About Recorder Classroom Magazine
Children love recorders, and recorders can change their whole musical outlook.
Recorders are a special part of a well-rounded music education. They are wonderful instruments with a long and rich history, and they provide students with an ideal way to experience the joy of instrumental performance. When we created our unique magazine, Recorder Classroom, it allowed us to approach the material in a dynamic fashion.
Currently, there are two volumes and two special edition issues. Here's what you will find in each of them:
- Lots of Great Music & State-Of-The-Art Recordings! Listen to excerpts.
- With lots of variety...
- Our regular feature Recorder Method Energizer
- Special Contributors with Special Resources
- Order Vol. 1, Full Year Set >
- Order Vol. 2, Full Year Set >
- Order Special Edition: Focus On Folk Songs >
- Order Special Edition: Focus On The Holidays >
Bonus: Recorder Rock Star
"Test Your Skills" Recorder Game
"Test Your Skills" quizzes students on which holes to cover for the proper note. If students need a little review before or after the game, they can use the interactive "Fingering Chart," which plays the note they click on the staff and shows the proper fingering.
To access, first log into Recorder Rock Star, then click on the "Test Your Skills" link. (Click here for instructions on how to log in to Recorder Rock Star.)


OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY (NHS Lothian)
Occupational therapists (OTs) can help with a range of issues which impact on a child’s development, in the areas of self-care, leisure and accessing the curriculum. OTs have particular expertise in problem solving for activities of daily life, drawing on their understanding of sensory processing and motor skill development where appropriate. Occupational therapy for the pupils at Kaimes School is provided by NHS Lothian. If OT related issues arise for pupils who are not currently receiving OT, a referral can be made to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children’s Occupational Therapy Department. Teachers, parents or the children themselves can make this request for assistance. Referral forms are available online here, or from the OT at Kaimes.
The pupils are usually seen at school, although this will be discussed first with their parent /carer. Therapy can take place in a number of different ways including individual sessions, group sessions, classroom observations, advice and strategies to education staff or parents. Visits to parents at home can be made if necessary. As well as working with individual children, the occupational therapist has an important role in training and developing the knowledge and expertise of staff and parents at regular events throughout the year.


The following sections reference material from: Scott, J. L., & Sarkees-Wircenski, M. (2004). Overview of Career and Technical Education (3rd ed.). Homewood, IL: American Technical.
Career and Technical Education (CTE) instruction aims at developing foundational skills, core workplace competencies, and specific skill competencies in various occupational areas. Internships, practicums, cooperative education, school-based enterprises, dual enrollment programs, and apprenticeships are a few venues that deliver career and technical education by providing meaningful opportunities for learners to apply their academic and technical skills.
The 16 clusters identified by the U.S. Department of Education in 2000 classify workforce preparation programs that are obtained through career and technical education in the following:
- Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources *
- Architecture and Construction
- Arts, A/V Technology and Communications
- Business Management and Administration
- Education and Training *
- Government and Public Administration
- Health Science
- Hospitality and Tourism *
- Human Services *
- Information Technology
- Law, Public Safety, Corrections and Security
- Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)
- Transportation, Distribution and Logistics *
(link is external) * = External cluster not hosted by UNT (this website)
U.S. Department of Education. Office of Vocational and Adult Education. Career and Technical Student Organizations. Retrieved February 18, 2009, from
U.S. Department of Education. Office of Vocational and Adult Education.
Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act of 1998 (Perkins III). Retrieved February 3, 2009 from


an informal, simplified spelling of 2 (defs 12, 13), used especially in labeling or advertising commercial products:
2 (def 36).
a combining form used in the names of minerals or fossils:
(of food and drink) containing few calories or little alcohol or fat
denoting a more restrained or less extreme version of a person or thing: reggae lite
(in names of minerals) stone: chrysolite Compare -lith
alternative spelling of light (adj.1), by 1962. Used from at least 1917 in product names, often as a variation of light (n.).
The word Adjusto-Lite for portable electric lamps was opposed by the user of a trade mark Auto-lite registered before the date of use claimed by the applicant. [“The Trade-Mark Reporter,” 1922]
word-forming element meaning “stone,” from French -lite, variant of -lithe, from Greek lithos “stone” (see litho-).
Not serious; not scholarly; watered down; popularized: there’s myth lite apres Joseph Campbell, Pinkola Estes, etc
[1980s+; fr the misspelling of light used to identify less fattening, less intoxicating, etc, products, esp beer]
(Misspelling of “light”, when used to mean “lightweight”) A suffix denoting a scaled-down or crippled product, often designed to be distributed without charge, e.g. on a magazine coverdisk. An example is pklite.
[lee-ter] /ˈli tər/ noun 1. a unit of capacity redefined in 1964 by a reduction of 28 parts in a million to be exactly equal to one cubic decimeter. It is equivalent to 1.0567 U.S. liquid quarts and is equal to the volume of one kilogram of distilled water at 4°C. Abbreviation: l. [lahyt] /laɪt/ […]
- Literacy hour
noun 1. (in England and Wales) a daily reading and writing lesson that was introduced into the national primary school curriculum in 1998 to raise standards of literacy
noun 1. an examination to determine whether a person meets the literacy requirements for voting, serving in the armed forces, etc.; a test of one’s ability to read and write.
- Literae humaniores
/ˈlɪtəˌriː hjuːˌmænɪˈɔːriːz/ noun 1. (at Oxford University) the faculty concerned with Greek and Latin literature, ancient history, and philosophy; classics


Course Title: Experiencing the Arts
Part A: Course Overview
Course Title: Experiencing the Arts
Credit Points: 12
|Sem 2 2012,
Sem 2 2013,
Sem 2 2014
Course Coordinator: Dr Susan Paterson
Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 7427
Course Coordinator Email:email@example.com
Course Coordinator Location: 220.02.13
Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities
This is an elective course that focuses on either visual arts or music as a stand alone area of study, or an integration of key visual arts and music concepts. In particular, this course will promote opportunities for students’ to understand their prior knowledge, identify their strengths and overcome their perceived weaknesses in arts knowledge and practice. This course will extend students’ knowledge and experience in visual arts education, including the practical, technical, theoretical and pedagogical components of learning about the arts. The course promotes a reflective learning and teaching model where students are scaffolded in developing conceptual and technical skills on both an individual and collaborative learning basis. The course models a cross-cultural, cross-curricular approach to art education where multiple intelligences are celebrated together with personal and interpersonal learning. The course will involve visits to art galleries, performance venues, and primary schools to advance students’ understandings of the social, cultural, environmental, and aesthetic aspects of visual arts.
Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development
This course is designed to assist students to:
• Develop an understanding of cross-cultural and cross-curricular approaches to the arts education.
• Advance art discipline based knowledge.
• Critically reflect upon contemporary pedagogical strategies relative to learning and teaching.
• Engage in authentic situated learning practices.
• Link practice and theory as it relates to pedagogy in art education.
• Examine the role of collaborative learning/communities of practice in the arts.
Upon completion of this course students will be able to:
• Develop inquiry-based arts curriculum that can be integrated with other key learning areas.
• Implement a variety of pedagogical strategies for diverse learners in the primary classroom.
• Critically analyse and reflect upon a range of learning resources, including materials and tools, and written texts such as journal articles, art education texts, and internet material.
• Produce appropriate learning/teaching resources.
• Manage the implementation of both individual and collaborative learning situations in both the generalist and art classrooms.
• Demonstrate depth and breath of knowledge in the arts.
At the conclusion of this course students will have demonstrated and/or acquired the following ICT capabilities:
• Understandings of how ICT resources can be integrated in meaningful ways that take into account students’ existing and diverse technological skills and to produce engaging and challenging curriculum.
• Understandings of how to use ICT in the classroom to facilitate learning, in particular critical skills such as information skills, analysis, problem-solving and decision-making.
• Skills in using ICT for communication, presentation, work preparation and implementation.
This course is aligned with the following standards:
• Teachers know how students learn and how to teach them effectively.
• Teachers create and maintain safe and challenging learning environments.
• Teachers use a range of teaching strategies and resources to engage students in effective learning.
Overview of Learning Activities
Students’ learning in this course will involve a range of activities including, lectures, art studio-based practical workshops, class discussions, presentations, and group projects, ICT skills development and visits to galleries, performance venues and classrooms.
Overview of Learning Resources
See part B
Overview of Assessment
Assessment tasks are directly linked to the stated objectives and outcomes. Assessment in the course will be both theoretical and practical in nature. A range of formative and summative assessment types will be incorporated into the course (for example, visual arts resource portfolio, reflection and research and performance based assessment).
Students should refer to Part B of the course guide for further information on assessment.


I have been struggling with programming more lesson plans for Aerie. I was trying to find some age appropriate learning exercises for her that would build on things she already knows. We have been working on number patterning and counting a lot lately, and I found that she was having some difficulty in forming different numbers with her fingers. She sometimes uses her inactive hand to help push her fingers down on the hand she is using. I have to remember that she is only two years old, so I don’t think this is a developmental delay or anything, but of course it got me to thinking how I can help her improve.
To work on improving this area, I’m turning to Sign Language. What better way to work on her fine motor skill development than to start to learn a whole new language. I started looking online for basic signs, and educated myself with the “first 100 words,” then went on to teaching her a few. She is really eager to learn, and she’s really working hard to get the motions down. After working on these for a few days now, I already see an improvement in her using her inactive hand less to help form the words with her active hand. It’s great to see her really trying to get the signs just right. I think this will be great practice with hand formations, and I feel like it’s the perfect fit to also learn something new. Plus, now I have a whole new curriculum to play with for lesson planning instead of being up in the air with what I’m doing.
We started with colors and other basics like family members. I’m really excited to teach her to sign the alphabet, I think she’ll have a lot of fun with that. I just didn’t want to jump into it too quickly with starting with the alphabet. I’m also excited to get into the animals, too.
The internet is a wonderful thing. You can find many free resources. If you’re interested, this is the site I used to learn Basic ASL: First 100 Words. The site is really basic, but they give great explanations on how to move your hands to form the words. American Sign Language also has a great DVD for kids.


The report looked at 77 elementary education programs around the country, or roughly 5 percent of the institutions that offer undergraduate elementary teacher certification.
It found the programs, within colleges and universities, spend too little time on elementary math topics.
Author Julie Greenberg said education students should be taking courses that give them a deeper understanding of arithmetic and multiplication. She said the courses should explain how math concepts build upon each other and why certain ideas need to be emphasized in the classroom.
The fact is many education programs require students to take courses intended to “explain how math concepts build upon each other and why certain idea need to be emphasized in the classroom.” Other researchers (i.e. Liping Ma, James W. Stigler, James Hielbert, Harold W. Stevenson) have found that American teachers compare poorly with teachers of other countries both in their understanding of math and their ability to teach it. So what is the problem?
Any of the math professors could have told you, but a study is more convincing. A PhD candidate at the University of Arizona is working on a dissertation about the attitudes of pre-service elementary teachers in the math for elementary teachers course. The candidate video-taped students in their elementary math classes, conducted interviews of students and their math professors, and analyzed the students evaluations of the class. She found that students approach the elementary math courses with one of two attitudes: either they consider themselves a math learner and see the course as an opportunity to learn more, or more commonly, they see the course as a waste of time because they already studied the material in elementary school and think they understand it more than sufficiently.
The dissertation confirms what professors of these courses have observed again and again. Students tend to be hostile because they believe the courses are nothing but meaningless university hoops. Nevertheless, alarming numbers fail the classes. Some universities have a 50% fail rate. Students retake the course until they barely pass and then they move on.
The report also criticized the tests education students take when they complete their coursework, which are generally relied on by states in granting teacher licenses. In many cases, the prospective teachers are judged on an overall score only, meaning they could do badly on the math portion but still pass if they do well in the other areas.
Truth be told, the math professors do play a role in the problem. Many of them do not want to teach this kind of low-level content, deeming it a waste of their expensive and prestigious PhD's. Besides, they know students tend to downrate the instructors of these courses, hurting the instructor's evaluation mean. Furthermore, math professors often fail to customize the course for education students. One way to motivate the unmotivated is to present the material in the context of anticipating and preventing children's math misconceptions. But since nearly all the math professors have never taught young children the material they are now teaching future teachers, they are unable to provide the information the future teachers want.
Without the misconception frame, students may believe that there is something wrong with them, an idea that is very hard for them to accept after twelve years of gratuitous self-esteem building. Even when a math educator with experience teaching children explicitly teaches the class in terms of children's misconceptions, students often remain hostile and become even more resentful when they perceive that for some reason unknown to them they are not succeeding in what they believe should be a “skate” class. They will often punish the instructor with unfairly harsh evaluations. No worries about the instructor's self esteem.
American children are especially weak in fractions, so it should come as no surprise that elementary pre-service teachers, given that they are often among the least scholastically able in the university, are especially weak in fractions as well.
"Almost anyone can get in. Compared to the admissions standards found in other countries, American education schools set exceedingly low expectations for the mathematics knowledge that aspiring teachers must demonstrate," said the report.
College students are naive if they believe that a professor cannot match up anonymously written student evaluations to the individuals who wrote the evaluations, especially in a class of around 25 students or less. The dissertation video-taped fraction lessons. Pre-service teachers, even when gently confronted with conceptual errors, will grouse, “So what? What difference does it make?” and other similar responses. The same student will write in the evaluation that they did not get much out of the class.
One of the main reasons American children do poorly in international comparisons is because their teachers are ill-prepared to teach them.
(Francis) Fennell, who instructs teacher candidates in math at McDaniel College in Westminster, Md., said a common area of weakness among his students is fractions—the same subject the national math panel described as a weak area for kids. "Part of the reason the kids don't know it is because the teachers aren't transmitting that," he said.


Being able to help your grandchild learn to read is a richly rewarding experience.
As you will be aware literacy skills are declining amongst children. They are no longer picking up books for enjoyment. Instead, our grandchildren are turning to video games, social media, and of course, the television.
But there are things, as grandparents, we can do.
Sometimes the simplest things are the most effective.
Language games that are easy
Language games are fun and provide grandparents with a unique opportunity to bond to their grandchildren.
There are so many things a child learns while he or she are playing games that are important to their future success as adults.
They learn the meaning of giving one’s best, losing gracefully, and winning well.
Find the words on the page
This game will help your grandchild identify certain words on the page. You will need to modify it depending upon your grandchild’s literacy development.
For those children who struggle to read a page of words can be quite daunting so you may want to start with half or quarter of a page.
How to play
Choose a book or a magazine that has text which is right for your grandchild’s reading level.
Scan over it and select five words. You might find large words which have unusual spelling patterns or simple words the child knows.
Write words on a piece of paper and ask your child to find them. Give them visual clues like, “What letter does the word begin with?” “Do you recognize any spelling patterns?”
If you are not sure which words to use look at the list available for your grandchild’s reading level.
For older children just say the word, don’t show them the written word. This is a much more complex task that requires much greater processing. You may want to work towards this over time.
Rewards and the winner’s prize
You could provide a reward as an incentive for each word your grandchild finds. Such as a gold star placed on a graph. The graph could show how often your grandchild found a word. Once each word has a number of stars it could lead to a greater reward like going to the park for ice cream or a trip to the cinema.
The reward should be easy to achieve, and not be too taxing on you or your budget.
If you have a child a list of options, they will more than likely choose a reward they like. This saves a lot of arguments if a child wants something extravagant or expensive.


Reading and literacy are necessary skills for living and learning. What’s more, children who have good reading skills perform better in school, enjoying a better understanding of material, developing a positive self-image, and effectively using language to communicate. With a master’s degree in reading and literacy, you can help students work to improve their reading skills and enjoy the benefits of literacy — skills that can positively impact them for life.
The Importance of a Master’s Degree in Reading and Literacy
Any educator will tell you that a war is raging in U.S. schools. Students who are struggling to read and write are daily doing battle with textbooks, essays and tests. But, not all hope is lost. One of students’ key allies in their fight is a literacy specialist with a master’s degree in reading and literacy. Earning a master’s in reading and literacy means you’ll have an advanced understanding of language development, literacy, and instruction for students in need of reading intervention. With your advanced degree, you’ll be prepared to pursue a career in literacy in a number of settings, including K-12 teaching, reading program specialization, and adult education.
What You’ll Learn in a Master’s in Reading and Literacy Program
In a master’s degree program in reading and literacy, you will explore the most effective methods of teaching reading and writing. You might learn how to diagnose and treat literacy difficulties, develop multilingual literacy programs, or conduct research on education policy and practice. Most of these master’s degree programs require you to have a teaching license; some will help you earn a literacy specialist certification. Commonly offered courses include:
- Language and Literacy Development
- Second Language and Literacy
- Teaching Bilingual Students
- Reading Assessment Instruction
Schools with an Online Master’s Degree in Reading & Literacy
The growing awareness that American students are losing ground to their international counterparts in literacy has created a renewed sense of urgency in graduate schools to offer advanced programs in this area of study. That means you’ll have a relatively large number of options when selecting an online master’s degree program in reading and literacy. For instance:
- The online master of education in reading & writing specialist from Southern New Hampshire University is geared toward practicing teachers. The curriculum includes an in-depth study of language development and courses on effective teaching practices.
- An online master of education in literacy education from the University of Mississippi focuses on the roles of reading specialist and literacy coach. During a six-hour mandatory internship, candidates must take on a role in literacy leadership.
- Mercy College has developed an online master of science in teaching literacy in which candidates acquire skills to meet the literacy needs of children in urban and suburban settings. Completion of a capstone project is required for graduation.
Career Opportunities with an Online Master’s Degree in Reading & Literacy
A higher-paying career as a literacy specialist may the biggest draw in earning an online master’s degree in reading and literacy, but it is not the only option. Outside of K-12 classrooms, graduates tackle adult literacy and basic skills training for college students.
In addition to public schools, reading and literacy specialists may find good opportunities in the private sector. A master’s degree in reading and literacy can qualify you for work with:
- educational publishing companies
- community centers
- policy organizations
You may also find opportunities as a literacy coach, consultant or researcher.
Study Reading and Literacy Education Online
Improve your future — and that of students in need of literacy support — with an online master’s in reading and literacy. Explore the online programs available below.


Prepare an outline for an upcoming Individual Education Plan (IEP) meeting
Include measurable goals, objectives, and benchmarks for the student based upon state standards. You must also consider student eligibility, justification for a least restrictive environment, and special accommodations in the outline.
Consider each of the following stakeholders as you prepare your Pre-IEP Outline:
o General education teacher
o Special education teacher
o District administrator
What is your definition of collaboration? What is the importance of collaborating with parents and professionals in education?
What is your responsibility as a teacher when providing services to a student with special needs?
Where possible, use the language provided in the instructions for your response. This makes it easier for the teacher to home in on the components they are looking for when your assignment is scored, because the terminology is the same. This makes it easier to "check off" that you did everything asked of you.
OUTLINE for Individual Education Plan meeting for student Debbie
o General education teacher ________________________________________________________________
o Special education teacher ________________________________________________________________
o District administrator____________________________________________________________________
Debbie's WISC-R Verbal test scores in Comprehension and Similarities will improve to 5 or better on the next re-test.
Debbie's WISC-R Verbal subject fluctuation scores in verbal comprehension, verbal conceptualization and verbal expression will improve to 7 or better on the next re-test.
Debbie will demonstrate mastery of Arizona state standards in Mathematics and ELA for first grade by the end of the first grade year.
To improve Debbie's Mathematics achievement to Arizona state standards.
To improve Debbie's oral comprehension and verbal expression.
Benchmarks for the student based upon state standards
Arizona state standards for Math, first grade, below. Debbie will demonstrate mastery of all Mathematics standards by the end of first grade.
Arizona state standards for ELA, first grade, include: Reading standards: foundational skills; Writing standards; Speaking and Listening standards; Language standards and Language progressive skills. Debbie will ...
Gven a student case scenario, and outline for an IEP meeting is provided as a suggested model response, taking into account the information contained in the case study, and considering all stakeholders who will attend the IEP meeting for this child. Also discussion of collaboration between school professionals.


I already feel like I can "see" where I am going each week by using the cards. The colors help me know which standards I need to focus on during different parts of the day. I REALLY like using the academic vocabulary with the kids, but also like how the I Can Statements use language that is a bit more kid-friendly.
I made matching colored dividers for each strand so that I can find the cards I need easily. Each card has the original standard; the ELA standards also include the College and Career Readiness Standard and strands. This helps me to see how the more basic foundational skills I am teaching directly correspond to student learning and understanding all the way through high school.
My plan is to eventually attach magnets to the cards so that I can put them down the side of my whiteboard and write vocabulary words beside each standard. I saw a post where a teacher used clipboards for vocabulary. What a great idea! I just need something a bit more simple since I don't have a lot of space.
The pack includes blank cards that you can run through your printer to include additional or supplemental standards you may teach in your county or state.
Visit my TpT store if you are interested in these Common Core "I Can" Statments and standards. Now...I've got to get started on my county's science and social studies Essential Standards. My index card file box will soon be quite full!


Over the last several years, a number of studies have been published about the many benefits of music education. For the most part, they have focused on how playing music makes students “smarter”; that these students gain a range of academic advantages in logical-mathematical intelligence, resulting in enhanced math and science abilities and increased scores on standardized testing. Recently, however, there seems to be more research and academic focus on the specific benefits of music education in the form of a group of musicians, or a band, highlighting the development of increased social and teamwork skills.
Perhaps one reason for more studies on the link between groups of musicians vs. individual music education is the proliferation of focus on teamwork in the workplace. Countless studies and articles have arisen that explore the importance of leadership vs. democracy; confrontation vs. compromise; and negotiation along with collaboration. These skills are much harder to measure academically, and yet, are shown to be equally critical in the success of employees in the workplace.
While our children explore teamwork and cooperation from the time they are toddlers throughout childhood (on sports teams and school group project work, for example), there is no more focused opportunity to practice and utilize teamwork skills than in the group dynamic of a band. Social and teamwork skills are inherently critical during the process of rehearsing a band. Every session together includes identifying goals (learning a song, preparing for a performance), prioritizing needs (what do we need to work on most), commitment (learning your part, showing up for practice), communication (letting others know what you like or don’t like in a constructive manner), role identification (what is my job for this song, how does my part fit with the whole), social support (complimenting your bandmates’ courage to try something new, or their mastering that tough section of the song), and band identity (the practice of knowing you got through it together and are presenting a united performance) – the building blocks of collaboration and teamwork.
At BandWorks, our sessions are specifically geared towards collaborative creativity resulting in increased social and teamwork skills. Our bands have the benefit of a trained instructor, who is a professional musician, to coach them through the process. Since 1993, BandWorks has been offering rock band workshops and summer camps for kids 8+, teens and adults looking to develop their musical skills in a fun and supportive environment. Our instructors are not only passionate about teaching and dedicated to helping students experience a greater enjoyment of playing music with others, but are also well-versed in the dynamics of creating positive social and teamwork skills. To learn more about BandWorks and upcoming summer programs, find us at www.bandworks.com.


Perfect for Back to School! Real Art instead of art projects!
These five art lessons introduce young students to the elements of art with exploratory, open-ended activities that also teach art vocabulary and the care and use of art materials and tools. These lessons are designed to introduce students to the basics of creating art and learning artist behavior.
Each of these lessons is easily differentiated for students with varying needs. They are geared primarily toward lower grades, but any of them are easily adaptable to some older students, since they focus on the elements of design, which are universal and the basis of all art work.
Each lesson in this bundle is also available individually.
Lessons included are:
Color Mixing Exploration
-- students create secondary colors from primary colors, explore painting techniques, and learn how to care for paint and brushes. Includes painting tips, a printable color wheel, and art reflection student worksheet]
Drawing Patterns from Nature
-- students make and use a simple viewfinder to focus on and draw pattern details in photographs of plants and animals. Includes annotated nature photo reference page and art reflection student worksheet
Mixed Media Exploration
-- gives students the opportunity to explore on their own with drawing, cutting, gluing, and painting. Includes tips for setting up media exploration stations and annotated photos of student work samples.
Mondrian-inspired Line Design
-- students use a variety of straight and curved lines to create a Mondrian-inspired design. Includes informational text: About Piet Mondrian artist biography and Thinking About Piet Mondrian ‘draw and write’ worksheet.
What Can You Do With a Shape?
-- students use just one shape, in different sizes, colors, and orientations, to create an abstract design. Includes shape cutting tips and tips for creating successful abstract designs.
Each lesson includes the following:
- a list of art concepts and skills addressed
- list of materials needed (all common classroom materials)
- targeted art vocabulary and related vocabulary
- suggestions for related read-aloud books or related art works to look at
- detailed steps for introducing the lesson
- directions for the art activity
- ideas for extending or varying the lessons
- ideas for looking at and discussing art
- photographs of actual student work samples
- writing and other curricular extensions where applicable
These comprehensive lessons are designed to teach art appreciation, art technique, and art analysis; and to foster authentic art-making and art education.
National Core Visual Arts Standards are listed at the beginning of each lesson.
This resource also includes a description of the National Core Visual Arts Anchor Standards and an overview of ways Art education supports other areas of the curriculum.
Because I teach in California, each lesson also includes a list of the California Visual Arts Standards addressed for suggested grade levels. Please note that listed grade levels are suggestions only; any of these lessons can be simplified or made more complex to work for any elementary grade.
Similar art lessons:
Five Super Easy Art Lessons
Four Quick Art Lessons
More Art lessons and Art-integrated resources:
Art Task Cards
- self-directed Art activities for early finishers or Art centers
Artist Biographies for Kids
- informational text with ‘draw and write’ response prompts
Integrating Art Across the Curriculum Sampler Bundle
- five integrated Art lessons
Language Arts Strategies with Art BUNDLE
- learn Language Arts skills through art observation and discussion
I am a retired elementary classroom teacher, a former art teacher, an artist and a writer. I have a Multiple Subjects credential, a Single Subject credential for Art and English, LDS/ESL certification, a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education with a Mathematics focus, and Montessori certification. I have worked with all elementary grades, and with special groups including ELL, GATE, and At-Risk students. Creating Art With Kids
lessons and resources are designed to foster student creativity, choice, and independence, and to encourage authentic art-making. Consideration is given to developmental appropriateness, differentiation possibilities, and teacher individuality. For this reason, directions are general, expectations are open-ended, and clip art on student pages is kept to a minimum.
Visit my blog, Creating Art With Kids,
for detailed descriptions and helpful tips about the teaching process for many of my art lessons.
Other ways to connect with me:
Facebook: Creating Art With Kids
Pinterest: Renee Goularte
Find out about new products, discounts, and freebies!
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Refraction of Light Science Experiment -- Fun way to impress kids, too! :)
Here is a super simple, yet magical, experiment on refraction of light. Learn the magic of science in this water refraction trick. Try it and wow your kids!
Playing with refraction of light - fun science for kids
7 ideas to teach students about light, reflection, and refraction
Refraction of light | simple science experiment for kids
Fun science - playing around with refraction of light - an easy STEM + Art (or STEAM) activity for little kids.
Refraction of light: capture amazing photography effects with a glass of water
Experiment for refracting lights...picking up penny inside water
turning the arrow experiment (refraction of light lesson)
The refraction of light may sound complicated, but it's actually a simple photography effect you can create anywhere. Here's how it's done.


The British Raj
Beginning in the middle of the eighteenth century, when the foundations of British rule were effectively laid, the British government showed increasing interest in the welfare of the people of India, feeling the need to curb the greed, recklessness, and corrupt activities of the private British East India Company. Beginning in 1773, the British Parliament sought to regulate the company's administration. By 1784 the company was made responsible to Parliament for its civil and military affairs and was transformed into an instrument of British foreign policy.
Some new measures introduced in the spirit of government intervention clearly did not benefit the people of Bengal. The Permanent Settlement (Landlease Act) of Lord Charles Cornwallis in 1793, which regulated the activities of the British agents and imposed a system of revenue collection and landownership, stands as a monument to the disastrous effects of the good intentions of Parliament. The traditional system for collecting land taxes involved the zamindars, who exercised the dual function of revenue collectors and local magistrates. The British gave the zamindars the status and rights of landlords, modeled mainly on the British landed gentry and aristocracy. Under the new system the revenue-collecting rights were often auctioned to the highest bidders, whether or not they had any knowledge of rural conditions or the managerial skills necessary to improve agriculture. Agriculture became a matter of speculation among urban financiers, and the traditional personal link between the resident zamindars and the peasants was broken. Absentee landlordship became commonplace, and agricultural development stagnated.
Most British subjects who had served with the British East India Company until the end of the eighteenth century were content with making profits and leaving the Indian social institutions untouched. A growing number of Anglican and Baptist evangelicals in Britain, however, felt that social institutions should be reformed. There was also the demand in Britain, first articulated by member of Parliament and political theorist Edmund Burke, that the company's government balance its exploitative practices with concern for the welfare of the Indian people. The influential utilitarian theories of Jeremy Bentham and James Mill stated that societies could be reformed by proper laws. Influenced in part by these factors, British administrators in India embarked on a series of social and administrative reforms that were not well received by the conservative elements of Bengali society. Emphasis was placed on the introduction of Western philosophy, technology, and institutions rather than on the reconstruction of native institutions. The early attempts by the British East India Company to encourage the use of Sanskrit and Persian were abandoned in favor of Western science and literature; elementary education was taught in the vernacular, but higher education in English. The stated purpose of secular education was to produce a class of Indians instilled with British cultural values. Persian was replaced with English as the official language of the government. A code of civil and criminal procedure was fashioned after British legal formulas. In the field of social reforms, the British suppressed what they considered to be inhumane practices, such as suttee (self-immolation of widows on the funeral pyres of their husbands), female infanticide, and human sacrifice.
British policy viewed colonies as suppliers of raw materials and purchasers of manufactured goods. The British conquest of India coincided with the Industrial Revolution in Britain, led by the mechanization of the textile industry. As a result of the British policy of dumping machine-made goods in the subcontinent, India's domestic craft industries were thoroughly ruined, and its trade and commerce collapsed. Eastern Bengal was particularly hard hit. Muslin cloth from Dhaka had become popular in eighteenth-century Europe until British muslin drove it off the market.
|Country Studies main page | Bangladesh Country Studies main page|


Music FUNdamentals & Intro to Keyboard Classes
This program will allow children to explore the world of music to develop basic skills in music education. Using various fun play-based activities and games, students will learn musical concepts including beat, rhythm, tone, and basic note reading skills, along with an appreciation for different genres of music. Our Wondertree Kids music classes offer a nurturing classroom environment designed to develop a child’s musical understanding. Music Fundamentals is Wondertree Kid’s unique method to help children develop essential music skills. Learning music at a young age allows children to strengthen their self-esteem, think critically and have a sense of creative expression.


Among all the activities your child has to choose from – from sports and dance to book clubs and scouting – is it worth signing him or her up for singing lessons? Absolutely! If the interest is there, private lessons can be a great way to introduce them to music and build their confidence. But in addition to the valuable musical talent your child can develop, consider all the additional benefits of singing lessons you may not have thought of:
Better studying and focusing skills
Increased brain function, math skills, and overall intelligence
Heightened listening, speaking, and communication skills
Improved leadership skills
Greater artistic awareness and creativity
Increased ability to express ideas and connect with others through music
With this small glimpse at what singing lessons can do for your child, the next important question you’ll likely ask is, how much are singing lessons for kids? The price is certainly not set in stone.
How Much Are Singing Lessons For Kids?
The average price for vocal instructors who teach children and teens is around $25 per 30-minute singing lesson. More expensive voice teachers may charge $35 or more for a 30-minute lesson. What makes the difference? Why do some voice teachers charge a higher rate than others? Consider the following factors:
- Experience Teaching Children
The first major factor is the specific experience your teacher has. Youth voice teachers sometimes charge a higher rate because this age group requires a specialized teaching method. Particularly in children younger than 10 years old, the teacher needs a level of patience and experience to keep the student’s interest and hone their musical abilities. Ultimately, finding a voice teacher who is good with kids is critical to your child’s success and is worth the extra fee they may charge for their specialty.
- The Teacher’s Formal Training
You may be able to find a family friend who enjoys singing and is good with kids, but these two qualities alone don’t make a qualified voice teacher. Instead, you’ll want to choose an instructor who has formal training.
Some teachers have a certificate they earned in a few months, while others may have completed a Bachelor’s or Master of Music degree that took four years or more to earn. These degrees vary and include titles such as Vocal Performance and Music Education. The more training and experience a voice teacher has, the more they are likely to charge.
- The Student’s Level of Proficiency
Unless your child has taken singing lessons in the past, you are probably safe finding an instructor who teaches beginner- to intermediate-level material. No matter what competency level voice instructors say they teach, however, look for one who uses a proven training technique with some proof behind why it works. The specific techniques you want your child to learn early on include proper breathing, staying on pitch, projecting the voice (safely), and vocal endurance.
- Singing Style
You may assume that you need to work with a vocal teacher who is proficient in the style you want your child to learn – whether that’s opera, country, gospel, Broadway, classical, or jazz. While it’s true that there’s a huge difference between a country singer and an opera singer, standard basic techniques serve as the building blocks for all types of singing styles. Keep this in mind as your child grows and their singing talent expands. Until then, choosing a teacher that can teach the basics is a perfectly adequate choice – and can often save you money.
Of course, the length of your lesson will also affect the price you pay. Children tend to have shorter attention spans than adults, so most youth voice teachers recommend starting with 30-minute or 45-minute sessions. Once your child progresses into more advanced techniques, it’s a good idea to increase the length to an hour, which allows for more time to warm up at the beginning of the lesson. Of course, consult your teacher for his or her recommendation on this.
If you live in an area of the country with a higher cost of living, you can expect your singing lessons to be more expensive. Teachers living in big cities tend to have higher going rates than those in smaller, rural locations. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean you’re at the mercy of higher rates if you live in New York or Los Angeles. Another option is to sign your child up to take lessons with a teacher who conducts live, online singing lessons via video chat. This can be the perfect solution and eliminate the need to chauffeur your child to yet another weekly event.
So, are you ready to get your child on the road to developing his or her natural singing talent? Now that you know the answer to “How much are singing lessons for kids?”, you can move on to the next step – finding your teacher! With a great singing teacher guiding your child along, you can set him or her up for success – and a lifetime of learning and fun!
Photo by Angie Garrett


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Note: Supplemental materials are not guaranteed with Rental or Used book purchases.
- ISBN: 9780415800549 | 0415800544
- Cover: Hardcover
- Copyright: 2/18/2010
What's So Important About Music Education? addresses the history of rationales provided for music education in the United States. J. Scott Goble explains how certain factors stemming from the nation's constitutional separation of church and state, its embrace of democracy and capitalism, and the rise of recording, broadcast, and computer technologies have brought about changes in the ways music teachers and concerned others have conceptualized music and its importance in education. In demonstrating how many of the personal and societal benefits of musical engagement have come to be obscured in the nation's increasingly diverse public forum, Goble also argues for the importance of musical engagement in human life and for the importance of music in education. The book concludes with recommendations for teaching the musical practices of the nation's constituent cultural communities in schools in terms of their respective cultural meanings.


BC: i would like to dedicate this book to Abdulaziz Al Baghli & Abdulhameed Al Buaijan
FC: PROTEROZOIC | By: Sabah Al Sabah
1: Table of contents Prokaryote Cells pg.4 Animal pg.6 Climate pg.8 Time & Subdivision pg.10 Plants pg.12 Bibliography pg.15 | My topic is about the Proterizoic Eon
2: The Proterozoic includes over half the history of life on this planet. By 2.5 billion years ago, when the Achaean Eon ended and the Proterozoic Eon began. The name Proterozoic comes from Greek and means "earlier life" or "time of ancient life"
4: Prokaryote Cells One of the most important events of the Proterozoic was the gathering up of oxygen in the Earth's atmosphere. At that time trillions of prokaryote cells lived in Earth's oceans. Some of these cells could photosynthesize their energy from sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide. These photosynthesizing cells pooped out a lot of oxygen.
6: Animal In the long term, the most successful animal group of the Proterozoic were the sponges . The environment remain are from a shallow marine .Well preserved fossils have been describe
8: Climate The climate of Proterozoic could be cold in thebeginning, and then the earth started to warm up. Thereason for this is because there is not enough evidence todetermine what life was like 4.6 billion years ago.
10: Time & Subdivision Proterozoic is subdivided into three eras which are : 1. Paleoproterozoic (2.5 to 1.6 billion years ago) 2. Mesoproterozoic (1.6 to 1 billion years ago) 3. Neoproterozoic (1 billion to 542.0 million yearsago)
12: Plant Early plants, developed into a new type of cell as they had created. This cell was the eukaryote, a cell that contains a nucleus. the living organisms were able to join together into groups of eukaryotic cells.
14: The end of the Proterozoic, about 542 million years ago, is roughly the time when the first worms andarthropods Arthropods are insects like beetles appear onEarth. The period after the Proterozoic is the CambrianEra.
15: BIBLIOGRAPHY: 1. Carr, Dr. Karen. "Proterozoic Eon - Science forKids!" Kidipede - Science for Kids - HomeworkHelp for Middle School. Portland StateUniversity, 23 Nov. 2012. Web. 17 Feb. 2013.


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The Delian Nike and the Search for Chian Sculpture
American Journal of Archaeology
Vol. 89, No. 4 (Oct., 1985), pp. 619-626
Published by: Archaeological Institute of America
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/504203
Page Count: 9
You can always find the topics here!Topics: Statues, Sculptors, Sculpture, Jovian satellites, Hair, Art museums, Art education, Draperies, Archaic period, Torso
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Is it possible to define an archaic Chian style of sculpture? With the discovery of a winged Nike on Delos (Athens NM 21), soon linked to a base found nearby naming the Chian sculptor Archermos, it was believed that archaeological proof had been found for the family of Chian sculptors mentioned by Pliny in HN 36.11. The enthusiastic claims for a Chian school have now been diminished but there remains an unchallenged belief that the Nike of Archermos still provides the key to the recognition of Chian work. In this article a critical review is made of the evidence for this opinion and the methodology of Chian studies is questioned. The conclusion is reached that Chian style, as it has hitherto been proclaimed, is a mirage.
American Journal of Archaeology © 1985 Archaeological Institute of America


'Indian blues': American Indians and the politics of music, 1890-1935
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Various Native American individuals and communities effectively utilized the practice of music as a political catalyst between 1890 and 1935 to both reshape federal Indian policy and to develop new, modern expressions of tribal and Indian identity. I focus primarily on three performative arenas: reservations (mostly Lakota), offreservation boarding schools, and professional public venues such as theatres, concert halls, and Chautauqua circuits. The contests over the practice of music by American Indians in these arenas serve to thematically join the dissertation chapters. Chapter one examines the ways in which the Lakota manipulated tropes of citizenship and patriotism through dance in order to reinvigorate their Lakota identity in the midst of assimilation and allotment policies. The next chapter investigates the impact of the press and trends in popular culture on federal policy as many American Indians protested loudly over the renewed efforts of the OIA to suppress dancing on a national scale in the mid 1920s. Chapter three focuses on the boarding schools, where the music education curricula initially focused on regimentation, cadence, and discipline. I examine the implications of what forms of music school officials deemed appropriate, and how the students responded to the instruction. The following chapter maintains a focus on the schools. While the marching bands, string quartets, and vocal lessons ostensibly served the OIA to inculcate particular Anglo cultural tastes, many teachers and superintendents also engaged in a movement to teach the students through musical instruction how to become, on their terms, "proper" Indians. I investigate the relationship between these agendas and the impetus behind the movement. The final chapter explores the lives of several alumni who utilized their musical training on a professional level. They crafted modern constructions of Indian identities in part through the performance of Indianness before the public, in defiance of the era’s assimilation policies. With an education rooted in the dismemberment of their tribal identities, they engaged the market economy and the public on their own terms, celebrating their difference and often advocating for change in federal Indian policy through the public platforms that their musical talents provided.


School Self-Evaluation. Information for schools November 2012. Inspectorate. Aim of session. To enhance understanding of SSE To prepare schools to use SSE as a school improvement process. Objectives of Session. What is SSE? Why? What does the SSE process look like?
Information for schools
To enhance understanding of SSE
To prepare schools to use SSE as a school improvement process
What is SSE?
What does the SSE process look like?
What does this mean for schools? What does this mean for me as a teacher?
Support for SSE
SSE is a process that allows schools and teachers to improve outcomes for learners.
Arrive at decisions about quality (Judgement)
Direct school improvement
We know SSE works
evidence from DEIS schools
pilot project trial schools
Research in other countries
New Zealand, Scotland, Finland, Canada
Part of balanced and integrated approach to supporting better teaching and learning
Supports the Literacy and Numeracy strategy
Consistent with DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools) (action planning)
Gives greater autonomy to teachers
Over time schools will address three dimensions
Teaching and Learning
Management and leadership
Support for pupils
We want schools to start by focusing on teaching and learning
Teaching and learning is the core work of school
All teachers want to improve learning for students
Building on and reframing SDP
SDP helped focus on developing policy, promoted collaboration and dialogue
SSE will focus more on having an impact on teaching, learning and outcomes for students
The SSE process is a reframing of the school development planning process
It places a greater focus on gathering evidence and making judgements
It works best when it is integrated into the day-to-day work of the school
It leads to action for improvement
Purpose of task:
Start small – a limited aspect of teaching and learning
In first four years: literacy, numeracy and one other area
Ask simple questions
How well are we doing?
How do we know? What evidence do we have?
How can we find out more?
What are our strengths/areas for development?
How can we improve?
Build on what you know….
DON’T COLLECT TOO MUCH INFORMATION!
Purpose of task
For example in school X they have
In school X my responsibility as a teacher is to:
Teaching is focused, stimulating and relevant to the students’ learning needs. ………… Effective subject-specific learning approaches are used. Opportunities for the development of literacy and numeracy skills are well used. Subject-specific language is thoroughly taught. Lessons are well developed in a way that allows for progression of students’ skills, knowledge and attitudes.
All aspects of the subject are thoroughly taught with progression apparent in the students’ learning as they move from one year to the next. A broad range of activities is provided to enhance the holistic development of the student.
Whole staff responsibility
Strategies agreed in the School Improvement Plan
SSE as part of normal and
ongoing practice in the school
Go raibh maith agaibh


Music examinations are a method of formally assessing the accomplishments of pupils learning musical instruments. Although there are music examinations available to school and university students alongside other regular qualifications and assessments, there are also a number of independent, examination bodies who solely provide assessment in musical ability which are open to all.
Music exams are set in both theory and practical aspects. The theory examinations are taken by pupils of all instruments and typically cover areas such as musical notation, construction of scales and composition. The practical exams concentrate on the particular instrument favoured by the pupil, for example piano, guitar or flute. They cover elements such as playing set pieces; scales; sight reading and aural.
Most students who enter these exams have taken a course of music lessons with a private teacher. Often this is a way for children to receive music training over and above what is provided at their usual place of learning.
ABRSM: Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music
The Associated Board is the worlds leading examination body for music, with a system of examinations and assessments in over 80 countries around the world. The Associated Board is linked to some of Europes leading Conservatoires – the Royal College of Music and the Royal Academy of Music in London; the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester and the Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama.
Established in 1889, the Associated Board provides schools, private teachers of music and the general public with a scheme of music examinations of recognised authority. Examinations are offered in 35 instruments, singing, theory and practical musicianship and are open to students of all ages. The Associated Board examines over half a million candidates each year making it the largest examining body for music in the world.
In 1991, the Associated Board was delighted to be asked to return to examine in Australia after an absence of more than 30 years. Associated Board examinations are conducted at St.Andrews Cathedral School, with the Boards examiners making regular visits to Sydney.
AMEB: Australian Music Examinations Board
The Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB) provides a full range of music and speech and drama education, from the first steps through to Diploma level performance and scholarship. The AMEB exists to provide a graded system of examinations in music, speech and drama, by offering high quality syllabuses, educative services to our teachers, examiners and candidates, and quality publications to the highest editorial standard. The AMEB has a long record of providing quality music examinations for students, with over 100,000 students nationally taking its examinations each year. AMEB standards are well respected internationally, and it is the only examining body with formal links to the major Australian universities and Ministers of Education.
AGMS: Australian Guild of Music Education
The AGMS was founded in 1969 as a continuation of the London Guild of Music and Speech (Australia). It is non-profit, Public Education Institution, constituted to provide professional and private Teachers and Students of Music and Speech (including Drama) with a responsive organization through a comprehensive set of syllabi throughout Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia and Singapore with examinations which recognize excellence in the selected study, as well as providing supportive encouragement for teachers and all music and speech students and candidates.
The Guild education system provides an avenue for music & speech teachers to offer a methodical teaching and assessment system for their students via the Guilds public examinations and opens the way for further education at Tertiary level, for both themselves and their students, by distance education in the Creative Skills program from Certificate to Advanced Diploma and the Higher Education program with the Bachelor of Music degree.
ANZCA: Australian and New Zealand Cultural Arts
Australian and New Zealand Cultural Arts Limited (ANZCA) offer syllabuses and both practical and written examinations in modern and classical streams, which stimulate students of all ages. For over twenty-three years, examinations have been conducted throughout Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia.
Trinity Guildhall Examinations (Australia)
Trinity College London, the international examinations board incorporating Trinity Guildhall, offers accredited qualifications in English language and the performing arts. Trinity has been assessing students since 1872 and is considered a leader in performance assessment. Trinity is supported by the leading performing arts organizations, teacher associations, colleges and universities in Australia and worldwide. 500,000 assessments are conducted each year worldwide, from graded examinations and certificates to diplomas and higher level vocational qualifications. Trinity offers a flexible range of syllabuses, across a variety of teaching and learning styles, to encourage and motivate students to achieve their personal, vocational and professional goals.


Brooke was shocked when her daughter, Mattie, came home with a grade of 59 on her 6th grade Social Studies test. “But I know Mattie studied. I saw her reading her textbook and looking over her notes. I can’t understand why she wasn’t ready for the test. In elementary school, Mattie was considered a good reader. In middle school, her grades are slipping and it’s hard to figure out why.”
Does your child know how to read? What a stupid question! Of course she does. She learned to read in the second grade, so she’s all set! Or is she?
Children learn to decode words in the first years of school. They learn how to read words and sentences. But reading words and sentences is not the same as reading paragraphs, stories, essays, technical manuals, cereal boxes, road maps and Letters from the Editor – not by a long shot. Real reading is reading for comprehension. Just because a child or adult can read the words doesn’t mean that they can understand what they read. This is especially true when it comes to the higher grades – middle school, high school, college and well, life.
There’s a reason that they speak of reading, ‘riting and ‘rithmetic. They are foundational skills. If a child does not acquire solid reading skills, he or she will experience difficulty in all areas, both in and out of school. Here’s why: Imagine that your child has a test coming up in history, social studies or science. She will have to study hard for the test. What does it mean to study?
When we take a test, we study in order to organize our understanding of what we have learned so that we may retain it and express our understanding on the test. What does it mean to read for comprehension? Reading for comprehension means organizing our understanding of what we are reading. Again, reading is not decoding words. Reading involves understanding ideas and making connections among them. Reading means using our present understanding and vocabulary in order to understand what is on the page. Reading means keeping in mind what we read at the beginning of an article in order to understand what comes later. Reading means organizing what is on the printed page.
That’s what we do when we study! That’s why most study problems are reading problems. Teach a child to read and you’ll arm him for schoolwork in all areas.
Here’s a little truth that you might be surprised to learn. Many students in college never open a book! No – I don’t mean that they don’t read for pleasure outside of their class assignments. They don’t read their material assigned for their classes! Why would they make such a foolish choice? Believe it or not, they come by it honestly. It’s not entirely their fault. Here’s what happens:
1. Students come to college with poor reading skills.
2. Instructors cannot rely upon students to read and understand assigned material.
3. As a result, instructors “lecture” on the ideas that will be “on the test”.
4. Instructors give students copies of their own PowerPoint presentations. Students use these instead of taking notes.
5. As a result, students learn – erroneously – that they don’t need to read the book.
6. As a result, instructors find that they cannot rely upon their students to understand assigned readings; instructors “lecture” on what will be on the test; students don’t read the assignments, and it spirals out of control.
College students don’t know how to read for comprehension. The cycle begins well before the college years. In this issue, Master Teacher Denise Granniss talks about the importance of motivating middle school students to read, and to read well. We can all profit from her wisdom.


New Steps Needed to Improve Literacy in Mass., Report Says
When people talk about student achievement in Massachusetts, it's usually in the context of how well the state is doing compared with others. But a new report suggests that Massachusetts has no cause to rest on its laurels. Noting that 43 percent of its 3rd graders are not reading on grade level (based on state test results from 2009), the report delves into the "external and in-school barriers to reading achievement." It also makes the case for a "major, comprehensive refocusing" of the state's efforts to improve children's language and literacy development from birth to age 9.
Commissioned by the Boston-based nonprofit Strategies for Children, the report provides five core recommendations to ensure "measurable" improvements in reading outcomes for Massachusetts students. They include:
• improving the intensity and effective implementation of reading and language interventions for children;
• conducting early and ongoing assessments of children's language and learning skills, as well as the quality of services and supports they receive;
• redefining professional education to increase adults' capacity to assess and support children's language and reading development (and by adults, the report means not just teachers, but child-care providers, health-care professionals, and others who work closely with children);
• bringing "language-rich, rigorous, and engaging reading curricula into early education and care settings, as well as PK-3 classrooms"; and
• expanding and strengthening work with families across learning settings and within communities.
"So in pursuit of better reading outcomes, we need to take a more scientific and a more preventive approach," declares the report, whose lead author is Nonie K. Lesaux, an associate professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. "We need to alter our course, and this involves revisiting some basic assumptions and practices."
"This is not about sounding an alarm; it is about ringing the bell louder, so that our policymakers, philanthropists, educators, medical professionals, business and community leaders, parents, and caregivers take note," the report adds. "We
must pull our at-risk readers along and we must push all readers forward. It is time to turn the page."
A story about the study from the Boston Globe notes that Massachusetts Secretary of Education Paul Reville praised the report as a "very important call to action," and acknowledged the challenges of addressing reading proficiency within a tight budget. This year, Massachusetts provided cities and towns $4 million for literacy programs, the story notes.
"Right now we don't have nearly as much money as we'd like to have to do the kind of work that we'd want to do in early literacy,'' Reville said, according to the Globe story.


All MYC® levels incorporate singing, listening and ear training, movement, keyboard, rhythm ensembles and dictation, and composition into their curriculum. Within all of these elements, and all concepts taught using all four learning styles (visual, analytical, tactile and auditory) are engaged and used to ensure that each child is able to received, and understand, to their best ability, everything that is being taught.
Select an age group below to learn more about each individual level.
An early-childhood music education method that integrates and utilizes Conservatory repertoire within our own method.
Why Study Music
From developing cognitive skills to establishing self-esteem, provide an amazing foundation that your child will carry with them for the rest of their lives.


It is important that people of all ages have regular vision screenings, but is is vitally important that they be done in infants and young children. There are many eye and vision problems that, if left untreated, can lead to a lifetime of poor vision or even blindness. Many of these problems, if caught early enough, can be completely alleviated.
A newborn has very poor vision due to weak eye muscles and a brain that is not accustomed to receiving visual stimuli. Over time, both the eye muscles and the pathways along the ocular nerve strengthen, and the child's vision improves. If a problem prevents the timely strengthening of the vision, there is a chance that it never occurs, leaving the child's vision limited to varying degrees.
To prevent minor and perhaps temporary problems from developing into major vision issues, the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (AAPOS) recommend early, as young as one month of age, and regular, vision screenings for every child. This increases the chances of vision or eye problems being caught early enough to prevent permanent damage.
Common Infant Eye Problems
- Amblyopia - this is more a problem of the brain than the eye, but the result is poor vision. This occurs when the brain does not properly process visual stimuli from one or both eyes. If not caught and corrected, the visual processing center of the brain may not ever be able to process visual information properly.
- Strabismus - this is the misalignment of one or both eyes. Left untreated it leads to amblyopia, but caught early the misalignment can be repaired, either through the wearing of glasses or surgery, allowing the brain to learn how to process visual stimuli properly.
- Refractive errors - these include nearsightedness and farsightedness, as well as astigmatisms. While it is important to correct these vision issues in all ages, left untreated in infants they can lead to developmental delays, a lack of coordination and poor motor skill development.
Thankfully, pediatricians know the importance of early vision screenings. Most offices are equipped with the basic equipment needed to recognize vision problems in young children and infants. The screenings should be done at your children's regular check ups. If you child attends public school, they will also provide annual vision screenings. Be sure to follow up on any recommended visits to eye care professionals and your child should be on the path to healthier eyes and better vision.
For more information, contact a business such as Fields Family Eye Care - Kimberly A Fields Od.Share


Bible Verse: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23)
This week we worked on counting money, specifically one penny equals one cent, grouping pennies by 5s, and skip counting.
Go for THE CODE
We are using The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading for phonics instruction and Jenni is reading Bob Books: Set 1 for Beginning Readers.
At the start of each week, Jenni picks out a selection of read-aloud books from the library for me to read to her. We are using The Read-Aloud Handbook (by Jim Trelease) as a guide for our additional read aloud books.
This week we read:
Bridget and the Gray Wolves by Pija Lindenbaum
Chewy Louie by Howie Schneider
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr & John Archambault
Frog Goes To Dinner by Mercer Mayer
The House That Jack Built by Jeanette Winter
The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams
This is the House That Was Tidy & Neat by Teri Sloat
Joshua is enjoying his December sensory tub. The jingle bells are his favorite :)


Did you know these facts regarding music education?
* More music majors who applied for medical school were admitted compared to those in other majors including English, biology, chemistry and math.
~ (“The Comparative Academic Abilities of Students in Education and in Other Areas of a Multifocus University,” Peter H. Wood, ERIC Document No. ED327480; “The Case for Music in Schools”, Phi Delta Kappan, 1994)
* Students who participate in school orchestra or orchestra have the lowest levels of current and lifelong use of alcohol, tobacco and illicit drugs among any group in our society.
~ H. Con. Res. 266, United States Senate, June 13, 2000
* With music in schools, students connect to each other better, experience greater camaraderie, fewer fights, less racism and reduced use of hurtful sarcasm.
~ Eric Jensen, Arts With the Brain in Mind, 2001
* A study of 7,500 university students revealed that music majors scored the highest reading scores among all majors including English, biology, chemistry and math.
~ The Case for Music in the Schools, Phi Delta Kappa, 1994
* Students who were exposed to music based lessons scored a full 100% higher on fractions tests than those who learned in the conventional manner.
~ Neurological Research, March 15, 1999
* The world’s top academic countries place a high value on music education. Hungary, Netherlands and Japan have required music training at the elementary and middle school levels, both instrumental and vocal, for several decades.
~ 1988 International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IAEEA) Test
* Music training helps underachievers. Students lagging behind in scholastic performance caught up to their fellow students in reading and surpassed their classmates in math by 22% when given music instruction over seven months.
~ Nature, May 23, 1996
* College aged musicians are emotionally healthier than their non-musician counterparts for performance anxiety, emotional concerns and alcohol related problems.
~ Houston Chronicle, January 11, 1998


Today’s title is a mouthful:)
My daughter enters middle school this fall, which has made me pause and reflect on her development as a digital and information literate student. Much of what she has learned in terms of those literacy skills has come from having a mother as a librarian. Looking back at her elementary years, I’ve come to realize that schools are really tripping themselves up with the sheer number of obstacles in place that prevent the development of digital and information literacy learning in the classroom. And those obstacles exist in even the most 21st century-enthusiastic school districts. I would go so far as to say that some of these obstacles extend well into the college years.
Here’s my take on the presumptions, policies and practices that create obstacles to digital and information literacy learning:
The Digital Native Buy-In
No, being born in the digital age does not automatically make you a digital native. Exposure to the digital environment is required to learn the digital language. And there are many reasons why students may not have been exposed to the digital environment. While economics might be the first thing that comes to mind, parents’ beliefs about technology play an important role too. Interestingly, one of the most common reasons for lack of digital exposure I’ve come across is what I’ll coin the ‘short end of the stick’ – that’s when multiple siblings have to share the same digital device(s), and the youngest (typically) gets short-changed, and ends up with less digital exposure than some of his classmates.
When schools presume that their students are digital natives, they may fail to develop an appropriately well-rounded curriculum that fosters digital and information literacy.
Overly Restrictive Internet Policies
Overly restrictive internet policies negatively impact what teachers can do in the classroom. As a result, students miss out on learning skills that improve problem solving and critical thinking (e.g. evaluating web sites). They miss out on developing the skills that will lead to college and career success.
Ignoring the Foundational Skills of Digital and Information Literacy
Too many schools ignore (or are ignorant of) the foundational skills of digital and information literacy. These are skills that need to be addressed in elementary school and include:
- Understanding information organization. Students need to understand the concept of how keyword and subject indexing works in a book (concrete) before they are introduced to searching online (abstract).
- Understanding information sources. Students need to understand the purpose of different types of informational texts. While Common Core addresses this, implementation is another story altogether.
- Understanding how to navigate an information environment. Students would be better-equipped at navigating online information if they first learned to expertly navigate their school library. If a school is still using the Dewey Decimal System, the perfect opportunity for teaching this skill is when students are also learning how to put decimal numbers in order.
Pre-Selecting Research Sources
When students are first exposed to projects that require research, they should be allowed to do the research themselves, albeit guided. Providing students with a set of pre-selected research sources sends the message that finding information is not an important part of the research process. And now you know why students come to the reference desk with the expectation that they will be spoon-fed their research sources.
Equating Technology Skills with Digital and Information Literacy
This is why students rely heavily on Google. And this is why they select the first five web sites they find (Wikipedia is always in there somewhere).
Inadequate Teacher Training
I think all teacher training programs need to include a course on 21st century literacies, which emphasizes integration of those skills into the curriculum, along with teacher-librarian collaboration (in other words, classroom teachers need to be taught how to collaborate with librarians in the same way that librarians are taught how to collaborate with teachers).
Inadequate Professional Development
Librarians need to be more involved with the professional development of classroom teachers. PD can go a long way to help teachers change their perspectives on the importance of digital and information literacy in today’s classroom (and to become digital and information literate themselves).
Failing to Recognize the Librarian’s Role in Digital and Information Literacy
This may be the biggest administrative blind spot in our education system today.


When it comes to the development of fine motor skills we work hard to ensure that your child is making the best possible progress. Fine motor skills lead to greater independent living skills. What do we mean by fine motor skills anyway? In essence we as Occupational Therapists are trained to focus on the improved coordination of the smaller muscles in the upper body. Controlled movements related to the hands and fingers are central to many essential life skills. We work on the skills required to eat with a fork or spoon, write with any kind of utensil, fasten any kind of button, tie shoes or open doors.
Lagging in fine motor skill development stems from insufficient hand strength and weak overall coordination of motor skills. Depending on early child hood experiences fine motor skills can vary greatly for preschool aged children. For example if a child is able to engage in activities that promote learning how to cut with scissors that child can successfully cut a strip of paper as a toddler. Different levels of capability and various limitations of experience in early childhood can create significant fine motor skill delays. Pediatric Occupational Therapy Stafford professionals understand that development of these skills is often accomplished at an irregular rate. It is also true that there is a well-defined process requiring base skills in order to progress into more complex fine motor skill development.
Our well-trained and experienced Occupational Therapy team knows how to teach those skills and build on the learning in order to develop optimal fine motor skills. There are general age ranges where most children are able and should be encouraged to perform certain tasks. These tasks associated with fine motor skills include things such as drawing lines with a crayon held with the fingers and not in a fist. At a very young age such as two years old a child who has had experience and practice can take off and put on shoes and eat properly with a spoon. These activities can be encouraged at home. With practice, consistent expectations and patience skills can be established at an early age establishing the strongest fine motor skill baseline possible.
Even playing games can help developing these skills. You may play many of these kinds of things with your child already. For example, building with blocks or stringing beads is something that a toddler can enjoy while strengthening fine motor skill muscles at the same time. The long-term goal with these types of games is to work towards helping your child be able to dress and eat independently. Being as capable as possible builds self-esteem and that confidence provides the best platform for motivation to learn more skills. Delays can often be successfully addressed and redirected Occupational Therapy. If you are concerned about any fine motor skill developmental delays you can consult with our OT Specialists. The Occupational Therapist understands the basic benchmarks to be expected for the age and developmental stage of your child. The OT Professional can help you set realistic and attainable fine motor skill goals for your child. The right practice can be fun and rewarding both for the child and for the family.


With easy access to education these days, a lot of students are happily enrolling into online classes and courses in order to pursue better career options. However, academic institutes and independent researchers have found that not all students have successfully completed their courses online and some of them have left such a course midway. The reason being they were unable to cope up with an online classroom ambiance and ended up losing focus and motivation to excel in their chosen programs. Majority of the learners started their elementary education in traditional schools that constituted of face-to-face interactions with the teachers and the classmates and attending classes at specific times. Now, online classrooms have no set class timings plus teachers and students can interact only via chats, emails or through video conferencing and webcams.
Thus, to succeed in online classes, you need to develop the mentality to work independently and communicate with the teachers at scheduled times.
Let's focus on the top tips to make the most of your online classes.
You must have Access to a Computer
Before you take admission into an online class, think twice about whether you have reliable access to a computer or laptop with a steady internet connection! Without a computer, you won't be able to view or download course assignments, class catalogs, calendars, etc. Moreover, if you don't log onto to the given class website on a daily basis, you will not be able to attend classes and communicate with instructors to submit homework or your projects.
Read Everything, Download, and Print if Required
Students new to the online environment should spend time reading through the school website and follow the instructions properly to view or download specific learning materials. In many cases, you will get the option to take a print out of a document. It is good to retain a hard-copy of an important post rather than to read and forget later.
Choose a Suitable Time to Communicate
Mutually discuss a suitable time to communicate with the professors. Online learning experience gives you the opportunity to learn and discuss at your convenience. Thus, online schools are seen creating a forum where both teachers and learners can log on at anytime to question and converse class-related problems and learning issues. While having a group discussion, it is important to follow up with what others are saying - reply with an open mind and come up with suggestions and share information as much as possible.
Wait for Others to Reply
Give some time for others to reply to your questions and queries. Don't just start sending numerous mails or go on posting messages without giving them some time to response. Even if you feel that your questions are very important and you need urgent responses, you have to be patient and passionate.


Visits and excursions
When planning excursions, you might want to consider the following list of government sites that could be visited:
- a council meeting
- waste management centres
- water management centres
- animal refuges
- environmental centres
- local museums
- local historical monuments
- areas where community action has made a difference (parks, sites where beautification schemes have operated or art works have been used).
When discussing your visit with council workers it may be useful to provide some hints on how they might prepare their presentation.
When planning excursions or visits by speakers, consider the following suggestions and use the Checklist template new window 22K to record your actions.
- Contact the local council to obtain the contact details of the officer in charge of excursions or visits.
- Decide whether a number of sites should be visited if the excursion is to last for a full day.
- Research the sites so that links can be made with classroom teaching before and after the visit.
- Determine how many students are likely to attend.
- Obtain any necessary booking sheets. Complete and return them.
- Decide when and where students will eat lunch and make sure toilet facilities are adequate and accessible.
- Book buses after clearing costs with school administration.
- Make a list of materials students will need for the day (worksheets, pen, hats, water, food, covered shoes) and inform students and parents.
- Prepare a letter for parents or guardians to sign, providing permission for their child to participate. Include details of venue, time, purpose, cost and equipment needed.
- Practise thanking the speakers and arrange for a student to speak on behalf of the group.
- Prepare for the visit by incorporating subject matter into classroom tasks. Check what literacy and numeracy skills are needed to gain maximum benefit from the visit.
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The City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program is a city-supported public art program that brings together young people, neighborhood residents, artists, and a wide variety of public and private institutions to create murals of enduring value that reflect the aspirations and experiences of the city's diverse communities. Since 1984, the Mural Arts Program has created over 3,000 murals and works of public art which are now part of Philadelphia's civic landscape and a source of inspiration to the hundreds of thousands of residents and visitors who encounter them earning Philadelphia international recognition as the "City of Murals."
The Mural Arts Program's free after-school and summer intensive art education programs known as Big Picture and Mural Corps are aimed at young people 10 to 21 years of age. The programs not only teach mural-making and other fundamental art skills but inspire students to become artists, organizers, and leaders in their communities.
Over the past year, youth enrolled in the Big Picture and Mural Corps programs drew inspiration from the practice and activism of Mahatma Gandhi: "We need to be the change we wish to see in the world." Through the self-portraits, students were asked to challenge their preconceptions of who they are, how the world portrays them, and how they portray themselves.
The Mural Arts Program believes that if young people are equipped with a strong sense of self, knowledge of their potential, and a connection to the world around them, they will be better prepared to make wise decisions and choose positive paths throughout their lives.


Children four and under should move more, sit less and avoid screens
Canada’s first-ever physical activity and sedentary behaviour guidelines for the early years released
CALGARY (ALBERTA) March 27, 2012 – Children aged four and under should move more and sit less every day as recommended by the first-ever Canadian Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines for the Early Years. All children aged one to four should accumulate at least 180 minutes of physical activity throughout the day, and children under the age of one should be physically active several times daily. Parents and caregivers should also limit prolonged sitting for more than one hour at a time and excessive screen time.
The Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines for the Early Years (ages 0-4 years) are Canada’s first systematic evidence-based physical activity guidelines and the world’s first standalone sedentary behaviour guidelines for this age group, which puts Canada at the forefront of the emerging body of sedentary research. They are presented by the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP) and ParticipACTION, with support from the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Healthy Active Living and Obesity Research Group (CHEO-HALO).
Although children in the early years are assumed to be naturally busy and active, they spend 73 to 84 per cent of their waking hours being sedentary. In addition, despite the detrimental effects on physical and social development, most young children are exposed to screen time too early in life and for too long.
“Regular physical activity is essential at a young age as it contributes to bone and skeletal health, motor skill development, psychosocial health, cognitive development and healthy body weights,” says Dr. Mark Tremblay, Director, CHEO-HALO. “It is also key to avoid the harms associated with excessive sedentary behaviour, in particular the negative effects of screen time exposure, in the earliest years of development. Lifestyle patterns set in the early years predict health outcomes later in life.”
For healthy growth and development, the Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines for the Early Years recommend:
- Children under the age of one should be physically active several times daily – particularly through interactive, floor-based play. This should include supervised indoor and outdoor experiences such as tummy time, reaching and grasping, pushing and pulling, and crawling.
- Children aged one to four should accumulate at least 180 minutes of physical activity at any intensity spread throughout the day. This should include a variety of activities in different environments where children can develop movement skills, such as climbing stairs, playing outside and exploring the environment, brisk walking, running or dancing.
- By age five, children should progress towards at least 60 minutes of energetic play, such as hopping, skipping and bike riding.
Minimizing sedentary behaviour, including screen time, during waking hours is just as important as being physically active. Sedentary behaviours are characterized by little physical movement and low energy expenditure and include sitting or reclining for long periods of time. For healthy growth and development, the Canadian Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines for the Early Years recommend:
- Caregivers should limit prolonged sitting to no more than one hour at a time, for example, sitting or reclining in a stroller, high chair or car seat, and watching television or playing with non-active electronic devices like computers, video games or phones.
- Screen time is not recommended for children under the age of two.
- Screen time should be limited to less than one hour per day for children aged two to four.
“These guidelines place a high value on the benefits of physical activity that begin in a child’s early years and accumulate throughout life,” says Kelly Murumets, President and CEO of ParticipACTION, the national voice of physical activity and sport participation. “It is crucial for parents and caregivers to give young children regular opportunities to move more, and it can be as simple as getting outdoors to explore the neighbourhood rather than sitting in front of the TV, or by playing on a mat reaching, pushing or crawling rather than keeping children idle in a high chair.”
To download a copy of the new Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines for the Early Years please visit www.csep.ca/guidelines and participACTION.com.
Here is a helpful handout from ParticipACTION: Tips on how to get your young children to move more
For the full details on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines for children in their early years visit: