Goop with Pop Rocks
I found this idea on another website (Growing a Jeweled Rose) and we tried it out today. To make goop, you simply add water to cornstarch and mix it and play with it. It creates an interesting substance that can be solid for one moment and then liquid the next moment. If you haven't play with goop by itself, try that first before adding the pop rocks. When you are ready for more excitement, add some pop rocks. They add some texture but mostly they add a popping/cracking sound that fascinated the kids (and me.)
(And for those of you who are old enough to remember that there was something 'unsafe' about pop rocks, don't worry! It was all just a myth and they are perfectly safe. You can search for Pop Rocks and Coke to find out more about it.)
- Science: When the children help make the Gak, they can observe the amazing transformation. When they play with it they can see and feel it change consistencies.
- Math: When they help make it they gain experience in measuring. While playing with it, they can learn about more and less and very basic concepts related to fractions (cutting it in half or in thirds.)
- Language: When they describe how the Gak feels or hear you describe it and when they talk with each other about it, they are learning language skills.
2 Cups of Elmers Glue
1 1/2 Cups Water
Food coloring (optional)
1 Cup Hot Water (from tap)
1 Tablespoon Borax
Mix the glue with 1 1/2 cups of water and the food coloring in a large bowl.
In a separate container, mix the 1 cup of hot water and the Borax. Pour the Borax mixture slowly into glue mixture and mix it all together. You will probably need to use your hands to mix it completely. Be patient. It seems to take a while sometimes.
- Creativity: Children use their imaginations to create so many different things with play dough. They start by simply exploring but as they learn what play dough can do, they start to make objects such as food or animals with the dough.
- Fine Motor Skills: Play dough requires the children to use their fingers to pinch, pull, roll, and flatten it. They use different utensils and toys to manipulate the dough. All of this strengthens their fingers and helps them gain control over their fingers. This will help with writing when they are older.
- Mathematics: Children learn about more and less, measuring and counting when playing with play dough. Other math concepts can be learned with play dough when the child helps to make the playdo.
- Literacy: Understanding that they can create pretend objects with the play dough (or when drawing) is important for children’s literacy development. With the play dough, they are learning they can make one thing and it will represent another thing. Written letters and words are representations of sounds and our oral language. Children need to have vast experience with materials such as play dough, crayons, paint and other art materials in order to transfer their knowledge about representation of objects to the idea that language and ideas can be represented by letters and words.
- Social Skills: Children interact with each other and the teachers while they play with play dough. They learn how to share and how to negotiate with their friends in order to get the play dough and utensils that they want. And it’s great fun so they create bonds with their friends and teachers while playing.
Homemade Play Dough Recipe
2 Cups Flour
1/2 Cup salt
4 Tablespoons Cream of
2 Cups Water
2 Tablespoons Oil
Mix the flour, salt and cream of tartar in a medium pot. Add food coloring to the water and add this water and the oil to the flour mixture. Mix thoroughly. Put on the stove on medium heat. Stir constantly while it cooks for 3-5 minutes. Eventually, you will get a large blob of play dough. Take it out and knead it.


Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890), perhaps the most beloved artist in the world, was motivated by a deep spiritual vision, first expressed in his ambition to become a missionary and minister, and later, after his decisive break with organized religion, through his art. In art he found a new way to express his solidarity and compassion for humanity, and to awaken people to the sacred depths of reality. Though virtually nobody in his own lifetime understood his intentions or appreciated his work, van Gogh poured out his convictions in letters to his brother Theo. Drawing largely on these letters, examples of his drawings, and her own reflections on the interplay between his life, his spiritual vision, and his art, Berry draws a moving portrait of van Gogh as a spiritual seeker and teacher for our time.
Carol Berry has degrees in art and psychology and art education. For many years she has lectured and led retreats based on the spiritual teaching of Henri Nouwen and van Gogh. She lives in Vermont.
|Vincent van Gogh Table of Contents||120 Kb|


The influence of pierre bourdieu one of the most protean intellectual forces in contemporary french thought extends far beyond is home discipline of sociological. Types of capital in the sociological essay, the forms of capital (1985), pierre bourdieu identifies three categories of capital: economic capital: command of. Pierre bourdieu basics: presentation essay - free download as pdf file (pdf), text file (txt) or read online for free a brief follow up paper to a presentation on. Pierre bourdieu developed the cultural deprivation theory this theory implies that higher class cultures are better when compared to working class cultures. Source: moi, toril “appropriating bourdieu: feminist theory and pierre bourdieu's sociology of culture” new literary history 22, no 4 (autumn 1991): 1017-49.
Disclaimer: this essay has been submitted by a student this is not an example of the work written by our professional essay writers any opinions, findings. Pierre felix bourdieu (french: 1 august 1930 – 23 january 2002) was a french sociologist, anthropologist, philosopher, and public intellectual. Pierre bourdieu (1930–2002), professor of sociology at the college de france, might come into view an unlikely candidate for inclusion under the rubric of critical.
Free essay: in friendships or neighbourhood – always disguise economic behaviour, ie actions that follow socio-economic calculation of benefit/profit even. Essay - pierre bourdieu here’s an essay i did on the sociologist pierre bourdieu for my third year sociology topic, debates in social theory ~3500 words, 15.
Online essays pierre bourdieu online essays pierre bourdieu phd thesis in animal science online essays pierre bourdieu art analysis essay speech outlinespierre. Pierre bourdieu was one of the most influential and prolific social scientists of the late twentieth century, and his work examined the role that educationread.
Explain bourdieu's notions of habitus and cultural capital and how you believe they might influence the art education of young people the concept of habitus for. Introduction pierre bourdieu was born on 1 august 1930 in a rural area of southwestern france the only child of a peasant sharecropper turned postman, he left his. Kirsty hawthorn exploring digital media this essay will break down bourdieu’s concepts of social field and habitus alongside his concepts of species. In recent years, several authors have attempted to deal with the problem of the relationship between agency and social structure this has manifested itsel.
Bourdieus sociology pierre bourdieu was born in france in 1930 and died in 2002 he is well known for his works in the field of sociology. Consider bourdieu's theory of cultural reproduction of class and its operation through habitus, capi this essay got me a first on my latest assessment. Platform as a service thesis online essays pierre bourdieu buying a dissertation editing nursing research proposal paper example.View


ERIC Number: ED449108
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 1998-Sep
Reference Count: N/A
Mary Cassatt: Celebrating Everyday Life. Teacher's Guide. School Arts: Looking/Learning.
Mary Cassatt's paintings and graphics depict the world of 19th-century women, mothers, and children. Her exploration of intimate domestic life is informed by an unsurpassed ability to capture the natural, sometimes awkward poses of her figures and her refusal to "prettify" her subjects. This teaching guide gives an overview of Cassatt's life, art training, and travel in Europe. The guide provides information on the Impressionists and the historical and artistic context of a U.S. woman as a professional artist in the 19th century. It discusses Cassatt's approach to painting and describes one of her most famous paintings, "Little Girl in a Blue Armchair." The guide features illustrations of 15 of Mary Cassatt's paintings and graphics and suggests activities for elementary school, middle school, and high school. (BT)
Descriptors: Art Education, Art History, Artists, Elementary Secondary Education, Females, Graphic Arts, Impressionism, Painting (Visual Arts)
National Gallery of Art, 4th and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20565. For full text: http://www.nga.gov/education/teachres.htm.
Publication Type: Guides - Classroom - Teacher
Education Level: N/A
Audience: Practitioners; Teachers
Authoring Institution: National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC.


ERIC Number: ED426888
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 1993-Apr
Reference Count: N/A
NAEP 1992 Mathematics State Report for New Hampshire. The Trial State Assessment Program.
National Assessment of Educational Progress, Princeton, NJ.; Educational Testing Service, Princeton, NJ. Center for the Assessment of Educational Progress.
In 1990, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) included a Trial State Assessment which, for the first time in the NAEP's history, made voluntary state-by-state assessments. This 1992 mathematics report marks the first attempt of the National Center for Education Statistics to shift to standards-based reporting of National Assessment statistics. NAEP results are reported by achievement levels which are descriptions of how students should perform relative to a body of content reflected in the NAEP frameworks; in other words, how much students should know. The 1992 assessment covered six mathematics content areas: (1) numbers and operations; (2) measurement; (3) geometry; (4) data analysis, statistics, and probability; (5) algebra and functions; and (6) estimation. In New Hampshire, 2,316 fourth-grade students in 104 public schools and 2,582 eighth-grade students in 73 public schools were assessed. This report describes the mathematics performance of New Hampshire fourth- and eighth-grade students in public schools and compares their overall performance to students in the Northeast region of the United States and the nation. The distribution of the results are provided for subpopulations of students including race/ethnicity; type of community--advantaged/disadvantaged urban, extreme rural, and other; parents' education level; gender; and content area performance. To provide a context for understanding students' mathematics proficiency, students, their mathematics teachers, and principals completed questionnaires which focused on: what are students taught? (curriculum coverage, homework, and instructional emphasis); how is mathematics instruction delivered? (resources, collaborating in small groups, using mathematical objects, and materials); how are calculators and computers used? (access and use of calculators, availability of computers, and when to use a calculator); who is teaching mathematics? (educational background); and conditions beyond school that facilitate mathematics learning and teaching (amount of reading materials in the home, hours of television watched per day, student absenteeism, and students' perceptions of mathematics). The average proficiency of fourth-grade students in New Hampshire on the NAEP mathematics scale was 229 compared to 217 nationwide; for New Hampshire eighth-grade students the average proficiency was 278 compared to 266 nationwide. (ASK)
Descriptors: Algebra, Calculators, Elementary Education, Estimation (Mathematics), Family Environment, Functions (Mathematics), Geometry, Grade 4, Grade 8, Homework, Mathematics Achievement, Mathematics Education, Measurement, National Competency Tests, Number Concepts, Probability, Problem Solving, Public Schools, Standardized Tests, Standards, Statistics, Student Evaluation, Tables (Data), Test Results
Publication Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Sponsor: National Center for Education Statistics (ED), Washington, DC.
Authoring Institution: National Assessment of Educational Progress, Princeton, NJ.; Educational Testing Service, Princeton, NJ. Center for the Assessment of Educational Progress.
Identifiers - Location: New Hampshire
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: National Assessment of Educational Progress


The provision for children’s development and learning is guided by The Early Years Foundation Stage. Our provision reflects the themes and commitments of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Play helps young children to learn and develop through doing and talking, which research has shown to be the means by which young children learn to think. Our setting uses Early Years Foundation Stage guidance to plan and provide a range of play activities to help children to make progress in each of the areas of learning and development.
Areas of Development and Learning.
Children start to learn about the world around them from the moment they are born. The care and education offered by our setting enables children to continue to learn and develop through stimulating and interesting activities which are appropriate for their age and stage of development.
The Areas of Development and Learning comprise:
- personal, social and emotional development;
- communication, language and literacy development;
- problem solving, reasoning and numeracy;
- knowledge and understanding of the world;
- physical development;
- Creative development.


Tie Dyeing with Toddlers and Preschoolers
One of my great loves is dyeing fabric. I find nothing more pleasing than creating the dyes out of natural materials, or using pre-made dyes to transform a blank piece of cloth into something stunning. I have always wanted to bring dyeing of fabrics into the world of children's art, and this project is my first introduction to you.
I have worked on ways to dye with young children over the years, and it has often been a frustrating experience for both the children and myself. It's too challenging to ask young (the 5 and under crowd) children to wrap fabric with rubber bands, or wrap the fabric with yarn, or even use clothespins to clamp onto the fabric to create a resist effect. I want children to experience success and joy when they are brave enough to try a new technique or a new material, and dyeing fabrics just hadn't worked out...until now.
So, my friends, I am pleased to share with you an easy and wonderful project that is not only perfect for young children, but also perfect for this fall season. The project uses fine motor skill development, as well as assists in the development of the pincer grasp skill- all important pre-writing skill practice!
(Please note the following list includes affiliate links. Thank you for your support!)
1 White Blank Flour Sack Towel
Liquid Watercolors: Red, Yellow, and Green (I love the Sargent Liquid Watercolors the most)
Tray to use as a work surface (optional)
1. Shake out your flour sack towel a few times (the kids love this part!), now that it is all spread out see how much you can crunch, and squish, and wrap, and twist until you have turned the fabric into a small twisted ball. For young children it is so exciting to watch a piece of material go from wide and long and spread out to small and compact. Opposites are astonishing and thrilling to young minds-and hands!
2. Place your now smaller and squished up towel onto your work surface (we really love these trays, as the lip keeps all the "mess" contained and provides a stellar individual work space for the young artists).Using your droppers and liquid watercolors, drip-drop the colors onto your fabric. Having trouble figuring out how to get the dropper to work? check out this video).
3. Drip-drop the liquid watercolors all over the fabric. Look for any bit of white fabric peaking out and drip more paint there. Turn the fabric over so the portion that was underneath is now the top and continue to drop colors onto the fabric. Honestly, children could do this process for hours.
4. Now, here's the fun part! pick up your fabric and unravel it. You should have a tie-dyed affect with some parts of the fabric remaining white, and other parts where the paints have blended together. Hang the fabric to dry, which will only take a few minutes.
5. Allow your fabric to dry. Once dry you can tie the ends around your child's shoulders to be used and worn as a stunning cape for dress-up and imaginative play!


Playing the guitar -- or any musical instrument -- is a performing art and it's important that an education in performing arts be accredited. The endorsement of accreditation is one of accountability and quality, so that students may know that their education in guitar and performing arts met standards that professional musicians have established as educational guidelines. Perhaps more importantly, students can be reassured that the music and performing arts community views the education as valuable.
The National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) is part of the National Office of Arts Accreditation (NOAA). NASM establishes guidelines for the music education programs including curricular standards in addition to providing informing the public about music education programs.
Six regional accrediting bodies in addition to NASM include:
- Middle State Association of Colleges and Schools
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges
- North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
- New England Association of Schools and Colleges
- Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Some additional resources related to guitar and music accreditation are:
- The College Music Society (CMS)
- MENC: The National Association for Music Education
- American Music Therapy Association
Other fields related to guitar and music may be of interest. Please visit our partner sites for more information:


Years 3 - 5 (ages 7 - 9)
As YCIS moves into 21st Century learning, our purpose-built Learning Communities give students every opportunity to dig deeper into self-directed learning. The development of “soft skills” (including communication, collaboration, co-operation, resilience and flexibility) is fostered and grown and students move into wider thinking, as well as better developed social skills. These learning spaces are flexible, open, transparent and able to be used effectively by both large and small groups of students.
Learning Communities are ideally sized groupings (70-140) of students and teachers (including specialists and learning support), which are designed and organised to facilitate:
- Purposeful collaboration
- Integration of knowledge
- A spirit of belonging and connection.
The physical spaces in which Learning Communities operate are flexible and cater for both individual and collective needs and responsibilities. There are spaces for quiet individual study and reflection, for teamwork and conversation, and for small and large group instruction. These spaces, coupled with the furnishings, support the sharing of outcomes and the design and making of the physical manifestations of learning. Creative expression in all its forms is enhanced by the spaces within our Learning Communities.
Every teacher in Years 3, 4 and 5 ensures that each child is treated with the upmost care and respect. We provide a curriculum and learning programme that are both challenging and stimulating, ensuring that children enjoy their learning, as well as feel part of an ever-growing educational environment.
Through Character Education, the children acquire the skills of becoming responsible global citizens, as well as learning to take ownership of their own learning. Our open Learning Community environment helps to provide the students with a sense of well-being and confidence in communicating in two languages. Students are provided with a plethora of resources and opportunities, creating a stimulating atmosphere, where creativity, exploration and imagination are greatly encouraged and developed.
Our bilingual teaching and learning programme in the Upper Primary helps students develop the skills they need in English and Chinese in order to become proficient speakers. In each area of the Learning Communities, students immerse themselves in both languages as Western and Chinese Co-Teachers facilitate learning and provide feedback.
Students are supported throughout the programme by differentiated classes and groups. YCIS provides services to students who qualify for our English as an Additional Language (EAL) programme and for our level-based Chinese classes. We want to build our students up to be capable communicators and confident risk-takers.
Learning Community teams collaborate on, innovate, design and implement learning programmes that are:
- Conducive to creative and critical thinking
We draw on students’ interest to create units of study that follow the standards based on the National Curriculum in England. We find it important that students enjoy learning while exploring and retaining necessary foundational skills. Flexible co-teaching enables us to use fluid grouping not only within our space, but also across the year levels. This allows us to cater for individual needs to deepen understanding and embed concepts. We are also able to provide choices and a differentiated environment where students can thrive.
Collaboration is at the heart of everything we do within our Learning Communities. Teachers openly collaborate on all aspects of learning, which in turn models excellent collaborative skills for the students. Teachers meet every day to discuss and share best practices, to reflect on the day’s learning, to plan the next steps and to ensure that all students within the community are making the necessary progress in all aspects of their learning. As well as collaboration amongst teachers, collaboration amongst students is continually encouraged and improved. Students have the opportunity to work with a diverse range of personalities and nationalities in a variety of engaging projects, to help build their communication skills for now and the future.
The Arts (visual and performing arts, music and violin) are core to the YCIS programme. The Arts encourage students to see what they look at, hear what they listen to, and feel what they touch. Students seek, find and develop multiple solutions to problems, recognising that the world is filled with different possibilities and perspectives. Fine motor skills are developed through creating artworks and playing (violin and classroom music instruments). Gross motor skills are developed through movement (dance) and exploration of space (drama).
Year 3 is the final year of the Violin programme. Students are now playing more complex music, and perform as an ensemble throughout the year. Performing Arts is introduced from Year 4, providing students with the opportunity to develop drama and dance related skills and understandings. Self-discipline, including concentration, is important in the Arts subjects. In the Arts classrooms, students are learning and creating with others, developing their collaborative skills. Learning is made visible through displays of student artwork, performing in concerts and in Years 4 and 5, through the recording and performing of music compositions.


Preparing Students for Success in Elementary School
A “big kid” now, your five- or six-year-old is eager to learn and excel—and first grade is just a year away. Our private kindergarten program offers everything your child needs for a smooth transition from preschool to primary school: secure yet interactive environments, teachers trained in early child development, and small class sizes. Building on each child’s individual needs and skills, our teachers guide learning through a host of fun and engaging activities. With a focus on the development of the whole child, our kindergarten program is designed to stimulate cognitive, socio-emotional, and physical development.
A Lifetime of Learning and Achievement
Studies show that a high quality kindergarten education can result in substantial benefits to children well into adulthood. Kindergarten programs with experienced teachers and small class sizes are linked to higher test scores and a greater likelihood of attending college. Learning more in kindergarten can even increase students’ chances of earning better salaries, marrying, and owning homes when they’re adults. Our kindergarten centers not only meet these standards of quality but also exceed state curriculum criteria in all areas of cognitive, socio-emotional, and physical development.
- Cognitive: Learning to think logically is the cornerstone to success in later academic disciplines. As with earlier developmental stages, caring relationships, enriched environments, and engaging experiences kindergarten shapes five- and six-year-olds’ cognitive growth.
- Socio-Emotional: Research indicates that a child’s ability to regulate emotions and behavior is a strong predictor of success in school, work, and society. Such regulation is developed through responsive relationships with teachers, teacher modeling of appropriate behaviors, and activities to promote sharing and empathy, all of which are integral to our kindergarten program.
- Physical: We provide plenty of opportunities for safe indoor and outdoor play. Our play areas and activities not only help develop your kindergartener’s gross and fine motor skills, but also allow him or her to learn, explore, and socialize.
Developmental Activities Include:
- Promoting Literacy: Immersed in a vivid world of letters, words, sounds, and stories, your youngster is primed to develop a love of language and literature in our kindergarten program. These early experiences help develop the vocabulary, writing, and reading skills for success in first grade.
- Mastering Math: Curious about the expanding world around them, five- and six-year-olds love to categorize, compare, and count—activities that are perfect for mastering fundamental math skills they’ll need later. Our skilled teachers guide students through independent and group numerical activities for sustained mathematic success.
- Imagining Other Worlds: Whether your kindergartener wishes to be a chef, a ballerina, or the president, he or she will find the props and costumes necessary for rich dramatic play in our kindergarten school programs. Making up and acting out fictional personas and situations is an integral part of developing abstract thinking, literacy, math, and social skills.
- Speaking Spanish: Why not teach your child the second most spoken language in the world when his or her capacity to learn is greatest? Exposure to Spanish and learning activities abound in our kindergarten program. Your child will not only be exposed to another culture but also learn a language that can give him or her an academic—and career—advantage later.
- Exploring Science & Nature: Inquisitive young minds enjoy engaging indoor and outdoor science experiences. Guided by our skilled teachers, they observe, investigate, test, and discover the world around them.
- Developing Computer Skills: Children learn best through experiences and play. Rather than provide computer instruction, we give kindergarteners fun digital activities, expanding technological skills while keeping them entertained and engaged.
- Dancing to the Music: Fun fitness activities and dancing to music are incorporated into kindergartners’ routines, helping develop motor skills, coordination, and creativity. These are also excellent opportunities for children to socialize.
Partnering with Parents for a Seamless Transition into Elementary School
Research suggests that the transition between early childhood learning programs and elementary school can be a critical time in a child’s development, and that family involvement in education programs can significantly boost young children’s academic success. In addition to offering skilled teachers and small classrooms, we also partner with parents to ensure a seamless transition into primary school for your child. Through frequent meeting and collaboration, we work together to achieve superior educational outcomes in kindergarten and beyond.


CHARLOTTETOWN, PEI — Parents and children of all ages are encouraged to spend time learning and reading together on Family Literacy Day and throughout the year, says Education and Early Childhood Development Minister, Alan McIsaac.
“Reading with your children is a fun and rewarding way to spend time together as a family and it encourages lifelong learning,” said Minister McIsaac. “The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development is constantly reviewing and updating the curriculum in Island schools and investing in new initiatives to promote literacy. Our main objective is to ensure our students have access to the information and tools they need to succeed.”
Minister McIsaac has proclaimed January 27, 2012 as Family Literacy Day in Prince Edward Island. The national celebration takes place annually to encourage families to participate in literacy activities together. Canadians are also being encouraged to spend at least 15 minutes participating in a fun learning activity every day.
The theme for 2012 is Take the Learning Journey. Board games, card games and word games are fun ways for parents and children to brush up on literacy and numeracy skills. By playing word games and reading with your children you improve listening, vocabulary and language skills, as well as develop creativity and imagination.
“The Prince Edward Island Public Library Service plays an important role in promoting family literacy all year long through its collection, services and programs,” said Tourism and Culture Minister Robert Henderson. “Library branches in communities across the province offer a variety of programs for children and adults that make learning both informative and fun.”
There are many different ways that you can incorporate family literacy into your daily routine. These include:
• reading a book together;
• playing word, number or board games;
• writing an email to a relative;
• singing your favourite songs;
• surfing the Internet for fun family-friendly sites;
• making a shopping list;
• picking a recipe from a cookbook and following it together; and
• going for a walk as a family and reading street signs.
For more details on Family Literacy activities check out the PEI Literacy Alliance Website at http://www.pei.literacy.ca or the national website at http://www.abclifeliteracy.ca. For more information on the PEI Public Library Service, visit http://www.library.pe.ca.
For more information, contact Laura Steeves, Education and Early Childhood Development by email email@example.com or phone (902) 368-6449.


Thousand Words Project (Brushstrokes and Words), Lewiston Middle School, Integrating Literacy and Visual Art, Susan B. Weber
Reading Pictures, Reading Words–Comprehension Strategies
It is possible to understand and appreciate art with the same comprehension strategies used for reading written text. Some of these strategies are questioning, connecting, inferring, and predicting. As we interpret art, we prepare to “apply effective strategies to the reading and interpretation of fiction” as The Maine Learning Results require.
This lesson uses an assortment of art pieces to differentiate instruction in order to support the teaching of these comprehension techniques. This appeal to the visual learner will offer an alternate entry point to this content for many students, sparking discussion and making the strategies more concrete.
- To understand and appreciate art with the comprehension strategies used for reading written text
- To introduce or review and practice reading comprehension strategies
- To expose students to a wide variety of two-dimensional art
Maine Learning Results:
A: 1-6,8,10; B: 1,2,8,9; D: 3
Teacher will select and post the reading strategy of inferring.* Students will engage in the following bell activity, designed to model the inferencing strategy:
With Arthur Rothstein’s “Girl at Gee’s Bend” projected on a screen, students will answer in writing the following three questions:
What is she thinking?
What is she looking at?
How do you know?
Students will share answers to questions #1 and #2 and discuss. Teacher will ask question #3 to elicit answers involving reading strategies.
Teacher will give definition and explanation of inferring. Students will access website and view four preselected pieces of art.
Each student will select one of the four photographs with which to work. Teacher will assign students to one of four groups, according to picture selection. Students will collaborate within groups to form inferences based on their common picture. Groups will present and justify their inferences to the class as the art is projected on a screen. Teacher will use probing questions to help students clarify, adjust, and/or support responses in order to demonstrate comprehension of the strategy.
Informal–teacher may make anecdotal notes regarding level of engagement & quality of responses. Follow-up assignments for scoring may include above task performed independently and journal entries demonstrating proficiency in meeting objectives.
*Any strategic reading skill may be used to “read” the art; for the purpose of this example, a task to teach inferring has been selected.


Friday, July 6, 2012
Early Years Apps for Learning
More antidotes of very young learners becoming engaged by and using apps continue to surface. There is even early evidence that preschoolers who use iPads for some guided activities have a small advantage with language acquisition. Dr D Bebell, Sue Dorris and Dr Mike Muir from the Auburn School District presented to Auburn School District Committee. This has yet to be proven conclusively but may have interesting outcomes for early years teachers.
There was no suggestion of which apps were used in the study but it did make me curious to see what apps were available for early learners. Here are a number of apps that can be used by preschool and infants age kids.
Learn - toggle through the alphabet to see the pictures and words that start with the letter chosen. Press the picture to hear it. Practice- Choose the letter that the picture starts with. Play- This fun activity is great for all ages. Press the circle to reveal a random letter. Choose from the nine colored markers and start drawing something that starts with that letter.
Stories About Me allows parents and teachers to create their own social stories for their children and students. Blending photos, text, and voice recordings into a talking picture book, children can playback rich media stories of their own personal experiences. Swiping advances the pages and tapping plays the audio; simple as that!
Learning to write letters and numerals will never be the same after a child tries LetterSchool. This app has raised the bar for all letter/numeral recognition apps. Children’s Technology Review. A fantastic program to familiarize kindergartners with the alphabet. This intelligently designed app will captivate the user through entertaining animations and an easy to navigate interface.
Wonder Kids: FREE
Wonder Kids is an educational application for toddlers, pre-school and elementary school children. Fun Learning Activities, as coloring, drawing, matching games, jigsaw puzzles and Bingo games. Contributing to the all-round and linguistic development of kids, the application gives them a sense of achievement and enormous satisfaction.
SpellMania encourages players to spell and learn harder and harder words. If the player makes a mistake, the host will repeat the word letter by letter with the correct spelling displayed on screen. Any misspelled words are more likely crop up again in the game, giving players another chance to get it right, reinforcing the learning.
Kids learn their ABCs through play when they make the 'D'inosaur roar, 'Z'ip the Zipper, and more! Every letter is a unique, interactive toy! The memorable flash cards engage children in learning and aid in development. Develops reading foundational skills including uppercase letters, lowercase letters, and phonics sounds
Created by an Occupational Therapist. Ready to Print is a tool for parents, therapists and educators to help teach pre-writing skills to children to build a strong foundation for beginning printers. Ready to Print progresses through the pre-writing skills so that children can master the visual-motor, visual-perceptual, and fine motor skills.
This app is a How To guide for kids and their mentors to get the words flowing. This app is not about grammar and spelling. The creative writing process is presented in entries and photos of kids writing, original artwork, and inspiring scenes. The photos will fuel brainstorming for stories, essays and poems.
Can you complete each level by setting cuckoo’s clock correctly 12 times? Choose the level of play you wish to practise then drag the minute hand around the clock to match the time spoken. Press the yellow button to see if you’re correct, if you are, cuckoo comes out to say hello! Multiple levels.
This app addresses all four language objectives to help early language learners as well as children with expressive language delays who use augmentative and alternative communication methods. Use the ‘Learn’ and ‘Practice’ buttons to direct the child to find a specific target words.
Posted by Greg Swanson at 6.7.12


Here, in remarks drawn from his letters, essays, novels, and speeches are 10 of mark twain's most memorable observations on the writer's craft. Mark twain essay writing service, custom mark twain papers, term papers, free mark twain samples, research papers, help. Realism mark twain has a unique style of writing in his novel, the adventures of huckleberry finn he is known for writing very realistically and. Mark twain, a writer who is twain's use of authenticity in voice and writing style created for him and the world a new kind of writing - writing that revealed to. In both the adventures of tom sawyer and the adventures of huckleberry finn, twain’s writing style is, at first glance, sloppy and unrefined. Everything you need to know about the writing style of mark twain's the adventures of tom sawyer, written by experts with you in mind.
Samuel clemens (mark twain) twain's style combined with a rare genius for humor and style, keep his writing fresh and appealing. Huckleberry finns morals in the novel the adventures of huckleberry finn mark twain was style nowthe adventures of huckleberry finn essay writing. If the style twain's essays on mark writing student can analyze the data points about the award in search of music education have led to an end. Essay from same mark twain writing the damned human race directions mla format choose one argument from the historic american or global works listed in the.
Annotated bibliography of mark twain essay this article will serve my discussion of twain’s writing style and unique idiom in my essay. I’m a big mark twain one of my favorite pieces from twain is an essay outlining the 18 rules of writing addressed to a straightforward style tags grammar. Mark twain once wrote, “if christ were here there is one thing he would not be – a christian” (cox vii) this is indeed not only humorous but also.
A detailed discussion of the writing styles running throughout the adventures of tom sawyer the adventures of tom + essays critical essay #1 mark twain. Find and download essays and research papers on mark twain style. Ask our experts to get writing help submit your essay for mark twain quotes on writing there is rarely a person who hasn’t read or heard of mark twain. A detailed discussion of the writing styles running throughout the adventures of huckleberry finn the + essays critical essay #1 mark twain writing styles.
Mark twain writing style analysis essay quotsivilized quot writing: mark twain – close reading essay 1mark twain – close reading essay. Mark twain and humor 4 pages 917 words december 2014 saved essays save your essays here so you can locate them quickly topics in this paper.


Bridging Gaps in Music Teacher Education
MetadataShow full item record
In response to the National Review of School Music Education, a team of academics from across Australia devised a project aimed at bridging the gaps between research, teaching and academic development through institutions engaged in music teacher education. With funding from the Carrick Institute and using problem-based learning as the tool, pre-service teachers were invited to participate in practical teaching environments through case studies uploaded to a central website. As an adjunct aim, it was anticipated that the project would decrease academic isolation between academics, teachers and pre-service teachers.
© 2007 Music Council of Australia. The attached file is reproduced here in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher. Please refer to the journal's website for access to the definitive, published version.


Welcome to the January installment of The Puggle. This month, champions spoke up for girls: Oprah made a rousing speech about a future in which “nobody ever has to say ‘Me too’ again,“ Bono argued that “Closing the gender gap in education could generate $112 billion to $152 billion a year,” Malala urged us to “invest in girls today” and got Apple to do just that.
Girls themselves rose to the occasion: Rwanda celebrated the rising performance of girls on its national exams, teens in the Ivory Coast split schooling and child care shifts in order to stay in school, and girls in Kenya found ways to avoid the traditional Maasai cutting ceremony.
We were also excited to see new data and analysis that informs us about the nature of problems that girls face in getting educated, and what we can do about it. (Speaking of data telling good stories, do you have a story to tell about gender data having an impact? Data2x wants to hear about it, by the end of March.)
SCHOOL SYSTEMS ARE FAILING GIRLS AND BOYS
The World Bank released a working paper drawing from “the largest globally comparable dataset on education quality,” summarized in this presentation and on this blog. The most worrying finding from this report is not specific to girls. In fact, “gender gaps are relatively small and vary significantly by region.” But it is extremely worrying that “only half the students in developing countries are achieving the basic skills (reading, writing, counting) needed to perform in the labor market...The effect of quality education is three times higher for developing, as compared to developed countries.”
India’s thirteenth Annual Status of Education Report focused for the first time on children ages 14-19. In addition to testing reading and math, volunteers across India assessed how well youth can apply these skills to everyday tasks, whether they use mobile phones, internet, and banking, and what they aspire to do for further schooling and careers.
Year after year the ASER report has revealed that there is a learning crisis in India. This year’s report highlights the real-world consequences. For example, youth were asked to read and interpret the directions on Oral Rehydration Solution packets. Despite the straightforward instructions and the fact that 75% of youth could read, just over half of them could answer three of four simple questions like “How many packets should be mixed with 2 litres of water?”
The fuller set of findings show that counting money, calculating weight, and telling time are similarly problematic. "Substantial numbers of young people who have completed 8 years of schooling have difficulty applying their literacy and numeracy skills to real world situations." Every year ASER has sounded an alarm about the learning crisis in India. This year's report adds urgency. It’s the first time in history most children in India are completing eight years of school. They have aspirations for further schooling and careers that do not match their "worryingly insufficient levels of learning.” In short, “this generation is moving ahead into an uncertain future."
GIRLS FACE EXTRA DISADVANTAGES, ESPECIALLY THE MOST MARGINALIZED
Although poor performance on the ASER assessment affected both boys and girls, the report reveals that India is a context in which girls perform worse than their male peers. There was a gender gap on almost every task, and the differential was especially large for tasks related to numbers. This could in part be because girls have fewer opportunities to practice their skills. The report found that girls use technology less than boys: "While only 12% of males had never used a mobile phone, this number for females is much higher at 22%...[and] while 49% of males have never used the internet, close to 76% of females have never done so."
Elsewhere, gender parity on average may mask gaps for sub-populations. In Tanzania, for example, girls in the wealthiest households are just as likely to go to secondary school as boys. Girls in the poorest households, however, are less likely to attend than boys.
In cases where disadvantage takes the form of adverse experiences like abuse or neglect, children have the added dimension of trauma, which can have long term effects on health and education.
HELPING DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS PAYS OFF
There are ways to tackle disadvantage, and they pay off. For example, resilience training can help alleviate chronic stress.
Recent research from the RISE program shows that countries that make progress in improving learning outcomes do so by improving outcomes for students at the bottom—akin to the way in which “poverty reduction and growth go hand in hand.”
In a similar vein, this new study by the REAL Center at Cambridge finds that although it costs more to reach the most marginalized girls, the impact per dollar spent is worthwhile.


Try these middle school worksheets with your 6th, 7th, or 8th grader 5th grade math worksheet panchatantra: the fish that were too clever worksheet help your kid learn about theme with a reading comprehension page that features a story from panchatantra, a collection of classic animal fables from india. Printables for 6th-8th grade these free printables are perfect for kids aged 11-13 browse by subject print | share place value worksheet · what's the chance match it no1: multiplication · problem-solving strategies · fruity fractions: a worksheet reading time for a reading resolution · homophones: practice page. Worksheets and hand-outs from mrs hatzigeorgiou's 7th grade english class the documents listed below are in pdf format in order to view and print the files, you must have adobe acrobat reader installed on your computer you can download this application free by going to the following web sites:. Writing equations in point slope form coloring worksheet · avatar by lindsay perro about this resource : this activity provides algebra students with a fun way to practice or review writing equations in point slope form students solve given point slope problems and their answer determines what color they use to fill in the. Grade common core student response pages for informational text contains ten pages of attractively-designed student-ready handouts that will have your students practicing the common core reading standards with any informational text you choose to teach.
Quill provides free writing and grammar activities for middle and high school students. The reading comprehension passages below include 8th grade appropriate reading passages and related questions please use any of the printable worksheets (you may duplicate them) in your classroom or at home just click on the worksheet title to view details about the pdf and print or download to your computer. Read the article, poems, and stories, and answer the reading comprehension questions passages written for students at a fourth grade reading level 5th grade reading comprehension read the article, poems, and stories, and answer the reading comprehension questions passages written for students at a fifth grade. Many homeschooling parents have their child complete both the language arts and language arts extensions non homeschoolers use the lessons for online tutoring, extra practice, or summer enrichment or as a eighth grade language arts.
Language arts worksheet library the language arts lessons below have been selected from the resources of teacher created resources (click on the advertisement above for a complete catalog of teacher created resources teacher-ready activities) the lessons are arranged by grade click on the grade level you. This eighth grade vocabulary list was built from an analysis of difficult words that appear in basal readers and other books commonly taught in the 8th grade those words were then analyzed to see how often they appeared on english language arts state tests given in the eighth, ninth and tenth grades this vocabulary.
Writing to prompts, writing, eighth 8th grade english language arts standards, grade level help, internet 4 classrooms internet resources, teachers, students, children. Summary of writing standards for eighth grade students information about 8th grade writing test preparation and strategies for improving writing skills.
Free, printable 8th grade ela common core worksheets includes language, informational, foundational skills and more use in class or home visit today. Here you can find worksheets and activities for teaching 8th grade to kids, teenagers or adults, beginner intermediate or advanced levels. Print our eighth grade (grade 8) worksheets and activities, or administer them as online tests our worksheets use a variety of high-quality images and some are aligned to common core standards.
A student usually starts with learning how to write the alphabet and moves on to spelling words after spelling basic grade level words, students move on to paragraph and essay writing learning how to express oneself through writing is an important skill to develop these are the writing worksheets for the 8th grade. Irony and puns – these figure of speech shouldn't give you that hard of a time [l 85a] relationships between vocabulary words – they exist you just have to make the connection [l85b] advanced connotation and denotation – you are deciphering another author's writing here [l85c] 8th grade vocabulary – time. Results 1 - 20 of 31324 english language arts, grammar, ela test prep 6th, 7th, 8th, homeschool worksheets, homework, literacy center ideas common core standards l74b, l74c, l75c✓2 weeks of common core aligned language homework sheets ( 6 pages) ✓covers the first 2 weeks of 7th grade, focusing on.


Amadeo Modigliani was an Italian Modernist painter during the 20th century. He is best known for his minimalist portraits of women with strange almond shaped eyes that are completely colored in. The faces are nearly alien and the bodies are linear. The backgrounds are non-descriptive and surreal. Upon looking at his art kids will often remark about how alien the women appear and how strange the portraits are. This lesson is an excellent introduction into basic facial proportions as the students don’t have to worry so much about the realistic shapes of the face, just the correct placement of simplified facial features.
I posted before about DBAE (Discipline Based Art Education) and this particular lesson plan has a strong art critical component that leads into an understanding of Modigliani’s aesthetic. The students will go through with the teacher all of the Elements of Art and Principals of Design and how they relate to Modigliani’s paintings.
Art Lesson Plan
# of 50 minute sessions: 4
Art Resources: visuals from the Girl series by Amadeo Modigliani and teacher exemplar
Art Materials: one 11”x14” sheet of white paper per student, pencils, erasers, and oil pastels.
– create a self-portrait in the style of Amadeo Modigliani.
– create a drawing using pencils and oil pastels.
– learn about the art of Modigliani.
– discuss the artwork of Modigliani according to the Principals of Design and Elements of Art.
Vocabulary: Amadeo Modigliani, Modern Art, Principals of Design, Elements of Art, and Self-Portrait.
Day 1: Teacher will introduce visuals from the Girl series by Amadeo Modigliani. Teacher will discuss the art criticism part of the lesson with the student and go over vocabulary. Student will view the visuals and begin discussing with students the work of art according to the Elements of Art and Principals of Design. The teacher will demonstrate how to draw a self-portrait in Modigliani’s style. Student will draw his/her self-portrait using pencil (lightly).
Day 2: Student will review vocabulary, the art critical component from the prior week, and teacher product/visual aide.Student will begin coloring in self-portrait.
Days 3-4: Student will review vocabulary and teacher product/visual aide. Student will finish coloring his self-portrait and present his artwork to the class. Student will share with the class using the Elements of Art and Principals of Design how his self-portrait is similar in style to Modigliani’s portraits.


At the end of the course, students should be able to:
Identify contemporary ideas in visual art education: the concept, scopes and common practices.
Analyze the functions of art criticism in art and design education practices.
Apply the DBAE approach in art and design education.
Review art exhibition as a medium for the presentation of art.
The course will survey some major theory and practices in making visual art education practices by arrangement with specialists in Art Education field such as curriculum, museum art educators, visual art therapy, multimedia, craft education etc. It is intended that students should work at a serious level in a specialist area with the emphasis on the field that they are already familiar so that the work will exhibit a standard level of understanding in each specialized field.


Christmas Party - Kid Games and Ideas November 27 2017
Simple Machine Science for Kids: Launching Ping Pong Ball Snowmen by Buggy and Buddy
Whenever I invite my kids to participate in science experiments, my main goal is NOT to make sure they master a set concept, but simply to allow them to explore the activity in their own way. Giving this freedom to children inspires them to make predictions and critically think about the world around them in a pressure-free setting.
We don’t really get snow in our neck of the woods so we have to create our own imaginary snow activities~ like our indoor snowy toy car ramp, or like this activity- launching ping pong ball snowmen!
Materials for Launching Ping Pong Ball Snowmen
- Ping pong balls (Optional: Draw snowmen faces on the ping pong balls with Sharpiesto make this science activity winter themed!)
- Wooden yardstick
- Something to use as a fulcrum (Examples: coffee can, large wooden toy block, a log, or a brick )
- Small plastic cup
- Strong tape (like packing tape or masking tape)
- An open space to do the activity (like your yard or a nearby park)
- Optional: Paper and pencil for science journaling
1. Tape a plastic cup to one end of the yardstick. (We started off with just a few pieces of tape, but soon realized we needed to add quite a bit more to keep the cup from flying off the yardstick. Really tape that baby down with some strong tape.)
2. Grab your ping pong ball snowmen, your yardstick (with cup attached) and whatever you’re using as the fulcrum (in our case a coffee can) and head outside. Find an open space (like your yard) to set up your activity.
2. Place the yardstick over the coffee can (or whatever item you’ve found to use as the fulcrum).
3. Put a ping pong ball snowman into the cup.
4. Give the snowman a little pep talk before his launch.
4. Push down on the opposite end of the yardstick quickly (with either your hand or foot) and observe what happens to the ping pong ball.
5. Allow plenty of time for children to explore launching the ping pong balls. Optional: Encourage children to record what they are noticing in their science journals. Younger children can illustrate what is happening with simple pictures.
6. Depending on the age and interest of your child, introduce the terms lever and fulcrum. (A lever is basically a stick or rod that uses a pivot point or fulcrum to move something. In this case the yardstick is the lever, the coffee can is the fulcrum, and the lever is moving the ping pong ball.)
7. Invite your child to observe what happens to the ping pong ball when changing the position of the fulcrum. Older children can use the markings on the yardstick to record the location of the fulcrum in their science journal and how each location affects the distance the ping pong ball travels.
This activity can be a great learning experience for any age! Theo at 2 years old had a blast launching his ping pong ball snowman! He felt proud being able to set up the activity on his own and gained experience with cause and effect.
Lucy, age 5, was determined to see how she could set the lever up to get the ball to go the furthest by changing the location of the fulcrum after each launch. And she was very excited to find out what would happen when she launched lots of snowmen at once. She made all kinds of predictions as she explored our lever activity!
Want to Go Even Further?
Related activities to extend the learning for various ages.
- Play on a seesaw at your local playground. How is the seesaw the same and different as your ball launching lever? Do you think the seesaw is a lever? Why or why not?
- Where do you see levers being used in your everyday life? (Some examples: scissors, seesaw, pliers)
- Go online or to the library and research first class, second class, and third class levers.
- Design and build a smaller version of the lever we made today.


Explore the resource
Planning for learning and teaching
The findings set out within this resource are based on an in-depth analysis of children and young people's responses to tasks in the SSLN survey.
For each area of numeracy covered, survey-type questions are provided for illustrative purposes. This analysis provides all practitioners with an opportunity to:
- reflect on their practice in developing and promoting numeracy;
- explore planning for effective learning and teaching;
- consider how to enhance children and young people’s numeracy skills to support their learning across the curriculum;
- plan how to develop practice to incorporate some new concepts and ideas;
- share views on numeracy across learning
Activities to support learning and teaching
This professional learning resource is for all members of the learning community with responsibility for numeracy to work on together, in small groups or departments or as individuals. It offers a range of materials for in-service days and other professional development activities.
The resource lends itself to promoting professional reflection, dialogue and debate about numeracy and how to improve it. It offers a reference point for teachers to evaluate the quality of the delivery of the numeracy aspect of the mathematics curriculum and numeracy across learning as experienced by learners across stages and at transition points.
Also see the resources available to download below:
- a presentation that can be used to support professional learning activities focusing on planning for effective learning and teaching;
- the SSLN Numeracy Support Pack, created as part of the Improving numeracy engagement events in February and March 2013. It includes workshop activities, supporting documents and exemplar questions.
PowerPoint file: Numeracy - Professional Learning Resource presentation (2.2 MB)
PDF file: Activities 1 - Learners’ Understanding and Skills (194 KB)
PDF file: Activity 2 - Progression of Numeracy Skills (540 KB)
PDF file: Activity 3 – Embedding Problem Solving in Learning (293 KB)
PDF file: Activity 4 - Next Steps - Planning for Improvement (736 KB)
PDF file: Exemplar questions (1.3 MB)
PDF file: Aspects of Effective Teaching and Learning to Improve Skills diagram (249 KB)
PDF file: Improving Learners’ Numeracy Skills diagram (258 KB)
PDF file: Performance overviews (239 KB)
About the author(s)
This resource was created within Education Scotland’s Numeracy team in conjunction with Scottish Government.


- An inclusive approach enables all students to be involved in purposeful learning.
- Students experience a broad curriculum that involves them in a range of suitable learning experiences. Literacy and numeracy skills and understanding are appropriately prioritised. Areas identified by the community as significant such as sport, fitness, excursions, technology and te māra (gardens) are given emphasis.
- Teachers use a range of purposeful strategies to promote student engagement and progress.
- Teaching and organisational processes increasingly focus on successfully improving outcomes for students at risk of underachievement.
- Identity, language and culture of Māori learners and their whānau is affirmed through contexts for learning and ongoing development of the curriculum. Tikanga Te Atiawa is recognised and affirmed and the school continues to strengthen both knowledge and understanding of this kawa within their context. Authentic learning activities of high interest to learners are emphasised.
The Purpose of an ERO Report
The purpose of ERO’s reviews is to give parents and the wider school community assurance about the quality of education that schools provide and their children receive. An ERO school report answers the question “How effectively is this school’s curriculum promoting student learning - engagement, progress and achievement?” Under that overarching question ERO reports on the quality of education and learning outcomes for children and for specific groups of children including Māori students, Pacific students and students with special needs. ERO also reports on the quality of the school’s systems for sustaining and continuing improvements.


The Private Kindergarten program at Bent Tree Child Development Center consists of instruction in Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Computer Readiness, and Creative Expression through Art.
Language Arts/Open Court Reading
The Language Arts Program is designed to meet and challenge children at their individual levels. Each child will participate in a combination of Phonics and Whole Language instruction, including learning basic sight words. The children will be involved in Journal Writing each day. The Open Court Reading Program is an innovative program which has been very successful, and used in many area private schools.
The Saxon Math Program is an exciting “cutting-edge” program. It is an effective program, which teaches basic skills and helps develop a solid understanding of numbers. Manipulative’s are used to implement hands-on learning. Mathematics today is not so much what the answer is, but what the strategies are to find the answer!
The “Full Option Science System”, or “FOSS,” advocates firsthand experience with objects and organisms, and intellectual challenges that exercise the mind and help students construct and organize knowledge about the working of the world. One of the keys to successful science experiences for early childhood students is providing them with opportunities for free exploration. Science is also a rich content area for developing language concepts and vocabulary.
Our social studies units will be integrated throughout the basic Kindergarten curriculum. We study calendar events as well as historical events, along with responsibility, respect, sharing, using words to solve conflicts, appropriate ways to direct anger, and understanding the rules of the group.
All children have many different learning styles and possess “Multiple Intelligence’s”. We, at Bent Tree, are charged with the responsibility of nurturing as many of these styles and strengths as we possibly can. We are committed as a school and staff to offer children every resource available to enhance the learning experience. Children will be introduced to many different pieces of educational software throughout the year.
Bent Tree incorporates the D’Nealian Handwriting Program into the Kindergarten curriculum. This program has been used successfully for many years in many schools. Our wish is to prepare children as best we can in every area for the requirements and expectations of the schools they will attend in First Grade. This program introduces letters in groups that are formed by similar writing strokes. Children will immediately write to communicate, rather than to try to repetitively copy single letters at length. One of the hallmarks of the D’Nealian philosophy of handwriting is respect for individuality: if it is readable, it is acceptable as long as size, form, slant, and spacing are consistent.
Expression Through Art
Art is an area at Bent Tree in which children will be able to express themselves daily as creatively as they choose. Many different mediums are used, and the children will be exposed to many different techniques. Children’s creations are displayed regularly for viewing, as well as during our many special annual Art Exhibits.
Music, it has been shown, enhances early childhood learning. At Bent Tree, we offer basic musical concepts such as rhythm and tonal difference. This enables the child to be more successful if they later choose to play an instrument or sing. The Music Program is incorporated throughout the daily curriculum in the Kindergarten classroom, and the children are exposed to a large variety of musical styles and themes.
The goal of the Bent Tree Spanish Program is to provide a basic exposure of the Spanish language and traditions in an early childhood setting through fun activities and music. The weekly Spanish lesson consists of songs, arts and crafts, games, and acquisition of words such as nouns, verbs, numbers, colors, shapes, greetings, manners, days of the week, months of the year, and words for family members.
Bent Tree offers children a very thorough, innovative, and well-rounded curriculum. This program has continually been re-evaluated, and as a result, has evolved and changed over time. Our Kindergarten Program will continue to change as the needs of the children change. We are committed to excellence and a quality education. We address different learning styles through a diverse program. We are very confident that our children will be more than prepared for the educational experiences in their future, because of the well-laid foundation provided by the rich and nurturing curriculum found in the Bent Tree Kindergarten classroom.


Referencing the text, name 2 positive outcomes and 2 negative outcomes that come from visual electronic media use in childhood. Also referencing the text/research, if you were working with a parent who needed guidance on screen use for children, what information might you share?
Negative outcomes from visual electronic media use in childhood are attention difficulties. Infants and toddlers who were exposed to television were more likely to have attention issues later in childhood. Television can also be disruptive for children during play. If the television is in the background it can disrupt their learning.
Positive outcome from visual electronic media use in childhood are it can help prepare children for school and expand their vocabulary. It is important to note this is in children about four years in age viewing educational television content.
It would be incredibly important to stress to parents how violent television can have an affect on children. Children who view violent content, regardless of age, were shown to have attention difficulties.
Examining the 4 parenting styles as highlighted in the chapter, name one character from today’s pop culture/society that depicts a specific parenting style and describe/cite 4 identifying characteristics as referenced in the text to support your selection.
Peggy Hill and Hank Hill demonstrate an authoritative style when parenting Bobby Hill. They listen to Bobby’s concerns, for instance when Bobby was being bullied at school, Hank suggested he go to the YMCA and sign up for a defense class. Bobby mistakenly signed up for the Women’s self defense class and learned to kick men in their testicles for self-defense. Bobby did this to a bully at school and got in trouble. Bobby had to go speak with the school principal. Hank responded to the school’s concern by attending a meeting with the principal and not ignoring the issue. Hank approached Bobby in a calm manner later that evening and informed Bobby he was going to teach him how to fight fairly and explained it is never appropriately to kick below the belt. Hank tried to encourage Bobby by sparing in the garage however Bobby got frustrated and kicked his father in the testicles. Hank tried to effectively communicate during the situation by addressing the issue with Bobby maturely even though Bobby did not respond maturely. Bobby got in trouble for this and was instructed not to play video games. Later in the episode Bobby was playing a video game when he realized Hank was still incapacitated from being kicked. Peggy took the game from Bobby and when he got upset he tried to kick Peggy where her testicles would be if she was a man. Bobby realized it was a losing battle and followed his parents instructions. Peggy and Hank worked cooperatively to try to correct Bobby’s behavior in a positive way by teaching him how to fight properly and that it is not okay to disregard Hank’s instructions. Peggy supported Hank by helping him follow through with Bobby’s punishment, thus setting clear expectations for Bobby.
Infants exhibiting difficult behavior traits such as fearfulness (reactivity) or irritability (negative emotionality) could negatively influence caregiving behaviors. Infants exhibiting these traits tend to cry more and are fussier. A caregiver works to build attachment through synchrony and other interactions. Examples of synchrony are mother’s gazing or smiling back, mimicking child’s interactions and vice versa. This bonding would be strained by stressed emotions. It would also require more effort from the caregiver in soothing the child to encourage strong attachment. Easy babies who exhibit positive affect trait through smiling and laughing could inspire more quality interaction from a caregiver building stronger attachment.
The trend of decreasing play activity from school schedules in exchange for more academics can be attributed to the progression of learning and development. Executive functions which are skills such as self regulation and working memory are developed through play and experiences during early childhood learning. These skills are later reflected in a child’s ability to follow rules in class, pay attention and work cooperatively with others. Children who have not had the opportunity of early play experiences with other children or interactions in a classroom setting could have detrimental effects on their academic performance as they will lack the skills to effectively participate in a more academic setting. Emphasis on repeated exposure to objects and experiences helps to build understanding which supports the idea of less play and more academics. However Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory suggests successful learning happens through interaction in one’s cultural environment through seeing differences in people and experiences. Interaction with one’s peers can improve language development and cognitive skills
Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!


Diagnosis and management of Auditory Processing Disorder
Approximately 5-7 % of children meet the diagnostic criteria for the neuro-developmental disorder termed Auditory Processing Disorder (APD). These same children will often display significant literacy development difficulties. Adults also experience auditory procesisng deficits, with incidence increasing wth age.
The development and underlying associations of auditory processing skills require better understanding, and is a primary focus of this research team. Recent research has shown significant link exists between cognitive abilities and performance on specific auditory processing tasks (Tomlin et al., 2015). Evidence supporting delays in central auditory nervous development in children with APD has also recently been published (Tomlin & Rance, 2015), which would support an overall neuro-maturational delay as an underlying cause of Auditory Processing, cognitive and reading deficits.
How to ameliorate this disorder and optimize listening and/or educational outcomes is still to be determined. The second aim of this team is to evaluate the efficacy of various remediation approaches for their ability to target the neuro-plasticity of the central auditory nervous system and improve long-term auditory processing, literacy and listening outcomes in children and adults)diagnosed with APD. Determining the efficacy of available rehabilitation approaches for the amelioration of auditory processing deficits will provide clinical guidelines for the management of this disorder, and further insight into the mechanisms and pathways underlying auditory porcessing ability.
- Associate Professor Gary Rance
- Kelley Graydon, PhD Candidate
- Dr Andrew Vandali, HEARing CRC researcher
- HEARing CRC
- Phonak Org
- Victorian Department of Education and Training
- 2016 Early career Research grant
- HEARing CRC funding
This research project is available to PhD students to join as part of their thesis.
Please contact the Research Group Leader to discuss your options.
Tomlin, D. and Rance, G. (2016). Maturation of the central auditory nervous system in children with auditory processing disorder. Seminars in hearing. (37) 1, 74-83.
Barry, J. G., Tomlin, D., Moore, D. R., & Dillon, H. (2015). Use of questionnaire-based measures in the assessment of listening difficulties in school-aged children. Ear and hearing, 36(6), e300.
Tomlin, D., Dillon, H., Sharma, M., & Rance, G. (2015). The Impact of Auditory Processing and Cognitive Abilities in Children. Ear and hearing. (36)5, 527–542
Tomlin, D., & Rance, G. (2014). Long-Term Hearing Deficits After Childhood Middle Ear Disease. Ear and hearing, 35(6), e233-e242.
Tomlin, D., Dillon, H., & Kelly, A. S. (2014). Allowing for Asymmetric Distributions When Comparing Auditory Processing Test Percentage Scores with Normative Data. Journal of the American Academy of Audiology, 25(6), 541-548.
Dillon, H., Cameron, S., Glyde, H., Wilson, W., & Tomlin, D. (2012). An opinion on the assessment of people who may have an auditory processing disorder. Journal of the American Academy of Audiology, 23(2), 97-105.
Faculty Research Themes
School Research Themes
For further information about this research, please contact the research group leader.
Department / Centre
Unit / Centre
MDHS Research library
Explore by researcher, school, project or topic.


Part I: Sharing with Colleagues for First Grade Transition
Spending time analyzing, reflecting, and sharing data can feel like “one more thing” during this busy time. We have found that it is one of “the things” that can make a huge difference in supporting the successful transitions of our students.
Step 1. Reflect as a kindergarten team.
We suggest looking at Class Performance by Task reports, found on your Reports tab in the Information for Grouping section, as a kindergarten team. This report displays all task scores, with Identified students separated from students who met the Summed Score Benchmark.
Consider your own class, as well as similarities and differences across classes. This is a time, as a team, to reflect on what worked well with this class, and what areas may not have gotten as much attention or may not have resulted in as much progress for students. This type of reflection is the foundation for high quality instruction. Here are some essential questions:
- Where are class strengths? Rhyme? Beginning Sounds? Lower-case letter recognition? Are there patterns to students who are below benchmark? Is it the same in all classes?
- Do students who have all or most letters and sounds apply them in spelling and COW?
Step 2. Share with the First Grade Team.
Remember that in first grade, the PALS assessment shifts from a focus on foundational skills to applied reading skills. Yet, the information you have on a student’s foundation is critical as first grade teachers plan their instruction early in the year. Use your reflections as a kindergarten team to create a valuable summary for the first grade teams that includes:
- The overall strengths and weaknesses of the class. How much do they know about letters, letter sounds, rhyme, and beginning sounds? How well are they applying what they know in spelling and COW?
- A “watch list” – particularly those students above the Summed Score Benchmark, who did not score the maximum (25 points) on COW tasks. For these students, recommend that first grade teachers assess COW in the fall, even if these students are not required to take Part B.
- Data from any high-performing students who were administered PALS 1-3.
In this blog we focused primarily on ways to consider your data and prepare supports to aid your children’s transition to first grade. Another transition is that of PreK to K. Many of you have PreK in your building and/or have children coming from state-funded preschool programs. These students have PALS data, and exploring their scores can help you determine how to support their transition. Therefore, you may consider asking PreK teachers to share the following reports:
- Class Summary. Similar to PALS-K Class Summary, this report displays all of the task scores for each student. The green circle indicates that the student’s score is within the Spring Developmental Range for that particular task.
- Individual Task Growth. Similar to PALS-K Individual Task Growth, this report displays growth graphs for each PALS-PreK task in relation to Spring Developmental Range and maximum scores.
As soon as the student is on your class list in the fall, check the Student Summary: All School Years report. If your student participated in a publicly-funded PreK program anywhere in Virginia, the data will appear on this report.
Collaboration with grade-level and vertical teams builds a more supportive learning environment for our students.
Join us next week for Part II: Sharing with Families.
More questions? VKRP provides support via the online chat feature when you are in the system, via email email@example.com, and via toll free 866-301-8278 ext. 1.


By Teachers, For Teachers
As soon as students step foot into your classroom, you know if it will be a good day, or a bad day. Those first few minutes of the day will set the tone for the rest of the day. If the day starts off on the wrong foot, then it will most likely stay that way. To ensure that you (and your students) will have a fabulous productive school day, you must choose one way to get your students focused and ready to learn. One good way is through educational classroom games. Once you decide on how you will do that, then you must model it, and practice it every day until you feel your students can walk into the door and know what to do on their own.
Here are a few classroom games and other creative ways to start your school day off on the right foot.
This popular bellwork activity has been around for decades. Write a brief message to the students about what they will be doing throughout the day. Make sure you fill it with spelling and grammar mistakes. The student’s job is to copy the morning message correctly into their journals. Then, as a class discuss the mistakes and talk about what you have planned for them for the day.
Classroom Games: Quick Five
Each morning write five math problems, sentences students need to find errors in, writing prompt questions, or anything that you are currently working on. The student’s job is to answer the “quick five” in the notebooks each morning as soon as they arrive to class. Then, call on students to come to the board and answer the questions together as a class.
A great way to touch base with each student and build a classroom community is with a morning meeting. As soon the students put away their belongings have them sit on the carpet in a circle and get ready to discuss what they did last night, and what they will be doing today.
Question of the Day
A new take on the typical “question of the day” bellwork is to have students take turns thinking of a question. Each Friday afternoon before you are ready to pack up and go home, have students write down a question on a piece of paper. Then, have students fold up their questions and place them in a bowl. Randomly choose one question for each day of the following week.
D.E.A.R -- Drop Everything And Read. Start your morning off by having students read for 15-30 minutes as soon as they enter the classroom. This will help students focus and calm down the ones that like to chit chat in the morning.
Have students free write in their journals while you take attendance, get activities ready, etc. Then, provide students with the opportunity to share what they have written with their peers.
Yoga in the Classroom
Yoga in the school setting is more than just a trend, it has become a lifestyle for many classrooms across the United States. Many administrators and teachers have found that the benefits of yoga have provided students with a way to manage stress, focus on their studies, and stay relaxed. Try starting your morning routine with a few yoga poses and you’ll find students more calm and ready to work.
Create a morning review packet that has a variety of quick review activities students can complete. Include math, spelling, grammar, etc. Each morning when students arrive they will find a new morning packet on their desk and they must complete as much as they can until you say time is up. Then, as a class, go over the packet and the students that didn’t complete their pages must fill them in as you go over it.
Brain gym exercises are fun, short activities that teachers do with their students to expend energy and enhance learning. Here are 10 free brain gym exercises that are prefect to start each morning.
Any daily starter activity that you choose make sure that you model it, then practice it. To keep mornings from getting too repetitive, try and choose a day to switch it up. For example, every Friday students get to listen to music as they complete their morning work. Be creative, and make mornings a fun way to stimulate their brains, and keep students upbeat.
What is your morning routine like? Do you have a creative activity that you do in the morning to keep students focused? Share with us in the comment section below.
Janelle Cox is an education writer who uses her experience and knowledge to provide creative and original writing in the field of education. Janelle holds a Master's of Science in Education from the State University of New York College at Buffalo. She is also the Elementary Education Expert for About.com, as well as a contributing writer to TeachHUB.com and TeachHUB Magazine. You can follow her at Twitter @Empoweringk6ed, or on Facebook at Empowering K6 Educators.


Introduction to Orff (MUSC 4500)
This course provides a foundation in Orff Schulwerk and offers insights into bringing music and movement into the daily life of children. It is designed to give music specialists and those who can read and write music an introduction to the many elements which comprise the Orff philosophy of music education. Explore a creative approach that integrates speech, singing, movement, improvisation and instrument technique on pitched and non-pitched percussion instruments as well as recorder.
* Note: The CRNs listed below could be restricted to specific program areas.
To register for this course, check the information for your program:


Early Numeracy & Literacy
Developing strong numeracy and literacy skills early on can lead to greater academic success for our students down the road.
That's why kindergarten and Grade 1 students struggling with math and reading get extra help through our Early Numeracy Intervention Program (ENIP) and Reading Recovery®.
Both programs operate in all of our early years schools.
Early Numeracy Intervention Program
ENIP involves collaboration between classroom teachers and early numeracy facilitators trained to work directly with the students.
Initially, teachers and facilitators work with all kindergarten and Grade 1 students to determine their understanding of numbers and then move on to identify those who are struggling and need further support.
The facilitators work with students individually, in pairs or in small groups to improve counting, recognizing numbers, sequencing and other foundational numeracy skills.
Grade 1 students having difficulty learning to read and write get the extra help they need through Reading Recovery, an internationally-recognized intervention strategy for young readers.
It involves daily 30-minute individual lessons with specially-trained Reading Recovery teachers, conducted outside of the classroom for 12 to 20 weeks. Lessons are tailored to each student's unique needs, drawing from their own experiences and knowledge to develop strategies that will help them become better readers and writers.
Annual tracking results show a high percentage of our Reading Recovery students are able to work within the average range of achievement in reading and writing.
Learn more at the Reading Recovery Council website


What to do with this activity?
The human brain is a fascinating subject for your child to know about. Our brain, to a large extent, makes us who we are in terms of personality. The brain sends messages to every part of the body - to wiggle a finger or shake a leg, for instance. Likewise, the body sends messages back to the brain - I'm too hot; that shoe is pinching my toes.
Find out lots of interesting facts about the human brain and how the brain works on this link from Easy Science for Kids.
The brain is divided into two halves and is sort of cross-wired - the left brain controls the right hand part of our body and the right brain controls the left hand side of our body. The two halves also have different functions - the left brain controls language and logical thinking while the right brain controls creative thinking. Of course, every one is different and brains are more complicated than that. It might be fun for you or your child to do a test to find out which side of your brain is dominant - are you more logical or creative ? Don't take the result too seriously though!
Children gain confidence in speaking through demonstrating their knowledge to others. Chatting and listening to your child will help build their communication skills. Talking about words and their meaning in everyday life will also help build your child’s vocabulary – and your own!
Funny stories are interesting and a good excuse to get your child talking. At mealtimes, each family member could tell something interesting or something funny that happened during the day. Watching TV together can also provide a good opportunity for chat and to discuss what you are watching. Check if your child understands different things they hear and encourage your child to teach you new words and things they have learnt.
Rate this activity
Based on 1 review
How would you rate it?
1 = Poor, 5 = Great.


Shop & Order
Written by Laura Rogan, Jennifer Bloch Garcia, and Andrea Smith
Based on concepts from Wired for Reading™, Word-Wires is a word study curriculum designed to be part of a complete integrated literacy model. Our goal is to provide teachers with the tools and resources to teach all children to decode and spell in a manner that leads students to become joyful, skilled, independent, and metacognitive readers and writers.
Word-Wires is a comprehensive word analysis program that fosters a classroom environment where all students are honored for their personal strengths and literacy instruction meets them at their individual levels. Using Word-Wires, teachers can make instructional decisions that reflect a deep knowledge of linguistics, best teaching practices, and the individual needs of each student. We equip students with generalizable and transferrable skills for reading, spelling, and vocabulary acquisition.
The K-1 Foundation Curriculum is aligned with the Common Core Kindergarten and First Grade foundational skills. While some of the lessons may work with older children, we recommend teachers use the Wired For Reading™ intervention program instead, as the tone and pacing of the Word-Wires Foundation K-1 Curriculum is designed for use in a Core, Tier 1 Kindergarten or First Grade classroom.
Word-Wires Foundation K-1 Curriculum – $225
The curriculum set includes: Three volumes—Part 1 (Units 1-3), Part 2 (Units 4-7), and Appendices (Black Line Masters); 1 Magnetic Mouth Mat Set (1 blank frame, 1 filled frame, and 1 set magnetic mouth picture cards).
Word-Wires One – $225
Designed for First-Second Grade classroom teachers, the Word-Wires One curriculum set includes: Three volumes—Part 1 (Units 1-3), Part 2 (Units 4-5), and Appendices (Black Line Masters); 1 Magnetic Mouth Mat Set (1 blank frame, 1 filled frame, and 1 set magnetic mouth picture cards).
To order via Purchase Order, please contact Natasha@wiredforreading.com and include email contact, delivery address and shipping costs (if not arranging for local pick up). Please contact us if you have not received confirmation of your order within three business days.


This article was featured on The Rhode Show! Click here to watch.
Swimming is an activity that is loved by children of all ages. As summer approaches, it’s important to think about being safe in the water and at the beach. If you are a parent or guardian, being at the water with your children can be a fun, but stressful time. There are definitely some things you need to think about before you venture to the pool (or beach!)
What are some general things I should remember when I am at the water with my children?
·Please remember that are large misconceptions when it comes to drowning. It can happen in an instant, and people who are drowning can’t call for help in most cases, as they are trying to breathe. Not all people who are drowning will yell, or wave their hands, or bob up and down in the water.
·Supervision is the #1 priority when water is involved! Children need to be supervised at all times when they are around water of any kind. A good rule of thumb is to remember that children under 5 should be only an arm’s length away from an adult. If you need to leave for whatever reason, make sure your child is with you – do not leave them even for a minute – because less then a minute is all it takes for a dangerous situation to occur.
·Set rules from the start – and stick to them! If you are at the beach, and you tell them not to go past their knees, have a consequence ready when they do. They are going to test you and if you cave, they are going to continue to test! Set the rules from the get go, and talk about them before you even get there.
·The American Red Cross advocates for the buddy system – even if you are supervising your children, make sure they are always with someone else in the water.
·A flotation device does not replace proper supervision. Just because your child has a life vest on, or tube, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have to supervise them. Nothing replaces the proper supervision of an adult.
·If you own a pool, please abide by all rules and laws about owning one, including fencing, securing, and covering. Please make sure the cover is secure whenever it is not in use. Also, make sure toys are not floating in the pool when there is no one around – colorful toys are often hard to resist for small children and they might unknowingly try to grab them and fall.
How can I educate myself on proper beach and water safety?
All caregivers and families should take a basic CPR class so they will be prepared in an emergency situation. This is a very simple way for all caregivers to protect their families and know what to do when an emergency situation arises.
Enroll yourself and your child in a swim class. Classes are great because a child is there, learning how to swim and getting excited about the water – and at the same time, you and your child are learning about water safety and about how to be safe at all times. It’s a great tool to teach your kids about water safety without them even knowing it. J
What do I do in an emergency situation?
Check the water first if you own a pool. If you notice your child is missing, check there quickly first, as time is precious if something has happened to your child in the water.
Call 911. Always have a phone handy when you are near the water.
If you own a pool, make sure you have all of the emergency equipment on hand and ready. You shouldn’t have to look, or go far, for anything you might need quickly.
Nicole Chiello is an Education Specialist at The Children’s Workshop. She received a BA in Elementary Education and Psychology from URI. Nicole has been with the team for four years. Before being a director, she was a school-age coordinator, as well as a substitute for the Public Schools. Her favorite thing about working with children is the guarantee that every day is different! The Children’s Workshop is located in Bourne and South Dennis Massachusetts. Visit www.childrensworkshop.com for more information.


Science project for 6th graders
Http://wwwsci-stufforg for more amazing, exciting, and cool science videos and other science stuff visit sci-stuff. Sixth grade science experiments [thomas bell, homeschool brew] on amazoncom free shipping on qualifying offers if you are homeschooling (or if you are just. Over 1000 free science fair projects with complete instructions • sixth grade science projects general projects. Find and save ideas about 6th grade science on pinterest | see more ideas about water cycle and then takes her students through the entire science project. Get suggestions on how to identify fun and fascinating projects for your child’s 6th grade science class. Searching for 4th grade science projects check out educationcom's rich collection of fourth grade science fair project ideas and experiments.
Ideas for the science projects examples of techniques and expariments that can be done at home to test your hypothesis. Are you looking for some easy science fair projects for 6th grade then your search ends here, as we have some of the easiest and fun science fair projects for middle. Check out these fun 6th grade science fair projects and experiments we have a wide variety of science fair ideas for any interest page 2.
Easy science for kids 6th grade science projects video for kids - learn fun facts about animals, the human body, our planet and much more fun free 6th grade science. Find great deals on ebay for science projects 6th grade shop with confidence.
- Check out the free and printable sixth grade science 6th grade science activities sixth when kids understand how to test theories with experiments.
- Hundreds of detailed science fair project ideas for all grade levels in a wide range of topics from aerodynamics to zoology.
Vocabularyspellingcity has comprehensive sixth grade science vocabulary lists based on state and national science standards that helps students visualize. When students reach the sixth grade, they begin to investigate many significant scientific topics, such as the makeup of matter, atmospheric phenomena and organisms.