Instructor (1990) articles from March 2009

Instructor (1990) archives from March 2009

The motivated classroom.(from the editors)
March 1, 2009... Few things are more frustrating to a caring teacher than a disinterested, disconnected learner, much less a class full of them. This issue is packed with ideas to reach every learner where they are. First things first: On page 23, Marilyn Burns...

Lifesaving Math.(NEWS FROM INSTRUCTOR)(www.mathathon.org)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Scholastic is proud to announce our partnership with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital on their Math-A-Thon fundraising program. For 30 years, Math-A-Thon has helped students build and practice math skills while they raise money and...

Ladies first?(grab your keyboard ...)(Women's History Month)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Wondering when Congress first passed the resolution for women's right to vote, or when they declared International Women's Day? Encourage your students to read about these events--or the creation of the historical text for Women's History...

Roses are read.(grab your keyboard ...)(Poem in Your Pocket Day!)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... April showers mean... National Poetry Month! Head to the Web to hear Jack Prelutsky read his work, to learn how to use all five senses to start a poem, or to introduce students to Poem in Your Pocket Day! Get kids interested now so they'll...

Ready for summer?(grab your keyboard ...)(www.scholastic.com/summer)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Get summer started right with "Summer Challenge Live!" Scholastic's nationwide interactive game will include surprise video questions from authors and real-time Web results! Four teams of kids will answer questions about authors, illustrators,...

Sound it out!(grab your keyboard ...)(SMART Notebook [TM] Interactive Software)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Need fresh encouragement for new readers? Enliven language with brand-new phonics lessons from SMART Notebook [TM] Interactive Software. Visit www.scholastic.com/interactivewhiteboards for a set of free lessons designed for grades K-3. Visit...

Get connected.(your career)(brush up on your technology integration with www.scholastic.com)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Looking to brush up on your technology integration? Want tips on how to manage your interactive whiteboard? Join an online community and get real solutions for your classroom quandaries. The beauty is in the connections you make. When a...

Virtual field trips.(your career)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... With the growing strain on the economy, your trip budget may have been the first to go. But don't despair! You can give your students an educationally valuable experience for free with virtual field trips. Journey with your class to places you...

Teacher wishes granted!(your career)(www.iLoveSchools.com)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... NEEDED: Large cooling fans for very hot summer days.--K--12 teacher, New Stuyahok, AK NEEDED: Art supplies. We've only got crayons!--Kindergarten teacher, Phoenix, AZ NEEDED: Classroom rug. My kids are tired of the hardwood...

Q&A One of my colleagues is always "borrowing" my homemade materials.; can i say no?(your career)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... "You're not required to share materials prepared on your own time,'--says Instructor advisor Dr. Suzanne Tingley, "but if they're effective, sharing them would allow more students to benefit. However, it's not hard to see why you might feel...

Ask a psychologist.(Column)
March 1, 2009... Q what can I do when It's the parents who do the homework? I think one of my fifth-graders is turning in work completed by his mom. how can i explain to her the need for his learning independence? A Start by inviting the parent for a...

Why I teach: six quotes to teach by. Clip them out and pass them to all the great teachers you know--including yourself, of course!(INSPIRATION TO GO)(Quotation)
March 1, 2009... "Life is a succession of lessons, which must be lived to be understood." --RALPH WALDO EMERSON Why I Teach "All children are artists." --PABLO PICASSO Why I Teach "Learn everything you can, anytime you can, from...

Pledge to the planet.(Celebrate Earth Day!)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... In honor of Earth Day, we make a Pledge to the Earth: I pledge allegiance to the Earth And all the life it Supports. One planet, in my care, irreplaceable, With harmony and sustenance for all. I send the Pledge home with...

Multi-Culti Earth Day.(Celebrate Earth Day!)(multicultural classroom)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... In my multicultural classroom, we combine Earth Day with a Mexican tradition by making Earth-shaped pinatas! We make the pinatas from balloons, newspaper strips, and a paste of flour and water. We paint them blue and green to look like Earth...

April showers bring ... spring flowers!(Celebrate Earth Day!)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... My students make paper bouquets to brighten up the hallways. We create pussy-willow branches by cutting brown construction paper stems and gluing on small wads of cotton. To make tulips, we trace two tulip shapes from construction paper, glue...

Green Day!(ideaswap)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Last year on Earth Day, we made a giant paper tree on our bulletin board! For the trunk and branches, we used recycled brown bags. For the leaves, each student got a green leaf shaped "Family Pledge Card," which they took home and worked with...

O'keeffe flowers.(ideaswap)( Georgia O'Keeffe)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... When the spring flowers start blooming I like to introduce my students to the artwork of Georgia O'Keeffe. My Name is Georgia and Georgia's Bones are two great picture books to start with. For the artwork, I bring in fresh flowers for the...

Host a read-in.(ideaswap)(teaching methods)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... My first-graders and I celebrate reading all year round. Students read to other classrooms, teachers circulate to read, and parents come in as guest readers, too. On special days, we bring in our favorite books and host a "Read-In." It's a day...

April is Poe tree month.(ideaswap)(teaching methods )(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Since April is poetry month, my students practice writing different forms of poetry all month long. I make a tree out of brown and green butcher paper and write PoeTREE at the top. Then students hang all their poems on the tree. It's one of our...

Reading grandparents!(ideaswap)(teaching methods)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... My students love our "Reading Grandmas" program! Our reading Grandmas (as well as one Grandpa) come in every Wednesday morning. To start, the students pick out the book and read and discuss it with their Grandma. Then they decide on a reading...

No more paper trails.(ideaswap)(teaching methods)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... I place a colorful plastic sand pail in the middle of each table to act as a "mini-recycling bin." As kids work on projects that generate paper scraps, they just throw them in the sand pail. It keeps kids from getting up and down all day, and...

Connect the dots.(ideaswap)(teaching methods)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... I organize my classroom library into tubs, with each tub containing books on different topics. It's a great way to stay organized, but keeping the books in the right tubs can be difficult. I label each tub with a colored dot sticker and then...

Two-thirds day.(ideaswap)(teaching methods)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... In my math class, we celebrate "Two-Thirds Day"--day 120 out of 180 days of school! I encourage kids to make a poster or costume that represents two-thirds any way they like. They might represent four pizza slices out of a six-piece pie, or...

Go fly a kite.(ideaswap)(teaching methods)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... We take advantage of the March breezes by having an all-school Kite Day! It is so much fun to see kids out flying kites, from the simple designs to the spectacular. We make sure to tie in the celebration of wind energy and related science...

Yes! Kindergartners can use whiteboards: Kindergarten teacher Shawn Knapp shares her best ideas for whiteboard learning with little ones.(tech ideas)
March 1, 2009... 1. WRITE A MORNING MESSAGE My class uses the whiteboard to create a morning message. I like to add animated clip art to the messages because it helps grab my student's attention and motivates them to to help complete the message. It is so...

Great resources that won't bust your budget!(free stuff)(www.neh.gov/projects)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Take a Tour of America's Past Why not try a working vacation this summer? Enroll in a Landmarks of American History workshop and you'll spend a week in a historic location studying an aspect of U.S. history. Subjects range from the Civil...

Literacy grants.(GRANTS)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Know of an after-school program that's trying to stay afloat? The Women Helping Others Foundation offers grants up to $5,000 for educational programs serving low-income children of all ages. DEADLINE March 17, 2009 FOR MORE INFORMATION...

Education is the foundation.(GRANTS)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Are you are an exceptional educator who motivates and inspires high-risk students to achieve excellence? Then Michael Jordan wants to hear from you. Each year the Jordan Fundamentals Grant Program awards $1 million to improve education and...

Special leaders in special Ed.(GRANTS)
March 1, 2009... The Heartspring Award for Innovation and Creativity in Special Education is searching the globe for pioneering professionals who work with special needs children. Tell in a unique way how you get results, and you could win $1,000 and attend a...

Into nature? Environmental teachers can win $500.(GRANTS)
March 1, 2009... The NABT Ecology/Environmental Teaching Award, sponsored by Vernier, honors secondary school teachers who take their passion for the environment out of the classroom and into the community. The winner will receive Vernier Lab equipment worth...

It takes a community ...(GRANTS)
March 1, 2009... Sponsored by Pearson and the National Middle School Association, Teams That Make a Difference recognizes groups of teachers, administrators, and community members who work to improve the education and well-being of adolescents. The...

Funds for fitness.(GRANTS)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... P.E. budgets are being hit hard. But healthy minds still need healthy bodies. The Saucony Run for Good Foundation provides grants up to $10,000 to keep your running-based children's wellness program in tip-top condition. DEADLINE June 13,...

History's hottest hits.(CONTESTS)
March 1, 2009... K-12 teachers and media specialists, assemble your team of junior historians. Give ABC-CLIO's History Uncovered competition your list of history's 10 most crucial people, places, or events, and you could win a digital whiteboard or cash. ...

Get thrifty.(CONTESTS)
March 1, 2009... Chase's new essay contest asks, "What goal would you like to achieve, and how can saving money help you achieve it?" The 12 fourth or fifth graders who best answer the question in an economical 400 words or less will garner $2,500 for...

Reach out with technology.(CONTESTS)
March 1, 2009... Are you a wiz with a SMART whiteboard? Connect to other wired classrooms in the SMARTer Kids Foundation Connections program. Eight sixth-grade classes in the U.S. and Canada will receive leading-edge technology in order to partner on...

A bird's-eye view on climate.(CONTESTS)
March 1, 2009... Geospatial tools--such as aerial photography and the Global Positioning System--provide a wealth of information about our planet's well-being. The Thacher Scholars Awards, sponsored by the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies,...

Your 10 minutes of fame.(CONTESTS)
March 1, 2009... Fidelity FutureStage is looking for the best student-written plays that clock in at 10 minutes. One selected play will be produced on an actual Broadway stage, and the author will get to work directly with the creative team behind Billy Elliot...

Better living through technology.(CONTESTS)
March 1, 2009... Unwelcome glare on the TV screen can put a damper on anyone's Will experience. Enter 3M's Young Scientist Challenge and turn that annoyance into cash. Budding Edisons in grades 5-8 submit a short video presentation that demonstrates an...

D'ya ever wonder ...(RESOURCES)(www.iwaswondering.org)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... The National Academy of Sciences has lauched i WAS wondering, a website that encourages middle school students--especially girls--to think about the varied and intriguing careers in science. Users can discuss science imponderables, get answers...

Win a wireless lab.(RESOURCES)
March 1, 2009... The classroom of tomorrow could be yours today. Discovery Education and CDW-G are giving five K-12 schools a complete 21st-century classroom worth $50,000. Each lab includes 20 laptop computers, an interactive white board, a digital camera, and...

Mentorship for mentors.(RESOURCES)(PBS TeacherLine )(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Visit PBS TeacherLine to find new professional development resources for teachers, mentors, and teacher leaders. The free pdfs cover topics such as "Tips for Conducting Effective Teacher Mentoring" and "Top Ten Questions to Ask Myself as I...

An American adventure.(RESOURCES)(www.tenement.org/immigrate)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Students travel back to 1916 in From Ellis Island to Orchard Street, an interactive game from New York's Lower East Side Tenement Museum. Players create a virtual identity and embark on a new life in New York City. Along the way, they make...

Virtual fieldtrips.(RESOURCES)(http://meetmearthecorner.org.)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Meet an urban beekeeper, enjoy a harpsichord concert, or witness the blessing of the bikes, all without leaving your computer. Meet Me at the Corner provides short educational tours from a child's point of view via video podcast technology. The...

Are you experienced?(RESOURCES)(http://h30411.www3.hp.com)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Visit HP's Teacher Experience Exchange for lesson plans and other great resources for your classroom and career. While you're there, check out the winners of the Best-Ever Lesson Plan contest cosponsored by Scholastic. HERE'S HOW Share you...

Alex's Lemonade stand.(RESOURCES)(www.alexslemonade.org)
March 1, 2009... When 4-year-old Alexandra Scott was being treated for childhood cancer, she opened a lemonade stand to raise money for a cure. Now the foundation that bears her name has taken Alex's idea national. At Alex's Lemonade Stand you can find activity...

3 Views on autism.(teachers' picks [BOOKS])(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
March 1, 2009... The narrators of these powerful stories all have conditions on the autism spectrum. Anything but Typical [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] By Nora Raleigh Baskin. $15.99. From the popular young adult author comes a tale about a 12-year-old...

5 Poetry month picks: these rhythmic collections are just the thing for ringing in April's National poetry month.(teachers' picks [BOOKS])(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
March 1, 2009... The Swamps of Sleethe By Jack Prelutsky, illustrated by Jimmy Pickering. $16.99. The renowned poet takes readers to a galaxy far, far away in his latest collection of "poems from beyond the solar system." There's a darker tone to both the...

5 Trips to the moon: the 40th anniversary of the moon landing is this summer. Here's how to celebrate!(teachers' picks [BOOKS])(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
March 1, 2009... Moon: Science, History, and Mystery By Stewart Ross. $18.99. Ross illuminates the scientific and cultural history of the moon in this excellent reference. Readers will enjoy swapping facts, such as the nickname for astronauts' zero-gravity...

5 odes to our planet: it's earth day every day with these tree-hugging novels and nonfiction titles.(teachers' picks [BOOKS])(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
March 1, 2009... Recycle This Book Edited by Dan Gutman. $5.99. A fun anthology of essays by children's writers ranging from Jeanne DuPrau to Bruce Coville to Gennifer Choldenko; each contribution urges kids to help the environment and explains what to do to...

Best inside view.(Best for Future Scientists)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... BEST INSIDE VIEW This realistic heart, brain, and skeleton are perfect for centers and display--not to mention easy on the wallet. $17.99; www.learningresources.com; Product No. 47* [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Best science board game.(Best for Future Scientists)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... BEST SCIENCE BOARD GAME Students help TV character Arthur and his family address environmental issues threatening his hometown--Elwood City. Players move through the board collecting resource cards. $24.95; www.freddistribution.com; Product No....

Best all-in-one kits.(Best for Future Scientists)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... BEST ALL-IN-ONE KITS Put your class in motion with activity tubs that would have Newton excited. With ramps, stopwatch, and vocabulary cards, all based on national science standards. Instant set-up and break-down. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]...

Best DVD series.(Best for Future Scientists)
March 1, 2009... BEST DVD SERIES Disney tackles gravity, levers, and trajectory in its new line of education Imagineering DVDs. $49.95; www.disneyeducation.com; Product No. 49* [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Best digital models.(Best for Future Scientists)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... BEST DIGITAL MODELS Discovery Kids Smart Animals talk to student when scanned by the Scanopedia, almost bringing the Jurassic period to life. Includes facts and quizzes. $42.95; www.discoverystore.com; Product No. 51* [ILLUSTRATION...

Best arcade-style games.(Best Math Games)(Light 'N' Strike)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... BEST ARCADE-STYLE GAMES With the Light 'N' Strike, kids use a plastic mallet to hit the correct answers to math problems. For Lock It In!, they turn the dials until they reach the right number. $44.99 and $39.99 respectively;...

Best game libraries.(Best Math Games)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... BEST GAME LIBRARIES Skill-building games for grades 1-2 reinforce addition, subtraction, time and measurement, and for grades 3-4, algebra and geometry skills. $119; www.lakeshorelearning.com; Product No. 54* [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Best board game.(Best Math Games)( Learning Resources )(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... BEST BOARD GAME Learning Resources takes math to the county fair for estimating and measuring practice. Students get to check answers with a mystery decoder. $23.99; www.learningresources. com; Product No. 53* [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Best whole-class game.(Best Math Games)(Classroom Jeopardy!)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... BEST WHOLE-CLASS GAME Classroom Jeopardy! now includes state math standard cartridges for its game system. Each program sells for $49.95; Game System $499; www.etacuisenaire.com; Product No. 55* [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Rib-Ticklers Math.(MORE MATH SKILL BUILDERS)(Rib-Ticklers by Carson-Dellosa )(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
March 1, 2009... Rib-Ticklers by Carson-Dellosa strengthens first-through fourth-graders' basic skills with jokes, comics, and riddles. Each 80-page book reinforces algebra, fractions, measurement, and geometry skills--perfect for centers or homework practice....

Build & Learn Geometry Kit.(MORE MATH SKILL BUILDERS)
March 1, 2009... Lakeshore's geometry kit has over 200 sticks and connectors for building geometric shapes. Activity cards help guide students during construction. $29.95; www.lakeshorelearning.com; Product No. 57*

Aha!Math.(Must-Have Math Computer Games)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Aha!Math by Learning.com is a supplemental curriculum for K-5 students, aligned to NCTM's Curriculum Focal Points and state standards. It uses visual, auditory, and interactive experiences as well as friendly animated characters who serve as...

Fastt Math.(Must-Have Math Computer Games)(Fluency and Automaticity through Systematic Teaching with Technology)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... FASTT Math by Tom Snyder is an intervention program for struggling students, designed to develop fluency in addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. FASTT stands for Fluency and Automaticity through Systematic Teaching with...

TinkerPlots.(Must-Have Math Computer Games)(Dynamic Data Exploration )(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... TinkerPlots Dynamic Data Exploration for grades 4-8 is an exciting program that enables students to analyze data by creating colorful visual representations, which help them make sense of real data and recognize patterns as they unfold....

Best portable science lab.(New tech tools)(Vernier LabQuest)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... BEST PORTABLE SCIENCE LAB Vernier's LabQuest makes it easy to take your classroom on the road. Its many probes can be used for data collection, as a stand-alone or hooked to a computer. It has built-in graphing and analysis software and a...

Best early calculator HP's.(New tech tools)(EasyCalc 100 )(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... BEST EARLY CALCULATOR HP's EasyCalc 100 is perfect for simple addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, although it does calculate percent and square root, too. Bright color, large display, automatic power-off, and the right price....

Best 1:1 alternative.(New tech tools)(Neo 2)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... BEST 1:1 ALTERNATIVE The Neo 2 is a familiarly shaped alternative to laptops, especially convenient for smaller hands. It has wireless file transfer to Google Docs, runs Renaissance Learning software, and supports text-to-speech. Under $200;...

Best whiteboard twist.(New tech tools)
March 1, 2009... The SMART Table puts interactive whiteboard technology in furniture form. It's a computer, projector and digital board, all-in-one. $7,000-8,000; www.smarttech.com; Product No. 64* [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

4 Win-Win math games: games can motivate students, capture their interest, and are a great way to get in that paper and-pencil practice.
March 1, 2009... Using games to support students' math learning has long been a standard feature in my teaching. Games help to lift math off the textbook pages, and they support students' learning about Numbers and Operations. They are also ideal for students...

8 Great teacher habits parents love: tired of parent problems? These techniques will help you connect with every family.
March 1, 2009... It's been a long, hard day. Your students were fidgety, and the unexpected fire drill during lunch didn't help. The physical education teacher was absent without a substitute, so you taught an impromptu gym class in your room during your free...

Too cool for school? What to do when anti-school feelings rule your classroom.
March 1, 2009... What do you do when a first grader tells you, "School is stupid--I don't need to be here"? Or when an eighth grader loudly proclaims during library time, "Reading sucks"? These kinds of anti-school feelings can dominate entire classrooms,...

Icky, creepy, smelly: and just plain gross science projects.
March 1, 2009... Call it the Ewww! Factor, but nothing engages kids in science more than a down and dirty hands-on project. Inspire your class and reinforce science concepts with these icky, creepy, smelly, and gross experiments. Warning: Do them after lunch!...

Grow a garden in 10 minutes: try one of these easy activities to celebrate the warmer weather.(Springtime Science)
March 1, 2009... FLOWER FUN PANSIES Plant these fast-growers in 8-inch pots. Sow seeds 1/8-inch deep in a soil-less germinating mix. Sprinkle the mix over the seed and mist with water. Cover the pots with black plastic and check daily--you want it to stay...

6 Flash card games: flash cards and fun go hand-in-hand with these math and reading games.(Instant Centers)
March 1, 2009... 1 FLIP FLASH! Shuffle and distribute a set of 26 alphabet cards evenly between two children. Ask them to stack their cards facedown. On a signal, have both children flip over their top card and name the letter. The child with the letter...

"What time is it?" Help kids develop the clock skills they need to answer this oft-heard question by themselves.(Math Practice)
March 1, 2009... RACE TO 60 KIDS WILL PRACTICE: Counting by ones, fives, and tens WHAT TO DO: Count by ones, fives, and tens to the number 60. Then challenge your class to count to 60 in under a minute. Can they do it under 30 seconds? What about 15?...

To sum up the story: these five mini-activities will help kids practice summarizing books.(Reading Skills)
March 1, 2009... WHAT'S A SUMMARY? Explain that a summary consists of the main points of a piece of reading. Share a summary of a book you've read as a class. Review the summary sentence by sentence, asking students why they think each point was included...

The ABCs of poetry: celebrate April's national poetry month with these 26 lyrical ideas.(Writing Workshop)
March 1, 2009... A Teach kids about alliteration. Challenge them to write the longest sentences they can in which each word begins with the same letter. B Share folk ballads, such as Woody Guthrie's version of "John Henry" (available on YouTube.) Discuss...

Great ways to go green: host a drive for shoes or cans in honor of Earth Day, April 22.(Celebrate Earth Day)
March 1, 2009... SAVE YOUR SNEAKERS Challenge students to organize a shoe drive. Rubber soles can be turned into a playground surface, or give old shoes new life on another pair of feet in Africa. Go to www.runnersworld.com/shoedonation for suggestions....

When kids tell tall tales: why tweens sometimes stretch the truth, and what you can do about it.(Classroom Management)
March 1, 2009... FACING FACTS The truth is ugly: Sometimes kids lie. Whether it's the classic "the dog ate my homework" or the oh-so-2009 "that wasn't my cell phone," chances are you've been on the receiving end of a student's dishonesty at one point or...

Al Roker: America's favorite weatherman forecasts sunny skies for kids' reading.(pop quiz)(Interview)
March 1, 2009... * What did you want to be when you grew up? I wanted to be a cartoonist or an animator. That's the closest I came to thinking about media, until I started doing TV weather in college. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] * Who was your favorite...