Heres a simple and quick activity that provides hours of imaginative play fun! Great on those rainy days!
- Masking Tape (quite a lot!)
- Something to make your airport buildings (duplo, building blocks, cardboard)
- Toy planes
What do you do?
- Depending on the size of the area of floor you want to use, create a couple of runways by taping the masking tape onto the floor (check the floor can’t be damaged… I’m taking no responsibility!)
- Create thinner parts for the airplanes to taxi round to the runways
- Using a few strips of tape make the area in front of the airport for the airplanes.
- Build your airport buildings- we used duplo and made terminal buildings and a control tower.
What can children learn from this activity and what are the benefits?
- Imagination and Creativity
- Numeracy skills- including shapes, identifying numbers and measurements. Measuring how long the tape needs to be for example and deciding on the different shapes to make the airport. By numbering the runways you can provide an opportunity for children to identify numbers.
- Communication and Language Skills- Whilst playing with their airport children have an opportunity to develop these skills, discussing which airplanes are taking off and landing and which runway they will use.


Why Choose One Eye Publications?
It is well known that listening to music has a positive effect on people of all ages! From infancy, babies frequently respond to the sounds of music by smiling or humming along and in general, listening to music makes people feel better. Studies indicate that young music students, on average, excel in their school more than children who not studying music and teenagers frequently find their social lives improving when performing for friends or at school functions.
In today's busy world, many children, unfortunately, do not always have the chance to take music lessons but there are a number of factors that can also help young students choose music lessons as a preferred activity! The most important starting point for music lessons is finding the right teacher who chooses a method that combines a solid music education with a fun-filled approach to enhance the musical experience.
One Eye Publications stays on top of trends in society and has teamed up with TimeWarp Technologies to launch the iPad version of their books on the SuperScore app. This innovative, ground-breaking technology gives students added elements to the learning process. "I would have practiced all day if I had this as a child!" - A parent's reaction to this technology.
Eleanor Gummer and her daughter Marie-Therese Gummer teamed up to create a methods for piano, guitar and violin that would not only be musically pleasing but would also bring a sense of enjoyment to young students. The focus was on creating method books with attractive pictures, clear concise explanations and musical pieces children would enjoy learning and doing what matters most - making music together.


It goes without saying that the motivation to teach often comes from a desire to improve student outcomes. And as methodology courses may teach, employing research- or evidence-based instructional strategies can have a greater impact on students’ success. However, as teachers sometimes find, it is not always easy to put instructional theory and research into practice across the academic subjects of an elementary classroom. Of course, putting theory into practice can be even more challenging when you consider the diverse learners who make up any classroom, including students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, as well as those who learn in different ways.
Graduates of traditional teacher-training programs have likely taken courses that focus on instructional methods, such as with various approaches for teaching phonics. Formal mentoring programs can also help teachers transfer classroom learning into effective instructional practices. Beyond these approaches, teachers may also want to consider advanced coursework to further develop their understanding of methodologies and the ability to apply that knowledge in the classroom.
Students in the online Master of Education in Elementary Education program at Mississippi College, for example, take a course called Current Methodology in Elementary Education. This core course explores research and theory as they relate to methodology used in elementary schools, with opportunities to demonstrate effective uses of current methodology.
What Are the Benefits of Studying Theory and Research?
Classrooms are complex environments, with learners who have diverse strengths, needs and learning styles. What does it mean to use research-based strategies in the classroom to reach all learners? A Google search that returns over two million results for “research-based instructional strategies” hints at the seemingly impossible task of answering that question.
Advanced coursework that pairs current theory and research with methodology can help pre-service and practicing teachers gain clarity. Take reading, for example. It is well documented that helping struggling readers catch up is challenging, with the gap in academic achievement growing over time. Coursework that connects current theory and research with methodology can help teachers pinpoint what might work for their students, such as the use of adaptive technologies for struggling readers.
How Can Teachers Keep Up With Current Methodology?
When it comes to current methodology, both novice and experienced teachers may find it especially daunting to effectively integrate technology into teaching and learning. Looking at educational technology trends and their many innovations, how can teachers possibly keep up?
With an emphasis on advances in technology, a course like Current Methodology in Elementary Education can help educators learn how to identify the best technologies for their classrooms and develop the skills for using those tools to maximize learning. Whether that means discovering how to take that interactive whiteboard to new levels or learning how to make the most of a 1:1 program (in which a school provides each student with one electronic device such as a laptop or tablet), relevant graduate coursework in current methodology can help teachers use technology in ways that enhance instruction and propel their students toward deeper learning.
Some might say that what constitutes great teaching has nothing to do with research. However, advanced coursework that connects the research behind “research-based strategies” to the real-life context of a classroom can enable teachers to implement effective instructional approaches that reach all their students.
Learn more about the Mississippi College online M.Ed. in Elementary Education program.


Making communication easier is the goal of our Speech Therapists. Our therapists start with building a foundation of skills needed for the development of speaking, reading, and writing. They may start with oral- motor skill development for speaking or phonemic awareness for reading development. It may be that non-verbal communication is the goal. Whatever a child needs to experience successful communication while at play or school, our speech therapists are experts at creating a recipe with the right ingredients for success.
Using functional and play-based tasks to facilitate motor, cognitive and socio-emotional development. Providing accomodations and recommendations for fostering success at home, school, and on the playground.
Helping Children With:
Sensory Processing|Low Muscle Tone|Play Skills|Eye-hand Coordination|Handwriting|Gross Motor Coordination|Fine Motor Coordination| Self-Care|Visual Perception|Self-regulation
We recognize that a feeding disorder affects not only the health and happiness of the child but impacts the entire family. Feeding disorders can lead to increased parent anxiety and decreased enjoyment during family meal time. With 25 years of experience, our lead feeding therapist has created a comprehensive treatment method targeting the sensory, behavioral, oral-motor, and medical aspects of feeding. The Abilities feeding team implements this comprehensive treatment method to help picky eaters, infants, and medically fragile children enjoy a healthier, balanced diet.
• Developing and implementing an academic curriculum for students who are homeschooling
• Providing support for completing homework and projects, studying for school assessments, or preparing for standardized tests
• Determining effective teaching strategies for a student’s personal learning style
• Establishing behavior response systems to increase student motivation
• Addressing individual challenges of learning disabilities or developmental disorders
• Building confidence in discouraged students
Therapy provided in a small group setting to address shared challenges. Group therapy can increase motivation and generalization of skills learned in individual therapy.
Social Language Group
For children with difficulties in social interaction skills
6-8 year old, 9-12 year old, 13-14 year old
Print and Cursive Handwriting Groups
For children 5-8 years of age that struggle to write legibly
Yikes Bikes Group
Children ages 6 and older will learn to ride their bikes
AAC tools and devices aim to facilitate, supplement, or replace verbal speech.
Picture exchange systems, communication boards, choice cards, and speech generating devices are all examples of AAC options.
AAC isn't just for people who have motor impairments which limit their verbal speech. AAC can also be used for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Developmental Delays, or Cognitive Disabilities
iLs is a listening protocol that combines filtered music that is projected through bone conduction headphones with movement exercises. These protocols engage both sensory, motor, and neurological processes.
iLs is based on the theory of neuroplasticity and aims to "re-wire" our brain through repeated and specific stimulation. iLs provides your child's therapist the ability to exercise neural pathways in their brain improving the way their brain processes information.
Case studies, research, and further information can be found at
IM is an assessment and treatment tool used by therapists to promote improved synchronized timing in the brain. Synchronized timing of the various networks in our brain is what underlies our ability for cognitive processes and physical movement. IM can be an effective treatment modality for individuals that struggle with:
Expressive and Receptive Language
Reading comprehension, Rate, and Fluency
Upper Extremity Function
Overall Motor Coordination
You can learn more about IM here https://www.interactivemetronome.com/what-is-im


Nationwide Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage
The Idea and Practice of Art Associations
Art associations combine civic engagement with volunteer art education. Originally reserved for the middle classes, they now encourage open participation and bring art to broad segments of society. As urban and modern networking stakeholders, they participate in and drive discourses of contemporary art, embodying an understanding of democracy that is important for the preservation of a vibrant and diverse cultural heritage.
Art associations enable cultural participation through the presentation and mediation of art, and promote and network the local scenes. They often host the first exhibitions of young artists and support them in the creation of new artworks by channelling the necessary knowledge and skills to them. In this way, the associations contribute to the diversity of the artistic landscape.
Key stakeholders in cultural education
The associations work with educational institutions to introduce people to the visual arts. They organize guided tours, talks with artists and studio visits. Today, they are established as important players in cultural education in Germany.
Art associations today operate across the spectrum from big cities to rural areas. They are important mediators between art halls, museums and civil society. In doing so, the associations are able to act flexibly in the fast-moving contemporary art scene and often discover tomorrow's art on behalf of the museums.


History of the Suzuki Method
The Legacy of Shinichi Suzuki
Shinichi Suzuki was a violinist, educator, philosopher, and humanitarian. Over the past fifty years he had a profound influence on music education in his own country and throughout the world. Suzuki based his approach on the belief that, “Musical ability is not an inborn talent but an ability which can be developed. Any child who is properly trained can develop musical ability, just as all children develop the ability to speak their mother tongue. The potential of every child is unlimited.”
Suzuki’s philosophy and the method he developed have now reached thousands of teachers, children and families in many nations. When he died in January 1998, Dr. Shinichi Suzuki was mourned around the world. His belief in the marvelous capabilities of all human beings and the importance of nurturing these capabilities with love has left a lasting legacy.
Origin of Suzuki’s Talent Education Method
Born in 1898, Shinichi Suzuki studied violin in Japan for some years before going to Germany in the 1920’s. After further study there, he returned to Japan to play and teach. He taught university students, but became more and more interested in the education of young children.
Suzuki realized the implications of the obvious fact that children of all nationalities easily learn their native language. He began to develop a method for teaching violin modeled after the way in which children learn language and called it the Mother-Tongue Approach or Talent Education.
Development of the Method
Suzuki’s work was interrupted by World War II, and after its end he was determined to bring the beauty of music to the bleak lives of his nation’s children. He began teaching at a small school in Matsumoto, working to develop a sequential repertoire that would present musical and technical points in a logical manner. Within a few years Suzuki’s students were amazing listeners with their abilities.
The Talent Education movement grew as other teachers studied with Suzuki and began to teach throughout Japan. The program expanded as teachers of different instruments became interested in Suzuki’s approach, and materials were developed for cello, piano and flute. Over the years, thousands of Japanese children have received Suzuki training at the Talent Education Institute in Matsumoto or one of the branch schools in other cities.
The Suzuki Method Today
Dr. Suzuki did not develop his method in order to produce professional musicians but to help children fulfill their capabilities as human beings. As he has said, “Teaching music is not my main purpose. I want to make good citizens, noble human beings. If a child hears fine music from the day of his birth, and learns to play it himself, he develops sensitivity, discipline and endurance. He gets a beautiful heart.”
Through his life and work, Dr. Suzuki inspired thousands of parents and teachers in more than forty countries in Asia, Europe, Australia, Africa and the Americas to nurture loving human beings through the mother-tongue approach to music education. In the supportive environment fostered by the Suzuki method, children learn to enjoy music and develop confidence, self-esteem, self-discipline, concentration, and the determination to try difficult things-qualities that are sorely needed in our time. As Pablo Casals remarked through his tears after hearing Suzuki children play, “Perhaps it is music that will save the world.”
© Suzuki Association of the Americas, Inc. 1997


Counting, sorting and simple sums: More mathematics at home might boost kids’ early number processing and calculation skills
New research links specific numerical activities undertaken by parents to certain math skills in young children. Published today in open-access journal Frontiers in Psychology, the study also finds that the more parents engage in mathematical activities with their children, the higher their early numeracy performance.
Previous studies indicate that early mathematical skills provide a better transition to school-taught mathematics. It’s well-known that parents can play an important role in their children’s early mathematical development — but, until now, the link between specific numerical activities and certain math skills was not well understood.
To shed light on these links, researchers from KU Leuven in Belgium assessed 128 kindergarten-age children for various symbolic and non-symbolic numerical tasks. The researchers also asked parents to indicate the frequency of certain numeracy activities undertaken with their children at home and then looked for connections between this and the children’s early numeracy skills.
“We found that the more parents engaged in activities such as identifying numerals, sorting objects by size, colour, or shape, or learning simple sums, the higher the children performed on skills like counting,” says the study’s lead author, Belde Mutaf.
“These activities — and talking about money when shopping or measuring ingredients while cooking — were linked with a more accurate estimation of the position of a digit on an empty number line. In addition, engaging in activities such as card and board games was associated with better pictorial calculation skills.”
Mutaf says the research supports and extends the idea that parent-child interaction plays a role in children’s acquisition of early mathematical skills — and that policymakers should recognize this.
“Increased public awareness on the role that parents can play in their children’s development of mathematical skills just by doing more number related activities in a home environment would be hugely useful,” she says.
“Policymakers should think about providing educational tools for some home numeracy activities to help parents enhance their children’s mathematical development.”
The researchers caution that the study’s findings are based on cross-sectional design and correlation analysis, meaning that the results don’t indicate any cause-and-effect relationship. For example, it could be that children who are already good at mathematics are the ones triggering ‘home numeracy’ instead of their parents.
Despite this, with research on home numeracy in its infancy, Mutaf and her colleagues are calling for more comprehensive investigations and observations of home numeracy activities, as well as further intervention studies to determine which specific activities best help children enhance their mathematical skills.


THE ONLY WEB PORTRAYAL OF A NATION'S ENTIRE MUSICAL LIFE - DESCRIPTIONS, NUMBERS, ISSUES, FUTURES
Rainbow Serpent Festival - January 2013
By Asher Floyd (Creative Commons)
Credit: Simon Whitaker (Creative Commons)
ABOUT 'MUSIC IN AUSTRALIA'
The Music in Australia Knowledge Base provides the world with a source of information about musical practice in Australia and/or by Australians that can assist in its further development and lift its status in Australian life and culture, and in the world at large.
The Knowledge Base describes the situation of music in Australia. So, for instance, it could describe the situation of music in schools – what is provided, the competence of the teaching, government attitudes and so on, but would be much less likely to dwell on intricacies of pedagogy or syllabus.
It covers the entire music sector including the role of music in human development and society, music’s creation and practice, the music sector and its components, government policies, regulation, support, the international context. It covers facts, issues of contention, statistics, research.
The Music in Australia Knowledge Base is produced and published by the Music Trust. The Trust’s slogan: The Music Trust works with energy, imagination and authority for music in Australia.
New ADDITIONS TO MUSIC IN AUSTRALIA
Loudmouth is the free monthly online magazine of the Music Trust. It reports current developments, discusses matters of policy, politics and cultural development. Its music education section covers issues ranging from early childhood to career development, community music and educational research. Its excellent reviews are written mostly by musicians, and include important recordings and books not reviewed elsewhere.
THIS MONTH ON LOUDMOUTH
Pianist Barney McAll reminisces: 20 years ago he was a member of Dewey Redman’s quartet. Pianist Chris Cody played in Paris for 21 years, then came home to Sydney. See Mike Nock’s hip hop video, just made with rapper Genesis. Mandy Stefanakis writes profoundly, as she does, beginning with Mozart’s revelatory inventions on childhood’s Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. Anne Cawrse began composing as a child and never stopped. VALE John Haddock who worked for Opera Australia for 25 years, was extraordinary. As kids we knew Dulcie Holland’s piano pieces – but not her sophisticated music for adults. Dick Letts laments our sound technicians’ lack of musical skills. Stephen Mould’s new book analyses ten famous conductors’ performance markings on the score of Mozart’s Jupiter Symphony. Women in jazz still face barriers to success. ‘A New Approach’ begins to prepare a national arts plan. The guitar industry has a problem: it needs wood. Queen’s Birthday Australian Honours: not enough musicians.
Community Music Victoria has a state-wide program helping people make music together. Lotti is studying for a Masters in French Horn in Cincinatti. Teacher educators feel undermined by bureaucratic controls and constant criticism. Alleged crowding of the curriculum is a non-issue; focus on the learning experience. The government thinks universities’ role is vocational training; perhaps we would gain from a US-style broader education. An article listing 200 studies of the non-musical benefits of music education.
MUSIC AND BOOK REVIEWS
THE BEST MUSIC REVIEWS page in Australia. Written mainly by musicians.
LOUDMOUTH’S JULY REVIEWS


Explore the magic of storytelling at home with your young readers! Children love listening to you read to them. While you read, you’re actually strengthening their listening abilities, vocabularies, and memories.
There’s an art to setting the scene for the story, which can help create ambiance and engage your children’s attention. Try some of our tips for fun things you can do to help draw your audience into the story! Create a love of storytelling in your children while you enjoy rediscovering it for yourself.
- Read the book yourself ahead of time, so you know the story before you get started. This helps you set the proper tone for the story and allows you to plan your approach.
- Create a spot for children to sit and relax while they listen, like an area of pillows and cushions, or a mat or blanket to define boundaries.
- Introduce the story before you start. You can talk about the title, subject, cover art, author, or anything else that might be interesting for the kids to know up front.
- Read the story in a loud, clear voice. Try different voices and tones to convey different feelings or portray various characters. Have fun with language and sounds.
Try these ideas too, when the occasion calls for it!
- Reading a scary story? Try cozying up in a darkened room with flashlights!
- Remembering the past? Bring out old toys from when your child was younger.
- Use a felt board, whiteboard, chalkboard, or sheets of newsprint to draw the story as you tell it.
- Have children act out the story by pretending to become the characters!
- Try using props during your storytelling! These can be things featured in the story, objects from around the house, or stuffed animals used as puppets to help tell the story.
- Ask your young readers to write a postcard to the author.
- Before you start, have everyone work together to build a pillow fort. It’s a fun activity and creates the perfect cozy place to settle down afterwards to listen.
- Dress up as a character yourself and have fun reading the story in that character’s voice.
- Have your child write their own sequel to this story.
- Set up an art station with drawing supplies and have kids draw their favorite scene from the book.
Whether you’re reading aloud or your child is reading independently, you can still be reading together. Talking to your children about what they’re reading is a great way to support their literacy development. When you engage your child in conversation about their reading, you’re letting them know reading is important and interesting. And here’s the best part: while you talk with them, they’re actually building comprehension skills like inferencing, summarizing, and comparing and contrasting.
But what are some of the best questions you can ask to spark and sustain an engaging and productive discussion? Try our free set of fun reading questions! Download and use these questions to help your young readers strengthen their skills.


The role of memory in auditory perception
. In: Yost W, Popper A, Fay R, editors.
of Approach and Withdrawal outside Visible Space
Tests for evaluation of auditory perception
differ by type of stimulus (verbal and nonverbal) and type presentation in the ears (binaural or monaural).
Test for the Hearing Impaired, 3rd Edition; 3 volume set
Subjective tinnitus is an auditory perception
in the absence of physical sources [1, 2].
"If we find that people with aphasia, who typically have injuries to the left hemisphere, have difficulty recognizing speech because of problems with low-level auditory perception
of rapidly changing sounds, maybe training the specific auditory processing deficits will improve their ability to recognize speech," he concluded.
ERIC Descriptors: Dyslexia; Visual Stimuli; Reading Difficulties; Auditory Perception
; Short Term Memory; Adults; Auditory Stimuli; Comparative Analysis; Language Processing; Phonology; Correlation; Feedback (Response); Auditory Discrimination; Perceptual Impairments; Cognitive Processes; Foreign Countries
Although formal Western music education has a long and institutionalized past, music education (particularly in elementary and secondary schools across Canada) should provide more opportunities for experiential forms of learning that foster auditory perception
through play, exploration, and discovery, and less focus on established music notation, which is inherently visual.
Chimaeric sounds reveal dichotomies in auditory perception
Labyrinthectomy was recommended, but the patient was hesitant to sacrifice the slight degree of auditory perception
that remained in her right ear.
An answer to this question lurks in the fascinating article by Elizabeth Sears, "The Iconography of Auditory Perception
in the Early Middle Ages: On Psalm Illustration and Psalm Exegesis," (pp.
Adults who stutter showed hyperactivity in right hemisphere regions such as the inferior frontal cortex (IFC) and the anterior insula but at the same time, presented fewer activations in the left hemisphere regions like those of the IFC and the left temporal cortex when compared to fluent control groups on various speech tasks and auditory perception
Stimulus-evoked auditory cortical activation does not necessarily produce conscious auditory perception
, and auditory perception
is possible in the absence of auditory input: more than 80% of people with normal hearing perceive phantom sounds when placed in a soundproof room .


The MUS-E initiative was created by Yehudi Menuhin in 1993, together with Werner Schmitt, IYMF Vice-President, and Marianne Poncelet, IYMF Executive Vice-President. It is based on a concept of music education developed by the Hungarian composer, ethnomusicologist and teacher Zoltan Kodaly (1882-1967). Kodaly believed that music should be part and parcel of daily education and accessible to all. Yehudi Menuhin broadened the concept to include all creative arts spanning all cultures. Since 1993, MUS-E associations in various countries have built up a wealth of experience in implementing the use of creative arts in traditional primary school curriculums, working particularly with children from disadvantaged backgrounds.
MUS-E brings art to schools!
In its present form, MUS-E is targeted at primary schools, mainly in Europe, which are facing the challenge of educating a growing multicultural group of children, many of whom come from migrant or disadvantaged families and are at risk of social exclusion or other societal problems. In the presence of classroom teachers, professional artists actively engaged in MUS-E introduce and share various forms of art (singing, dance, music, movement, drama, visual and multimedia arts, …). Thanks to this collective work, the MUS-E programme encourages dialogue and togetherness, while awakening children’s sense of creativity, empathy and resilience.
Three fields of activity are interconnected in the MUS-E programme.
Art is all too often given minimum attention in the school curriculum, but is is a powerful tool to awaken and stimulate children’s curiosity for learning. The MUS-E programme is a meaningful, effective and unique addition to existing music and art classes offered by schools..
MUS-E’s artistic approach to school education helps children to enjoy school as a place ot learn and socialize. It also helps teachers to discover an additional teaching strategy focused on every child’s needs, abilities, level of development and cultural background. MUS-E activities are based on the premise that children have their own way of processing knowledge and culture, so that if schools are able to leverage this, they become key social agents. The partnership between teachers and visiting artists enables the teacher’s function of heloping children in their quest for knowledge. Moreover, teachers can use the MUS-E experience and practice to support teaching other subjects on the school curriculum.
The schools benefiting from the MUS-E programme are mainly located in lower income districts with few cultural stimuli and/or high concentration of diverse backgrounds. By triggering children’s creativity, their capacity for resilience to adverse social circumstances is strenghtened. MUS-E optimizes the creative resources of the children and families, and the wealth of their cultural diversity.
The International Yehudi Menuhin Foundation is responsible for the international coordination of MUS-E. This includes promoting and sharing best practices and common tools, plus facilitating international exchange between participating schools and artists. Set up in 2000, the IMC comprises national MUS-E coordinators and Foundation staff who guide the evolution of the programme, developing common areas for collaboration, from training of artists to art education research. The IMC builds on 25 years of experience.
The MUS-E programme is active in 11 countries including Israel.


Air pressure is often discussed in middle school science, but since it is something not easily observed, it is difficult for some students to understand. As students participate in experiments, they will be able to observe how air pressure can be high or low, and how it affects the items around it. This learning can be transferred to a better general understanding of air pressure and how it changes the weather and the world around us.
Crush a Can
While middle school-aged boys may like to show off by crushing a can with their hands, they will also be impressed by crushing it using air pressure. With adult supervision, students should place a tablespoon of water in a soda can and heat it on a hot plate. Once water vapor starts appearing, let it heat about a minute longer. Use tongs to grab the hot can at the bottom, and quickly push it upside down in a bowl of cold water. As the water vapor quickly cools, the pressure on the inside of the can drops and the air pressure outside the can causes it to implode, according to Steve Spangler Science.
Air Pressure and Straws
For this air pressure experiment, students should fill a 2-liter plastic bottle with water halfway. Place a large straw in the water so that it extends out the top of the bottle. Cover the opening of the bottle around the straw with clay so that no air can go in or out except through the straw. When students blow in the straw, it will raise the air pressure in the bottle. That air pressure will push down on the water, and with no other place to go, the water will escape through the straw.
The Strength of Air Pressure
Most students would probably think that air isn't very strong; use this experiment to show them how much weight air can hold. Students should use an air pressure gauge to measure the air pressure in four tires on a vehicle. Then, measure the area where the tires meet the ground in square inches. When students multiply the air pressure of the tire by the surface area of the tire, they will find how much weight (in pounds) each tire is holding. Add up the results of all four tires to find the weight of the car. They will find that air can be very strong under pressure.
Go Suck an Egg
Peel several hard-boiled eggs for this fun experiment. Place the egg on the mouth of a glass bottle that is slightly smaller than the egg so that the egg cannot fall in the bottle. Remove the egg and throw a lighted match into the bottom of the bottle and replace the egg. As the flame uses up the oxygen in the bottle, the flame will go out and the air pressure in the bottle will drop. According to Science Fair Adventure, the egg will appear to be sucked into the bottle, but the higher air pressure outside the bottle actually pushes the egg in while trying to equalize the air pressure.
About the Author
Based in upstate New York, Laura Wilson entered the writing community in 2010. She writes about children, education and health-related topics for various websites. Wilson has a Bachelor of Science in elementary education from Houghton College.
Digital Vision./Digital Vision/Getty Images


Preschool – Children’s House
Our Children’s House includes two multi-age bilingual Montessori classrooms for children ages three to six.
Bilingual Education: In both classrooms, a team of two teachers, one Italian speaker and the other English speaker, collaborate using a bilingual approach to education. The two teachers take turns the children’s activities while communicating in their native tongues. The bilingual approach is particularly appropriate for a Montessori classroom, where teachers typically emphasize individualized interaction with the students.
Educational Activities: Children have access to a variety of self-directed educational activities. The classrooms contain special areas for reading, working with Montessori materials, music, painting and manipulation.
Practical Life Activities: Developing independence with practical daily skills is a central feature of Montessori education. Children enjoy imitating “adult” activities and they draw deep satisfaction from opportunities for “doing this on my own”. Building on these natural tendencies, children in the Montessori classroom routinely engage in activities that promote practical skills and help them learn how to:
- look after themselves by getting dressed and undressed, washing and tying shoe laces;
- take care of their environment by cleaning, tidying, sweeping, washing dishes, hanging out clothes, ironing, setting and clearing the table, and watering plants;
- perform various useful activities such as pouring, squeezing juice, peeling fruit and vegetables and shining their shoes.
Classroom Environment: The classrooms are designed to provide an accessible, safe and inviting environment for each child. The furniture is child-sized, allowing easy access to a wide range of carefully selected activities around the room. Each child chooses her or his activities freely, feeling safe in the knowledge that the teacher is always nearby and ready to support their efforts.
Outdoor Activities: The school yard provides space for outdoor play. Additionally, there is a gardening plot in the shade of an old fig tree where children can experience growing vegetables and other plants with their own hands.
Musical Education: Musical education plays an important role in the Montessori classroom. In a dedicated music room children learn to listen to, identify and classify sounds, tones and rhythms. They also practice singing and moving to various rhythms. According to Maria Montessori, these highly enjoyable musical activities facilitate the development of children’s expressive skills. Additionally, the sensory-psychomotor approach used in music education is effective in promoting body awareness and motor coordination.


Ignite your child’s curiosity in geology with a rock exploration center! Collect some rocks from outside and gather a few materials, and your’e ready to encourage all kinds of rock investigation. It’s such an easy and fun way to foster a love of science within young children!
Follow our Science for Kids Pinterest board!
I love setting up exploration centers for the kids based on their interests. (You can find all our exploration centers here.) It’s a great way to allow children to explore various subjects at their own pace and make their own discoveries. And I love that exploration centers are perfect for any age- both Theo (age 4) and Lucy (age 7) have benefitted from them! They can be set up both at home and in the classroom.
Both kids have been showing a huge interest in rocks recently. Lucy has been learning about geology at school in second grade and has been sharing all her newly acquired information with me here at home. And Theo has been collecting rocks we’ve found on walks and making observations about them. So, the rock exploration center has been a huge hit here at home! (This post contains affiliate links.)
How to Set Up a Rock Exploration Center
Setting up a rock exploration center is super easy! Start by selecting a surface that’s accessible to the kids- like a table or countertop. Then place all the rocks you’ve found onto the table for kids to explore. We have rocks we’ve collected from walks, rocks Lucy has purchased to add to her rock collection over the years, and this rock set I found online.
Add anything else you think might make a great addition. I added some paper and colored pencils for kids to record their observations and some empty egg cartons for rock sorting. A book set would also make a great addition to the exploration center. Here’s a collection of our favorite fiction and nonfiction books about rocks!
Using a Rock Exploration Center
Theo started by diving into the rock set. He loved that the rocks were numbered and quickly placed all the rocks in a line in numerical order. He then asked me to read him the names of each rock as we went down the line. We talked about different things we noticed about each rock as we went through them.
Later, Theo enjoyed sorting the rocks in the egg cartons. He sorted by ‘rocks with spots’ and ‘rocks without spots’.
Both kids loved examining the rocks using the flashlight and magnifying glasses.
In the next few days I plan on adding some items like a nail and a copper penny for the kids to use when investigating rock hardness.
Our rock exploration center has only been out a few days. I can’t wait to see what other discoveries the kids make throughout the week!
Be sure to check out STEAM Kids book and ebook for even more creative STEM and STEAM ideas!


One of SCORE’s priorities in the 2021 State of Education report is to treat literacy like the crisis it is. Our third installment of the legislative recap series summarizes the Tennessee Literacy Success Act (Public Chapter 3). Though the law was passed just months ago, districts and educator preparation programs are already preparing to implement it this fall.
During the January special session of the 112th General Assembly, the legislature and Governor Bill Lee responded with urgency by enacting legislation that addresses Tennessee’s literacy crisis. The Tennessee Literacy Success Act has the potential to improve literacy outcomes across Tennessee by ensuring that:
- Every student has access to texts that help build knowledge and receives intentional phonics instruction
- Students struggling to read receive extensive support and intervention
- Every K-3 teacher has the training they need to best support their students to learn to read
- Parents, teachers, communities, and state-level leaders have information about literacy achievement prior to the third-grade TCAP
A Strong Foundation For Literacy
The Tennessee Literacy Success Act lays a strong foundation to improve literacy instruction through these key levers:
- Codifies a Tennessee approach to reading instruction centered around foundational literacy skills instruction: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and reading comprehension
- Requires Local Education Agencies (LEAs) and charter schools to develop and receive approval for a K-5 foundational skills literacy instruction plan that includes devoted instructional time for literacy, high-quality instructional materials, universal screenings parent notification, additional supports for identified students, and professional development for teachers
- Requires LEAs and charter schools to administer a universal reading screener three times per year to all K-3 students to identify students with a significant reading deficiency
- Outlines a process for LEAs and charter schools to notify and engage parents and to provide instructional supports for any K-5 student identified as having a significant reading deficiency
- Establishes new licensure requirements for K-3 teachers and directs the Tennessee Department of Education to develop and the State Board to approve foundational literacy skills standards for educator preparation programs leading to a license to teach in grades K-3
- Requires reporting to the legislature and the public about K-12 literacy practices as well as an analysis of literacy instruction at educator preparation providers
Ensuring Strong Implementation
As with any new policy, the language of the law alone will not be enough to reach our goal of doubling the number of third-graders reading on grade level. But the promise of the Tennessee Literacy Success Act will only be realized by honoring the intent of the legislation and through the hard work of educators across Tennessee. SCORE has four priorities for strong implementation of the Tennessee Literacy Success Act:
- Revise the literacy standards for educator preparation programs to align to both the theory and practice of teaching reading, along with rigorous state oversight for fidelity to those standards
- Select a state-specific licensure exam that ensures K-3 teachers can demonstrate knowledge of how to apply systematic reading instruction
- Provide a high-quality professional development course accessible to all K-5 teachers
- Select a Tennessee-specific screener for measuring skills that includes tools to help educators and parents understand student progress
While much more remains to be done to ensure that every Tennessee student realizes success in school, college, career, and life, passage of the Tennessee Literacy Success Act is a tremendous step forward for early literacy in Tennessee.
Aleah Guthrie is SCORE’s senior director of policy and government relations.


Do The Arts Exist Anymore In US Elementary Education?
In recent years, the US educational system has seen a dramatic shift towards the logical, and an adverse and sudden dismissal of the creative and emotional. With budget cuts plaguing a great deal of primary level elementary institutions throughout the country, the first programs to be stricken from school curriculum’s was that of the arts, as they were seen as secondary and insignificant in respect to courses like math and literature.
However, as the arts have diminished in elementary level education, it has become clear that this absence has had detrimental impacts on the development of knowledge of children, as the overly logical components of quant-based curriculums have made it impossible to express one’s creativity and emotions. Yet, regardless of this reality, little has been done in re-implementing creative programs in education, despite the apparent need to do so. The arts impact far more than simply the left-side of one’s brain, it contributes immensely to the well-roundedness and potentials that each person has within them.
Arts Programs Boost Knowledge Comprehension and Retention
As schools continue to put an emphasis on logic-focused classes such as math and English, the removal of arts programs has had a negative effect on the performance of young students in their other courses. In doing so, one study provides insight into a case of two elementary schools, one which had an excellent music education program, and another which had low-quality or outright absent programs. The study found that those who had a robust music program consistently saw students receive higher scores on their testing than those that did not. These scores included scoring 22 percent higher on English exams, as well as another 20 percent higher on math, than their counterparts with less music education. This sheds light on the very real fact that the arts are not just a creative outlet, but rather a means to better comprehend and apply knowledge in a real-time basis.
Arts Provide Training for the Real World
One consistent pattern that has formed among many college students that receive their degrees, is that upon entering the real world of careers and employment, they are underperforming and unable to maximize on their capabilities. With the modern world depending so heavily on creativity for innovations and advancements in all fields, the absence of arts in early education has made it difficult for new entrants in the workspace to think critically and practically. Thus, entry-level jobs are not furthering new innovations as much as they should.
Although courses like math and sciences provide the technical and logical skills required in a given industry, the creative thinking and outside-the-box mentality can only be attained through artistic expression. As a result, many young students are entering the real world with practical knowledge of how to accomplish a given task, but become crippled when they are faced with challenges that are not so straightforward and directed.
It is evident that the consistent decline of arts programs in the US elementary education system are harming future generations. Without the ability to express oneself creatively and emotionally, the logical and technical skills taught in schools become almost irrelevant. In order to ensure the next generation is equipped with the knowledge and understanding to further drive innovation, it is necessary for elementary institutions to re-implement robust arts programs for its students.


The influx of Syrian refugees into Lebanon which started in 2011 following the outbreak of the Syrian civil war has created a serious problem not only for Lebanon but for the refugees themselves. Lebanon currently has the largest number of refugees per capita in the world, with one refugee per four Lebanese. The stress on Lebanon’s health and social services has been considerable and demands urgent and practical solutions.
Crowded conditions in the camps encourages the spread of respiratory and intestinal infections, particularly among children. Chronic conditions are common among older adults, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and chronic respiratory infections. Essential medicines for chronic conditions are frequently lacking. A high prevalence of depression and cognitive disorders are frequent among elder refugees.
Although both the Lebanese government and the Lebanese people have shown considerable understanding and willingness to help, the problems created by the influx of refugees have reached such a dimension that it has strained the relationships between the Syrians and the Lebanese and also between their governments.
The statistics are numbing. The UNHCR estimates that 1 million Syrian refugees have been registered in Lebanon in 2016. However, this figure is probably underestimated, since the UNHCR has stopped registering new refugees since May 2015, and does not include individuals waiting for registration.
More recent estimates identify 1,500,000 Syrian refugees in Lebanon. This number includes 31,502 Palestinian refugees who were living in Syria. Although the majority of Syrians now living in Lebanon are Arabs, various ethnic and religious minorities are included among them, such as Syrian Armenians, Syrian Turkmen, and Syrian Kurds.
According to the UNHCR, Lebanon never signed the 1951 Refugee Convention. That convention establishes that a refugee who belongs “to the frontiers of territories where his life or freedom would be threatened on account of his race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion” should receive appropriate assistance.
If it had adhered to this convention, Lebanon would have been obligated not only to provide asylum to refugees but to also allow them with the right to access courts, elementary education, and travel documents. Even if it was not obligated to do so, however, the Lebanese government has tried to assist Syrian refugees within the limits imposed by the magnitude of the problem. Currently, however, they must begin to resume a normal life, hopefully back in their own country.
As Bashar al-Assad seems to be regaining control of the country, refugees have been returning to Syria, in some cases with aid from the government in Damascus. This move has been supported by the Lebanese government, which claims that it is unable to provide assistance to such a large number of refugees. The UNHCR, for its part, disagrees, and advises against the return of Syrian refugees because of the dangerous conditions still prevailing in Syria.
In the meantime, several NGOs have been providing assistance to the Syrian refugees. Among those NGOs are Medair, a Swiss NGO, Anera, the International Rescue Committee (IRC), Solidarités International, CARE Canada, the Syrian American Medical Society, Islamic Relief USA, and Caritas Lebanon. Although their work is invaluable, the need is overwhelming. In this regard, the UNHCR is an agency with 68 years of experience in dealing with refugee needs and should have a pivotal role in any future assistance.
Given the multiplicity of organisations channelling aid to the Syrian refugees, what is needed is more coordination among them, and for the foreign governments that participated in this war to step up their aid and give the refugees a future of hope to regain a decent way of life. The Syrian war is a foreign governments-fuelled disaster that should have never happened.
César Chelala is an international public health consultant and winner of several journalism awards.


“Jazz will endure just as long people hear it through their feet instead of their brains.” –John Philip Sousa
I can’t think of any one who would make a better Thought of the Day Bio subject on Election Day 2012 than John Philip Sousa. He practically wrote the soundtrack for American patriotism AND he’s got a great mustache. What’s not to like?
He was born on this day in Washington, DC, USA in 1854. Today is the 158th anniversary of his birth.
He started his music career playing the violin, and soon added voice, piano, flute, cornet, baritone, trombone and alto horn to the mix. After John Phillip tried to run away to join a circus band, his father, John Antonio Sousa, “enlisted him in the Marines at age 13 as an apprentice…”[John Philip Sousa] in 1867.
He wrote and published his first composition “Moonlight on the Potomac Waltzes” in 1875 and was honorably discharged from the Marines two years later. Sousa “began performing (on violin), touring and eventually conducting theater orchestras. Conducted Gilbert & Sullivan’s H.M.S. Pinafore on Broadway.” [Ibid] While rehearsing Pinafore he met his wife Jane van Middlesworth Bellis.
In 1880 he returned to the US Marine Band as the Band’s leader, a post he kept for next 12 years. Sousa conducted
“The President’s Own”, serving under presidents Hayes, Garfield, Cleveland, Arthur and Harrison. After two successful but limited tours with the Marine Band in 1891 and 1892, promoter David Blakely convinced Sousa to resign and organize a civilian concert band. [Ibid]
Sousa wrote his own operetta, El Capitan in 1895.
He wrote 136 marches including Semper Fidelis March, King Cotton, Fairest of the Fair, Hands Across the Sea, And Stars and Stripes Forever — which he wrote in 1896. (In 1987 Congress proclaimed it the National March of the United States)
He designed a new type of bass tuba called the sousaphone. The Sousa Band toured throughout the world.
During World War I, Sousa joins the US Naval Reserve at age 62. He is assigned the rank of lieutenant and paid a salary of $1 per month…. After the war, Sousa continued to tour with his band. He championed the cause of music education, received several honorary degrees and fought for composers’ rights, testifying before Congress in 1927 and 1928.[Ibid]
Sousa died at the age of 77 in Reading, Pennsylvania after conducting a rehearsal. Fittingly, the last piece he conducted was Stars and Stripes Forever.
Click HERE for a page with lots of audio clips of Sousa marches.


Bring math problem-solving to life with CueThink!
CueThink® is a new digital tool for documenting and recording problem-solving. Math standards are taught as students apply mathematician George Pólya’s 4 phases of Understand, Plan, Solve, and Review. The phases encourage students to slow down and explain their thinking.
- What do you notice?,
- What do you wonder about?,
- What is your estimate?
- Choose a strategy, and
- Write a plan.
When they have created their solution, checklists help them review their math and their recording.
Click below to watch a video!
CueThink free trial and demo
Use the link below and fill out the form to register for a free trial of CueThink.
Click below to learn more and watch a demo on CueThink.
4 phases of problem-solving
The CueThink application is based upon the research of George Pólya. The 4 phases of problem solving are Understand, Plan, Solve, and Review. Students are encouraged to follow the order of the phases, but there is fluidity to move between the phases.
CueThink student examples
These student examples of Thinklets, created within CueThink, show how this tool is used to solve and share the same problem in different ways. Students are encouraged to understand the problem by noticing, wondering, and estimating. Students are able to choose the question they are going to answer. In these video examples, the student has chosen to answer the question, “How many gumballs did Charlie start with?”
In Thinklet example A, the student uses counters to create a visual model of the situation. Each pile of counters is labeled and the student creates a pile for each person named in the problem. While the student makes some mistakes, there is a lot of good reasoning. The teacher would not see that reasoning if they only saw the answer of 68 gumballs. In the annotation screen at right, you can see that a fellow student pointed out one error (mom did not get any gumballs) and the student responds (you're right, I'll fix that).
In Thinklet example B, the student uses a number line as a visual representation, something more abstract than the images of counters used in Thinklet example A. There is no equation given, but the verbal reasoning in the video clearly explains the student’s solution pathway.
Portrait of a Graduate White Paper
This white paper, by Sam Rhodes PhD, discusses how regularly incorporating problem-solving into mathematics offers a gateway for teachers to meaningfully integrate 21st century skills, such as those captured by the Profile of a Graduate movement.


The Middle School strives to provide a balanced curriculum that builds upon foundational skills, includes multiple opportunities for creativity and exploration while allowing for an celebrating individual differences. A significant amount of time has been committed to the development of the following Belief Statements:
At the Maquoketa Middle School, we support learning that…
- is process driven (learning how to learn)
- builds on rigorous and relevant content and skills
- focuses on a student-centered environment
- uses multiple resources and assessments
- integrates technology
- involves and empowers students
- believes that change is constant
The teaching staff is organized into four teams with each having a common planning time. This arrangement enhances communication and allows teachers to work together more effectively. It has also allowed for the development of a more integrated curriculum. The intent of this approach is to help students see the connections between traditional content areas. In addition, a greater emphasis has been placed upon providing opportunities for students to apply what they are learning in a “real-world” setting. This is sometimes achieved by setting up a simulated experience in which students assume “roles” in a working environment. Sometimes it is achieved by actually linking with organizations and businesses within the community.
Core classes at the middle school consist of: Reading, Writing, Math, Algebra, Pre-Algebra, Social Studies, Science, Integrated Studies, Creative Applications and Physical Education. Exploratory classes include General Music, Exploring the Arts, Creative Expression, Industrial Technology, Family and Consumer Science, Computer Applications, Introduction to French, Introduction to Spanish, Art and Media resources. Band and Chorus are the two elective courses offered at the Middle School.


Relationships Between Art Education and the Workplace
Moore, Jamie Lynn
This study undertakes the challenging and imperative task of making connections and finding trends between what art education teaches and how these skills, abilities and thinking patterns translate into the workplace. The arts, traditionally viewed as "special" or "extra" subjects in the school system, are not only teaching students important aesthetic skills, but also enabling students to learn and apply significant 21st century proficiencies needed and desired in the current and future workforce. Evidences of how art education enhances workplace readiness for a competitive global market are necessary to justify the arts in school and bring awareness to the community, school board members, leaders and policy makers. Many studies have been conducted exploring what art education teaches, the importance of art on student learning and development and skills needed for attaining jobs in a variety of enterprises. After reviewing these studies to gain insight on past and current research findings, relationships between art education, learned skills and abilities, student achievement, the workforce and the development of a thriving community were noted. A voluntary survey was distributed to the most successful businesses in Wake County, identified by the Wake County Chamber of Commerce, to reveal connections between individuals' art experiences and career choices and needs. Data collected was then organized, analyzed, and interpreted by the researcher. This study goes beyond the traditional research focus and attempts to weave all of these elements together and create a comprehensive overview eliciting how individuals' art education influenced their selection and preparation for their chosen profession and what relationships can be made between art education and the workplace. The outcomes of the study revealed several significant conclusions. According to the results of the survey, art education experiences teach a variety of skills and abilities that are used often in many creative and non-creative industries. The majority of participants were involved in industries considered non-creative such as accounting/finance, administration, construction, and real estate and indicated that creative aptitudes and 21st century skills were needed for their work. Visual imagery proved to be a major component of the workforce regardless of level or position within a company, however participants had to rely on their pre-employment art experiences as only two respondents received art or design training within their company. In conclusion, this study found immense data proving the need for high quality art experiences in order to prepare students for the workplace.
Moore, Jamie Lynn. (January 2012). Relationships Between Art Education and the Workplace (Master's Thesis, East Carolina University). Retrieved from the Scholarship. (http://hdl.handle.net/10342/3872.)
Moore, Jamie Lynn. Relationships Between Art Education and the Workplace. Master's Thesis. East Carolina University, January 2012. The Scholarship. http://hdl.handle.net/10342/3872. August 01, 2021.
Moore, Jamie Lynn, “Relationships Between Art Education and the Workplace” (Master's Thesis., East Carolina University, January 2012).
Moore, Jamie Lynn. Relationships Between Art Education and the Workplace [Master's Thesis]. Greenville, NC: East Carolina University; January 2012.
East Carolina University


Children learn to connect what they know in the world, using language and imagination, through play. As they play, children learn:
Steps on how to include “Play” in library programming:
Play while reading text to help children make sense of the book. Children can use props such as puppets to talk about the characters in a storybook and retell the story or use other objects to think more deeply about informational text. If there are vocabulary words that are unfamiliar, acting them out through dramatic play helps them by using words they already know and put the new words into action.
Fun, engaging prompts to wriggle and move with your child while reading this aloud. It is great for gross and fine motor skill development. (Bounce and Stretch available by Cronin, too.)
Encourage your child to build with blocks or other toys at home or at your library, both independently and with others. Look at the pictures in the book and inside the covers for fun ideas of things to make
Join the fun by sharing words your baby can repeat and act out, much to their delight!
A roaring good-time of the traditional song, be sure to give your child time and space to act out the movements and play around in a pretend jungle.
Lift your child higher and higher or ask older children to stretch taller and taller while reading the book aloud.


Video: Kari Pofahl on using data based information, what changes she considers.
If progress monitoring data suggest that the student is not progressing at the desired rate (provided that the goal is realistic), change needs to be considered. The following are broad categories of change that may be considered as part of the instructional process.
Time on task
Currently Jane receives 25 minutes of direct reading instruction per day. If the teacher increases that time to 35 minutes, will that boost Jane’s performance to meet the desired rate of progress?
Amos is a 3rd grader and using a 3rd grade textbook for his reading activities. Amos’s level of reading performance is low compared to his classroom peers. Amos becomes frustrated during reading instruction and gives up often. Will giving Amos alternative curriculum materials boost his performance to meet the desired rate of progress?
Sherman has difficulty in responding to reading comprehension questions in the text. Will teaching two new reading comprehension strategies boost Sherman’s performance?
Stuart’s progress monitoring graph shows a flat trend line over the last month. Will sharing Stuart’s PM data with him boost his performance?
Video: Sue Meredith talks about sharing data with the students.
Using graphed CBM data provides a clear visual of the student’s progress. The educational team can efficiently move to making a decision about instructional changes for the student. Will this boost the student’s rate of progress?
Cokie is a D/HH 3rd grader who is placed in a general education classroom with an interpreter. Cokie’s rate of progress in reading and writing is regressing below the goal line. Will 60 minutes a week in a resource room with a teacher of the D/HH boost her progress?


Food Allergies in Early Childhood
Sending your young children to a child care center, daycare or preschool can be especially stressful when they have food allergies.
Did you know that our youngest students face the highest risk of reacting to a food at school? Over 60 percent of food allergy reactions at school take place in preschools and child care facilities.
For children with food allergies, providing a safe and nurturing environment at a child care center, daycare or preschool requires planning and effort on the part of the school and parents. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) created voluntary guidelines to help schools manage children with food allergies. Guidelines specifically for early-care settings start on page 77 and can be viewed here.
- All children with food allergies should have an emergency care plan in place. This plan will provide detailed instructions about which food(s) the child is allergic to and a plan of what to do if an allergic reaction occurs.
- What about children with no history of food allergy? Learn the signs and symptoms of allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, and have a plan in place for how to handle a food allergy emergency. Identify staff who will be delegated and trained on how to give epinephrine.
- Does the Americans with Disabilities Act -- or "ADA" -- apply to childcare centers? Yes. Privately-run childcare centers -- like other public accommodations such as private schools, recreation centers, restaurants, hotels, movie theaters, and banks -- must comply with title III of the ADA. Childcare services provided by government agencies, such as Head Start, summer programs, and extended school day programs, must comply with title II of the ADA. Check out these commonly asked questions about childcare centers and the ADA.
- Preschools and daycare centers that receive federal funds are required to comply with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Section 504 allows you to create, in collaboration with the school, a 504 Plan, which is a written management plan outlining how the school will address the individual needs of your child throughout the day. If your child has an Individual Education Plan (IEP) for special education services, the IEP can also include accomodations needed for his/her food allergy.
- If the school is a private center, as opposed to federally funded, there should still be a written plan for your child in place. You will want to review the elements of it thoroughly with the preschool, including who has anaphylaxis training and is authorized to give medication.
- Children at the preschool age frequently put hands/objects/shared toys in their mouths, making cleaning and prevention strategies critical. Check out these cleaning methods to make the environment safer for children with food allergies.
- Use appropriate hand-washing procedures that emphasize the use of soap and water. Plain water and hand sanitizers are not effective in removing food allergens.
- Hands-on learning and motor skill development activities are excellent for all children. Talk to the adult in charge and remind them to look for allergens when gathering materials for lesson plans, sensory table activities and when making doughs and clays as some of these items can potentially contain allergens. Working with the teacher, school staff and other caregivers is key to preventing exposures and including the child.
- Another great way to prepare the environment is by hanging posters, reminding children and staff about handwashing, responding to anaphylaxis, and more.
- Reactions are never planned. Make sure that medications are kept in a secure place and that staff who are delegated and trained to use epinephrine auto-injectors can get them quickly and easily.
STOP. LOOK. ASK. GO.
Help infants, toddlers and preschoolers become food allergy ready by teaching them to: STOP before they eat, LOOK at the food, ASK an adult if it’s OK and GO if the adult says so.
Binky Goes Nuts: Understanding Peanut Allergies
The popular animated PBS children’s series Arthur explores food allergies in an episode titled "Binky Goes Nuts." The DVD and educational activity unit can be used by teachers and parents to teach kids about food allergy, and teach them how to help make their schools a safer place.


“The beat will make you be courage”: The role of a secondary school music program in supporting young refugees and newly arrived immigrants in Australia.
Marsh, K. (2012). “The beat will make you be courage”: The role of a secondary school music program in supporting young refugees and newly arrived immigrants in Australia, Research Studies in Music Education 34 (2): 93-111.
This article documents one case in a multi-case study of the role of music in refugee and newly arrived immigrant children’s and young people’s lives within a number of school, home, and community contexts in Sydney, Australia. It explores the ways in which a range of music activities operating within a specialist secondary school catering for newly arrived immigrants and refugees contribute to students’ processes of acculturation and integration within the host culture. A number of school-based musical experiences that provide opportunities for cultural maintenance, cross-cultural transmission, and verbal and non-verbal communication are described. The development of interpersonal connections, social cohesion, and student empowerment through varied learning, teaching, and performance opportunities is examined. A major outcome for students is a feeling of belonging, both to communities of practice within the school and to the wider Australian community, as well as to a global music community disseminated through various technological media.
|Acculturation; Cultural Diversity; Immigrant; Refugee; School Music Education; Social Inclusion|
Other interesting information
''The current project commenced in Sydney during the latter part of 2009 and aimed to examine the role of music in the lives of refugee and newly arrived immigrant children and young people (aged 0–18 years) as a means of developing forms of communication, a sense of belonging and empowerment, and as a contribution to cultural maintenance, identity construction, emotional release, and integration within the host culture. Participants from a range of geographical and cultural origins were selected so that insights could be gained into a variety of cultural practices in relation to musical activity and its effects. In addition to children and young people, participants included parents and caregivers, community leaders, teachers and multicultural teaching assistants in schools catering to refugee and newly arrived immigrant populations, and community workers with special knowledge of refugee and immigrant populations.
The provision of music and dance performance experiences enabled students to immediately use their prior or newly learnt skills and knowledge in an inclusive way for a concrete purpose.
Turino (2008) notes that participatory music performance can lead to ”social synchrony,” which is a “crucial underpinning of feelings of social comfort, belonging, and identity” (p. 44). Although the final performance described in this article could be defined as a presentational performance, its conception in relation to the purpose and outcomes for students was participatory. For the staff in this school, student inclusion was a primary raison d’être in developing performance opportunities, which focused on the skills and knowledge that individual students brought to music, language, and dance, allowing them to flourish in conjunction with the
willing participation of others. In working together towards a common goal of music and dance creation and performance, students were engaged in “cooperative work with a shared objective” (Odena, 2010, p. 94), seen as contributing to effective intergroup contact and social inclusion. It is important to note that such activities can be beneficial in a variety of settings. For students whose ability to connect verbally is limited because of language difference, school musical activity provides a joint enterprise in which students can engage cooperatively. Such activities may take the form of singing groups where song language is controlled, repetitive, familiar to students through repeated global exposure, or contributed by students in a collaborative way. Students can use previously acquired instrumental skills or develop these within instrumental groups that either play alone or in an accompaniment role.''
Interest for the project
|Contributor´s name + email|
Stéphanie Barillé - firstname.lastname@example.org


There is considerable debate around whether animals know or can learn complex number skills.
Many species can understand the difference between quantities and use this to forage, make decisions and solve problems. But numerical cognition, such as exact number and arithmetic operations, requires a more sophisticated level of processing.
Previous studies have shown some primates, birds, babies and even spiders can add and/or subtract. The new research, published today in Science Advances, adds bees to that list.
A school for bees? How the honeybees were trained
The experiment, conducted by PhD researcher Scarlett Howard in the Bio Inspired Digital Sensing-Lab (BIDS-Lab) at RMIT, involved training individual honeybees to visit a Y-shaped maze.
The bees received a reward of sugar water when they made a correct choice in the maze, and received a bitter-tasting quinine solution if the choice was incorrect.
Honeybees will go back to a place if the location provides a good source of food, so the bees returned repeatedly to the experimental set-up to collect nutrition and continue learning.
When a bee flew into the entrance of the maze they would see a set of elements, between 1 to 5 shapes. The shapes were either blue, which meant the bee had to add, or yellow, which meant the bee had to subtract.
After viewing the initial number, the bee would fly through a hole into a decision chamber where it could choose to fly to the left or right side of the maze.
One side had an incorrect solution to the problem and the other side had the correct solution of either plus or minus one. The correct answer was changed randomly throughout the experiment to avoid bees learning to visit just one side of the maze.
At the beginning of the experiment, bees made random choices until they could work out how to solve the problem. Eventually, over 100 learning trials that took 4 to 7 hours, bees learned that blue meant +1, while yellow meant -1. The bees could then apply the rules to new numbers.
Scarlett Howard said the ability to do basic maths has been vital in the flourishing of human societies historically, with evidence that the Egyptians and Babylonians used arithmetic around 2000BC.
“These days, we learn as children that a plus symbol means you need to add two or more quantities, while a minus symbol means you subtract,” she said.
“Our findings show that the complex understanding of maths symbols as a language is something that many brains can probably achieve, and helps explain how many human cultures independently developed numeracy skills.”
The research, with collaborators from University of Toulouse and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale Biophotonics at RMIT, is published today ("Numerical cognition in honeybees enables addition and subtraction", Science Advances, DOI 10.1126/sciadv.aav0961).
Story: Gosia Kaszubska
Video: Kiralee Greenhalgh


The Department of Foreign Languages offers courses designed to help the student develop skills in speaking, writing, reading, and understanding a foreign language. In doing so, this may enhance the student’s employment opportunities in a variety of ways, in addition to contributing to the student’s broad humanistic education.
Knowledge of French provides a multitude of opportunities for students to branch out in the global economy, especially when combined with another field of study. While international awareness is necessary in today’s professional world, French can be a hometown endeavor, too. More than 4,600 French companies conduct business in the United States. Canada, now officially bilingual in French and English, is the most important trading partner of the U.S. and requires dual labeling in both languages on all imported products. French is the official language of 29 countries, and spoken at all in 53 countries.
The main objectives of the French major are to increase the student’s communication skills in French and enhance their understanding and appreciation for the French culture. This instruction and preparation provides the necessary background needed for careers in foreign language teaching, bilingual education, teaching English as a second language, and areas of graduate study. Pursuing a French major, in conjunction with another specialization, can not only aid the student when traveling, but also open up career opportunities fields such as government, international business/commerce, accounting, law, and communications.
A student may begin studying French at the beginner’s level if necessary, but FREN is the first course that counts for the major. If taken, lower level courses then count as electives. Students are assisted through the placement process by a faculty member from the Department. French majors will plan their program in consultation with their major advisor in the Department of Foreign Languages. All decisions will be subject to the Chairperson’s approval. A French minor is also available.
Alpha Mu Gamma is a national collegiate foreign language honor society, sponsored by the Department, to recognize superior achievements of the student.
Study Abroad Option
Although it is not a requirement, French majors are encouraged to study abroad in a French-speaking country for a summer, semester, or academic year in order to more fully immerse themselves in the language and culture. Interested students may choose from numerous accredited programs sponsored by both American and foreign countries, with approval from King’s College officials. Students should consult the Director of Study Abroad (Margaret Kowalsky) and their major-advisor in the Department of Foreign Languages for assistance.
Degree Offered: Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
Compatible Second Major or Minor
A French major can be combined with any other major. Many of the combinations are possible within the 120 credit graduation requirement. Others may require additional credits which can be acquired through summer study or a course overload during the regular semester. The following are examples of second majors which can be completed by French majors. Minors, which require fewer courses, are also available in many of these areas:
- Business Administration
- Computers and Information Systems
- Elementary Education
- Environmental Science
- Health Care Administration
- Human Resources
- International Business
- Mass Communications
- Political Science
- Second major option
- Small classes conducted entirely in French


The Benefits of Learning to Play a String Instrument
In recent years, researchers in a variety of medical fields have examined the influence that music training has on cognitive functions and overall health. In fact, the growing consensus concerning the benefits music education imparts to students—building stronger comprehension, math, and problems solving skills—has effected public school curriculum standards. Schools all over the country are placing new emphasis on teaching children the basic elements of music as part of the core subjects because of the measurable gains it generates in test scores and overall grade improvements. However, beginner violin students should know that learning to play a string instrument improves other areas as well.
In addition to scholastic gains, learning violin develops a number of personal skills and advantages that contribute to success. If you’ve recently decided to learn to play a string instrument, you’ve made a choice that will benefit you for the rest of your life. Learning to play a string instrument enriches your physical and mental well-being. These areas are positively impacted by music training:
As mentioned, studies have shown clear connections between music education and classroom performance. In a reprint from the book Music and Learning by Chris Brewer, he advocates incorporating music into the classroom, explaining that music aids the learning process because it helps:
- establish a positive learning state
- create a desired atmosphere
- build a sense of anticipation
- change brain wave states
- focus concentration
- increase attention
- improve memory
- facilitate a multisensory learning experience
- release tension
- enhance imagination
Moreover, a recent article in Psychology Today, reported on the findings of several studies. Harvard Medical School Dr. Gottfried Schlaug, PhD, is an expert on music, neuroimaging and brain plasticity. In a statement at a Neuroscience 2013 conference in San Diego, he outlined the new research, explaining that enhanced sensory connections translate into improved comprehension, language, and brain functions. The simple fact that you must engage your physical, mental, and auditory abilities when you’re learning violin stimulates increased cognitive activity.
Music training also improves your social skills. Even if you are learning to play using a personal instructor or an online course, performing music involves timing, and many different parts working together to create the whole. Beginning violin students who participate in classroom settings absorb these principles almost unconsciously, but every music student incorporates them because they form the foundation of a music education.
Although the violin, and other string instruments sound phenomenal when played solo, the music created by an orchestra, group, or ensemble features a depth of artistry that is impossible to describe. Plus, because it’s so fun to play with other students, learning violin creates plenty of opportunities to enlarge your social circle. As you meet other violinists and musicians who share your passion for music, practice sessions, amateur performances, and other activities will naturally become the result.
Emotional and Mental Well-Being
Many studies have also been conducted about the specific effects of music on your emotions. In particular, how certain types of music effect your mood. However, the majority of beginner violin students choose this string instrument because of personal preference. The ability to play music and create sounds that are pleasing to your specific tastes provides a wonderful outlet for personal expression.
Aside from the way music can alter your mood, having a convenient way to process your thoughts and feelings is an important part of maintaining your own personal well-being. It’s like having your own unique life hack that helps you work through difficult or confusing issues, or having an effective way to create an almost tangible expression of your joy or happiness.
In addition, new research is being conducted concerning the impact music has on memory recovery and retention. A study reported in the Oxford Journal explored music effects on stroke patients, found that “regular self-directed music listening during the early post-stroke stage can enhance cognitive recovery and prevent negative mood.”
String instrument training also builds a variety of very crucial workplace skills. Beginner violin students who ‘stay the course’ have a leg up on college applications and future job interviews. Approval boards and potential employers look for team players, and learning violin teaches you exactly how to function successfully in a group, either large or small. Plus, the extracurricular activities that surround a music education provide ample opportunities for you to enrich your college applications. Even if you don’t plan on pursuing a career as a professional musician, the skills you develop through years of practice show your ability to concentrate, adapt swiftly to changes, and maintain self-discipline.
Learning violin or another string instrument builds the life skills you need to succeed. Beginning with improved metal capacity, the host of advantages you gain from music training will lay a firm foundation for your future endeavors


Make, Bake, Decorate
Come Make Bake and Decorate your very own Meals! Independent living skills with a creative twist! In this program students of all abilities are given the opportunity to learn a range of different baking, cooking and decorating techniques including poaching, frying and steaming amongst many others.
Students expand their literacy and numeracy skills through following instructions of existing recipes and creating their own personalised cookbook, which is distributed and sold at the end of the year.
Make, Bake, Decorate Principles – Independence, Living Skills, Kitchen Safety & Healthy Living
Meal planning and preparation inform smart choices that improves our quality of life
Literacy and numeracy for life
Practical application of vital skills involved in grocery shopping, budgeting and nutrition
Our end of year project is the creation of a giant cake for our end of year celebration
Course Content and Structure
In this program students learn a range of different baking, cooking and decorating techniques including poaching, frying and steaming amongst many others. We cover several topics such as Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner foods, Desserts and cake baking.
Working safely around the kitchen is a main focus of Make Bake Decorate as we encourage independence within a safe and fun environment. Students expand their literacy and numeracy skills through following instructions of existing recipes and creating their own personalised cookbook. This provides a point of reference for students to be able to utilise the tools learnt in class at home.
Over the course of the year our make, bake decorate program covers each of the meals an independent person might be expected to make at home for themselves, family and friends.
The focus of term 1 is the creation of healthy easy and versatile breakfasts that students can recreate at home and learning about the different cooking types e.g. poaching, frying, scrambling etc of eggs. The focus then switches to lunch and dinner in term 2 where the creation of healthy simple step lunches and dinners that can be re-created at home as well as different cooking methods including frying, baking, oven baking, steaming, and poaching.
The focus of term 3 is desserts the creation and trialling of healthy and easy sweet treats in preparation for the end of year outcome. In the final term it is all about becoming culinary champions. This term focuses on basic cake and cupcake decorating techniques including piping, dirty icing and fondant icing. These skills are showcased during two key events: an afternoon tea as part of the now famous Afternoon of Champions, and our End of Year Celebration cake
- Creation of shopping lists
- Kitchen literacy and numeracy by sourcing and following recipes
- Walking to the local shops and purchasing ingredients
- Calculating cheaper options between similar products
- Using the self serve checkout at the supermarket and Dealing with correct change
- Create and make the food, working together in the kitchen and on the bench. Spatial awareness and safety is essential in this part
- Setting of the table and serving of the food, focusing on presentation as the “Decorating” compartment of the brief


I don’t know about the rest of the world, but Aussies get all weird about singing in public, unless of course it’s at a sporting event, a concert, or you’re drunk. Combine all three and singing in public becomes almost mandatory, especially if the song in question is defacto Australian anthem ‘Khe Sanh’ by Cold Chisel.
But at 11am on a Sunday morning? Hungover? Fuhgeddaboudit, mate.
We’ve even had a few people tell us they weren’t coming back to Sunday Assembly because the singing weirded them out.
As MC at our March Sunday Assembly in Brisbane, I started by asking the audience if they liked science. Of course, 99% of the hands went up! They probably thought I was about to introduce our guest speaker, astrophysicist Dr. Tamara Davis, but no! It was a sneaky way of getting them to SING.
After the audience confessed to a love of science, I hit them with some data about the science of singing in public (courtesy of the Music In Our Bones website).
Instant Super Health
Well maybe not instant. But professor Graham Welch, Chair of Music Education at the Institute of Education, University of London, has studied developmental and medical aspects of singing for 30 years. He explains: “The health benefits of singing are both physical and psychological. Singing has physical benefits because it is an aerobic activity that increases oxygenation in the blood stream and exercises major muscle groups in the upper body, even when sitting. Singing has psychological benefits because of its normally positive effect in reducing stress levels through the action of the endocrine system which is linked to our sense of emotional well-being.”
A recent study from the University of Stockholm showed that we get an oxytocin high when we sing. Oxytocin is also released during pregnancy and lactation, and sex! It’s not surprising then that singers speak of the huge sense of well-being they experience during a singing session.
Research by Dr Kreutze at Frankfurt University’s Music Department in 2002, sampling singers saliva before and after singing proved that the secretion of antibodies is increased when we sing, so our immunity is boosted too. This, interestingly, did not happen when singers listened to the same music. We have to actively participate in singing to reap its full benefits.
There’s A Bonus For Public Singing
Professor Welch from the University of London explains further: “Psychological benefits are also evident when people sing together as well as alone because of the increased sense of community, belonging and shared endeavour.”
A Sidney de Han research project reports that singing in harmony with others “engenders happiness and raised spirits which counteracts feelings of sadness and depression.”
Their findings tell us that singing in harmony with others “involves education and learning, keeps the mind active, gives a sense of achievement and counteracts the decline of cognitive functions.”
Heart Research UK‘s Sing For Your Heart programme has produced studies showing that singing in a group helps to reduce stress and depression, improve memory and reduce anxiety.
Why is group singing so beneficial?
- Memorising words to songs improves brain function, including the ability to store and retrieve memory.
- The exercises associated with group singing improve deep breathing which has the added benefit of adding to relaxation and stress reduction.
- Performing in front of an audience and as part of a group inspires confidence and self esteem.
- Group interaction in a singing group ends social isolation and fosters relationships of all kinds.
- Group participation is fun and allows people to get away from daily stresses and worries.
So, as I explained to our members, if you believe science you have to sing.
I even told them that for every note they didn’t sing, a little atom somewhere in space will die, all alone. I’m not sure they bought the last part. It was a tough crowd. But they SANG.
You should too.


Ages of students: 6-8 year olds
Course length: 2 years (classes are scheduled by semester. There is no requirement to complete the two-year course)
Class schedule: One class per week
Private Lessons: Optional
Musicianship is taught through the use of a keyboard. Students will be involved in the following activities:
- Ear training
- Repertoire (keyboard pieces)
- Ensemble playing (group performance)
- Keyboard harmony
- Keyboard technique
- Sight singing
- Sight playing
Music is Child’s Play
The Young Musicians Course is founded on the belief that every student loves music. During the two-year program, students participate in activities that teach basic musical skills and encourage independence, creativity and self-expression. The course appeals to the imagination of a young mind and becomes an integral part of your child’s growth.
Yamaha Teachers are Dedicated
They are also eager to work with young students and parents. Committed to providing happy, rewarding first musical experiences, these college-trained musicians and educators have passed demanding tests in musicianship while completing rigorous training prior to certification by the Yamaha Music Education System.
Upon Completion of the Course
Once your student has completed the Young Musicians Course, he or she will take part in a “Fundamental Skills Survey” to confirm his or her musical achievement. Teachers refer to Survey results to correctly place students in advanced courses of study such as the Junior Extension Course and Junior Special Advanced Course. As the students develop more advanced musical skills, they are also encouraged to express themselves by performing and composing their own music through programs like Junior Original Concert.
An International Music Education System
When you enroll your student in the Young Musicians Course, you are assured of an excellent first course of musical study. Yamaha has invested over 50 years of music education research in dozens of countries throughout the world. Through Yamaha Music Schools, more than 6 million people worldwide have been introduced to the joy of music.


Add ZoteroBib to your class website or to your students' list of references for research papers or projects, and your students will thank you. Students can easily type in a title or paste in a URL, select the citation style, and export one or more quickly-generated citations. Students will still need a primer ahead of time, as well as some trusty references like Purdue's OWL, to check and tweak whatever citations they generate. While ZoteroBib is a handy resource, it makes mistakes, so make sure students know to double-check and modify.
Since ZoteroBib supports all kinds of publications and media, encourage students to use a range of sources -- from traditional to nontraditional -- by inviting students to manually create a citation for things like social posts, instant messages, emails, or interviews. To further validate their own research and knowledge, students can also cite peer presentations by using the manual entry option for "presentation." To help students understand citation formats more deeply, have them generate citations for the same title in different styles and note the differences. Discuss why English teachers may require APA or MLA, while college history professors may ask for Chicago.Continue reading Show less
ZoteroBib is a simplified site for generating citations and bibliographies. Users can generate citations automatically by searching for a publication; pasting a URL, ISBN, DOI, or other publication ID in the search bar; or manual entering a citation. Once the citation is generated, there's a drop-down menu that allows the citation to be converted to 9,000 styles, with the most popular (MLA, APA, and Chicago) conveniently at the top of the list. Auto-generated entries can also be edited for accuracy. After generating citations and assembling them into a bibliography, users can download the bibliography, copy it (clipboard and HTML), or create a URL.
ZoteroBib is super intuitive, but it isn't perfect. If students are searching for sources, they're not always going to find what they're looking for -- especially compared to more established sites. Also, some websites don't seem to work when you paste the URL in the citation generator. Still, the manual editing and entry feature means anything can be cited if students put in the work. The support for all kinds of different media -- from artwork to podcasts to audio recordings -- and the thousands of styles mean students have tons of options. There's no option for tweets or snaps yet, but the "blog post" and "instant message" options will likely do the trick.
Typing a title and clicking "cite" is simple enough, but ZoteroBib's clean and functional design makes the process of citing multiple sources even easier. For those needing assistance, there are short and sweet explanations to key questions at the bottom of the home page or in the Q&A section. Unlike other citation sites that look like college-library catalogs, there's no small text or confusing options in the minimalist user-friendly layout, helping students focus and easing the stress of a major research paper or project. Compared to other sites, there are no pop-up ads, and there's far less clicking, searching, and scrolling, which means more efficient use of time in the computer lab or at home.
As with any citation generator, there's a risk that students won't build the foundational skills necessary to know if the citations they're making are accurate or not. This is where teacher instruction or focused assignments can take ZoteroBib from a lifesaver to a life skill.