Instructor (1990) articles from September 2004

Instructor (1990) archives from September 2004

Make instructor yours.(EDITOR'S NOTE)
September 1, 2004... WE'RE DELIGHTED TO BRING YOU this first ever all-activities issue from Instructor, which we hope will help you build the most learning into the first weeks of school. This issue was developed to be flexible and practical, giving you instant...

Meeting the standards.
September 1, 2004... ARTICLE PAGE MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE GRADES Super Centers 20 Makes quantitative estimates of K-3 weights and checks them against ...

WordMasters challenge.(CONTESTS)
September 1, 2004... In this twist on the typical spelling bee, students boost vocabulary skills by solving word analogies. How it works: Students first compete within their own schools using standardized word lists. The top 10 scores at each school are then...

America Prepared Campaign "ready deputy" contest.(CONTESTS)
September 1, 2004... The America Prepared Campaign invites schools and families to make a plan for emergency response. How it works: Schools encourage their students' families to submit "Family Preparedness Forms" to the principal. The school that turns in the...

Election Connection Event Kit.(GIVEAWAYS)
September 1, 2004... Free to teachers: Bring the electoral process to life for your students with this hands-on classroom kit, featuring a full-color poster with reproducible activities and three sheets of stickers. Grades: 2-8 How to get it: Send a...

Janell Cannon classroom kit.(GIVEAWAYS)
September 1, 2004... Free to teachers: Harcourt is offering a classroom kit celebrating Janell Cannon's book Pinduli, a sweet story about a hyena looking for acceptance. The kit includes a poster, a reproducible, and a chance to win a complete set of Cannon's...

Free mouse pads.(GIVEAWAYS)
September 1, 2004... Free to teachers: Word of Mouse provides free, advertiser-supported mouse pads to academic institutions. More than 6,000 schools have taken advantage of this offer so far. How to get it: Sign up at www.gomouse.com/schoolsignup.

Sun Microsystems academic grant program.(GRANTS)
September 1, 2004... Sun Microsystems awards equipment to nonprofit organizations, including schools. Priority is given to elementary and middle schools that use Sun equipment in the classroom. Deadline: September 30, 2004 To apply: For details and to...

Dollar General merchandise donations.(GRANTS)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... In addition to awarding grants to support literacy programs, Dollar General reviews applications for merchandise donations, including donations of small toys and school supplies. Priority is given to nonprofit community organizations, including...

The great book giveaway.(GRANTS)
September 1, 2004... Each year the Young Adult Library Services Association gives away more than $25,000 worth of new books, videos, CDs, and cassettes to one lucky organization. The recipient must demonstrate a need for this collection and explain how it will be...

Magic School Bus DVDs.(COOL STUFF YOU CAN WIN)
September 1, 2004... Hop aboard The Magic School Bus with two new DVDs: Super Sports Fun and Bugs, Bugs, Bugs! You Can Win: Ten winners will receive free copies of these new releases. One grand-prize winner will receive the entire MSB DVD library! ...

SPARKing fat loss.(News & Trends)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... With the scaling back of PE programs to make way for testing prep, childhood obesity threatens to become a runaway crisis. A physical education program from SPARK (www.sparkpe.org) offers a solution: effective ways for teachers to incorporate...

Create-A-Calculator winners.(News & Trends)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... HP and Scholastic Inc. are pleased to announce the winners of their second "Create-A-Calculator" contest. Andrew Corbin, grand-prize winner in the grade 9-12 age group, secured a $3,000 scholarship with his innovative "HP42x" calculator. Eighth...

Kids save oysters.(News & Trends)(Schools Restoring Oysters to the Chesapeake)(Oyster Reef Keepers )(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Most gardens are filled with blooming flowers, but the seabed under Virginia's Chesapeake Bay is sprouting another crop altogether: oysters. Over-harvesting, pollution, and disease have threatened the once oyster-rich Bay, but local students...

Achieve national recognition for your school.
September 1, 2004... Enter the Intel Scholastic Schools of Distinction Awards program, recognizing outstanding K-12 schools. Go to www.schoolsofdistinction.com. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 2005 Schools of Distinction Categories Eligible* schools may apply...

A family affair: our readers tell us how they get parents involved.(TEACHER TALK)
September 1, 2004... Introductory Tea Party I like to establish a tone of "parents as partners" early on in the year. That's why I invite families to a back-to-school tea party. We tour the classroom, play introductory games, and enjoy scrumptious snacks. I...

Turn your students into stronger readers: are you looking to improve reading instruction? Here are six reasons to explore LeapFrog SchoolHouse.(SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION)(Advertisement)
September 1, 2004... Three years ago, Lynne Kirkpatrick of Errol Hassell Elementary School in Beaverton, Oregon, received a catalog from LeapFrog SchoolHouse. She had never heard of the company or its products, but this kindergarten teacher of 18 years was...

From our readers: quick tips; Teachers share their best organizing and classroom management tips for starting off the year.(ACTIVITIES)
September 1, 2004... My Magnetic Info Every year, I give each family a magnet with my name, phone number, and e-mail address on it. It's easy: I just print my information on pre-made business cards and attach sticker magnets.--Jennifer Restiano, Neptune, NJ...

Super centers: build teamwork and communication this fall with creative classroom centers that boost skills in math, language arts, science, and technology.(CENTER ACTIVITIES)
September 1, 2004... Bags and Balances Balance estimating and reasoning skills with this colorful center activity. First, gather six decorative gift bags, all the same size but with different patterns. (For an inexpensive alternative, have volunteers decorate...

A noun is a word that names a person, animal, place, thing, or idea.(PARTS-OF-SPEECH ACTIVITIES)
September 1, 2004... Make learning parts of speech fun with engaging books and hands-on activities that will turn your students on to the power of nouns, adjectives, and verbs Nifty Nouns Introduce students to the marvelous world of nouns with Chicken in the...

A verb is a word that shows an action or a state of being.(PARTS-OF-SPEECH ACTIVITIES)
September 1, 2004... Have a Verb Relay. On slips of paper, write a variety of verbs that describe movement, such as walk, stroll, slither, slide, run, and so on. Place the slips in a paper bag and divide the class into two teams. Mark a starting line on the floor...

An adjective is a word that describes a person, animal, place, thing or idea. Adjectives modify or "tell more" about nouns.(PARTS-OF-SPEECH ACTIVITIES)
September 1, 2004... Play an Animal Adjective Game. Write the name of a secret animal on a sticky note for each student and place the labels on students' backs. Then let students mingle and ask their classmates adjective questions, such as "Am I furry?" "Am I...

The 2004 election: kids can make a difference; Students from all over the country are proving that kids can make a difference! With these activities, your students will learn all about the election process, and with this know-how, help to "get out the vote" in their communities. Plus: a presidency poster and quiz!(ELECTION ACTIVITIES)
September 1, 2004... Voter Registration Flyers Getting people to vote is a two-part challenge; in most states, citizens first need to register before they can head to the polls. To teach kids about registration and boost their mapping skills, invite them to create...

The ancient Maya: transport students back in time to the world of the ancient Maya, whose great empire in the Yucatan Peninsula endured from 2500 B.C.-1550 A.D.(MAYA ACTIVITIES)
September 1, 2004... Before You Begin Start off your unit by sharing the pull-out Masterpiece Poster, "Maya Culture," from the center of this issue. Ask students to come up in pairs to study and discuss the images of ancient Maya artifacts, which include...

Everyday study skills: start the year off right by helping students learn to set goals, prioritize, and stay organized.(STUDY SKILLS ACTIVITIES)
September 1, 2004... THE IMPORTANCE OF SETTING GOALS For students to be successful in your class and in the years to come, they must learn the process of establishing a goal, and creating and following through on a plan to accomplish that goal. Reaching goals...

Reading with Recorded Books[TM] raises reading skills by 34%--teacher research shows it!
September 1, 2004... You can be confident that your students' reading skills will improve with Recorded Books. Thousands of students across the country have proved it. Not only will you see measurable gains in fluency and comprehension, you'll be thrilled to find...

The science of sound: buzz, crackle, bang--sound is everywhere! Use these fun activities to help students discover how sound travels and how our ears pick it up.(SOUND ACTIVITIES)
September 1, 2004... Sound Wordplay Start off your unit by looking at words that imitate the sounds they represent, such as hiss, rustle, growl, and chirp. This onomatopoeia enriches language, allowing us to capture sound in writing. After sharing some examples...

Go, team, go! Fun-filled, active games that build classroom community, minimize competition, and enhance cooperation skills.(TEAM-BUILDING ACTIVITIES)
September 1, 2004... Balloon Volleyball [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Volleyball indoors? Sure, with a few easy alterations to the rules! First, set up a center rope about five feet off the ground. Then, instead of having the students stand, set up chairs on...

Math tantalizers.(ACTIVITIES)
September 1, 2004... Try these daily critical-thinking activities to build essential number sense skills in algebra and geometry. Share the Reproducibles on pages 62 (suitable for grades 5-6) and 65 (suitable for grades 7-8), giving your students time to explore,...

The fun, easy way to introduce digital photography and digital imaging into your classroom.
September 1, 2004... Contact a participating Education Reseller to take advantage of these special pricing offers available in the U.S. Digital photography kits: Digital Photography Lab Kit * Adobe Photoshop Elements 2.0 (Mac / Win) 10 User License +...

Awesome ABC books: ABC books aren't just for kindergartners any more--they do much more than teach letters. These books organize information for all readers, offering rich curriculum connections from art to science.(BOOK TALK)(Bibliography)
September 1, 2004... 26 Big Things Small Hands Do By Coleen Paratore. Free Spirit, 2004; 32 pages; $16.95; Gr. PreK-K. This alphabetical list will remind young children of their many abilities. Warm paintings depict classic classroom activities such as...

Instructor catalog showcase: a showcase for your catalogs, products and brochures.
September 1, 2004... FREE DOWNLOADABLE BOOK SAMPLES Request our catalog with an award-winning collection of more than 1200 educational materials in language, math, early learning and science, and discover how you can preview our publications with FREE...

The feel-good file: Holding on to the moments that make us love teaching.(END OF THE DAY)(Column)
September 1, 2004... Two of my fourth-grade boys bounced into the classroom one morning last Autumn, each holding one end of a tattered shoebox covered with baseballs drawn in felt-tip marker. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "What do you have here?" I asked them as...