Instructor (1990) articles from November 2008

Instructor (1990) archives from November 2008

Celebrate Winter!(grab your keyboard...)(www.scholastic.com)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Are you sporting a red-tipped nose as the chill spreads across the country? Warm up your class and yourself with a vital new Scholastic activity focused on how kids around the world celebrate Christmas, Hannukah, and Kwanzaa. Introduce fun...

Who's saying what?(grab your keyboard...)(What's New @ Scholastic.com)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Our website is bursting with activities, ideas and resources...but who has time to read it all? Well, we do! So go to the What's New @ Scholastic.com Blog for a daily roundup of the best resources and activities that we have to offer. You'll...

Ready to say thank you?(grab your keyboard...)(Live Chats)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Take high tech twist on the First Thanksgiving. Tune in to Live Chats on November 13 and chat with a Native American and a Pilgrim interpreter from Plimouth Plantation. Submit your own question at the website! [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Author of the month.(grab your keyboard...)(Cornelia Funke)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... We are happy to announce that Cornelia Funke, beloved author of Inkdeath, the final book in the trilogy that includes Inkheart and Inkspell, is November's author of the month. Welcome, Cornelia! [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

How much is too much?(from the editors)
November 1, 2008... As teachers, we deeply value family involvement in our classrooms. We know that it is a key component of every student's success. But there's another side to the parent-teacher relationship that rarely gets talked about. When parents call at...

Q One of my seventh graders is a real know-it-all in class.(ask a child psychologist.)
November 1, 2008... I want to encourage her curiosity, but I worry about her making and keeping friends. Is there anything I can say to her? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A start by meeting with her other teachers and comparing notes. If the "know-it-all...

Renew and recharge.(stress management)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Discipline, grading papers, field trips, parents, money: It can all be a bit overwhelming for teachers. A study by Minnesota-based Optum researchers found that 36 percent of Midwestern educators believed work-related stress harmed their mental...

Tales of first-year teachers.(Relentless Pursuit: A Year in the Trenches with Teach for America, The Great Expectations School: A Rookie Year in the New Blackboard Jungle and Educating Esme: Diary of a Teacher's First Year)(Brief article)(Book review)
November 1, 2008... Any new job is a learning experience, but young teachers seem especially inspired to write about their discoveries. If you can sneak in some reading time, here are a few touching accounts about the joys and struggles of the first year in the...

"I saw my teacher on myspace".(Your career.)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... An e-mail sits at the top of your inbox: "Josh S. added you as a friend on Facebook." But Josh isn't from your yoga class--he's one of your students. Although it's tempting to be the cool teacher online, think twice before confirming that...

Q&A.(quitting coaching)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... I'd like to quit coaching, but I'm afraid the kids will be disappointed. Host a small celebration to make it clear you valued your time together. "Use it as a time to teach kids about good-byes," suggests Penelope Trunk, author of Brazen...

Visits on Veterans Day.(ideaswap)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... For Veterans Day, we invite family members who have served our country to pay a visit to us at school. It's a special day for everyone involved: The students see history come to life, and the veterans see how grateful we are for their courage...

A slice of math.(ideaswap)(paper pumpkin pies and teaching math)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... As we near Thanksgiving, I serve up a pumpkin pie fractions game! I make paper pumpkin pies by gluing an orange circle, the pie, on a larger brown circle, the crust. I then cut the pie into 12 equal pieces. Students work in small groups, and...

Winter story wall.(ideaswap)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... To get my students thinking creatively, I put up a seasonal wall of story starters. For December, I write each one on a paper snowflake. Some of my favorites include When the kids are on winter break, the teachers finally get to... On the day...

Take five.(ideaswap)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... To help students learn to monitor their own behavior, I provide a "Take Five" chair in the classroom. If any student feels angry, frustrated, embarrassed, sad, or any way that makes him want to be alone, he takes a seat in the chair. Anyone can...

Couplet cupcakes.(ideaswap)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... We make our "couplet cupcakes" for Thanksgiving, but you can do them any time. I cut out a cupcake-shape pattern for each student. Kids decorate one side like a cupcake (for Thanksgiving, they usually use harvest colors such as orange and...

Spontaneous transparencies.(ideaswap)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... We're lucky to have a laminating machine at my school, but I had always found it frustrating that there was so much wasted excess film at the beginning of a run. I finally figured out a way to make good use of it: instant transparencies! I just...

Birthday Book Club.(ideaswap)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... I began a Birthday Book Club that students and their parents can join. Here's how it works: Members pay a fee, and a book is purchased during the month of their birthday and donated to the school library. The student's picture is displayed in...

Turkey place cards.(ideaswap)(teaching methods)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... My students love making turkey place cards with their fingerprints! One brown thumbprint makes the turkey's body. Then kids surround the body with a semicircle of red prints, then orange prints, and, last, yellow prints. We add googly eyes, and...

Settle at plymouth!(ideaswap)(www.pilgrimhall.org/mayfpass.htm)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... In November, my students make a Pilgrim settlement using small milk cartons. We glue on strips of brown paper for wooden planks and add dried grass for a thatched roof. Then I ask students to select a name from the Mayflower passenger list and...

Swat it!(ideaswap)(teaching methods)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... To review skills in my fifth-grade classroom and get students up and moving, we play a game with fly swatters. I divide the class into two teams and line up each team in front of the board. The first student in each line gets a fly swatter. If...

Holiday happiness.(ideaswap)(gift giving)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... To focus on the true joys of the winter holidays, I help students create a display highlighting gifts that can't be bought, I have each student write a description of one such gift they'd like to receive. I've gotten responses from "To be with...

A plate of thanks.(ideaswap)(teaching methods)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Instead of filling our plates with food on Thanksgiving, we fill them with thanks! I give each student a paper plate to take home. The students work with their families drawing pictures or attaching words and photographs of all the things they...

Stay-put play dough toys.(ideaswap)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... In my kindergarten room, the kids love to use Play Dough and all the accessories that go with it. But sometimes those plastic accessories can slide all over the tables, and they're tough for students to manage. I've discovered a great way to...

Go green for the holidays.(ideaswap)(gift giving)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... During the holiday season, it's wonderful that so many students and fellow teachers enjoy giving gifts to one another. This year, some of us want to spread the word that we're going green in our giving. Ideas include plants for the classrooms;...

Trash collectors.(ideaswap)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... To show the importance of recycling, my students and I collected our trash in a brown paper bag for one week. The bag filled with used paper, snack wrappers, paper cups, and all the other typical classroom waste. On Friday afternoon, we dumped...

4 RIVETING BIOGRAPHIES.(Stitchin' and Pullin', Whaam!, Seabiscuit the Wonder Horse and Afghan Dreams)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
November 1, 2008... Remember using junior encyclopedias to write reports? Yawn. Today's kids have a wealth of nonfiction options, like these. Stitchin' and Pullin' By Patricia McKissack, illustrated by Cozbi A. Cabrera. $17.99. McKissack, author of The...

4 SNOWY STORIES.(The Snow Show, The Snow Queen, Snow Party and Snow)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
November 1, 2008... Like it or not, the white stuff is around the corner. Cozy up to one of these seasonal reads. Snow By Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Lauren Stringer. $17. We fell in love with Lauren Stringer's icy illustrations in last year's Winter Is...

4 PAGE-TURNING SERIES.(39 Clues: The Maze of Bones, The Runaway Dolls, Inkdeath and The Porcupine Year)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
November 1, 2008... These novels take us on amazing adventures with old friends and new heroes. 39 Clues: The Maze of Bones By Rick Riordan. $12.99. Kids still have time to read Riordan's first installment in this multiauthor series before the second, One...

4 BEARY, BEARY GOOD BOOKS.(Ice Bears, Urso Brunov and the White Emperor, Little Panda and Our Three Bears)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
November 1, 2008... Try sharing one of these hairy tales (or should that be tails?) for storytime. Your students are sure to grin and bear it! [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Ice Bears By Brenda Z. Guiberson, illustrated by Ilya Spirin. $16.95. Children get a...

Best for young green thumbs.(The Green Classroom)(Kids' Container Gardening)(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... BEST FOR YOUNG GREEN THUMBS Build a terrarium, a butterfly garden, or a hanging vegetable plant with your students. Kids' Container Gardening is filled with classroom-friendly seasonal projects kids love. www.leevalley.com; $12.95; Product...

Best physics project.(The Green Classroom)(Wooden Yo-Yo Kit)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... BEST PHYSICS PROJECT Need a way to teach kinetic energy? How about gyroscopic stability? Make it fun and easy with this Wooden Yo-Yo Kit. Kids can even paint their own. www.leevalley.com; $2 each, $1.70 for 10; Product No. 45 * ...

Best for beginning builders.(The Green Classroom)(ZinkoTek system)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... BEST FOR BEGINNING builders Kids build life-size robots, fortresses, and whatever else their imaginations conjure up with the ZinkoTek system, made of sturdy, safe, recycled foam. www.zinkotek.com; $350; Product No. 47 * [ILLUSTRATION...

Best first eco lessons.(The Green Classroom)(www.idbids.com)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... BEST FIRST ECO LESSONS Follow the storybook journeys of Scout, Lola, and Waverly-kids' favorite ldbids--as they teach students how to keep Earth happy and healthy! www.idbids.com; $39.99; Product No. 44 * [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Best classroom block rejuvenator.(The Green Classroom)(Block Mates)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... BEST CLASSROOM BLOCK REJUVENATOR There's nothing greener than old-school classroom blocks, and Block Mates breathes new life into them. Kids can create colorful dinosaurs and safari and farm animals. Mix and match to invent new creatures, too!...

Best for a world perspective.(Best for Social Studies)(Labeling Globe)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... BEST FOR A WORLD PERSPECTIVE Students hold the whole world in their hands with this 27-inchdiameter Labeling Globe. Kids label continents, countries, bodies of water, and more. Display it and then deflate for easy storage....

Best for early citizenship.(Best for Social Studies)(Guidecraft's Wedgies)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... BEST FOR EARLY CITIZENSHIP Guidecraft's Wedgies make wonderful props for teaching younger students about citizenship and communities, as well as cultural, ethnic, and physical differences. Great for role-playing! www.guidecraft.com; $15-$75;...

Best to learn the lay of the land.(Best for Social Studies)(geography)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... BEST TO LEARN THE LAY OF THE LAND This kit makes learning geographical features more tactile, with compass work and landform molds. It also builds vocabulary and supports national social studies standards. www.lakeshorelearning.com; $59.95;...

Best for globe-trotting.(Best for Social Studies)(educational toys)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... BEST FOR GLOBE-TROTTING Students explore each of the seven continents, looking carefully at different regions, cultures, and languages. Kids have a blast using the 3-D props for presentations. www.lakeshorelearning.com; $119; Product No. 50*...

Best for state trivia.(Best for Social Studies)(geography skills)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... BEST FOR STATE TRIVIA Press the spinner, read the clue, and race to find the correct state before time runs out. Up to four students can play this fast-paced game to hone their U.S. geography skills. www.edin.com;$29.99; Product No. 52* ...

IS a charter school right for you? It could mean longer hours for less pay, but also more freedom and motivated kids.
November 1, 2008... Bola Disu cannot imagine working anywhere else. She's taught at Our World Neighborhood Charter School in Astoria, Queens (New York City), for five years, and for her, it's been a natural career move. "It's like a family here, which I love....

Blackboard heroes: every day, you bring passion and dedication to the table, along with your morning coffee. These four teachers are just a few of your colleagues. Remind you of someone you know? We're not surprised.(teacher leader)(Patti Anderegg, Jeff Bochart, John Laystrom and Brandi Barnett)
November 1, 2008... Patti Anderegg Patti Anderegg, 53, has spent her entire teaching career at PS 47 School for the Deaf in lower Manhattan. She feels the relationships she forges with her deaf students are much more personal than what teachers of hearing...

Meet the micromanagers: when parental involvement goes bad.(Cover story)
November 1, 2008... The initial signs may be subtle. First, Dad pulls up to school midday asking to "check in" on how his child is doing. Mom swings by to drop off extra snacks and a missing homework assignment. Next, you hear they've telephoned the principal's...

Parents on the Prowl.(books about over-protective parents)(Brief article)(Book review)
November 1, 2008... These recent books explore our over-protective culture and offer solutions for school and at home. A NATION OF WIMPS: THE HIGH COST OF INVASIVE PARENTING By Hara Estroff Marano. An editor at large for Psychology Today, Marano calls for...

Experience the sounds of Africa.(SOCIAL STUDIES)(Radio Africa)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Studying the continents? Listen to the sounds of the Serengeti and the rhythms of Rwanda on Radio Africa, which streams diverse music clips from around the continent free every day. Depending on the particular selection, you may hear Zulu music...

Have students find their homes from outer space.(The Coolest Stuff ONLINE)(National Geographic's MapMachine)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... National Geographic's MapMachine is an online atlas with amazing features. Click on the world map to choose a location. The machine will find the locale for you, or you can zoom in closer and closer until individual houses come into view. Use...

Listen to Native American storytellers.(The Coolest Stuff ONLINE)(www.pbs.org/circleofstories)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... At Circle of Stories, students can hear Native Americans tell tales about traditions in the kitchen, Navajo beliefs, and the sacred relationship with the land. Hear one man sing "The Water Song" and learn about his international activism and...

Watch Martin Luther King Jr. deliver his "I Have a Dream" speech.(The Coolest Stuff ONLINE)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... This speech, given at the Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 1963, remains one of the most famous in American history. Your students can watch this 16-minute video podcast for free! HTTP://KIDS.LEARNOUTLOUD.COM

Have kids be President for a day.(The Coolest Stuff ONLINE)(pbskids.org/democracy)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... At the Democracy Project, kids learn about the U.S. government in a fun, interactive way. The site is set up like a "choose your own adventure," where kids pick what they'd like to do during their day as President. Once they've made their...

View bugs from your playground.(SCIENCE)(Bugscope)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Bugscope is a free project by the University of Illinois. It allows students to come up with their own experiments, view bug specimens at high magnification, and talk about what they see with real scientists in real time. After you sign up,...

Learn about Thomas Edison.(teaching resources)(Edison Invents!)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... At Edison Invents!, kids can play an interactive matching game to learn more about Edison's life and inventions. Then they'll learn how to make their own light bulb, watch one of the first on-screen kisses, and listen to a recreation of...

Become Citizen Scientists.(teaching resources)(Citizen Science)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Citizen Science projects use the general public for scientific research and data collection. You and your students can make observations in your own neighborhood, record your findings online, and compare them with other scientists around the...

Take a trip with NASA.(teaching resources)(National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Visible Earth)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Your students will think you're out of this world when you share Visible Earth with them. This site is home to NASA's catalog of images and animations of Earth from outer space. You can show kids photographs of city lights around the world,...

Write acrostic poems.(WRITING)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... This online tool will have kids knocking out poems like Dickinsons. First, there's a short explanation about what an acrostic poem is. Then students choose and fill in their topic word. The next page asks kids to brainstorm words about their...

Publish students' stories.(teaching resources)(Kids' Space)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Kids' Space is an award-winning site that focuses on multicultural sharing in a commercial-free environment. Students can upload their stories and read other students' work from around the world. One of the neatest features is Beanstalk, where...

Find rhyming words.(teaching resources)(RhymeZone)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... At RhymeZone, all kids have to do is fill in the box with the word they're trying to rhyme and click Go Get It! This rhyming dictionary pulls up hundreds of possibilities. The choices are broken down by the number of syllables. It will also...

Work with published authors.(teaching resources)(Writing With Writers)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... At Writing With Writers, students can create myths with the guidance of Jane Yolen, compose a mystery step by step with Joan Lowery Nixon, learn about descriptive writing with Virginia Hamilton, write poetry with Jack Prelutsky, and workshop...

Listen to author podcasts.(READING)(Learn Out Loud)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... At Learn Out Loud, you can watch and listen to podcasts of your favorite authors and illustrators. Find out Brian Selznick's story behind The Invention of Hugo Cabret and learn how Chris Van Allsburg's Jumanji and The Polar Express became...

Watch picture book videos.(Storytime Online)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Click on Storytime Online and choose from Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst, Harlem by Walter Dean Meyers, and Brothers of the Knight by Debbie Allen. WWW.KENNEDY-CENTER.ORG/MULTIMEDIA

Play interactive phonics games.(Starfall)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... At Starfall, students can play free games to boost their phonics skills. Teachers are able to choose games based on which skills they're working on in the classroom. Students fill in beginning sounds and actually hear them aloud as they solve...

Play with an online geoboard.(mste.uiuc.edu/users/pavel/java/geoboard)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Click on a corner and drag the "rubber band" to any peg on the board. The length of each side is automatically shown. From there, students can determine the area. With a click of the mouse, they can check their answers. Just for fun, kids can...

Let students fly through outer space!(Coolmath4kids.com)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... At Coolmath4kids.com, your students will feel what it's like to fly past the stars as they play Space Flight. They'll use geometry as they investigate Super Spiro and Cursor. And they'll practice trigonometry as they play Splash and make their...

Access a visual dictionary of more than 500 math terms.(mathisfun.com/definitions)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Browse definitions by using the colorful alphabet letters provided, or use the Search box on the sidebar. The definitions are easy to understand and there are links for further reading. Easy as Pi! WWW.MATHSISFUN.COM/DEFINITI0NS

Play tangrams online.(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Kids can practice their geometry savvy with this classic seven-piece Chinese puzzle. Choose a picture to complete, then move pieces with the mouse. Rotate and flip shapes with a simple click. Students can choose different colors for each piece...

Practice multiplication facts.(MATH)(Flight of the Knight)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... In Flight of the Knight, students choose which facts they'd like to practice (2S, 5S, 0S-3S, etc.). The countdown begins and students must solve facts to catapult a knight over a moat and safely into the castle. If the answer is correct, the...

Get your Wampanoag FAQs here.(Celebrate Thanksgiving)
November 1, 2008... Try one of these activities honoring the Pilgrims' first Native-American acquaintances. WHAT DID THE WAMPANOAG EAT? The Wampanoag hunted and gathered food as well as planting crops. They ate bear, deer, turkey, quail, rabbit, and...

First, then, and Finally the end.(Early Reading Skills)
November 1, 2008... Use these ideas and picture-book favorites to help children learn about story sequence. STORY PLOT REPORTERS Discuss with children the relationship between a story's events and its plot. Then invite students to take the role of news...

Share your love for the planet.(Easy Holiday Gifts.)
November 1, 2008... This year, skip the cookie-mix-in-a-jar and handprint reindeer and have students create gifts that are good for the giver, the receiver, and the planet. REUSABLE GROCERY TOTES GREEN FACT: Plastic grocery bags that are improperly...

Pattern perfect.(Five-Minute Activities)
November 1, 2008... Creating and working with patterns helps students classify and organize information in every subject area. SCIENCE: PITTER-PATTER PATTERNS WHAT YOU NEED: Pattern Fish and Pattern Bugs by Trudy Harris, journals, pencils, scissors, glue...

The number rhumba.(Math Sense)
November 1, 2008... Number-line skills are crucial for understanding higher-order mathematics. Here are six ways to help students stay on top of their game as they move up and down the line. DATE LINE Every moring, explore the date on a number line. Say...

Help kids toot their own horns!(Life Skills)(Peter Benson)(Interview)
November 1, 2008... Middle schoolers aren't known for their self-confidence. We talked with Peter Benson, author of Sparks: How Parents Can Help Ignite the Hidden Strengths of Teenagers, about how you can nurture the talents of every child. Q. YOU SAY ALL...

Name your sources!.(Research Habits)
November 1, 2008... In an era when some kids' primary writing tool is cut-and-paste, it's essential to teach the importance of citing sources correctly. Get them in the habit with these fun activities. TRACKING YOUR SOURCES To keep a handle on stacks of...

Kate DiCamillo: the best-selling author remembers her struggle with phonics and a life-changing read-aloud.(pop quiz)(Interview)
November 1, 2008... * What was your favorite thing about school as a kid? I was one of those kids who just loved, loved school. Everything about it delighted me. Except for math. I still don't get along with math very well. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] *...