At Daisy Chain Day Nursery we follow The Early Years Foundation Stage, this is shaped by four overarching principles, these are:
The EYFS specifies requirements for learning and development which include:
There are seven of learning and development which must shape educational programmes in early years settings. All areas of learning are important and interconnected. The areas of learning and development are split into three prime and four specific areas of learning.
Physical Development involves providing opportunities for young children to be active and interactive; and to develop their co-ordination, control and movement. Children must also be helped to understand the importance of physical activity, and to make healthy choices in relation to food.
Communication and Language Development this involves giving children opportunities to experience a rich language environment; to develop their confidence and skills in expressing themselves; and to speak and listen in a range of situations.
Specific Areas of Learning
Literacy development involves encouraging children to link sounds and letters and begin to read and write. Children must be given access to a wide range of reading materials (books, poems, and other written materials) to ignite their interest.
Mathematics the opportunity to develop and improve skills in counting, understanding and using numbers
calculating simple addition and subtraction problems; and to describe shape, space and measures.
Understanding of the world involves guiding children to make sense of their physical world and their community through opportunities to explore observe and find out about people, places, technology and the environment.
Expressive arts and design involves enabling children to explore and play with a wide range of media and materials, as well as providing opportunities and encouragement for sharing their thoughts, ideas and feelings through a variety of activities in art music, movement, dance, role-play and design and technology.
Characteristics of Effective Early Learning
Each child reaches out to relate to people and things through the characteristics of effective early learning:
Active Learning – motivation
Each child has their own online Learning Journal. We use a programme called 'Tapestry'. This online journal includes examples of children's work, observations of each child's play and achievements. Photographs and videos of each child at play are also included. Parents and carers are encouraged to add observations and photos onto their childs Tapesty account.
08.00 to 18.00 Monday to Friday. (7.30am and 7.45am starts also available, please enquire)
Daisy Chain Day Nursery


Son of the noted sculptor Leonard Wells Volk (1828-1895), the genre, history, and portrait painter Stephen Arnold Douglas Volk was born in 1856 in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Volk was named after his mother's cousin, Abraham Lincoln's political rival Stephan A. Douglas, whose surname he adopted as his first name. At the age of fourteen he accompanied his parents to Rome and began to attend classes at the Accademia di San Luca; at that time he also received informal guidance from George Inness. In 1873 he went to Paris and, after Leon Bonnat made a disparaging remark about one of his drawings, transferred to the École des Beaux-Arts where he studied under Jean-Leon Gerôme for the next two years. Gerôme referred to Volk and his fellow student and friend George de Forest Brush as his "twins" because they looked alike and were frequently seen together. Volk exhibited his first major painting, En Bretagne, at the Salon of 1875, and in the following year he visited America and was one of the youngest exhibitors at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia.
Volk continued to study with Gerôme in Paris until 1879, when he permanently returned to America and initiated a lifelong career in art education by accepting a professorship at the Cooper Institute in New York City, where he taught until 1884. In 1881 he married Marion B. Larrabee of Chicago, by whom he had four children. He was elected to membership in the Society of American Artists. In 1886 he founded the Minneapolis School of Fine Art, Minnesota (now the Minneapolis College of Art and Design) and served as its director until 1893. During his stay in Minnesota, Volk executed murals in the state capitol at Saint Paul. He was made a member of the national jury of selection for the 1893 Chicago Columbian Exposition where he also exhibited three paintings, one of which was awarded a medal. Volk moved back to New York and became an instructor at the Art Students' League until 1898. He also taught classes at the New York Society for Ethical Culture, and his moral philosophy of art was greatly influenced by the society. He was elected associate member of the National Academy of Design in 1898, and was made a full member in the following year. He taught a class in portraiture at Cooper Union from 1906 to 1912, and was an instructor at the National Academy of Design from 1910 to 1917. He was one of eight American artists selected in 1919 by the National Art Committee to paint portraits of distinguished American and Allied leaders for a pictorial record of World War I, a project for which he executed portraits of King Albert of Belgium (who awarded him the Cross of the Order of Leopold II in 1920), Premier Lloyd George (Smithsonian's American Art Museum, Washington, D.C.), and General John J. Pershing (National Portrait Gallery, Washington, D.C.). During the last fifteen years of his life Volk painted a series of posthumous portraits of Abraham Lincoln. Throughout his long career Volk received numerous awards and distinctions, and was a member of many artists' organizations. While living at their summer retreat "Hewnoaks" in Center Lovell, Maine, Volk, and to a greater extent his wife, contributed to the American arts and crafts movement by producing homespun wool rugs of exceptionally high quality. He died in nearby Fryeburg, Maine, in 1935.
Volk established his reputation by painting romanticized historical subjects depicting life in Colonial America, especially scenes of seventeenth century Puritan society. He later became an accomplished portraitist, and his oeuvre reflects a mastery of Gerôme's academic style in its skillful draftsmanship, composition, and high degree of individuality in choice of subject matter. Throughout the developmental years of modernism Volk never abandoned allegiance to his traditional academic training, and his reputation consequently lapsed into obscurity, but with the revival of interest in American academic painting he has received a measure of recognition. [This is an edited version of the artist's biography published in the NGA Systematic Catalogue]
Interview with DeWitt McClellan Lockman, 1927. Lockman Papers, New-York Historical Society. Archives of American Art microfilm.
Obituary. The New York Times (8 February 1935): 22.
"Volk is Dead." Art Digest (15 February 1935): 15.
Torchia, Robert Wilson, with Deborah Chotner and Ellen G. Miles. American Paintings of the Nineteenth Century, Part II. The Collections of the National Gallery of Art Systematic Catalogue. Washington, D.C., 1998: 218-219.


A new QTS Skills Test book is about to be released and it as ever it will be the most comprehensive book available for the professional skills tests. Many prospective teachers struggle with the QTS Skills Tests and the first port of call is to purchase a skills test book. The QTS Skills Tests consist of both the numeracy and literacy skills test, both of which have different challenges. For most people preparing for the qts tests it is the fact that they haven’t covered maths or English as an academic subject for quite a while that makes the tests seem more difficult. Getting back into the methods for maths and the rules for English is essential and many people find a qts skills test book is a good way to start this process.
What does the new combined qts skills test book contain?
The book is naturally split into two sections, the first section being targeted at the numeracy skills test and the second at the literacy skills test. The numeracy section provides many explanations and examples for each area of the mental arithmetic test, including fractions, percentages, decimals, conversions, multiplication and all the areas outlined in the governments specification. Each topic is covered with an explanation, multiple worked examples and then many practise questions so you have an opportunity to practise what you have learnt. The written data section is set out in the same way covering all aspects of the test with explanations, examples and multiple questions. There is also a mock exam paper at the end of the numeracy section.
For the literacy skills test the 4 sections; spelling, grammar, punctuation and comprehension are all covered in depth. Each section has in depth explanations with examples, practise questions and top tips for the test. At the end of the literacy section there is a full mock test. If you are looking to prepare for both of your professional skills tests then this qts skills book is the book to buy.


Weasels Worksheet – Download Free Science Worksheet Printables for 2nd Grade Kids
The Weasels Worksheet – Download FREE science worksheet printables for 2nd Grade kids. This fun facts about weasels worksheet can be enjoyed by Grammar school kids in 1st Grade up to 5th Grade. Pre-K and Kindergarten kids can also enjoy this free easy science worksheet.
This free science worksheet for kids has a fun hidden word search puzzle along with a find the missing words seek game for children. You can download and print this free science worksheet about weasels at no cost as often as you need.
The fun weasels worksheet is an easy way to gain your child’s attention during science classes or homeschooling science lessons. Young children doing early learning activities can have fun playing the word puzzle game and learn fun facts about weasels.
Kids in Elementary school from 1st Grade to 5th Grade can use the weasels fun facts worksheet as a reading comprehension worksheet. Your children shall learn well about weasels and enhance their reading skills, because most children will need to re-read several times the fun facts about weasels to find the missing words. This words game is a great fun method for kids to train their minds to better remember things they read as well as enhancing their reading comprehension skills.
Preschoolers and kids in Kindergarten who do not know how to read can use our free science worksheet printable for kids as an interesting listening comprehension tool.
Parents or Teachers can read out loud the fun facts about weasels and then ask the children what are the missing words. Kids in Preschool can also enjoy the hidden words puzzle and practice to spot and recognize letters and words.
Parents can use this free printable worksheet all about weasels to develop their kids interest in science and spend fun time educating children about weasels. The free to download weasels activity sheet can be used for homeschooling activities or early learning activities for kids.
Teachers can use the fun facts about weasels worksheet to engage kids interest during science lessons and to make learning about animals enjoyable for kids.
Private Tutors and Educators can utilize our free science worksheet for after-school education programs or child enrichment programs.
EasyScienceforKids.com is the best science kids website with free easy science printables for kids. We offer many free to download science worksheets and free hidden words puzzles for kids. Use our free science activity sheets to make learning science an enjoyable experience for kids!
Weasels are bold and aggressive predators which can attack and kill animals bigger than themselves. They often nest in the burrows of animals that they have killed. These animals are quick, agile and great hunters! Where do weasels live?
Learn more fun facts about weasels by downloading this free science worksheet printable.
Fun Free Weasels Worksheet for Kids
Cite This Page
You may cut-and-paste the below MLA and APA citation examples:
MLA Style Citation
Declan, Tobin. " Weasels Worksheet - Download Free Science Worksheet Printables for 2nd Grade Kids - ." Easy Science for Kids, Feb 2020. Web. 25 Feb 2020. < https://easyscienceforkids.com/weasels-worksheet-download-free-science-worksheet-printables-for-2nd-grade-kids/ >.
APA Style Citation
Tobin, Declan. (2020). Weasels Worksheet - Download Free Science Worksheet Printables for 2nd Grade Kids -. Easy Science for Kids. Retrieved from https://easyscienceforkids.com/weasels-worksheet-download-free-science-worksheet-printables-for-2nd-grade-kids/
Sponsored Links :


I actually wanted to call this page “Feminist Psychology/Therapy” but I realized that many people think feminist therapy is for women only and involves dealing with anger at men. Being a feminist has nothing to do with hating or being angry at men, and it has everything to do with empowerment and freedom to choose—for both men and women.
Feminist psychology came out of the women’s movement in the 1960’s and originally focused on empowering women. Since then it has evolved to focus on empowering both genders to communicate their truth, to live a more authentic life, and to break from the roles and constraints often forced on them by society and cultural expectations. For instance, “boys don’t cry” has been a cultural constraint that has prevented men from expressing their sorrow and pain for many years, forcing men to suppress their emotions in ways that do not lead to a healthy emotional life. Likewise, “nice girls don’t do that” (whatever that is) has oppressed women by forcing them to behave in ways that are not authentic while squeezing them into the role of always having to be ‘nice’ in order to be considered a good woman.
The goals of feminist therapy/psychology:
- Overcome the limits imposed on you by cultural and social expectations
- Identify thoughts and beliefs that are gender-role messages from society and replace them with beliefs that reflect your own truth and your deepest held beliefs
- Gain skills to bring about change in yourself, in your family, and in your greater social circles, i.e. friends and colleagues at work
- Personal empowerment and dignity
We do not have to adhere to cultural norms and expectations no matter what our gender. Expressing ourselves authentically is freeing emotionally and can lead to increased happiness and reduced anxiety. Most of us think that we actually do express ourselves authentically…and we do…most of the time. Unfortunately, cultural expectations and society (i.e. television, magazines, elementary education, etc.) have taught us since we were little children what boys and girls do, and how men and women behave…and we often don’t realize just how fully we have bought into these beliefs. In fact, the cultural expectations and societal norms that define male and female behavior are so easily and automatically accepted that we often fail to realize that there is any other way to be, that there are other choices that we could make, or that our choice has been made for us.
Feminist psychology/therapy takes the time to highlight the cultural expectations that define what we have come to expect from men and women, providing alternatives to our “automatic” responses. When we realize just how wide of a variety of choices we actually have, we can free ourselves from behaviors that aren’t working for us anymore…simply by choosing to behave differently, to believe differently, or by giving ourselves permission to be honest and authentic in our responses to other people. Many people fear that if they do and say what they really want to do and say that they will be rejected by friends and family, and that is always a possibility…but it is highly unlikely. After all…what makes you think that the people around you don’t actually think and feel the same way? What if everyone you know also feels they are forbidden to be honest and act authentically…just like you?
Does this mean that we won’t be focusing on the problems that brought you into therapy in the first place? Absolutely not! Your concerns drive our therapeutic goals and what we will focus on in each therapy session. But don’t be surprised if some of what brings you into therapy turns out to be rooted in beliefs about what men or women should do or should think…and trust that I will point that out to you so that you can decide if you want to challenge the cultural and social expectations that are causing you to be anything other than who you truly are.


Eco-art Installation: Experiential Nature
Free (open access)
119 - 124
R. G. Wakeland
Crowd reactions to a sculpture installation were collected at a 3-day open air event attended by 1,020 adults. Objectives of the installation were to raise awareness about air pollution and facilitate a group sculpture collaboration. Themes of scepticism, art appreciation, and further ideas for 3D environmental statements emerged. Artists’ engagement with the natural world is explored. Keywords: environmental sculpture installation, collaborative learning environment, air pollution, nature forms in art. 1 Introduction A public event gave the artist/author the opportunity to install sculpture designed to measure particulate air pollution, and to facilitate a group sculpture. The sculpture’s theory was that particulate air pollution collects on both plane and textile surfaces, as grey smudge, thus becoming observable. Junkyard metal objects, manufactured products, together with natural jute rope and fabric provided the media. Space and time inherent in the scenario provided the nonclassroom, collaborative learning environment. 2 Literature review Pursuing a theory of outside-the-classroom art education pedagogy, Northern Illinois University professors and students directed a community mural project in 2009 with teenagers and adults. Consensus determined the subject: \“Aztec narrative celebrating music” . Mural painting and construction itself facilitated learning through problem-solving and knowledge-sharing. Like the writer’s air pollution crusade, this endeavour also had a non-art motive: to test out collaborative learning and strengthen communication between the university and its surrounding neighbourhood .
environmental sculpture installation, collaborative learningenvironment, air pollution, nature forms in art.


Mario J. Molina who is a Mexican-born American chemist known for his pivotal role in the discovery of the Antarctic ozone hole born on March 19, 1943, In Mexico City, Mexico.
He is the son of Roberto Molina-Pasquel and his wife Leonor Henriquez. His father was lawyer and judge who went on to serve as chief Ambassador to Ethiopia, Australia, and the Philippines.
He had married his girlfriend Luisa Y. Tan, a chemist. They blessed with a son Felipe, who moved to Irvine, California along with his wife and children. The couple got divorced. After his divorce with his first wife, He married Guadalupe Alvarez. And the couple is living a happy married life together.
He had received elementary education from schools in his native city and at the tender age of eleven attended the ‘Institut auf dem Rosenberg’ in Switzerland. He had pursued chemical engineering from the ‘National Autonomous University of Mexico’. He successfully completed his bachelor’s degree from the institute in the year 1965. Molina had moved to Berkeley and enrolled at the ‘University of California’ in 1968. There he spent his first year studying subjects on advanced physical chemistry along with physics and mathematics.
During the course of experiments, they conducted to understand the properties of atoms that were formed as a result of the radioactive process and possessed excessive translational energy, Mario was assigned the task of studying inert chemicals emanated by industries and their atmospheric reactivity. In 1975, In light of his contribution to the ozone depletion theory, the University recruited Molina as a member of the faculty. In 1989, He had accepted a teaching position at the ‘Massachusetts Institute of Technology’. He continued his research on environmental chemistry in this capacity. The year 2004, marked his return to the ‘University of California’, San Diego, Where he taught the students of ‘Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry’. He was also associated with the ‘Center for Atmospheric Sciences’ working closely with several earth scientists. He is also a member of the presidential committee of the US Senate which advises the head of the state on matters of science and technology.
- His middle name is Jose.
- There is an asteroid named after him, which is called the Asteroid 9680 Molina.
- Their discovery had chlorine atoms destroy the ozone which has helped make laws that protect the ozone layer.
Awards and Achievements:
- In 1983, He received the Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement.
- In 1995, Molina had been honored with the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
- In 2013, He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
What Can we learn from Him??
Like Mario J. Molina, Concentrate on your goal. do hard work to fulfill it.


Mount Olympus is the highest mountain in Greece. It is located in the Olympus Range on the border between Thessaly and Macedonia. It measures 7,956 feet above sea level. This mountain is a part of the Olympus massif near the Gulf of Thermai of the Aegean Sea. The summit is often snow-capped and has cloud cover.
It has numerous forests and gorges and summits of different heights. However, it has a mild climate and rarely has storms. It is also the most worshipped mountain in Greece. The tallest point of this mountain is called ‘Mytika’ and ‘Pantheon’.
Quick Facts: –
- In Greek mythology, Mount Olympus was the dwelling of the Olympian Gods and it was created after the Titanomachy.
- Titanomachy was the battle during which the Olympians defeated their predecessors.
- Mount Olympus exists both as a physical mountain and a metaphorical place.
- In Greek and Roman mythology, this mountain is believed to be the home of their 12 primary gods.
- The mountain is a part of the Olympus National Park that covers an area of 238,411,000 m2.
- It has has a total of 52 peaks with deep gorges and exceptional biodiversity.
- It has been the first national park in Greece since 1938 and is also a World Bishop Reserve.
- This mountain has an almost circular shape that has been formed over time by rain and wind.
- Olympus expands over approximately 500 km2and covers an essentially circular area with a width of approximately 25 km and a circumference of 80 km.
Cite This Page
You may cut-and-paste the below MLA and APA citation examples:
MLA Style Citation
Declan, Tobin. " Fun Facts for Kids about Mount Olympus ." Easy Science for Kids, Feb 2020. Web. 24 Feb 2020. < https://easyscienceforkids.com/mount-olympus/ >.
APA Style Citation
Tobin, Declan. (2020). Fun Facts for Kids about Mount Olympus. Easy Science for Kids. Retrieved from https://easyscienceforkids.com/mount-olympus/
Sponsored Links :


Ten Quick Questions is a free program you can download on your computer. It looks quite dated, but is still an excellent tool to use in arithmetic sessions. After using it a few times, I noticed the quick impact it had on my pupils’ numeracy skills.
How do I use Ten Quick Questions?
Click here for the download. When complete, display it to your class using your projector. After, just choose the area of maths and the difficulty level. Finally, click setup and choose the time your students can have to answer each question – then click play!
The questions will pop-up and I usually ask my students to write them in the back of their maths books. As soon as the challenge is complete, the answers are shown. Following this, I ask the class to swap books and peer mark.
What I like most about the program is that it makes the pupils very competitive in terms of their number skills (a perfect example of using technology to gamify learning). It is motivational and some have even downloaded the program at home to practise.
Let me know how you get on with Ten Quick Questions by commenting below.


Technology Integration Newsletter-February 25, 2015
This blog post has some great suggestions for getting your students ready for a digital testing environment as we approach the testing season.
This website geared towards middle and high school students has clever study materials that merge humor and learning.
Shmoop offers learning guides for core content subject areas as well as several additional elective areas. The authors on this site do a great job of breaking things down into smaller, more easily understandable segments. For example, literature guides contain character descriptions and quotes. In addition, teachers who may be able to spend money for a subscription can access teacher guides and standardized test prep guides. You definitely don't need to pay to access the information in the free areas of the site, and I hope you find it to be both comprehensive and useful. High-schoolers who need a little extra help with their studies could benefit from the site as well.
You Can Help End World Hunger!
8 Formative Assessment Tools
Infuse Learning provides a platform where teachers can engage every student on any device, making it an ideal choice for our school as we continue to encourage BYOD. This allows students to provide real-time feedback and teachers can adjust instruction accordingly.
iClicker is a powerful formative assessment tool that allows teachers to ask questions through any presentation application; students answer questions with a remote or smart device. Teachers can then display results in real-time if desired.
Poll Everywhere is another powerful web tool to collect feedback from your students. It provides you with a variety of templates and feedback forms to choose from. Students answer in real time using mobile phones, Twitter, or web browsers. It also lets you see your responses live on the web or in a PowerPoint or Keynote presentation.
Geddit is another interesting tool that you can use in class to gather instant feedback about your students learning in real-time. You can use both multiple choice or short answer responses to check for evidence of understanding.
Request a Technology Integration Session Here!
Past Editions of TEACHnology Today
September 11, 2014: Important Links, Technology Goals, Google Calendar and Chromebook Checkout, the 1-iPad Classroom and Reflector App
September 18, 2014: Important Links, Kahoot.it Tutorial, iPad App: Rhyme to Read
September 25, 2014: Digital Citizenship Image, Chromebook Checkout Refresher, iPad App: Noise Down, Bookmarking Sites: Tizmos and SymbalooEDU (with examples/resources by subject area and grade level)
October 2, 2014: Technology Goal Submission, Tutorial: Remind, Technology Workshop Opportunities, Chromebook Use Update
October 14, 2014: Technology Goal Update, iPad Spectrum, Apps for Every Classroom, Cool Tool: Planboard with Examples
October 23, 2014: Teaching Digital Citizenship and Internet Safety, iPad Reference Card (Printable), Cool Tool: Chatterpix App, Google Classroom, Apps for English and History, Sight Words on iPad, Youtube Channels for Educators
November 10, 2014: Tech Integration Request Form, Reflector and Splashtop (installation and use with your iPad and school computers), Google Calendar Refresher and links to LP School Calendars
November 18, 2014: Technology Mini-Session Poll, iPad App Suggestions with ThingLink, Thankful Turkeys with imagechef.com, Past Editions and Tech Integration Request Form
November 25, 2014: Technology Mini Session 1 Information, Planboard: Unit Planner How-To Guide, Formative Assessment with Socrative
December 4, 2014: Using Apps to Level your Classroom Library, Leveler Websites and Databases, 15 Virtual Field Trip Apps, and a Neat End of Year Activity
December 17, 2014: Survey Tools, Socrative, 30 Best Apps of 2014, WebTools with No Registration Required, Fun Classroom Timers
January 8, 2015: Technology Goal Update, iPad Student Objectives with Apps, iPad App of the Week: Phoster, A Comprehensive Guide to Classroom Blogging
January 30, 2015: Technology Half Day Ideas, Technology Half Day Form and Procedure, TED Ed Writer's Workshop Videos, iPad Volume Apps that LP has available for student or staff iPads
February 3, 2015: iPad App Request Forms, 12 Elementary Apps that Should Be on Every iPad, Learning Objective Maker, Saving Attachments to Google Drive
February 19, 2015: Websites to Teach Keyboarding Skills to Elementary Students, Elementary Math Videos by Level, 40 Reflection Questions, "Did I Plagiarize" Infographic
February 26, 2015: Preparing Students for Online Testing, Website: Shmoop, A Game Website to Help End World Hunger, 8 Formative Assessment Tools, DK in the Classroom Resources, and a List of the Best Music Education Resources


Food shortages have always been a problem and cycles of famine and plenty have occurred for thousands of years. In the United States, we have access to fresh, plentiful food most of the time. In other parts of the world, though, simply having enough rice or wheat to survive is a challenge.
Fun Facts about Food Shortage for Kids
- Even in the United States, hunger is a problem. One in six children, and 12 percent of the population, goes hungry at least once each month or more.
- Worldwide, hunger is an issue for over 862 million people. Children die every day because of inadequate food and nutrition.
- Drought and poor weather contribute to hunger. Inadequate rain, storms and hail all destroy crops.
- Crops don’t grow well in poor soil or soil that’s been improperly managed.
- Rising food prices mean that poor people can’t afford to buy the food they need.
- Rising oil prices make food expensive to transport. People living in remote areas may not have access to good food.
- War and political instability can interrupt food production and transportation.
Food Shortage Vocabulary
- Cycle: a repetitive series of events
- Famine: widespread food shortage
- Survive: live, overcome
- Inadequate: not enough
- Drought: lack of rain
- Remote: faraway
Learn More All about Food Shortage
Here’s a great video for kids all about Food Shortage:
A video inforgraphic explaining all about food shortage.
Food Shortage Q&A
Question: What can I do to help with food shortages?
Answer: First, be grateful and appreciative for the food you enjoy. Don’t take more than you need and eat what you take. Grow a garden with your family and set aside food in the pantry and the freezer to use in emergencies. Give generously to local food banks or organizations that provide food aide worldwide.
Cite This Page
You may cut-and-paste the below MLA and APA citation examples:
MLA Style Citation
Declan, Tobin. " Food Shortage Facts for Kids ." Easy Science for Kids, Feb 2020. Web. 17 Feb 2020. < https://easyscienceforkids.com/all-about-food-shortage/ >.
APA Style Citation
Tobin, Declan. (2020). Food Shortage Facts for Kids. Easy Science for Kids. Retrieved from https://easyscienceforkids.com/all-about-food-shortage/
Sponsored Links :


U.S. Facts and Figures
Facts about the U.S.
- The U.S. was founded in 1776.
- The U.S. has a total area of 3,794,083 square miles.
- The population, as of 2018, was 327.16 million
- The capital is Washington, D.C.
- New York is the largest city. The country’s ethnic makeup is 72.4 percent white, 12.6 percent African American, 4.8 percent Asian, .9 percent Native American, and 16.3 percent Hispanic.
- English and Spanish are the two main languages.
Agriculture Top Producers:
Beef cattle: Texas, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa
Dairy products: California, Wisconsin, New York, Pennsylvania
Grain corn: Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska, Minnesota
Pork: Iowa, North Carolina, Minnesota, Illinois
Poultry: Georgia, Arkansas, Alabama, North Carolina
Wheat: North Dakota, Kansas, Montana, Washington
Cotton: Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, Arkansas
Eggs: Iowa, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana
Hay: Texas, California, Missouri, South Dakota
Turkeys: Minnesota, North Carolina, Missouri
Oranges: Florida, California, Texas, Arizona
Potatoes: Idaho, Washington, Wisconsin, Colorado
Grapes: California, Washington, New York
Tomatoes: Florida, Georgia, California
Top 10 US States for Agricultural Income
- North Carolina
- South Dakota
Top Fishing US States
Top Mining US States
Interesting US Facts:
World’s tallest tree: “Hyperion,” a 379.1’ high redwood in Redwood, National Park, California
World’s oldest tree: A Californian Methuselah bristlecone pine, 4,789 years old
Highest U.S. temperature: Death Valley, California recorded a temperature of 134 F on July 10, 1913
Lowest U.S. temperature: Minus 80 F was recorded at Prospect Creek, Alaska on January 23, 1971
Largest metropolitan areas, as of 2010
- New York
- Los Angeles
Cite This Page
You may cut-and-paste the below MLA and APA citation examples:
MLA Style Citation
Declan, Tobin. " US Facts and Figures For Kids ." Easy Science for Kids, Feb 2020. Web. 25 Feb 2020. < https://easyscienceforkids.com/u-s-facts-figures/ >.
APA Style Citation
Tobin, Declan. (2020). US Facts and Figures For Kids. Easy Science for Kids. Retrieved from https://easyscienceforkids.com/u-s-facts-figures/
Sponsored Links :


If you want to become a teacher but not too sure about the degree options available, there are several types of teaching degrees you can go for, depending on the particular area you want to specialize. They vary in subject area and grade levels and you can find so many schools offering different types of teaching degrees.
To become a teacher, you will be expected to complete a bachelor’s degree program which normally lasts about 4 years. You can opt to be trained in a particular grade level, specialty or subject area. However, working in a public school will require you to have a teaching license issued by your state. Before the teaching license is given, it is mandatory that you write and pass the PRAXIS exams, a two part series taken at different periods during your teaching training.
Usually, the public school you want to work for will do a background check and ensure that the license is maintained through coursework on continuing education. All types of teaching degrees require a completion of classroom student teaching internship before the award of the respective degrees.
Below are the different types of teaching degrees a prospective teacher can enroll into.
Early Childhood Education
These teaching programs are available for teachers who prefer working with children birth to grade 3. Courses offered in this program include human development classes and professional education. Apart from assessment classes and curriculum development, the degree program dwells on a wide range of teaching methods for different subjects.
Elementary Education Degrees
These types of teaching degrees are awarded to teachers who will teach pupils between grade k – 6 and k – 8. Basically, the prospective teachers are trained on different teaching methods in different subjects taught in these grades, such as science, reading, and mathematics. This program will equally expose you to some topics in education technology, curriculum building, learning assessment, and child development.
High School teacher programs
A holder of these types of teaching degrees would be qualified to teach pupils between grades 8 and 12. There are several majors offered in this program and you are at liberty to choose the subject you are comfortable teaching. Subject such as music, physical education, mathematics, science, and English are available for you.
Just like the elementary education degree, you will be introduced to curriculum development, education technology, and professional teaching techniques and methods.
Special Education Degrees
These types of teaching degrees are for teachers who want to teach pupils in specific grades or people with certain disabilities. You will be trained how to relate with people with language or speech impairments or people with autism disorders. Each of these programs differ in many ways in terms of grade level. However, the most common types of teaching degrees in the special education category is the k – 12 special education degree.
The coursework for special education combines evaluation and assessment of disabilities with classroom management and curriculum development. You will equally be exposed to some topics in social interaction so that you will be able to relate effectively with these pupils and their parents.


THE SITTING POSTURE FREES THE ARMS AND HANDS
This picture says it all…babies love sitting because they can play with so much more stuff…bigger and better stuff. At 7+ months Rochel demonstrates how a stable sitting posture enables her to play with much larger and heavier objects than she could play with while on her back or belly. The sitting posture frees the arms and hands so baby can eat or play. She now begins to learn how to open and close objects. She feels more independent as she can see what is happening around her. Sitting while grasping and reaching begins to involve movement in the hip joints, because objects are far enough away that she must lean forward to try and grasp them.
EACH MOTOR SKILL PREPARES BABY FOR THE NEXT
We examined how babies develop sitting posture, and now we understand how the skill of lifting the head develops excellent sitting posture which enables baby to grasp and reach freely. One skill facilitates the next. This is why a stellar caterpillar goes through every stage of motor skill development, spending enough time in each stage to stretch and strengthen the appropriate muscles. When a baby does not feel comfortable in tummy time, it is difficult for her to lift her head. Without lifting the head, she can not develop strong back and neck muscles. The baby who has missed the stage of lifting the head sits with a curved spine and is not stable. A poor sitting posture makes it difficult for baby to play with large objects, and she will fall over. In the development of a baby, the evolution of a sitting posture that provides stability and more independence is significant.


What is Bring Back The Music
Bring Back The Music is an innovative performing arts educational program that targets the most vulnerable students particularly those from Title One Schools.
In the wake of public schools having to cut their budgets, performing arts has become a typical causality. Without the offering of performing arts education low-income and disadvantaged students are denied an essential component within their overall educational development.
Performing arts education reaches beyond the fundamentals of music education. Extensive research indicates that arts education enhances healthy neurological brain development. Additionally performing arts provides intellectual, social and emotional benefits including building healthy self-esteem.
Bring Back The Music provides quality performing arts education to students in central Oklahoma. While available to all students we target students from low income and disadvantaged families. Since our inception in 2010 we have provided direct services to more than 350 students.
Every student is not a natural athlete. Not every student is a talented scientist, engineer or mathematician. Some students are gifted performing artists. We are committed to providing arts education to students regardless of their zip code or ability to pay.
The target market for Bring Back the Music is community residents’ grades 3 thru 12, who have some interest in participating in the performing arts. This may be their first organized performing arts experience or they may be more experienced performers.
All students are exposed to all aspects of music education. However when instructors discover distinct talents of individual students, those students will receive more individualized fast –track instruction in that area of talent.


The Italian words that we use in music only exist because of the classical canon and the dawn of standardized Western staff notation. The Italian counterparts of these straightforward words are only relevant in a classical or jazz setting where sheet music is the staple. Outside of that, say in a popular setting, there is no need for them. Speed up, and slow down are pretty clear and need no explanation. In fact, in popular musics, these Italian terms are just simply not used. Many times there are other words used to replace these Italian ones, but there are also terms that are exclusive to popular styles.
Now, of course, you just ordered all the pieces for your drum kit but what they never taught you in school is: how to assemble a drum kit from the box. It is one of the few things in life that do not come with an instruction manual. The manufacturers just assume that you already know what you're doing, which is odd. Don't worry, here are picture instructions that take you through the journey of assembling your kit for the first time:
Must-Read Music Teacher Professional Development Book List These books have a common theme, they promote Informal learning, Non-formal teaching, popular music education, or creativity, and sometimes all four! Rock Coach: A Practical Guide for Teaching Rock Bands in Schools Rock Coach by Steve Giddings Bit of a shameless self plug but seriously, I wouldn't have … Continue reading Steve’s Must-Read Music Teacher PD Book List


The following links will take you other areas of our site, browser back button returns to this page.
Successful Home Education
How to successfully homeschool children
Worksheets Educational resources with some Biblical references
Unobstructed individual and collaborative learning resources
Printable worksheets and resources at discounted prices
Christian educational games for homeschool children
Homeschool News Articles
Articles related to home school or education at home
Printable Biblical Worksheets 5-12
Biblical figures such as Adam and Eve, Noah, Moses, King David, and Goliath. One biblical character for each letter of the alphabet. Great way to cover phonics, ABC's, literacy or numeracy skills while learning about great men and women of the Bible. Please click through to the appropriate age group.
If you can read and write, you have the skills needed to teach your own children
Teach your child to read with this easy to follow online guide first read this helpfull article.
How to deal with dyslexia children or adults.
What to Teach
Literacy and Numeracy requirements for Years K to 10.
How to teach children English, Science Mathematics, Art, Languages other than English and more subjects are covered within this area of educational resources, printable worksheets and educational games. Simply click through the graphic animations and discover a world of fun online learning with many worksheet helpers for young and old.
Printable worksheets that are mind provoking are hard to find these days, so sometimes it's better to buy what you really want instead of searching for hours through the Internet. Instantly download individual student worksheet books to improve student learning skills with these workbook bargains.
Educational resources with some Biblical references
Teach your Child
Poor social behaviour or home education
Advance your child's research skills
Why Home Education
Social & Educational Standards of Children
Unschooling Good or Bad
Read about some pros and cons of unschooling
ADHD, autism, down syndrome, child development, bullying etc.
Thinking of Home Education is all about choices in life.
Develop reading and writing skills. Numeracy and Literacy improvement across seven main subjects.
Varying subjects that we have written about.
Stories, experience and teaching about the Bible.
Phonics Phonics to teach literacy and numeracy, avoiding dyslexia.
Resources Learn More We have a large range of educational product resources.
Australian Stockwhips Australian leather stockwhips and tubewhips from recycled inner tubes.
Biblical story and activity about Joshua chapter 6. Improve Literacy, phonics and Biblical knowledge. Learn about a man of God who lived his life according to God's will. Read about Jericho, the priests blowing their trumpets and the great wall of Jericho which came tumbling down. Conduct further research and delve into a wonderful project about Joshua with your students.
"No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD."


Fun Preschool Maths Activities for Parents
It's easy to encourage an early love of maths in your child while preparing them with the numeracy skills they need to succeed in school.
There are plenty of everyday opportunities to develop early maths skills through simple activities that are fun and motivating for your preschooler. Besides workbooks, puzzles and online maths programs like Mathseeds, here are some fun preschool maths activities you can try at home.
Have you tried Reading Eggs and Mathseeds yet? Register now for a FREE trial!
Make shapes using play dough
Play dough creates many great opportunities for hands-on learning activities, including learning about and manipulating different shapes. Show your child some 2D and 3D shapes and ask them to mould the shapes using play dough. You can also use shape cutters to help guide them.
Sort the toy basket
Sorting and classifying objects is an important way to help your child understand the nature of maths. You can easily introduce these skills by gathering a basket or box of toys and helping your child sort each item by size, colour or type (e.g. cars, soft toys, dolls).
Fill up cups, jars and containers during bath time
Collect jars, cups and containers of different sizes and bring them to bath time to explore the concepts of 'full' and 'empty'. Talk about what's happening as you play. For example, "The cup is now full, no more water can fit in!" and "Let's pour water from the small cup to the big cup and see if it becomes full."
Online maths games
Online maths programs are a great way to build essential numeracy skills in a fun and highly motivating way for your preschooler. Look for online maths programs that have been designed by expert educators and match your child's individual level. Mathseeds provides hundreds of one-on-one lessons and maths games that you can try for free here.
Playing shop is a fun way to practise early maths skills and show your child how numbers and counting are a part of everyday life. Gather toys or grocery items and label them with prices written on sticky notes. You can pretend to buy and sell items using play money or creating your own paper money. This will teach your child the concept of paying for items using notes and coins.
Count and cook
Cooking is a great activity to introduce your preschooler to fractions and measurement. Show them different measuring tools and talk about the concept of fractions, such as explaining how two half cups make one whole cup.
Don't drop the ball
Count the number of times you and your child can throw a ball to each other without dropping it. You can also count the number of times you can tap a balloon before it reaches the ground.
Play heads or tails
Introduce your child to the concept of chance and probability with a simple game of heads or tails. Probability tells us that for a single coin toss, there are two possible outcomes — heads or tails — so the chance of getting either is one in two, or 50 per cent.
Patterns help children learn how to sequence and to make predictions, which are important skills for building a variety of maths skills. Experiment with your preschooler by creating different patterns or necklace designs using macaroni, beads or cereal (e.g. green, white, orange, green, white, orange). Building block towers is also a fun activity that helps your preschooler practise sequencing.
Guess the weight
Use kitchen scales to weigh certain objects around the house, such as a toilet paper roll or a pumpkin. You can also help your child estimate the weight of each object before weighing them.
Call out a number and ask your preschooler to find it. You can do this activity while driving (e.g. spotting numbers on signs, houses and number plates) or while shopping. You can also ask them to identify shapes, colours and patterns out in the real world.
Mathseeds is the award-winning online maths program that makes learning maths easy and fun for children aged 3–9. Claim your FREE trial here.


Three levels of six games each get increasingly challenging and cover pre-reading skills, early math skills, fine motor skills, and STEM-oriented thinking. Bugs and Bubbles could be used as a center activity or for independent work with built-in differentiation. To set up multiple users, teachers will need to go to the settings on their device, choose the app, and select Enable under user profiles. The default is set to Off.Continue reading Show less
In Bugs and Bubbles, kids work their way through three stages of six games each or choose "explore" to select any stage and game. Kids will match and trace letters, complete patterns, and identify and sort objects to develop early learning skills. They'll count objects and balance scales to work on math skills. They'll use physics and fine motor skills to stack shapes, race bugs, and roll and bowl with roly-poly bugs. And they'll practice critical thinking skills through games like memory and Bubble4 (like Connect Four). Each game uses adaptive learning technology to increase the challenge as needed. Most games end when kids get a wrong answer; others run on a timer. Each mini-game ends with a "Way to go!" or "Good job!" of encouragement, and kids earn stickers for the mini-games they master.
Bugs and Bubbles is impressive for several reasons. Teachers will appreciate the realistic graphics and beautiful classical music, while the variety of fun games will entertain kids as they learn important skills in math, reading, critical thinking, and science. Bugs and Bubbles is a great example of gamified learning. Kids are having fun playing with bugs and earning stamps while learning -- in each and every game. The variety of mini-games will keep kids engaged for quite a while, and the adaptive learning technology adjusts the level to keep kids challenged at the appropriate level. There's no teacher dashboard for checking kids' progress, but a quick check on the page of game options shows the score for each game. The hand that silently shows kids how to complete new tasks is effective on some games, but some (like racing) may require teacher instruction.
Key Standards Supported
Counting And Cardinality
Identify whether the number of objects in one group is greater than, less than, or equal to the number of objects in another group, e.g., by using matching and counting strategies.1
Understand the relationship between numbers and quantities; connect counting to cardinality.
When counting objects, say the number names in the standard order, pairing each object with one and only one number name and each number name with one and only one object.
Understand that the last number name said tells the number of objects counted. The number of objects is the same regardless of their arrangement or the order in which they were counted.
Understand that each successive number name refers to a quantity that is one larger.
Count to answer “how many?” questions about as many as 20 things arranged in a line, a rectangular array, or a circle, or as many as 10 things in a scattered configuration; given a number from 1–20, count out that many objects.
Count to 100 by ones and by tens.
Describe objects in the environment using names of shapes, and describe the relative positions of these objects using terms such as above, below, beside, in front of, behind, and next to.
Correctly name shapes regardless of their orientations or overall size.
Measurement And Data
Classify objects into given categories; count the numbers of objects in each category and sort the categories by count.3
Operations And Algebraic Thinking
Fluently add and subtract within 5.
Key Standards Supported
Print many upper- and lowercase letters.
Sort common objects into categories (e.g., shapes, foods) to gain a sense of the concepts the categories represent.
Reading Foundational Skills
Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.


Huge product rangeOver 140,000 books & equipment products
Rapid shippingUK & Worldwide
Pay in £, € or U.S.$By card, cheque, transfer, draft
Exceptional customer serviceGet specialist help and advice
Botany For Dummies gives you a thorough, easy-to-follow overview of the fundamentals of botany, helping you to improve your grades, supplement your learning, or review before a test. It covers evolution by natural selection, offers plain-English explanations of the structure and function of plants, and includes plant identification and botanical phenomena. Tracking a typical course in botany, this hands-on, friendly guide is your ticket to passing this required course for your major in biology, microbiology, zoology, or elementary education.
Introduction Part I: Plant Basics Chapter 1: Exploring Botany Chapter 2: Peering at Plant Cells Chapter 3: Identifying Plant Tissues Chapter 4: Vegetative Structures: Stems, Roots, and Leaves Chapter 5: Reproductive Structures: Spores, Seeds, Cones, Flowers, and Fruits Part II: The Living Plant: Plant Physiology Chapter 6: Metabolism: How Living Things Get Energy and Matter Chapter 7: Photosynthesis: Making Sugar from Scratch Chapter 8: Cellular Respiration: Making Your Cake and Eating It, Too Chapter 9: Moving Materials Through Plants Chapter 10: Regulating Plant Growth and Development Part III: Making More Plants: Plant Reproduction and Genetics Chapter 11: Greening the Earth: Plant Reproduction Chapter 12: Passing Plant Characteristics to the Next Generation Part IV: The Wide, Wonderful World of Plants: Plant Biodiversity Chapter 13: Changing with the Times: Evolution and Adaptation Chapter 14: The Tree of Life: Showing the Relationships Between Living Things Chapter 15: Examining the Forest Floor: Bryophytes and Seedless Vascular Plants Chapter 16: Their Seeds Are Naked: Gymnosperms Chapter 17: Say It with Flowers: Angiosperms Part V: Plants and People Chapter 18: Making Connections with Plant Ecology Chapter 19: Altering Plants by Using Biotechnology Chapter 20: Thriving on Plants in Everyday Life Part VI: The Part of Tens Chapter 21: Ten Weirdest Plants Chapter 22: Ten Tips for Improving Your Grade in Botany Index
Rene Fester Kratz, PhD is a Biology instructor at Everett Community College. As a member of the North Cascades and Olympic Science Partnership, she worked to develop science curricula that are in alignment with research on human learning.


Throughout the 1960’s and 1970’s that the vast majority of public colleges in america had routine music and art applications as part of the program. Art instructors and music teachers have been used by the universities and kids as young as Kindergarten received education in both art and music.
Each week, kids would have singing classes, be introduced into tools, and heard about the fantastic composers.
Art education included using mediums like watercolor, charcoal, and tempura paints, in addition to art history classes and vulnerability to artists from throughout the centuries. Kids were provided with of the materials they’d want, and musical instruments have been leased to households who didn’t possess their very own, for a minimal fee.
At some point in time across the early 1980’s, art and music education in the public schools came to a conclusion. Budget cuts were also blamed and colleges had been left scrambling to get the money to keep their music and art programs from the schools.
Art and music instructors weren’t rehired and classroom educators tried to shoot over. Much of what they taught was based on what they’d learned in the expert art and music instructors in years ago. Faculties in more affluent area could continue with their apps, in substantial part due to the contributions of supplies and time made by their own parents who may financially sustain them.
Throughout the 1990’s they had been a resurgence of art and music applications as a result of efforts of their big musical and artistic communities that saw the demand for this sort of education in the public schools.
Do art and music programs at the schools help our kids learn academic subjects readily?
Music is connected with math, patterns, and memory function.
Art stimulates portion of the brain that’s been associated with writing proficiency.
Music and art applications do add to our children’s academic progress and needs to be a normal part of the college program.


LatinaLista — Literacy. It’s a word that gauges the future success of our children in school. Children who have an appreciation of reading and learn the basics of sounding out words go on to have success in school. Children who aren’t exposed to books and don’t grasp those early lessons are doomed to feel self-conscious, ashamed and, eventually, give up on school and themselves.
Every child has great literacy potential, if given the chance. Raising a Reader makes that happen.
Raising A Reader’s vision is that one day all children will enter kindergarten in love with the printed page and ready to learn to read.
The California-based nonprofit, begun in 1999, accomplishes its goal by working with parents when their children are still babies and helping them establish “book cuddling” routines with their children until they reach the age of five.
Basing their techniques on early childhood learning research, Raising a Reader knows that “book cuddling” not only contributes to a strong parent-child bonding but also fosters healthy brain development and establishes early literacy skills critical for success in school.
Since it was founded, the nonprofit has reached 811,000 children. Its long term goal is to extend its reach as a leader in early literacy family engagement and reach one million children.
The program works by circulating over 100 high-quality children’s books into children’s homes through an average rotation cycle. As a result, children and families develop, practice, and maintain the habit of sharing those books (‘book cuddling’).
Through initial training and ongoing support, parents and caregivers, even those with limited English proficiency or low literacy skills, learn how to engage their child by sharing a book. The program also includes a strong connection to the public library, establishing a foundation for lifetime access to books and love of reading. A dozen independent evaluations have confirmed the model works
Donations are always needed to keep the supply of books current to families in the program. Also, any community can start their own program and bring the love of reading to children who otherwise may not develop that interest until much later, if ever.
Migrant families in Santa Cruz County, Calif. are experiencing the joys of reading to their children thanks to Raising A Reader’s Pajaro Valley Unified School District affiliate. Over the past four years, the school district has served over 6,000 children, including migrant families who don’t often have the resources to support their children’s early literacy development.
At one local Family Child Care Home, provider Ester Castillo has noticed a difference in the children’s behavior and interest in books. After just one migrant season with Raising A Reader, she is thrilled to report that “One four-year-old was not interested in books, now wants two or three read to him whenever I sit down. Another three-year-old learned the books by memory.”


30-week instrumental programmes of whole class instrumental teaching. Supporting schools to deliver Core Role 1 of the National Plan for Music Education, and contributing to a broad and balanced curriculum.
Derby & Derbyshire Music Partnership offers 30-week programmes of whole class ensemble teaching to KS2 pupils (aimed primarily at year 4), delivered by specially trained teachers. These programmes are designed to meet the requirement of the National Plan for Music Education Core Role 1 and contributing to a broad and balanced curriculum.
Ensure that every child aged 5-18 has the opportunity to learn a musical instrument (other than voice) through whole-class ensemble teaching programmes for ideally a year … of weekly tuition on the same instrument.
Core Role 1 − National Plan for Music Education (NPME): The Importance of Music (November 2011)
We offer programmes of Wider Opportunities in four instrumental categories:
- Woodwind − Fife, Flute, Oboe and Clarinet
Brass − Trumpet, Cornet, Trombone, Baritone and/or Euphonium
Strings − Violin, Viola, Cello and/or Double Bass; Ukulele
World Percussion − Djembe (African drums); Samba Band; Steel Pans
Year-long programmes consist of thirty 45-minute lessons spread over three terms, timetabled at a convenient time for you. A class set of instruments will also be provided along with any resources for follow-up activities.
Benefits for schools
- Pupils are taught within a normal classroom situation.
- Performances are planned into the programme, giving parents the opportunities to share in their children's success.
- Class teachers get 'in house' professional development which augments and supports music provision in school.
Benefits for pupils
- Pupils develop their musical skills in a creative way, participating in rhythm games and singing and learning to play instruments.
- Pupils' self-confidence grows as they learn alongside each other and their teachers.
- The opportunity to continue instrumental tuition after the programme has ended.
Ask us more about wider opportunities
To speak to someone about Wider Opportunities and how it would work in your school, please follow the link below to our online enquiries form.
Ask us about Wider Opportunities
Are you a parent/carer?
This page is for schools only. If you're looking for information about instrumental tuition, please follow this link to be taken to the correct page.


In our in-person and online sessions, we have the pleasure of tutoring students from across South Jersey and the United States. Even though there is a push for American public schools to have the same educational opportunities and core standards for all children, there is still a discrepancy in how and what students learn based on where they live. When a third grade student in a wealthy suburb of South Jersey with a small class size struggles to grasp long division, her teacher may be able to fully address her needs within the class time or provide after school help. However, another third grader, equally hardworking and just a few towns over, may be in a school with larger class sizes and fewer resources. Perhaps, this student’s teacher is trying to juggle a classroom of dozens of children and isn’t able to address everyone’s questions before she has to move on to the next concept. Both students have dedicated teachers who are probably in a district that is striving toward state standards; however, many complicated factors impact a student’s success.
Our educational system in the United States is a product of years of redlining, discrimination, and funding issues. There’s an unfortunate fact that based on where children live, they may be in better performing public schools that challenge them more. An “A” student in one school district may find himself struggling to make the honor roll if he were to transfer to a high school less than 20 minutes away. How do we, as educators, help bridge the gap for students who are being adversely affected by generations of inequality? At TTLLC, we strive to teach students the fundamental skills that will help them succeed in the classroom and globally.
Two key benefits of one-on-one tutoring are that we are not pressured to teach toward a test and that students are not graded. We get to help students hone valuable skills until they feel confident enough to move to the next level. For example, if a high schooler needs help with her literature essay but is struggling with distinguishing sentences from fragments, we have the opportunity to teach her the foundational skills she will use for her current class and for the rest of her academic career. For every student, we focus on the foundations they’ll need not just to do well in one course, but to be prepared down the line as well.
There are many educators and school district administrators working tirelessly to close academic achievement gaps every day, and we all share the common belief that every student deserves the same educational opportunities. As an organization, our priority is to provide students from all communities with additional and affordable support they need to thrive.
By Tailored Tutoring’s Writing Staff


Education is one of the most effective agents of change in society. When a child is able to go to school today, he or she sets off a cycle of positive change. But, thousands of children in India lack access to education and can’t even write their own names. Moreover, underprivileged children between the ages of 11 to 14 years are hugely vulnerable to dropping out of schools. An educated child stays away from an early marriage and is empowered to stand up against exploitation. As children grow, they are able to make better choices for themselves and influence the communities they live in. This transforms their present life and ensures a secure future for them.
But even today, one of the major problems is rampant illiteracy in India. The literacy rate in the country stands at 74.04% (according to the National Census, 2011). When it comes to children, the effects of illiteracy are manifold.
While the goal of universal elementary education is a long way from being achieved, and affects the condition of education for children, even adult illiteracy has effects on them. Statistics have shown that children of uneducated mothers are more prone to problems like malnutrition and anaemia. Illiterate adults are also less likely to send their children to school. Education is, in all probability, the most influential tool required to break the vicious intergenerational cycle of abuse, malnutrition, poverty and oppression. Literacy thus requires a lot of attention.
In addition to this, about 35% children in India with disabilities remain out of Elementary school (District Information System for Education – DISE, 2011-12) and the National Dropout Rate at the Elementary Level is over 40% (DISE, 2011-12).
Despite the Right to Education (RTE) Act coming into force in 2010, access to education for every child remains a huge concern in the country. The following are statistics that portray the seriousness of the situation:
- 1 in 4 children of school-going age is out of school in our country – 99 million children in total have dropped out of school (Census 2011)
- Out of every 100 children, only 32 children finish their school education age-appropriately (District Information System for Education (DISE) 2014-15)
- Only 2% of the schools offer complete school education from Class 1 to Class 12 (District Information System for Education (DISE) 2014-15)
- There are 10.13 million child labourers between 5-14 years in India (Census 2011)
- India has 33 million working children between the ages of 5-18 years. In parts of the country, more than half the child population is engaged in labour (Census 2011)
- 42% of married women in India were married as children (District Information System for Education (DISE 3)
- 1 in every 3 child brides in the world is a girl in India (UNICEF)
- India has more than 45 lakh girls under 15 years of age who are married with children. Out of these, 70% of the girls have 2 children (Census 2011)
Unless these underlying causes are dealt with, the situation for children will not change. CRY, along with its partner organisations are working at the grassroots level to make sure that children do not have to face these barriers and can fully exercise their right to education.
Donate now so that children can enjoy a future full of opportunities because of the quality education they receive today.


If your child has mastered foundational listening and spoken language skills and is good at early reading comprehension, it’s time to take the task away from parent/teacher/therapist-read stories and to give the child tools for independent reading and comprehension of more complex written information.
Before I get to the meat of this post, I cannot reiterate enough how important it is to have a strong foundation in basic skills. Regardless of chronological age, or the grade-level appropriateness of this kind of task, if the child does not have the vocabulary, memory, decoding, and other skills that form the basis of reading comprehension, you are going to run into a lot of frustration trying to teach more advanced skills. Throw out the numbers, swallow your pride, forget any hang-ups about what the child “should” be doing, and give him the gift of solid skills, not fluffed-up abilities that fall flat when it counts. Ouch. It’s tough. But sometimes necessary.
Okay. Ready for the tips?
It’s all about attack skills. A page full of text can be intimidating until you know how to break it down. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. Some attack skills include:
Prediction. Look at the title and any illustrations. What do you expect to read in this story? What do you know about the subject?
Circle It. Do you see any words or phrases that you don’t understand? Circle them and look them up or ask someone.
Break It Down. If you see a new word or phrase, break it up into parts. Can you figure out pieces to guess what it means?
Main Idea. Highlight the main idea of each paragraph. Write it in your own words.
Summarize. Re-write what you’ve read in your own words.
Create Questions. Think of what kinds of questions a teacher could ask about this, and figure out the answers.
These skills require modeling and lots of practice. Once a child feels comfortable using these skills, she can determine which are most effective for her. The student will have a tool chest of attack skills on which she can rely in challenging situations.
For older children reading textbooks, one of my favorite techniques is the highlight/Post-It method. Go through each page, highlighting the most important information. Then, put a Post-It at the top of the page with bullet points of the “must-know” information. When studying or reviewing information, you can use the highlighted actual text if you have more time or breeze through the Post-Its if you’re in a pinch. Post-Its can also be removed and used as flashcards for studying.
Inferencing is another higher-level reading comprehension skills that is increasingly important for older readers. Inferencing requires using information that is read and combining it with knowledge of the world, emotional knowledge, and theory of mind to come to a conclusion that is not explicitly stated. On a very early level, an inferencing question could sound like, “Devon was getting ready for school. He looked out the window, and then went back to the closet to get an umbrella. What do you think Devon saw?” and go all the way up to discussions of characters’ motives or the societal trends underlying events in history. The way to get from simple inferencing to more complex inferencing is to practice, practice, practice. When adults “think aloud” and model the thought process that leads to inferencing, children have a framework of how to do this by themselves.
When we take the time to teach students these techniques — through modeling, guided trials, and lots and lots of practice, we give them the skill set they need to tackle complex assignments.
It is my philosophy that classroom accommodations and curriculum modifications should be used sparingly, only when they are absolutely necessary. If solid foundational skills and the techniques above are still not enough to help your student with hearing loss improve his/her reading comprehension skills to a level that makes the curriculum accessible, the following modifications may be considered:
Ask for a second set of textbooks to keep at home for extra review and reading with a parent or tutor.
Ask for assignments in advance, so that the student can pre-read and make notes.
Consider the possible presence of additional learning disabilities. Just because a child has a hearing loss does not mean that he can’t have other issues, like learning disabilities. A comprehensive assessment with an educational psychologist can yield valuable information on ways to serve twice-exceptional students.


By Mary Zentara, Forest Preschool Director & Co-Teacher
Article from the winter edition of our “Field Marks” newsletter
When you take a walk at North Branch Nature Center, you’re bound to hear bird calls and the burble of our namesake river. But just as importantly, your ears will also be delighted by murmurs of wonder and shrieks of excitement — the audible field marks of children playing and learning together outdoors.
Across our country, and even here in Vermont, today’s children spend drastically less time outside than their parents or grandparents did. Decades of research (by pediatric occupational therapist Angela Hanscom, journalist Richard Louv, and others) shows that this trend away from nature has a significant negative impact on childhood development. As part of an effort to bring early childhood learning back into nature, NBNC Education Director Amy Butler looked to the Forest Kindergartens established in Germany in the early 1990s. In 2012, our Forest Preschool (FPS) program was launched. Initially held one morning each week, the program grew each year.
In the fall of 2017, Forest Preschool blossomed into a full-time, licensed preschool program, STARS-recognized and prequalified to receive Act 166 Universal Preschool funds. Children ages 3.5 to 6 play with joy and vigor from September to June in the rain, snow, and mud, under the bright sun, and with the wind on their faces. And thanks to capital campaign donors, we have a cozy indoor classroom to support our outdoor learning.
In this first year as a full-time program, children developed resilience, confidence, empathy, and a love of nature and our place in it. Dressed in appropriate clothing for all seasons and weather, children embarked on a learning journey that took them to outer space, milkweed land, mud kitchen, outdoor science labs, back in time to the dinosaur age, and to the far reaches of the earth. They did so on space ships, pirate ships, and thundering hooves, traveling as pirates, scientists, baby birds, dinosaurs, and vast herds of speeding animals of all stripes.
At Forest Preschool, Vermont’s first preschool embedded within a nature center, healthy risk-taking is central to the curriculum, and our outdoor classroom is steeped in rich vocabulary, deep imaginative play, numbers, and direct (often mud-caked) learning that engages all the senses. We hold ample space for young learners to explore and experiment, allowing them to take the lead in their own learning. Students are supported in being who they are and feeling the full range of their human emotions in the company of a caring learning community.
In Forest Preschool, we cultivate lifelong learners, encouraging a sense of self, community, and place in the context of nature. Some, like Richard Louv, say this is each child’s birthright. The Forest Preschool teachers are thrilled to have begun yet another year of chemistry in the mud kitchen, “hydraulic jack hammering” in the forest, building and insulating animal homes using sticks and white pine needles, flights to outer space on our maple log spaceship, rich conversations about life cycles, and countless other opportunities to play, learn, and grow together outdoors.


Each April, Jazz Appreciation Month (JAM) shines a spotlight on jazz music as both an historical and a living treasure. The special month aims to draw greater public attention to the extraordinary heritage of jazz and its importance to American culture.
The Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History created JAM in 2002. In 2015 JAM celebrates the 100th birthday of composer Billy Strayhorn. The 2015 poster is based on a portrait of Strayhorn by artist Keith Henry Brown and depicts Stayhorn at the piano. In addition, the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra will host a concert on April 11th called “Lush Life: Billy Strayhorn’s Centennial.” The Smithsonian will also present information about Strayhorn’s remarkable career.
Strayhorn’s compositions include: “Chelsea Bridge,” “Day Dream,” “Johnny Come Lately,” “Rain Check,” and “Clementine.” The pieces most frequently played are Ellington’s theme song, “Take the A Train,” and Ellington’s signatory, “Lotus Blossom.”
He also collaborated with Ellington on a number of suites including: “Deep South Suite,” the “Shakespearean Suite” or “Such Sweet Thunder,” an arrangement of the “The Nutcracker Suite,” and the “Peer Gynt Suite.” He and Ellington also composed the “Queen’s Suite,” and gave the only pressing during Ellington’s lifetime to Queen Elizabeth II of England.
In April, visit the Smithsonian Jazz’s new Facebook page to request a copy of the 2015 poster and for other JAM news. Visit the JAM website for more information on Strayhorn, jazz oral histories, a calendar of events, a variety of educational materials, and the feature, “This Day in Jazz.”
NAfME Partners with Jazz at Lincoln Center
Jazz is defined by collaboration, and the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) is collaborating with Jazz at Lincoln Center to bring jazz resources to NAfME members. Jazz at Lincoln Center (JALC) produces a year-round schedule of performance, education, and broadcast events for audiences of all ages. Jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis is the JALC artistic director.
In 2014, NAfME and JALC formed a strategic partnership to provide NAfME members with education resources to enhance their ability to teach jazz and to better understand the importance of jazz as part of our collective history.
The first of those resources, Jazz Fundamentals from Lincoln Center are available on the NAfME website. There are a variety of educational resources on the JALC website as well.
- JALC curator Phil Schaap offers an eight-part series on the origins of jazz.
- Alto saxophonist Ted Nash shows ways to build an enjoyable and personalized practice routine.
JALC also offers other educational videos. Topics include:
- Practice techniques on the trumpet
- Playing scales using a metronome
- Getting to know your instrument
It’s Not Just for April:
NAfME Offers Jazz Resources Throughout the Year
NAfME believes in the importance of the study of jazz, and its Council for Jazz Education supports NAfME members and the jazz community by serving as an important resource to improve the quality of teaching and research in jazz education at all levels.
From 7-8 PM on Tuesday April 14, the Council will present a webinar, Building your Jazz Program from the Ground Up by David Kauffman, Fine Arts Coordinator for Allegany County, Maryland.
The session will look at challenges associated with establishing or improving an instrumental jazz program in underserved areas.
Topics will include: scheduling, setting realistic expectations and goals, equipment demands, music selection, listening, improvisation, skill development, working with your administration, and creating performance opportunities for your group.
The Council for Jazz Education is one of NAfME’s two Societies and 14 Councils that serve various NAfME constituencies.
Richard Victor chairs the council. A high school band director and coordinator of music for the State College Area School District, he began teaching at State College in 1975 and served as coordinator of music from 1988 until his retirement in 2011.
Roz Fehr, NAfME Communications Content Developer, March 12, 2015. © National Association for Music Education (NAfME.org).


Not offered in 2019
This subject will engage students in a critical review of current empirical research in the area of reading difficulties, dyslexia, language and other communication disorders. Impact and likely causes of learning difficulties in the basic academic areas of reading, spelling, mathematics and comprehension will be explored. Effective instruction in the systematic, direct and explicit teaching of reading will be addressed. Specific communication difficulties associated with autism, cerebral palsy and intellectual disability will be examined. Assessment of communication difficulties and evaluation of a range of educational strategies will be considered. Interventions including alternate communication strategies and other technology based solutions will be reviewed and critically evaluated in light of evidence-based practice.
Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.
Learning outcomes and graduate attributes
|On completion of this unit, students should be able to:||GA1||GA2||GA3||GA4||GA5||GA6||GA7|
|1||Understand how specific or persistent difficulties in reading impedes the development of age appropriate comprehension, writing and spelling skills and its impact on social inclusion.||Cultural competence|
|2||Consider the research and identify effective teaching strategies to improve reading numeracy, and comprehension.||Knowledge of a discipline|
|3||Describe the rationale of assessing speech, language and communication needs in the early childhood settings.||Knowledge of a discipline|
|4||Implement a systematic, direct and explicit phonics instruction program for a student who is experiencing difficulties in learning to read.||Knowledge of a discipline|
|5||Understand the wide range of characteristics of students on the Autism Spectrum, students with cerebral palsy and students with intellectual disability.||Cultural competence|
|6||Design a range of strategies which address the needs of students on the Autism Spectrum in the areas of language,cognitive development and communication skills.||Cultural competence|
|7||Identify appropriate adaptive technology that will provide enhanced access and participation to the curriculum for students with additional needs in literacy and communication.||Knowledge of a discipline|
Teaching and assessment
Commonwealth Supported courses
For information regarding Student Contribution Amounts please visit the Student Contribution Amounts.
Commencing 2019 Commonwealth Supported only. Student contribution band: 1
Please check the international course and fee list to determine the relevant fees.


From the Publisher: Explaining the why, what, and how of music teaching-for musicians who want to explore teaching as a career. Musician and Teacher blends traditional music education with innovative curricular and educational changes currently taking place in the field. Designed for the first course in music education, Musician and Teacher surveys the theoretical, philosophical, historical, social, and psychological foundations of teaching music and pays tribute to the local and global realms of music teaching and learning.
Synopsis: This handy and thorough guide is designed to help the independent piano teacher in all aspects of running his/her own studio. Whether it be business practices such as payment plans, taxes, and marketing, or teaching tips involving technique, composition, or sight reading, this all-inclusive manual has it all!


On July 20, 2019, IRCN held the event, “How Do Children Learn Language? -Q&A Session on Infant Language Acquisition- ” by Sho Tsuji, Principal Investigator of IRCN at RYOZAN PARK PRESCHOOL, a bilingual nursery in Tokyo.
First of all, Dr. Tsuji explained about “Early Age Language Acquisition”. Babies are able to identify the characteristics of their mother tongue just after birth and they have ability to adapt themselves and choose what is important in their environment to learn their native language effectively.
Second part of the lecture was about “6 Principles – How to Support Language Acquisition.” The six principles are: “Frequency (Number of Words Heard)”, “Baby’s Interest (Joint Attention)”, “Contingency (Reaction from Parents)”, “Meaningfulness (Increasing Coherence)”, “Diversity” and “Reciprocity (Different Levels of Language).”
In this lecture, Dr. Tsuji told that it is important to “talk a lot” to babies because the number of words the babies know is correlated with the number of words heard (“Frequency”), to have joint attention, for instance looking in the same direction as babies (“Interest”), and to react to babies’ actions at the right time (“Contingency”).
The third part of the lecture was about “Bilingualism.” The 40 participants, mostly parents, were very much interested in whether bilingualism makes their babies/children smarter. The answer from Dr. Tsuji was that not only early multiple language learning but also other early enrichments like early music education can improve cognitive skills, for instance, flexible switching between tasks.
At the Q&A session, Dr. Tsuji explored the answer to the question from a parent, “Screens for babies - yes or no?” Babies up to two years of age do not learn from watching screens, but by watching together and talking about the content of the screen the situation can be improved, since it will increase contingency. In the future, interactive applications that react properly to the babies might be developed.
Thank you for your interest and participation!
The IRCN Babylab lead by Dr. Tsuji, is now recruiting babies from 0 months to 2 years of age who can participate in their research. If you are interested, please sign up below!


RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
If you always do what you always did, you will always get what you always got
Curiosity, passion to discover new paths, commitment and social impact. Explore how music and sound can improve education and contribute to develop different skills or abilities; how to achieve greater narrative and emotional impact through audiovisual and multimedia productions; or how to help in the area of physical and psychological well-being through music and sound. This has led me to participate in R & D projects in the field of music technology, such as Flamenco Home Studio, or to start my own projects, both in the fields of creation and education. Projects such as Music and Talent, a music school whose goal is not to teach music, but to use music as a resource to develop different skills in children from 3 to 11 years. Or Unconscious Listening, a research project funded by the BBVA Foundation that focuses on how to take advantage of the emotional impact that, music and sound from different media and video games, have on children to improve their learning.
- Cuadrado, F. (2018). Touch the Sound: Design and Development of a Tangible System for Sound Experimentation. Journal of the Audio Engineering Society, vol 66, no 6, pp 478-485. DOI:10.17743/jaes.2018.0032
- Cuadrado, F. (2018). Music and Talent: an experimental project for personal development and well-being through music. International Journal of Music Education. DOI:10.1177/0255761418794720
- Cuadrado, F., López-Cobo, I. Valverde, B., Varona, D. (2017). Musicalizatech: a collaborative music production project for secondary and high school students. Journal of Music, Technology and Education, vol 10, n1 pp 93-126. Reino Unido: Intellectbooks. DOI: 10.1386/jmte.10.1.93_1
- Cuadrado, F. (2017). Del audio digital al audio virtual. Nuevas tendencias en la creación musical propiciadas por las nuevas tecnologías, Telos Cuadernos de Comunicación e Innovación, num. 106, pp 63-71. Madrid, Fundación Telefónica.
- Cuadrado, F. (2016). Enseñar a través de la música. Formación docente en el grado de primaria. Eufonía. Didáctica de la Música, num. 069. Barcelona, Graó
- Cuadrado Méndez, Francisco José (2015). The use of sequencer tools during the composition process – a field study. Journal of Music, Technology and Education, vol 8, n1 pp 55-70. Reino Unido: Intellectbooks. DOI:10.1386/jmte.8.1.55_1
My teaching career has always been developed in the field of professional, university and postgraduate training. I have been a teacher of subjects always related to music, sound and technology: symphonic music recording techniques, film music, music production, sound postproduction, mixing and mastering, music education and teaching and technology in education. I’ve been professor at University of Seville, University Ramón Lull (Barcelona), University of Quilmes (Argentina), CEV, ESAMA and Andalusian School of Cinematography, among others.
Currently I am Associate Dean in Social and Human Sciences at Universidad Loyola Andalucía (Seville, Spain), Professor and Researcher in the Department of Communication and Education and Coordinator of Musical activities at this same University.
I have also participated as a speaker at various conferences, seminars and events with lectures focused on different aspects related to my research and teaching activity:
- “Lead your business like an orchestra”
- “Music and Talent”
- “Positive Education through music”
- “Sound designing emotions”
- “Do we cheat the spectators? The influence of sound design on the perception of the audience”
The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery
Mark van Doren


Artificial intelligence often brings to mind thoughts of robots performing mundane household tasks or acting as opponents in chess games. The movie industry, meanwhile, imagines a world where artificial intelligence takes over the planet and destroys human existence.
While it is easy see a place for artificial intelligence (AI) in applications that require logic, mathematics and pattern recognition, the received wisdom is that it does not have a place in creative pursuits. The arts are reserved for the human experience of creating art, music and dance as an outward expression of emotion. At least, this is what people once believed – until new developments in AI started to prove that this theory might not be true.
In their most basic form, musical compositions are a series of algorithms combining patterns and chords. With enough creativity, programmers should be able to write the code that teaches computers how to compose music. In fact, a few companies have already created AIs capable of composing music.
Aiva Technologies, the creator of AIVA (Artificial Intelligence Virtual Artist), is one the leading startups in AI music composition. Its technology composes classical music compositions used by advertising agencies, film directors and game studios. AIVA is a set of neural networks programmed to study the fundamentals of music theory, as well as a vast library of classical music by composers such as Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven. With all of this information, AIVA creates new musical compositions in a matter of minutes.
Jukedeck is another start-up creating an advanced neural network capable of complex music composition. The artificial intelligence studies a wide variety of musical compositions and learns to predict note and chord patterns. Although Jukedeck acknowledges its AI still has a lot of learning to do, its results show a level of growth humans could only hope to experience within two short years. The company believes its AI composer will one day be as good as any human.
Artificial intelligence is revolutionising the way musicians learn and create music – how society thinks about art and the creative process
Although it may take a few more years for artificial intelligence to truly master the art of music composition, AI has already transformed the world of music education. Before artificial intelligence applications, learning a new instrument without the assistance of a teacher was extraordinarily difficult. Budding musicians could get a book or video and learn to make a sound and play some notes. They could not, however, get any feedback about their performance. Without a teacher, the musician never knew if something was wrong or how it could be improved.
Today, however, musicians use AI applications to teach and provide instant feedback about their performance. The artificial intelligence analyses the sound and provides feedback on factors such as tone, timing and correct notes, with a variety apps available for desktop computers and mobile devices.
Most of the applications available are for either piano or guitar. SimplyPiano, Yousician, and Piano Maestro all provide customised piano lessons with real-time feedback to students. The Ultimate Picking Program was developed by Allen Van Wert, who is known as one of the world’s fastest guitar pickers. He wanted to develop a program that would help him and other guitarists to specifically improve their picking technique. Yousician also has lessons available for the bass guitar and ukulele, but for now musicians have to wait for AI programs that teach other instruments.
So far, AI is not replacing the artistry and creativity of songwriters, producers, composers, and musicians. Artificial intelligence is, however, revolutionising the way musicians learn and create music – and the way society thinks about art and the creative process.
Grahame Ferguson is director HeadphoneDisco.com, which has brought its silent disco shows to Creamfields, Wychwood Festival, Firefly Music Festival, Glastonbury Festival, Bestival, End of the Road, Download and more.


By Teachers, For Teachers
There is no mistaking that digital tablets, iPads, and other items of technology in the classroom are a hugely popular trend among children. The technology is so prevalent that schools have begun implementing unbelievable amounts of electronic items to meet the needs of technology in the classroom. Beyond the fact that students love tablets and they keep the students engaged, these items save schools money by combining books, calculators, and word processors, all into one handy device. Not to mention that the easy-to-use interface makes it simple for even the youngest children to manipulate. However, many teachers who get the opportunity to have such technology in the classroom are unsure of how to utilize it. Here we will take a brief look at a few ways teachers can use digital tablets and iPads in their classroom.
Long gone are the days where students were unable to experience visiting another state or country. Technology makes it so that students can afford to go virtually anywhere that they want! Teachers can utilize the Skype app and take students to Yellowstone National Park, or connect students with someone from another country to learn about their customs and give them a tour of their village.
The Notability app is a great app in which students can take handwritten notes, play back their notes with the audio feature, and import slides or anything they want. Evernote is another note-taking app that allows you to take and keep notes and clippings and access them from anywhere.
There are numerous ways that a digital tablet can assist students with special needs. There are apps that can assist students with speaking or who have trouble understanding social situations. There are also apps to help students communicate emotions or help with conditions like Dyslexia.
Digital tablets are great for posting and turning in assignments. Apps such as Dropbox allow students to learn about their homework assignments, as well as turn them in. The teacher can grade the assignment and return it to the Dropbox in a matter of minutes.
iPads and tablets can improve student presentations. Students can create engaging presentations though apps like Snapguide or ScreenChomp. These apps are great for students to create simple, how-to presentations. They allow students to include text, video, pictures, you name it.
You will never look at graphic organizers the same again. Digital graphic organizers are a fun way to get kids brainstorming. Apps such as iBrainstorm and Skitch have redefined the way students brainstorm ideas. Students can create mind maps which is ideal for projects or even any writing piece. Students can think it, then share it with just the tap of their finger.
Social studies has never been so much fun. With a digital tablet, students can navigate through the world with Google Earth or Wikimapia. They can learn about different countries, look at the solar system, and even map out basic traveling routes.
Technology has made it easy on teachers so they can have their grade book, attendance chart, and student behavior chart all in one simple place. Teacherkit is an app that you can enter your seating chart, take attendance, use as a gradebook, and monitor students’ behavior.
With the Common Core State Standards being implemented across the globe, teachers may find it much easier with an app. The Common Core Standards app has the standards organized by grade level, which makes it very easy to search. There are also many other apps that help teachers with their lesson planning, such as Planboard, which helps teachers find resources, share lessons, and collaborate with other teachers.
Digital tablets allow students and teachers to communicate better. Apps like Edmodo, which is virtually a social media platform, facilitate communication between teachers and students where they can hold discussions, post and turn in assignments, and have class discussions and debates. It also has grading and lesson planning features as well.
As schools start implementing digital tablets more readily, educators are finding that there’s basically an app for just about anything. The excitement from students when they hear that they are going to learn on a tablet can fill a football stadium. The capabilities of tablets are endless, and this easy-to-use technology is here to stay.
Do you have a digital tablet or iPad in your classroom? How do you use it in your class? Please share your thoughts in the comment section below. We would love to hear your ideas.
Janelle Cox is an education writer who uses her experience and knowledge to provide creative and original writing in the field of education. Janelle holds a master's of science in education from the State University of New York College at Buffalo. She is also the elementary education expert for About.com, as well as a contributing writer to TeachHUB.com and TeachHUB Magazine. You can follow her at Twitter @Empoweringk6ed, on Facebook at Empowering K6 Educators, or visit her website at Empoweringk6educators.