1. FROM the EDITOR's DESK
Welcome to our Everyday Teaching newsletter! I'm very glad to have you with us.
The Everyday Teaching newsletter provides educators at all grade and subject levels with timely and relevant resources for the classroom and computer lab, along with tools for teaching. It is delivered to your email inbox once per week. Please take a look at this sample issue from March 2nd, 2007 to get an idea of the kinds of resources included. If you have any questions, please email us at: everydayteaching@gmail.com
To subscribe, click here:
http://www.everydayteaching.com/lists/?p=subscribe
Brenda Barron, Editor
everydayteaching@gmail.com
"Educate the heart. Let us have good men."
- Hiram Powers
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2. INTERNET EXERCISES
SWITCHEROO ZOO:
You've seen the books that have pages divided into three parts, and students can change heads, bodies, and tails of animals. This is the same concept, but even better! Animals morph as they switch heads and the audio is great. Each entry is accompanied by animal facts; have your students make up their own animal cards for their newly morphed creature. (PreK-3)
FINISH THE SENTENCE WITH GREEN EGGS & HAM:
Sam-I-Am is trying to offer what he considers some appetizing fare to his friend. Students must read along and remember what was offered, and click on the correct answer in a selection of possibilities. (1-3)
THE HUMAN BODY WEB TREK:
Everybody who inhabits one should know all about it...
It's the human body of course, and your upper elementary to middle school students will go on a Web Trek to learn all about body systems. Web sites are carefully selected, student activities are creative and challenging, handouts are included, and interactive online exercises are also available.
(Grades 4-8)
50 STATES QUIZ: {Link 1} {Link 2} {Link 3}
Prepare to test your mettle. Oh, wrong quiz. These selections test students' knowledge of the 50 states in a series of interactive questions and answers. Each quiz above is based on the 50 states, but each also has a slightly different theme, from geography to trivia. (Grades 3-8)
MICROSOFT WORD MODULES:
Are you looking for some MS Word lesson plans to teach your students the correct commands and the potentials for this tool? From using menu items to creating a Word document, creating a sign to a newsletter, learning how to use keyboard shortcuts or inserting images, find numerous tutorials here to help you out. (7-12)
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3. TEACHING RESOURCES
"Let your hook always be cast. In the pool where you least expect it, there will be a fish."
- Ovid
BEHAVIOR PROBLEM SOLVER:
Choose the age of your students, the problem behavior, and click for an explanation of the problem to help you understand what you're dealing with, followed by a plan of attack to help turn things around. (PreK-3)
SPRING WORD WALL & STORYTELLING EXERCISE:
There are numerous words here to print and post in your elementary classroom, all having to do with that most anticipated of seasons, spring. Print these lined primary words out on pastel colored papers for a beautiful spring word wall. Ask your older students to connect several of the words in an impromptu oral story telling exercise; you can even make it a collaborative effort, going around the classroom, randomly saying "Start!" and "Stop!" with a different student's name, asking them to include the next word on your word wall. (Grades 1-3)
THE FORTY SUCCESSES LISTS:
Let's face it, we probably all say things before we can monitor them and figure out how we could have said it better. When it comes to students however, it's great to have a repertoire of verbal comments to practice, which focus on the positive and inspire thoughtfulness and confidence. Here are 40 comments we should avoid, replaced with positive ways to address students. The lists continue with 40 inviting signs, 40 inviting environments, and 40 inviting behaviors. (All)
PRINT & USE TEACHER DOWNLOADS:
From teaching ebooks on various topics, to printable graph paper, organization templates, behavior management forms, printable calendars, awards and certificates, and school and classroom passes, there is much here to help you in your daily teaching routines. (All)
REPORT CARD COMMENTS FOR HIGH SCHOOL:
Whether you need a comment for a specific subject, for testing, class participation, homework assignments, achievement, attendance, or non-specific remarks, there are numerous appropriate comments - both negative and positive - to help you out here. (7-12)
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4. WRITING EXERCISES & QUOTE FOR THE DAY
QUOTE FOR THE DAY:
"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose."
- Dr. Seuss (From "Oh, The Places You'll Go!
WRITING EXERCISES FOR TODAY'S QUOTE:
A. (Early Elementary)
Which Dr. Seuss character would you like to hang out with for a day? Why did you choose this character? How would you spend the day with this new friend? Draw a picture of the two of you in crazy clothes, doing handstands, hanging upside down in trees, flying your own plane, leading a parade... Choose one of these adventures or come up with your own, and write a paragraph telling about your escapades.
B. (Upper Elementary)
It's Dr. Seuss's birthday today, and you know what that means. Your writing assignment is going to be Seuss-ified today. What you get to do is to pick one of your favorite characters (Sam-I-Am? Cat in the Hat?) and take him or her for a walk... directly into the pages of a different Dr. Seuss book! What kind of crazy adventures will happen now when two characters from two different books meet? It's up to you, but remember, whatever happens, it has to rhyme!
C. (Middle to High School)
Dr. Seuss is definitely on the loose today! First get inspired by holding a Dr. Seuss read-a-thon. After noting his quirky and unique style, your class is going to brainstorm settings, characters, and plot events. Write them all onto separate strips of paper and throw them into three different hats for the different categories. Now draw one from each category out of each hat - each student should end up with one character strip, one setting strip, and one plot strip. Next you will need to connect the three chosen elements into a wacky, Dr. Seuss-style story. Have fun! Rhyme and rhythm are going to count, and you can create drawings for your characters as well and even put together an illustrated picture book. Be sure to share your results with younger classes.
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5. PRINTABLE HANDOUTS
AIRPLANE ALPHABET BULLETIN BOARD BANNER:
Post this delightful upper case letter alphabet banner on a sky blue background for a change of alphabet scenery on your bulletin board this spring. (PreK-1)
DR. SEUSS WORDSEARCH:
For an easy and ready-to-go activity to celebrate Dr. Seuss's birthday today, print out copies of this Dr. Seuss wordsearch, with entries on favorite characters and titles. (2-5)
READING PREDICTION & RESPONSE FORM:
This printable reading response form will help elementary readers to consider sequencing, plot, characters and prediction in the novels they are reading. They will choose a favorite character or one that stands out for them, and describe their responses to that character, as well as predicting what will happen in the book. These printable reading response forms should be used before students have completed reading their novels.
(1-4)
READING STRATEGY BOOKMARKS:
I love the idea of having handy bookmarks for students to use as they read class literature selections. There are several bookmarks to print out and use here, with easy to follow student strategies on Favorite Parts, New Information, Questions for the Author, Visualize Scenes, Comprehension Strategies, Connections, and Predictions. It would be great to print these out onto light and bright neon papers to make them visually ap pealing to students as well. (Grades 3-9)
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6. GREAT LESSON PLANS FOR THE WEEK
"Every individual matters. Every individual has a role to play. Every individual makes a difference."
- Jane Goodall
DANCING RAISINS EXPERIMENT:
Early elementary students will have a lot of fun with this science experiment. You'll need to make sure your carbonated water has a lot of fizz in it, and bring in some other small food items besides raisins to experiment with. You may want to time your dancing objects, and make a graph comparing results. (PreK-2)
MAKE A FOSSIL:
Elementary students will become expert paleontologists with this hands-on science lesson plan, where they will be using a ball of clay and a handful or shells, rocks, or plant materials to make imprints.
(K-3)
EDIBLE ROCKS! MAKE A METAMORPHIC PANCAKE:
Who knew that rocks could be so delicious? You can easily explain the process and properties of metamorphic rocks with this lesson plan for grades 2-8. You will be making some griddle cakes with your students, adding various goodies such as chocolate chips and marshmallows. Heat and pressure are essential for this process, just as they are in metamorphic rock cycles. (Grades 2-8)
FRUITY JELLO CELL MODELS:
Does it seem to you that I might be a bit hungry as I'm choosing and writing up this week's lesson plan selection? I am, actually! Hence the edible cells and edible rocks. Middle school students will build their own cell models, complete with nuclei, mitochondria, membranes, and chloroplasts with this wonderful lesson plan - a great way to remember all those assorted cell parts for both animal and plant samples.
(Grades 6-8)
ALGAE IN YOUR HOUSE:
It would be fun to bring in a collection of wet or dry algae, straight from the beach, and invite your students to dine. After all the disbelief has quieted down, hand out the student worksheet included with this science lesson plan. You can ask your class to work in teams and challenge them to find the most items made with components of seaweed - much like a scavenger hunt. The winners can have the pile of seaweed!
(7-12)
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7. SPONGE ACTIVITIES & ART STARTERS
SPONGE ACTIVITY STUDENT WORKSHEETS #1 AND #2:
Have an extra five minutes to fill in class this week?
Use either of these worksheets for some challenges for your students to creatively use their time, for grades 3-8.
CAT IN THE HAT ART:
{Link 2}
How will your students interpret Dr. Seuss's classic tale of "The Cat
in the Hat"? Have some pre-cut white strips and red hat templates ready for their Seuss creations, as illustrated here. Use the 2nd link above for the printable templates. (PreK-1)
GREEN ON GREEN:
Green construction paper, green crayons or pastels, and white tempera paints... What have you created? Read the directions here to find out in this fun St. Patrick's Day art project for elementary students. (PreK-6)
RAINBOW MOBILES:
Perfect for Saint Patrick's Day or for a spring themed art project, try these wonderful and fairly easy rain bow mobiles in your elementary classroom. Paper plates, streamers make a rainbow mobile, or use the templates to make a leprechaun and pot of gold version. (PreK-6)
ART PUSH-UPS:
To jump start creativity in your art classroom, try any of these visual art push-ups. Each of them could be developed further into a full-blown art project, and all of them are almost guaranteed to draw even the most reluctant artist into the art process.
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8.IT'S ALL ENGLISH TO ME!
"My spelling is Wobbly. It's good spelling, but it wobbles, and the letters get in the wrong places."
- Winnie the Pooh
EDIBLE ALPHABETS & SPELLING WORDS:
The theme is definitely "edible" in this week's news letter - read on, you'll see! But how cool is this? Your elementary students will enjoy learning the alphabet with these edible letters. If you don't feel much in the mood to bake the cookie or pretzel letters, you can always compromise by buying pretzel sticks and pretzel rings, letting your students make letters with those. Older students can use their letters to form their spelling words. (PreK-3)
CURSIVE & REFERENCE DESK TAPES:
No ordinary desk tape - you might want to laminate these ones for durability. On a desk-sized printable tape, they contain the cursive alphabet with practice writing lines (dry erase markers work well on laminated papers; get the thin markers), a map of the U.S.with the 50 states, a place value chart with squares for inserting any numeral, fractions, and a multiplication chart. I'm really impressed with these ones!
(3-6)
DICTIONARY DISORDER STUDENT WORKSHEET #1:
Students will get practice with dictionary skills by using the guide words and deciding which of the words in the list belongs on the page. They will then put the selected entries into correct alphabetical order.
(Grades 5-9)
THESIS BUILDER:
Some students have a hard time with essays simply because they do not understand how to build a proper thesis. And without a proper foundation, the rest of the essay might not stand a chance. Try this thesis builder to help students understand the concept, with thesis stems and questions to prompt students to better essay proficiency. (7-12)
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9.ON THIS DAY
March 2nd, 1904
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DR. SEUSS!
Who doesn't love Dr. Seuss, aka Theodor Seuss Geisel, and what would the world of children's literature be without this mainstay of delightful words and rhythm? I learned to read with Dr. Seuss, as did my own children before they ever went to school, from the sheer joy of reading his stories again and again. And we all still love his books! My own personal favorites are "Green Eggs and Ham" and "Marvin K. Mooney, WIll You Please Go Now!". Geisel was born in Springfield, Massachusetts and attended both Dartmouth College and Lincoln College, Oxford. He wrote humorous articles for a good number of magazines, already using his pen name of Dr. Seuss, and also created political cartoons during WWII. Geisel's famous work, "The Cat in the Hat", was written on the request of his publisher, who asked him to write an appealing early literacy book using a short list of words. The beloved story, "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" followed in 1957. Honor Dr. Seuss's birthday today by having a Seuss Day or a Cat in the Hat Day. Wear crazy costumes, make some wonderful hats, have rhyming contests, and find more activities in today's calendar entry.
THAT FANTASTIC SEUSS!
This is a great site to find fun learning activities to celebrate Seuss. It includes teaching activities and templates for sentence strip hats for "The Cat in the Hat", printable Cat in the Hat upper and lower case desktop alphabets, Seuss ABC worksheets, and wonderfully creative activities for other Dr. Seuss stories as well. Explore the ideas here for the K-3 classroom.
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10. ALL THAT JAZZ
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