Steve Spangler Science Kits make hands-on science fun for kids. We recently received our first monthly Spanger Science Club box, called Kitchen Concoctions, for review. As you probably guessed, all these cool science experiments take place in the kitchen!
Our Kitchen Concoctions kit included Science Club Items needed to complete each experiment. My kids thought the most exciting items in our box were the super cool Safety glasses, a graduated plastic cylinder and fizzer tablets.
The kit also comes with two helpful booklets – one for the Adult Helper that explains how to help kids perform the fun science experiments and a Lab Report booklet for the kids with step-by-step instructions, plus helpful full-color photos.
I really liked that at the top of each experiment was a “Tick Tock!” box that tells you approximately how long each experiment will take. Five of the Kitchen Concoctions experiments take 15 minutes or less (each) and a sixth experiment takes about 40 minutes.
The Kitchen Concoctions experiments need a few things that you probably already have in your kitchen. It is mostly simple stuff like Water, Honey, Milk, and spoons. The only thing I didn’t have on hand was 2-3 Red Cabbage leaves for one of the longer experiments.
We started off with two really cool science experiments: Dancing Raisins and Density Review. My son really wanted to use the graduated cylinder and the fizzy tablets — so those are the ones we picked to try first. I read the directions while he poured in the ingredients and made his scientific observations about what was happening.
Simple science experiments are a great way to spend time with your child. Both of us end up learning something, and having a great time doing it.
The coolest part was that after we were finished with the Density Review experiment, my son did not want to clean out the graduated cylinder until after he had the chance to show it to his dad. So, we left it out on the counter until dad got home a few hours later.
I overheard my son telling his dad step-by-step what we had done in the experiment, and he even remembered the right vocabulary words (like density and buoyancy.) He really was paying attention to everything I was saying — which was reading exactly what was in the Steve Spangler science kit booklets.
The Spangler Science Club STEM kits are hands-on science activities for kids that come in the mail once a month. There are three levels of kits geared towards students ages 7-14 years old. Younger kids will need an adult helper, but older kids can be self-guided through the experiments.
Are you ready to make STEM fun with the coolest science experiments?
Join the Spangler Science Club! Sign up in February and take advantage of a special affilates offer to save 40% Off Your First Steve Spangler Science Box *(STEM Deluxe Plan Only)
Monthly STEM Boxes start at just $9.99 per month. Simply pick your plan, receive your box, and you’re all set to do cool science experiments like the ones we did.
*Please note that the 40% off coupon code is valid for the $29.99 STEM Deluxe (the original club kit). It doesn’t apply to the two lower tier clubs (STEMsnack and STEMlab). It also needs to be for a 3-month or 12-month subscription.
Fun Science For Kids This Month at Steve Spangler!
Valentine’s Day Science
Do you want to make some really cool and unique Valentines for schoolmates, friends, and teachers?
- Valentine’s Day Science Kit
- Magic Color Changing Flowers
- Fortune Telling Fish
- Hand Boiler
- Heat Sensitive Paper-100 Pack of Magenta
- Candy Chemistry
St. Patrick’s Day Science
We never miss an opportunity to teach a little science… even on St. Patrick’s Day. From Leprechaun traps, to green water, to Leprechaun eggs, we know how to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at the Spangler Science offices.
- Leprechaun Science Kit
- Fireworks Rainbow Glasses – 15 Pack
- Rainbow Peepholes
- Rainbow Wand Kit
- Green Fizzers – Color Changing Tablets
Keep up with the latest coupons, special offers and promo codes for Monthly Subscription Boxes For Kids at my other blog post, The Ultimate Guide to Monthly Subscription Boxes For Kids.


How can music therapy help improve elders with dementia?
- Recollection of happy memories
- Improved mood
- More self-control
- Helps manage pain
- Peak interest
- Encourage them to become vocal again
- Encourages social interaction
Having an elder with dementia is one of the hardest things that a family can go through. This condition causes seniors to lose memories of the people around them, as well as who they are. This is difficult for family and friends for many reasons, primarily due to the face that a person they love can no longer recall who they are.
However, all is not lost. Music therapy is often used to help bring at least some memories back. Even dementia caregivers in Chicago attest to the benefits the music therapy can bring.
Music and Dementia
Music therapy is the use of music to evoke memories, sensations, and feelings in a patient. This type of therapy has shown to be particularly effective in older adults with dementia. Kimmo Lehtonen, PhD, professor of education at the University of Turku in Finland, often uses wartime songs to help evoke lively memories in the minds of older adults. This is because music can latch on to memories and unconscious emotions. These can be accessed when the musical movements of that time are heard again. For patients with dementia, music is a way for them to remember who they once were.
In music therapy sessions, elders can express themselves individually to a psychiatrist or as a group to each other about the feelings and memories they experience again when they hear certain music. These sessions can also involves elders listening to live performances or interact and help musicians to create music. All of these also help to improve the quality of senior life. More importantly, these kinds of sessions empower the elderly to step out of their isolation.
Essentially, music allows elders to be more active physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially which improves their quality of life. This type of therapy has been shown to improve physical and mental factors in a senior, including:
- Recalled memories
- Positive moods
- Improved self-control
- Pain and discomfort management
- Interest and mental stimulation
- Vocal fluency
- Continuous and rhythmic movement
- Social interaction
How Sound Can Bring Back Memories
When those with dementia have no means to communicate, music is a great way to interpret their literally-unspeakable words. This is good news for their loved ones because the inability to understand the yearning of a dementia patient for basic needs and understanding can push them further into isolation. By subjecting them to music therapy, it will encourage them to speak up especially since singing enables dialogue. Listening and making music – if the elder was a musician – can reemploy cognitive skills lost in dementia.
In addition, many programs are available for those looking to learn how to make music at a late age. These are offered by music education venues and private teachers.
It is also a great avenue for therapists to reach deep down to the soul of their patients and it is said to be the most engaging stimuli for elders. With the strong effect of music on thinking and moods, certain songs remind people of memories because of the feelings that went along with the song and which memory they relate the most to it. This is what allows trained therapists to help their patients because they know exactly how to stimulate them. These therapists do this by making them hear music that brings them back to the happiest times in their lives. This brings out the happiest version of themselves in their present bodies.
Music is a gateway to the lost memories of a patient with dementia. When these memories are accessed, elders can make their way back to their original selves. Some experts say that music can also prevent dementia from affecting people in the first place. Consider music therapy sessions for your elder for the sake of their health.


Classroom Assessment in U.S. High School Band Programs: Methods, Purposes, and Influences
Kancianic, Phillip M
McCarthy, Marie F
Hewitt, Michael P
MetadataShow full item record
The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships among characteristics of high school band directors and their school settings, purposes and uses of classroom assessment methods, and factors that influence the use of classroom assessment. MENC: The National Association for Music Education provided a membership list from which 2,000 U.S. high school band directors were selected by simple random sampling. Participants received a postcard via mail inviting them to complete an online survey. Non-respondents received a second postcard two weeks later and a paper version of the survey four weeks later. The independent variables included 11 personal and 11 school characteristics. The dependent variables included 23 assessment methods, 19 purposes of assessment, and 23 factors that influence the use of classroom assessment. The overall survey return rate was 39.75% (N = 795); the usable response was 31.7% (N = 634). Descriptive statistics illustrated the respondents' use of classroom assessment methods, the level of importance they attributed to purposes of assessment, and the level of influence they attributed to factors that affect assessment. Pearson product-moment correlations and multiple analyses of variance were performed on the data to test 22 null hypotheses. Excepting the MANOVAs (α = .05), the experimentwise alpha was set at .01 to reduce the risk of Type I error. Classroom assessments focused primarily on the evaluation of student performance skills. Lack of time was viewed as a major impediment to assessment. Teachers were more influenced by internal factors (e.g., philosophy of education and class goals) than by external factors (e.g., school requirements and local, state, or national standards). Music colleagues were influential among less-experienced teachers and those who had district-wide assessment training. Three prevalent issues emerged from the results: teacher autonomy, the role of assessment training, and teacher workload. Recommendations included investigating the relationship between teacher autonomy and classroom assessment, examining and improving current assessment training for pre-service and in-service teachers, and developing efficient assessment strategies that have a minimal impact on teacher workload. It was also recommended that the many non-statistically significant findings be examined by future researchers.


Although the word terrorism lacks a legally binding, criminal law definition but the term is generally defined as the systematic use of terror especially as means of coercion in the international community. Other common definitions of Terrorism refer only to those violent acts which are intended to create fear (terror) and deliberately target civilians.
Popularized by former USA president George W. Bush the term “War on Terror” finds its roots in the September 11th 2001 attacks on USA after which USA in Coalition with United Kingdom and NATO launched a global campaign against jihadist elements with the prime focus on Al-Qaeda.
A war breaks out when a compilation of reasons agitates another party into fighting back yet the insular views of the retaliator can sometimes work as a catalyst of war. In today’s world our war is against terrorism which has its reasons and roots so strong that it motivated a group of people sitting 11000 kilometers away to declare war against a country and the people of that country who they hardly knew about but considered as oppressors and bringers of hardship on themselves.
11 years of constant fighting has clearly revealed to the world that terrorism cannot be gunned down as suppression generates more aggression, hate and dislike towards a culture that is clearly misunderstood. Going back to the drawing board and sketching out a new policy looks hard especially when it involves listening to what the other party has to say and appreciate our differences, when it involves not only appreciating the differences but accepting them, honoring them and sincerely trying to find a mutual way forward despite the differences. It is hard when it involves pumping funds into economic and literacy development programs in far off countries rather than military research and weapons development but if done so these would be the first few step in the right direction.


Students from around the region, in the primary and high schools, sat for the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) tests from May 8 to 12.
With the Minister for Education’s announcement for Stronger Higher School Certificate (HSC) Standards reforms in July 2016, this year’s test have a different meaning for year nine students.
The NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) has explained that students who do not attain the HSC minimum standard in NAPLAN by the time they leave school will receive a record of school achievement rather than a HSC.
Under the changes, students in year nine must reach a minimum standard of band eight to achieve their HSC in year 12.
After year nine, students under the minimum standard who want to graduate with their HSC will be provided ongoing literacy and numeracy online testing and teacher support in years 10, 11 and 12.
Students will have multiple opportunities to demonstrate they meet the standard, between year nine and the time they reach year 12.
“We know students learn at different rates and NESA expects that the majority of students will be sitting at least one of the new, short, online reading, writing and numeracy tests in years 10, 11 or 12,” a NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) spokesperson said.
“The HSC minimum standard of literacy and numeracy is being introduced to help ensure that students leave school with the basic literacy and numeracy skills fundamental for life, and are able to communicate ideas effectively in all of their HSC exams.”
Regardless of plans beyond school, students need adequate reading, writing and numeracy skills to make sure they can do things like compare discounted goods, write a job application and follow written instructions to operate equipment safely, NESA said.
NAPLAN, introduced in 2008, is a national assessment for all students in years three, five, seven and nine, as a measure for whether or not student are meeting educational outcomes in literacy and numeracy.


You probably remember Shirley Chisholm as the first black woman to go to congress and the first to run for president. But she was more than that; if you take a close look at her life, you’ll see that there was more to her than these achievements. Read on to learn more about this amazing woman.
1. Her Parents Were Immigrants.
Chisholm was born Shirley Anita St. Hill (Chisholm was her first husband’s last name) to immigrant parents. Her father (who was a factory worker) was from British Guiana while her mother (who was a seamstress and a domestic worker) was from Barbados. Because of certain circumstances in the family, Chisholm and her three sisters were sent to live to their grandmother in Barbados when they were small children. There, they were exposed to the country’s British-influenced educational system which, according to Chisholm, helped her develop her reading and writing skills.
2. Her Professor Encouraged Her To Create a Career In Politics.
While studying sociology in Brooklyn College, Chisholm became active in debating circles and even won prizes for her debating skills. She also became active in her community and joined city meetings, where she questioned civic leaders about the quality of government services that her predominantly African-American neighbors received. Her skills and passion eventually caught the eye of one of her professors, Louis Warsoff, who told Chisholm that she might want to consider working in politics because of her talent in debate and her powerful way of speaking.
3. She Created Her Own Social Club.
During her time in college, African-American students weren’t allowed to join social clubs. Because of this, Chisholm took it upon herself to create a special group for these students. She called this club “In Pursuit of the Highest In All” or “Ipothia” for short.
4. She Started Out As a Teacher.
After graduating with honors from Brooklyn College, Chisholm worked as a nursery school aide and a teacher in the morning and took classes in the evening to earn a master’s degree in elementary education. She later became the director of the Friends Day Nursery and the Hamilton-Madison Child Care Center and even worked as a consultant for the New York City Division of Day Care.
She remained a teacher even until her later years. After retiring from the Congress, she became a professor in Mount Holyoke College (where she taught women’s studies and political science) and a visiting professor at Spelman College.
5. She Loved To Volunteer.
Chiholm was busy with classes and other activities, yet she still took the time to donate her time to the causes that she believed in. She became an Urban League volunteer in college and, while she was working, she volunteered for various organizations such as the Democratic Women’s Workshop and the League of Women Voters.
6. She Was a Co-Founder Of Important Organizations.
During her time as a Congresswoman, Chisholm co-founded the National Women’s Political Caucus. When she retired from Congress, she co-founded the National Political Congress of Black Women.
Shirley Chisholm is remarkable because of her political achievements. However, she should also be remembered because of her desire for change in the modern times and her dedication to improving the lives of women.


We recently wrote about the importance of Music in Early Childhood. This week, we interviewed Nancy Nuttle, Director of Music Together Montgomery in Montgomery County, Maryland. Ms. Nuttle has a Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education, completed 15 successful years of general music instruction in Montgomery County Public Schools, and has sung professionally. We asked Ms. Nuttle to help us think about how Early Childhood educators can bring music into their classrooms.
Can you describe the Music Together teaching philosophy?
|Nancy Nuttle, Director, Music Together Montgomery|
The Music Together® philosophy is based on research that indicates all children are musical, meaning we are all born with some level of music aptitude just as we are all born with the aptitude for language acquisition. Our goal is to empower parents and primary caregivers to support a child's music development as they journey towards basic music competency in a playful, non-performance-oriented environment that is developmentally appropriate for children birth through 5.
Why do you think music is an important part of early childhood education?
Research indicates young children are wired for music-learning. Music-making is one of the human attributes that reside at the core of what makes us human. For this reason, we believe that the inclusion of music, for music's sake, is a birthright and should be an integral part of early learning.
What are some ways that early childhood general and special educators can bring music to their classrooms/weave music throughout the day?
Singing and music-making can easily be incorporated into a child's daily routine. Beginning and ending the day with ritual songs help children transition through their day. Providing opportunities for children to experiment with singing and instrument-play and exposing children to listening experiences that involve large movement respects a child's need to move and supports the spiral of exposure and experimentation that is so essential to the early childhood learning process.
Any specific activities you would recommend?
Music-learning, as with language-learning, in early childhood is all about adults modeling with children having the freedom to choose to participate. Singing songs without words allows children to have musical experiences without the distraction of language. Providing opportunities for older children to volunteer verse ideas during a song helps children feel invested in music-making and their ideas appreciated. Music-making experiences where adults model playing simple instruments, such as egg shakers, drums, and other child-friendly instruments, allow children to participate at whatever level is developmentally appropriate without performance expectations.
Music Together has developed a curriculum I feel is the gold standard regarding the inclusion of the entire school community, especially parents.
Any tips for creating music centers in early childhood classrooms?
Most preschools are set up with a block area, kitchen area, art area, and reading area. For children to have opportunities to discover, create, and explore music themselves they need a similar “music area” in their classrooms. A music area should contain equipment and manipulatives that support such explorations: simple age-appropriate instruments like rhythm sticks, egg shakers, small drums, and scarves, along with a recording device so music can be played. Recordings of different genres of music give children lots of "musical vitamins." Classical, jazz, folk music, world music, etc. are all great choices; don’t limit yourself to "kids" recordings! Songbooks that provide a visual representation of music allow children exposure to musical notation and serve as pre-literacy tools. Just as a child might "read" a book before they can actually read the words, they also "read" music, thus beginning the process of connecting notation to sound.
Where can educators find affordable materials?
Our voices and bodies should be the number-one source for music-making for young children. Kitchen utensils, recycled, child-friendly containers are a good source. Homemade instruments are the most affordable, of course! Music Together’s online store also sells a number of child-friendly instruments and materials, all tested and high quality. There are other online resources like West Music, Rhythm Band, Remo Inc. as well. When purchasing instruments for your classroom, investing in quality, kid-friendly instruments is worth it!
Any other resources you would recommend?
The Music Together website contains a wealth of information on music in a school setting. The three-day Music Together teacher training is accredited by many institutions for CEUs (continuing education units) towards teaching certificates in many states. We focus on how children develop musically and what adults need to do to support this natural process.
Any other points you would like to touch on?
Preschool teachers often feel unqualified to "teach" music. Quite simply, the joy of music-making should be modeled by all educational professionals working on a daily basis with young children regardless of the adult's skill level.
Read more about Music Together For Schools
Position Statement from NAFME
Position Statement from NAFME


Beyond Booked Up
This English project ignites pupils' interest in books and reading by introducing them to a range of the very best writing across a number of different formats.
Right to Read Campaign: Supporting literacy in the local authority
This Irish project aims to improve literacy levels throughout Ireland by providing a nationally coordinated framework for literacy support and development.
Buchstart Burgenland: mit Büchern wachsen/ Bookstart Burgenland: growing with books
This Austrian family literacy project aims to involve numerous families into vivid local and regional networks of reading and learning.
National Core Curriculum of Hungary
The National Core Curriculum is a curriculum framework that represents the highest level of content regulation in Hungarian public education.
National Assessment of Basic Competencies (National ABC)
This Hungarian project aims to measure the levels of literacy development in primary and secondary school students all over the country.


We are dedicated to bringing you high quality educational games, guides and printables that relate to core standards in elementary education. Follow us on facebook and twitter to get the latest updates and additions to the site. We hope you enjoy Fuel the Brain!
Letter Leap - Game
Help Billy the Bullfrog get to the other side by jumping on the correct lilly pads!
"Letter Leap" has been played 10,993 times.
Area Model for Division - Interactive
Number Operations, Problem Solving
Use this interactive tool to help understand and practice the area model for division.
"Area Model for Division" has been played 11,402 times.
Comparison Shoot Out! - Game
Kick the ball in the correct portion of the goal to score. 3 levels ranging from comparing whole numbers, comparing fractions up to eighths and comparing fractions up to hundredths.
"Comparison Shoot Out!" has been played 865,153 times.


80% of our huge country is still living in the rural area. Education is the most important factor that builds the foundation of the country’s future generation. It is also the key to a sustained economic growth.
Currently, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) is implemented as India’s main programme for universalizing elementary education. Its overall goals include universal access and retention, bridging of gender and social category gaps in education and enhancement of learning levels of children. SSA provides for a variety of interventions, including inter alia, opening of new schools and alternate schooling facilities, construction of schools and additional provisioning for teachers, periodic teacher training and academic resource support, textbooks and support for learning achievement. These provisions need to be aligned with the legally mandated norms and standards and free entitlements mandated by the RTE Act. Shift is one such organization which is working for similar causes.
But the statistics of the number of schools in Gujarat and Rajasthan according to the Shift campaign is quite alarming. In most of these regions schools run by the government are free but, without any aid or basic stationery goods.
Keeping in view this massive shortage of stationery supplies in schools, Shift is raising a huge concern and also making efforts to raise an amount as low as Rs 10/- per child, to buy these stuff.
In Gujarat, as many as 15,557 households in 779 villages of 26 districts were covered in the 2016 ASER. It revealed that enrolment rate of children in Gujarat villages was 97.6 per cent, against the national average of 97 per cent.
However, the attendance level of enrolled children has declined to 83 per cent in 2016 from 85.5 per cent in 2014.
Most of these kids inspite of being intelligent and enrolled in respective government schools are unable to pursue their studies due to lack of basic tools like pens, pencils, papers, chalk, erasers and black boards. Some of them rise up early morning and walk 8 to 10 miles to reach school. Attending school is the most tenacious job for these kids.
Not every family in the remote areas of Gujarat and Rajasthan can afford stationery as most of them survive with bare minimum necessities and need a drastic change in their living conditions.
Though the literacy rate in Rajasthan has increased in last few years but its overall literacy is way behind the national average.
According to the Elementary private schools are in rural areas as well. Of the five types of schools, primary schools create the largest groups. Across the state of Rajasthan there are a total of 109,189 schools. Of these 77,833 are government schools and 29,766 are private schools. There are only 1,590 unrecognized schools. Of the government schools, a majority of 72,954 are in rural locations.
Shift is trying to bring a shift in this downslide of education through it’s educational campaign and supply stationery items to all the kids in rural Gujarat and Rajasthan in a limited time span. We pledge to give our 100% towards promoting education in these areas.


Spring has sprung a seed study at our home and not only have we been reading tons of books about seeds, plants, stems, flowers, roots and fruits, we're making art with seeds! I know, crazy, right? Well, it turns out your little ones can have a lot of fun making art with seeds. All you need are a few things.
I'm not really a crafty person, but I'm learning to do more crafts with my babies. They love crafts! I have a 6 year old and a 3 year old. Crafts float their boats and so I'm going to show you a spring flower craft we just did this week! It turned out super cute!
It's March and of course, everyone thinks of rainbows! We had a lot of fun painting our rainbows with cotton balls. It is a little out of the ordinary to use cotton balls, but I'm trying to be more thoughtful of developing my preschooler's fine motor skills. This rainbow art I'm going to share with you today has a 3 fold objective: fine motor skill development, learning colors, and seasonal art!
We're finally finishing up our in-depth caterpillar/butterfly study and this is the last free download from the study! I loved making these butterfly exploration cards! They turned out to be useful in so many ways. You can download them for free at the bottom of my post! Enjoy!
We've been studying the butterfly life cycle out of curiosity and because it's spring here in the south. I made these cute little puppets with my preschooler today. They're super easy to make and I'm giving you the pieces as a free download!
One of the joys of homeschooling is that we can teach habit formation and virtues. “The habits of the child produce the character of the man.”- Charlotte Mason, Simply Charlotte Mason President's Day in February gives us a great opportunity to work on the character trait of honesty. The story of George Washington as a young boy and the cherry tree is a great story to support the honesty virtue and has been used throughout generations to teach this principle. So, in light of our first grade study of George Washington, President's Day and our four week habit training on honesty, I'm sharing with you some ideas and resources you too can use with your children!
How do you combine a cold weather animal craft with Valentine's Day? Make some kissy-face heart penguins! These turned out pretty cute! My 5 year old daughter actually helped me design these. I wanted the penguins to create a heart with their tummies when they stand together and it took several sketches, but we finally got it! Want to make one with your sweet babies? Keep reading.
Want to know what methods, curriculum and resources we use?
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Thank you for your support! ~The Lees


Teachers spend years learning their craft and subject matter. They practice under the instruction of master teachers and take an examination. If they pass, they are qualified to become certified or licensed. The amount of time it takes to become a teacher varies according to when a person begins college, where he attends college, whether or not he takes time off and what his educational status was before he began teacher training.
Teachers need to earn a bachelor's of arts or science degree from an accredited college or university. To teach in elementary school, they generally major in elementary education. Those who teach in middle school or secondary school major in the subject matter they want to teach; they also need to complete a teacher preparation program which can be a part of their bachelor's degree. Some states require teachers to earn a graduate degree, according to the Certification Map website. Student teaching for one semester is also required. After earning the degree and completing the student teaching program, aspiring teachers need to pass an examination to become certified.
The median number of months it takes to earn a bachelor's degree in education is 54, according to the "2008–09 Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study (B&B:08/09): First Look," as reported on the Inside Higher Ed website. Several factors affect how long it takes to earn a bachelor's degree. Students who enter college immediately after high school graduate in 51 months on average, compared with 80 months for those who delayed college for more than one year. Where students attend college makes a significant difference in how long it takes on average to graduate. Students who attend a private, nonprofit university graduate in 45 months on average; those who attend public university take 52 months; those who attend for-profit universities take an average of 57 months; and students who begin at a community college take 63 months to graduate.
If You Already Have a Bachelor's Degree
According to the National Center for Alternative Certification, almost all states have an alternative route for people who already have a bachelor's degree to become a teacher. The programs are designed for those who have a degree and often have had a successful career in another field. People using this method must demonstrate competency in their field, pass tests and undergo interviews. They take courses in educational theory and method. They student teach under the guidance of an established teacher, and their performance is then evaluated. This route generally takes one to two years, depending on the state and subject matter.
People with a bachelor's degree in another field sometimes choose to earn a Masters in Teaching degree. They take 30 or more hours of classes in education and in their field of study, followed by one semester of student teaching. People who have completed a bachelor's degree in education sometimes choose to earn a Masters in Education to have more opportunities. They choose from a variety of majors, including special education, technology and administration. For those who want or need to earn a master's degree, it's one or two more years of study.
- Photos.com/PhotoObjects.net/Getty Images


The rapid proliferation of digital screens in young kids' lives is raising complicated questions about how increasingly omnipresent digital experiences are shaping personal habits and behaviors. Still, many busy parents continue to use digital games on mobile devices to reliably keep young minds occupied and entertained.
Digital games are by no means essential for early childhood learning, but since kids do find them entrancing, many could benefit from well-crafted content that nurtures social skills and deepens their knowledge about the world around them.
Dinos Rule creates digital games for young learners that promote personal attributes like patience, stamina, and delayed gratification; while also encouraging parents to join in play and take more active roles in deciding when and how they should limit a child's access to digital screens.
Our approach is informed by mounting evidence from behavioral psychology and neuroscience about the benefits of open-ended play in early childhood. We work closely with parents of young learners and early-education specialists to build experiences that foster exploration skills and promote creative problem solving; that stimulate imaginations by requiring learners to participate in generating their own amusements rather than merely react to pre-determined outcomes.
Unlike games where players simply compete to win, our designs encourage kids to enjoy and value their own achievements by sharing their creations with caring adults.
And we do it in a safe way; without showing young minds advertising or tempting them with in-app purchases so kids can stay focused on hands-on active play and experiential learning.


Teaching Art: A Complete Guide for the Classroom
LEVEL: For grades preK–8
Teaching Art: A Complete Guide for the Classroom is an accessible and clearly written guide for integrating visual art into classroom practice. Revised and expanded from the author’s previous bestselling resource, Art & Illustration, Teaching Art incorporates new developments in art education. Throughout the book, you will find suggestions for extending and adapting art exercises to meet the needs of both your students and the curriculum.
This new edition includes:
? how to set up an art-friendly classroom
? how to teach drawing skills
? how to integrate art with core curricula
? how to use art and illustration as a companion to writing
? a chapter on art and assessment
? the basic art elements and principles
? colour mixing and colour theory
? strategies to encourage creativity and problem solving
? new chapters on sculpture, photography, video, multimedia, installation, and performance art
? featured artists and art teachers who share their best practices
? updated list of picture books, including several new children's books and illustrator
...and much more!
Teaching Art is written for classroom teachers, art education specialists, childcare workers, artists working in schools, parents who home-school their children, and school administrators. It can also be used as a university textbook for Education students. The book provides a framework for teaching art in a way that is integrated with regular classroom practice and mindful of current art curriculum outcomes. Although the book focuses on art for primary and middle-school students from pre-school to grade eight, Teaching Art is also useful to art specialists at the high-school level who are looking for new strategies or project ideas to add to their established secondary programs. (2010-02-24)
Specifications of Teaching Art: A Complete Guide for the Classroom
|Publisher||Portage & Main Press|
|Number Of Pages||336|
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This lab workbook for RS4K Focus On Elementary Biology lays the foundation for the scientific method by teaching kids to make careful observations. It has 10 experiments (one for each chapter of the textbook), including classification, a plant's need for light, the butterfly life cycle, and more. Each has sections to "Think about it," "Test it," think about "What did you discover," and answer "Why." Pages are perforated for easy tearing and reproducible for kids within a family. 70 pp.
Note: Real Science For Kids Pre-Level 1 has a new name and a new look! While you'll enjoy the same easy-to-teach and fun-to-learn curriculum as before, now it's called Focus On Elementary and is intended for grades K-4.
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Aria- Richard Rodriguez & Teaching Multilingual Children- Virginia Collier
When I first read Aria, I was sad. I was sad for the loss of closeness that Richard felt from his family, a separation from their closeness. As he went on to discuss how the conversations at the dinner table diminished and how "never-mind" (pg. 37) became a common saying from the children to the parents, I grew even sadder. I was sad for the loss he felt, his culture and attention to detail of language drifting away as he assimilated to the "public language of los gringos" (pg. 34). "We remained a loving family, but one greatly changed. No longer so close, no longer bound tight by the pleasing and troubling knowledge of our public separateness." (pg. 36).
*I do wonder if all children/parents feel this bond breaking as children grow older and become their own "public individual." (pg. 39).
As I read Collier's article I thought back to the multilingual programs in the schools I have worked in and the schools I went to. Most programs were taught the transitional method, noted by Collier to be the one of the least affective models. "To dismiss the home language in literacy development instantly places immigrant children at risk" (pg. 233). "Research states that first language literacy favorably influences subsequent second language literacy. Once a child becomes literate in the home language, literacy skills swiftly transfer to second language settings" (pg. 233). There seems to be enough concrete research out there that proves that it is just as important for ESL students to be proficient in their first language, as it is for them to be proficient in English. We need to give students the opportunity to become proficient in their first language (speaking and writing), and we can only do this by having teachers that are proficient in the language of their student. Often ESL students are in a classroom with a teacher who is not proficient in the students first language, and may not even speak the language at all. We call upon parents to help us with literacy of the first language, but often parents are not proficient either.
I was not an ESL student, though I struggled greatly with learning english. I am dyslexic and I understand how hard language/literacy learning is. I also know that a strong foundation for learning is important, I tell my math students everyday. When students come into 8th grade math but still have little understanding of what number sense is we cannot move on. A foundation for learning is important. If students are being taught a second language without being literate in their first language we are trying to build a high-rise building on a foundation of straw.


Consortium member Katie Paetz’s article entitled Ready, Set, Kaoss! was featured in the Fall 2011 issue of The TI:MES: A Publication of Technology for Music Education. Her article describes a grant-funded project in which she used technology including a kaossilator, kaoss pad, and other music technology with kindergarten students. More information, including full text of Katie’s article is available to TI:ME members at the Technology for Music Education website.
Katie found that young people treat the kaossilator as if it were any other type of classroom instrument!
For more information about Koassilators visit the Korg home page.


Please make sure you always have the most recent version of my products, I update my products all the time! I am a science teacher who is still in the classroom and every time I use one of my lesson plans, I think of new things to add! Please make sure you always have my latest version. Here’s how:
-On the TpT homepage, click on “MY TpT” (top right)
-Click on “MY PURCHASES”
-look for my product, if you see the words “NEWLY REVISED RE-DOWNLOAD” this means I have a newer, better version.. There is no need to re-purchase the product for the updates, simply click on that link and you’ll get the latest version! Thank you!!
Kids love learning about dinosaurs and fossils! Teach your students all about dinosaurs and the fossils they left behind with this fun hands-on science unit. See list of standards that can be addressed using this packet (below).
Contents of packet:
-Dinosaur Power Point, 11 slides. I project these onto my classroom whiteboard to facilitate discussion.
-student worksheets: What Dinosaurs Looked Like, Plant-eater/Meat-eater, How Tall Were the Dinos - bar graph,Producers/Consumers, Ocean Food Chain, Dino Food Chain
-Cool Dinosaur Facts - 5 slides to project onto whiteboard and discuss
-How Fossils are Formed -Student Worksheet
-Fossil Scavenger Hunt Activity – print and laminate the bones, hide around your classroom or school, have your students be paleontologists- let them go on a fossil hunt! Students work in groups to find the 7 pieces that make up their dinosaur skeleton and then they work together to assemble the skeleton. Assembled skeleton is 22 inches high.
-I can’t fly my students out to a dig site in Wyoming so I bring dig sites to my classroom! Directions on how to do a mini- dino dig using bins with plastic dinosaurs or laminated dinosaur pictures (included in packet) Your students will love digging for dinosaurs! This activity teaches them how to chart and graph their data. Excavation chart and bar graph student worksheets included
-Types of fossils (Body:mold, cast; trace;preserved remains) student worksheet
- “How to make an amber fossil” activity using just glue and a worksheet!
-“How to make a trace fossil” activity using coffee clay, worksheet provided
-“How to make a mold fossil” activity using homemade Play-Doh
-“How to make a cast fossil” activity using Perfectcast.
-Photographs of my students' work included.
Follow my store! You will receive an email every time I put up a freebie or a new product for sale.To follow me, go to the top right of this page where you see my photo, next to the little green star it says “Follow Me”. Click on that and you’ll receive the email updates. Thanks for stopping by my PK – 4 science store! Sue
Please note: these units are for the use of one educator.
If you would like to share my lesson plans with a co-worker, your team, your school, or your district, please purchase multiple licenses which are offered at half price.
When you click “add to cart”, please also click on “ buy licenses to share” and then enter the quantity of half-price licenses. Thank you so much!!
Sue from Science for Kids :)


Weekly music lessons increase IQ.
By Diba Mostadim and Candice Hakimfar
Learning an instrument is proven to help children excel beyond the basic ABCs whether one aspires to become the next famous musician or sings for fun in the shower.
Research has proven that learning a musical instrument enhances education and improves many skills that children use in other subjects. Making music is more than just using fingers or voice; it requires children to tap into multiple skill sets simultaneously. Research has shown that music is linked to language development, increased IQ, improved test scores, and confidence.
One of the breakthroughs in children ages two through nine is music’s benefit in language development. Music education helps children decode sounds and words because the brain is better able to extract meaning from sound and pay attention to surroundings.
Musicians are more aware of qualities such as timing, tone, and pitch. Music training is shown to physically develop the left side of the brain, which helps process language. Thus, the relationship between language development and music is socially advantageous especially to children because the root of social competence is language competence. A music experience overall strengthens the capacity to be verbally adequate.
Studies show that children who receive weekly music lessons are proven to have an increase in IQ. In a study, students with music lessons were compared to students without music lessons. Over the school year, the children given music lessons tested three IQ points higher because music produces growth of neural activity.
Music training is proven to assist with the focus needed to perform well on standardized testing. Another study shows that students regardless of socioeconomic disparities with superior music education programs scored on average 20 percent higher in math and 22 percent higher on standardized tests. Music lessons have positive effects on a young children’s success.
Music-related activities improve children’s confidence. When one puts their heart into learning an instrument, real-world skills, such as, creative thinking, social skills, and performance experience are developed, thus creating an overall sense of confidence.
Diba Mostadim and Candice Hakimfar are two young musicians who founded The Royal Music Academy and are passionate about their students and their program.


EMU professor presents the story of Lotte Reiniger
EMU continued to celebrate Women’s History Month’s focus on celebrating women of character, courage and commitment with “The Woman Before Disney, Lotte Reiniger’s Dancing Shadows,” presented by professor Margrit Zinggeler of the German Department. Although many think that Walt Disney produced the first full-length animated film, in truth a German woman working in this new field accomplished that feat in 1926.
“I very much enjoyed this event,” Zinggeler said. She was excited about the opportunity to share Reiniger’s life and accomplishments to contribute her part to Women’s History Month.
Lotte Reiniger was a woman who embodied all the elements of character, courage and commitment. She was born in Berlin-Charlottenburg, Germany in 1899 and spent her life creating silhouette films. She made more than 70 films during the course of her lifetime, producing her first film in 1919.
She was later encouraged to work on her first full-length film. Released in 1926 and running 65 minutes long, this film was “The Adventures of Prince Achmed.” Reiniger both wrote the script and did the film work for this movie.
It’s a very intricate process to create films in this way. She would use flat black paper, creating silhouettes, which would be the characters in the film. These simple black figures would then convey emotion to tell the story to the audience. She also would use a colored background to give depth to the scenes of the film.
Reiniger focused on a lot of the fairy tale stories, especially the Brothers Grimm stories. Reiniger said at one point, “I believe in the truth of fairy tales more than I believe in the truth in the newspaper.”
Zinggeler provided a variety of clips from different Reiniger films, including “The Adventures of Prince Achmed,” “Cinderella” and others.
Allison Rusco, a sophomore at EMU majoring in music education with a German teaching minor, especially enjoyed the fairy tale clips. “It’s interesting how much closer her Cinderella story was to the Grimm story instead of Disney’s version.”
Reiniger travelled a lot during hard times, especially during World War II, exploring and continuing to work in film. In the 1970s, she won prestigious awards recognizing her for her innovative work in film.
For more about Lotte Reiniger, many of her films are easily found on YouTube or lottereinger.de. Her website is only in German but, as Zinggeler said, “that gives a good reason to learn German.”


In today’s day and age, literacy encompasses a multitude of areas. For example, computer literacy is extremely prevalent in this technological age. Literacy is a right that everyone should have access to because of the benefits. Some of the benefits are detailed in the image below:
The benefits of literacy are unlimited, but where does literacy development begin. It begins at home. It’s been proven that “…literacy (reading and writing) development begins in the first 3 years of life…” Here are three ways parents can promote literacy at home.
1. Read to your kids: reading to kids has a positive impact on literacy achievement. It exposes them to a wide range of vocabulary and allows them to grasp language quickly and effectively.
2. Ask Questions– Literacy is more than just reading and writing it includes comprehension. When your child is reading, have them recall the events and explain what is happening. This will help to improve comprehension skills and success with complex texts.
3. Talk to your kids– Studies have shown that talking to children encourage them to talk. Talking invites children to share thoughts and feelings. It provides them opportunity test and perfect conversation.
Literacy promotion at an early age has tremendous benefits such as increased writing and vocabulary skills. It is also a precursor to great interest in reading and learning. Literacy is the key to children’s educational success and parents and caregivers should seriously consider promoting it in and outside the home.


Käthe Kollwitz, perhaps the most well known female German artist, was born in Königsberg in 1867. She began her art education in 1884 at the School for Women Artists in Berlin. The following year, she met Karl Kollwitz, a medical student; they married in 1890. Herr Kollwitz practiced in one of the poorest areas of Berlin, where Kollwitz was first exposed to the poverty and suffering of working-class Germans. She was greatly affected by the struggle of the lower class, and this, as well as industry and war, became a central theme in her work. In 1893, Kollowitz expressed these realist influences in her first major series of etchings, Die Weberaufstand (The Weaver’s Revolt), which was influenced by Hauptmann’s realist play, The Weaver.
The German art world admired this series of six prints and nominated it for a gold medal at the 1898 Berlin exhibition, a proposal that Kaiser Wilhelm II swiftly terminated. Though Wilhelm II greatly opposed Kollwitz’s realist style and subjects of social injustice, the German public responded positively to it, and Kollwitz’s reputation began to grow. The first decade of the twentieth century was a productive period for Kollwitz. From 1902 to 1908, Kollwitz produced her second great series, The Bauernkrieg (The Peasants’ War). During this time Kollwitz also traveled to France to work at Academie Julian, where she was exposed firsthand by the Post-Impressionists and the Fauves. Kollwitz’s two children also began to influence her work during this decade; the theme of mothers and children began to appear frequently in her work. As Kollwitz’s career progressed, her style shifted from realistic to expressionistic, but she never officially joined the German Expressionist movement.
The World Wars, social and political unrest in general, as well as the death of her son on the battlefield in 1914 greatly influenced her increasingly abstract work. Hunched forms and shadows became important motifs, and her experience with the issues of a woman’s place in society also developed into a significant theme. Kollwitz often incorporated multiple printmaking techniques in a single print; aquatint, etching, and softground etching figured in many of her dark, emotional prints. Though Kollwitz died in 1945, she still occupies a significant place in printmaking. .


What: The Mobile Phone for Literacy and Development Module focuses on using mobile phone technology, specifically SMS text messaging, as a tool to reinforce literacy and numeracy skills. It is now an integrated part of the Community Empowerment Program (CEP).
Why: Mobile phones and their networks are becoming increasingly more prevalent in the communities with which we partner. We found that using mobile phone technology is a relevant and innovative way to reinforce literacy and numeracy skills learned in the CEP.
How: During the CEP, Tostan facilitators teach participants the practical uses of standard mobile phone functions and how SMS texting can be used as a tool to practice their literacy skills. The mobile phones are used to reinforce literacy, organization, and management skills, as well as to build consensus around local development initiatives.
Who: All CEP participants and their extended social networks who have access to mobile phone technology.
Impact & Sustainability: SMS texting becomes a sustainable and relevant option for reinforcing literacy and numeracy as access to mobile phone technology increases. Placed within our program, mobile phones and SMS text messaging can be used as a tool to accelerate positive social transformation. They connect women with each other and with their communities; amplify the voice and influence of youth and marginalized groups in a community’s decision-making process; provide a platform for exchanging information, broadcasting ideas, and organizing advocacy work; and accelerate large-scale social movements.


There was no compulsion on parents to send their children to school in early nineteenth century England or Ireland, so thousands of girls and boys grew up without even the most elementary instruction. The ruling classes thought it would be dangerous to educate the poor, while employers were afraid that education would rob them of their work force. There was no law to prevent anyone, no matter how unqualified, from opening a school. As a result, elementary education was in the hands of many different groups.
Dame schools were small fee-paying schools managed usually by women where village children learned to read and, occasionally, to write.
Factory schools were half-time schools where boys and girls were taught the 3Rs with the addition of knitting and sewing for girls.
Workhouse schools were much inferior to the factory schools. Boys were trained as blacksmiths, carpenters and shoemakers, while girls learned housework, laundry work and cookery.
Sunday schools taught basic literacy so that pupils could read the Bible. In the early nineteenth century they offered many girls their only chance of education.
Ragged Schools were schools set up by philanthropists for children who were too dirty and too poor to be accepted in ordinary schools.
Religious Schools were full-time schools and the main source of elementary instruction for the poor. They were run by two rival religious groups: the National Society Schools organised by the Church of England, and the rival Lancasterian Schools (soon to become the British and Foreign School Society) set up by non-conformists. The non-conformists were Christian religious groups such as Methodists, Presbyterians, Unitarians and Quakers who did not 'conform' to the teachings of the Church of England. These schools used the monitorial system of teaching because it allowed large numbers of pupils to be taught cheaply.


I just came back from the NAFME convention in Grapevine, TX. It was fantastic! I enjoy going to conferences around the country because I learn so much. There are always so many cool presenters and materials that bring a whole new prospective to what is going on in the world of music education.
As I sat through sessions and walked around the exhibit hall, I was struck by all that is out there to help our children learn how to play, participate and enjoy music. Exhibit halls are a music educator’s playroom; so many neat things to see and touch!
There are those that think that many of these “new” tools or methodologies are in conflict with each other. Sometimes we see things in black and white and think that the many philosophies are mutually exclusive. I do not believe this to be the case. The comment that keeps running through my mind is what my colleague Brad Bonner once said to me “It is important to give children many musical experiences because you never know what will click with a kid.” I agree. We, of course, have our own starting point and general philosophy, but ultimately, we must let children explore music in several ways. It is through exploration that we learn.
Here are THE 2 best ways to do just that!
- MAKE IT MULTISENSORY: If you are showing rhythm cards and working through them with your students, why not pull out your Note Knacks and show them that those musical symbols represent length of sound…..along with the Rhythm Clock to show it in a pie chart!
- EXPLAIN IT IN AS MANY WAYS AS POSSIBLE : Regardless of what syllables you use to teach rhythm, why not mix it up? I will often create a measure and say it in colors, Ta’s and Ti’s, Du’s and Du-de’s, 1 and 2 ands, along with simple words such as pot and flower. I always tell the kids “It doesn’t matter how you say it, what is most important is that it sounds like this…”.
Multisensory opportunities and explaining content in many different ways only increase the chances of truly understanding the concept and remembering it tomorrow..and hopefully into the next year!!


Our aim is to develop children who are prepared in every way for education and life beyond our school. We are committed to ensuring ours is a school where every child realises their potential. Our teacher development programme equips staff with the skills, knowledge and understanding they need to deliver lessons of consistently the highest standard.
We use ‘Learning Lenses’, enabling us to view the most important features of teaching with a sharper focus and greater clarity. Checking, marking and assessment are key factors in pupil progress and central to every lesson.
The most important measure of teaching is its impact on progress. The best progress is highly visible, measurable, rapid and sustained across all subjects. This lens gives our teachers the final check as to whether the efforts of their teaching bring benefits in learning. The other six lenses are all factors that affect progress. The progress lens is, therefore, used in conjunction with all of the other lenses. Teachers explore and use each lens in relation to how it promotes and helps them to achieve good and outstanding progress for all of our children.
Whilst it is possible to make progress in almost anything, the assessment lens helps teachers to plan for progress for individuals in the right things, to the right, challenging standard. This lens concentrates mostly on lesson planning and its importance in focusing lessons on individuals needs and ensuring that outstanding differentiation is at the heart of every lesson.
The checking lens helps teachers to focus on the signs of progress during lessons. By continually checking on progress, teachers can maximise it and reshape teaching as required. Many methods of checking progress and the subsequent reshaping of lessons actually delay the progress of some pupils. This is because they are too reliant on whole-class techniques. This lens helps teachers to explore ways to check progress and reshape teaching without interrupting the learning of others during the checks. Excellent checking and reshaping has a notable impact on progress. For this lens to be effective, teachers (and/or teaching assistants) should aim to interact with every pupil, every lesson. Guided groups may form as a result of checking; they will not necessarily be planned for in advance.
Progress is affected by the quality and frequency of feedback. Consistency of quality feedback helps pupils to know what they have done well and helps them to improve. This lens offers an evaluation tool for teachers to assess the quality of their feedback as seen in the visible progress that emerges as a result. Marking Response Time (MRT) is regularly built into lessons each week as appropriate.
The methods that teachers use to promote progress for individuals are almost unlimited in number. Excellent teaching involves finding the right methods for a particular group, or an individual to ensure they make progress. There is no hierarchy nor any preferred methods at Cheam Park Farm Primary. Instead, this lens, by maximising our Teaching Development Programme, helps teachers to explore new methods and to evaluate the effectiveness of those already used in maximising progress for all. One thing that is consistent in every lesson is a relentless focus on learning and progress. All teachers ensure that they maximise the time children spend of purposeful learning activities in every lesson – always enabling good progress to take place.
Best thought of as the ‘silent objective’ of every lesson, the basic skills lens helps teachers to maximise opportunities for developing writing, mathematics and reading in every lesson.
The attitudes lens helps teachers to focus on the learning skills and behaviours of pupils. Excellent teaching promotes, almost intuitively, the right balance between academic learning and the attitudes required for competent learners. This lens helps teachers to identify the traits of a competent learner and ways in which the traits can be promoted in all lessons.
Through our literacy, mathematics, science, computing and integrated curriculum lessons, we encourage our children to use and develop the following learner attitudes through our Cheam Park Farm Excellent Learners programme. We believe that, by developing such learner attitudes alongside an excellent grasp of basic literacy and numeracy skills, our children will be equipped with the skills and attributes needed to thrive in the changing landscape of the 21st century
After the London Olympics in 2012, we were determined to ensure that the Olympic and Paralympic values continued to be a major part of our day to day life at Cheam Park Farm. Amongst other values, each week in assembly children are rewarded for showing determination, respect, courage and friendship. We encourage children to recognise when they are in their comfort zone and challenge them to ask themselves ‘do I have new experiences if I am always in my comfort zone?’.
The ‘Be the Best you can Be’ (BTBYCB) initiative promotes striving to be in your ‘stretch zone’ where you can experience unfamiliarity and have new learning experiences. We have weekly assemblies and, through the 21st Century Legacy Programme, we teach themed lessons through PSHE that promote the Paralympic and Olympic values throughout the school year.


Led by Professor Maggie Snowling, Professor Charles Hulme and Dr Emma Hayiou-Thomas this six-year longitudinal study from 2007, funded by the Wellcome Trust, investigated the nature of the developmental relationships between dyslexia and specific language impairment (SLI).
It is widely accepted that children who have pre-school speech or language difficulties often develop reading difficulties and that children who go on to develop dyslexia have early language weaknesses. This study traced the development of three groups of children from the age of ~3 to 8–9 years old:
- children from a family where there was a history of dyslexia;
- children who had pre-school speech and/or language difficulties;
- children who had neither a family risk of dyslexia nor a pre-school language difficulty.
The Wellcome Language and Reading project had the following aims:
- Trace the language and literacy development of children at family-risk (FR) of dyslexia, children with SLI and controls, and to find out how common reading difficulties are in these groups of children at 8 years old
- Investigate the co-occurrence of dyslexia and SLI
- Investigate the contribution of home environment to the development of literacy skills in ‘at-risk’ and typically developing children
- Investigate whether intervention could improve the reading skills of children whose reading development was delayed at 6 years old
- Consider how a child’s response to intervention relates to the severity of their underlying cognitive and language deficits
- Contribute to genetic studies of dyslexia and SLI
Plan of investigation
The project was divided into six phases. Each phase involved assessing children on a battery of tests specifically designed to look at language, literacy and phonological skills. There were 260 children in the initial sample and the children were seen at annual intervals at approximately 3.5, 4.5, 5.5, 6.5, 7–8 and 9 years old.
To confirm whether or not a child was at risk of dyslexia, the team aimed to assess both parents of each child in the study. Parents also completed a self-report questionnaire. More than 350 parents were formally assessed on tests of literacy and phonological skills (see M. J. Snowling, P. Dawes, H. Nash & C. Hulme (2012) Validity of a Protocol for Adults Self-Report of Dyslexia and Related Difficulties). Aside from using these data to validate self-report of dyslexia, we noticed that a worrying number of parents who have poor literacy are not aware that they themselves could be ‘dyslexic’ (see R. Leavett, H. Nash & M. J. Snowling (2014) Am I Dyslexic? Parental Self-Report of Literacy Difficulties). Many parents also report attentional difficulties. They may be in need of advice on how best to support their child’s learning. In addition it is important to help them with ways of ensuring that their child’s progress in reading and writing is ‘on track’.


Your voice is essential to ensuring that music education remains an integral part of scholastic education, and Music In Our Schools Month is the perfect opportunity to make your voice heard. Music in Our Schools Month (MIOSM®), supported by the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), began with a small statewide celebration in 1973 and has grown to a nationwide month of awareness, advocacy and music making. The purpose of MIOSM is to raise awareness of the importance of music education for all children. MIOSM is an opportunity for music teachers to bring their music programs to the attention of the school and community and to display the benefits school music brings to students of all ages. At Music for All, we believe in music education and music in our schools, and we are a proud partner of the National Assocaition for Music Education in promoting Music In Our Schools Month.
This year’s slogan for Music In Our Schools Month is “Music Makes Me ___!” Tell your friends, teachers, school administrators and elected officials why music in our schools is important to you. When sharing on social media, use #MIOSM to connect with other music education advocates. You can download the “Music Makes Me ___!” logo or purchase MIOSM products at nafme.org.
Throughout the month, Music for All will be providing several opportunities for you to make your voice heard. Connect with MFA's social media channels for opportunities to share why you beleive in music in our schools. Additionally, you can tell your story of music’s impact through our website. Your story could be featured in a MIOSM blog post this month! Stay tuned to the MFA Blog and our social media channels for more ways to connect with Musc In Our Schools Month.


Cootie Catchers - Language Arts Cootie Catcher Bundle
This zipped bundle contains my 7 most popular cootie catcher packages for Language Arts. Cootie catchers make a great partner activity, language center, or working with words activity. Each package contains at least 7 - 10 different cootie catchers for the particular topic, as well as a blank template for creating your own cootie catchers to use in the classroom. If purchased separately, these files would cost $21.00
Resources in this bundle include:
•Cootie Catcher Comprehension
- This file includes a different cootie catcher for each of the seven reading comprehension strategies (asking questions, determining importance, inferring, making connections, summarizing, synthesizing, and visualizing, plus 3 for mixed comprehension).
•Cootie Catcher Parts of Speech
- This file includes a different cootie catcher for each of the parts of speech (common nouns, proper nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, pronouns, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections).
•Literary Elements Cootie Catchers
- This file includes 10 different cootie catchers for literary elements(2 for each of: author's purpose, characterization, figurative language, point of view, and tone and mood).
•Cootie Catcher Punctuation
- This file includes seven different cootie catchers for reviewing punctuation uses (ending punctuation, apostrophes, colons and semicolons, direct and indirect speech, and commas).
•Cootie Catcher Word Wall Interaction
- This file includes seven different cootie catchers with general questions that can be applied to any word wall.
•Cootie Catcher Nonfiction Comprehension
- This file includes eight different cootie catchers containing open-ended questions for nonfiction comprehension.
•Story Elements Cootie Catchers
- This file includes ten different cootie catchers for open response questions related to the different story elements (plot, setting, character, theme, conflict, point of view).
This resource is included in my Comprehension Strategy Bundle - The Ultimate Resource for Upper Elementary Language Arts.


It’s St. Patrick’s Day this week and on Clef Notes we’re celebrating the classical music of Ireland all month long! Today, let’s take a look at the Irish Suite for Strings written by Dublin-born composer Arthur Duff (1899–1956).
Arthur Duff studied the piano and organ as a child and went on to be a church organist as a teenager. Later he received a formal music education at Trinity College. In addition to performance, Duff also learned to compose. He is known for composing works with Irish idioms for small orchestras. His Irish Suite for Strings (1940) was dedicated to fellow composer E. J. Moeran. Though not actually based on existing folk material, it conveys idioms associated with Irish music. The suite is broken into five movements. The first, “Midir’s Song for Etain,” is based on an Irish myth. The second, “Windy Gap,” found inspiration in a road located in the Wicklow Mountains of Ireland. The third movement, “Fishamble Street, Dublin 1742” references the location where Handel’s Messiah was first performed. The fourth movement, “Dance of Daemer,” draws from a Yeat’s quote “They dance all day that dance in the Land of Youth.” Finally, the last movement, “On the Bridge at Clash,” also finds inspiration in the Wicklow Mountains similar to the second movement.
What do you think? Does it evoke Ireland in your mind?


.Music Share TweetMethods of Motivation in Music EducationBrief Description:A discussion on the different motivating concepts required in music education Citation: APA; Pages: 4 (1009words); 2007AbstractMotivation proves to be a determinant of learning behavior. Pertaining to learning music, different motivating concepts seem to work out. In this paper these motivating concepts are discussed in relation to music education which are more important to be learned as compare to other curriculum. The paper also explains certain factors presented by students which particularly relate to music learning, for example; music students, before entering high school program, get some vocal or instrumental training. Different ways are used to motivate and evaluate inexperienced students and have no prior exposure to music education. Music students can make the music their career in future or may exhibit only interest in it. The paper points out that music education program differ in many ways except motivating the students to achieve goals being part of music education. Order Now Pricing & CalculationAboutPricing & Calculation"" 1 Order CalculatorOrder Typepick one!Type of paper neededApplication PaperCourseworkCV/Cover LetterDissertationEssayExercisesLab ReportMemorandumMultiple Choice QuestionsOnline CourseQuestion/AnswerReflection PaperResearch PaperStatistical ExerciseTerm PaperThesisService Requiredpick one!Service Required10+ Days5+ Days3-4 Days24-48 HoursUnder 24 HoursNo. of PagespagesTotal Price: $[(field2*field3)+field1*field3] Continue to OrderPreviousNextAboutEver since the inception of an Essays Market, our professional academic writers have served the diverse academic writing needs of thousands of students across the world. An Essays Market is very meticulous in the selection of its writers and we only hire highly qualified, professional, English speaking writers 100 % Guarantee of security of customer information through our secured system. 100% Plagiarism-Free Papers Unlike other academic writing services. An Essays Market emails you the paper as soon as the writer completes it. An Essay Market provide support 24/7 support around the clock to our students.


Robert Reed Publishers
Raindrops on Roman: Overcoming Autism: A Message of Hope
A Mother Helps Her Son Recover From Autism
An account of a mother’s true-life saga of love and desperation, Elizabeth Scott, a former elementary school teacher, shares how she helped her son recover from the clutches of autism. The information is provided in her new book called Raindrops On Roman: Overcoming Autism: A Message of Hope.
Roman was diagnosed with autism at 18 months, and over time more and more behavioral symptoms were becoming evident. By the age of two he had exhibited 45 telltale symptoms of autism. Elizabeth Scott explains how she used her “Skills and Drills” to reverse 100% of these symptoms resulting in a full recovery.
Autism is a developmental brain disorder that typically reveals itself within the first three years of a child’s life. For unknown reasons, autism has grown to be the number-one leading childhood disability in the United States.
“One out of every 150 children is diagnosed with autism each year, one in 94 boys.” [www.autismspeaks.org]
Most experts in the field of autism do not believe in recovery. However, Scott says, “With a consistent, repetitious, and structured intensive intervention program started at the toddler stage when the brain is still malleable, tremendous improvement and even recovery is possible for many autistic children.”
Elizabeth explains that she used simple, inexpensive therapeutic supplies to create her “Skills and Drills” program that anyone can adopt. Today Roman is a happy, confident seven-year-old boy. He is in a traditional first grade class and does not need any special education, services, or therapies.
78 Skills and Drills for Optimum Child Development
“Raindrops on Roman and Whiskers on Kittens...
These are a few of my favorite things...”
Songs, rhymes, and a large repertoire of fun-filled methods bubbled out of this exemplary creative mother, Elizabeth Scott, to gently and firmly teach her son to overcome symptoms of autism.
Raindrops on Roman will move you to tears, punctuated with a few bursts of spontaneous laughter, as you marvel at this touching true story.
You will learn very specific skills and drills that she used, what materials to obtain to implement them, and what areas each activity helps to develop and improve. This is a must-have book for all parents and every professional working with children who have autism.
"This is a story about a mother’s love. There is no other way to explain what she endured to help Roman recover except love, pure and simple. Elizabeth became an educator and spent her career prior to Roman as a teacher… Hopefully, the new recommendations by the American Academy of Pediatrics (screening for autism for all children at 18 and 24 months), along with stories like Roman’s will help countless children overcome autism in the future. And even for parents of children without autism, there is much to be learned from this book. The skills and drills Elizabeth used for Roman can be used for any toddler and preschool child." — Dr. Robert Silver, MD, Medical Director, Neonatology, Jeff Gordon Children's Hospital, Carolinas Medical Center – NorthEast, Concord, NC
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Elizabeth Burton Scott, M.A.has her Master’s Degree in Elementary Education. With her professional skills and her deep devotion as a mother, she persevered in leading her son through his early childhood years to recover from 45 symptoms of autism.
Now, through consulting, speaking, and coaching, she offers HELP and HOPE to the parents of an ever-growing population of children diagnosed with autism as well as to the professionals working in early childhood development, whether the children have autism or not. Her “78 Skills and Drills” program has wide application to all children.
Elizabeth lives in Dallas, Texas with her son and her husband.


Teaching reading comprehension in second grade often proves to be a difficult task because many students are still mastering the basic skills required to read. In addition to recognizing words, however, students must understand what they are reading. Employing reading comprehension strategies while reading with a second grade student helps ensure she understands a story instead of just reading the words.
Reading with Children
Choose a story for children to read where most of the words will be recognizable. A short picture book works best.
Show children the cover of the book and have them read the title.
Ask children to make predictions about what the book will be about by looking only at the title and front cover. Explain that a prediction is a guess about what will happen.
Begin reading the book, stopping every so often to ask children to predict what will happen next.
Leave out a word while reading a sentence in the book and ask children to guess what the missing word might be. Read the sentence, replacing the word with their guesses and then have them decide which word fits best.
Ask questions about the story while reading, focusing on questions that begin with "who," "what," "when," "where" and "why." For example, "who is the main character of the story?" or "why did the character do that?"
At the end of the story, ask children what they learned from reading the story.
Piecing a Story Together
Cut up a short story into short paragraphs.
Have a child put the story in order.
Compare the child's story to the original story.
Write three sentences from the story on sentence strips.
Cut each sentence strip in half.
Ask a child to recreate the three sentences by taping the halves back together.
Things You Will Need
- Short story
- Copy of story
- Sentence strips
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Christine is a teacher and parenting expert and is here to help you with any questions you have about reading and writing. You might just want some advice or need some information about a particular topic. As this is a new website, please keep checking back for new articles and updates. We look forward to talking with you soon. Please visit Christine’s other sites
Image by Pesky Library via Flickr
•Home – School partnerships create opportunities for the development of shared understandings of learning.
•With this shared view, the student’s home and school experiences can be brought together to be built upon for further success in learning.
•This is especially significant in supporting children’s early literacy development.
Hyperlexia versus Dyslexia. Dr Paul Whiting explains the difference in this video from Youtube.
Image via CrunchBase
I recently celebrated a birthday and what I observed was the number of text messages, phone calls and wishes on Facebook that I received. And they weren’t just from the younger generation either. In fact, the number actually outweighed the number of cards I received by post! This is the way we are heading in this technological age. Is the birthday card we receive in the post becoming extinct? This got me thinking, how are we preparing our students for this revolution? How are you embracing the technological revolution in your classroom?
Dr Seuss books are great to start learning to read. I highly recommend them in the early years of school.
As we are going back to school for the new year, I found a cute little fingerplay for parents and teachers.
Back to School Fingerplay
Two little houses all closed up tight
Open up the window and let in the light
Ten little finger people tall and straight
Ready for school at half past eight
(walk with fingers)
Aspergers is sometimes difficult to diagnose as it can present with many other disorders such as:
* Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder • Depressive Disorder • Dysthymia Disorder • Obsessive Compulsive Disorder • Seizure Disorder/Epilepsy • Sensory Integration Dysfunction • Tourette’s Syndrome The diagnosis is usually done by a Psychiatrist and is a very comprehensive assessment that involves looking at the history, behaviours, an interview with the parents, a psychological assessment and recommendations. If you would like more information, please click on the link below. http://www.myaspergerschild.com/2011/01/how-aspergers-is-diagnosed.html
Do you have a question you would like to ask?
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When learning to read, the brain has to learn to flip the words so that they appear right side up.
The Irlen/Dyslexia Centre in Australia recommends using light blue Reflex paper for handouts and worksheets. This helps reduce stress, fatigue and headaches for people with Irlen Syndrome. Individuals with Irlen Syndrome see the printed page differently from those with normal vision and must constantly adapt to distortions appearing on the printed page. Using a light blue coloured paper may assist individuals when reading words on a page.
Have you seen David Accola’s video on YouTube about Irlen? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9N5qbMFtKQ4


THE decision about when children should start school is difficult. In most states and territories in Australia it is compulsory for children to have commenced school by the year they turn 6.
However they may also start earlier. In Victoria, children may commence school if they turn five by April 30 in the year of starting. This means that in many prep classes there can be an age difference of almost 18 months between the youngest and oldest children. As a result, younger children can be disadvantaged in terms of life skills and development.
While there is little or no research suggesting that starting school before the age of five is beneficial, we need to be mindful that age is only one factor in children's readiness for school. Children are individuals and each one develops at their own rate.
The transition to school involves strong emotional arousal and a new identity for children as they take on the role of being a schoolchild along with the associated demands. Difficulties can arise when children are easily distracted or disorganised, have difficulty persisting with tasks, in controlling their emotions, or lack confidence.
Children need to be socially and emotionally mature, able to cope with change, and to handle the demands of the new school situation. The way children cope with stress and school adjustment may vary according to their temperament as well as with the demands and philosophy of the school.
Children need to have skills for being part of a group, for interacting with other children and doing things independently. For example, they are able to wait, take turns, share materials and help others, listen to and follow instructions and rules, to be responsible for their belongings and behaviour, and seek help when it is needed. They are able to control themselves in the conflicts that are part of normal school life, and behave in ways that do not disturb or hurt others.
Children also need to be able to manage their personal care associated with clothes, lunch and toileting.
School involves a strong focus on literacy and maths. Children benefit when they enjoy books and stories, are interested in letters and numbers, can express their own ideas and talk about familiar experiences, and are curious about the world around them.
Physical skills are also important, including eye-hand co-ordination and the ability to hold and control a pencil, and use small tools such as scissors. Children need good eyesight and hearing. The ability to see the whiteboard and identify letters and words by sight and sound is important for literacy development and confidence.
Familiarity with the school environment is important. Research suggests that children's adjustment to school is supported when they and their families actively participate in transition to school visits and other opportunities to become familiar with the school and its expectations and demands, as well as develop new friendships.
If parents are concerned about their child's development, they should speak to the early childhood educator, school principal or early years co-ordinator, the maternal and child health nurse or doctor.
When children are ready for school, they are more likely to succeed than children who struggle and have difficulty keeping up with their peers.
Kay Margetts is associate professor in early childhood studies at the Melbourne Graduate School of Education.


Princess Diana Facts
Princess Diana was one of the most adored members of the British Royal Family. She was born on July 1, 1961 to Edward John Spencer and Frances Ruth Burke Roche. Her parents got divorced when she was very young and his father won the custody of all the four children. In 1975, her father inherited the title of Earl Spencer and she became Lady Diana Spencer. Her maternal grandmother Lady Fermoy was lady-in-waiting to the Queen Mother, Prince Charles’ grandmother. Diana met Prince Charles in 1977 for the very first time and they got married on July 29, 1981.
Quick Facts: –
- She studied Ballet and dreamed of taking the stage with the Royal Ballet but her height held her back.
- She failed her O levels twice as she was not a bright student.
- Prince Charles once dated Diana’s sister Lady Sarah Spencer.
- Lady Diana selected a large £30,000 by the then Crown jewellers Garrad. The ring consisted of 14 solitaire diamonds surrounding a 12 carat oval blue Ceylon sapphire set in 18 carat white gold.
- Wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana was broadcasted in 74 countries and around 750 million people watched it worldwide.
- The couple had their first child Prince William on June 21, 1982 and the second child Prince Harry on September 15, 1984.
- Princess Diana and Prince Charles got formally separated in December 1992 and their divorce was finalized in 1996.
- Diana maintained her international popularity even after the divorce.
- She supported more than 100 charities.
- On August 31, 1997, Princess Diana died in a car crash at the age of 36.
Cite This Page
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MLA Style Citation
Declan, Tobin. " Fun Princess Diana Facts for Kids ." Easy Science for Kids, Aug 2017. Web. 24 Aug 2017. < http://easyscienceforkids.com/princess-diana-facts/ >.
APA Style Citation
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These are posters that are created through examples given by the students in the classroom. This is an activity that will help students associate these phoneme pairs with words in their everyday vocabulary. It is a fun way to get children to actively participate in phonics instruction! Maggie Gomberg.
Introduce only who and did what first- that’s what makes a sentence. Change to “did what.” Verbs are what we “do.” Then to introduce prepositions add on where . Then to introduce adverbs change the when to ”when or how” plus change the words in the column to quickly, slowly, yesterday, soon, tomorrow, etc.


Parents who want their children to succeed in school might help them more by encouraging them to play rather than to study academic subjects.
Reva Fish, assistant professor of social and psychological foundations of education, and Laura Klenk, assistant professor of elementary education and reading, are observing activities in pre-K classrooms. What they see is limited time for free play, and they share a concern: the importance of play is not understood by parents and educators.
“We are trying to find a way to talk about play that encourages people to take children’s play seriously,” said Klenk. Both educators agree that play—free, unstructured activity that children choose to engage in—is, among preschoolers, a developmentally appropriate way to learn. Substituting developmentally inappropriate activities may undermine children’s ability to develop the skills that underlie academic success: engagement, persistence, and stamina.
The focus on measuring academic achievement—testing—is occurring even among children ages 3 and 4. “We’re assessing reading and math skills at younger and younger ages,” Fish said. “We’re changing the activities, the lessons, the goals. But the problem is that children haven’t changed. Developmental milestones haven’t changed—drawing a straight line, drawing a figure.”
Klenk said that children engaging in play are developing academic skills as well as the emotional and behavioral skills that will enable them to succeed as they continue through childhood. “If they are playing among themselves, they have to learn how to talk to each other, and that’s developing language skills,” she said. Klenk, who has studied play for 25 years, added that the concept of quantity—counting—also develops through group play. “And play also has strong emotional and social development components,” she said.
Both educators agree that children who are engaged in unstructured, creative, self-chosen activities develop stamina for learning. Because they have freedom to choose, they stick with their play longer. “Learning is deeper, and it lasts longer,” said Fish. “This pattern is important as children move up through the grades.”
On the other hand, if teachers direct children’s learning too much, even through play, with directions such as “Make this,” or “Show me what you can make,” the learning is shallow and easily forgotten.
It’s not just educators or even testing, however, according to Fish and Klenk. “Parents are pressuring their pre-K classrooms and even day care centers to teach academic skills like word recognition,” said Fish. “It’s as if we’ve lost our faith that kids are born wanting to learn.”
Fish and Klenk were featured presenters at the 2013 Conference on the Value of Play held at Clemson University in February. The U.S. Play Coalition awarded them a seed grant to continue their research on the importance of play. They are meeting with other faculty members from the School of Education to discuss ways to persuade educators and parents to provide developmentally appropriate learning activities in pre-K classrooms. “Play is so important,” said Fish. “It’s short-sighted to take it away.”
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Teacher support for Maths
Hamilton has a range of additional reference and advice materials for Maths.
New Curriculum Maths Support
Example Calculation Policy
Addition and Subtraction Methods
Multiplication and Division Methods
Key Skills to Go to the Wall for
Maths Challenges KS1 (answers)
Maths Challenges LKS2 (answers)
Maths Challenges UKS2 (answers)
Hamilton Education sells hard copy teaching resources that support Hamilton plans at very low cost. Group Readers, phonics books, number lines and 'Five Minute Fillers' can help you teach literacy and numeracy skills in your classroom.
Hamilton's Y3 maths plans cover all of the statutory objectives of the National Curriculum for England for Year 3.
The Coverage Chart shows you where. The Medium Term Plan lists each week's teaching focus, activities, starter and National Curriculum outcomes cross-referenced to the Hamilton Assessment Plan. There are problem-solving investigations linked to each week’s teaching available in the left hand navigation bar. The Resource List provides a comprehensive list of physical resources suggested by the Hamilton plans. The Outcomes Sheet allows you to record quick day-to-day judgements about children's mastery of objectives in the back of their maths books. Answers to exercises appear at the end of each week's resources document.
This chart will help you if you are trying to use Hamilton Maths Plans and also teach in Blocks. This is an interim stage for Hamilton, as for next year we shall have a completely new flexible planning tool which will enable you to create your own blocks. Meantime, please look at the document carefully - it is three pages not one!
Place 3-digit numbers on a line; order and compare 3-digit numbers; find a number between two 3-digit numbers; understand place value in 3-digit numbers.
Mental addition and subtraction: Add and subtract pairs of 2-digit numbers using partitioning and near multiples; Add three 2-digit numbers. Mental subtraction using counting back and counting up. Includes bar model examples.
Written addition: Add three-digit numbers using expanded addition (one ‘carry’); Mental subtraction: count up to subtract two-digit numbers from three-digit numbers; use addition to check subtraction. Includes bar model examples.
Measure/convert lengths in centimetres and metres; measure/convert weight in kilograms and grams; estimate, measure objects and record in tables; represent and interpret data in bar charts.
Count in 1/4s and 1/2s; understand concept of fractions; begin to understand eighths; fractions with a total of 1: ¾ + □ = 1, 2/3 + □ = 1, 5/8 + □ = 1. Includes bar model examples.
Understand place value in 3-digit numbers, including money; Mental multiplication and division: multiply and divide numbers by 10 and 100 and understand the effect; understand that division is the inverse of multiplication.
Mental addition and subtraction of 1-digit numbers to and from 3-digit. Mental addition and subtraction of multiples of 10 and 100 to and from 3-digit numbers. Word problems, choose to add or subtract. Children use number facts, partitioning and counting up and counting back.
Add 3-digit numbers using written expanded and compact column addition. Mental subtraction by counting up to find the difference. Solve word problems involving addition and subtraction. Includes bar model examples.
Read the time on a 12-hour digital clock and to the nearest 5 minutes on an analogue clock, convert time between analogue and digital; begin to calculate time intervals in hours and minutes; understand angles as degrees of turn, right angles as quarter turns, clockwise and anticlockwise; understand that four right angles make a complete turn and two make half a turn.
Mental multiplication and division. Use the 4 times table to learn the 8 times table; recall x2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 10 tables; use times tables to divide with remainders. Choosing which calculation to use to solve a word problem.
Mental multiplication and division by 4 by doubling or halving twice; find unit and non-unit fractions of numbers using x2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 10. Includes bar model examples.
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A recent National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Survey of Public Participation in the Arts data reveals that 3 out of 4 Americans participate in the arts. This participation includes a full spectrum of artistic genres and participation via electronic media and personal arts creation. The good news is that US adults are participating in the arts in more ways than ever before; the bad news is that we are depriving children of the art education needed to maintain this.
According to the report, arts education is the leading factor in arts participation. No surprise there.
“Childhood arts education has a potentially stronger effect on arts attendance than age, race, or socioeconomic status. Long-term declines in childhood arts education have serious implications for the future of arts participation in America.
- In addition to reporting higher arts-attendance rates, those who receive arts education as a child are more likely to create or perform art, engage with the arts via media, and take art classes as an adult.
- In 1982, nearly two-thirds of 18-year-olds reported taking art classes in their childhood. By 2008, that share had dropped below one-half (2.6 million), a decline of 23 percent.
- Declines in childhood arts education from 1982 to 2008 are much higher among African American and Hispanic children than among white children. In that timeframe, there was a 49 percent drop for African Americans, and a 40 percent drop for Hispanic children, compared with a statistically insignificant decline for white children.”
We are not serving these children – or this country – well.


Suggested grade level: K and 1st
Includes center sign, a Common Core card stating the standard the center correlates with,
36 rhyming cards to match and a matching worksheet.
Children match the rhyming pair cards and then complete the worksheet.
This is the 2012-2013 Kindergarten Reading Center Club center for the month of November.
It is available to purchase for non members.
Graphics used with permission of Digi Web Studio.
Graphics used with permission of Thistle Girl Designs.
Graphics used with permission of Annie Things Possible.
Graphics used with permission of Scrappin Doodles.
COMMON CORE STANDARD
Kindergarten Reading: Foundational Skills Standards
RF.K.2. Demonstrate understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds (phonemes).
Recognize and produce rhyming words.