These coded book collections (using letters, colors or numbers) are all the rage in many schools. The idea is for kids to find “just right” levels of books to read, based on an assessment from the teacher. For independent reading, we want kids to be able to read almost all the words without struggle. We usually push them one level higher during small group instruction when the teacher can support and assist. Some teachers do this in their individual classrooms and some schools have entire school libraries set up this way. If your reading program includes this approach, you may want to rethink it. There are question marks about this approach which may indicate it is actually holding our kids back. Perhaps we should instead focus on helping kids find books that are worth reading in their minds. Interest in a subject is a powerful thing. If you have ever seen kids fighting to read Harry Potter books, which could be way above their “just right” levels, you know what I mean. Maybe next year we might focus on helping our kids get excited about a book - any book - regardless of the level.
Explicit Phonics Instruction
The evidence has been clear for a long time on this topic. We need to include systematic, explicit phonics instruction in our K-2 classrooms. Older kids in need of remediation, special ed students and English language learners can benefit from phonics instruction during latter elementary school years and beyond. But here’s the problem. Many teachers only rely on the phonics built into a basal reader or simply have a “word study” or “working with words” center in their classrooms. If you have a basal series, you likely ignore much of the phonics instruction that is built into the lessons. AND, in many basal series, phonics instruction is spread out across all of the elementary years. Students don’t get the explicit instruction when they need it; during the critical time when they are just beginning to read. If you are using a “balanced literacy” approach you likely have a center in your room dedicated to phonics. But, you are not likely to provide systematic, explicit instruction in phonics. In all cases, you have probably not taught a critical phonics skill; syllabication. The omission of this skill in most phonics programs and approaches is startling. We have to teach kids how to break a newly encountered word into its parts because we can only decode one syllable at at time. This skill must be taught well if we want kids to get beyond a 2nd grade reading level.
If we want kids to become great readers, we need to expose them to content they cannot yet read. For young elementary students, this means we have to incorporate listening into our curriculum. Think about read aloud time in your classroom. Are you strategic in your selections? Do you use this time to increase exposure to topics in science and social studies? Do you read complex text to students - more complex than they can read themselves? As teachers and parents, we often think about reading aloud to our kids as a fun activity. And it should be. But we should also use this precious time to share information about the world that will spark their imaginations, engage them in meaningful conversations, and introduce them to words and texts they would not otherwise know.
Reading workshops can be a great part of literacy instruction. Kids love this time when they discuss literature with their peers. Teachers love this time when kids can work independently so they can focus on small groups. But...if this is the only time kids are grappling with comprehension issues, it can lead to a suppression of text complexity. In order for students to stretch in their understanding of more and more complex texts, they need support from someone who can help them make sense of it. The biggest growth in comprehension comes when kids are supported in reading texts that are MUCH more complex than they could read independently. We have to make sure we are sharing texts with our kids that are worth reading and support them to engage successfully with the texts. This is how they become better readers.
Reflect, Reflect, Reflect
Is it working? How do we know? There seems to be way too much data that may or may not lead to improvement. How can we easily understand if kids are making good progress? Too many assessments sometimes complicate our understanding and rob us of instructional time. All we need to know is how much our kids are reading and what they are choosing to read. If they are choosing more complex texts (assuming we don’t confine them to levels) and enjoying them, they are making good progress. That is really all we need to know. We may want to consider focusing on reading logs and reading conferences more than other assessments to get at the heart of reading. This will help us understand if kids are becoming more confident and joyful readers.


Happy 4th of July! Today’s the day and I have several fun activities for the 4th to share today. First, my group was very excited about making these 4th of July Sparkle Bottles yesterday.
This activity is creative yet educational. Our purpose in making them is mostly to have FUN since that’s the goal of childhood, and explore the colors of the 4th. You can also consider textures and fine motor skill development. Science is apparent too once you add water. Ask questions as you assist, like “What is your favorite color?” “How does that feel?” “Do you think that will sink or float?” to build on these concepts.
4th of July Sparkle Bottles
- bottles with caps, labels removed & cleaned
- fuzzy sticks (pipecleaners) from CraftProjectIdeas.com
- holographic glitter from CraftProjectIdeas.com
- craft foam star shapes
- metallic star garland
- curling ribbon
- mesh tube ribbon
Cut all the supplies in pieces. Arranging all the materials in a divided tray makes them easily accessible by multiple children at one time and it makes for an appealing invitation to explore.
Each child chose the materials for their bottles. I said they should start with one or two of each and then they could take more once everyone had some. Usually each child sits and we work with individual supplies at each place, on a tray to keep everything together.
Sometimes it’s good to have them work with all the same supplies and try to have them consider one another and work on a little self control. Is it okay for one child to take all the buttons? How does everyone else feel about that? What about the straws, should he take all the red? How will your bottle look with a lot of items or just a few? Do you think you will like it if it’s full of only pipecleaners? Things for them to consider when working in a group.
Filling sparkle bottles also incorporates using fine motor skills. Most of the items supplies were easy to pick up and drop in the bottles, but the foam shapes needed to be folded and the curling ribbon was challenging. I wasn’t sure if the buttons would fit in all the bottles (they did) but I figured they could do some trial and error.
The process went quick as they were excited to select their items and drop them in the bottles. Perfect for a quick summer activity for toddlers and preschoolers with short attention spans!
After they were done putting in as many pieces as they wanted, I assisted with filling the bottles with water and adding the glitter. This time we tried the holographic glitter from CraftProjectIdeas. Wonderful! The sparkle is amazing.
After filling the bottles, I tightened the caps as tight as I could and taped them with colored Duck Tape. You may also want to hot glue them shut. Before I wrapped the tape around the caps, I put on the glittered star decorations around the neck of the bottle. Just adds something a little extra! When I gave the 2 year old his bottle back after filling it, he looked at it and whispered “fish!” So cute!
Happy 4th of July!


How to Make a Tornado in a Jar: Fun Science for Kids!
how to make a tornado in a jar with this fun science experiment for kids, perfect for homeschooling science! An engaging educational project that will be done with no mess or fuss in 5 minutes! Check it out!
Shaving Cream Rain Clouds
These shaving cream rain clouds were a fun, easy and beautiful activity to do with kids. Watch as the "rain" falls down from the clouds!
Preschool Science and Art Activity
FUN Science and Art Project for Kids! Make Colorful Fizzy Masterpieces with a Basic Science Reaction.
4th of July Kids Craft! Definitely need to keep this one in mind for this summer! What a fun craft for kids to do on the 4th!


Numeracy is defined as the ability to reason and to apply simple numerical concepts. Basic numeracy skills consist of comprehending fundamental mathematics like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. For example, if one can understand simple mathematical equations such as, 2 + 2 = 4, then one would be considered possessing at least basic numeric knowledge.
Numbers are everywhere in the world and on a given any given day we do math without even thinking about it. A numerically literate person can manage and respond to the mathematical demands of life. However, this is a skill that many take fo granted, there are a lot of individuals that struggle with Numeracy.
At Seba Beach School, we have collected data, that reveals that many of our students would benefit from a Numeracy program, somewhat similar to the literacy programthat we have in place. Similar to the Literacy program, the Numeracy programs philosophy is that students learn best when they are taught at their level, with students at their level, in small groups and that the basics need to be learned and understood before moving to a new concept.
To ensure that the students are working at the appropriate levels and that they are also being challenged, at the beginning of the year the literacy level of each student was assessed. After the students were assessed they were placed into groups with students that are at the same level and to this group was assigned an educational staff.
Not only are the Numeracy groups great for interventions to assist children in Math, but the groups also allow for more individualized focus for where students need the help and alternative practice in an environment where competition is not present, because students are grouped based on abilities.
Personally, I know that the students that I am working with are having fun, and they are still being challenged to do better and make improvements in their skills. As well, since the groupings and the information being covered is directly tied and coordinated with the new JUMP math that is being used in all of our math classes, our students are seeing the continuity. If you have any questions or would like some information, please feel free to contact the school and ask for Mr. Ram or Mrs. Wong.


My course, Teaching Music in a Common Core World, through VanderCook College of Music, is continuing to progress through the National Core Music Standards. Last week, we were looking at Creating as an Artistic Process. That blog post details a lot about what NAfME and other organizations have crafted in the new Core Arts Standards. This post is a continuation along that line focusing on Performance.
This week, we were delivered the following prompt:
The reality is that the National Standards for Music Education, the National Coalition for Core Arts Standards and others are “highly recommending” that music educators include the three artistic processes into the music curricula for all music students. Write a narrative explaining in detail how you plan to incorporate “Responding” into your curriculum.
I currently teach in a vertical team of five teachers across grades 6-12. We are split across three buildings: Prairie Ridge (6-7), Northview (8-9) and Centennial (10-12). Prairie Ridge has four 6th Grade Concert Bands, two 7th Grade Concert Bands, and two 7th Grade Jazz Bands with two teachers. Northview has two 8th Grade Concert Bands, one 8th Grade Jazz Band, and one 9th Grade Concert Band with one teacher. Centennial has two 10-12 concert bands and two 9-12 jazz bands with two teachers. The Centennial Marching Band and Pep Band consist of students in grades 9-12. Our vertical team co-teaches the Marching Band. My courses include Symphonic Band (10th grade concert band), Music Fundamentals (10-12 non-AP music theory), Jazz Collective (top auditioned 9-12 jazz band), Pep Band (9-12 jazz students and volunteers), and Brass Studio (individual and small-group 6-12 lessons).
Nearly all of our performances include some sort of vertical component. Below is a chart of all the performances involved for band students in our feeder system for grades 6-12. Performances listed in red involve ensembles across grade levels/buildings. These performances are typically 6-9 weeks apart except for the high school jazz and marching bands.
As a vertical team, we have taken our Power Standards listed below and identified what each of these skills looks like at each grade level. We are currently in the process of identifying what each of these skills look like on each instrument at each grade level. Because we work in a vertical team, all five of us are aware of the skill sets necessary moving in to the next grade level. The documents we maintain for these standards are shared using our district’s Google Apps accounts, so they can be viewed and edited by anyone in the team.
The student will be able to:
- Rhythm/Beat Meter Competency
- Dictate a performed rhythm (play and/or write)
- Perform a given rhythm with characteristic tone
- Identify a performed rhythm
- Identify meter
- Maintain a consistent pulse
- Breathe in time with proper technique and in musically appropriate places in performance
- Tonal Literacy
- Perform a major scale with characteristic tone
- Identify do through key signatures
- Identify tonal center
- Dictate a performed tonal sequence
- Perform a tonal sequence with characteristic tone
- Identify a performed tonal sequence
- Identify a harmonic sequence
- Perform a harmonic sequence with characteristic tone
- Identify, label, define, and perform dynamics articulation and tempo marking
- Make expressive decisions based on historical context, genre and style
- Apply learned musical performance, literacy, and critical thinking skills to the music- making process with various sizes of ensembles


India is a nation of too many students and one of the most disappointing issue here is the student-teacher ratio. As a consequence of this, the questions about quality of education constantly come up in India. In a response to this, in the Indian State of Jammu and Kashmir, National Institute of Open Schools (NIOS) will train more than 5,000 undergraduate teachers in next two years to provide better educational facilities in schools across the state.
In India and especially in Jammu and Kashmir, there is no hard and fast rule to the kind of education youth should opt for so as to undertake a good job. The main reason behind why the help of technology-driven interventions is being taken is that they wish to turn-around the State’s academic scenario, which has become redundant over a period of time in such a way that it encourages young people to create their own job opportunities.
Education Minister Naeem Akhtar was of the view that the new initiatives are aimed at doing away with the academic stagnation in the State’s educational institutions so that these can churn-out productive assets instead of adding to the number of educated unemployed youth.
As per the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by the education department with NIOS, 5,000 untrained undergraduate teachers from J&K will be given two-year diploma training in elementary education through distance mode. So as to transform the State’s schools into strategically and operationally effective resources and create a new job-intensive educational system in the State that J&K desperately needs, the education department has signed several MoUs with National Institute of Open Schools (NIOS), National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT), National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU).
Also read : IIT Guwahati and NCERT to train 10,000 teachers
Further Education Minister added, “The job market that young people have learnt about and knew through their parents doesn’t exist anymore as there has been huge transformation of the same with winds of economic liberalization and globalization sweeping the world.” The main obstacle to youth employment is lack of preparedness for the unconventional economic environment they find themselves in once they finish their studies.
More news from Jammu & Kashmir :


An introductory course for the music major interested in music education K-12. This course provides students with an overview of the concepts, methods and techniques used in music education. Students learn the historical, philosophical, and practical conventions, of all areas of music education, including elementary music, choir orchestra, and band. Students examine different aspects involved in teaching music in public schools, goals of various music programs, and existing curricula including sample lesson plans. Included is an introduction to the Colorado standards for music education K-12 and technology used in music education. Prerequisite to the 300-level music education methods classes.
Music Education K-12 Licensure


4th grade book report format
FIFTH GRADE BOOK REPORT OUTLINE Student Name Date Title of Book Author Publisher time in which the book takes place is not stated, make an educated guess. A Book Report Outline and Tips don’t write in the book itself Use a Book Report including a book report Time4Writing offers online writing courses. Welcome to Fourth Grade!!! Search this site Book Report Choice Board I hope this format works out. Book report forms, and other reading worksheets Reading Comprehension Strategies Book Report Forms Book Report: Book Report 2.
Summer Book Report Form for Students Entering 6th Grade Report Directions: Directions for your book report. 6 free printable book report templates Filed Under: Reading Activities, Writing Activities Tagged With: book report, first grade, Kindergarten, Reading. How to Write a Book Report in the 4th Grade; How to Write a Book Report in the 4th Grade By Gerri Blanc eHow Contributor How to Write a Book Report for Fifth Grade.
4th grade book report format
Each book report will receive a grade for the book report form and the project Below is a link to the book report form Directions for the projects are linked above. Mrs Albrizio's Fourth Grade Search this site Book Report 4 th Grade Read your selected book and report on it in three ways. (Remember to underline the title of the book) Standard book report format Author: WCSD Last modified by: WCSD Created Date: 9/17/2010 3:27:00 PM Company.
‘Book Report 5 & 6’ 4th Grade Lesson Plans; 5th this must be reflected in their book reports as well This printable report writing worksheet helps. 3rd Grade Book Report Author: Becky Dose Last modified by: test Created Date: 4/3/2014 3:47:00 PM Company: Home Other titles: 3rd Grade Book Report. ‘Book Report 3 & 4’ is a printable writing worksheet that will help 3rd and 4th graders write comprehensive book reports and master the skill 4th Grade Math. Monthly Book Report Program Book Report Sandwiches: Due 4th Grade is Hungry for Here is all the information you need to get your File Folder Book Reports.
4th-6th Grade Book Report Student Name: _____ Teacher: _____ Book Title A book report is an example of expository writing. Lefevre, Robin (4th Grade) Ms LeFevre's Homepage; 3rd and 4th Grade Supply List; Students appeal to their classmates’ stomachs by making an edible book report. Narrow-lined book report form to go with any book about jokes and riddles. You will need to have access to the book you are writing about as the report requires you to include quotes taken 7th and 8th Grade Book Report Format.
5th Grade Summer Reading Book Report - Outline Form Book Title: _____ Author: _____ I Main Characters (List characters and two details about each one) A. Report Writing Made Easy: Grades 2-5 Grade Levels: Telephone book 4 Report Writing Made Easy: Grades 2-5. Writing a Formal Book Report Lower Elementary Format *Who would you recommend this book to and why? Include more than just grade Writing a Formal Book Report.
Book report template for language Kindergarten 1st Grade 2nd Grade 3rd Grade 4th Grade 5th Contact Us Home Book Report Helper & Template - Language Arts. Class Book Report Projects March 13th2nd Nine Weeks: December 16th 4th Nine Weeks: May 10th The book report is due on the date set 5th Grade Book Reports. Book Report Format ESE Give the publication date of the book This is a good place in the report to give any background information about the author and/or.


Awakening through active imitation.
Pasadena Waldorf’s immersive play-based kindergarten curriculum blends many foundational skills necessary for subsequent academic success with a strong social-emotional learning component.
Young children learn best by actively engaging their senses and imitating what they see around them. Our kindergarten classes encourage children to participate in simple duties that connect them to their environment and one another in a nurturing and harmonious manner. The teachers introduce children to simple handwork that helps to prepare them for future learning while also stimulating their creativity.
The outdoor play yard offers swings, a spacious sand pit for digging, and a lovely playhouse, which are all nestled below the branches of a stately oak tree. The play yard is lined by an edible garden that the children tend to and is complimented by hay bales for sitting or climbing. Separated from the play areas for the older grades, the kindergarten yard is a perfect place for imaginative play or jumping rope.
The kindergarten class is also where children are first able to participate in the art of Eurythmy. This combination of synchronized movement and voice helps with sensory-motor development, enhancing coordination while simultaneously stimulating the language centers of the brain. The teachers also lead a story circle that progresses through the week. Sometimes, the children are invited into the story itself, acting out parts as they are immersed in the lessons of each parable.
The changing rhythms of the year are integrated into the kindergarten experience, with the children beginning most days with an adventurous stroll led around the campus. The children march along behind their teacher on a winding journey, weaving amongst the trees and over little bridges, until they end up at one of the many outside play areas. These “morning walks” are often accompanied by parents who appreciate the peaceful and refreshing start to the day.
Each child in the kindergarten learns from the process of doing, whether stitching a doll or churning butter. They find joy in participating in the important work of daily life, from washing their napkins to cutting vegetables for a delicious soup. And they are exposed to a rich, imaginative world through which they learn important lessons that prepare them for entrance into the Grades.


The Montessori approach offers a vision of education as an aid to life. It is successful because its principles are based on the natural development of the child. The child is transformed from birth to adulthood through a series of developmental planes. Each level of human development has its own characteristics and the Montessori practice changes in scope and manner to embrace these characteristics and interests.
Primary Level (2 1/2 – 6 years old)
“Period of the Absorbent Mind” is the first plane of development occurs from birth to age six. Children at this age are sensorial explorers; they possess unusual sensitivity and mental powers for absorbing and learning from the environment. The child has a great need and potential for disciplined work as well as a natural desire to learn. To aid the child in this period the Montessori classroom provides a unique range of materials. Under the guidance of a trained Guide, the child chooses materials that encourage exploration and work at his/her own pace. The child’s creative energy is freed and the child develops independence, self-discipline and the habit of work. The environment is divided into five different areas: Practical Life – Learning to care for oneself, for others and environment; Sensorial – Assisting the child in learning about the senses; Cultural – Learning about the world we live in; Language – Developing fine motor, writing and reading skills; Mathematics – Working with precise materials to help the child move from the concrete towards abstraction.
Read more about our Primary Education program
Elementary Level (6 – 12 years old)
The second plane of development occurs from age six to twelve. Children at this stage become more symbolic learners and have a strong interest in the world around them. The child’s sense of order is less apparent in the physical environment but instead manifests itself in the child’s growing intellect. The child thirsts for knowledge and the reason behind everything. He also has a passion for classifying everything. The trained adult is more active in the elementary classroom, acting as a link between the materials and the child and the pursuit of information and the child. Children at this stage love to work in groups on projects and also discuss the issues of the world. Academic growth develops alongside social and moral development. The curriculum includes: art, crafts, music, cooking, gardening, physical education, Spanish, geography, history, prehistory, earth history, physical science, botany, zoology, mathematics, geometry and language. Subjects are integrated into the day with the exception of Physical Education, which occurs outside the extended work period.
Read more about our Elementary Education program
While the Montessori classroom experience incorporates many arts and humanities, we also offer specific Enrichment Programs outside of classroom hours where students can explore and expand on their skills. These on-campus programs are led by guest Guides and other instructors, and include our Summer Enrichment Program camp experience (with past curriculums including Orff music instruction and marine science) and our Afterschool Enrichment Programs (including fine art, yoga, and music). The Summer Enrichment Program can be an excellent way for you and your child to assess whether a Montessori environment would be advantageous. These optional programs incur additional fees.


Numeracy Life Skills
Our Numeracy Life Skills class runs on Thursday mornings, led by RNLC Teacher Rebecca Robinson and supported by our volunteer tutors. These sessions have proved to be popular with students and the class also supports the achievement of numeracy learning outcomes for our VCAL (Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning) students. Topics range from patterns, surveys and graphs, time and probability to managing money, budgeting and financial literacy.
Specialist Life Skills
When funding permits, we offer specialist programs to support language and life skill development as well as emotional well-being, such as
- Swimming lessons
- Driving lessons
- Women’s health
- Music therapy
All our students struggle to survive on limited welfare payments. Almost all want paid employment, not only to support their families, but to provide independence and to boost their self-esteem.
Obtaining a first job is difficult for Australian born women. It is particularly difficult when you are a new arrival. On completing one of our educational Programs, our students command the English and numeracy skills necessary for paid employment, but they lack the confidence, contacts and cultural familiarity to secure their first job.
Work readiness training is essential to overcome these obstacles to employment. However, our students are unable to afford the professional training available.
In February 2016 we piloted a new two-week Work Readiness Program for a group of 8 of our students – thanks to funding from Minter Ellison.
The course was delivered in partnership with Service Stars at our Centre. Service Stars is run by Jane Farrell, who specialises in helping new arrivals. Her union background and depth of real life experience have given her excellent understanding of the skills needed and valuable connections in service industries. She knows which companies support new arrivals and which offer good working conditions.
The course developed each participant’s job readiness and employability skills. The course included a focus on job skills, job search, and self (and supported) planning.
Participants discussed basic job readiness / industry practices to prepare them for their first job. Learning about communication protocols, teamwork and cultural differences featured throughout the training. Other key issues for learning included Rights / Responsibilities at work , Occupational Health and Safety and Harassment / Discrimination.
The course also worked through individual career / work aspirations and the steps needed to obtain full time work. Student presentations, role plays and daily learning reviews were also important elements.
On completing the program, paid work placements were promptly secured for two participants and are being pursued for the others. On-going proactive mentoring is being provided to help optimise the chance of success of paid work placements.
Due to the pilot program’s success and demand for it by most of our students, we are now seeking funding to establish a professional work readiness program as another feature RNLC program.
If you can help, please contact RNLC Director Lisa Wilson via email at email@example.com


Since the beginning of the semester, I have learned more than I expected to about all the different writing genres. Because I have been in school for so many years and have written in all the genres we have learned about in this course, I felt as though I understood them all fairly well. However, once I read Tompkins (2012) and participated in each of the genre presentations, I was proved very wrong. I became aware of aspects of each genre and their specific features I didn't know existed, and learned how to apply each genre both in my own writing and in my practice as a teacher.
As I stated, I had a surface level understanding of most of the genres before we researched them this semester. I understood the general structures of genres such as the narrative writing and biographies; I understood their formats and the basic terminology used within the genres. However, I did not know the specific aspects of narratives and memoirs, such as the importance of scaffolding theme, or using autobiographies to form detailed writing pieces.
I was thankful to have learned about both the expository and persuasive genres, two forms of writing which I did not know very much about but have a much better understanding of now. I use expository texts in practice quite often, but don't usually apply the genre to writing, when it's actually very important. I learned each of the expository text structures and their importance and learned how to apply expository writing in the classroom, even at the primary level. With persuasive writing, I did not know anything about the genre itself or how to use it with students. After researching it thoroughly and presenting the genre to the class, I understand its purpose and function in reading, writing, and speaking, and its importance in students' literacy development. I suppose these two genres still slightly intimidate me because I know the reality of their importance in student writing as they get older. I teach SAT prep classes to high-schoolers and we work on the essay portion for weeks, which is all persuasion, and every student has difficulty with it. It is my goal to understand the genres my students must understand in order to help them the best I am able, and this course significantly made a difference.
There were genres I had a significant understanding of, such as the
poetry and letter writing
genres, in which I did not feel as though I gained too much more
information from the presentations. However, from each and every
presentation I became much more comfortable with applying the genre in
practice at different levels, and was extremely appreciative of each
group incorporating text lists into their presentations, creating a
reference for each grade level for future use. I think this was
important because many times educators forget to use simple resources
like picture books or novels to help explain an idea, when they truly
can be very beneficial.


‘Peninsula Reads’ is an initiative of Mornington Peninsula Shire to improve literacy levels of families across the Shire. It involves families, childhood services, schools and the community, and aims to promote literacy and ensure access to resources.
Book Boxes Project
There are over 75 free book boxes on the Peninsula. Books are purchased or donated by organisations and members of our community, and are available for families to take for free. People are welcome to select a book from a box, take it home, keep it or return it.
To see where your nearest Book Box is located, download our Book Swap Box Map(PDF, 1MB)
Books, monetary donations and volunteers are always needed. If you would like to help make a difference to the community, please contact our library helpdesk by phone 5950 1710 or email email@example.com and we’ll get you started!
Mornington Peninsula Literacy Advisory Committee
A key indicator- the Australian Early Development Index (AEDI) indicates many children are achieving lower literacy levels across some areas of the Shire as compared to the State and National levels. In response to this information, Mornington Peninsula Shire has formed a Literacy Advisory Committee (LAC) to enact a Literacy Action Plan focusing on the early years across the Shire.
The Literacy Advisory Committee represents members of the community committed to assisting all agencies to establish sustainable practices and processes so that all children across Mornington Peninsula Shire have ongoing access to reading materials and experience literacy activities in the home and in the community. They work with key literacy stakeholders to foster an effective long-term and collaborative community based approach to literacy across the Shire
The LAC objectives are:
- To increase community understanding of the critical importance of oral language, through talking and reading, to and with children, as key activities vital to their subsequent literacy development
- To develop partnerships for the promotion of literacy within the community
- To increase community programs and activities that promote and support children’s emergent and continuing literacy development
- To increase the promotion of current literacy initiatives available across the community


The knowledge and beliefs of elementary school teachers in the area of English literacy development
The purpose of this study was to identify, examine, and describe the knowledge and beliefs of five elementary school teachers and compare their perspectives to the expectations outlined in the Standards for Reading Professionals, a document that was developed by the International Reading Association (1998). ^ The participants of this study were selected from a pool of teachers enrolled in graduate education programs at a private university. Data collection for this study was accomplished through interviews, a literacy beliefs profile, and a questionnaire. Research inquiry related to the 5 research questions of this study sought to identify: (a) the theoretical perspectives of the participants on English literacy, (b) the knowledge base competencies of each participant on English literacy development, and (c) the knowledge and beliefs of each participant on reading difficulties and individual differences. ^ An analysis of the findings of this study showed that there were more similarities than differences in the participants' theoretical perspectives, knowledge base competencies, and beliefs on individual differences and reading difficulties. In comparing the knowledge and beliefs of the participants to the expectations outlined in the Standards for Reading Professionals (IRA, 1998) under the category entitled Knowledge and Beliefs, there were some differences in the expressed knowledge and beliefs on the following: (a) understanding how reading should be taught and learning the role of language in learning to read, (b) being aware of the principles of second language acquisition, (c) having knowledge on how school programs affect literacy acquisition, (d) understanding emergent literacy and the experiences that support them, (e) how they deal with mistakes made by children when they are reading, and (f) what components of the literacy process they should focus on first. ^ The findings of the study revealed that elementary school teachers can benefit from more knowledge and training on the role of language in literacy acquisition, and acquiring a wider repertoire of specific strategies to deal with reading difficulties of individual students. ^
Education, Language and Literature|Education, Elementary
Mortley, Julia Denise, "The knowledge and beliefs of elementary school teachers in the area of English literacy development" (2004). ETD Collection for Fordham University. AAI3151172.


This article is taken from the TED (ideas worth spreading) website at: http://www.ted.com/talks/evelyn_glennie_shows_how_to_listen.html
Personally, I get from it just how unstoppable Human Beings really are.
Once a Human Being becomes creative very little will hinder their desire
Evelyn Glennie: Musician
Scottish percussionist and composer Evelyn Glennie lost nearly all of her hearing by age 12. Rather than isolating her, it has given her a unique connection to her music.
Why you should listen to her
Evelyn Glennie’s music challenges the listener to ask where music comes from: Is it more than simply a translation from score to instrument to audience? How can a musician who has almost no hearing play with such sensitivity and compassion?
The Grammy-winning percussionist and composer became almost completely deaf by the age of 12, but her hearing loss brought her a deeper understanding of and connection to the music she loves. She’s the subject of the documentary Touch the Sound, which explores this unconventional and intriguing approach to percussion.
Along with her vibrant solo career, Glennie has collaborated with musicians ranging from classical orchestras to Björk. Her career has taken her to hundreds of concert stages around the world, and she’s recorded a dozen albums, winning a Grammy for her recording of Bartók’s Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion, and another for her 2002 collaboration with Bela Fleck.
Her passion for music and musical literacy brought her to establish, in collaboration with fellow musicians Julian Lloyd Weber and Sir James Galway, the Music Education Consortium, which successfully lobbied for an investment of 332 million pounds in music education and musical resources in Britain.
“Evelyn Glennie is simply a phenomenon of a performer.”
New York Times
In this soaring demonstration, deaf percussionist Evelyn Glennie illustrates how listening to music involves much more than simply letting sound waves hit your eardrums. Click here to see the video


The Palace of Education was originally constructed as the New Mexico State Building for the 1915-16 exposition, and was located on the west side of the Avenida de Naciones, which passed by the western side of the House of Pacific Relations. For the California-Pacific International Exposition the Pueblo-style building was doubled in size by the addition of a large wing at the rear of the structure, and the interior was completely remodeled. The building's former open-air patio was enclosed, and became the educational exhibit's Theme Room. At the center of the square Theme Room was placed an octagonal fountain, created by sculptor Frederick Shweigardt, representing "The Four Cornerstones of American Democracy"; while the room's rear wall featured a large mural, painted by local artist Belle Baranceanu, depicting "The Progress of Man". Exhibits in the building represented all aspects of education, and included displays from the University of California system and various State Colleges, in addition to exhibits illustrating business education, industrial education, physical education, art education, education of the deaf and blind, journalism, navigation, and many other educational fields. At the rear of the building was located a large cactus garden, containing many varieties of cacti and other desert plants.


Secondary education, which a student takes up after completing the elementary education, provides a base for the further studies that he wants to take up. A very important link between the elementary and higher level of education, secondary education can now way be ignored for the children between 14-18 years of age. This includes the classes 9th to 12th.
In the tenth five year plan for the duration of 2002-07, the government emphasised on the spreading of secondary education to children who are living in rural areas. Also, special efforts for making education available to the girl child have also been taken up since then. The government has established numerous organisations and programs so that they can promote secondary education. These include the NCERT, CBSE, CIET, NIOS, KVS, NVS, and CTSA etc.


M.A. in Elementary Education
Interdisciplinary and Inclusive Education
College of Education
Elementary Education and Teaching
The purpose of this study was to investigate if students enrolled in a kindergarten with a curriculum stressing academic skills perform better or worse on standardized tests than students in a developmentally oriented program by the end of first grade.
A survey was developed to establish if a kindergarten curriculum was developmentally oriented or academically oriented. This survey was sent to schools in Gloucester and Morris Counties in New Jersey. Mean Iowa basic skills tests were then used to determine if academically oriented kindergarten curriculums score significantly higher than developmentally oriented curriculums by the end of kindergarten. Also, the mean Iowa basic skills tests were used to determine if by the end of first grade those students who were products of an academic kindergarten curriculum score significantly higher than those first grade students who were exposed to a developmentally appropriate kindergarten curriculum.
There was no significant difference in academic achievement between those students who were products of an academic kindergarten curriculum and those students who were exposed to a developmentally appropriate kindergarten curriculum.
Weyer, Lori Ann, "Comparison of developmentally oriented kindergartens and academically oriented kindergartens" (1995). Theses and Dissertations. 2305.


Woodwind instruments like the flute and the clarinet can cost anywhere from $100 to $1,000. For those not about to perform at Carnegie Hall, however, an expensive instrument might be out of the question.
If you're a music fan and also proficient at crafts, you can make your own flute out of everyday household items. All you need is a good ear, a little bit of patience and some cardboard.
Things You'll Need
- Wrapping paper tube Scissors Ruler Cardboard Pen
How to Make a Flute Out of Cardboard
Take a cardboard wrapping paper tube and cut it so that it's approximately 36 cm in length.
Measure 6 cm from the end of the tube and mark the spot with a pen or pencil. This is where the mouth hole with be located. Cut a 1.5 cm hole in the tube with a pair of scissors as shown in the diagram.
Punch a 1 cm hole with a pen approximately 8 cm from the location of the mouth hole. This is the first finger hole. The flute should have at least five finger holes, but six is ideal. Measure 1.5 cm from the first finger hole and punch the second finger hole. Space each of the five to six finger holes 1.5 cm apart. Leave 8 cm at the end of the flute.
Place the end of the tube onto a small square of cardboard. Trace a circle around the tube onto the cardboard.
Cut out the circle of cardboard and insert it into the front end of the tube (the end with the mouth hole). This will be the stopper. The stopper should not be placed any deeper than 1 cm into the tube. Make sure the stopper is fitted evenly and snugly inside the tube so that there aren't gaps between the stopper and the tube.
Once you've completed all of these steps, your cardboard flute will be complete. However, if the flute is out of tune, you will need to remake it and adjust the finger holes. The finger holes may need to be placed further or closer together depending on your individual flute.
Tips & Warnings
- Be sure to only use firm cardboard for your flute. If the wrapping paper roll is too flimsy, the flute will bend and not produce a clear sound.
- Photo Credit Arianne Nellessen
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UniversalGiving recognizes the importance of educating children worldwide. This post is by UG team member, Sarah Kenkel, who is an educator herself.
The world had its arms race, space race, and now we’re in the education race. As an English educator for nine years in the USA, South Korea, and Turkey, I have seen a wide variety of tactics and methods used to increase literacy amongst students and they all share a focus on results.
In education as in philanthropy, the people you serve must come first and you must cater your service to best suit their needs. Data collection to show your accomplishments and progress must not overtake the basic principle that the people come first. However, in this education race, as a country, we have reversed that basic structure. Test scores and reading levels are now placed as priority and the student-centered focus suffers because of it. Many students don’t read a chapter book with a teacher’s guidance as part of their curriculum until high school, because smaller, leveled readers or sections of books hit the vocabulary, grammar, and reading comprehension strategies in less time and fewer pages. Two weeks ago I taught kindergarteners the geometric terms ‘rhombus’ and ‘trapezoid’ because they are their key vocabulary terms for that week. Trapezoid…in kindergarten – and our English language learners are supposed to catch up to that. The USA has gone from a curriculum focused on quality to one of quantity.
National educational standards and the adoption of statewide curriculums by more and more districts forces them to compete in this education race. Teachers are doing a phenomenal job with the standards they have been given. It is not that the standards are too high; it is that the education offered is not meeting the needs of the local student population it serves. Not that long ago in the USA, the educated teachers and administrators of districts created their own curriculums that were specifically catered to the needs of their community. Urban districts generally do not need the Agricultural Education classes, yet the rural ones do. District choice in curriculum still exists to an extent; however, the allocation of funds towards areas that meet national standards has created budget cuts and therefore taken away much local decision-making and spending power.
So, who is doing it right? Finland. Finland is doing the exact opposite of the Western world in education and they are succeeding in vastly greater strides.
So, we just copy the Finnish system, right? Per the USA’s work week, high cost and sometimes low availability in childcare, it would be difficult to implement all areas of their plan. However, we can copy, or return to the USA’s original model which was created from the bottom-up and student centered – just as we do in grassroots-initiated philanthropy.


- helps children learn the relationships between the letters of written language and the sounds of spoken language.
Phonics instruction is important because
- it leads to an understanding of the alphabetic principle--the systematic and predictable relationships between written letters and spoken sounds.
Phonics programs are effective when they are
- systematic -- the plan of instruction includes a carefully selected set of letter-sound relationships that are organized into a logical sequence.
- explicit -- the programs provide teachers with precise directions for the teaching of these relationships.
Effective phonics programs provide
- ample opportunities for children to apply what they are learning about letters and sounds to the reading of words, sentences, and stories.
Systematic and explicit phonics instruction
- significantly improves children's word recognition, spelling, and reading comprehension.
- is most effective when it begins in kindergarten or first grade.
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Home lists here some qualities that any children's choir teacher must have: vitality, an understanding of children, and a genuine love for music.
Music is a means of self-expression.
Home proposes that those who are in charge of making decisions about the structure of schools "should realize the real function of music in education - that it is not to be taken as a mere accomplishment, or technical art, but as a means of self-expression." (loc: 148)
If music then is a means of self-expression, how do we as music teachers help our students connect with this? Some ideas are to teach students how to do basic improvisations, to think about how music connects with and conveys lyrics, and to identify the mood that various music communicates.
Music education should be grounded in the classics.
Home also argues that in the same way that literature classes focus primarily on the classics, so also music classes should revolve around the classics. "Our reason is that the only way to create a standard of taste is to take our children to the classical fountains of prose and poetry. We must do the same in music." (loc: 195)
note: I'm reading this book from through my Kindle app, so quotations are shown by the location in the Kindle document.
You just finished reading Music as a Language - Reading Together - The Teaching of Voice Production and Songs.
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Learning to read is a complicated, multifaceted developmental step that requires letter and sound recognition, social and contextual understanding, some experience of literature and story conventions, and support from the home environment.
Experienced teachers know that when they teach small children to read, learning to recognize the graphic letters of the alphabet is only part of the story. In fact, a far more fundamental part of reading involves beginning to identify the initial sounds of each phoneme and then learning to blend and segment words for reading. In time, children will come to know a whole bank of sight vocabulary words that they can easily identify at first glance. Additionally, teaching children how to sound out words gives them confidence and independence, allowing them to make a fair effort at reading unfamiliar words.
The teaching of phonics improves student speaking and listening skills and aids in writing and spelling, but where it really shines is in helping students acquire essential reading skills.
In simple terms, phonics means letter sounds. Each letter of the alphabet has a graphic representation, a name and a sound. Teachers often explain this to students with an animal analogy, such as a cat looks like a cat but makes a “meow” sound, or a dog looks like a dog but makes a “woof” sound.
For some children, reading becomes a natural habit in a short span of time and they no longer need to sound out individual letters and words, but for others, including students with learning disabilities, phonics can continue to play an important part of their daily reading practice. The National Reading Panel reviewed extensive research on a variety of reading programs and found that “Phonics is an essential ingredient in beginning reading instruction.”
In fact, it’s almost impossible to learn to read without a working knowledge of individual letter sounds and the ability to segment and blend them for decoding.
What Makes an Effective Phonics Practice?
To be most effective, phonics practice should be regular and systematic. It should start early and form the heart of a comprehensive reading program.
To be successful phonics instructors, teachers need to be comfortable with a little theatrics. Many early reading programs combine phrases and actions with each letter sound. Imitating a train for the “ch” sound, pretending to polish eyeglasses for the “h” sound, or hissing like a snake for the “s” sound are some examples.
Enthusiastically sounding out the letters with children will give them the confidence to get involved and try it for themselves. The combination of a little drama along with the phonics instruction makes the learning fun and memorable for little ones.
Teachers should also carefully review phonics pronunciation for themselves; many adults mispronounce common phonemes, especially vowels.
Learning How to Teach Reading Skills
If you would like to be a reading expert with a phonics specialization in your school setting, consider earning a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction: Reading & Literacy. The online program offers a thorough grounding in a variety of different reading techniques and assessment. It teaches educators how to design reading programs that reach all students and includes leadership and administrative training. Graduates are well prepared to apply for school-based reading coordinator positions as early reading experts and even for management positions leading school- or district-wide reading initiatives.
Reading is an essential life skill and an important specialization in a school setting. It is almost impossible for children to be successful and reach their full potential without strong reading skills. Teachers specializing in early reading skills, including phonics, have a real impact on children, the school and the community at large.
Learn more about the LSUS M.Ed. Curriculum and Instruction: Reading & Literacy online program.
Have a question or concern about this article? Please contact us.


FUN building challenge for Lego - make a pinball game that really works!
Lego Marble Run
How to Build a LEGO Foosball Game - It really works! Use a marble for the ball. Fun LEGO project idea for kids.
What an awesome kids' science experiment! Find the colors in fall leaves with some simple chromatography. Perfect fall activity for kids!
Fun with Chemistry - Separate water into hydrogen and oxygen using electrolysis
DIY Newton's Cradle from a shoe box
Rainbow Science for Kids: Exploring Light Using Prisms~ BuggyandBuddy.com
How to make a homemade balance #homeschool #education #science
Solar System Worksheets for Kids - Great FREE pack for elementary age kids including moon phases, planets, vocabulary flashcards, vocabulary quiz, planet facts, and more!
Colorful Chemical Reactions for Kids


Panel Presentation (45 minutes or 90 minutes, 2 or more presenters): Two or more individuals speak, leaving at least 10-15 minutes for audience questions and responses. In one format, each speaker may present 15 to 20 minutes. In another format, each speaker may make brief opening remarks (for example, 5 minutes) before the panel enters into a moderated discussion.
Poster Session (45 minutes, 2 presenters max.): A visually explanatory exhibit that allows for short, informal discussion between the presenter(s) and attendees, as attendees circulate within the poster-session area. Poster sessions serve as an important and interactive forum for sharing professional ideas and for receiving feedback.
Practice-Oriented Presentation (45 minutes, 3 presenters max.): A session that shows, as well as tells, a technique for teaching or testing. The presenter should spend no more than 10 minutes explaining the underlying theory.
Research-Oriented Presentation (45 minutes, 3 presenters max.): An oral summary with occasional reference to notes or a text that discusses the presenters’ topic and work in relation to theory and/or practice.
Roundtable Discussion (45 minutes, 1 presenter): Peer-to-peer facilitated discussions with a small group of attendees. The facilitator should have a strong knowledge of the topic and be able to engage everyone in the discussion.
Teaching Tip (20 minutes, 2 presenters max.): Similar in content to a practice-oriented presentation but shorter. The teaching tip session is an oral summary that discusses the presenter’s work in relation to practice.
Workshop (45 minutes or 90 minutes; 6 presenters max.): A carefully structured, hands-on professional development activity. The presenter(s) and participants tackle a problem or develop specific teaching or research techniques.
Advocacy sessions discuss issues related to advocating for English Learners, TESOL, etc.
Applied Linguistics explores language learning and communication through the application of theory to real-world contexts.
Elementary Education fosters recognition of ESOL as an academic discipline in elementary education, increases awareness of elementary ESOL educators’ needs, and develops new professional resources for teachers and their students.
Intensive English Programs addresses issues related to curriculum design and implementation, assessment, teaching standards, and research relevant to teaching English primarily to nonnative international students attending intensive and semi-intensive programs related to regular academic study.
Refugee Concerns addresses the language, cultural, social, and legal needs (and their interconnections) of refugees at all ages and stages of life.
Secondary Schools represents professionals in the area of secondary education whose task is to ensure that secondary-level TESOL students develop the linguistic, cultural, and cognitive skills necessary for success in an English-speaking context.
Teacher Education discusses issues relevant to ESL/EFL teacher education, promotes professional development of ESL/EFL teachers, and formulates policy that will improve conditions of employment and learning for teachers and students.
Technology focuses on how educators use technology to teach English Learners or share research.
University/Higher Education advances effective instruction, promotes professional standards and practices, influences and supports policies of TESOL and other associations, determines needs, and considers all other matters relevant to ESL in colleges and universities.


Lower School Highlights
The lower school curriculum consists of:
- the infusion of grace through participation in daily Mass
- a Religion program faithful to the Magisterium, the Faith and Life series, which presents Catholic teaching using the time-tested ecclesial methodology and spiral development of catechesis in a beautiful, student-friendly, comprehensive format
- a fully integrated Math program balancing mastery of fundamental skills through the spiral review and Math Facts of Saxon Math (each class is a full grade level ahead) with critical thinking and problem-solving through the use of Singapore Math Word problems
- a complete English Language Arts program which helps student develop important reading and writing skills through Saxon Phonics, Shurley Grammar and Composition, Spelling and Vocabulary, while inspiring a love of literature through the reading of novels and non-fiction.
- an emphasis on proficiency in reading, which is essential to all other studies, through the utilization of the Accelerated Reader Program at every grade level
- the inclusion of a handwriting program, which plays an important role in literacy development, using the Writing Our Catholic Faith series at all grade levels, introducing in the second grade the lost art of cursive
- a Science program which balances hands-on experiments with the systematic study of terms and concepts in life, earth, and physical sciences. Students are taught the unity of faith and reason, understanding that God create the world and all matter out of nothing, and how it manifests His wisdom, glory, and purpose.
- a History program—with integrated topics in geography and civics—opening young minds to far-off lands, and distant times, emphasizing the story in history (Story of the World series, grades 2-5)—a story that includes not only great men and women but also everyday people, demonstrating the ways humanity and societies change and/or persist over time to better understand the human condition and our role in the world
- an emphasis on Sacred Music, answering the Second Vatican Council’s order to preserve and foster the great treasury of church music, beginning with Gregorian chant. Our lower school students learn the Ward method, a progressive method of teaching elementary school children – through vocal instruction – music theory, composition, and conducting. The lower school instructor, Mrs. Amy Zuberbueler, is a certified instructor of the Ward Method at The Catholic University of America: http://musicasacra.com/music-pedagogy-for-children/ward-method-instruction/
- the introduction of the Latin language, with the recognition of Latin as the official language of the Church and the hallmark of Western Civilization
- an integration of Art into every grade level, introducing students to great works of art from different cultures and eras, while engaging them in creative activity
- an emphasis on a healthy lifestyle through daily participation in Physical Education at all grade levels
- an understanding of our call to service to the wider community, with involvement in volunteer opportunities, such as raising funds for our sister school in the Holy Land, doing Chores for Charity, and participating in the service programs of the school and parish
- Before and After School Care


As authors Lindsey Moses and Meridith Ogden point out in their book “What are the Rest of my Kids Doing?” Fostering Independence in the K—2 Reading Workshop, there are a variety of ways to discuss the stages of literacy development. Fountas and Pinnell (2011) developed a continuum of literacy learning with corresponding leveled text. Others use Lexile levels, Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA) levels, Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) scores, grade-level expectations, or various norm-referenced assessments. Although Moses and Ogden assess reading performance of young learners using these tools, they note that a more general understanding of literacy progression helps to inform decisions made about developmentally appropriate practice. The National Association of the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and International Reading Association (IRA) identify phases in a continuum of early reading and writing (1998).
Moses and Ogden note that, IRA and NAEYC recommend effective reading instruction for kindergarten and primary grades that includes but is not limited to the following:
Each week on The Heinemann Podcast we bring you concise, relevant and thought-provoking interviews with Heinemann authors and educators in the field. We know teachers are very busy people and it can be hard to keep up with all of your favorite authors, so, as we wrap up another school year we thought you might enjoy a recap of some recent Heinemann Podcast highlights. Enjoy!
Managing classroom libraries requires a delicate balance between organization, choice, behavior, and matching children with appropriate texts. Classroom libraries can be organized in many ways– by genre, series, or some other category. Susan Taberski (2000) suggests having bins of unleveled books from which students choose their independent reading selections and bins of books by level for when they need practice with something "just right." Other teachers label their books using the Fountas and Pinnell A through Z gradient.
Because an "assessed" reading level doesn't always correspond with a student's level of comprehension, it is important that students spend time with more than just independent-level texts. To do this, it is necessary to spend time working with students on independent text selection that supports decoding development, fosters comprehension and thinking, and pique students' interests in reading.
If you are a K-2 teacher, have you ever asked: “During reading workshop, what kinds of meaningful work can students be doing independently, while I confer one-on-one or with small groups?” Lindsey Moses hears this common frustration among those who work with our youngest readers in her work with teachers around the country. That’s why Lindsey, along with First grade teacher Meridith Ogden, wrote: What are the Rest of My Kids Doing? Their goal is to help you move beyond assigning busy work to providing purposeful learning experiences that build independence over the year and ideally take the anxiety out of reading workshop.
In Lindsey Moses and Meridith Ogden’s new book “What are the Rest of my Kids Doing?” Fostering Independence in the K-2 Reading Workshop, the authors introduce a set of five research-based principles centered around successful components of early literacy instruction. In addition to the formalized research literature, each principle is one that has been found to be useful for primary teachers when fostering independence with purposeful learning experiences. In their book, Moses and Ogden offer teaching moves based on these specific research-based principles.


When kids learn something new their eyes become wide with discovery. Doing science experiments with kids is one of the best ways to have your child’s eyes sparkle with new knowledge. One of the best things about LEARNING is that LEARNING IS FUN. As an adult you have the ability to make magic with food coloring, baking soda, marshmallows, and more. Simple science experiments teach your child so much and many can be completed with items you have in your pantry. Science for kids helps prove that food coloring is NOT just for Easter!
Below you will find some amazingly fun science experiments for kids. Whether you are watching colors mix with paper towels or melting smores without a fire you and your kids will have a fantastic time together. Be sure to print out this free Scientific Method worksheet to accompany each experiment you do. 1. Inflate a balloon using baking soda and vinegar
2. Dissect Owl Pellets 3. Science for Kids – Making Smores in a Box 4. Homemade Bath Fizzies 5. Green Eggs and Ham – Without using dye
6. Elephant Toothpaste – a fun foaming experiment 7. Sprouting Seeds 8. Make an Indoor Greenhouse 9. Color Transfer 10. Another Color Transfer 11. Extinguish a candle with a glass 12. Experiment with Dry Ice
Which one of these science experiments are you the most excited about?


There are many ways to teach art to elementary kids, but the thing that teachers and parents need to remember most is to make the lessons fun. Art is one of those things that the artist finds inside herself. The artworks are an expression of personal inspiration. Exploring different art styles and artists can provide ideas and new techniques to give a young artist new ways to make a personal statement.
What to Teach
Art is a very broad topic. An artist, whether professional or amateur, will continue learning techniques throughout her life. Basics of art include using lines, learning color names, how to mix and apply color, color values -- how light or dark the color is -- the way things are arranged on a page and much, much more. A list of guidelines for public schools, such as the one published by the Department of Elementary Education can help you make sure you are getting in all the basics. But a list cannot provide the most important element of an art class, which is making it fun.
Learning About Lines
Lines are an important part of creating pictures. "Harold and the Purple Crayon" by Crockett Johnson is a great way to have some fun with lines. Harold uses his purple crayon to draw adventures, and ways to get out of them. Read the book aloud to your child, then provide her with several large sheets of paper and a purple crayon. Show her how to draw her own adventures with a purple crayon, drawing one continuous line without lifting the crayon from the page. Stand back, and let her create her own purple crayon adventures.
Drawing to Music
Enjoy listening to an interesting piece of classical music with your child. Ask her what shapes the music makes, and how it makes her feel. You might even let her dance to the music. Then give her crayons or coloring markers, and ask her to draw on a piece of paper what the music does. When she is finished, ask her to tell you about the picture. This exercise combines auditory -- learning by hearing, kinesthetic -- learning through movement and visual -- learning through sight, learning styles. To get the most enjoyment out of the project, you and your child might take turns selecting pieces of music.
Art With Picture Books
Explore different art styles with your child by looking at and discussing the pictures in her favorite picture books. Art-friendly author / illustrators include Tomie de Paola, Jan Brett and Leo Lionni. "A Color of His Own" by Leo Lionni is a good opener for learning primary colors, and how to mix secondary colors. Tomie de Paola uses painted tissue paper to create many of his book illustrations. You and your child can use his painted tissue paper technique to make your own illustrations. Jan Brett creates little picture windows around the edges of her pictures, which can be a fun project for a detail-oriented young artist.
Art With the Masters
Drawing in the style of an established art master is a time-honored method of learning art. Your local librarian can help you find books that have pictures of famous artworks. Let your child pick out favorites from collected artworks, then create her own masterpieces. Have some added fun trying out different art styles used through the ages. Egg tempera, for example, is easy to make using egg yolks and powdered tempera; tile mosaics can be replicated using geometric shapes cut from construction paper; and metal foil works well to recreate reliefs. By trying out a variety of art styles, your child can find her favorite method of self-expression.
- Art Is Fundamental: Teaching the Elements and Principles of Art in Elementary School; Eileen S. Prince
- Art Through Children's Literature; Debi Englebaugh
- Discovering Great Artists; Mary Ann F. Kohl
- Harold and the Purple Crayon, Crockett Johnson
- Jupiterimages/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images


Reading Standards: Foundational Skills (K–5)
Print Concepts 1. Demonstrate understanding of the organization and basic features of print. a. Follow words from left to right, top to bottom, and page by page. b. Recognize that spoken words are represented in written language by specific sequences of letters. c. Understand that words are separated by spaces in print. d. Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet
Common Core Standard K.1.D
English Language Arts Standards » Reading: Foundational Skills » Kindergarten » 1 » d
says all students must Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.
MYTH: My child can sing the alphabet song so they know all their letters.
The alphabet song does introduce students to the letters but recognizing letters requires students use a one to one correspondence.
According to Critical Components in Early Literacy — Knowledge of the Letters of the Alphabet and Phonics Instruction from The Florida Reading Quarterly — Vol. 38, No. 2, December 2001
“The single best predictor of first-year reading achievement is the child’s knowledge of and the ability to recognize and name the upper- and lower- case letters of the alphabet (Adams, 1990; Honig, 1996; Riley, 1996). Stahl (1997) found that knowledge is still the strongest predictor of reading success in fourth grade. A child with automatic, accurate recognition of letters will have an easier time learning about letter sounds and word spellings than a child who does not know the letters of the alphabet.”
The first step to recognizing letters in the alphabet is for children to point to individual letters.
Montana Bear School Letter Knowledge Challenge #1
Can you sing the alphabet song with us?
Montana Bear School Letter Knowledge Challenge #2
Can you pick out the letters in your name?
Here’s April Bear picking the letters in the other bear names.
Can your child find the letters in their name? Simply write the alphabet on a piece of paper and have your child touch each letter in their name with their finger.
Using Magnet Letters for letter knowledge
Montana Bear School Letter Knowledge Challenge #3
Can you spell your name?
Montana Bear School Letter Knowledge Challenge #4
Can you find the letters in your last name?
I like to start with the letters in a child’s name but then you can move on to parents or relatives names like Mom, Papa, Nanny, Auntie, etc.
Matching letters is another way for children to build letter knowledge skills.
Montana Bear School Letter Knowledge Challenge #5
Can you match your letters?
Here’s what it should look like when it’s done:
Other sources of Letter Knowledge activities parents can do at home include:
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According to a recent research report, Sistema Scotland’s social change programme in Aberdeen – Big Noise Torry – has enhanced participants’ ability to learn in school, improved academic and behavioural skills, boosted school attendance rates, and improved their emotional wellbeing.
A study by the University of Montreal showed that infants remained calm twice as long when listening to a song, as they did when listening to speech.
In February 2017, Kathryn Brunner, a music educator for 17 years in the USA, posted an article on the Truro Preschool and Kindergarten website extolling the value of early music education for children.
‘Music for Change’ 2015-18, is a multi-year programme which enhances children’s early development and improve rates of school readiness among pre-school children in northwest Westminster, an area of multiple deprivation, and it has reported on its first year.
An interview on Kinderling Radio in Australia with Anita Collins, professor in neuroscience and child education at the University of Canberra, about how music can help your child’s brain grow from the very beginning.
Playing music with toddlers could benefit their development even more than shared reading, according to University of Queensland research.


Museums, Galleries Let Kids Be the Artists
Friday, October 31, 2008
In this era of standardized testing, student achievement targets and presidential candidates' dueling plans to raise students' competence in math and science, it is tempting to play down the importance of art education. But art teachers say that increasing children's opportunities to paint, draw and make art strengthens their critical thinking and academic performance.
"There are so many types of learners: some visual, some applied, each unique," says Karen O. Brown, an arts educator at the Kennedy Center, Smithsonian and area schools. "When you teach art, you have a better chance of getting through to a child. No matter what concept you're teaching, the child will think about the content in a new way, and art is the conduit."
But beyond just learning through art to get ahead, let's not forget: Getting messy with art is also good clean fun. As Alyssa Davis, 11, of Leesburg says of KidzArt, a national after-school arts program she attends at Tolbert Elementary, "I liked the different projects and being able to see something develop from nothing. We learned how to use watercolors, pencils, markers, charcoal, pastels. I love art, and this was a fun way to learn."
Here are a few fun opportunities in the area to create art, and maybe a few messes, with the kids.
Kennedy Center Multicultural Children's Book Festival
Saturday from noon to 6 p.m. 2700 F St. NW. 202-467-4700. http:/
For the 13th year, books of diverse cultures are brought to life for kids through interactive stations, performances and workshops at the Multicultural Children's Book Festival. (The bonus? It's a perfect opportunity to introduce your child to the Kennedy Center.) Kids can make books with Brown and learn to create collages with children's author and illustrator Adjoa Burrowes.
Artist, author and illustrator Edwin Fontánez will help children write and illustrate their own picture books. "The Kennedy Center brings in the best authors for this event especially for the children, and I am thrilled to be a part of it," Fontánez says. "I say I write for children, but I often feel about 5 years old myself. I can't wait."
The festival also includes storytelling, live music and dance performances. Free bookmarks and other small gifts will be distributed, and more than 400 titles for children will be on sale; a portion of book sale proceeds benefit the Kennedy Center's education programs.
ImaginAsia at the Freer Gallery Of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
Saturdays and Sundays through Dec. 7, 2-3 p.m. 1050 Independence Ave. SW, Sackler Gallery second-level classroom. http:/
The Freer and Sackler galleries strive to make visits to the museums exciting for adults and children. In the ImaginAsia programs, families explore Asian art exhibits at their own pace with age-appropriate guidebooks. After surveying the works, kids get to be the artists themselves. The ImaginAsia staff members encourage children to make a direct connection between the art in front of them and their own ability to create.


Castlehill Primary School | Ralston Road, Campbeltown PA28 6LE
Telephone: 01586 553446 | Fax: 01586 553665 | Mobile: 07867753293 | Email: firstname.lastname@example.org
Assessment is crucial to tracking progress, planning next steps, reporting, and involving parents/carers and learners in learning. Evidence of progress can be gathered by learners themselves and by fellow pupils (peers), parents/carers, teachers and other professionals.
A number of approaches are employed including the following:
Self-assessment – learners will be encouraged and supported to look at and revisit their own work to develop a better understanding of what they have learned and what they need to work on
Peer assessment – learners will be encouraged and supported to work together to help others assess what is good about their work and what needs to be worked on
Personal learning planning – children, teachers and parents/carers will work together to develop planning for next steps in learning
Profiles – a statement of achievements both within and out with school, to be introduced at P7 and S3.
Your child’s progress is not only based on ‘tests’ but on the learning that takes place within the classroom and in different settings out with the classroom.
Evidence of children and young people’s progress and achievements will come from day to day learning and through the things they may write, say, make or do. For example, evidence may emerge as a result of children and young people taking part in a presentation, discussion, performance, or practical investigation. Evidence may be captured as a photograph, video or audio clip as part of a particular learning experience.
Assessment takes place as part of on-going learning and teaching, periodically and at key transitions. Systems for tracking children’s progress are in place, including termly recording by teachers of their assessments in reading, writing and mathematics; baseline and periodic assessments of key literacy and numeracy skills; individual assessments of the needs of children with additional support needs; and close monitoring of the progress and attainment of individuals and classes by the Head Teacher.
a framework for assessment provides guidance around the assessment framework.
Education Scotland -Information about Curriculum for Excellence levels and how progress is assessed.
Curriculum for Excellence factfile - Assessment and qualifications.


In addition to Science and Technology, students visit Art, Library, Music, Spanish, and Physical Education specialist classes each week.
The art program nurtures the process of discovery and expression through different mediums. Each class meets once a week in the art room, transitional kindergarten and kindergarten meet for 45 minutes and first through sixth grades meet for an hour. When applicable, the art curriculum is integrated with the classroom studies while also being a part of a sequential program with respect to media and skills in both 2D and 3D arenas.
Students explore all dimensions of art from the principles of design and art elements, to practical applications, to formally observing and respecting the unique work of other artists and themselves.
The mission of the Village School Library is to provide information that supports the curricular needs of the students, faculty and staff. This information will be provided through a core collection of reference and circulating materials and supplemented by online resources. The collection strives to meet the school’s educational goals as well as the diverse interests and cultures of the school population and promote an appreciation of literature and love of reading. The library program strives to develop the knowledge and skills of students so that they can effectively retrieve and evaluate materials in any library. Grades TK through fifth attend weekly library classes.
The music program is designed to foster growth in music in an environment where students can be creative and successful. Students attend music class once a week. Many of the activities are based on Carl Orff’s ideas of teaching through a child-centered approach. Students are taught age-appropriate songs and music games that allow them to produce musical results. In addition, students often accompany themselves on pitched and non-pitched percussion instruments. Students are always encouraged to try their best in music and the emphasis is not on achieving a certain skill level, but on personal growth and effort.
Students are daily afforded opportunities for expression and creativity in music. Through songs and instrument playing children are encouraged to offer their interpretation of musical passages. They are often given boundaries and, in those, express musically their ideas. However, there are also times for completely original compositions. During these moments, students will draw on their own creative ideas and knowledge of music to express themselves.
At Village School, students are given the building blocks that enable them to move on to other areas of musical studies in middle and high school. We believe that the study of music is an essential element to a balanced elementary education experience. It is also the goal of the music program to foster an appreciation for music and it is our hope that students leave with a positive disposition towards music education.
The Physical Education program promotes a positive learning experience, maximizes student participation and creates a successful environment for every child. The program emphasizes a safe, supportive, and cooperative setting where personal development, awareness of fitness, and healthy, social interaction occurs daily. Physical Education contributes to the total growth of a child through experimental movement, motor development and other physical activities. Village School created fifteen units of study throughout the grade levels.
Students actively participate in a myriad of games and activities that focus on fun, cooperation and teamwork. Games and activities range from the well-known, track events, basketball and soccer, to the wildly popular obstacle course, crazy eights and animal walks.
Students in fourth through sixth grades who would like additional athletic opportunities may participate in the after school Viking Athletics program.
The Spanish program is an integral component to Village School’s strong commitment to a quality elementary education. Learning Spanish connects the children with the Spanish-speaking communities of Los Angeles, as well as with the rich cultural heritage of the Hispanic world.
Learning Spanish at Village is truly an interactive language learning experience. Using the QTalk Language Program, students work toward building a strong foundation of the Spanish language in the areas of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The Spanish teachers at Village work closely with grade level teachers to develop developmentally appropriate Spanish lessons.
Lower school students, grades TK through second, have Spanish three times a week for thirty minutes. The focus for lower school students is on aural comprehension and verbal production. Through interactive lessons, activities, games, and songs students begin to make language connections to ultimately create, understand, and share what they have learned using complete sentences.
Upper school students, grades three through six, have Spanish three times a week for forty minutes. Students become familiar with the parts of speech within sentence structures in Spanish. Students create and share sentences, paragraphs, dialogues, and stories in their composition books. In grades four through six, students use google.docs as a tool to create and share Spanish work. Students learn about the structures and functions of language as they pertain to Spanish.
Students at Village enhance their Spanish knowledge through their participation in exciting cultural events such as Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) in November and Hispanic Heritage Day in May.


Our snow globe Christmas cards are fun and easy for little hands to make with a lovely and personal end result, that parents will love to receive at Christmas.
- Design a Christmas Card Classpack
- Petri Dishes
- Glue Dots
- Stars and Snowflake Sequin Mix
- Ice and Snow Shakers
How to make a snow globe Christmas card
1. Cut out either a small photograph or drawn picture and stick into the bottom of the petri dish with glue.
2. Add some sparkles. This can include glitter, ice and snow shakers, sequins or snowflake shapes.
3. The lid then needs to be sealed on securely using either PVA glue and leaving to dry or glue dots.
4. The petri dish should then be stuck onto the card using either glue dots or PVA glue. Finally the card can be decorated by sticking on sequins, writing or colouring.
EYFS learning goals supported by this project
ELGO1 Communication and language development: listening and attention
ELG02 Communications and language development: understanding
ELG04 Physical development: moving and handling co-ordination
ELG06 Personal, social and emotional development: Self confidence and self awareness
ELG10 Literacy development: writing
ELG12 Mathmatics development: shape, space and measures
ELG13 Understanding the world: people and communities
ELG16 Expressive art and design: exploring and using media and materials
ELG17 Expressive arts and design: being imaginative
Will you be making any fun Christmas crafts this year? for more ideas and inspiration visit our Christmas page or follow us on Pinterest.
Follow The Consortium Early Years’s board Christmas for Early Years and Preschoolers on Pinterest.


Color Expressions: An Art Educational Voyage: An Art Educational Voyage
Several years ago, I enrolled in a graduate course on educational research that focused on closing the achievement gap for African-American children. The course was structured to explore issues, causes and concerns for the achievement gap. Studying different educational outcomes, reading books and articles, we regularly shared our insights about some leading causes. Most importantly, we were instructed to stay within our subject areas when finding any contributions to that gap. In my attempt to complete the assignment of researching possible causes, in my discipline of art education, I found myself frustrated and angry. Why? There were no research studies exploring how art education was a part of the equation leading to solutions in closing the gap. In addition, there were no basic instructions or curricula designed to make connections to the art student to develop critical thinking skills or to incorporate the use of students’ life experiences for learning. Furthermore, I felt that art education was used as a testing ground in urban schools, like the Chicago Public Schools using Teaching Artists to teach art with no teaching certification or teaching qualifications (Booth, 2003). The purpose of this approach was to use their knowledge and practices of art to influence change in students’ learning. This kind of experiment branched away from any real effort to integrate art education and truly recognize it as a viable core subject area. While conducting research for the course, I found that researchers defined the achievement gap between white and African-American students solely in terms of the four core subjects of math, science, social studies, and language arts, with no attention given to art education (e.g., Berlak, 2001, Honig, 2001, Limn, 2000, Sacks, 2000). A study by the National Black Caucus entitled Closing the Achievement Gap: Improving Education Outcomes for African American Children (November, 2001) reports: Make improving the literacy skills of students a top priority. Students who cannot read will experience little success in school. Reading is the key to academic achievement in every subject, ranging from math and English to science and history. We must put reading first by finding initiatives and programs designed to strengthen the reading skills of students, particularly low-performing students. Again, there was no mention of art. As both an African-American and an art teacher, I found it very disturbing that the recommendations of many national and local art educational organizations and schools failed to address the importance of teaching art education in African-American urban school settings. My dissertation research ultimately arose from this concern.
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Teacher support for English
Hamilton has a range of additional reference and advice materials for English.
New Curriculum English Support
Hamilton Grammar Structured Scheme of Work
Older Spelling and Grammar Materials
Grammar for Writing
Support for Spelling
Homework support documents
Hamilton Education sells hard copy teaching resources that support Hamilton plans at very low cost. Group Readers, phonics books, number lines and 'Five Minute Fillers' can help you teach literacy and numeracy skills in your classroom.
Hamilton's Y4 plans cover Lower Key Stage 2 objectives of the National Curriculum for England appropriate for Year 4 children. There are enough plans to provide you with a choice of focus and texts. Use the Coverage Chart to plan your coverage of LKS2.
Hamilton’s LKS2 plans are written specifically at an appropriate level for Year 3 and Year 4 classes separately, allowing for more closely targeted content and pedagogy. Many different combinations are possible, and coverage of the entire LKS2 curriculum can easily be assured when planned in conjunction with a selection of Year 3 plans. If you prefer not to use this differentiated planning, you can use Hamilton’s Y3/4 Mixed Age planning which provides a 2-year rolling programme of LKS2 planning.
Children explore a variety of myths and enjoy the mythical creatures introduced in Can You Catch A Mermaid?, The Seal Children and Beowulf. They learn these tales and use them as stimuli for creating their own myths and legends. They use the texts as models to help develop their understanding of detailed description in writing and correct grammar. Please note The Seal Children is currently out of print and will be republished May 2016.
Using The Princess and the Pea (Lauren child) and The Pea and the Princess (Mini Grey), children explore, read and write fairytales with a twisted point of view. Children write dialogue, and explore tense and pronouns, before role-playing and writing short playscripts, inspired by Beware of the Storybook Wolves. The unit ends with a chance to perform their writing to an audience.
This plan draws on stories about the rainforest and uses these to explore the lives of people in very different circumstances. Children develop empathy for different characters and the issues involved, and use their understanding to enable them to produce their own story based in the rainforest.
Read Little Mouse’s Big Book of Fears by Emily Gravett and enjoy her unusual style. Children discuss fears they had when they were little and create a recount page for a class book. They write a fictional recount about an animal escaping from a predator.
By reading The Wolves in the Walls (Dave McKean and Neil Gaiman), Wolves (Emily Gravett), and Top Gun of the Sky (Martin Bradley), children will investigate non-chronological reports. They will discover exciting facts about British wildlife, look at the key-features of this style of writing, and produce their own interesting reports in order to effectively share information.
Find out about an area of rainforest in Australia in Where the Forest Meets the Sea. Make a persuasive poster inspired by the book. Explore how rainforest destruction can affect indigenous peoples in The Vanishing Rainforest and write a persuasive article about these issues.
Study a range of list poems including some based on similes. Look in detail at the word types used: nouns, adjectives, verbs, prepositions and adverbs. Then investigate kenning poems – contracted metaphor list poems. Children are inspired to write some poetry.
Inspired by Julia Donaldson's Poems to Perform: A Classic collection, children watch, perform, read and write a range of performance poetry. Children tell tales, using possessive apostrophes and explore the uses of pronouns, editing poetry and writing profiles about themselves as performer poets. The unit ends with children preparing to share their learning with a wider audience!
Explore a variety of narrative poetry including Michael Rosen’s You Wait Till I’m Older Than You, Willow Pattern, How the Tortoise got Its Shell, Wolf’s Wife Speaks, Maggie and the Dinosaur and The Last Dinosaur, children identify features that poets use then learn, recite and write their own poems that tell a story.
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