect time to work bats into the curriculum -- to teach about some of the misconceptions often held about these interesting creatures of nature. Included: Activities and resources for teaching about bats.

The Great Depression
The anniversary of Black Tuesday -- the Stock Market Crash of October 29, 1929 -- is the perfect opportunity to teach students about the causes and the effects of the Great Depression.

Substitute Survival
Whether you are a substitute teacher whose lessons fall short of filling up the day or a permanent classroom teacher whose days involve lots of transitional moments, these lessons will work for you. Included: Ten fun activities for anytime.

More Timely Lessons
Current Events in the Classroom
Halloween Fun
Take Your Pick of Pumpkin Lessons
Historical Figure Day
Writing Halloween Epitaph Poetry
Computer Sabotage Lesson Plan

Lesson Plan of the Day
Click the link above to see dozens of recent Lesson Plans of the Day, including the lessons below that were posted last week.
The Wall - Write to vets at local hospitals. (Grades K-12)
Huey and Louie Meet Dewey - Teach the Dewey Decimal System. (3-8)
365 Days of African-American History - Create a calendar. (6-12)
Help Wanted - Learn about the President's responsibilities. (3-12)
Dead Word Wall - "Kill" words overused in student writing. (K-12)
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/archives/dailylp.shtml

Shop the
Education World
MarketPlace

The Education World MarketPlace features products handpicked for educators.

This Week's Feature
Arts & Crafts Supplies
Looking for a great source of drawing supplies, tempera paints, or craft supplies such as glitter or wiggly eyes? The Education World Marketplace has everything you might need or want for classroom art projects.

Education World's Work Sheet Library includes hundreds of free printables for use across the grades and across the curriculum. You will find a sampling of our printables below. Visit our Work Sheet Library for a complete selection.

Math Fact Practice
Math Fact Practice Work Sheets
Use these printables for addition, subtraction, and multiplication math fact practice. Coming soon: division.

Free Work Sheets
From TLS Books
Multiply by 9
Figure out the answer to the riddle question by solving the multiplication problems.

Every-Day Edits
Primary Edits
Animals A to Z: Hippo.
Ele-Middle Edits
Time Zones, King Tut, the Slinky...

Writing Bug
Story Starter
Write a letter to a veteran in your city or town who served in a war.

Coloring Calendar
November Calendar
Plus 25 ideas for using the learning calendar.

Build a Fab Vocab
Vocab-u-lous! Activity
Words that begin with J.

Hunt the Fact Monster
Primary Hunt
November hunt #1
Ele-Middle Hunt
Hunt #9

Math Cross Puzzle
Math Puzzle # 2
Number patterns.

Geography A to Z
Places That Begin With the Letter E
Can you name all seven places?

News for Kids
Schools Serve Healthful Lunches on 'Meatless Monday'
In Baltimore, chicken nuggets and burgers are off the menu on "Meatless Mondays."

Learning Game of the Week
"Silence" is an ordering game -- without the talking.

Friday Fun
Students in every grade learn as they create ABC books.

From Our
Early Childhood
Activity Bank

Special Activities for Learning About Bats, More...
Where Are You?: How Bats Find Their Way
Bats and the Food Chain
Comparing Bats and Birds
Let's Write Bat Poems
Make a Classroom Bat Cave
Make a Batty Snack
November: A Giving Month

From the Learning Machine
Explore the coolest resources on the Web.
From the Science Machine
Use Air Junk to explore the topics of biology, air quality, and health. (Grades 3-8)
From the Reading Machine
Punctuation Paintball reinforces punctuation and capitalization. (Grades 1-8)
From the Math Machine
Tangram Game is a fun Web site for teaching students to recognize and manipulate shapes and for problem solving. (Grades K-6)

Tech Lesson of the Week
Foliage Tracker
Students track leaf changes, input data found at one Web site into another, and then graph foliage changes with a free online tool.

The Math and Science Corner

Wendy Petti's Math Cats
Halloween Math
Halloween is a time for math fun -- for measuring pumpkin waistlines; drawing spiders with coordinates; categorizing costumes; and graphing candy counts.

Go Figure!
Can you use the 16 squares to create a new pattern? Beware! It's harder than it looks.

Double Trouble
Adding and subtracting to 18; adding double digits.

Math Mnemonics
Area of a circle.

The Science Lab
I Can Create Lightning
A demonstration of static electricity and how it's involved in lightning and weather.

Vicki Cobb's Show-Biz Science
Do some chemistry magic with cabbage juice.

The Writing Center

Student Essays Describe Perfect School
Students in Sue Chanda's class envision a perfect school with more technology, smaller teacher-student ratios, more electives, and a later starting time.

The Weblog Class
Hilary Meeler's students blog their way to better writing skills.

The Wall Inspires Letters to Veterans
Inspire students to write letters to veterans.

'Indescribably' Excellent Descriptions
Engage students in writing "indescribably excellent" descriptions.

Writing Bugs
Describing Winifred Witch
Winifred Witch was a sight to see! She...
Inquiring Minds Want to Know
Choose a weird headline, be a news reporter.

The Reading Room

Cathy Puett Miller:
Improving Fluency in Struggling Readers
There is much more to fluency than speed. We need to look at teaching and assessing fluency as a triangle with three important sides...

Reader's Theater
Dancing With the Nursery Rhyme Stars
It's a battle of fancy footwork as nursery rhyme characters face-off in a dance contest.

Reading Feature
Creating a Classroom of Writers Using the "Meet the Author" Collection
The words of real authors might be just the inspiration your students need to help them through the painstaking writing process.

More Lesson Ideas

Teacher-Submitted Lesson Plans
Teacher Lesson #1
Gallery-walk activity helps students define, respond to stress.
Teacher Lesson #2
Calculate discounts, sales tax on a classroom shopping spree.
Teacher Lesson #3
Paper Bag Book Report combines literacy, community service.

Bulletin Boards That Teach
Will This Turkey Be Dressed By Thanksgiving? -- Challenge students to read a specific number of books before Thanksgiving break.

5-Minute Fillers
Volume 23.

Just for This Month!
See our October Month of Fun. This week:
-- Pablo Picasso Coloring Page (Grades 2-5)
-- What Time Is It? Quiz (Grades K-2)
-- Baseball Word Unscramble (Grades 3-5)
-- Virtual Jack-o-Lantern (Grades PreK-3)
-- Algebra Vocabulary Matching Game (Grades 9-12)
-- President John Adams Coloring Page (Grades K-4)
-- Halloween Word Search (Grades 3-6)
Plus! October Word Search, October Coloring Calendar, and create your own work sheets for this month's holidays and special days.

Best Books for Teaching About…

Best Books for Teaching About...Grammar

Best Books for Teaching About...Inventors and Inventions

See more great books for students and classroom teaching themes.

Emma McDonald: The New Teacher Advisor
Become a Task Master
As a new teacher, it's easy to become overwhelmed by the number of activities and tasks that fill your time. It's all too easy to let your tasks control you. That's where time management comes in.

Joe Martin: The Teacher Motivator
Imitate to Motivate
Think back and remember your favorite teacher. Reflect on everything about that teacher that made you admire and respect him or her. Now, I want you to pretend to be your favorite teacher.

Eric Baylin's Songs to Brighten a Teacher's Day
Oh, the Substitute Is Comin' in Today
Just getting ready for a substitute is at least double the work of getting ready for your own class. Even then, you never quite know what's going to happen. Surely, it's material for a song!

Ken Shore: The ABCs of Bullying Prevention
Bully-Proofing Your Classroom
Prevention is, at its essence, a process of education, and many of the lessons students need to learn to dissuade them from bullying must come from you. Dr. Ken Shore offers teaching strategies you can use to bully-proof your classroom.

Fred Jones's Tools for Teaching
Escaping the Paper-Grading Trap
The more adept you become at building work-check into teaching, the more responsibility students take for quality control, and the more your evenings are freed up for lesson planning.

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.

This Old Lounge
If your teachers' lounge leaves something to be desired, learn from expert Evette R�os and talented teachers and community members who have donned their tool belts and remodeled their lounges affordably.

Principal Turns Bat Presence Into Teachable Moment
Bats typically are not welcome indoors, and when bats in a school gymnasium raised concerns about potential attacks on students, a principal turned to a biologist to give the school and greater community an education about these misunderstood winged mammals.

Heimlich Training for Staff Can Be a Life-Saver
The family of a boy who choked to death in an elementary school cafeteria was recently awarded $5 million in a lawsuit against the district. The news of that award has spurred many schools to focus attention on training staff in CPR and the Heimlich maneuver. Included: Share these stories with staff and students.

Partners for Student Success
Money Fun: Investing in Families and Math Skills
Each year, students and families come to share a night of family fun that really "adds up." The night includes games such as "Crack the Safe," which requires students to guess the amount of candy in a safe, to "Roll Down the Debt," a dice game about place value.

Keeping in Touch With Families
For many parents, a phone call from a teacher means trouble. But it doesn't have to be that way.

Strategy of the Week
The Responsive Classroom
The Responsive Classroom� approach emphasizes social and academic growth through morning meetings, organized play, guided discovery, and academic choice.

Classroom Management Article of the Week
Let's Cooperate!
Cooperation starts at the top! Teachers who use cooperative learning in their classrooms have developed techniques that make the most of this method, and they share them.

Template
Of the Week
Center Signs
Are you ready to set up your science and social studies centers? These signs will help.

Larry Ferlazzo's Best...
The best way to teach people to read is to provide them with accessible and high-interest text. Check out the interesting and accessible stories at these top 14 sites for teaching beginning readers.

Mr. Marsala's Home Page
Vince Marsala's high school Web site becomes an essential classroom tool.

Encouraging Teacher Technology Use
In some schools, staff technology use nears 100 percent; in others, it is virtually non-existent. Discover how schools can encourage -- or discourage -- staff technology use.

Top 10 Reason's to Use a Blog in the Classroom
The top 10 reason's to use a blog in the classroom as produced, written and directed by a high school communications technology class.

Alma Rowe's Gadget of the Week
Glogster
A nifty web 2.0 tool that allows you to create electronic posters.

What can you do with SchoolNotes? Check out Mrs. Brown's Brainy Bunch.

Featured Site Reviews

Check out this week's site reviews:

National Geographic Prehistoric Timeline
An interactive timeline explores the approximately 4.5 billion years of Earth's existence.

Neurons: Animated Cellular and Molecular Concepts
Interactive presentations and animations explore how neurons work and what actions they perform.

NSTA Science Objects
Science learning activities help teachers build content knowledge.

Explore our Site Review Archives for more great sites. You also can keep up with our latest reviews by signing up for our Site Review Newsletter.

Education World Introduces RSS!

Learn about the latest new content posted to our Lesson Planning, Professional Development, Administrator's Desk, or Technology Integration Channels.

Be notified when we add new content related to the teaching of Reading, Math, Writing, or Science.

Be the first to see new Classroom Management resources.

See new content related to Parent Involvement.

Let us inform you when we add new resources to our Tools & Templates area.

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
When it comes to your teaching job, would you describe yourself as 1) disheartened and discouraged, b) content, or c) idealistic?

Last Week’s Survey Results
When was the classroom in which you teach built or last renovated?

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."

Click the icon to the right to see more books and many other products that are available in the Education World MarketPlace.

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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

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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.

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LEAVE 'EM LAUGHING
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Profound Thoughts on Parenthood
Middle and high school teachers will surely relate...

There are three ways to get something done: Do it yourself, hire someone to do it, or forbid your children to do it.

Adolescence is the age when children try to bring up their parents.

Kids really know how to brighten a household; they never turn off any lights!

You know the only people in this world who are always sure about the proper way to raise children? Those who've never had any.

Cleaning your house while your kids are at home is like trying to shovel the driveway during a blizzard.

Oh, to be only half as wonderful as my child thought I was when he was small, and half as stupid as my teenager now thinks I am.

Biggest Lie

Two boys were arguing as the teacher entered the room. "Why are you arguing?" the teacher asked.

One boy answered, "We found a ten-dollar bill and decided to give it to whoever tells the biggest lie"

"You should be ashamed of yourselves," said the teacher. "When I was your age I didn't even know what a lie was."

The boys gave the ten dollars to the teacher.

Look at All the Love!

"Mommy! Mommy!" shouted Gabriel as he ran in after school, "my teacher loves me!"

"How do you know that?" asked his mother.

"She sent me kisses," he replied. "Just look at all these X's all over my spelling paper."

Little Johnny Strikes Again

Teacher: If you had one dollar and you asked your father for another, how many dollars would you have?

Little Johnny: One dollar.

Teacher (shaking head): You don't know your math.

Little Johnny: You don't know my father.

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Education World Lesson Planning Newsletter -- Volume 11, Issue 42

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 22:19:00 GMT

Dear Education Leaders,

==============================================================================

This week's newsletter is sponsored by Online Degree Directory.

Further your teaching skills with the latest theories and practices -- get a Master of Arts in Education: Curriculum and Instruction. You'll learn practical and relevant information you can instantly apply to your classroom.

Inspire your students and faculty -- get your Doctoral in Education: Leadership for Higher Education. Programs developed in collaboration with the American Association of School Administrators (AASA).

And discover more available programs with FREE Information from Online Universities - Online Degree Directory.

http://www.educationworld.com/OnlineDegree2.shtml

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Volume 11, Issue 42
October 21, 2009

Halloween Fun
Boo! Ghosts and goblins are about. Witches walk among us. Princes, princesses, fairies, and knights fill schools and classrooms. Is there any doubt that Halloween is here? If you are not quite ready to celebrate in "spooktacular" fashion, you're sure to find a fun idea or two right here.

Historical Figure Day
Move over Halloween, it's Historical Figure Day.

Halloween Poetry
Have your students scare up some poetry in this fun epitaph-writing exercise.

Pumpkin Power
Celebrate pumpkins with these across-the-curriculum activities.

The Stock Market Crash (October 29) and the Great Depression
The anniversary of Black Tuesday is the perfect opportunity to teach your students about the causes and the effects of the Great Depression. Education World offers a dozen great Internet-based activities. Included: Activities for use across the curriculum and across the grades.

Celebrate Character Counts Week
October 18-24 is Character Counts Week. Included: Lessons, articles, more.

Computer Sabotage Lesson Plan
When computer teacher Tom Guy found his students coming to him with every minor glitch that occurred in the computers in his lab, he decided to give the kids a "crash course" by sabotaging a computer each day and putting the students on the case.

Once Upon a Time...
Fables, fairy tales, folktales, legends, myths, and tall tales -- six literary genres to engage student interest.

Teaching With Current Events
Young Americans today know less about what's going on in the world than students of previous generations did. So what can be done to raise students' interest in and awareness of news headlines? These 25 activities will help teachers make use of -- and help students make sense of -- the news. Included: Ideas for connecting current events to all subjects.

More Timely Lessons

Celebrate Dictionary Day (October 16)
Spark Interest in Spelling

Lesson Plan of the Day
Click the link above to see dozens of recent Lesson Plans of the Day, including the lessons below that were posted last week.
Postmark U.S.A. - Track postmarks on a classroom map. (Grades K-8)
Into Space - Consider the top ten reasons for going into space. (6-12)
Bueno Brothers' Bean Dip - A simple, fun spelling game. (K-8)
"War of the Worlds" - Re-create the famous 1938 radio broadcast. (6-12)
Tabloid Tales - Write a story for an unbelievable headline. (3-12)
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/archives/dailylp.shtml

Shop the
Education World
MarketPlace

The Education World MarketPlace features products handpicked for educators.

This Week's Feature
Stickers and Other Incentives
Stars, smiley faces, motivational stickers -- they're all here. Educators know the power of a simple sticker, and kids will be doubly proud to show off papers with these stickers from the Education World MarketPlace.

Education World's Work Sheet Library includes hundreds of free printables for use across the grades and across the curriculum. You will find a sampling of our printables below. Visit our Work Sheet Library for a complete selection.

Math Fact Practice
Math Fact Practice Work Sheets
Use these printables for addition, subtraction, and multiplication math fact practice. Coming soon: division.

Free Work Sheets
From TLS Books
Capitalization Practice
Read the sentences and underline the words that should be capitalized.

Writing Bug
Story Starter
Winifred Witch was a sight to see! She...

Every-Day Edits
Primary Edits
Animals A to Z: Gorilla.
Ele-Middle Edits
Eleanor Roosevelt, Tecumseh, Sputnik...

Hunt the Fact Monster
Primary Hunt
October hunt #4
Ele-Middle Hunt
Hunt #8

Build a Fab Vocab
Vocab-u-lous! Activity
Words that begin with I.

Where in the World Is Mrs. Waffenschmidt?
Mrs. W: Week 5
Which Australian landmark is she visiting?

It All Adds Up
Puzzle #5
Find the missing numbers so "it all adds up."

Make Your Own Work Sheet
Worksheets for Halloween
Create an activity for any subject.

More Printables

Work Sheets from Teacher Created Materials
100+ printables for all subjects, grades.

Phonics Word Search Puzzles
A puzzle a week all school year long.

Sudoku Puzzles
Challenge students with number fun.

Work Sheet Library
See our entire library of free printables.

Friday Fun
Adapt this active game for any math skill you are currently teaching.

News for Kids
Gal�pagos Islands Aim to Control Tourism, Mosquitoes
Tourism and mosquitoes are threatening to change the Gal�pagos landscape forever.

Learning Game of the Week
Quiz math facts, spelling words, more in "Heads Up, Study Up."

From Our Early Childhood Activity Bank
Special Activities for This Week
It's Pumpkin Time
Let's Go Pumpkin Hunting (Following Directions)
Make a Shape-O-Lantern
Halloween Mice and Halloween Cookies
A Great Big Boo! (Art)
Counting Pumpkins in the Patch

From the Learning Machine
Explore the coolest resources on the Web.
From the Math Machine
Cookie Dough is a fun Web site for teaching place value and the spelling of number words. (Grades K-5)
From the Science Machine
Use KODAK: Close to Perfection to explore the topics of biology, insects, nature, and photography. (Grades K-12)
From the Reading Machine
The Grammar Gorillas reinforces parts of speech. (Grades 2-8)

The Math and Science Corner

Featured Math Article
Teaching With Rap
Educators from California to New York say that rap's lively lyrics, meaningful messages, and familiar beat can be powerful tools for learning.

Wendy Petti's Math Cats
Fall Math
A windfall of math activities related to leaves, the seasons, and weather.

Go Figure!
What numbers did they roll?

Make 20
Addition and subtraction to 20; odd and even.

Math Mnemonics
The measure of an angle.

Vicki Cobb's Show-Biz Science
A karate chop with a dollar bill breaks a pencil.

The Science Lab
Light Bulb
Air Current
And Wind
A demonstration of how air currents and wind relate to each other.

The Writing Center

Ten Tips for Young Writers
Elise Howard, editor in chief of Avon/Tempest Books for Teen Readers, offers ten tips for teen writers who want to be published.

A+ Ideas for Creative Writing.
Susan Schweiker has a unique approach to building creative, confident writers: She promises all her students A's.

A Halloween Who, When, Where Story
Write a Halloween Story.
The Worst Invention Ever
I think the worst invention ever is the...

Writing Lessons
What a Pair
Students team up in this cross-grade writing activity.
Guide-Word Sentences
Write sentences using guide words on a dictionary page.

The Reading Room

Cathy Puett Miller:
Sustained Silent Reading
Independent silent reading has been a time-honored educational tool. Yet today, many teachers argue that there are more effective ways to spend the time. What do the experts say?

Reader's Theater
Rapunzel's Rap
Queen Beetifah, the leader of a hive near Rapunzel's tower, raps about a princess who was locked away -- and then rescued by a music-loving prince.

Reading Feature
Model Sustained Silent Reading to Devleop Independent Readers
Whether SSR is an independent activity, or a discussion or writing motivator, most experts agree that one thing is essential to its success: It's crucial that teachers participate in the process.

More Lesson Ideas

Teacher-Submitted Lesson Plans
Teacher Lesson #1
A yummy lesson: use gummy bears to teach simple subtraction.
Teacher Lesson #2
In this lesson, a sandwich serves as a metaphor for good writing.
Teacher Lesson #3
Card game reinforces positive, negative integers.

Bulletin Boards That Teach
We're Nuts About Reading -- In the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, track students' reading on this bulletin board.

5-Minute Fillers
Volume 22.

Just for This Month!
See our October Month of Fun, October Word Search, and October Coloring Calendar. PLUS! Create your own work sheets for this month's holidays and special days.

Best Books for Teaching About…

Best Books for Teaching About...Election Day

Best Books for Teaching About...The Human Body

See more great books for students and classroom teaching themes.

Ken Shore: The ABCs of Bullying Prevention
A Bullying Prevention Program
Discover what steps educators should take to implement bullying prevention programs in their schools.

Emma McDonald: The New Teacher Advisor
Helping Students Survive Standardized Tests
You might recognize the feeling -- butterflies in the stomach, sweaty palms.... But testing is a fact of life for students. It's up to teachers to guide them through the process and help them overcome the fear.

Joe Martin: The Teacher Motivator
More Who, Less What
I'm sure you've heard the saying, "No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care." Well, I would go even a step further by saying, students also need to know WHY you care.

Eric Baylin's Songs to Brighten a Teacher's Day
Parent-Teacher Conferences
It's not that most parents aren't supportive of the work that we do. They are. But there is always that one meeting that throws you off kilter; the parents who are always right and have no intention of listening to anything you say. Perhaps a song would help?

Fred Jones's Tools for Teaching
Making "Say, See, Do Teaching" Affordable
In the Say, See, Do Teaching method, you tell students what to do, you show them what to do, and then you have them do it. The process is repeated as students learn by doing...one step at a time.

Keeping in Touch With Families
In our hectic school days, finding the time to reach out to parents can seem daunting, but it's the core of effective communication and building positive relationships.

Teacher Feature
Gaming Night and Day
Marcia Baldanza's students game their way to greater understanding.

Strategy of the Week
Parent-Teacher Conferences
When it comes to parent-teacher conferences, it's a toss up as to who least wants to be there -- the nervous parents or the teacher who must deliver news that isn't always expected or appreciated. We have resources for both.

"Extreme Read--Warrior Style" Connects Kids, Parents, Teachers Through Books
Teams of "warriors" at Adams Middle School in Tampa, Florida, read and discuss novels as part of the school's annual "Extreme Read." The experience not only supports the students' literacy skills but gives them the chance to see those around them -- peers, parents, and even the math teacher -- as fellow readers. Included: A few simple practices help make Extreme Read a resounding reading success.

School Bus Discipline
School Bus Safety Week is October 19-23, 2009. Learn about two schools' policies.

Partners for
Student Success
Camp Out Lures Dads to Get Involved
The Dad's Club Camp Out is one of the most looked-forward-to events of the school year. This is not just another event; it's involvement for the entire family -- the entire community. The most amazing part is that each year the event grows in size and scope.

Wire Side Chat
A "Nuts and Bolts" Approach to Classroom Successes
A former teacher, Dr. Jane Bluestein turned her pages of tips for teachers about classroom management and organization into a book and then a business. She works with educators seeking new ways to improve their teaching and interactions.

On the Big Screen
Joe Robinson's future scientists make it big on screen.

Students Map Neighborhoods With GIS
Geographic Information Systems (GIS), mapping and analysis software employed by the U.S. government, NASA, and other agencies, now is helping students locate and document hazards in their communities.

Larry Ferlazzo's Best...
Thirty top Web 2.0 applications for education.

Cooperative Computing
How to best implement group tech activities in your classroom.

A Techtorial
A PowerPoint countdown clock keeps students on task.

What can you do with SchoolNotes? Check out Mrs. Brown's Brainy Bunch.

From Our Classroom Tips Library
Classroom Management: Get Parents Involved
Behavior Management: Supplies, Noise, Buddy Rooms
Motivating Kids: Celebrate Success
Book Report Makeover: Prove It!
Homework Tips: Countdown to Comprehension
Best Idea: Two "Sense" Worth
Testing Tips: There's a Problem!

More from Our Professional Development Channel

This ten-part series from the Department of Education explores the components of a successful strategy for educating children with ADHD.

Part 4
Successful Instruction for Students With ADHD: Conducting Lessons
Effective teachers periodically question children's understanding of the material, probe for correct answers before calling on other students, and identify which students need additional assistance.

Education World Introduces RSS!

Learn about the latest new content posted to our Lesson Planning, Professional Development, Administrator's Desk, or Technology Integration Channels.

Be notified when we add new content related to the teaching of Reading, Math, Writing, or Science.

Be the first to see new Classroom Management resources.

See new content related to Parent Involvement.

Let us inform you when we add new resources to our Tools & Templates area.

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
When was the classroom in which you teach built or last renovated?

Last Week's Survey Results
What do you think of President Obama's plan to extend the length of the school year in order to make America more competitive globally?

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."

What Great Teachers Do Differently: Fourteen Things That Matter Most
Todd Whitaker is one of the prolific education writers who continually remind us that teaching is primariliy an art, though it is surrounded by a lot of science (and pseudo-science). As such, Whitaker looks at great practitioners and focuses on what they do that distinguishes them from less-than-great teachers. Among the intriguing chapter headings are: "Restoring Trust," "The Angry Parent," "Handling the High Achievers," and "Treat Everyone As If They Were Good."
Click to learn more or to purchase this book.

The Elementary Math Teacher's Book of Lists
Subtitled, "with Ready-to-Use Patterns Worksheets," this book brings list-mania to math. We often forget, in thinking about math as driven by the familiar symbols for operations, that learning math is as much about learning the meaning of a universe of concepts as it is about learning specific operational skills. This approach offers the practicality of worksheets and activities along with the more conceptual value of covering the major groups of concept words in elementary math.
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.

==========================================================================

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

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Click here for more information.

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LEAVE 'EM LAUGHING
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More (Politically-Incorrect) Report Card Comments

He's been working with glue too much.

She would argue with a signpost.

He brings a lot of joy whenever he leaves the room.

A photographic memory, but with the lens cover glued on.

If you stand close enough to her, you can hear the ocean.

Some drink from a fountain of knowledge; she only gargled.

It takes him 1-1/2 hours to watch 60 minutes.

Geography Lesson

When I asked on a test who our neighbors to the north and south were, I got a few unexpected responses. One student had written Tristan and Tiffany. When I thought about the class seating chart, I had to admit that his response was correct; he'd proven he knew his "directions" and I had a good laugh, so I gave him credit.

Summer Camp

I read the ad in the newspaper that promoted a camp for children with asthma. There the kids could enjoy all kinds of wonderful activities from canoeing to crafts. I'm not sure about one selling point of the beautiful lakefront surroundings though. Will kids with asthma really enjoy the "breathtaking views"?

The English Lesson

Driving my car one afternoon, I rolled through a stop sign. I was pulled over by a police officer who recognized me as his former English teacher.

"Mrs. Brown," he said, "those stop signs are periods, not commas."

Little Johnny Strikes Again

Little Johnny: What do you get when you cross Godzilla with a mole?
Teacher: I give up.
Little Johnny: The Panama Canal!

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Education World Lesson Planning Newsletter -- Volume 11, Issue 41

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 20:30:00 GMT

Dear Education Leaders,

==============================================================================

This week's newsletter is sponsored by Target.

Target invites educators to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with free lesson plan downloads created by the Smithsonian Institution. Learn more at Scholastic.com/dreamincolor. This is just one of the ways Target supports education. It’s part of our commitment to give 5% of our income to communities. That’s over $3 million a week.

==============================================================================

Volume 11, Issue 41
October 14, 2009

Pumpkins Across the Curriculum
Pumpkins are the ultimate October icons -- the fruit of the month, if you will. (Yes! Pumpkins are a fruit.) This month, celebrate pumpkins with these across-the-curriculum activities. Included: Art, science, language, and math activities.

More for Halloween
Spook-tacular lessons and fun activities.

Celebrate Dictionary Day
Build skills every day -- and on Dictionary Day, October 16.

Current Events
Young Americans today know less about what's going on in the world than students of previous generations did. So what can be done to raise students' interest in and awareness of news headlines? These 25 activities will help you make use of -- and help students make sense of -- the news. Included: Ideas for connecting current events to all subjects.

Celebrate Character Counts Week
October 18-24 is Character Counts Week. Included: Lessons, articles, more.

Once Upon a Time...
Fables, fairy tales, folktales, legends, myths, and tall tales -- six literary genres to engage student interest.

Lesson Plan of the Day Click the link above to see dozens of recent Lesson Plans of the Day, including the lessons below that were posted last week.
The Alphabet Game - Play a small-group spelling game. (Grades K-8)
News on News - Write news reports about a visit from a news reporter. (3-12)
Holocaust Rescuers - Read rescue accounts, write reflective essays. (6-12)
Saying No! - Celebrate Red Ribbon Week (October 18-26) with plays. (3-12)
Favorite Reading - Survey classmates' reading preferences. (K-8)
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/archives/dailylp.shtml

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This Week's Feature

Education World's Work Sheet Library includes hundreds of free printables for use across the grades and across the curriculum. You will find a sampling of our printables below. Visit our Work Sheet Library for a complete selection.

Math Fact Practice
Math Fact Practice Work Sheets
Use these printables for addition, subtraction, and multiplication math fact practice.

Free Work Sheets
From TLS Books
Animal Families
A three-column actvity: Draw lines between each animal name and it baby and group name.

Every-Day Edits
Primary Edits
Animals A to Z: Gecko.
Ele-Middle Edits
Picasso, Statue of Liberty, Nevada…

Writing Bug
Story Starter
A Halloween Who, When, Where. Choose one item from each category below. Then write a scary story based on your choices.

Hunt the Fact Monster
Primary Hunt
October hunt #3
Ele-Middle Hunt
Hunt #7

Build a Fab Vocab
Vocab-u-lous! Activity
Halloween words.

Geography A to Z
Places That Begin With the Letter D
Can you name all seven places?

Math
Cross Puzzle
Math Puzzle #1
Addition
and subtraction; multiplication by a
single-digit number.

Make Your Own Work Sheet
Worksheets for Columbus Day and Halloween
Create an activity for any subject.

More Printables

Work Sheets from
Highlights for Children
Hidden pictures, rebus stories, more.

Mystery State
Use the clues to find the state.

News for Kids
Kid Heroes Use the Heimlich Maneuver
Three youths made headlines last month by saving kids who were choking on food.

Learning Game of the Week
Memorize quotes in teams in the "100 Famous Quotes" game.

Friday Fun
"Wax museum biographies," a great Halloween alternative.

From Our
Early Childhood
Activity Bank

Special Activities for This Week: Pumpkins and More...
Make a Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin Fun: Smallest to Largest
Measure a Pumpkin: How Big Is It?
Pumpkin Fun: How Many Seeds?
Pumpkin Life Cycle
Great Games for Halloween
Pumpkin Pies (Art)

From the Learning Machine
Explore the coolest resources on the Web.
From the Reading Machine
Synonym Sam's Lab reinforces synonyms. (Grades 2-4)
From the Math Machine
Reversi is a fun Web site for teaching strategy, logic, and problem solving. (Grades 1-12)
From the Science Machine
Use The Periodic Table to explore the topics of chemistry and the elements. (Grades 6-12)

The Math and Science Corner

Math Cats
Fall Math
A windfall of math activities related to leaves, the seasons, and weather.

Featured Math Article
Kids Discover the Value of Learning
If I Had a Hammer uses the construction of a small house, to show kids how to put to work what they learn in school.

Go Figure!
How many birds can you hatch from just one egg?

Box Cars and One-Eyed Jacks Math Games With Joanne and Jane
This week: "Snap Two It - Addition."

Vicki Cobb's Show-Biz Science
Watch a battle as two liquids struggle for supremacy.

Math Mnemonics
Borrowing in subtraction.

The Science Lab
Why No Flood?
A demonstration of the effects and influences of air pressure on surrounding materials.

The Writing Center

Kickball, Calisthenics, and Composition? Writing and Phys Ed
To help boost skills and increase opportunities for practice, writing assignments are starting to turn up in all kinds of courses -- but in physical education class?

A Week in the Life of...
Penny Lowe's fifth graders chronicle their year -- week by week.

Dead Word Wall Kills Overused Words
Create a "Dead Word Wall" to "kill" overused words.
Write a Caption
Write captions for amusing photos.

Writing Bugs
A Halloween to Remember
As I ran scared, my Halloween candy...
Success and Failure
Is failure a better teacher than success?

The Reading Room

Reader's Theater
Good to Be Green
Will Little Gerry Green Thumb be accepted into Nursery Rhyme Kingdom -- despite his unique appearance?

Cathy Puett Miller:
The Face of Effective Vocabulary Instruction
Did you know that student vocabulary should increase by 2,000-3,000 words a year -- and about 400 of those words should be taught directly? But how do you do it?

Reading Feature
The Authors' Picks: Must Read Books for Elementary Students
Are you looking for the best books to read with your elementary school students? Those in the know -- the authors of some of today's best-loved children's books -- share their personal favorites.

More Lesson Planning Ideas

Teacher-Submitted Lesson Plans
Teacher Lesson #1
Great Kapok Tree and Three Little Pigs teach about conflict.
Teacher Lesson #2
Present 10 homework challenges. Will your students survive?
Teacher Lesson #3
Students "discover" the Pythagorean Theorem using this lesson.

Bulletin Boards That Teach
Batty About... -- What are your students batty about? Create a showcase for their work.

5-Minute Fillers
Volume 21.

Best Books for Teaching About…

Best Books for Teaching About...The Alphabet

Best Books for Teaching About...Games

See more great books for students and classroom teaching themes.

Emma McDonald: The New Teacher Advisor
How to Involve and Engage Students
Student misbehavior isn't always caused by bad attitudes. Often students misbehave out of boredom. Keeping students involved and engaged is the very best solution.

Eric Baylin's Songs to Brighten a Teacher's Day
There's a Hole in Their Thinking
Excuses! Excuses! You've probably heard them all through the years. The gaps in their logic, though, seem a lot like the proverbial "hole-y" bucket: They never hold much water.

Leah Davies: The Teacher Counselor
Solutions Through Peer Mediation
Peer mediation offers schools an alternative to traditional disciplinary practices. The goal of such programs is to reduce conflict and teach problem-solving skills.

Mr. Ivan:
The Principal Poet
Education World's resident poet, Mr. Ivan, presents a poem that is sure to bring grins to school leaders everywhere. This week's poem is...
"Wearing Costumes to School"
I'd like to wear my costume
For Halloween...to school.
But my teacher says to leave it home.
She said that is the rule...
Read more...

Strategy of the Week
Student-Led Conferences
Student-led conferences help students take responsibility for their own learning, as they reflect on what they have learned and set goals for themselves.

Wire Side Chat
Film �War on Kids' Calls for Scrapping Schools as We Know Them
The documentary film The War on Kids argues that public schools have become overly restrictive and ineffective due in part to an irrational fear of young people's potential for violence. The film's creator said he is not certain the existing system can be reformed. Included: Examples of the "repressive" nature of public schools.

Cinderella Around the World
Teaching literary concepts is a "Cinderella story" for Kay Jackson.

Focus On...
Special School-Wide Events
Special school-wide events that get parents and the community involved are tremendous opportunities to shed light on the great work your students and teachers do every day. Those events are excellent PR opportunities too. The articles in this archive will help you plan and get the most out of special school-wide events.

Classroom Management Article of the Week
99 Ways to Say "Very Good"
Start off the new school year on the right foot. Choose -- and use -- these 99+ ways to say "very good" to your students.

Bright Ideas
Gwynne Isaacs kindergarten students "see the light."

Computer Rules Prevent Problems
Student computer use often involves situations not covered by regular classroom rules -- and the rules those situations require might not occur to you ahead of time. Our experts share their rules with you.

Partners for Student Success
Red Ribbons and Walking Shoes
During Red Ribbon Week (October 17-25, 2009), activities at one Virginia elementary school get parents involved as they emphasize their commitment to helping kids stay drug-free. A week of special events includes a group walk and a Drug Free Pledge Day.

Of Principal Concern: A Blog for School Leaders
New Study Identifies Self-Control as One Key to Student Success
Teaching kids the skills of self-control used to be a parent's job, but most educators realize they play an important role in developing this skill. You can play a role too, with these valuable resources for your teachers and your students' parents.

From Our Classroom Tips Library
Classroom Management: Record Keeping Made Easy
Behavior Management: Rewards, Tattling, Attendance
Motivating Kids: Keep It Interactive
Book Report Makeover: Life Sized Portraits
Homework Tips: Homework Tickets
Best Idea: Self-Designed Homework
Testing Tips: Wake Up!

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See new content related to Parent Involvement.

Let us inform you when we add new resources to our Tools & Templates area.

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
What do you think of President Obama's plan to extend the length of the school year in order to make America more competitive globally?

Last Week’s Survey Results
Has the flu hit your school this year?

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."

Shakespeare: To Teach or Not to Teach -- Teaching Shakespeare Made Fun From Elementary to High School
Shakespeare probably accounts for more shelf space than any author in history, including lots of books about teaching Shakespeare at all levels. This book focuses on making Shakespeare fun to teach and to learn, and on elementary through high school. It's a particularly good book for the non-drama specialist or for a teacher who might feel reluctant to tackle Shakespeare "too early."
Click to learn more or to purchase this book.

Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace One School at a Time
Greg Mortenson is an American who tried to climb K2, the world's second-tallest mountain, but didn't make it. Dangerously ill after this effort, he was sheltered for seven weeks in a Pakistani village and promised to return to build its first school. This grew into the Central Asia Institute, which has built more than 50 schools across Pakistan and Afghanistan. An engaging story about reaching across cultures through education.
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.

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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

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LEAVE 'EM LAUGHING
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Cheaters Get Their Due

A seventh-grade teacher was giving a test that was right out of the Teacher's Manual. Two students had managed to snitch the manual and made copies of the answer key for the test. They were well on their way to making good grades on the test until the teacher read the answer "Answers will vary" on both their papers. Needless to say, both students earned zeros for their efforts.

More (Politically-Incorrect) Report Card Comments

Since our last conference, this student has reached rock bottom and has started to dig.

Works well when under constant supervision and when cornered like a rat in a trap.

When she opens her mouth, it seems it is only to change feet.

He would be out of his depth in a parking lot puddle.

This young lady has delusions of adequacy.

He sets low personal standards and then consistently fails to achieve them.

This student should go far, and the sooner he starts the better.

He doesn't have ulcers, but he's a carrier.

The Correct Answer

Teacher: Now class, whatever I ask I want you to all answer at once... How much is 9 times 3?
Students: At once!

Little Johnny Strikes Again

Teacher: What are the Great Plains?
Little Johnny: The F-16, the 747, and the Concorde!

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Education World Lesson Planning Newsletter -- Volume 11, Issue 40

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 22:20:00 GMT

Dear Education Leaders,

==============================================================================

This week's newsletter is sponsored by Argosy University.

Continue to enrich your students' lives while you study to enhance your career in Education at Argosy University. Semester credit hours vary by degree program; many degrees can be earned in 30 months or fewer. Find an Argosy University degree program that could be right for you - Master's, Specialist and Doctorate programs are available. Learn more about advanced degrees for today's education professionals at www.argosy.edu.

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This week's newsletter is sponsored by
American Public University.

========================================================================

Volume 11, Issue 40
October 7, 2009

Celebrate Dictionary Day
Build skills every day -- and on Dictionary Day. Dictionary Day commemorates the birth of Noah Webster (October 16, 1758), who was the "father of the American dictionary." Celebrate the day by planning a dictionary scavenger hunt, playing Scrabble, creating a classroom dictionary, or any of the dozens of other ideas presented on this special Education World Lesson Planning page.

Fire Prevention Week
"Stay Fire Smart: Don't Get Burned" -- that's the message of Fire Prevention Week 2009 (October 4-10).

Once Upon a Time...
Fables, fairy tales, folktales, legends, myths, and tall tales -- six literary genres that are sure to engage student interest -- can be used in the classroom to inspire creative thinking and writing. This week, Education World presents lesson plans that introduce students to those genres -- and to their own imaginations. Included: Graphic organizers, student work sheets, more.

Fall Lessons
Looking for fall lessons? We've g'autumn!

Celebrate Character Counts Week
October 18-24 is Character Counts Week. Click the link above for character education lessons and articles from Education World. Click here to learn more about CC Week.

Hispanic Heritage Month
Ideas and, resources for teaching about Hispanic culture.

Explorers
Land ho! From Columbus to Cousteau... Education World has "discovered" great sites, lesson plans, and new ways to help you and your students as you explore the world of the explorers. From the New World to new worlds in space, travel with us as we share a boatload of teaching ideas. Included: Dissecting Columbus, celebrating Lewis and Clark, exploring America's westward expansion, much more.

More Timely Lessons
Bullying Prevention Week (October 4-10) Lessons
Spark Interest in Spelling
Hispanic Heritage Month
Teaching With Popcorn

Lesson Plan of the Day Click the link above to see dozens of recent Lesson Plans of the Day, including the lessons below that were posted last week.
Go West With Columbus - Game teaches map skills. (Grades K-5)
'Character Counts' Week - Ten ideas for October 19-25. (PreK-12)
Halloween Party Alternatives - Ideas from UNICEF. (PreK-12)
Where Did Foods Originate? - Explore Old World/New World foods. (K-12)
Space Tourism Brochure - Sell tourists on space travel. (6-12)
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/archives/dailylp.shtml

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This Week's Feature

Education World's Work Sheet Library includes hundreds of free printables for use across the grades and across the curriculum. You will find a sampling of our printables below. Visit our Work Sheet Library for a complete selection.

Math Fact Practice
Math Fact Practice Work Sheets
Use these printables for addition, subtraction, and multiplication math fact practice. Coming soon: division.

Free Work Sheets
From TLS Books
The School of Fine Arts
Use information in a table to answer the questions.

Every-Day Edits
Primary Edits
Animals A to Z: Flamingo.
Ele-Middle Edits
Gandhi, 1929 Stock Market crash...

Writing Bug
Story Starter
I ran down the street, my Halloween candy flying in every direction. You will never believe what had just happened to me...

Hunt the Fact Monster
Primary Hunt
October hunt #2
Ele-Middle Hunt
Hunt #6

Build a Fab Vocab
Vocab-u-lous! Activity
Words that begin with H.

Where in the
World Is Mrs.
Waffenschmidt?
Mrs. W: Week 4
Which South American landmark is she visiting?

It All Adds Up
Puzzle #4
Find the missing numbers so "it all adds up."

Word Search of the Month
October Word Search
How many words can you find?

More Printables

Work Sheets from Teacher Created Materials
100+ printables for all subjects, grades.

Phonics Word Search Puzzles
A puzzle a week all school year long.

Sudoku Puzzles
Challenge students with number fun.

Learning Game of the Week
A life-size tic-tac-toe review game.

News for Kids
Mini T. rex Fossil Surprises Scientists
A new dinosaur find looks a lot like a T. rex, but it is different in some important ways.

Friday Fun
This art activity offers monstrous Halloween fun.

From Our
Early Childhood
Activity Bank

Special Activities for This Week
Pumpkin Search
Pumpkin Sauce
Boo! to You: A Word Game
Make a Pumpkin Word Wheel
Magic Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkin Poem
Create a Halloween Ghostie (Art)

The Math and Science Corner

Featured Math Article
Cooperative Learning
Saves the Day
The teacher was failing in Math class until...cooperative learning saved the day!

Wendy Petti's Math Cats
Connections to Math in Real Life
Collections of real-world math activities, online data sources, collaborative math and science projects, and more.

Go Figure!
Which car should Melanie buy? How far has each car been driven?

Adding War
Addition facts 1 to 10 and 1 to 18 combinations
(Grades 1 - 3)

Math Mnemonics
How to write numerals to 10.

Vicki Cobb's Show-Biz Science
Discover how 3-dimensional shape strengthens paper, aluminum.

The Science Lab
My Soil
Has Layers!
A demonstration of the properties of soil in relation to density and sedimentation.

The Writing Center

Write on Target
From hall graffiti to a winter memoir, these activities will have your students penning with pleasure.

Letters to Home
Alicia Harman's letter-writing lesson opens lines of communication between school and home.

Be a Sport
What is your favorite sport to watch?
Acting Like a Little Kid
Tell about the last time you acted like a little kid.

Writing Lessons
Ten Prompts for Student Writing
Ten prompts for engaging writing assignments.(Grades 3-8)
Headline News
Create simple stories using words cut from newspaper headlines. (Grades 3-12)

The Reading Room

Cathy Puett Miller:
Beyond Comprehension
This multi-faceted approach to teaching comprehension includes five additions to the NRP's suggested reading curriculum.

Reader's Theater
Lace Up against Bullying
When they learn that a new classmate was bullied for wearing shoelaces with unusual colors, two students create a unique plan that rallies everyone in their school to take a stand against bullying.

Reading Feature
Reading Aloud: Are Students Ever Too Old?
Do you read aloud to your students? Is there ever a time when students are too old to be read to? Many teachers are firm believers in reading aloud -- even at the high school and college levels.

More Lesson Ideas

Teacher-Submitted Lesson Plans
Teacher Lesson #1
Learn foreign language vocabulary with this "In the Pumpkin" lesson idea.
Teacher Lesson #2
A fast-paced BINGO-like game for reviewing spelling words.
Teacher Lesson #3
Compare Cinderella to the native tale The Rough-Face Girl.

Bulletin Boards That Teach
FALL-ing for Riddles -- This fun October-themed bulletin board can help develop students' thinking skills.

5-Minute Fillers
Volume 20.

Best Books for Teaching About...

Best Books for Teaching About...The Life Cycle

Best Books for Teaching About...Math Concepts

See more great books for students and classroom teaching themes.

Ken Shore: The ABCs of Bullying Prevention
Understanding School Bullying
Bullying takes place when a stronger or more powerful child intentionally and repeatedly hurts, threatens, or torments a more vulnerable child.

Ruth Sidney Charney: The Responsive Classroom
The Importance of Modeling
Modeling classroom rules involves teachers demonstrating the specific behaviors and language patterns of an expectation.

Emma McDonald: The New Teacher Advisor
Sparking the Hearts and Minds of Students
Being passionate about your subject area communicates fascination and energy to your students. They soak up that energy and return it back to you double-fold.

Joe Martin: The Teacher Motivator
Raise Your Standards
We teachers face enough negativity from the public. This month, therefore, I'm asking you to raise your standards for your colleagues.

Fred Jones's Tools for Teaching
Exploiting Structured Practice
A key part of teachers' jobs is to create perfect practice. Creating bad habits is the alternative. Teaching it right the first time is easier than breaking bad habits.

Eric Baylin's Songs to Brighten a Teacher's Day
Chewing Gum in School
It's a sticky issue any way you look at it. What to do? Exact penalties and punishments or let them chew? (Try explaining that to the cleaning staff!) What to do? Let's sing!

Mr. Ivan:
The Principal Poet
Education World's resident poet, Mr. Ivan, presents a poem that is sure to bring grins to school leaders everywhere. This week's poem is...
"Front of the Line"
Education World's resident poet, Mr. Ivan, presents a poem that is sure to bring grins to school leaders everywhere. This week's poem is "Front of the Line."
I like a lot of things at school.
Some things I like a bunch.
But the thing I like most of all
Is...
Read more...

School Adopts Yoga for Wellness, Behavior Management
Yoga, once linked primarily with Eastern religions, has found its way into the mainstream of life and U.S. classrooms. One Illinois school reported better test scores and fewer discipline problems after adopting a school-wide yoga program. Included: Benefits of a school yoga program.

Wire Side Chat
Different Strokes for Little Folks: Carol Ann Tomlinson on "Differentiated Instruction"
Professor Carol Ann Tomlinson understands the challenge of providing appropriate learning experiences for all students. Once a classroom teacher who had to simultaneously meet the needs of kids struggling to read at grade level and those who were ready for Harvard, she turned to differentiated instruction.

Strategy of the Week
Journal Writing
Journal writing in the classroom can take many forms and serve many purposes. Whatever the intent or structure, however, for many teachers journal writing is an integral part of the curriculum.

Partners for Student Success
Brushing Up on Parenting Skills
Planning workshops for parents was a new concept at one Wisconsin elementary school. However, with several workshops under her belt, the program coordinator reports that "workshops are a wonderful way to help bring the school community closer together."

Classroom Management Article of the Week
The Power of Written Praise
Being roused from a sound sleep by a parent can be a rude awakening. But in one case it got educator Max Fischer reflecting about the power of written praise to raise student achievement.

Template of the Week
October Bookmark and Bookplate
Encourage a love of books with these October templates.

This Week's Techtorial
A Techtorial
Learn the steps for creating a podcast for your K-12 classroom.

Podcasting Sites to See
A baker's dozen resources to help you understand podcasting -- and introduce it to your students.

Tech Lesson of the Week

Upping the Odds on Standardized Tests
Students research test-taking tips and then present the information -- in a variety of fun projects -- to other classes. (Grades 6-12)

Technology Integration Ideas That Work
The Education World Tech Team offers lessons and activities to help educators make better use of technology tools for instruction, and to help students improve their technology skills within the regular curriculum.

What You Should Know About H1N1
A short video of important information for teachers about the H1N1 virus.

Newsletters 'R Us
Copy and paste this free content into your teacher or school newsletters.
The ABCs of Student Success H is for Homework
Caught on the Web Fall Fever (All grades)
Newsletter Clipart Library Columbus Day, Halloween...
Fun Facts Volume #6
Parent Newsletter Template Halloween
Math @ Home The Game of Pig

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Be notified when we add new content related to the teaching of Reading, Math, Writing, or Science.

Be the first to see new Classroom Management resources.

See new content related to Parent Involvement.

Let us inform you when we add new resources to our Tools & Templates area.

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
Has the flu hit your school this year?

Last Week’s Survey Results
How many years have you been teaching?

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."

Strategies That Work: Teaching Comprehension for Understanding and Engagement
This useful book by Stephanie Harvey and Anne Goudvis takes as its first chapter title and as its philosophy, "reading is thinking," and builds upon that fundamental realization beautifully. The book, however, is not a simple collection of tips for teaching reading, but really a marriage of practical suggestions and an underlying model for how students learn to read better and, importantly, how to think more effectively.
Click to learn more or to purchase this book.

The Psychology of the Child
An essential book in the history of educational theory, this is a great introduction to the work of Jean Piaget. First published in French in 1966, this book lays out Piaget's six stages of sensory-motor intelligence and goes on to build upon that foundation a schema that tries to encompass the development of cognitive abilities right up to adulthood. Surprisingly brief and readable, this is one of those books every education library should contain.
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.

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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

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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.

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LEAVE 'EM LAUGHING
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A Ride to School

The new family in the neighborhood overslept, and their six-year-old daughter missed her school bus. The father, though late for work, said he would drive her to school if she'd direct him there. They rode several blocks before she told him to turn the first time, several more before she indicated another turn... This went on for 20 minutes -- but when they finally reached the school, it proved to be only a short distance from their home. The father, much annoyed, asked his daughter why she'd led him around in such a circle. The child explained, "That's the way the school bus goes, Daddy. It's the only way I know."

Playground Treat

Student: What kind of candy do kids eat on the school playground?
Teacher: I don't know.
Student: Recess pieces.

Science Matters

On a recent science quiz, a teacher in northern Florida asked her fourth graders to identify the three states of matter. In response to the question, one student wrote: Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi.

Little Johnny Strikes Again

Teacher: What is the chemical formula for water?
Little Johnny: HIJKLMNO.
Teacher: What are you talking about?
Little Johnny: Yesterday you said it's H to O!

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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.

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http://www.educationworld.com/newsletters_images/sr_sample.shtml

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