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Saturday, October 31, 2009

November Lesson Plan Ideas



Lesson Plan Ideas For November
By: Teachnology Staff


Thinking of Lessons for November? Here are a number of November events / themes you will want to include in your lessons.

1. November 1st is National Author's Day.
2. November 1st is National Family Literacy Day.
3. November 3rd is Election Day.
4. November 10th is Young Reader's Day.
5. November 11th is Veteran's Day.
6. November 11th is Kurt Vonnegut's birthday.
7. November 15th through 21st is American Education Week.
8. On November 24th Darwin published 'The Origin of Species'.
9. November 26th is Thanksgiving Day.
10. November 27th is Black Friday.
11. November 29th is Louisa May Alcott's birthday.
12. November 30th is Cyber Monday and Mark Twain's birthday.
13. November is National American Indian Heritage Month, Scientist Appreciation Month, American Diabetes Month, National Novel Writing Month

Source: Teachnology Staff
This newsletter is brought to you by
Teachnology.com, a free and valuable resource for teachers.

More Resources at:
http://mrscjacksonsclass.com/
http://www.mrscjacksonsclass.com/novemberfunthemes.htm

Happy Halloween Card

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Tuesday, October 27, 2009

What Is Daylight Savings?

What Is Daylight Savings?
When the timings are set one hour forward of LSD (local Standard Time) it is known as daylight savings. Mostly in summers, scientists adopt this method to provide additional daylight in latter part of the day that is in evenings.
Usually, in summer, days are longer and nights are shorter. Therefore, in summer we set our watches one hour ahead. Due to daylight savings, people can finish off their important work during the daylight. This method was first adopted during First World War.
Time zones are helpful when individuals are traveling to other zonal areas. They aid people to follow the daytimes of those particular zones. Without time zones, imagine how confusing the world would be. There will be chaos in the world and nobody will be able to keep track of what is happening in other zones.
Moreover, daylight savings help us to increase our efficiency and to conserve energy. To conclude, this is the concept of daylight savings and time zones, hope you might have found answers to your queries. See the rest of the story at: http://www.mathworksheetscenter.com/mathtips/whytimezones.html

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Elections and Voting Teaching Ideas



Lesson Plan Ideas For Elections & Voting
By: Teachnology Staff

1. Write a help wanted ad for President.

2. Examine campaign slogans.

3. Create the candidates' views on the issues checklist.


5. Run a complete mock campaign.

6. Write the perfect President's resume.

7. Create political cartoons on the issues.

8. Examine current polls and how polls change.

9. Determine the biggest three issues to your class.

10. Critique campaign ads.

This Week in History

1894: Daniel Cooper patents the time clock .
1503: Queen Isabella of Spain bans violence against Indians.

Inspiring Teacher Quote

"By learning you will teach, by teaching you will learn."Latin Proverb

This newsletter is brought to you by Teachnology.com, the online teacher resource center.
Weekly Tips for Teachers Issue 485: October 26, 2009

For More Election Resources: http://www.geocities.com/mrsjacksonsclass/elections.htm

Friday, October 23, 2009

Twitter Teacher Tips, Resources and Ideas

Picture Book Maker http://is.gd/4xyqs

Videos and Lessons for Kids in Preschool, Kindergarten, Elementary, Middle & High School http://www.neok12.com

Bloom’s Taxonomy Poster for Elementary Teachers http://is.gd/4xCQ0

Create Sitemaps And Flowcharts For Free With SlickPlan http://ow.ly/ttEt

SMARTBoard Lessons http://www.rockingham.k12.va.us/howto/smartboard/lessons.htm

TeacherToolbox: GoAnimate: Cool Cartoon Animator Online http://ow.ly/vFdf

Bloom's Tutorial Tools http://bit.ly/1eiwTP

Schoology now free for teacher and professor accounts http://bit.ly/3NX3I

Twitter in Plain English http://bit.ly/18w0LF

Excellent ideas and resources at Brainpop Educators http://bit.ly/zmygG

Standardized test practice for free. State released tests to print for students practice. http://ow.ly/tIcz #edtech #internet4classrooms

100 tools for teachers who like to Twitter. http://bit.ly/FdqYc

Is Loud Learning Better Than Quiet Obedience http://bit.ly/17p9Gf

100 Ways to Use Twitter In Your Library http://bit.ly/3VDAUo @Jason_Pollock:

One Stop Shop for Math tools, quizzes and interactive activities for all levels of math! http://bit.ly/OiQSk

Inverting Bloom's Taxonomy http://is.gd/44Tkt

A Great List of Web 2.0 Tools for Every Teachers Toolbox from @kyteacher http://is.gd/45J9g

If the links aren't working, just copy and paste into a search engine.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Halloween Fun and Games



Halloween Dress-Up Game
Bring a garbage sack full of different items for students to wear. The crazier- the better! Some items might include: tutus, old ties, wigs, hats, boots, necklaces, raincoats, giant glasses, etc. Have your students gather in one big circle. Turn on some music. As the music is playing, the children are to move the sack around and around until the music stops. When it has stopped, whoever is holding the bag at the time must reach in without looking, and take an item and put on over what they are already wearing. Watch your students laugh with glee! Continue doing this until all the items have been used up. Don't forget to take a big group picture once it is all done!


Decorated Pumpkins
Encourage your students to each bring a small pumpkin to school. Hand out candy to each student along with some straight pins. Have your students each decorate his/her pumpkin by attaching pieces of candy by sticking a straight pin through it and the pumpkin. Some examples of candy you could use might include: licorice for lips, gumdrops for eyes, taffy for noses, etc. Then take a trip over to your local eldery care center or hospital and have your students donate their pumpkins for a festive display for all to enjoy.


Cutest Lil' Pumpkins in the Patch
Form a small card for each student by folding a piece of construction paper in half. Then let your students dip their thumbs into orange paint. Next, "thumbprint" the cards all over the cover. Once the paint is dry, let your students draw different faces on each of the pumpkins. Make a stem on each one by using a brown crayon. Have your students now write, "Happy Halloween" on the front. On the inside of the card, it can say, "From your cutest 'lil pumpkin in the patch."


Ghost Windsocks
First, take a white sheet of construction paper and attach both ends with a stapler, forming a cylinder. Next, cut strips of white crepe paper of varying lengths. Attach with tape or glue around the bottom part of the cylinder shape. Next, cut out different eyes, noses, and mouths from different colors of construction paper and glue to the ghost. Now punch one hole on each topside of the ghost with a paper hole puncher. Attach string through the two holes. Now it's ready to hang from your classroom ceiling!


The Teacher's Corner - Free Teacher Resources and Lesson Plans

The Teacher's Corner - Free Teacher Resources and Lesson Plans

Posted using ShareThis

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Columbus Day and Explorers-Google Earth-Globetracker



Explorers had the right idea: take some risks and find the unimaginable! Many teachers have inservice days this week. We hope you are inspired by what you learn there to take some new risks with new teaching ideas. TeachersFirst is always available for a little inspiration, offered by thinking teachers like you. Tell your friends about us.

Explore Google Earth for Columbus Day!

Google Earth is one of the most powerful tools ever for visualizing the world and pulling us all together. Unfortunately, many teachers have not had access to it due to school network limitations or computers prevented from downloading and installing software. If you have been using Google Earth since its inception a few years ago, you know how the picture of the earth, complete with layer upon layer of photos and other information, can bring the world into focus at your students' fingertips. This week's featured sites include not only our review of Google Earth (hardly new, but worthy of note any time!) and two other Google Earth-related sites. If you have not explored Google Earth yet, why not take the time during this week honoring Christopher Columbus? If you do not have it on your classroom computer, resist the temptation of asking your tech department whether they still believe the world ends just west of Spain and thus have not installed Google Earth yet! Some of the teaching ideas in our featured sites may give you the justification you need to have it installed.

Speaking of Google Earth

The first episode of Globetracker's Mission for the 2009-2010 school year went online last week, complete with a Google Earth file to follow the Mission. This preview/introductory episode will remain online until October 18, 2009, so you have time to introduce the mission to your students and install Google Earth (optional). New weekly episodes will begin October 18 and run through April. Learn more about the mission, designed for use in grades 2-6 at http://www.teachersfirst.com/globetracker/about.cfm


Featured Sites for Week of Oct.11: http://www.teachersfirst.com/feature-arch.cfm?id=182



Source:TeachersFirst Update - October 12, 2009 http://www.teachersfirst.com/update.cfm

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Halloween Lesson Plan Ideas



Teaching Tip: Lesson Plan Ideas For Halloween

By: Teachnology Staff


Thinking of Lessons for Halloween?

Here are a number of Halloween activities you might want to include in your lessons.

1. Read scary stories.

2. Tell Halloween classroom jokes.

3. Include pumpkins, bats, and scarecrows in your lessons.

4. Estimating candy is fun for any grade level.

5. Create a fictional cemetery to study history.

6. Create a classroom mystery.

7. Use candy trees to countdown to dates.

8. Take time to mention Halloween safety.

9. Do a candy sorting or graphing activity.

10. Have your class write spooky stories.


This Week in History

1492: Christoopher Columbus reaches America.
1901: Theodore Roosevelt
renames "Executive Mansion," "The White House".


Inspiring Teacher Quote "It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge." Albert Einstein


This newsletter is brought to you by Teachnology.com, the online teacher resource center. Weekly Tips for Teachers Issue 483: October 12, 2009

Sunday, October 4, 2009

Encouraging Student Literacy



Encouraging Student Literacy

By: Teachnology Staff


What the research says:

1. Reading ability and feelings toward reading are related.

2. Forcing children to read yields poor results.


Tips to send home for parents to encourage reading:

1. Be Role Models- Read often with children and on your own.

2. Book Allowances- You can use the library or purchase new books for your children.

3. Assure Kids That Reading Has a Purpose- Reading is not a chore.

4. Read Aloud- Family reading nights are great!

5. Create a family newsletter, web site, and/or blog- Kids love to use technology. Technology requires a great deal of reading.


Tips for teachers to encourage reading:

1. Encourage Student Pen Pal Exchanges

2. Reading Scavenger Hunt- When students read in a competitive setting, you would be surprised how fast they retain information.

3. Read & Share- Have students share their thoughts with the class.

4. Class Newspaper- This allow students to further explore their interests.

5. Class Web Site- Have students manage an updated record of what is going on in your class. If anyone is absent, it really helps.

6. Organize a Book Exchange-

Week 1: Students bring in as many used books as they would like. They receive 1 credit for each book they bring in.

Week 2: For every credit the students have they can take one book from the exchange.


This Week in History

1923: Edwin Hubble identifies Cepheid variable star.

1947: President Truman delivers the first televised Presidential address.


Inspiring Teacher Quote
"You cannot teach a man anything; you can only help him find it within himself."
Galielo Galilei


Weekly Tips for TeachersIssue 482: October 5, 2009

This newsletter is brought to you by Teachnology.com, the online teacher resource center.

Books on Literacy Centers: http://www.debbiediller.com/ Literacy Work Stations and Meaningful Independent Practice, Differentiated Small Group Instruction, Classroom Environment Makeovers, Literacy Instrucation in PreK-Grade 6

Friday, October 2, 2009

Teaching Secrets

Teachings Secrets-Best Links, Lists, Methods, and Thoughts on Blogging

Great list of Free Photo Editing Programs...http://is.gd/3QGPV

What teaching methods motivate students to enjoy learning?
http://web20classroom.blogspot.com/2009/09/what-teaching-methods-motivate-students.html

"I cannot direct the wind, but I can always adjust my sails." from Teaching Secrets: Staying on Course (Teacher Magazine) http://bit.ly/ajdzS

The Best Collections Of Educational Links by Larry Ferlazzo http://bit.ly/OKHa1

What Are Your Thoughts on Educational Blogging? by Sue Waters
http://suewaters.com/2009/09/29/what-are-your-thoughts-on-educational-blogging/

Teaching Resources or Themes http://www.geocities.com/mrsjacksonsclass/